fills and unfills whats up????

[becky57]

I see alot of fills and then unfills on the posts why is this. Does anyone get a fill and not have go back and have it unfilled. It's all starting to sound very expensive since fill centers are going to chg for both procedures. How can I limit the amount of procedures or is it just a hit and miss gamble. I really am a novice I have my surgery on June 25TH and i so excited but I have sooooo many questions and reading the forum keeps adding to my question list. i feel really dumb that I am not more informed for such a major change to my life. I am the type that decides on something one day and acts on it as soon as possible.

[Rachelle]

I see alot of fills and then unfills on the posts why is this. Does anyone get a fill and not have go back and have it unfilled. It's all starting to sound very expensive since fill centers are going to chg for both procedures. How can I limit the amount of procedures or is it just a hit and miss gamble. I really am a novice I have my surgery on June 25TH and i so excited but I have sooooo many questions and reading the forum keeps adding to my question list. i feel really dumb that I am not more informed for such a major change to my life. I am the type that decides on something one day and acts on it as soon as possible.

Becky,

Good for you to get your questions answered BEFORE surgery. The need for fills and unfills vary for each person. Fills are required if you're not losing weight. Unfills are required if your band is too tight and you are unable to swallow liquids easily. No two people are alike, so this is a very individual process, which can cause it to be frustrating at times. Keep reading all the posts you can on this website to get educated on what you're about to experience. It will make things go much smoother for you. I also recommend checking out LapBandTalk.com. It's a similar website. Blessings to you!

LaDonna

[FurEllie]

I see alot of fills and then unfills on the posts why is this. Does anyone get a fill and not have go back and have it unfilled. It's all starting to sound very expensive since fill centers are going to chg for both procedures. How can I limit the amount of procedures or is it just a hit and miss gamble. I really am a novice I have my surgery on June 25TH and i so excited but I have sooooo many questions and reading the forum keeps adding to my question list. i feel really dumb that I am not more informed for such a major change to my life. I am the type that decides on something one day and acts on it as soon as possible.

I had a fill on a Tuesday and it was fine for a few days. It wasn't until Friday that I realized I was overfilled. Things were going down find until late Thursday night. I had an unfill the following Monday. Yes, it is a "hit and miss". I was with one of bandmates who had a fill larger than mine and she is now returning for more. It all depends on the person

[becky57]

Becky,

Good for you to get your questions answered BEFORE surgery. The need for fills and unfills vary for each person. Fills are required if you're not losing weight. Unfills are required if your band is too tight and you are unable to swallow liquids easily. No two people are alike, so this is a very individual process, which can cause it to be frustrating at times. Keep reading all the posts you can on this website to get educated on what you're about to experience. It will make things go much smoother for you. I also recommend checking out LapBandTalk.com. It's a similar website. Blessings to you!

LaDonna

Thank you very much I am so excited. So your saying I will know if and when I need an unfill. When you get an unfill do they remove everything or just a portion??? Thanks again

[Rachelle]

Thank you very much I am so excited. So your saying I will know if and when I need an unfill. When you get an unfill do they remove everything or just a portion??? Thanks again

Becky,

In my case, I was at a "perfect" fill level, then all the sudden, after 3 mos, I was too tight, and found myself choking on my own saliva at night. They unfilled me from 2.75cc down to 2.00cc, and left me there for a couple of weeks to let the swelling go down. Then they gradually filled me back up to 2.70cc, which feels like a better fit for me. The nurse told me that it is a mystery why some patients will be at the "perfect" fill level, and then what seems to be out of the blue, they will become too tight. The first thing the doctor wants to accomplish is to reverse the swelling, which is what is causing the band to be too tight. The most common unfill I've heard in cases like this is 1.00cc (this can feel like a complete unfill where you have little to no restriction at all). The worst part of an unfill is the corresponding weight gain. I had the unfill right after I gave away all my fat clothes. With no restriction, I got fat again almost over night. I went to Goodwill to buy more fat clothes until I could lose the weight again. The whole experience did a number on my emotions. It was the most discouraging experience in my LapBand journey. Be for-warned.

