Adjustment Question

coleoptera · August 17, 2006

My surgeon is going to fill my band for the first time next week. I have a 10...(what does that mean?) and he will be filling me while I am having an xray. He will have me swallow barium, adjust he band and then do another swallow. He says this way there is less guess work about how much to fill and in the long run he will have to do fewer adjustments.

Has anyone else experienced this kind of adjustment?

LapBandit · August 17, 2006

That probably means you have a VG band (10 cc's) just like me! My fills are done in the office without the swallow but I would think yours will result in a more effective fill because he'll be able to see for himself how tight the band will be. Either way, I don't think it will be a big deal, except for the yucky barium! My first fill didn't hurt one bit!

AnotherMe · August 17, 2006

Hello! 10 cm is the size of your band. Like both of you, I too have this size. The maximum fill level of this size band is 4.0

Today, I went for my 5th fill and am at 3.5 So far, I've never experienced any problems with fills... they've all been under Fluro (xray machine). But, my doc only has us swallow the barium after they've put in the saline. They leave the needle in the port, you sit up and move to the Fluro machine and they watch how long it takes the barium to flow thru the pouch... if it's too slow they still have access to the port and can take some out. Or, vice versa.

My first fill was 1.5 and I go back for another .5 every time I feel I can eat too much. Try to keep all of your info written down in a notebook, you'll appreciate having it down the road. I still kick myself that I never took measurements of hips, thighs, arms, etc. I would love to know how many inches I've lost (instead of just lbs).

Karla

Anaed2 · August 17, 2006

For those of you who aren't too familiar with the metric system, I thought it may help to post information on the measurements (length and capacity or volume) that are used to describe the different bands:

cm = centimetre. This is the measurement used for the length of the band, or its circumference. 1 cm = 0.3937008 inches.

cc = cubic centimetre. This is the measurement used for the Fluid capacity of the band, ie. it's volume. 1 cc = 0.03381402 Fluid ounces or 0.2705122 fluid dram. 1 cc is equal to 1 ml (mililitre). Sometimes the capacity of the band is represented in cc, sometimes in ml. The volume is the same for these two terms.

Inamed makes the Vanguard (VG) band which holds 10 cc/10 ml of saline. Inamed makes 3 other bands:

- 11 cm band that has a 9 cc capacity,

- 10 cm band with a 4 cc capacity,

- 9.75 cm band that also has a 4 cc capacity.

jdjjwoo · August 17, 2006

I just had my first fill yesterday. It sounds like I must also have the same size band, because I was filled 1 cc out of a total of 4 cc.

My experience didn't go as smoothly as I'd hoped. It finally did work out okay, but it made me really nervous. For some reason, he had a really hard time getting into the port. He started by putting novacaine on my stomach and then giving me a couple shots to numb me. Because it took several tries, I ended up having to get the numbing shots over and over. I don't do well with shots - especially when they are in my stomach and burn. (Last night I counted 8 or 9 holes in that area from all the shots.) I began to wonder if my port had turned over or something else was wrong.

When I was in the hospital the major pain I felt (besides the gas in the shoulder) had been from the port - the muscle would spasm so bad. I started wondering if it spasmed so bad that it ripped out the stitches and turned itself over.

Anyway, I don't know what the problem was - my surgeon mentioned that it was really deep? I can push down and feel it myself, but I don't know where the opening is or anything. Maybe the fat above that area is just really thick on me? My BMI was only a 36 when I started, so I wasn't as heavy as most of his patients, but I know we are all made so differently!

He didn't do the XRay at all - maybe that would have been better. Honestly, he seemed surprised to be having this trouble. I have a feeling he is really good at doing this and has it down to a science and I, of course, just have to be difficult. He just had me sit up and drink a glass of Water to make sure it would go down okay and then had me stay on liquids only for the rest of the day.

I'm doing great today and just so looking forward to feeling that satisfied feeling with smaller amounts of food! I'm 5 weeks out today and I've lost 21 pounds so far. During that "honeymoon" phase after the mushies and before the 1st fill I was definitely able to eat more than I should have been, but I would make myself stop. I just didn't really feel any restriction, so I'm excited now to be onto the next phase of this journey and able to get down to business on losing this weight!

Has anyone else had this kind of experience with their fills? I'm hoping this fill will last a long time because I'm not in any real hurry to do it again. Does anyone have an explanation for it? Maybe it won't be this way next time?

ericsmom · August 17, 2006

(I posted this on the July thread)

I had my doctor's appt. this morning. I got my first fill!! Boy can I tell a difference!!!

He had me lay on a table. He asked whether or not I wanted the area numbed first. I said sure He said my band can take a max of 4cc's and he gave me 3cc's. He said that if he got in there and felt the Fluid push back, it would be less, but he didn't feel a kick back, so 3cc's went in just fine. He just had me take a breath and extend my stomach out so he could find the port easily. I asked if they were going to take another xray and he said no, that wouldn't be necessary. I go back in 4 weeks for a check. It was a piece of cake. I didn't feel a thing. I had to stay and drink 3 Dixie cups of Water within 5 minutes before I could leave. I felt super full! Then I had asked to see the X-ray they took the day I left the hospital, so he let me come in his office and he pulled it up. It was so cool to see!! He said the band should be at a slant pointing up toward my left shoulder and it was. I could see the tubing going down and back up to the port. AMAZING! It seems more real now that I actually saw it. I am on liquid the rest of today and tomorrow to give my stomach a chance to get used to it.

REEIZBOOJE · August 18, 2006

Jdjj- I wish I could say my fill was better, but when I had my fill this past wednesday the Dr said, my port is really deep, and it turned just a little, I think it took 20 minutes for him to find it, he asked me if the other Dr. had a hard time too, I was just worried the pain reliever would wear off. Well I think this Doc actually really filled me, because every time I drink something I have these spasms in my stomach. I don't think my surgeon who did my first two ever filled me up right,cause when I looked at the xray the barium ran out real fast, and I never had restriction, this new Doc showed me the screen as I sipped the barium and it just sat there, then it slowly began to trickle out. Will this spasm thing only be temporary? I haven't started foods yet, but when I do, I better Chew Chew Chew

LEVA 13 · August 18, 2006

I Had My 1st Fill On The 11th.it Was A Breeze I Went In Layed Down Their Was The Xray Screen He Fill Er Up 1cc.i Got Up Walked Out Got My Water Drank And Left After 30 Min.i Don't Like The Unknown But It Was Easy.leva

ann38 · August 24, 2006

hi my name is ann and i had that problem also npthing to worry about 10cm is the size of your band, but they do the first fill in xrays to make sure your barium goes through your band. but if you get to the point that you can't swallow any liquids make sure you call your doctor that did your surgery ok can cause a problem with your band and stomach and slippage okay you don't want that. hugs ann fordforda9466@aol.com