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 have the same band & had my first fill last Wednesday. I have very good restriction now. The doc put in 4.8 on the very first fill. My next fill is booked for Aug 14th.

Good luck with that next fill.

L8BloomR - there are different types of bands (you should find here at LBT further detailed data on that, I'm not sure of the link) but you hve for instance Inamed's LapBand (which I think is the one most used in the US and quite common in Europe too) that can hold 4cc or the one with 9cc; you have also the VG-Vanguard (which usually is a 10cc band, or more, up to 14cc I think); you have also the SAGB-Swedish Adjustable Gastric Band from Obtech (up to approx. 9cc), and there's also the AMI-Austrian Agency for Medical Innovations with the 10cc or the 12cc Ami Band (the one I have takes up to 10cc and I'm currently with 8,5cc). There might be others, but these are the ones I took note from reading about them.

From reading about it, I think that these bands that take 10cc or more, are harder to find that ideal spot of restriction, if compared with the ones with 4cc, for instance. I believe that most people with 10cc bands or more, have to go through several fills till they find their «sweet spot».

My doc is very conservative with fills (never does more than 1cc, usually it's 0,5cc each time) and it's taking me ages to loose weight... :phanvan

niki

I too have the VG band and have had difficulty reaching any restriction. Thankfully, my surgeon does not charge extra for fills and is willing to fill at my discretion. We are taking it slow as to not overdo a "good thing"! I finally feel some restriction at 6.5, but will go in next week for a small fill. Sometimes I think that doctors only consider the surgery, but won't listen to their patients. This is too bad! Take him some documentation, maybe he needs a little "continuing ed"!

Hi all: Just wanted to report that I got a fill yesterday that took me to 7cc....and I am finally RESTRICTED!! It is the first real time that I have felt anything like this and I am so happy! I have not been hungry, and it only takes a swallow or two of something to fill me. YEAH!!!! I feel like I have finally entered BandLand!!! :clap2:

Help ! I'am so tight right now, I'm currently filled to 6.5 and I can't get hardly anything solid down. I think I might be swollen, I pb'ed really bad last night, then I tried to eat some talipia today for lunch. Talk about PAIN, the pain in my chest was so intense, I swear it must feel like a damn heart attack. It has FINALLY gone down. I just going to do fluids the rest of the day, hot tea, water etc, then try again tomorrow with mushies. Oh lord I hope I don't have a slip, I'd be devastated.

L8bloomrR-good for you , restriction is an awesome thing isn't it !! I hated being wide open, it was so scary.

Help ! I'am so tight right now, I'm currently filled to 6.5 and I can't get hardly anything solid down. I think I might be swollen, I pb'ed really bad last night, then I tried to eat some talipia today for lunch. Talk about PAIN, the pain in my chest was so intense, I swear it must feel like a damn heart attack. It has FINALLY gone down. I just going to do fluids the rest of the day, hot tea, water etc, then try again tomorrow with mushies. Oh lord I hope I don't have a slip, I'd be devastated.

L8bloomrR-good for you , restriction is an awesome thing isn't it !! I hated being wide open, it was so scary.

Charsweb: Did you just get a fill?? Why else would you be swollen? Ick, sounds bad. I haven't had a PB (yet), but would really worry if just suddenly I got so tight. If you just got a fill, I'm sure this is just your body's reaction to it and it will go away soon, but if this tightness just came on, please call your doctor!!!

Let us know how you are....

Hello --

I have the VG band. My last fill (which was my 4th fill) I had 6cc's. It worries me that I am getting close to the max and I am only feeling a little restriction. Has anyone gotten to where they have the full 10cc's and still not felt any restriction? I go for my next fill wednesday and I am so scared my dr is going to tell me that the band just isn't for me and there is nothing he can do for me...

Hello --

I have the VG band. My last fill (which was my 4th fill) I had 6cc's. It worries me that I am getting close to the max and I am only feeling a little restriction. Has anyone gotten to where they have the full 10cc's and still not felt any restriction? I go for my next fill wednesday and I am so scared my dr is going to tell me that the band just isn't for me and there is nothing he can do for me...

