Ok I've come to terms that I was told I have the 4cc band and then find out I have the VanGaurd band, but how many cc before I start to have some restrition? I know I've lost 54lbs with no restrition since August but now I'm impatient and want to loss the rest of the weight.:faint:

Just about the same happened to me... I also found out I have the VGBand .. I heard anywhere between 4-8cc's are good... but everyone is diffrent. I also lost about 50 some pounds without restriction. I have 2ccs in there now and it doesnt feel like I have anything... I can eat like normal! I go for a fill in March and I am hoping that it will work this time.

Good Luck with everything... sorry I couldnt be of to much help. When do you go for a fill? you can talk to your Dr. then he will be able to help you out much more!

According to Inamed's documentation the Initial fill level for a VG band is about 4cc (compared to the 1cc for the smaller 9.75 and 10cm bands).

Some doctors take it much more slowly than that from what I've obeserved in people's signatures.

Don't know if that second hand knowledge is of use to you, but there ya go :confused:

Hmmmmm, well, MsJoy has the VG band and her first fill was 6CCs. She had some pretty good restriction for a couple of weeks, but now, she's about to eat everything in sight and she isn't due to go back for her second fill for another 4 weeks.

Check out the chart Dawg found which compares the restriction that the different bands give with fills.

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=15216

I have the VG band and have had 7 fills. I am at 6.5 cc. I thought this was the "sweet spot" but I was WRONG!!! I am going in next Tuesday for my 8th fill. Maybe this time?? Who knows??? I have been on a non losing streak for a few months now and am getting VERY tired of it. Not gaining but not losing either. I hope 8 is my magic number.

Good luck on your fills I hope you find your magic number soon.

It's been over a year since I posted. But this subject has been so difficult for me with my Vanguard band, I wanted to encourage you from my own very frustrating "Fill" journey. DO NOT GIVE UP.

I went 16 mths post-op having had 9 fills without restriction. I was s-o-o disappointed and I really struggled to lose any weight at all even though I had gotten up to 8cc volume in the band. My doctor is very good but ultra-conservative and only does fills using radioology first thing in the morning when my band is tighter anyway. Time-after-time it made no difference that I told him I felt no restriction afterwards or asked that we change the appointment. He has seen that "the band will tighten within a week or two"....but mine never did.

So on my last fill that happen in Sept.'05 (6 mths ago), I drank a little hot tea before the fill. If he had known, he would not have completed the fill. But at fill #10, he could see that the band was not restricted until it reached 9cc. ;o) And since that veryday I have done great. I knew, if it were to tight, I could always have him take some out within days. So I felt like I had to try something different.

No, I am NOT recommending my hot tea method to anyone. But rather sharing my path. I have not had a problem but I am very aware the tighter the band the greater the risk for later band problems. However, I was despreate to gain a min. level of restriction and I had already exsperenced 9 fills before without true restriction. I feel good about having done used this method for myself as I went from -59 lbs to now -74lbs without any gaining and then struggling to loose as I was before. This was a huge disappointment cause after all, I had had the surgery, got the band, but not the aid of restriction before trying this method.

I have now lost 82% (74lbs) of my exspect weight lost currently at 22 mths Post-op.

Summary: the Vanguard band is much harder to reach a true level of restriction. However, you and not your doctor, are the best person to determine what level is best for you. I wish you well in your "fill" journey and pray it is easier than mine has been.

I have 6.4 in my VG Band and do have some restriction, but will probably have to go in soon for a little bit more.

After studying the chart that Dawg found, (see the link in my post above) I can see why those with the VG band are so frustrated! Look at the difference in restriction even when it's full. Jonothan brought up the fact that the VG band has fewer problems with slipping and I'm guessing it's because it allows the adjustments to gradually increase over a longer period of time.

When I was in for my first fill last week, I was asking a lot of questions about the band I have (10cm/4cc) and the amount of my first fill (1cc). He cautioned me not to compare my band, or my fill amount to other people's because everyone is so different. What works for one, isn't necessarily what will work for another. So, if someone says I have great restriction at 4cc and it took you 6.5cc to even begin to feel restricted, don't get frustrated at the comparison. There are too many variables between each body type and the type of bands we have.

Hi! I've got the "biggin" and from November to February I didn't lose a pound. Now that could have been because I didn't exercise, drink my Water, but did somehow manage to drink A LOT of another clear liquid - VODKA!

After some very stressful weeks at work and the holidays, I got back on the wagon and got my 5th fill on February 9th. Been exercising 4-5 times a week and minding my band instructions. I have some restriction and I think I need just a little "tweak" more - maybe .25 or .5 cc. I've got another fill scheduled for March 27th.

On my February fill my doctor (who I just love and is very supportive) told me if I didn't lose a good deal before the next fill he would and I quote "Close my band and sew my lips shut. Noone fails on his watch." I know he said it to give me the kick in the butt I needed and it worked. My anniversary is 4 weeks away and I definitely want to be over the 1 pound per week average so I hope to lose another 10 pounds before then.

My first fill was 4.9cc, 2 fills later and I am at 6.9cc and have had good restriction for 3 months now. The tech that does my fills says it takes a yr to tweak a VG...usually between 6-8....Getting fills under flouro helps..otherwise it is literally a shot in the dark.

Cristan

335/272....clock back 6 yrs!

5'10"

Banded 7/4/05

Dr Ortiz

Judybellyband'

What was the difference with you having a small hot drink before the fill. I dont understand why a fill would not go ahead if the Dr. had known.

I'm always early for my fills so I have a hot cup of takeaway coffee out side before my appointment.

I thought I had restriction at 8cc, but had not lost for 6 weeks.

Dr put in .4cc to bring it up to 8.4cc and had me drink water.

Water went down slowly but now I truly understand what restriction is.

I can eat breads only very slowly and only 1 slice.

Eat around 1 very full cup of most things chewing well and eating slow.

It certainly does take alot more time to loose weight with the VG, but I'm convinced that the very slow process is better for the body.

Hot drinks can often reduce yor restriction

i find in the mornings i am realy really tight and a hot drink helps so that i can get some nutrition in by about 9:30 i know that if i had a cold drink i would be tighter than ever hope that this helps

this thread has been so useful as i have a close friend that has a vangard band and she is having a really hard time trying to get restriction i will send her this link and i am sure that she will be encouraged by it as she is so dipondant

thanks

dee

I have 8ccs in my VG band. I do have some restriction at this point in time.

I'm so glad I found this thread.

A 10cc band (I'm assuming Vanguard) found a new home in my belly on Monday.

I was wondering the differences, the pros and cons, etc.

Nope, Leener.. the 10cm band holds 4cc. The Vanguard holds 10cc. Click on the link below and have a look. There's a chart that shows the actual restriction on the stomach when each of the bands is filled, there's also pics of the 10cm and the VG band, filled and unfilled:

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=15216