I wish I'd have known this before being banded. There are two sizes of lapbands available from Inamed. The first and oldest available is smaller and more rigid. The 2nd one is larger and more flexible. I had the smaller one placed on May 2, 2006. I had band slippage immediately and had to have it replaced on May 5, 2006, just 4 days later. My Doc used the larger more flexible band on the second surgery to give my stomach a chance to heal. I am not very hungry but have very little restriction which I am very happy about. The slipped band was VERY painful, pretty much total restriction. I am losiong weight now and I'll do anything not to have the pain with so much restriction, I follow the eating quidelines faithfully. I just thought maybe people looking into the lapband might want to ask their Doctors about the 2 sizes of bands. My novice take on size is the larger band gives less restriction but maybe allows the stomach to heal quicker. If I'd have known, I'd have asked for the larger band in the beginning just to make postop a bit easier. I'll deal with making good choices on what and how much I eat.

Actually, Inamed makes 3 sizes. There is a 9.75 cm that holds around 4 cc's, a 10 cm that also holds around 4 cc, and the 11 cm Vanguard that holds around 11 ccs.

I agree with you that the Vanguard can be a better band (it has a pillow design in the area that holds the saline that some say allows for more textures to pass through), but my surgeon says that it's really about stomach size. You need the band that is right for your stomach and that often isn't known until they're performing the procedure.

I'm so glad your slip was safely and quickly fixed! Welcome to Bandlandia.

Thanks for the additional info. Makes sense about the size of stomach. I just don't want to hurt again. I seem to be slow to recover, very tired. Guess the 2 surgeries and being in quite a bit of pain really set me back. Are you back to normal? And congrats on the weight loss!

Yes, I'm totally back to normal. I had a very easy recovery. I took a week off work but went back to work 1/2 days on post-op day 3 because I was so bored and felt perfectly well enough to sit at a desk. I got tired more easily for about 3 weeks. After about a month, I had no residual pain at all, no matter how I stretched or slept or lifted, etc.

You'll be healed in no time! The hardest part is the infamous "Bandster Hell." I gained back 7 of the lbs I'd lost waiting on my first fill, but I quickly lost those and more.

Good luck!

actually I do not think Vanguard is made by Inamed but INamed does make a band that holds 10cc My aunt who had surgery with me and my mom in January has it.

I think that they try and fit you with the right size band is what my dr said if the 4cc band does not fit they put the other one on, it sounds like just a misjudgement, but i am glad that you are ok, it also seems like there is less erosion with the big band.

Yep u r correct, Doc says it totally depends on the size of the stomach on which to use. I have the vangard. I have lost 61lbs to date and still losing have a ways to go until my goal

actually I do not think Vanguard is made by Inamed but INamed does make a band that holds 10cc My aunt who had surgery with me and my mom in January has it.

The Vanguard is indeed made by Inamed.

My preband research not only included LBT, but the Inamed site and many others. Here's a link with all their bands and the VanGuard is indeed one of them: http://www.allerganandinamed.com/products/obesity/us/clinician/lapband/prodinfo.html

I asked my surgeon prior to surgery which one he thought I would need and it was the one I ended up with, the 10.0 cm band. Also, I requested the box it came in to keep preband thoughts & threads from LBT. I also requested the serial number (which was on the box) in the event I would ever need it. I'm a detailed person that tends to want too much info rather than depending on someone else. I think all surgeons keep the serial number, but good luck getting info out of some medical offices. :phanvan If there has been a leak identified in someone's band, I can compare serial numbers to identify a possible production issue. I am not a negative person and do not intend to ever need this info, but I'm prepared in the event I need it. :confused: I love details!! :biggrin1:

Some doctors use the large band exclusively now. I, however, have the smallest one. I think it's harder to achieve proper restriction with the bigger band, or so I've been told.

I just wanted to share my current experience. I have the smallest band in right now and boy, have I had problems. This past weekend is the third time in 8 months that my band has been so tight that I couldn't even drink Water. This time I actually vomited (not PBing, really vomiting) blood. It was very scary. I had to get Fluid removed from my band and now I am OK. But now, the next step is completely replacing the old band with the new one -- So now I'm pretty much starting over from square one.

My advice, ask for the largest band possible. From my understanding, the small bands put a lot of pressure around your stomach and create a pseudo-pouch for food to enter. The larger CC bands have pressure more evenly distributed and it mostly affects your sensation of hunger, rather than creating a "littler stomach".

I'm not saying I'm a doctor, but I just want people to be aware of the risks that can happen with the various opinions of doctors.

Take care everyone and good luck to you all!

-Annie

Inamed actually has 4 sizes of bands. First generation: 2 sizes, 9.75 and 10.0, which both have a 4cc balloon, the inflatable area isn't circumferential (all the way around) the band. Second generation: VG (VanGard), which has a 10cc balloon and the inflatable area is 340 degrees around. Third generation: AP (Advanced Placement) which has a 10-14cc balloon and the inflatable area is a full 360 degrees around. Your doctor usually chooses the band on these 5 factors: gender, BMI, height, intraoperative evaluation and stomach fat. Hope this helps.