fill

March 6, 2003

> Hi everyone, I just got banded the first part of February. I'm in

> need of a fill. I know there's a place in Tacoma but I'm wondering

> if anyone knows of a place in or around Portland.

> Thanks,

>

Hi, - in Portlnd, there is Dr. Emma 503 281 0561. She

will fill Dr. Arielo Ortiz's tijuana patients, but charges are $300

for the first visit " consultation " plus $250 for each fill. I don't

know if her charges to fill other (ie, US) patients is different.

Seems to take 3-4 wks to get in to see her also.

Dr. Latham Flanagan is in Eugene 541 687 1445

Who did your band and which is it? Sandy (newbie)

March 7, 2003

Sandy,

Dr Fitzpatrick has stopped doing fills until she can get access to a

Floroscope machine.

- Chris

> I just heard through Jessie Ahroni of a new doc in PORTLAND who

does

> fills. I believe she is a naturopathic doc, in the Sellwood area of

> portland - Dr. M Fitzpatrich, 503 235 6589, email:

> drkmfitzpatric@h... . might be even less than Tacoma, and

> certainly closer. Sandy

October 27, 2005

What band do you have? Each have different fill needs.

Everyone is different, so what YOU got ,based on your doc's assesment

and experience, has nothing to do with what someone else got. You must

have chosen your doc based on his expereicne - so please trust that!

It commonly takes 3-5 fills a month apart for most people to get to a

good resriction. Remember, good fills are only 1/3 of the solution -

the other 2/3 is up to YOU - getting better erxercise and making

batter food choices. It all works together. Sandy R

>

> I had my first fill today. I was banded on Aug 29, 2005. The doctor

> gave me 4cc's and put me on a liquid diet for the next 2 days. Is

> 4cc's about right or should I have rec'd more? What is normal for the

> first fill?

>

March 19, 2007

I've found that the more we mess with a fill, the more swelling there

is. I'm not a fan of filling completely and then withdrawing, or

going " in and out " several times. When sometome is very close to a

good level, I don't even withdraw the fluid first, but just give a

bit more. The tighter we are, the less room there will be for any

swerlling, so it's good to minimize it.

Sandy r

>

> This is her 3rd fill. She is doing better. Soup is going down,

and she just took prilosec with it orders from fill Dr. Chest pain

and head ache are letting up a bit. Hopefully this will be a good

fill and what she is dealing with right now is swelling. She pulled

the fluid out 2 times during the fill, I cannot remember why but it

caused a lot of irritation. I will let everyone know how it goes.

Alyce

>

______________________________________________________________________

______________

> Looking for earth-friendly autos?

> Browse Top Cars by " Green Rating " at Autos' Green Center.

> http://autos./green_center/

>

March 20, 2007

We're heading out today for an unfill, Candyce is pale and looking deydrated.

Fluids are not going down at all. I went to the doc and I do have bronchitis

but I have meds now and I hope and pray I will be feeling better quickly. App.

is at 10:45am Weds. Alyce

Re: fill

I've found that the more we mess with a fill, the more swelling there

is. I'm not a fan of filling completely and then withdrawing, or

going " in and out " several times. When sometome is very close to a

good level, I don't even withdraw the fluid first, but just give a

bit more. The tighter we are, the less room there will be for any

swerlling, so it's good to minimize it.

Sandy r

>

> This is her 3rd fill. She is doing better. Soup is going down,

and she just took prilosec with it orders from fill Dr. Chest pain

and head ache are letting up a bit. Hopefully this will be a good

fill and what she is dealing with right now is swelling. She pulled

the fluid out 2 times during the fill, I cannot remember why but it

caused a lot of irritation. I will let everyone know how it goes.

Alyce

>

____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _

____________ __

> Looking for earth-friendly autos?

> Browse Top Cars by " Green Rating " at Autos' Green Center.

> http://autos. / green_center/

>

March 20, 2007

Alyce,

Good luck with your daughter's unfill!! Hopefully they wont have to take too

much and she will still have restriction....

Patty

-------------- Original message ----------------------

From: Candyce s <puglover_44@...>

> We're heading out today for an unfill, Candyce is pale and looking deydrated.

> Fluids are not going down at all. I went to the doc and I do have bronchitis

> but I have meds now and I hope and pray I will be feeling better quickly.

