1st Fill

I'm scheduled for my first fill this Tuesday.  How was it for all of you and did you feel restriction?
  I've been loosing very slowly.  Only 8 pounds since my surgery.

I haven't had my first fill yet, am hoping I get one Nov. 10th but he hasn't said for sure.

Let me know how it goes.  I don't feel any constriction at all now of course and I am getting hungry so I think it is time for one.

Blessings,

Jeane 

I had my first fill on Oct 9, it wasnt bad at all.  I went back to the flouro room and she did some preliminary stuff, then the doc came in and we talked about exactly what would be happening.  Then he shot me with the lidocaine, which was actually the only thing that did hurt, imagine that the shot to kill the pain was the only thing that caused pain.  I didnt feel anything when he put in the needle to do the fill, once it was in place they rotated the flouro table so I was at about a 45 degree so I could drink that nasty barium stuff.  Watching on the flouro was cool, you can see the liquid come down your throat and into your pouch then you can see how slow it leaks out of your pouch. 

For me there was no problems, the flouro tech was very nice, the doc was great, treated me like I had a good reason to be there and not like I was in the way.

2nd fill on 11/20, gotta tighten the old belt up for Thanksgiving.

Darrin is right, the local anesthesia is the only pain and it's slight.  As to the restriction, that depends upon your surgeon and his level of agressiveness.  It is my opinion that agressive fills aren't the best thing for us....because of the increase in reflux and regurgitation this causes.  Three of my friends use a very agressive surgeon and they have suffered in the following ways because the band was so tight...inability to swallow their own spit, pneumonia from lungs filling with spit and constant nausea. 

My surgeon is more conservative and my progress has been slow but steady.  Don't expect to fill restriction the first fill.  Remember the band is empty now and will hold 9ccs of saline.  Keep in mind also that many people don't fell restriction until they hit 8ccs...for me 6.6 is the sweet spot.

Good luck and welcome to this side!!!
Regina

Hi, I am a newbie who has just started the paper work. Curious as many of us are normally. Is this type of fill described in the above comments just for the patients of the Realize band or all bands or WLS for that matter?

All bands have "fills" associated with them.  They are all very similiar but there are different sizes of bands, therefore different bands hold varying amounts of saline.   Also, different patients need different amounts of saline injected into their individual band because our bodies are so different. 
Feel free to ask away and good luck!!!
Regina

Had my first fill on 10/28.  As Regina and Darrin said... the poke with the Lidocaine needle was the only part that "stung".  The rest was over before I knew it! 

I don't know that I truly feel restriction... but I do think liquids feel like they go down a little slower now.  So maybe that's what restriction is???  I don't even think I know yet......

Good luck on your first fill.

Vicky

i had my first fill on 9/10/08 and my surgeon used a very tiny needle and i had no local...only stuck one time and i didn;t even feel it .....i guess i'm lucky to only get stuck one time 
the fill wsa under flouro and i didn't get any restriction at all. i go back this friday for a second fill and hoping for the best.....laying on the table and then having the table raise like your standing is weird and the barrium tastes nasty......but other than that no biggy!
fear of the unknown!
good luck to you all
lori

I had my first fill on 11/6/08.  No flouro, no lidocaine and I truly didn't feel a thing - even when the needle went in.  It was truly painless.  I had 4cc put in and had no negative reaction whatsoever.  Not sure if I have enough restriction but this was my first fill so I'm going to wait it out and see.  I was nervous too but honestly, it was nothing.  Good luck!!! 

Kelly

I had my fill on Nov. 4th.  It was no problem at all.  He put it 4cc.  I'm not sure it's enough but it's a start.  The only thing that stung a little was the needle to numb the site.  Thanks for all the feedback.