Questions for those with the Vanguard 11 band (which can hold 10cc's+):

At what point did you feel GOOD restriction?

How many months before you achieved this level?

Thanks!

There's a good poll about this somewhere -- if you use the search feature you might find it and skip a couple of steps waiting for people to answer.

My sweet spot is somewhere in the 9.0 range. I was at 9.5 for most of my weight loss, but I don't need that much to maintain and I'm trying it at 9.0 for a while. I got to 9.5 in week 9 post-op. In week 7 I had my first fill (6.5), in week 8 I knew I wasn't restricted enough, so I went to 7.6, week 9 I STILL knew I wasn't restricted enough, so they filled me while drinking Water until I felt it backing up (10.0), then they backed just a little out to 9.5 where I stayed for almost a year.

Keep going back as much as possible until you KNOW you're at your sweet spot.

Thanks, Juli!

I searched VG11, but only found posts for the size 10 band, but may need to look again. I've had sooo many fills this year, and still feel I need more to hit that wonderfully elusive sweet spot. had to back fill up a bit this past month due to some reflux (bad hard boiled eggs!), and feels almost like starting over. I'm in the neighborhood of 7.5 - 7.7, and remember 8.2 was feeling pretty good

Will head back on the 12th, and bump it up! Am tired of waiting, almost 8 months out and willpower wains at times

I have 6 right now and could probably eat anything I wanted, but luckly I dont. I have experimented and purposely swallowed bigger pieces of meat without chewing much just to see what would happen. I didnt get stuck or slim, nothing at all so I know that until I get to my sweet spot that Im going to have to have the will power to do right. The thing I dont get is that Im not really that hungry so Im a little confused as to if this is maybe my sweet spot but Im just not going to have any problems with eating anything. Too me being at my sweet spot would mean that if Im not carefull things would get stuck. Is this not correct thinking? :help:

Questions for those with the Vanguard 11 band (which can hold 10cc's+):

At what point did you feel GOOD restriction?

How many months before you achieved this level?

Thanks!

This is taken from a previous post of mine:

23. "How many fills will I need to hit my sweet spot?" I talked to Inamed about how many CCs in a Lap-Band made for a "Good fill". Their answer surprised me: "It really doesn't MATTER how many ccs are in the band. The only thing that matters is whether or not that CC amount provides EFFECTIVE RESTRICTION" (Emphasis added) So the trick then is NOT how many CCs are in the Lap-Band, it's whether or not the band works well at that level of fill.

24. "What is the sweet spot?" The phrase "The Sweet Spot" is just another way of saying "Effective Restriction". The problem is that people expect "The Sweet Spot" to last, it doesn't, and neither does "Effective Restriction". Not until the entire residual fat-pad on the outside of the stomach muscle is melted off, and that takes TIME.

40. "How does a Lap-Band actually work?" This may help you in understanding the restrictive mechanism of a Lap-Band. The INAMED protocol for Lap-Band fills calls for a six-week delay after surgery, prior to any fills. The purpose for the six-week delay is for the patient’s stomach to heal from the surgery, as well as allowing time for the Lap-Band to “Seat” or “Nestle” into the fat pad between the stomach wall and the interior wall of the Lap-Band. Prior to receiving an EFFECTIVE fill, it is VERY uncommon to have any restriction from a Lap-Band. Some patients will NOT lose weight, or may even GAIN weight until they have received an effective fill in their Lap-Band. Normal weight loss with a properly restricted Lap-Band is between 1 and 2 pounds per week.

The normal cycle of fills, restriction and weight loss is as follows:

1. The patient's Lap-Band constricts when the patient receives a fill. Swelling for a few days after receiving a fill is very common. Many doctors require a patient to go on a liquid diet for a day or two after receiving a fill. A fill may have a “Delayed Action” of up to two weeks. A “Delayed-Action” means that the fill may not become effective for up to two weeks after the fill. That is why the INAMED protocol states that fills should not be performed on patients who will not have access to medical care for at least two weeks after a fill.

2. The patient's stomach capacity is lessened as a result of the restriction caused by the Lap-Band.

3. The patient loses weight because they cannot eat as much food.

4. The residual fat-pad between the inside of the Lap-Band and the outside of the patient's stomach reduces in size because of the overall weight loss in the patient.

5. The reduction of the residual fat-pad causes the Lap-Band to become loose again.

6. At that point, the patient needs another fill, because the Lap-Band is loose, and the patient has a loss of restriction, which allows the patient to eat larger amounts of food.

