kbattal

You become irrational here, it took me a couple of minutes to see if you have mentioned in your post a VG band, there is a search facility, at the top of blue band, you probably never used, what is so personel about that? I did not care to read any of your posts because I just looked at the threads you and Chickie wrote, nothing of interest to me , nothing of substance as far as lap band is concerned. I do not think I can ever have an intellectual discussion with you, so for me the matter is settled. Good luck to you all in your journey. Dorin

I do not advocate anyone to self fill. I just honestly confess that I did it, I might do it again, and I am surprised, none tried it, or do not accept that they do it. We live in the age of internet, remember, I do not like the idea of censorship, and I believe everyone has the right to get any information within the limits of our society. Chickie, you are really mean. I checked out your earlier posts because none of your signatures gives information about the band sizes, and fills amounts and dates. Most eveyone does. Three of you did not even mention in any your posts, would you care to tell us. I think it is significant information for a bandster. Take it easy.

I really did not think fillings would be an issue, till I knew I had this large VG band. With a VG band aftercare is really an issue. Just follow 'VG band only' threads, most people complain about restriction (the loss of) I am stuck with this foreign object in my body, with the rest of life, I would better get to know basic care on my own. It is not that complicated.

For Chickie and ousooner. Congrats for both of you for massive weight losses. I just checked out your older posts, you never get into tecnicalities, your band brands, fills, etc. I suppose you have a good professional team who takes care of those. You do not get into much material information, they already provide with you with the best expertise. Unfortunately,Most of us do not have that luxury, I have to dig out what I need in most cases. From that point, your sentiments towards self fill is understandable. You guys are on your doctors' first page in their site. Regards

They use metric units. Area is in square mm, meaning 200mm2 is really 2cm2, less than one inch square. For a radius of 1cm=10mm Area = Pi*R^2 = 3.14*(10mm)*(10mm) (approximately) =314mm2=3.14cm2 For a radius of 1,5cm=15mm Area = Pi*R^2 = 3.14*(15mm)*(15mm) (approximately) =706mm2=7.06cm2 So look at the graph, for a VG band filled with 5cc has about 4.8 cm2 openning, whereas a 10cm band with 2cc has 3.7cm2 aproximately openning. See also the following picture.

Chickie, I am amazed at yor weight loss. You sound like a tough person. Congragulations. I have about 25 kg more to lose. I hoped to lose them all in the next 4-5 months, I just think it is not possible anymore on my own. I am aiming 2-3 kg loss a month at best, it can not get better.

Filling this large whopper sized VG band can very frustrating, I might need 5-8 fills in the next 6 months, you think I should travel abroad to do it 5-8 times for proper health care.

I respect your opinion. Everyone has different level of risk assesment, I think with sufficient information, I take more risks than the average person. You also take what you have granted, you have best doctors and services available, outthere outside USA, it is not always like that. My doctor is paid less than 500$ a month by the state health care system, how much service I can ask from him.

I never said everyone reacts to the same amount of fill similarly. For me 5.2cc fill is almost nothing, because I suspect, I do not have thick stomac. For any given person, it is not a high level of restriction, and it is her second fill, even in the Inamed manual it is said, first fill should be 3-4cc, and the second fill should be half of the initial fill. So the doctor was not too agresive with fills, so her stomac should adjust to new fill under normal conditions. By the way, are you sure that you have a VG band. You never mention it in your posts, or fill amounts, or you post in any VG band threads. I just searched your name under VG band. If you read VG band threads, that level of fill is just introductory. There are doctors who do 4-5 cc for the initial fills, for your information. What is your level of fill, you never mention it. regards http://www.lapbandtalk.com/search.php?searchid=631888&pp=25&page=2

I am pretty much sure the tube sizes are standard, only there are different sort of ports. This would not make any difference. I do not think any doctor would use a nonstandard tube. As far as I know, omnipaque is not like fix tire thing. It is thicker than saline, it is usually used when there is a leak, and also used as a contrast agent, otherwise its use is not recommended. Since there was no leak, he did the right thing, used saline. Sounds like you do not have a leak, if there were, he would see it under fluro. You need to be patient, and go for another fill, I read some doctors fill upto 5cc for good restriction (nominal 4cc band). In your next adjustement, you need to ask the doctor to unfill the band to see what is left before, then you might feel better. It is really frustrating. Good luck.

Sorry I reedited the post a couple minutes later and added the following page. http://www.allerganandinamed.com/pro.../prodinfo.html

I still can not understand why it is so difficult. It was very simple. Just look at the picture. New VG band ports are realy safe. http://www.allerganandinamed.com/products/obesity/us/clinician/lapband/prodinfo.html

Size really matters. 11cm VG band is 1cm wider than 10cm band, and 1cm corresponds to almost 5cc(each 1cc decreases stoma by .2cm), this means a VG band requires approximatelly 5cc to have the same level of restriction of a 10cm band unfilled. Read the following manual, I think I got it from there. http://www.allerganandinamed.com/pdf/health/94800-12_LB_Product_Data_Sheet.pdf#search='vanguard%20lap%20band or http://www.allerganandinamed.com/products/obesity/us/clinician/lapband/prodinfo.html

I asked you if you have a VG band, You did not respond. Well I do, and I have been through it, to lesser degree, and read information from other VG banders quite extensively. So I am positive she will be fine. You might remember this graph, if you look it carefully, stama area (passage openning) with a 5.2 filled a VG band is about the same size or a little lower, than other bands unfilled.

