Is Your Band Filled To Capacity?

[laurigee 545]

First I want to apologize if this has been asked. I looked, but found nothing. I have had my band for a little over 2yrs and have a 4cc band. At my last appointment I was filled to 4.4ccs. I have still not reached goal. This is the first time that I have felt good restriction, which is good for me. My question, what's next? How will this last a lifetime? Will I be able to maintain with no future fills? My doctor doesn't even know the answers to these questions. He says "We'll have to wait and see". He did say that it is okay to add a little more than 4cc to the band, but I worry about jeopordizing my band. And I have .4 more already. Any advise, opinions, or stories you've heard about this would be appreciated.

[Jachut 487]

Hmmm, I dont know.

I have 3 ml in a 4ml band. Technically, I am "at goal" however, i am still about 10lb heavier than I would like to be purely because a size 10 is slightly too large and an 8 is slightly too small. I just want to get into the 8 with no muffin top!

I am WIDE open at the moment. What happened was that I had a bit of hormonal disturbance and got very tight, so I had a bit of fill removed, from 3 down to 2.8ml. That resolved and then suddenly I was wide open. I regained about 4lb and my body has settled, I feel like I'm eating HEAPS (which, really I am) but I've kept up my running and now 72kg is my new normal, I'm not gaining at all and not losing. So you can maintain without being tight, you can maintain eating quite a lot. I would be happy with this, I dont really care about the number on the scale if not for the fact that I'm annoyingly between sizes.

So you will probably be fine to maintain as long as you exercise.

What I have found though is that the further into this I go, 3 years down the track, the band seems to have less and less effect on my actual appetite. It still restricts amount, but my appetite has definitely increased over what it was when I was losing and I find myself having to be constantly vigiliant and work quite hard not to eat between meals and not to eat crap food. In other words, I have to live on what I consider a diet. I've done a lot of thinking about this and I've decided that that's just the way it is. Others who dont have this cursed appetite are lucky but I do and I have to manage it. The band helps, but its still down to me.

Maintenance is for a lot longer than losing and it takes a lot more self honesty and realism. But its much easier to do with the respect you gain for your new body. But like your doc says, you're going to have to just weigh it up when you get there, at each point in time.

Edited November 29, 2008 by Jachut

[flowers 0]

I read a nurse's reply on this band on another forum. I think she said a 4 cc band can be filled to 4.8 cc, because the tubing holds extra in addition to what is in the band.

I have the opposite problem. My fill doctor keeps saying I must not really have a 10 cc band, because she cant put much in. I went today for a fill and she put in .5 cc and wanted to take .2 cc out. I think my fear of needles causes me to get tight. Because once I get home, Im no longer tight. I almost fainted on her again today and had to go lay down.

I havent ever felt good restriction, and yet my fill doctor says I am as tight as she will get me. I had to talk her into leaving the last .2 cc in. Im at 4.1 in a 10 cc band.

[thenume 2]

Mydoc told me that my 4cc band can actually hold 5cc's.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Hmmm, I dont know.

I have 3 ml in a 4ml band. Technically, I am "at goal" however, i am still about 10lb heavier than I would like to be purely because a size 10 is slightly too large and an 8 is slightly too small. I just want to get into the 8 with no muffin top!

I am WIDE open at the moment. What happened was that I had a bit of hormonal disturbance and got very tight, so I had a bit of fill removed, from 3 down to 2.8ml. That resolved and then suddenly I was wide open. I regained about 4lb and my body has settled, I feel like I'm eating HEAPS (which, really I am) but I've kept up my running and now 72kg is my new normal, I'm not gaining at all and not losing. So you can maintain without being tight, you can maintain eating quite a lot. I would be happy with this, I dont really care about the number on the scale if not for the fact that I'm annoyingly between sizes.

So you will probably be fine to maintain as long as you exercise.