If you are feeling "a little restriction" at 6cc, then I think you will feel plenty of it with your next fill! I never felt any restriction at 6cc, but at 7cc, wow!! Keep the faith....I have not heard of anyone getting their band filled to the max and still not feeling it. :eek:

I had NO restriction until my band was at 7.5. I read somewhere that the band actually will hold way more than 10cc. I will have to try to find that article again for you. Good luck. Nita:clap2:

I'm doing better, the rest of the day I just had a cup of dieters tea and some water, then in the evening I was able to get down a small salad, then this moring my kashi cereal. All better now My last fill was while ago , I must of been swollen from me pbing a couple days in a row.

I'm doing better, the rest of the day I just had a cup of dieters tea and some water, then in the evening I was able to get down a small salad, then this moring my kashi cereal. All better now My last fill was while ago , I must of been swollen from me pbing a couple days in a row.

Glad to hear you are better, charsweb. Yes, I have heard that PB'ing can cause swelling around the band. Hope things continue to go well for you!

Hey Charsweb, be careful with that pb thing. I spent most of last week in the hospital. I had a slip with a twist in my stomach. The twist was cutting blood flow it could have killed my stomach which of course is potentially fatal.

I am usually the type to try to ride things out, thank God I didn't this time. I am not trying to scare anyone or say that this will happen to you, I am just trying to help out and raise awareness.

The symptoms I had were a night full of PBing and extreme burning in the upper region of my stomach. Then the telltale coffee ground looking junk coming up. I am glad you are feeling better.

JC

JC I am so glad that you are okay!! How scary for you. Will you get another band? Please take care of yourself. Nita

I had my last fill July 5th – and my next (if needed) is supposed to be on the 16th of August. But I’m going in on Thursday (Aug 2nd) for a fluro look-see because something just isn’t right...

Have any of you gotten tighter as time went on…without a fill? I’m now not able to eat even 1.5 oz of straight-up soft tuna salad without getting that “oops, shouldn’t have had that last bite” feeling in the center of my chest. Two weeks ago (July 15th, in fact) I was able to eat a full 3oz of tuna salad served on soy-puff chip thingies. It’s not just tuna salad (a mushy for Pete’s sake) that’s filling me much faster in the last week-to-week-&-a-half, either. Nothing comes back up at all, but the pressure is just at that border of discomfort... Not that I MIND having restriction, but why is my band getting tighter without the aid of a fill?

I’m sitting here, having just tried a spoonful of smooth peanut butter for dinner (has never caused me a problem before) and I have that pressure in the center of my chest – it’s peanut butter!!!!! I had a Wendy’s Jr. Frosty (treat, not normally part of my diet) last night & it, too, gave me this same chest pressure feeling. Are we or are we not supposed to be able to actually cheat the band with junk like milkshakes?!? Not that I want to cheat it, but what the frig is up if I can’t even have a milkshake without pressure!?!?

I have never PBed (yet – knock on wood), and have only slimed 3 or 4 times since my banding 5-1/2 months ago. So I keep trying to rationalize the chest pressure away...can’t be a slip because I haven’t had actual issues with food!! I’m not even having PROBLEMS now – no slime, no PB, & I can drink water just fine... And I’ve got great restriction even! But things are tighter now than they were just after the last fill………and so I’m starting to fret a bit.

Opinions? (Pardon the cross-post, BTW!)

I have certainly had my band tighten for seemingly no reason. My days vary greatly. Somedays I have to stick to liquids, somedays I can eat reasonably and somedays I have to be careful or I will overdo it. Since my last fill I don't have to many of the latter but still have a great deal of varience with restriction. It is a very fickle thing this band. I would just try to do liquids for a day to rule out irritation and if that doesn't help then you might consider a slight unfill. Good Luck ..keep smilin. Nita