Hello,

Before anyone directs me to another thread link, I already know this has been done before. I have researched old threads and can navigate this site well. I would like the most recent information pertaining to this subject please. :help:

I was banded in June in Mexico and had the 10 cc VG band done by Dr. Joya. Great surgery, no complications.

My problem now is that the only weight loss I had was in the first 3 weeks after surgery, none since then and I am gaining that weight loss back at an alarming rate.

My after care doctor in my town is Dr. Helmuth Billy. He is a great, competent Dr. My only concern is that I don't think he has treated many patients with this larger band and he is very conservative with fills. He wants to make sure there are no slips or errosion by doing agressive fills. Wonderful.

Unfortunately, I have had no restriction since the first few weeks of being banded. My research on the board show that those with this band need A LOT more in their fills to reach the sweet spot. I want to take as much data as possible supporting this to my next appointment with him (on Thursday). I need to get a good fill this time. I am in a very deep depression because of my weight issues after spending thousands of dollars on this procedure. I need a jump start to get me going again and give me a shot in the arm. I don't think I'll be able to take a nother small fill and wait another few months to get to a point where I feel any restricion.

I hope you help and support me as this is tearing my psyche apart. Thanks to all of you for your help.:eek:

I’m 7 weeks out from surgery, and just had my 1st fill on April 5th. :clap2: Under fluoro while I sipped barium, my doc added 4cc. I’m fine with fluids & can only eat small amounts at a time, but today is my 1st day back on solids, so that may not be the case in a day or two. My 2nd fill is in 6-weeks on May 17th.

I am now at 8cc's and I can feel restriction. I just hope I can stay at this restriction to get these last 40lbs off.

I am at 8cc and feel slight restriction, I still think I keep eating too much (more than 2 cups of solid food...). I still have a bit more than 40lbs to loose and this has been a hard, slow battle... Very frustrating when I see so many people loose weight so quickly :tired (I'm happy for them but terribly sorry I'm not one of them...)

niki

Hi Niki, I started at a low BMI when I had surgery. Im 5'2 my weight was 244. Im at 203 now, and im a slow looser. It seem that people at a higher weight and higher BMI loose weight really fast. we will get there. Some days I eat more than other days but at 8cc i do feel more restricted. Im happy with the results and I feel that I have made the best decision in getting my health back on track.

Hi DAA,

I guess we're very similar because I've started out as well at a low BMI of 35. After lots of reading and research I concluded that low BMIs do tend to loose at a slower pace and that's for sure what happens with me, I'm such a slow loser. I know I make correct food choices (most of the time) and I go to the gym 4 times a week, so it seems this will be a long journey for us both, but no reason to despair. We'll get there, eventually...

best of luck,

niki

Thanks Niki!

I’m 7 weeks out from surgery, and just had my 1st fill on April 5th. :clap2: Under fluoro while I sipped barium, my doc added 4cc. I’m fine with fluids & can only eat small amounts at a time, but today is my 1st day back on solids, so that may not be the case in a day or two. My 2nd fill is in 6-weeks on May 17th.

You are doing wonderful! Thanks for referring me to this thread. I had no idea Dr Terracina used the VG brand. Learn something new each and every day.

Can't wait to meet soon at Support Group.

You are doing wonderful! Thanks for referring me to this thread. I had no idea Dr Terracina used the VG brand. Learn something new each and every day.

Can't wait to meet soon at Support Group.

I heard at Support Group that Dr. T is more aggressive than Dr. C with fill volume, too. But 4cc at the 1st fill doesn't seem too off at all from the others on this thread. (I detailed my 1st fill in my 4/5/07 mySpace blog, if you are the kind of person who wants to know what's coming next.)

I don't notice a bit of difference in restriction from before my fill (10 days ago) to now. I guess that means I'm in need of more juice. However, I read something about "fills slowly over 9 months" being more effective than lots of fills right off the bat, so I’m willing to be patient. I lost 3.5 lbs in the week after my 1st fill, which is good since the scale stood still for the week prior to it. I hope I'm continuing to loose now, too, because I really don't feel any more restricted than I was before the fill!! I'm mindful of the rules (protein 1st, nothing white, no more than 1/2 cup of food per meal, and exercise), but it doesn't seem like doing my part is "enough" to get the job done! I mean, we're talking 200 pounds after all!! My 2nd fill will be May 17th, 6-weeks from the first one.

I hope you're doing well post-op! You've made it a full week! :clap2: Hang in there (on that sea of Protein shakes) for one more & you'll be advanced to mushies! I tell you, nothing ever tasted so good as that 1st bite of egg salad (even without the sandwich bread!)... You're 1/2 way there! :gluck:

Hope to see you on Thursday! (I'll be the short, fat one with glasses in the striped, pink shirt –- my weigh-in clothes!)

Zannie-

I am doing well - ending my first week. I am so proud of you -- keep up the great work!

I haven't gone back to Protein shakes just yet -- I have been doing clear Protein diet (2 - IDS New whey Protein 42g vials with 10oz water) and crystal light green tea. The protein shakes I was doing as preop diet - made me so full -- 16oz had 35 grams of protein -- there is no way I could get 80g a day in.

