Guest guest Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 Hi, I have the VG band. I am presently at 6.5 cc's. I had 3 fills over the course of 7 months. I believe the usual for small and large bands as well is 3 to 5 fills the first year? Everyone is different, but the most important thing is that your doc takes his time and that you have small fills no less than 6 weeks apart to ensure a good restriction gradually and safely. By my second fill I had fairly good restriction, but it wasn't until my third that I felt like I was really " in the zone. " > > Hello everyone, I have a question for any of you bandsters who have > the large band. How many fills did you have to have before you felt > restriction? I have the large band and I have had one fill but I don't > feel any different. Is that normal? > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 > > Hello everyone, I have a question for any of you bandsters who have > the large band. How many fills did you have to have before you felt > restriction? I have the large band and I have had one fill but I don't feel any different. Is that normal? Stop worrying about what is " normal. " I have the VG band and was just filled to 90%, or 9 cc's. I didn't start losing until I was filled to six cc's. Even now I can eat " too much, " but that's dumbo here and not the band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 I have the VG band myself.. i'm at 10/11 ccs.. i'm just starting to feel restriction.. *just just* starting.. i think i may need a tweak still.. everyone's different.. wait a week.. if your definitely not feeling anything.. go back in for another fill.. don't want to rush it though.. been there done that.. (I started with the 4cc band) -Donna On 3/16/06, newstart4andromeda <newstart4andromeda@...> wrote: > > Hello everyone, I have a question for any of you bandsters who have > the large band. How many fills did you have to have before you felt > restriction? I have the large band and I have had one fill but I don't > feel any different. Is that normal? > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 Hi - My understanding from my DR. was that even though the larger band will hold 11cc he does not recommend filling over the amount of 7.5cc at any time. This is where he has seen the most trouble with his patients. It caused the band to dig in to the stomach and cause major problems. Anyway that is what he told me. My band is filled to 7.5 and I am not very restricted but still am managing my weight since I am eating a lot less, eating the correct foods and exercising 3-4 times a week with a personal training. I'd be interested to hear what others are hearing from their Dr regarding recommendation for maximum fill amounts. Thanks! Re: Large bands I have the VG band myself.. i'm at 10/11 ccs.. i'm just starting to feel restriction.. *just just* starting.. i think i may need a tweak still.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 Hi, " New Start " (I love your name!) The large VG band has been out about 2 yrs now, so docs are starting to have more experience with it. The smaller bands often take 3-5 fills to slowly creep up on a good fill level. it's looking like the VG band will be the same - and possibly even a few more. there is just so much extra room in there.. You can understand this, if you know that as little as 0.1-0.2 cc can make all the differnce in the world with a fill. there is just a lot more room to have to play with, in the 10 cc that this band holds. It's important for practitoners to know that it takes 3.5 cc to simply fill the tubing with this band. THREN, any more is actually inflating the band's balloon. It dismays me to still her of people getting a first fill in this band of 2-3 cc, becuase that isn;t a fill at all! as with ALL the bands, everyone's " good " fill level is unique to them. I know people with the VG who have a great level at 4 cc, and others who needed 9.2 cc. No one else's fill level has a thing to do with what YOU need. Comparisons are useless. You just need to continue to go back every 4 weeks, if needed (not sooner) to get more fill. And remember that it can take 1-2 weeks to feel the full effect of the fill. Be sure, too, to eat only good band foods, becuase no level of fill will restrict poor band foods - any liquids or any soft foods. Eat primarily SOLID protein (meat, fish, chicken) and beans, soy, veggies, a bit of fruit, and whole cereal grains. Sandy R www.BandsterME.com - Guided Imagery for Band Success > > Hello everyone, I have a question for any of you bandsters who have > the large band. How many fills did you have to have before you felt > restriction? I have the large band and I have had one fill but I don't > feel any different. Is that normal? > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 Every fill I've had was done with a video x-ray running and me drinking some white chalky substance that shows up on the x-ray. Watching the video, it seemed that they added saline as I drank and adjusted it to make sure things were still flowing. If you get a fill without the x-ray, isn't the doctor just guessing how much to put in? Sandy wrote: >It's important for practitoners to know that it takes 3.5 cc to >simply fill the tubing with this band. THEN, any more is actually >inflating the band's balloon. It dismays me to still her of people >getting a first fill in this band of 2-3 cc, because that isn't a >fill at all! > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 I'm sorry to say that even with a fluoro, getting to a good fill level is very elusive. Real food just acts entirely different than barium does, and it takes a great deal of experience to correlate the two. Also, the stoma often swells from the manipulation of a fill, and this swelling occurs over the next couple of hours. So people having a fluoro that looks " perfect: can still swell completely closed in the next few hours and require a very urgent unfill. You're absolutely right that a fill without a fluoro is largely a guessing game. but, an experienced fill person will be giving only a small increase anyway, and one can still get to a very good fill level this way, with luck. Still, a fluoro is important for many other reasons. At the recent Seattle Bash, the doctors discussed this in a panel presentation. a fluoro with every fill is still advised (or at least with maybe every OTHER fill) becuase this is the only way small problems can be found while they are still easily corrected - small slips, esophagus dilation, pouch enlargement, etc. My favorite example is this (since this is what happend to me). You have had several fills, and have been losing fine. You slowly can eat more and more, and your weight loss slows and stops. You just need more fill, right? well, wrong! Not necessarily! You could be able to eat more becuase you have enlarged your pouch. If you just blindly get more fill, this will make the enlargement worse and worse, until it becomes a full slip. Instead of a fill, you actually need an UNFILL to allow the