First Fill Today..... **Read this if you're nervous about your first fill!!!*

I am more nervous about getting the stupid fill than I was before the surgery. I haaaaaate needles, lol. I get that horrid vaso-vagal response.... and often end up passing out, even for something as simple as a blood draw. :(

My surgeon does them in the office... and I don't think he uses fluoroscopy (but I'm not entirely sure). Can anyone tell me what to expect?

I made the mistake of watching part of a fill on youtube.... but had to turn it off whe I saw the needle they used. It looks like a freaking tranquilizer dart for sedating elephants! The thing was effin' GIGANTIC. :(

2-1/2 more hours..... sigh. Wish me luck :)

UPDATE~~~~~

I posted this earlier because I was REALLY nervous, I have a TERRIBLE  needle phobia.... but my first fill was honestly a piece of cake. If you're nervous about your first fill like I was (I was sweating bullets on the car ride there)..... YOU'LL DO JUST FINE!!!! :)

I'm actually already looking forward to my next one in 6 weeks. And for me to look forward to a shot? That's unheard of!!!!! 

my doc does fills under flouro in his office, you stand in front of a machine he finds the port stick the needle in and then you drink some stuff so it shows on the machine and he/she can see if it is in the right spot (needle in port) he/she will add some fluid and then you drink again..it all depends on how aggresive your doc is with fills.....i had 4 fills and i have 8cc in my 9cc band....but it is better to go slower with fills because you dont know how they will affect you.....mine felt fine ...some people get a little restriction a day or two after the fill.....some right away...make sure you can drink water before you leave the office ..tightness is never good!
if it is done in the hospital you start out laying down o the table and they do the stick thing, then the table moves into a standing position and you drink while they watch the stuff go down. believe me it is no biggie....once you start to get close to great restriction you can feel it close...it's really weird!
good luck '
lori

Thanks for sharing!!

I just got back from my appointment, and I could not be happier. I have NO idea why I was so scared.... I didn't feel a thing. My stomach is still a bit numb from surgery (Dr said they severed some nerves so it was normal)...... I didn't even realize that he numbed me or anything. I was shocked!!! (In a good way of course!!)

They had me lay down on a bed with a pillow under the small of my back to help make the port arch up a little.... then he poked around on my stomach and gave me a few shots of lidocane (I honestly did not feel a thing... no *****s, nothing)....

Then he did the actual fill (I didn't even realize he was doing it because I wasn't looking)..... and it took like 2 seconds. Then he pulled the needle out and was like "ok, you're all done!"

I was absolutely shocked. They had me drink some water and eat about an ounce of apple sauce... everything went down just fine.

I asked him how much he put in (I was expecting maybe .5-1cc like everyone told me).... and he goes "I'm pretty aggressive with first fills..... I gave you 4cc's"

Anyway, I am beyond thrilled. I've had a MAJOR needle phobia since I was a kid.... and this was a walk in the park. I left the office ecstatic.... lol. 

I had my first fill done today also!  And it was pretty much just like described it!  I don't have quite the needle phobia but I don't like to watch.  It was a peice of FF SF cake

Looks like we all had our 1st fills today!  Mine was similiar, only no numbing and he felt for my port rather that using the machine.  I have 3cc's

I'm afraid of needles to and already am nervous about my first fill...not sure when it is but thanks for calming my fears!!!

Wow 4 cc's on the first fill?! Good luck...keep us posted!!!!

my doc gave 3cc on my first fill.....some do some donti had one fill blind and the rest under flouro.....once you start to get closer to the sweet spot ,they will have to use flouro because they will not know how tight you are. see told you it was no biggie!
as for the numbing up before the actual fill....my doc does not do that, but i am glad because why get stuck more then once.
good job ladies.
lori

Oh my gosh.... I can't even tell you how much I hate needles. When I was a kid, they'd literally have to chase me around the doctor's office and hold me down. I've fainted 2 or 3 times.... I get dizzy..... I get terribly anxious..... I've cried.... for me, it's been a full-blown PHOBIA.

Thankfully, with all the bloodwork I've had this past year, and the various IV's and junk I've had due to health issues..... I'm slowly starting to realize that it's not a big deal at all.

Just don't look, lol. You'll be fine!!!!!

The fills are much easier than I ever anticpated. I actually debated about the band just because of the needle sticks for the fills. I am one of those who is a big chicken when it comes to needles coming my way. I have had 4 fills and with each of them have been stuck more than once. None of these has been bad at all and have never come close to anything I would consider uncomfortable. My docs office does not do any numbing of the area before the fills. Usually I can't even tell they are doing anything. Just don'****ch them do it if you are squeamish seeing needles come your way. The process looks much worse than it ever is. To say that I am pleased about this is an understatement. I had my band placed 01/23/2009 and as of this week have lost 78 pounds. Still have a tremendous amount of weight to lose but his band is so far doing everything I ever hoped it would do. Have never been sorry. Go in next week for another fill so I will be in good shape before I go on vacation. Will have to wait and see what adjustments I need to make during that time. Good luck as you continue on this great journey.

Thank you for sharing.  Not even having surgery yet, you worry about everything.  This was very reassuring.