Never having a fill.

I now have fill although for the first 10 months I had no restriction and I lost my 30kgs just from having my diabetes reversed and once again having the energy to get out and about to exercise. Now that I do have some restriction I've lost another 10kgs in those 3 months.

No, Tanya, he didn't. I was glad he did though!

The amount he puts in varies however. He does a gastroscopy at the time to assess the width of the lumen of the stomach.

I do have a French MIDband which has a 7ml capacity, however. It is not sutured in, and the stomach is not sutured at all. This may be the difference why some people don't get a fill at the time of banding...

Beth, did your doctor give you a choice about the 4ml starter fill? or is it typical?

lindaev wrote:

some doctors put some fill in when placing the band.

I had 4 ml put in on banding day, had a tiny bit of restriction from the beginning. I currently have 5 ml - I have had up to 5.5ml in but had such terrible reflux with that that I had to have it all removed (at the time my surgeon was in the US, so another doctor decided to take the lot out - my doctor said he would not have done that.) Anyhow, with no restriction at all, I ate and ate and ate, despite not really wanting to.

If there is someone out there who can be banded with no fill, all power to them!!!

Some people are quite sensitive and just the band is enough without fill in. Also some doctors put some fill in when placing the band.

I personally know 3 people who have had their band removed due to complications. One is being sleeved today and the others are above their starting weight. Taking the band out would be like all the other diets you have been on and got to goal weight. You can't live on willpower for ever and eventually you crack. The band helps you to not do too much damage when you do crack.

I know someone that has never had a fill. I have not seen her for a year now but I could ask and see if she had one in the last year. She had lost 20 plus kg when I last talked to her,
Delia

I have HEARD of people never having had a fill, but have not actually talked to any, so I don't know if that is an "urban myth".

There is no way in the world that I would think of having the band removed when at goal - the band doesn't remove the reason that we became obese in the first place, it is merely a tool. I for one, could never actually recognise when I was full...I would eat and eat and eat some more. Way, way more than my body needed. The band is my leash. I finally know what it feels like to have had enough food....and that is a small amount.

No way would I be without it - I do NOT want to go back to my old body!

Does anyone know of people that have never had a fill because just knowing the band is there is enough for them to lose weight. I read of someone in America but wondered about here. Also any people here going to have their band removed when they are at goal and have maintained for a while?