Getting impatient now

I have had my band for about 6 weeks now. I was told I could get a fill already and have been waiting for them to schedule me for an appt. I am also just now able to get back into the gym. I feel like I did before the surgery. I can eat alot less but I just feel like nothing else is going to come off. It probably is just me being impatient. But I really do need the band to give me this boost and get me started again. Cant wait to be able to say that the band is working and that it has helped me regain my life back at some point. Trying to wait for something is obviously not my strong point. How long was it before other people go their first fill and how much of a difference was it?

Vanessa,

Everybody is different on fills .  My doc will not give a fill til you are six weeks post op and even then sometimes he wont give a fill it just depends on the person.

, some people just need one fill, and then there is others that need many fills.  It all depends on you and what you are really looking for in the band.

Everybody works their bands different and then that means the fills are different. 

That is what my doc told me . What might work for one person , might not work for you .

Have you called about an appt to get a fill?

I actually didn't get my first fill until I was 3 months out.  I followed the surgeon's eating plan and lost 30 pounds in those 3 months.  I didn't have any fluid in my band at all.  I just exercised by walking each day. 

How long can you go without feeling a lot of hunger after eating 3 oz of protein and a 1/4c-1/2c of a veggie?  Are you getting in at least 60 oz of protein in?  and 8 cups of non calorie fluids?

There wasn't a dramatic difference after my first fill at all.  My surgeon was careful and slow in my fills and I proceeded carefully following the band rules.  My fill history is in my signature line.

It is a process that takes patience, but it will be worth it.

Congrats on being banded!

I understand your impatience but unfortunately, the band doesn't start working immediately for everyone.

I got my first fill at 6 weeks post-op. I noticed a difference afterward but it took 2-3 more fills to really get things going.

What do you mean, you're waiting for them to schedule you for an appt.? Have you called the office to request the appt and they haven't gotten back to you yet? Or are you expecting them to remember that you out of all their patients are due for a fill and call you to schedule an fill appt? My surgeon's office doesn't work that way - I have to initiate a fill appt. If you've already requested the appt., keep calling them to follow up until you get an answer. If it were me, I'd call once a day for a few days, twice a day for a few days, and then show up in person and refuse to leave until I got an appt.!

Good luck!

Jean

Most responsible surgeons will give patients their first fill AFTER or at 6 weeks post op to make sure you are healed. Even then your band is STILL NEW and it will continue to heal for a least a few more months up to a year, this is why surgeons give patients fills cautiously to prevent complications and they give you a fill based on your hunger level, how much you weigh and if you are losing weight on your own.

Fills are not automatic they are only given if you REALLY NEED ONE.  If you are struggling I am sure your surgeon will give you a fill, usually your fill is given at your 6 weeks post op appointment if you need one, usually your first fill is the largest, some patients will feel 'some restriction" right away some it may take 3-5 more fills 4-6 weeks apart before you reach a good fill level...EVEN when you reach your sweet spot, your restriction will vary day to day since the band is filled with saline, you must understand that and learn to live with small changes in restriction.

You need to focus on learning how to eat with your band by taking small bites, exercising and eating dense solid foods, like lean chicken, tuna, fish, etc....you may be surprised in how much restriction you have and feel if you eat solid proteins and follow band rules until you get your fill.  Good Luck.

I got my first fill 6 weeks post op. It didn't do anything. Took me 3 fills to get any restriction. Your first fill will be large because the tubing needs to be filled with saline. I agree, don't wait for the doc's office to call you, call them. Keep following up until you get an appointment. When I was getting fills, I simply called and scheduled an appt. with the receptionist who answered the phone. Took a week or 2 to get in, another reason to follow up as soon as possible. Good luck!

Not everyone's first post-op fill is large.  I received 3cc's at the time of surgery.  At 6 or 7 weeks out, I got 1cc.

I got my first fill at 4 weeks post-op.

I never left the office without my next appointment scheduled --- I got my fills and follow up every 3 weeks for the first 3 or 4 months, then stretched it out to about 5 weeks between appointments.

My first fill was 'aggressive' -- 4cc in my 11cc Realize Band (pretty standard for the Realize Band protocol).  Then, after that, my fills were 1/2 or 1/4 of a cc.

Seems that as I lost 15  pounds or so, I needed a little more fluid (that was about every 3 weeks at first, then every 4 - 6 weeks as my weight loss slowed down).

The band requires some patience and persistance.  I am great at the persistance part --- that patience part is harder for me.
That is why I scheduled regular appointments and went for every one, whether I thought I needed a fill or not.

Quite a few times, I showed up and saw the surgeon, and we decided that things were perfect and we would leave it alone --- so I paid my 50.00, scheduled my next appointment and went home to keep 'working my band'.

 So I finally got my appointment for my first fill. I wasnt waiting for them to do something, well in a way I was. I called to make an appointment before but they had to get the auth from my insurance first and she said she would call me back in three days. Forgetting to mention she would be out for a week. So I did end up calling them today and got my first fill scheduled for next tuesday  I also found out that my fills are free and unlimited for the first three months. And inusrance will cover them after that. This post was not me saying that I expect the band to work instantly and without any effort. I realize that I have to put in more effort than I ever have before which is the reason why I have lost almost 30 lbs so far. Its just a frustration out of impatience that made me write this. I thank all of you for sharing your personal stories. It helped me realize that I do have to wait sometimes and just try to be patient. No matter how hard and torterous it may seem in the mean time. With that said I am going to spend my two hours at the gym for the night. Hope everyone has a great night!