How Many CC's Did You Have Put In @ Time of Surgery?

Mine was empty as well. There is so much swelling that happens during surgery, and the band is healing, and stiched to your stomach... I wouldn't WANT a fill at time of placement.

I have had my band for 3 years and when I just got my port replaced last week I had to bat my eyelashes fiercely just to get 4cc's put in. I really wanted to be filled back up to "restriction" level but my surgeon was concerned I may have swelling from the port replacement.

Better to be safe then run into complications down the line.

I had NO fluid at all for the first 3 months, I passed on fills at 6 weeks etc, because my hunger wasn't bad at all.  I lost 30 pounds in the first 3 months. 

Initially there's swelling and just having the band provides a little restriction.  Also you can't compare fluid levels, because all of our stomachs are different sizes.  And as we lose weight, there's less fat around the stomach requiring a little more fill.

You also need to learn to eat the bandster way before you get much of a fill, so you don't end up getting stuck all the time and vomiting.

My surgeon does a 3cc primer fill which worked great for me but I know another patient that had the same surgeon  and had to have her primer fill removed right after surgery because it was too tight and she couldn't keep donw fluids.

You see, everyone is different.  The reason it varies is because each persons anatomy is different.  How much fat you have around your stomach muscle may determine how much saline you need to fill your band.  That's why as you lose weight you need to get your band tightened.  You never really know how a fill is going to wor****il 3 days later.  It can take 3 days for the swelling to start subsiding.  Sometimes you have a fill and feel fine when you leave the doctor but then 2 days later you're too tight.  It's because of swelling.

The reason there is always a diet progression post op is becuase you have to slowly re-introduce food to your new stomach pouch and let your system adjust to processing food.  The digestive process starts immediately after you ingest food and you have a very tender, healing stoma, band staples, etc. that's trying to move the food.   When you start digesting food,  the muscles in your stomach start working to move the food through the digestive system and it's a big adjustment after surgery.  That's why you generally start with liquids, go to soft foods, etc.

Some doctors are more conservative than others.  Just be firm with your doctor and let them know if you are feeling nothing.  My doc makes you wait a minimum of 4 weeks between fills to allow for healing and adjusting to new restriction. 

Most importantly, remember that it's not all about restriciton either.  Just having the band around your stomach should help supress hunger by pressing on the nerve that signals the Hypothalamus gland in your brain that registers hunger. 

Hang in there!  It will get better soon!

Best!~

Lisa O.

My doc does NOT put any fluid in the bands  he will put some in at six weeks but I have skipped my first and second fills and have lost 32 pounds and almost 20 inches :o)


I had to follow a six week plan after surgery

Mine was empty at surgery as well. First fill at 6 weeks was supposed to be 4cc's but only 1-2 got in the band.

Mine is empty too,will get my 1st fill in 4 weeks.

The majority of us get nothing at surgery and the most common time for a first fill is about 6 weeks.

And the post-op eating plan is nothing to do with restriction. If we eat solid foods, then our stomachs literally churn as we digest. If we eat liquids and soft foods, this is minimised. So the sutures have time to heal fully and become embedded in scar tissue. This greatly reduces the risk of slips further down the line.

kate

I have a 14cc band that was filled with 3cc's at surgery. This really did the trick for me for the first 6-7 weeks. I had the okay to eat "real foods" at 4 weeks out and was so surprised and elated to find the band kept me feeling satisfied after such a tiny meal. But then at week 7 that stopped and I had to start getting a little more fluid added to the band to get back to that point.

Trixie

My surgeon primed the band with 3.5 ccs but like Lisa right above me mentioned happened to her friend, I couldn't keep anything down because with the restriction of the band and the swelling of the surgery, I had to have 2 ccs removed.

So.  Now I'm about 1 week post-surgery and I have 1.5 ccs in, I *think*, a 14 cc band.  (I probably need to ask that).  I asked my surgeon about the difference between the Lap-Band and the Realize band before my surgery and he said that other than some very minor and inconsequential structural differences, the only difference is that the Lap-Band now comes primed with fluid and the Realize Band does not.  I wanted restriction right away and so for that reason, I chose the Lap-Band.

But after reading on here that most people start with no fill in their bands, I'm wondering if it really does come pre-filled and most surgeons remove the fluid before initially placing the band or does my surgeon just order them pre-filled?

Regardless, I'm quite happy now but those first 24 hours or so were AWFUL because I couldn't keep anything down.  I'm fine now but I think I would have preferred to have it placed with less fluid in it.  Not necessarily empty, just at the level its at now. 

But whether you have fill in your band or not, your stomach is still going to be swollen and healing after your surgery.  The 6 week foor progression has a lot to do with helping that heal and giving your stomach a chance to not have to work to hard to digest food while things are settling back down in there.  Although a band, even with NO fill in it, is going to provide some restriction, isn't it?  I mean, even when no fluid, it creates a pouch and a stoma where before you just had the whole stomach, right?

Thanks to everyone *****sponded to my question.  I do now see the purpose for "no fill" at surgery time and also for the food plan to allow your stomach time to heal.  I also have had gastric bypass but needed the band due to stoma stretching and I let my weight get way out of control before I decided I needed help...much appreciated on all your responses!