14 CC Band vs Restriction

[s.smith 0]

I have a 14 CC band and I am soon to be 3 months post op. Can others who have a 14 CC band tell me how full their band was when they reached restriction. I currently have 4 cc's and my doctor is telling me and my friend the same thing that we can only get 1/2 to 1 cc with each visit and we only go every month. This is frustrating as I have now lost only 30 lbs. The majority of my loss is from the liquid diet. The scales have just started moving again. I can attribute the rest of the weight loss to Zumba. I started two months ago going to Zumba classes that burn 600-800 calories per class and I do 7 classes weekly. I am loosing inches I have gone from a size 20 to a 16 but I want to see pounds! Beginning to get really frustrated with the whole thing!

[bgn 0]

i have that size band and i was banded in jan.

my dr put in 2 cc's 3 times, then 1cc and 1/2cc the last time.

i'm finally starting to get the restriction i want but i'm about ready to get another 1/2cc.

once i got close to restriction it amazed me how much difference a 1/2 cc made.

in 6 months i've only had 1 episode of pb'ing and sliming.

don't want to start doing that either, that's why i'm thinking of holding off on my other 1/2cc fill.

i want to get close to the line without going over.

my band is different one day to the next.

one day i can eat more than others...........so i must be real close to what works best.

your band will/may be different from mine as to how many cc's are required for proper restriction.

slow and steady wins the race.

good luck in your banded journey.

[ElfiePoo 109]

I currently have 4 cc's and my doctor is telling me and my friend the same thing that we can only get 1/2 to 1 cc with each visit and we only go every month.

Unfortunately there are a lot of 'bariatric' doctors out there who have little real understanding of how the band works.

I would tell your doctor that you did not just go through all of this to have a useless piece of plastic in your stomach and that you would like your fill schedule advanced...but then that's just me.

I have a 12 cc band and was told that real restriction would not come until I was between 7-8cc. At 1 month post op, they put in several cc's and then 1 cc every 2 weeks or something similar. At 1 1/2 months postop I was up to 7 cc's.

Every person will react differently to fills. Some people here find that they have 1-2 weeks of restriction after even a minimal fill due to swelling. I never did...which is why we decided to do fills more often.

Ok, all that said...even after you get to your sweet spot, you will still have to do everything you're doing now. The only difference will be that the band is there to put the brakes on if you have a 'weak' moment...and even then, it will be possible to eat the wrong things and get around the band.

[s.smith 0]

Thanks for the reply, I guess what makes this more frustrating to us, is because we have a 4 hour drive one way to the Doctor's office. I want to maximize what my band is doing, at the rate I'm going it will take a year to get restriction.

[ElfiePoo 109]

Thanks for the reply, I guess what makes this more frustrating to us, is because we have a 4 hour drive one way to the Doctor's office. I want to maximize what my band is doing, at the rate I'm going it will take a year to get restriction.

And that's just not reasonable. The band was put in for a purpose. Until you reach some sort of restriction, it serves no purpose.

.

[cynpatt 2]

This just makes it so much harder for you. I also have a 14CC band, and although I am just starting to get to where I need to be with the fill, I knew that with each fill I was getting closer and that it would only be a few months until I got there. I got my first 2 fills at 2.5 CC each my third at 2 CC and just got a .5 CC fill this week. I am very close. Being so far from your physician is also making it more difficult for you. I would try to discuss it with him/her again. If you make no progress on that front then just keep plugging along. You may not get to full restriction quickly, but each fill I got gave me a feeling of a little more fullness each time, and a hope that I would be reaching that special sweet spot soon. Good luck - we are all here to support you!

[Awkward customer 5]

I had my op on Feb 11th, and now have 9.5mls in the 14cc band. Actually I have had around 11mls of fills (including the 5mls put in during the operation), but apparently some of the Fluid dissipates into the tubing, and when I have a fill, the consultant sees how much she draws out before putting it back in, and she has assured me I only have 9.5mls in officially.

I am getting some restriction now - the scales only started to move 5 months after my op. I haven't got the full restriction, but I can feel it is not too far. I have only had the "wrong food" once since my last fill (a Chinese takeout), but it took me a couple of hours to eat - and it was completely cold by the time I finished it. It was silly to have it, but I was fed up of the same food every day, and am now back on the right stuff.

I eat 2 boiled eggs for Breakfast every day - that is Protein and works well with the band. If you have boiled eggs for Breakfast, you should feel full until lunchtime.

For my main meal, I eat chicken and pasta:

wholemeal Pasta (eg 0spaghetti)

a few ounces of chicken breast fillet, diced (cut the fat off if any)

half a red pepper, chopped up

half a jar of the tomato-based Pasta Sauce, low-calorie version (called Dolmio Light or Ragu Light in England)

I fry the chicken in 5 calories of oil (using OneCal spray) and then put the pepper and Pasta sauce in, and in ten minutes the lot is ready. It is a low-fat and filling meal.

If I am hungry: I have a banana. I also sometimes have a handful (just literally what one hand will grab) of oven fries (the lowest fat version by McCains). Another thing I treat myself too if I need to is half a bottle of red wine. I have coffee - with skimmed milk.

And I have nothing at all to eat apart from the above. Oh, and lots of zero-calorie juice, diluted with Water.

[marfar7 1,533]

I had my 14cc band placed Oct 1, 2009 - and I really didn't see any significant weight loss for the first 4 mths. It took until my 3rd fill (and my doc only does them every 6 wks and he's also 3 hrs away) and 8.5 cc to get any restriction at all. I had my 5th fill almost 6 wks ago, for a total of 9.5 cc in my band - and I think I'm finally at my sweet spot. I've only lost 50 lbs in the last 9 mths, but most of that has been since Feb, when I finally got some restriction.

Good luck to you. And remember, each band is so personal, it doesn't matter how much I have in mine, what counts is how you feel.

Marci

[aromer55 0]

Hello. I got banded Mar. 2nd with a 14cc band. My fills were... 3cc 3cc 2cc and the last 2 have been 1cc each. I got 10cc now and I go for another on Thurs. However I sometimes get acid reflux at night but yet half the time i can eat two handfuls to feel satisfied. It's still alot less than what I used to eat. My Dr. said that on a 14cc the average person hits the sweet spot at 11 to 11.5cc. I may just ask for .5 this time.

[vikki99 1]

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f13/how-many-ccs-restriction-14cc-52373/index13.html

This is great thread to check out. I have 10.8 cc in my 14 cc band, so every one is different. I feel real good, but still I have control myself at the dinner table. I will getting another fill next week. I hope I will hit the sweet spot at 11 cc.

Edited August 3, 2010 by vikki99