App.

> is at 10:45am Weds. Alyce

>

March 20, 2007

Candyce,

glad that you are able to take her for a slight unfill, she will be much

better.

Now, please take care of yourself because bronchitis can go to something else

specially when we are running around and not taking care of ourself but

everybody else.

Please keep us posted

Lidia

Candyce s <puglover_44@...> wrote:

We're heading out today for an unfill, Candyce is pale and looking

deydrated. Fluids are not going down at all. I went to the doc and I do have

bronchitis

>

____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _

____________ __

> Looking for earth-friendly autos?

> Browse Top Cars by " Green Rating " at Autos' Green Center.

> http://autos. / green_center/

>

March 20, 2007

Alyce,

The 5 hr trip will be worth it to get Canyce to the right fill. Will

you be able to stay there for some time after the unfill? Make sure

to take care of yourself.

> We're heading out today for an unfill, Candyce is pale

and looking deydrated. Fluids are not going down at all. I went to

the doc and I do have bronchitis

> >

> ____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _

> ____________ __

> > Looking for earth-friendly autos?

> > Browse Top Cars by " Green Rating " at Autos' Green Center.

> > http://autos. / green_center/

> >

March 21, 2007

I will be thinking about Candyce...Please let us know how she is doing...and

Alyce, please take care of yourself too...bronchitis can turn out to be pretty

serious....HUGS Debbie in Moreno Valley, Ca

Re: fill

I've found that the more we mess with a fill, the more swelling there

is. I'm not a fan of filling completely and then withdrawing, or

going " in and out " several times. When sometome is very close to a

good level, I don't even withdraw the fluid first, but just give a

bit more. The tighter we are, the less room there will be for any

swerlling, so it's good to minimize it.

Sandy r

>

> This is her 3rd fill. She is doing better. Soup is going down,

and she just took prilosec with it orders from fill Dr. Chest pain

and head ache are letting up a bit. Hopefully this will be a good

fill and what she is dealing with right now is swelling. She pulled

the fluid out 2 times during the fill, I cannot remember why but it

caused a lot of irritation. I will let everyone know how it goes.

Alyce

>

____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _

____________ __

> Looking for earth-friendly autos?

> Browse Top Cars by " Green Rating " at Autos' Green Center.

> http://autos. / green_center/

>

April 28, 2007

I had the same thing happen to me 3 times I have posted my story but no one

else has ever said it happened to them too. I also thought I must have a

leak. But said let's try heavy saline and it worked I have not had

a problem with keeping my saline level with the heavy saline.

December 28, 2007

Hi, deb - welcome - you caught me online working on some writing

materials.

You seem to be going very fast with fills ! the first one generally

can be given at 6 weeks , after very secure healing. Too - Early fills

can lead to later slips, when the band is under pressuyre. then,

further fills can be given at one-month intervals. Having had 4 in

this very short period of time is quite unusual.

It's common to have a bit of swelling for a day or two after a fill

that mimics true restriction, and this is why we cannot tell much

about a fill for at least 1-2 weeks. It can take that long for a fill

to settle in.

Have you had a recent fluoro to be sure you're not getting into a

pouch dilation with these rapid fills? THis is what I'd suggest, to be

sure all is well. Then, I'd wait at least 4-6 weeks before even

considering more fill - assuming the fluoro is ok.

A 7.5 cc fill is just getting into the range where many people start

to feel a good restriction. But please remember that the band and fill

is only a help - we still must stop eating at about 1-1.5 cups of

food, whether or not we can eat more - if we want to avoid troubles.

IMO you're proceeding way too quickly with fills, and I can't imagine

a skilled fill provider doing this. The Inamed guides for fill

providers suggests a one-month period between fills, and this is for

several very good reasons. It gives time to test the fill, make needed

refinements to our eating, and allows the fill time to settle in.

There is no rush to getting fills. We need to progress slowly and with

caution.

Do you have an Inamed band?

Sandy r

at goal x 4 yrs

>

> Hi, I had surgery on 10/10/07 and have had 4 fills the last one

> 12/26/07 I have 7.5cc in a 10cc band today I have been eating

> everything stress also plays a part Every time I get a fill I think

> this is it but then a couple of days later when I start eating I'm

not

> getting full, I eat protein first the feeling is not there unless I

> really go overboard in eating. I feel real bad later.

