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:

Hi there,

I also have the 10 cc band. My first fill was 2 cc and my second was almost 5 cc. I can tell you that an agressive fill can be the pits! I live a long way from my doc so he was trying to help with a big fill. I drank the Water but got progressively more restricted as the day went on. Thank God I was staying an extra day because I couldn't even swallow my own spit! I hightailed it back to the doc the next day and they removed 1 cc.

I understand the weight gain because I gained back almost 10 lbs befoe my second fill. I was miserable! I am now quite restricted and have lost 21 lbs since June, 2006. I had another fill Sept 5/2006 (just 3/4 cc because I was afraid of a repeat) and I'm feeling great.

Everyone has a different tolerance just please take it slow. Maybe you can talk to your doc about filling monthly and slightly more saline than what you are getting until you feel something.

Good luck and please don't give up. It sounds like your doc is being cautious and sometimes that isn't such a bad thing. I also paid for my own surgery so I know where you're coming from. It's hard knowing you paid a lot of money and aren't seeing results. Be honest with your feelings when you talk to him and maybe you can reach a compremise.

I'll be thinking of you tomorrow. Good Luck

Deb

I have a VG....had a 3.6 fill after 6 weeks, then another in 3 weeks (nearly 2 mo ago). He told me I could come back in 3 wks but I haven't needed to. I've lost 81 lbs and am still losing regularly.

What are you eating? Are you eating the dense Proteins and solids? That will help you feel full for a longer period of time. Softer foods (potatoes, ice cream....no's no's anyhow!) and liquids go right on by the band.....the band's restriction is not meant to control mushies and liquids. That's why it's important to eat the dense proteins that will stay in your pouch and move thru slowly (meat, eggs, Beans, etc). It's also important not to drink for an hour after eating....if you do, it will wash the food on thru the band and then you're hungry again.

I may be telling you something you already know and are doing, but wanted to bring that aspect of it up not just for you but for others who are reading this. A fill that is too aggressive keeps you from being able to eat healthy foods, so it is important that fills are done gradually. That is why the band is such a healthy choice of wls....we can get our nutrition if the fill is just right.

Best wishes to you.......

I have a VG....had a 3.6 fill after 6 weeks, then another in 3 weeks (nearly 2 mo ago). He told me I could come back in 3 wks but I haven't needed to. I've lost 81 lbs and am still losing regularly.

What are you eating? Are you eating the dense Proteins and solids? That will help you feel full for a longer period of time. Softer foods (potatoes, ice cream....no's no's anyhow!) and liquids go right on by the band.....the band's restriction is not meant to control mushies and liquids. That's why it's important to eat the dense proteins that will stay in your pouch and move thru slowly (meat, eggs, Beans, etc). It's also important not to drink for an hour after eating....if you do, it will wash the food on thru the band and then you're hungry again.

I may be telling you something you already know and are doing, but wanted to bring that aspect of it up not just for you but for others who are reading this. A fill that is too aggressive keeps you from being able to eat healthy foods, so it is important that fills are done gradually. That is why the band is such a healthy choice of wls....we can get our nutrition if the fill is just right.

Best wishes to you.......

I'm 8.5cc into a 10cc vg band and can eat all solid proteins with no problem. The only time I feel any restriction at all is if I eat something to large without chewing well, then it lasts for a few seconds.

Thank you Losin' It! Very good info on that link you provided. I read that the VG band 1st fill should be 3 cc for the 1st- then in smaller increments. I talked him into giving me a 3 cc fill. Drank 3 cups of water no problem. Went down a little slower then last time. Got home and was very hungry. Made some blended black bean soup so it was liquidy. Ate about 1 1/2 cups no problem. We'll see how it goes tomorrow! Thanks for all of yoru suggestions. I really do have to work on the lean protein more since I am a a vegetarian.

YMMV (=your mileage may vary) has got to be a bandsters daily mantra.

I have the VG and just had my first fill (1.5) at 18 weeks post-op. I had good restriction until about 3 weeks ago. I had a slipped band immediately so I had 2 surgeries in 4 days. I think I had a lot of swelling and scare tissue. It’s only my 3rd day since my 1st fill but I think I’ll need more. I had no restriction before the fill.

On another note, I know I’m not suppose to drink liquids after I eat but sometimes I drink a little (1/4 cup or so) low carb milk (Carb Countdown. chocolate, Yumm!) & it gives me more restriction & I feel fuller. Go figure!

Finally an answer to all that I went through. I have this band and went through some hard times thinking I had failed cause I lost and regained. Boy I wish I would have had something like this earlier.

I finally have found some restriction with 4 cc fill which was done about 1 month ago. I plan on going back soon.

Then I read somewhere that you could only put 5 cc in my band. But from what I read that must not be true and it has given me hope! Thank you for starting this thread.:clap2:

I have the 11 cc Inamed Vanguard Band. The surgeon told me that he has no idea what size band he will use until he is able to actually see the size of the esophagus and stomach. As per his discussion, there is no way to predict from the size of the person what size band will be needed. I am only 5' 2" with small features and a small bone structure yet, I needed the largest band.