Rachelle

[dreamhappy07]

Becky,

In my case, I was at a "perfect" fill level, then all the sudden, after 3 mos, I was too tight, and found myself choking on my own saliva at night. They unfilled me from 2.75cc down to 2.00cc, and left me there for a couple of weeks to let the swelling go down. Then they gradually filled me back up to 2.70cc, which feels like a better fit for me. The nurse told me that it is a mystery why some patients will be at the "perfect" fill level, and then what seems to be out of the blue, they will become too tight. The first thing the doctor wants to accomplish is to reverse the swelling, which is what is causing the band to be too tight. The most common unfill I've heard in cases like this is 1.00cc (this can feel like a complete unfill where you have little to no restriction at all). The worst part of an unfill is the corresponding weight gain. I had the unfill right after I gave away all my fat clothes. With no restriction, I got fat again almost over night. I went to Goodwill to buy more fat clothes until I could lose the weight again. The whole experience did a number on my emotions. It was the most discouraging experience in my LapBand journey. Be for-warned.

Rachelle

Hi Rachelle,

Now I am freaking out and want to stay on liquids forever! You got tight THREE months after a fill?!!! I really don't understand how that could happen. Scares the wee out of me! What can cause that? WHY?!!! I never heard of that before. I want to lose weight so bad to a new slimmer me by this time next year. I can't imagine going through what you did and not wanting to completely give up. I was banded on May 21st and am not even close to my first fill yet, but now am dreading it like in time it will backfire on me and the same thing will happen. I know noone ever wants to have an unfill, but it does happen, but THREE months after and getting tight. Sorry, but that freaks me out!

Ok...gonna take some deep breaths now and hope and pray I don't ever go through the same thing...LOL

Peace,

Judy

[Donna34]

Becky,

Take it for what it's worth...

Not very much! LOL

My suggestions...First TRY to find a doctor in your area that does lap band fills for MX banded patients. Fill Centers are EXTREMELY high! It was going to cost me 700 dollars for my FIRST FILL! But, I was going to do it until... I started calling ALL lap band surgeons in my area, and asking if they would do it. FINALLY, a lap band doc in Chicago said he would do it for me. He uses fluoro, and only charges 150 dollars! And he is GREAT! I'm so glad I found him!

Second suggestion...make SURE they use FLUORO. It makes a WORLD of difference. You can see it ALL, the port, the band, everything! It felt really funny, because I could SEE what I was feeling at the same time. Even when he put in 2cc's, and I nearly threw up! LOL As I drank barium, he timed how long it took to pass through the band, while adding and subtracting saline. He asked a lot about how I felt, was I comfortable etc. He had me to drink several drinks of water before I left too. My fill was perfect!

Then after all the air seeped out (this is normal after the first fill) I was loose again. That's where I'm at now. I need another fill. But he told me, I would probably need to come back in 3-4 weeks, and that was right on! So hopefully my next fill will be right on the money!

Donna

[Rachelle]

Ok...gonna take some deep breaths now and hope and pray I don't ever go through the same thing...LOL

Peace,

Judy

Judy,

I understand your "freak-out." When I was going through my weight gain I was freaking-out, too! Mostly because I was not prepare. I didn't know anything about unfills. That's why I'm glad you're educating yourself early on. I kept wishing I had qualified for the gastric-bypass surgery, but then I read where some of those patients gain all their weight back and end up getting the LapBand on top of their gastric-bypass! Yikes! Even though the LapBand is not the "perfect" solution, I have come to believe it's the best WLS out there. Just don't give away all your fat clothes. Keep a few of them in a box somewhere. My doctor told me it takes five or six years for a patient to permantently change their eating habits so that they are able to stay thin with or without the LapBand. Any number of reasons could cause you to have to be unfilled been that time.

Rachelle

[barbflorida]

Judy,

I understand your "freak-out." When I was going through my weight gain I was freaking-out, too! Mostly because I was not prepare. I didn't know anything about unfills. That's why I'm glad you're educating yourself early on. I kept wishing I had qualified for the gastric-bypass surgery, but then I read where some of those patients gain all their weight back and end up getting the LapBand on top of their gastric-bypass! Yikes! Even though the LapBand is not the "perfect" solution, I have come to believe it's the best WLS out there. Just don't give away all your fat clothes. Keep a few of them in a box somewhere. My doctor told me it takes five or six years for a patient to permantently change their eating habits so that they are able to stay thin with or without the LapBand. Any number of reasons could cause you to have to be unfilled been that time.

