When do I get my first fill???

Hi! My name is Katie and I'm scheduled for my surgery on the 17th of this month.  I have read several different posts about fills.  Some people are 2 months out and still haven't had a fill.  My doctor doesn't require meetings or pre op appointments so I don't have as much information about the whole process.  I've read that I can get my first fill at 6 weeks.  Do I have to get a fill then? How will I know when I need a fill, and when I need refilled?  Most people don't seem to follow a certain schedule so I'm confused. Thanks in advance!
~Katie

 It probably depends on how your doing with your band and what your doctors protocols are.  I had my first fill at 6 weeks and then every 4-6 there after for something like 9-10 months.  My doctor is a very conservative fill giver thus the many many fills.  I think there's alot to said for slow conservative fills.  You will most likely been seen at a week or so post op, they will probably schedule your first fill appt then.  Good luck Lori

Thank you Lori!  I appreciate your quick response!!! 
~Katie

Hi Katie and welcome.

You need to speak with the surgeon's office (he should have a patient coordinator, or medical assistant who fills this role) and CLEARLY  understand all of your pre-op and post-op protocols.

You need to know

1.  what type of diet to follow pre-op (some have none, some have weeks of liquids and everything in between)

2.  what type of diet to follow post-op (I was back to normal food at 2 weeks, some protocols are up to 6 weeks)

3.  how often you should see the surgeon after the surgery (I saw my doc at 1 week for a wound check and then every 3 weeks for fills for quite a while)

4.  how much you have to pay for follow up --- if you have insurance, what is your co-pay?  if you lose your insurance, does he have a self-pay rate that is reasonable?  how much follow up is included in the price of the original surgery?

5.  what happens if you have problems - is your doctor easily available afterhours or are you referred to the ER -- and if so, is your local ER trained to treat band patients? (my doc saw me in his office on New Year's Day -- a Saturday -- at 6:30pm --- and has told me to never seek ER treatment without calling him first)

6.  what is your eating protocol regarding fills ---- can you eat normally up until the fill, or stop eating a few hours before?  how do you need to eat after your fills?

You are right -- every surgeon seems to have their own rules about this stuff, so you need to clearly understand what is going to happen to YOU.

The Band requires much more patient compliance and follow up than any other WLS --- and your doctor probably has hundreds of patients -- you only have ONE --- don't be afraid to be your own advocate.

Thanks for the quick response Kath!!! 

Im scheduled to have my surgery in Tijuana, Mexico and I won't meet with my doctor until the day of my surgery.  Then I will likely never see him again.  I don't have health insurance that will pay for WLS so I am paying out of pocket.  This is why I chose Mexico.  It is 5400 for the band and that includes everything....even the 2 nights in at a hotel.  It doesn't include fills however... :(   

As far as diets, I started the Atkins diet 3 weeks ago weighing 247... I'm down to 233 with 13 days to go until surgery.... I was told I only needed to diet the week before but I thought it would only help me to start asap!  I received all of my diet plans via email and have read them about a million times :) lol !!!!   I have all the information I need from my doc's office. 

As far as follow up visits and fillings I am really clueless as to what to do because I will have no follow up visits with my doctor in Mexico.  This scares me!  You have definately given me a LOT of stuff to think about.... I've been so excited to have this surgery that  I have failed to think of  all the details.... I've researched so much on this surgery but I'm realizing I have a lot more work cut out for me! :)    I really appreciate your help.  I honestly would've never even thought about the ER....and I've noticed from other forum posts that a lot of people have a lot of follow up appointments.... I'm thinking now that I have 13 days to find a doctor that will see me after I get back!

Thanks so much,
Katie

oops.....  I must've accidentally deleted a little bit off the middle paragraph..... at the end it was supposed to say "I have all the information I neeed from my doc's office on the diet plan and what I can and cannot eat.... its just the follow up stuff Im needing."

On March 2, 2011 at 8:15 PM Pacific Time, auntkk1111 wrote: Thanks for the quick response Kath!!! 