Many surgeons believe that less aggressive fills spaced 4-8 weeks apart go a long way in preventing long-term complications. Because I had some restriction, when I went to the surgeon on Thursday, I was given a small fill and directed to come back in 6 weeks. This will continue until I get optimal restriction. After that, he wants patients back every 12 weeks for accountability. Of course, patients can come back more frequently if they desire to or need more stringent accountability.

I have the 11 cc Inamed Vanguard Band. The surgeon told me that he has no idea what size band he will use until he is able to actually see the size of the esophagus and stomach. As per his discussion, there is no way to predict from the size of the person what size band will be needed. I am only 5' 2" with small features and a small bone structure yet, I needed the largest band.

Many surgeons believe that less aggressive fills spaced 4-8 weeks apart go a long way in preventing long-term complications. Because I had some restriction, when I went to the surgeon on Thursday, I was given a small fill and directed to come back in 6 weeks. This will continue until I get optimal restriction. After that, he wants patients back every 12 weeks for accountability. Of course, patients can come back more frequently if they desire to or need more stringent accountability.

I have the exact same band and my doctor gives fills every month. I have now been restricted to 4.75 and am certain I have restriction, but I do think I need another fill. I had surgery on June 7th and have had 3 fills for far? He also instructed to take tums for calium and flintstones for Vitamins. May I ask what your doc told you to do?

I have the exact same band and my doctor gives fills every month. I have now been restricted to 4.75 and am certain I have restriction, but I do think I need another fill. I had surgery on June 7th and have had 3 fills for far? He also instructed to take tums for calium and flintstones for Vitamins. May I ask what your doc told you to do?

Hi Carol,

I take an over the counter Calcium supplement and flintstones vitamins. However, I have something call Iron deficiency anemia that was discovered in 2001. Who knows how long I really had it. Anyway, I don't absorb iron from foods so it's finally gotten to the point where just yesterday, I started intravenous iron replacement treatments. I'm going once a week for 8 weeks and then will have my iron levels checked 2 weeks after the treatments are completed to see if I need more.

In addition to the calcium and flintstones, I also take folic acid, a baby aspirin (enteric coated so it dissolves in the small intestine and not the stomach) and a B complex Vitamin.

I have the exact same band and my doctor gives fills every month. I have now been restricted to 4.75 and am certain I have restriction, but I do think I need another fill. I had surgery on June 7th and have had 3 fills for far? He also instructed to take tums for calium and flintstones for Vitamins. May I ask what your doc told you to do?

Hi Carol,

I take an over the counter calcium supplement and flintstones vitamins. However, I have something call Iron deficiency anemia that was discovered in 2001. Who knows how long I really had it. Anyway, I don't absorb iron from foods so it's finally gotten to the point where just yesterday, I started intravenous iron replacement treatments. I'm going once a week for 8 weeks and then will have my iron levels checked 2 weeks after the treatments are completed to see if I need more.

In addition to the calcium and flintstones, I also take folic acid, a baby aspirin (enteric coated so it dissolves in the small intestine and not the stomach) and a B complex Vitamin.

I hope you will be alright and thanks for the reply. Do you know of anyone else who takes flintstones your my first. Also do you know anyone who has our kind of band and how are they doing. What do you think of your band? Seems to working for you considering the weight I see you have lost. I have only lost about 26 pounds since surgery and that was on June 7th.:nervous

I hope you will be alright and thanks for the reply. Do you know of anyone else who takes flintstones your my first. Also do you know anyone who has our kind of band and how are they doing. What do you think of your band? Seems to working for you considering the weight I see you have lost. I have only lost about 26 pounds since surgery and that was on June 7th.

I'll be just fine. Iron is absorbed from the GI tract. Since I don't absorb it, they bypass the GI tract by giving the iron right into the blood stream. Quite a few people here use the flintstones Vitamins. I think some others have posted that they use Centrum children's chewables. As far as youw weight loss goes, you're doing great. The average is 1-2 pounds a week and you're averaging better than that. Congratulations!

All of the bands in the U.S. are made by Inamed. Vanguard refers to the perforations in the Inamed band whereas non-Vanguard models have a smooth lining. Regardless of the size, all of the Inamed bands do the same thing, restrict the opening into the main stomach via balloon inflation or fills. The size the surgeon elects to use is dependent upon your anatomy.

Do you know of anyone else who takes flintstones your my first.

I don't take Flintstones, but I do alternate between Centrum liquid Vitamins (for adults) and the Centrum chewable vitamins (for adults).

I take either Flintstones chewables or the Wal-Mart generic version (Equate). The childrens chewable are recommended by my band doc.

Terry

I also have a 10cc. band, even though I was low BMI---and am getting soooooo discouraged. 4 weeks after my surgery, I had 5cc. then the following week I had another 2cc. I am up to 7cc. and no restriction at all. I have lost 8 lbs---but that was in the first month---actually during the first 2 weeks of the special liquid diet stuff. I am eating less, and following all the rules, but stil not losing any weight. I am still really hungry and have never even thought of PBing or anything. I guess I should be happy I'm not gaining, but after a self pay of over $10K I expected more. I hope to get another fill either this weekend or next.

Karen MT

Ortiz