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 am right there with you. I was banded March 31 and I am up to eleven cc's. I am hoping I will finally have good restriction. I was sitting in the doctor's office crying cause I couldn't understadn why I had no restriction. If this doesn't work, I'm going for an endoscopy....

Hey everyone. Glad I found this thread. I had surgery on 12/4/07 but did not know at the time what kind of band I had. I went in for my first fill on 1/3/08 and was told I had a vanguard 10cc band. He said there is another band (not vanguard) that is a 10cc band, but only holds 4cc's, with that one the 10cc's is the circumference of the band, not the amount it holds. My first fill was 3 cc's and so far I'm getting pretty good restriction, which is really good because I felt NO restriction before the fill. I feel things going slow, and the restriction I feel is in my throat or my upper chest. I find that I feel it more if I forget to chew really well or take too big of a bite. If I eat really slow, It doesn't cause me as much discomfort. But, its only been 2 days since my fill, and I am wondering if I will change and start getting less restriction or be able to eat more as the band settles. I really feel like I have a good doctor and when I ask him he really explains things well to me. I go in for another fill on 1/31/08. I do not know how much he will fill at that time. If I get to that point and my restriction is less and I'm eating more, I will just tell him how hungry I am and ask that he give me a fill similar to my first. It took me two days to read all the prior posts, and some of you guys have been through hell getting only small amounts of fill. I am also very fortunate that my insurance covered my surgery and is covering my fills. Plus, the doctor is easily accessible and I don't have to wait long periods of time to be able to get in to see him. Thanks so much for this thread. It is good to be able to read what others have gone through and prepare myself to what I'm getting into here. My weight loss hasn't been that much since my surgery, most of mine I lost on the liquid preop. Hopefully that will change now that I am feeling restriction. Good luck to ALL!!!

candy welcome to LB land! Everyone is so different on fills, doctors, and theory. Listen to yourself and your body. I have no idea why someone with 11cc and no restriction. Also, you could have no restriction one day and two days later it all kicks in and you can't eat! So, take one day at a time.

Good luck to you.

thanks ja9

Recently, I get pain about forty-five minutes afterr eating. Anybody else get this?

I am 4 months out and three fills later and have the VG 10cc band and am starting to feel restriction at 4.5cc. I can still eat more than a cup of food at each setting though but I do experience slime if I eat too fast or too much. Hopefully I will hit that sweet spot soon.

Candy,

I just about have the same schedule as you. My surgery was 12/3 and my 1st fill was 1/4. I have had 2 more fills since then. My band also is 10 cc. My first fill was 1.4, then he went to 1.8, and now 2.2. I have no feeling of restriction either. I can usually eat my food in the same size bite capacity as I have before. I don't understand why the doctor isn't filling me more, but he said slow and easy. He dosen't want me to throw up I guess. He also said don't eat the following foods: Soup, the worst, goes right through you, salad, no reason to waste calories on the dressing, won't fill you up. In fact the only thing he did say is to eat Protein. Is your doctor similar to mine? I'd love to know that my next fill will be restricting, cuz my boss is not liking the fact I need to leave work so often.

Debbie

Hey, my email box was marking my lapband mails as spam, so I didn't reply to some posts. So, I'm just now finding this thread to check back on. I've had my second fill now since 1/24, and I must say, I feel much more restriction. I'm getting a lot of food that sticks in my throat, especially chicken, and I'm not used to taking small enough bites or eating slowly enough.

My first fill only lasted around 10 days, so this one feels much more stronger at day 10. I have my next appt. on Feb. 28. Not sure if I'll need that much of a fill then. Will wait and see how I feel when the time comes and see if I start losing more weight now than only 1 pound per week.