I will be sure to find you and introduce myself!

Gina

PS: You can check out the IDS New Whey Protein's at:

http://www.nextag.com/ids-new-whey-liquid-protein/search-html

I am experiencing the exact same situation. I was banded 1/9/07 lost initially about thirty pounds, but basically as soon as I started back on solid foods I started regaining. I am now at 8cc's and still gaining. Help!

zevesther:

Are you keeping a food journal to take to a dietician and talk about this?

I definetly would suggest this -- I can understand how frustrated you are feeling -- and that can make the whole situation even worse.

Please consider talking to a professional about this asap.

Good luck & keep in touch!

Gina

OK, I've not been here in a while so a quick recap. I had a VG Band installed in mid December 2006 at 390 lbs. First fill was 3.5 cc's at the end of January 2007. Some restriction but not a lot. I filled up quickly when I ate but the full feeling didnt last long. Went to 5 cc's with my second fill in early March 2007. I couldn't pass anything at 5 cc's, pretty much complete blockage. Went back 2 days later and went down to 4.5 cc's. Good restriction at first but lessened over a few weeks. Went in for 3rd fill yesterday. Doc said he gets less out than he put in the last two fills, he had put in 4.5 but only retrieved 4.2. He said this is common with vg band. He called it sweating due to the larger "baloon" surface area. He filled this time with a thicker Fluid which he said typically eliminates the sweating issue. He filled to 4.7 cc's. Its only been a day but it feels good. The restriction feels about right.

Anyway, Thats where I am, 48 lbs since surgery. Pace has been good since the March fill. Looking forward to more progress and smaller sizes in clothes.

BTW, Had to punch a new hole in my belt this morning. Its a good feeling.

Bret - thanks for the post -- you provided alot of good information here.

I don't get my first fill until 5/31 -- but the more info I find -- the better I will be prepared.

I am very impressed with your results -- keep up the good work.

I had my first pre-op yesterdaya and lost 9lbs since surgery (16 days) I was disappointed - buy doc says need to bump Protein to 100 gr and due to already lost alot -- it will be slow from here - he is only looking for 2lbs a week.

Have a great day!

Gina

Guess I am very lucky! ALL my fills were included in the initial cost for the first year... (I was self pay) Now I have the option after the first year to have unlimited visits/fills for a year for only $200. total or $75. per fill/visit. I figured it was a HUGE bargain either way seeing the cost that some Dr.s are charging. Since I am still a work in progress I want the constant follow up and need the incentive to keep eating right. I go in monthly for a visit and meeting with the nutritionalist.

My first fill was at 4ccs and I had restriction. Eventually that restriction wore down as I lost more weight. My second fill took me up to 4.5ccs and again I was restricted... same thing after a few months. next fill added .50 and I was too tight. My fills kick in most after a day or so and had to have .25 taken out. Things went well...Then another again .25 going good. Last time I went up another .25 to the 5.25cc level and was VERY TIGHT... almost too tight. that was February and now I am sitting good.

Since March 2006 I am down a total of 140 pounds... Love my band and my surgeon. Good luck in finding and keeping that sweet spot.

Hi! I haven't posted on this thread before, but I got the VG 10 band on 12-11-06 and thought I'd share my "fill history" wtih this band. From what I understand, my surgeon is pretty aggressive with his fills. Of course, he has been doing WLS for the past 15 years and is the surgeon who the other surgeons train with to get their specialty. (My mom had the RNY by him 3 years ago and has done great with it -- she's lost 168 pounds and has kept it all off.)

I got 2 cc in my band during the surgery, which after 2 weeks when the swelling was gone, I had NO restriction -- I was dying on my 4 weeks of liquids only after my surgery! I asked for a fill at my 2 week post op and they told me no, I couldn't get another fill till I was 6 weeks out.

So, at the end of January I got my first in-office fill. Normally he gives 5 cc at that visit but because I was so hungry he gave me 6 cc, bringing me up to 8 cc in my band. He had to do an unfill because as I was drinking the water after each swallow I would burp! He said that happens when there's too much in there. So he took out 1 cc, leaving me with 7 cc in my 10 cc band. Restriction was good for a few weeks, then, I was getting sooo hungry again.

I went back for another fill and this time before she (a different surgeon) filled me she pulled out what was in the band -- there should have been 7 cc, and she was only able to pull out 5 cc -- so she gave me 2 cc more, putting me back up to 7 cc.

Two weeks later I was back again and they gave me 0.5 cc, which made a huge difference and up until about three weeks ago was great. Now, I have 7.5 cc in my band and my appetite and portion size have increased, which means I need another fill. I still have restriction, just not as much as I need. I go back next week for another and we'll see what I get then.

They did tell me that in the first year it is common to need anywhere from 2-6 fills. This will be my 4th in-office fill, hopefully I've not "lost" any of the 7.5 cc that should be in there. They're supposed to be checking that too since I "lost" 2 cc a few months ago.