>

> Help Help Deb

>

December 29, 2007

> Hi, I had surgery on 10/10/07 and have had 4 fills the last one

> 12/26/07 I have 7.5cc in a 10cc band today I have been eating

> everything stress also plays a part Every time I get a fill I think

> this is it but then a couple of days later when I start eating I'm

> not getting full, I eat protein first the feeling is not there

> unless I really go overboard in eating. I feel real bad later.

> Help Help Deb

****

Hello Deb. here. I have the VG Band that holds up to 11cc. I

did not feel any restriction till I had 5cc in and have great

restriction at 8.2cc. BUT! We are each different. Other fellow

bandsters with the same type band have various fill levels and each

have different food tolerances. 5.2cc, 5.7cc, 6.7cc, 8.2cc(me),

9cc. Patience is the rule of thumb for all bandsters. Getting a

fill and then waiting to see what new tolerances we each have and how

we adjust to the fill. Don't get frustrated and keep to the

guidelines.

God Bless!

Dr. Spiegel

05/17/2006

367/262/245

December 29, 2007

What a nice, supportive post, ! thank you!

Just so you know, the large VG band can and does safely hold much

more than 10-11 cc, if needed. There are several people with 12-13 cc

or more in this band, and it can be fine.

But when we get over 8-9 cc, great care must be taken by the fill

provider to correctly assess the other possibilities that might be

going on, rather than simply inadequate restriction. I know Dr

Spiegel is following you closely.

This band was designed to reduce the risk of erosions - but at the

higher fill levels, the erosion risk is actually INcreased. As with

all bands, the less fill we can do well with, the less risk of

problems.

Sandy r

Kuri patient educator

at goal x 4 yrs

>

> Hello Deb. here. I have the VG Band that holds up to 11cc.

I

> did not feel any restriction till I had 5cc in and have great

> restriction at 8.2cc. BUT! We are each different. Other fellow

> bandsters with the same type band have various fill levels and each

> have different food tolerances. 5.2cc, 5.7cc, 6.7cc, 8.2cc(me),

> 9cc. Patience is the rule of thumb for all bandsters. Getting a

> fill and then waiting to see what new tolerances we each have and

how

> we adjust to the fill. Don't get frustrated and keep to the

> guidelines.

> God Bless!

>

> Dr. Spiegel

> 05/17/2006

> 367/262/245

>

December 29, 2007

Friday, December 28, 2007, 11:27:40 PM, you wrote:

> Hi, I had surgery on 10/10/07 and have had 4 fills the last one

> 12/26/07 I have 7.5cc in a 10cc band today I have been eating

> everything

That's pretty aggressive on fills, but each doc does his/her own

thing.

> stress also plays a part

Most of us stress eat. We do it instead of smoking, drinking booze,

etc. We need to learn how to deal with the stress in other ways.

Getting out and getting exercise is a good way to deal with it. If

you're walking and think of every step as stepping on your stress (or

the person causing it), that's just one way. Adjust as appropriate

for you. And of course counseling is always helpful for all of us.

> Every time I get a fill I think

> this is it but then a couple of days later when I start eating I'm not

> getting full,

You'll NEVER get the feeling of " fat full " like before banding.

You'll get a totally different feeling. You maybe overlooking it, as

is more subtle.

> I eat protein first the feeling is not there unless I

> really go overboard in eating.

Easy answer. Don't do it. You MUST learn to listen to the new

signals and when to stop, even if you don't have the feeling.

> I feel real bad later.

Well, that's good. Maybe that will help you remember to NOT do that

pigging out. Remember, the band is only a helper to you, it will

never do it automatically.

dan

--

" It's OK to be a little broken, everybody's broken in this life " Jon Bon Jovi

Dan Lester, Boise, Idaho, USA www.mylapband.tk

Banded 4/27/03, Dr. Ortiz, Tijuana

Started at 355, at goal in the 210-220 range for almost 4 years

Ultimate goal of 195 Tummytuck in Boise and SmartLipo in Tijuana

January 20, 2008

Hi, Sandy

Sorry it took me so long to reply. I started watching what I eat and drinking

more water. I will hold off on the fills and take it more slowly.

Thanks, Deb

Re: FILL