Rachelle

I have had to have an unfill after both of my fills, the first one was done in Tampa (Fill Centers) - I don't know how it was going to cost $700 it was no where near that for me and I paid for Fluoro - Tampa does not use the fluoro they way I expected and it was basically a blind stick, I was filled on a Friday and back on Monday for an unfill. The next fill I had was in St. Pete (also Fill Centers). They were great, used fluoro and barium and exactly one month later I was back for an unfill. She thought that I had some irritation or inflamation from something I ate. The good part about it was neither of them charged for the unfill. On the second one I was very nervous because it had been so long so she checked it with the fluoro to be sure everything was in place. I fully expected to pay for at least the use of the fluoro but they said they never wanted to see anyone hesitate to come in for an unfill and be uncomfortable or jeapardize their band due to financial issues. Anyone who is using Fill Centers in Florida I would highly recommend the location in St. Petersburg, they are really awesome there.

[Donna34]

I have had to have an unfill after both of my fills, the first one was done in Tampa (Fill Centers) - I don't know how it was going to cost $700 it was no where near that for me and I paid for Fluoro - Tampa does not use the fluoro they way I expected and it was basically a blind stick, I was filled on a Friday and back on Monday for an unfill. The next fill I had was in St. Pete (also Fill Centers). They were great, used fluoro and barium and exactly one month later I was back for an unfill. She thought that I had some irritation or inflamation from something I ate. The good part about it was neither of them charged for the unfill. On the second one I was very nervous because it had been so long so she checked it with the fluoro to be sure everything was in place. I fully expected to pay for at least the use of the fluoro but they said they never wanted to see anyone hesitate to come in for an unfill and be uncomfortable or jeapardize their band due to financial issues. Anyone who is using Fill Centers in Florida I would highly recommend the location in St. Petersburg, they are really awesome there.

Check out FILL CENTERS USA for price in Farmington, MO, and you will see how it can be nearly 700 dollars. Every fill center is different. It just so happens that the fill centers near me are HIGH. I wanted fluoro, and with fluoro, plus my first consultation it was going to cost 694 dollars for my first fill. So, if you think I'm lying, contact them. Maybe fill centers are cheaper in other locations, but this was my experience with them.

And, I never said that using fluoro was fool proof. I just prefer it. Dr. Ortiz also highly suggests it. He told me to NEVER have a fill using a blind stick, and I wouldn't.

Donna

[dreamhappy07]

Check out FILL CENTERS USA for price in Farmington, MO, and you will see how it can be nearly 700 dollars. Every fill center is different. It just so happens that the fill centers near me are HIGH. I wanted fluoro, and with fluoro, plus my first consultation it was going to cost 694 dollars for my first fill. So, if you think I'm lying, contact them. Maybe fill centers are cheaper in other locations, but this was my experience with them.

And, I never said that using fluoro was fool proof. I just prefer it. Dr. Ortiz also highly suggests it. He told me to NEVER have a fill using a blind stick, and I wouldn't.

Donna

I wanted so badly to have my first fill at OCC with Dr. Romero, but since it is the high season for flying anywhere, then I just couldn't afford to go for my first fill. Hopefully the second or third, if I need it. Right now I have an appt. with a local fill doctor who takes Mexico patients and she charges $180 for first fills and $165 after that. She doesn't have flouro, but is highly recommended by Dr. Ortiz as a local aftercare and fill doctor. That makes me feel good, but then without flouro on the first fill makes me really nervous.

Have a great week all!

Judy

[Donna34]

I wanted so badly to have my first fill at OCC with Dr. Romero, but since it is the high season for flying anywhere, then I just couldn't afford to go for my first fill. Hopefully the second or third, if I need it. Right now I have an appt. with a local fill doctor who takes Mexico patients and she charges $180 for first fills and $165 after that. She doesn't have flouro, but is highly recommended by Dr. Ortiz as a local aftercare and fill doctor. That makes me feel good, but then without flouro on the first fill makes me really nervous.

Have a great week all!

Judy

Hi Judy,

Yeah, same here. I REALLY wanted to go back to TJ for at least my first fill, but that just wasn't possible. Since we just moved to Iowa, I don't have any family nearby to keep my kiddos, and my hubby has been really busy, and has also taken a lot of time off, since he went with me to TJ the first time.

$180/$165 is a good price! I'm sure you'll be fine. My cousin has had all her fills done without fluoro. She's only had 2 unfills, one was due to surgery (gall bladder), and the other is because she doesn't want to lose anymore weight! Her surgeon does her fills. I'd just make sure the lady has done plenty of them! Experience is the BEST thing to go by! And I'd think you'd be in good hands since Dr. Ortiz referred you to her! I'm not telling anyone that a fill without fluoro is unsucessful. I just like seeing what's going on in there!

Donna