pouch to rest and recover and go back to a safe size. And you'll need to be more careful to avoid a tight fill in the future. The only way you would find the enlargement is with a fluoro. Sandy R - fluoro advocate! :-) > > >It's important for practitoners to know that it takes 3.5 cc to > >simply fill the tubing with this band. THEN, any more is actually > >inflating the band's balloon. It dismays me to still her of people > >getting a first fill in this band of 2-3 cc, because that isn't a > >fill at all! > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 So far it seems that 6.5ccs is enough for me in my VG band. I've had to start twice because my tubing kinked, and the first time I was O.K. At 6-6 5ccs. DOn't know whether it will stay that way or not/ Where the Redwoods Meet The Pacific Ocean Barb McGraw~Lap Band Dr. Krahn ~ 18 May 05 www.parkviewbariatrics.com 285/230/170 -- Re: Large bands I have the VG band myself.. i'm at 10/11 ccs.. i'm just starting to feel restriction.. *just just* starting.. i think i may need a tweak still.. everyone's different.. wait a week.. if your definitely not feeling anything.. go back in for another fill.. don't want to rush it though.. been there done that.. (I started with the 4cc band) -Donna On 3/16/06, newstart4andromeda <newstart4andromeda@...> wrote: > > Hello everyone, I have a question for any of you bandsters who have > the large band. How many fills did you have to have before you felt > restriction? I have the large band and I have had one fill but I don't > feel any different. Is that normal? > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 The VG band holds 10 cc, I believe. The design of the VG includes little " pillows " that are supposed to cause less pressure on the stomach tissue, so they are theoretically thought to have lower incidence of erosions - but it will take several years of studies to prove or disprove this, The catch may be that some surgeons are using this band in patients much smaller than the recommended 45 BMI or higher that it was designed for - and that means they will need a higher fill level than with a smaller band, and this may negate any lowered risk of erosions. The bigger the fill, the higher the chance of problems, including slips and erosions. With the SAGB, that some studies show has a higher erosion risk, many docs will not fill it over 7.5 cc for this reason. But this keaves some with an inadequate fill level, and the band is then useless. Lots to consider with every variable...this one of many reasons why I advise choosing only a very highly-experienced surgeon. Sandy R > > Hi - My understanding from my DR. was that even though the larger band will > hold 11cc he does not recommend filling over the amount of 7.5cc at any > time. This is where he has seen the most trouble with his patients. It > caused the band to dig in to the stomach and cause major problems. Anyway > that is what he told me. My band is filled to 7.5 and I am not very > restricted but still am managing my weight since I am eating a lot less, > eating the correct foods and exercising 3-4 times a week with a personal > training. I'd be interested to hear what others are hearing from their Dr > regarding recommendation for maximum fill amounts. Thanks! > > Re: Large bands > > I have the VG band myself.. i'm at 10/11 ccs.. i'm just starting to feel > restriction.. *just just* starting.. i think i may need a tweak still.. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2006 Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 I don't think anyone really knows how much they hold. Personally, I am at 9cc and felt much better at 8.5! Have stopped loosing and am vomitting a lot; surgeon thinks band has slipped.................we shall see. furnas <mefurnas@...> wrote: Hi - My understanding from my DR. was that even though the larger band will hold 11cc he does not recommend filling over the amount of 7.5cc at any time. This is where he has seen the most trouble with his patients. It caused the band to dig in to the stomach and cause major problems. Anyway that is what he told me. My band is filled to 7.5 and I am not very restricted but still am managing my weight since I am eating a lot less, eating the correct foods and exercising 3-4 times a week with a personal training. I'd be interested to hear what others are hearing from their Dr regarding recommendation for maximum fill amounts. Thanks! Re: Large bands I have the VG band myself.. i'm at 10/11 ccs.. i'm just starting to feel restriction.. *just just* starting.. i think i may need a tweak still.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2006 Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 The first step with a suspected slip, is to release the pressure with an unfill. the stomach will sometime go back into the correct position without surgery that way. The VG band holds 10 cc, but can be filled a bit more if needed - which it rarely does. If you felt better at 8.5 you should not have remained at 9 - the band is not supposed to m ake us miserable! Any time we are vomitting, we risk slippage, so that must be avoided. Barfing puts tremendous pressure exactly where the band is placed, at the junction between the stomach and the esophagus. the pressure can be several hundred pounds per square inch, so you can see why the stomach can slip up through the band with barfing. Any time you are too tight, you will stop losing, since you must eat enough calories so your body is not stressed - this seems to be about 1200-1500 cal a day for women, and about 1500-1800 for men. Less than this, and the body refuses to lose, and you also cannot get in the basic nutrition we need. Or, if you eat only soft and liquid foods becuase you can't toerate small meals of solid protein and veggies, you can actually GAIN becuase the liquids are usually higher calories. All this is longterm and well-proven band stuff. The goal is never to have as large a fill as you can possibly get away with - but the SMALLEST fill that you can do well with. The larger the fill, the higher the incidence of problems. good luck - Sandy R Hi - My understanding from my DR. was that even though the larger band will > hold 11cc he does not recommend filling over the amount of 7.5cc at any > time. This is where he has seen the most trouble with his patients. It > caused the band to dig in to the stomach and cause major problems. Anyway > that is what he told me. My band is filled to 7.5 and I am not very > restricted but still am managing my weight since I am eating a lot less, > eating the correct foods and exercising 3-4 times a week with a personal > training. I'd be interested to hear what others are hearing from their Dr > regarding recommendation for maximum fill amounts. Thanks! > > Re: Large bands > > I have the VG band myself.. i'm at 10/11 ccs.. i'm just starting to feel > restriction.. *just just* starting.. i think i may need a tweak still.. > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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