For VG 10 cc Bandsters ONLY

[Bret 0]

I am 10 days post op and just had my first follow-up visit with my surgeon. The band he installed was the 10CC VG band and he told me when I woke after surgery that is was a very tight fit and he was concerned that with the post op swelling there may be no opening at all. They tested with Barium and there was an small opening.

At present there is minimal restriction, most food passes through easily. I explain this only to make the point that the VG band was my only option. The smaller bands would not have fit according to my surgeon.

I've seen entries in this thread talking about fills in the 9 to 10 cc range. My surgeon said my first fill will be in about 3 to 4 weeks and will be 3cc's. He said he tried a 4 cc fill on someone my size, (started at 395 currently 375 lbs), and that resulted in complete blockage.

I'm am planning on taking my doctors advice but I also am hoping not to have to go through a large number of fills before achieving a restriction that works well.

What has been the normal first fill for others with the VG band. Also has there been any instances where a vg band was required due to the initial size of the patient but as weight was lost, a reasonable restriction could not be maintained and a smaller band was needed?

Just curious, anxious and hungry with a lot of questions

Bret

[juliegeraci 7]

Hi Bret, I have the 10cc band. My first fill was somewhere at 1.0. I am on fill #4 and finally at 3.0. I think if you want good restriction I would start there. My doctor mentioned that sometimes when you lose weight you also lose it inside, thus he had to adjust me so much. I feel good at 3.0 but I'm sure soon I'll be looking for 3.2 or more. Good luck. You'll love your band.

[sweethot143 2]

I think i have the 10cc band as well, but i just got it on monday, I hope that it doesn't take much more money to get to a good level. i go for my first fill on january 18th i think.

[juliegeraci 7]

It depends on if your doctor is agressive filler or not. You may want to try over 2ccs at first. Mine started at 1 and I needed another fill within 2 weeks. So far I've had 4 fills at $200 each =$800 out of pocket.

[Dani-X 0]

Hi there,

I have the VG band and am currently filled at 7cc's.

Surgery: 10/23 3 cc's

1st Fill: 12/10 +3 cc's = 6 total

2nd Fill: 12/20 +1 cc = 7 total

Because of the larger band, my doctor had put 3 cc's in at the time of surgery. I was REALLY looking forward to my first fill because I could eat anything I wanted. They put another 3 cc's in and I felt some minor restriction for a few days but not as much as I wanted. I was going to wait until after Christmas to get a second fill but I figured it was in my best interest to get one beforehand as I'm still pretty open. So, they put a small 1 cc fill in this week and I'm now at 7 in total. I can definitely notice a difference in what I can eat but if this loosens up again, I'm going in for another ASAP. I'm going to milk this band for all it's got!

Based on reading this board over the past 6 months, I always thought I didn't want the large VG band. People say their doctor gave them the small band because they weren't that big... so you can imagine how HUGE I felt when I found out I had the big band (and disappointed). BUT, now I love my band! After talking with some of my doc's staff at the holiday party last week, they were saying how they wish they had had the larger band. They said it seems more forgiving with different textures than the small one. They can't do broccoli or salad and yet, the majority of their VG bandsters have no problem.

[NowNotSoBigGuy 0]

Hi Bret: My fill history is in my signature block. What I have learned from LBT posts and from experience is no two people are the same. Case in point: I had a colleague who was the same BMI as me and received the same VG 10cc band end up finding his "sweet spot" at 4.5cc total. I on the other hand didn't feel serious restriction until I got to 8cc just this week. I'd say to you "go slow" at first; the last thing you want is to get overfilled and experience blockage or require a partial unfill. If you have your fills done by an experienced doctor or PA with flouroscopy, they be able to see what amount of fill works best. Slow and steady is the way to go. Pre-banding, we gained our excess weight over time, so why do we feel compelled to shed it as rapidly as possible? You'll find your sweet spot after a few fills and you'll know when you're there, believe me. Congrats on your weight loss to date; being banded is surely something we all have to be thankful for.

[purtynailz@aol. 0]

I have a 10cc band and my first fill will be 4cc's, I'm thinking if you guys are getting a fill often, then you have to pay often. That is what it looks like as I read everyone's posts. I am not expericened in fills yet. So this was just an idea???? They (the Dr's) are here for the money not their health.