Drewslou, do you have a VG band?. A VG band filled with 5.2 has the same tightness as a 4cc band without any fill. There are too many references to prove that. Most people do not even see any difference at that level of fill. In Terrimck's case, she might have a thicker stomac, but still a VG band is very accomadating, I am sure she will be fine soon. She only needs to eat slow and chew well for a while. Nothing out of ordinary. She does not say she can not drink Water, if she can not drink any water, ofcourse she should contact the doc immediately, no question about that.

I agree, we have better things in life than attacking and mean to each other. I am open to criticism, i would like to hear what other people say, but my decisions are not based what other people say, afterall why are we educated? I still think it is not wise to do fills at home. I felt like I could do it, because I had sufficient information.

It is very normal. VG band filled with 5.2 has almost the same openning (stama), with the shorter band (10cm, or 9.75) unfilled. Some people reacts this way. Your stomac will adopt to changes in 1-2 weeks, you just need to be patient and stay away from solid foods in this period. If you vomit (pbing) , it is not good. Try not to vomit, just be calm, if the problem continues more than 2 weeks, I believe it wont, you might want to unfill .5-1 cc. In the mean time. you might want to drink warm Water, or tea, coffea before you eat , warm water opens the passage, and warm amd hot liquids are easy to go through the passage. For added bonus, you will lose 5-8 pounds in the process. Dorin

My doc did not want to perform two operations at the same time, I wish he had it. I asked him to do it, it sounded good idea, but he refused. He said gall bladder operation is too bloody but simple, whereas lapbanding is more comlicated, but requires more attention. He said doing both operation at the same time inreases the risk of infection on the port side, or might cause extra risks to the bant. I live in Romania, the conditions are very poor here, but I would still think the risks were minimal. I would take the chance regardless based on experiences of other bandsters. I read that many bandsters had both the operation at the same time, and If you are operated in the university hospital, the risks of comlications are almost zero, I think. I am also a graduate of University of Florida, Gainesville. I would take the chance, and get over with two operations at the same time. Healing process might be longer, but if your doc approves, that is really good news for you. regards, dorin

I would drink warm water before eating anything, warm water opens the passage, and keep eating liquid and mushy stuff 1-2 weeks till your stomac adjust to the new change. You get used to it, but it might take a couple weeks till you start some solid foods. If you vomit continiously, talk to your doc for an unfill. Dorin

I think she developed bulimic behaviour, and the band should be removed to treat her. I am surprised the band lasted that long, when she takes out everyting she eats.

She had the band 10 years. Rock matriarch Sharon Osbourne is to undergo an operation to remove the restrictive gastric band in her stomach which helped her lose weight. The band, which was fitted in 1996, has reached the end of its ten-year lifespan and will be removed before the wife of Black Sabbath rocker Ozzy celebrates Christmas with her family. Gastric surgery helped The X Factor judge slim down after a lifelong battle with her weight - although the 53-year-old admits she will still need the support of therapy to avoid falling back into her bulimic ways. She says, "I'm going to have to do it and I'm going to have to go and see a therapist."

I think you are misinformed. She had the band 10 years, and decided to remove because it performed its duties. Copied from http://uk.news.yahoo.com/01102006/364/osbourne-ditch-gastric-band.html Rock matriarch Sharon Osbourne is to undergo an operation to remove the restrictive gastric band in her stomach which helped her lose weight. The band, which was fitted in 1996, has reached the end of its ten-year lifespan and will be removed before the wife of Black Sabbath rocker Ozzy celebrates Christmas with her family. Gastric surgery helped The X Factor judge slim down after a lifelong battle with her weight - although the 53-year-old admits she will still need the support of therapy to avoid falling back into her bulimic ways. She says, "I'm going to have to do it and I'm going to have to go and see a therapist."

If your doc or nurse does your fills by palpating, ask him or her to draw the saline first, because you want to make sure that 1- He/she is really in the port, 2- How much saline you had previously, 3- If there was a leak, he/she would not get any saline. If he draws the saline, the needle still in the place, he can change the syringe with new saline added, and inject the new added amount. Your system might soak upto .5 cc so dont worry about it.

She was calling me "the guy, the guy", and she was using an offending language, she would not do this to a female, would she? I do not think so.. I hope you did not sense a sexist argument. I did not mean to. Her arguments are not based on factual information, nothing material, and she also reveals her psyhologic problems, and bad eating habits in earlier posts, just search under her name. She also doesnt know why the band is called adjustable, and I bet she does not know what brand she has. In Romania, or Chech republic, there is not much after care, or support. Most patients do not even adjust their bands, because they are not properly educated about their bands and about why it is called adjustable. regards

Eficka, you are total failure as far as the band is concerned and a big liar. I read your previous posts regarding your eating disorders, and psychological problems, and you are trying to offend me without any intelligent argument. Yes my command of English is also not good, but never tried to offend anyone. You say you lost 27kgs, but if you do a simple math, you lost 19 kg , see below, day of operation 117kg. I lost more in 2,5 months than you did 9 months. You have psychological problems, and stick around your female friends, you can not understand a scientific discussion. Your signature says: BANDED 04/25/06 started 125kg/day of op 117kg/current 98kg I am not sure what size band you have, a swedish band perhaps, it is different. If you fill 1cc in your VG band, when you unfill you almost get nothing, almost all of it is soaked in the port and in the band. You just need serious professional help, honestly. Best luck to you, Dorin.