7. The patient receives another fill and the process starts all over again.

Most Lap-Band patients receive several fills to adjust the Lap-Band as their weight loss progresses, and there is less and less residual fat-pad between the inside of the Lap-Band and the exterior of the stomach wall. Once a patient has lost all of their residual fat-pad, fills become less common. As the Lap-Band patient progresses in their weight loss, the effect of very tiny fills (Less than .2ccs) becomes greater and greater. It is not uncommon for a late-stage Lap-Band patient to experience a significant difference in restriction with as little as .05cc of fill.

50. "How long does it take to feel the effects of having a fill?" It depends. Some people experience a feeling of increased restriction immediately, whereas some others have "Delayed Restriction" of up to four weeks, or more, after a fill. The effects of a fill may vary between fills, with one fill having immediate effect, while another may cause a "Delayed Restriction" or vice-versa. The important thing to remember is that a fill may not take effect immediately, which is why many doctors will not give an additional fill until four weeks after the previous fill.

Thanks, Wendell!! What a great amount of info you gave! I have not seen such a good explanation of what actually goes on in the "fill" process before. You cleared up alot for me.

Thanks again for such great input!

Thanks, Wendell!! What a great amount of info you gave! I have not seen such a good explanation of what actually goes on in the "fill" process before. You cleared up alot for me.

Thanks again for such great input!

You're very welcome!

Cindi,

Ii's taken six fills and eight months for me to get to a level of restriction that has stayed constant for more than two days. That puts me at 7.5cc in an 11cc VG band. I finally feel like the band is doing what it's supposed to.

Monica, I'm right there with you! Exercising our control mechanisms can't be a bad thing!

Bionic, I think we're getting close!

Wendell, you are just flat out amazing, I always look forward to your posts! Such a wealth of articulate, correct info that we all need to be reminded of frequently!

This past weekend I was careful to REALLY watch my body's signals. Ate slower, and the hiccoughs returned. Shortly after, a bit of discomfort, or "fullness". I then quit eating. I packed in the protein, as in fish fish fish, and got on the scales (which hadn't moved in 1.5 weeks) and dropped 3.5 lbs!

I think we get lazy sometimes, and ignore the small signals.This is definately a head - as well as body game!

And as far as fills kicking in delayed style, it takes mine maybe a week before "BAM...that's different!" happens. Always surprises me...

How is it for y'all?

I searched VG11, but only found posts for the size 10 band, but may need to look again.

You probably know this, Cindi, but just in case someone reads our exchange and is confused, there's only one VG band (caveat -- my entire post is only about Inamed bands approved in the US -- I don't know much about those used abroad). Some docs refer to it as a 10 cc band, some as an 11 cc band, but it's the same band (only how much it holds is in dispute) and it is 11 cm in length. The small bands are 9.75 and 10 cm bands in length, both of which hold 4 cc's of Fluid. Then there are the AP bands, which are similar to the VG in design and come in 2 sizes. So, all in all, 5 Inamed bands, but only one VG.

I FINALLY have good restriction after my third fill and 10.5 cc in my band. Imagine that!

However, my restriction level is still varying from meal to meal - even day to day.

I feel like my band is working with me now - a real team! To think I am full now, lunchtime on 2 small chicken fingers (leftovers). Done/full/satisfied. I try to wait at least 1/2 hour before drinking - I tried at at 37 minutes - but no way. Got a 'feeling' that wouldn't be good to take another sip.

Worst part, is I have a cough!!! lol

I FINALLY have good restriction after my third fill and 10.5 cc in my band. Imagine that!

However, my restriction level is still varying from meal to meal - even day to day.

I feel like my band is working with me now - a real team! To think I am full now, lunchtime on 2 small chicken fingers (leftovers). Done/full/satisfied. I try to wait at least 1/2 hour before drinking - I tried at at 37 minutes - but no way. Got a 'feeling' that wouldn't be good to take another sip.

Worst part, is I have a cough!!! lol

Some theorize that the Lap-Band is affected by the amount of dehydration of the patient's body. A person who is dehydrated may have a looser Lap-Band due to "Flatter" cells that are not fully hydrated. Conversely, a patient who is fully hydrated may experience a tighter lap-Band due to "Plumper" hydrated tissues. This is another reason to drink more Fluid that you did before you were banded.

Could someone please tell me what this cough is all about. I have noticed that I cough alot when Im eating. At first I thought I just had a cold because I always have problems with my sinus, but now I realize that it is during eating that most of the coughing is taking place. Is this a sign of fullness or not chewing well enough?

Wendell, you are just flat out amazing, I always look forward to your posts! Such a wealth of articulate, correct info that we all need to be reminded of frequently!

Thank you for the compliment!

I now have 5cc's in the 10cc VG Band and I have good restriction for me at this stage in my weight loss.My doc tried 6 cc's and I was closed completely.