Hello Everyone,

I went for my lap band consultation today with Dr. Ninh Nguyen in Irvine, California. I was hoping that he puts in the new AP lap band but he likes the VG band and won't switch bands until a supposed new one is out in 2008. What does everyone think of the VG band? I hate to wait till 2008 but I will if most people hate the VG. Thanks.

Only had mine 2 months, but I've had no issues with the Vanguard band. I've heard that it takes a while to get a proper fill, but I just had a barium-assisted fill and the doc was able to close it up just fine.

My VG band is doing it's job when I do mine. There are a lot of others that have done just fine also. I'd go for it.

Good luck!

Bruce

my VG band is great! although i do wish i had the smaller AP, but ehh... it's ok

I love my VG. I find I don't have the food texture issues that those with the original smaller bands have, meaning that I can eat anything at all, just in small quantities, which is the perfect bandster balance. In terms of it taking a while to get to the right fill, that's in large part dependent on whether your doctor treats all bands the same. Meaning, if the policy is .5 of a fill for everyone, that would take a long time with the VG to get to proper restriction. Most doctors don't approach the bands the same way and will give a large first and second fill (I had 3.5 cc's on fill #1 and 2 cc's on fill 2) to VG bandsters to get them going.

I say go for it.

NO problem here with the VG band only been banded since May 2007 but like someone else said its hard to find the sweet spot, I have 6cc now and probbaly need another fill in August. If i was u I would go for it. GOOD LUCK!!

I posted this over on the Obtech thread as well:

I do not know anything about an updated "VG" but the company that makes the bands currently in use in the US which includes the VG is Allergan, you can go to their website at lapband.com there may be news there. I would find this very interesting becausr they just released a new version of the band last month at the ASBS conference to the US called the AP or Advanced Platform band. It is basically an updated VG which is an updated LapBand. I'd be surprised to see them release another updated band in less than a year. Especially since they just used some of the VG technology in the new AP.<!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

I looked around the net a bit and didn't see anything about an updated VG in 2008, but I could be missing it. Perhaps giving Allergan a call and talking to Don Mills (he's the Band Guru) about it would be helpful for you.

I have the VG band and i have had no problem I would not wait until 08

The sooner you can get it the better it is for your health

I also have not had texture food issues like some have had

I go in for my first fill in two weeks (and counting down)

I do not see a problem with it and most surgerns are preety ontop of things

My doc said that this band he has had the least amount of trouble with that is why he uses this one the most

Good luck

I have the big VG band. I didn't care which one I got as long as I got banded. I figure my surgeon is the expert and will give me one that will work for me.

The new band you may be referring to could be the "Easyband" that they are using now in parts Europe. It is not approved in the U.S. yet. Apparently it uses some type of electronic telemetry to adjust itself, no ports, no fills, but apparently a lot of issues with it, and again, not approved for use in the U.S. I believe Inamed just bought the rights to it if I remember correctly. I think if you google the UK and then maybe Telemetric Adjustable Gastric Band it will come up. Someone had sent me the link but I deleted it. I think it is being called the (TAGB).

The only other "new" band I know of is the newly released AP band that Faithmd mentioned.

Hope this helps!

StacyinDE,

Thank you so much for the info. My doctor did say that it is made by the inamed company and will be here next year on an experimental basis only. I guess it needs to be perfected but it sounds really nice not to have to get a port. By the time it is approved to be on the market I would have gained more weight so I will get the VG band . Thanks for your response. If you find the link could you post it because I can't seem to access the info.

The new band you may be referring to could be the "Easyband" that they are using now in parts Europe. It is not approved in the U.S. yet. Apparently it uses some type of electronic telemetry to adjust itself, no ports, no fills, but apparently a lot of issues with it, and again, not approved for use in the U.S. I believe Inamed just bought the rights to it if I remember correctly. I think if you google the UK and then maybe Telemetric Adjustable Gastric Band it will come up. Someone had sent me the link but I deleted it. I think it is being called the (TAGB).

I've heard about this band as well. I don't think I'd be getting this particular band until it's been out in the US for a few years and the bugs are worked out.

I wouldn't have a fill anymore without fluoro and one of the ideas behind this band are that you can call your doc and he can adjust it over the phone. It's bad enough when the doc isn't using fluoro let alone not even in the room. I can see it for a more experienced bandster but not a newbie type person.

Also, if it malfuctions... how is it fixed? Wouldn't every malfunction have to be repaired surgically? That would be a concern.

I don't know a lot of details about the band so I'm just throwing out thoughts more than anything.

"easyband".... sounds a little contradictory considering it is technologically complicated..... LOL I love my VG band and wouldn't trade it for the world. So what that you have to go to the office for a fill, no biggie its safer that way...

Here's one of the links i found interesting:

Surgical Procedures: Adjustable Gastric Banding

i still wouldn't trust it... If you just go to yahoo, type in Telemetric Adjustable Gastric Band there are other links as well

never mind that firstr website i copied and pasted the wrong one heres the other one

Gastric Banding - Healthier Weight Centres

Lepez,

I deleted the e-mail with the link in it, but I checked out the link that Jeni85 posted and it has a lot of the same information.

I'm with Wasabubblebutt. . .I don't think I'd be volunteering for that anytime soon. Theoretically it sounds good but I think I'd be afraid to trust it, and yeah, I would want to make sure all the kinks were out of it. I did read somewhere today that they're testing it in Canada too.

Me, I'll just stick with my VG band. It's been working pretty well so far.

Thank you to everyone that posted responses. You helped me to make the decision to just get the VG band. I guess I was really needing the support from experienced lap banders to help me through this. Thank you for giving me the info to make the right choice.