[Woodys 0]

purtynailz...that may be so in some isolated cases but not in all. I was self pay and my fills were all inclusive. My first fill was 4 cc. and each of the 6 fills following were at .5 or 1 ccs at the Drs request because even .5 of a cc can make a significant difference and you don't know that until your fill has taken effect and the swelling after the fill has gone down.

Carol

[prosebud 0]

I also have the VG band and almost gave up on it. It took me about 9 or 10 fills to reach 8.8 cc, where I finally have restriction. I only wish I would have been told this before I began this journey almost 2 years ago. I wish I would have been more aggressive in getting fills, instead of thinking of myself as a failure. I think obese people have been preconditioned into thinking that they will never succeed no matter what they try. Can anyone blame us? Between the diet clubs, the pills, the programs, the doctor lectures, etc. etc. But deep down I think that this is the only way to succeed, so I feel much better about the upcoming new year. Hope you do too.

[Lapoli7 0]

I had surgery on the 29th of September. I had my first fill on the 27th of November. I got 4.6 cc's. The first couple of weeks I felt restriction, but after about a week and a half it was gone. I know this is typical for the VG band. Especially if it is the first fill. I am scheduled for a second fill the 13th of January. I cannot wait to see how many cc's are left in my band.

I haven't lost any weight since my fill..but I have lost some inches. It's odd how that happens. People tell me they notice a difference in me, but the scale hasn't budge in over a month. I think that this second fill might last a little longer and give me that extra edge.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!

[HopeWorks 0]

Wow - I was getting really frustrated until these posts - love it. I have the VG (but my Dr. says it holds 11cc?) - Anyway, I've had 5 fills now and have 7ccs in. Have ZERO restriction! I can eat ANYTHING - steak, crusty bread, Bagels, salad. My next fill is Jan 18 - then I'll have 8ccs and it sounds like this may be the sweet spot for many of you.

Only worry: what if this larger band was placed in error and even fully filled, it won't have an affect? Anyone ever had this problem or is it totally impossible?

[GrannyAces 1]

I have the VG band placed in Mexico by Dr. Ortiz. I went back to Mexico for the first fill at 3.5 cc. There was no restriction. My second fill was by a local doctor who is very good at giving aggressive fills. She knows I am self pay and really tries to give good restriction. I got an additional 3.2 cc's. Still no restriction. The last fill 1.5 cc's bringing me to a total of 8.2. I have pretty good restriction. I can still eat most anything except breads which get stuck, but I eat about 3-4 ounces of meat and I am very satisfied for about 4 hours. So it took me 3 fills to get here. I was banded July 13th and the last fill was just before Thanksgiving. I am very glad to have the VG band as it is more forgiving than the smaller one. Hang in there and you will eventually get where you want to go. Ask your doctor to be aggressive with fills with the VG band.

Starting weight 305 lbs 7/13/06

Current weight 246 lbs 1/3/07

[Eficka 0]

hey everybody, it seem to me that Im the only one with 10cc band and no fill at all,nada.I must add that my op was 4/24/06. In September I got 1cc but after few weeks chicken got sucked and they unfilled the 1cc but it didnt help so they had to push the food through some tube.It wasnt nice and since then Im not even asking for a fill.-)I would say I have some little restriction with the band as it its but mostly I have to controll myself a lot-what I eat and if I excercise enough.Right now I feel like Im on a normal diet not with a band all of the work is up on me and the band helps only if I eat to much.Oh well I hope it will work for me:-)good luck to everybody

[Barry 0]

Hey guys, I love that this is only for 10cc bands, I was beginning to think I was crazy because I felt no restriction. I had my first fill on Dec 22nd and they put in 1.7cc and you guessed it....I feel nothing. I have already called the surgery center and will be getting another as soon as I can schedule it. It makes sense if you think about it, a bigger band means more fills to get to the sweet spot. I still eat much much less than I used to so I'll just take it one step at a time.

[ReneBean 3]

Oh Yeah - I feel your pain.

It took me 9 months to get GOOD restriction - although I had a little bit after fill #2 and a little bit more after every fill since.

I hit a good place with fill number 6 at 8.5 cc.

Good Luck!

**And HopeWorks - I think it is impossible for a fully filled band to give no restriction. Don't worry - once you hit about 8.2 - you can feel it. My last fill put me in about the right place.

Someone posted a picture once of a 4cc band side by side with an 11cc band - both fully filled had the same opening left in the center. Really - you will get restriction at some point. :]