First Fill Questions

OK I was supposed to make a 4 week appointment to get my first fill for the lap band.  I couldnt get it for 6 weeks cause they are over booked.  Apparently they only do fills on Fridays.  So my first fill will be January 2nd.

I'm a little nervous for a few reasons.  When they did my exam they couldnt find my port by feeling.  They said it was probably from the swelling of surgery and it would go down.
How do they locate your port?  I'm half tempted to tell them to mark it when they find it and then run out to get a Tattoo that says "X marks the spot"!

Im also nervous because he said see what you can put in there so I know how much to fill.  Well hell....that means I could gain some weight back.

What does it feel like when you get a fill?  Did they have a difficult time finding your port?

Diane

Hi Diane

I wouldn't worry about the timing of the fill 4 weeks or 6 weeks.. I didn't get a fill for months after surgery but it is all individual.

I am not sure what they mean about "they couldn't find my port by feeling."  My experience with Dr. B is that he felt for it and stuck it with the needle.  He also used a machine like an x-ray machine  to check the position of the band.  The past few times I had a fill/unfill he has checked using that machine especially since my port has tilted a bit.  I am hoping your doc does the same thing if he/she is having a difficult time find your port.

I was curious about  the "see what you can put in there" comment too.  Were you given guidelines for the amount of food you should be eating?  Were you cleared for solids?  Just trying to get a little background info to see if I can help you out.

Fills are really a breeze (although I always hold my breath - lol!)  Some doctors use a numbing agent - but I have never used it, one needle is enough for me.  You can't really feel it until you drink something.  I never could tell until I had too much of a fill.  I felt it immediately and suffered to long with it but a slight unfill helped out a lot.

Hope this helps!

Hi and thanks.  It helps alot.

He meant see how much you can eat so he knows if he has to add alot or a little i guess.  Right now Im mostly liquid and some puree.  He wants me to be on full food in two weeks time.  Not sure if Ill get there yet.  I know I do need a fill.  I get a little bit hungry at times and I can put way to much fluid in.  I can chug a bottle of water with no problem.

Diane

Diane,
Liquids are likely not to fill you up, especially if you're drinking at times you haven't been eating like they tell you to.  Once you have more restriction you may find the liquids will be slower in trickling through the banded part of your stomach, but they generally go right through. It's really the food you will get full on, and I am sure you've been told not to drink with your meals once you are on solids because it washes the food right through and then you don't feel full like the band is supposed to make you.

When I get a fill, my Dr. has me lay on the exam table and put my arms up above my head. He then presses down on my stomach to feel where the port is, and inserts the needle there. I have heard of some dr.'s needing to use x-ray or sonogram type equipment to find it. You are not much bigger than I was so I don't know if you'll need that after a few more pounds lost. The more you lose, the easier it is for the doc to find your port because it won't be under as much fat. The first time I had a fill it really burned and pinched, but it was over fast. It also hurt because of how hard he needed to push on my side fat in order to find the port. The second time wasn't near as bad because I had lost another 10 pounds since the first fill, and by the third fill I was amazed...He had such an easy time finding it and the needle barely hurt at all. Now I can feel my port very easily. It is on the right part of my abdomen, practically on my side, and it almost feels like an extra bone or something, but not sticking out so you can see it or anything like that..You need to press to find it. The Doc puts it in deep enough so that once you are at a healthy weight it won't noticably bulge your skin out. After your fill the doctor will have you take some sips of water to make sure he didn't fill you too much..If you were filled too much you would push the water right back up. You may get a little bit of a gassy/ burpy feeling as you are drinking the water but this will pass, it is just your stomach adjusting to the band's tightening down on it. My doc was very generous and gave me 3 cc's on my first fill.  I hope your doc is this nice cause if not you may find yourself needing to go back a week or two later for more.

Okay, I've got kiddos harassing me for dinner speaking of fills and restriction and all that so I guess I'll catch you later!