Im scheduled to have my surgery in Tijuana, Mexico and I won't meet with my doctor until the day of my surgery.  Then I will likely never see him again.  I don't have health insurance that will pay for WLS so I am paying out of pocket.  This is why I chose Mexico.  It is 5400 for the band and that includes everything....even the 2 nights in at a hotel.  It doesn't include fills however... :(   

As far as diets, I started the Atkins diet 3 weeks ago weighing 247... I'm down to 233 with 13 days to go until surgery.... I was told I only needed to diet the week before but I thought it would only help me to start asap!  I received all of my diet plans via email and have read them about a million times :) lol !!!!   I have all the information I need from my doc's office. 

As far as follow up visits and fillings I am really clueless as to what to do because I will have no follow up visits with my doctor in Mexico.  This scares me!  You have definately given me a LOT of stuff to think about.... I've been so excited to have this surgery that  I have failed to think of  all the details.... I've researched so much on this surgery but I'm realizing I have a lot more work cut out for me! :)    I really appreciate your help.  I honestly would've never even thought about the ER....and I've noticed from other forum posts that a lot of people have a lot of follow up appointments.... I'm thinking now that I have 13 days to find a doctor that will see me after I get back!

Thanks so much,
Katie Oh my gosh Katie you can not and I repeat can not have this surgery if you do not have a doc that is going to take care of you for after the surgery.

The first yr is the most important yr for being banded and you must see your doc every four weeks after you have surgery !!!

And to be honest Katie, Mexico is cheaper but there is alot of doctors here in the states that will  NOT do after care on people that go down to Mexico for their surgery .

I'm not trying to scare you but that is just the truth , I know my doc wont touch patients that have their surgery there and I know quite a few girls on here mentioned the same thing about their docs .

If it was me and you cant find a doc before your surgery date then I would cancel the surgery because you need aftercare .  I have to see my doc every four week for the first 12 months. Then I see him every three months after my first yr .

I am self pay to mine was about 20,000 grand and that includes a yrs worth of aftercare for the first yr .  Plus if anything goes wrong the first yr flipped port, a leak or band problems my doc does the surgery for free .

Please please be careful doing this because we are self pay its even more important for us to have a great doc because trust me he will become your best friend the first yr after your surgery :o)

PS Some docs charge anywhere from 200-600 bucks for a fill each time so you need to ask about that .  My doc knows I dont have insurance and he only charges me 75 bucks when I start getting them so that is another thing you need to check into .

Steeler fan, thank you for this advice.... I can't believe I never thought of this..... I found a Dr in the city nearest me that will do the fills for patients from Mexico but I never thought to ask about after care... I never realized there was a lot of aftercare involved.  My mom had the bipass and  only had to go a few times ( I realize these are much different surgeries)..... I am going to start calling doctor's offices first thing in the morning to see if I can find someone that will see me when I get back into the states.... This is VERY good advice and I appreciate it!!!!  I feel really dumb that I've not thought about this before hand....

You are welcome,

I'm not the type of person that advocates one surgery to another but you mentioned you was going down to Mx .  Have you thought about having the sleeve done since you dont have insurance and maybe no aftercare afterwards ?

There is no aftercare with the sleeve and its been so long since I looked into all the info I cant be much help there.

Also, one more thing you need to have a back up plan in case something does go wrong with your s surgery down the road.  For example, your port flips, the band slips  and so forth.

Before I went and got my surgery done I went to my bank and made sure I could get a loan if something like that would happen and they said yes .  And if you have your surgery down in Mexico if its something that needs to be fixed right then and there you might not be able to get back down to Mexico where its cheaper .  You need to think of the worse case things that could happen .

I do not regret getting the band at all even at self pay its doing what its suppose to do and I'm losing weight .  Just make sure you have everything ready first.

1. after care
 2. back up plan for money if something does happen and you need surgery again.   ( This could happen with any WLS you get done though nothing is 100% guaranteed on this things )

Lots of doctors will not take transfer patients from MX --- and many who do charge higher rates.

Some charge program fees  --- so it is really critical that you find a doctor who is local to you and will do your follow up.

The band does not work without good follow up care.

Have you considered VSG since you are choosing to have your surgery in MX.  It requires virtually no follow up care and is proving to be more successful long-term than the band.

I was self-pay (locally), so I completely understand the issue of insurance not covering WLS expenses --- if I had it to do over, I think I would have had the VSG -- athough I have been very successful with my band.

Good luck --- hope you get this all sorted out before your surgery.