Gastric Band Fills
Gastric band fills are an essential part of successfully losing weight after gastric band surgery. You will need to learn how to listen to your body and communicate your needs effectively to your doctor so that together, you can customize the gastric band system to work for you.
Your First Gastric Band Fill
The adjustable gastric band is usually not filled during the initial surgery. Your surgeon will probably wait 4 to 6 weeks before doing your first fill in order to give your body time to heal and adjust to the gastric band.
Most gastric band adjustments are done in your surgeon’s office. A saline solution is injected into your access port using a thin needle. An X-ray may be used during your first fill to help the doctor locate the port, although this can usually be done by simply feeling the area by hand. Gastric band fills only take a few minutes to complete and should cause no pain or discomfort during or after the adjustment.
Your doctor may recommend that you swallow barium at some point to help determine that your gastric band is working properly or to more accurately measure the tightness of your gastric band.
Getting Your Gastric Band Fill Right
The tightness of your band and how much food you can comfortably eat is determined by how much saline solution is in your gastric band. The more solution in the band, the tighter the band and the less you will be able to eat. It’s important that the band isn’t too tight, which can cause discomfort—or too loose, which can prevent weight loss.
How can you tell if your Gastric Band is adjusted properly?
Ideally, you should be able to eat small meals without discomfort. You should be able to go about 4 hours between meals without feeling hungry. In most cases, gastric band patients lose about two or more pounds per week when their bands are at the optimal fill level.
Contact your doctor for an adjustment if:
- You are hungry between meals
- You have difficulty practicing portion control
- You have problems with regurgitating
- You can’t tolerate liquids
- Eating causes pain or discomfort
Know that most people require several adjustments during their first year after gastric band surgery. Even if you find yourself at the optimal fill level at one point, you may still need an adjustment in the future. Communicating these needs to your doctor is an essential part of your weight loss success.