What I have found though is that the further into this I go, 3 years down the track, the band seems to have less and less effect on my actual appetite. It still restricts amount, but my appetite has definitely increased over what it was when I was losing and I find myself having to be constantly vigiliant and work quite hard not to eat between meals and not to eat crap food. In other words, I have to live on what I consider a diet. I've done a lot of thinking about this and I've decided that that's just the way it is. Others who dont have this cursed appetite are lucky but I do and I have to manage it. The band helps, but its still down to me.

Maintenance is for a lot longer than losing and it takes a lot more self honesty and realism. But its much easier to do with the respect you gain for your new body. But like your doc says, you're going to have to just weigh it up when you get there, at each point in time.

You should do some research on Ghrelin, Ghrelin is a hormone your stomach produces and one of its main jobs is to tell you that you are hungry. People with obesity issues tend to produce a WHOLE lot more Ghrelin than non obese people. Then, when you are actively losing weight you produce even MORE Ghrelin.

Another reason I like the sleeve, it removes the majority of this hormone.

[flowers 0]

Wasa, I dont think there is any perfect solution, in spite of the fact you continue to sing the praises of the sleeve. Im happy it worked for you, but not all of us wanted such invasive surgery and many of us were not needing that much help, just a little.

Jachut if you are within 10 lbs of where you want to be for a perfect size 8, congrats. Im always in between sizes, because Im hippier than I am big on top. You look hot in your avatar, even if being in the middle of size 8 and 10 is a inconveince.

We should all look that hot in our avatars.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Wasa, I dont think there is any perfect solution, in spite of the fact you continue to sing the praises of the sleeve. Im happy it worked for you, but not all of us wanted such invasive surgery and many of us were not needing that much help, just a little.

Jachut if you are within 10 lbs of where you want to be for a perfect size 8, congrats. Im always in between sizes, because Im hippier than I am big on top. You look hot in your avatar, even if being in the middle of size 8 and 10 is a inconveince.

We should all look that hot in our avatars.

I never claimed there is a perfect solution for weight loss. If you'd care to point me in the direction of the post where I wrote such a thing, I'll be happy to take a look.

The sleeve is not really more help than a band. I lost 132# with a band. I maintain with a sleeve. The sleeve is without a doubt 100x easier. Of course, if you have another surgery you can personally compare the band to I'd love to see your experiences.

Jacqui is talking about increased hunger, that is usually caused by Ghrelin which is why I suggested she do some research in that area to explain the increased hunger.

[It's_Christine 0]

Jachut,

Thanks for sharing your experience. I am currently 6 months out and doing well with an essentially wide open band. My hunger has been much less since surgery but I still have my days. And at the risk of sounding like a bandster heretic I have to admit I never assumed I would not have to do many of the same things I did on a diet. I was prepped that way by the team who did my 6 month pre-op supervised diet. The truth seems to be that there are certain things that are common to most who can maintain weight loss. They exercise almost daily and they monitor their food intake and their weight regularly. I think my band is the missing piece of my puzzle to accomplish those things long term. I never expected my band to alleviate my hunger so when it does not I do not feel like it "failed me". It is great to hear from someone who is as successful as you about what life can really be like at or near goal weight.

[maryrose 2]

laurigee,

Thanks for asking that question. I was thinking about that same issue today.

I was wondering if maybe you topped off on your band and did not reach goal, maybe they could remove all your fill, take a break for a few weeks, then start the fill process again. Just a thought. Have no idea if this has even been done or would ever be considered.

I'm struggling witht the last 30-40 lbs. and worry about this issue a lot.

[Jachut 487]

Jacqui is talking about increased hunger, that is usually caused by Ghrelin which is why I suggested she do some research in that area to explain the increased hunger.

That's exactly what it feels like - for months and months (probably 18) the band completely cut hunger for me, then over the past 18 months, gradually appetite has increased again. Not huge physical hunger, not at all, just an *interest* in food. I'm always ready to eat again, hungry or not. I finish a satisfying meal and think half an hour later I feel like a little x, y or z. It makes perfect sense to me that my body has taken up producing this pesky chemical in normal quantities for me again.

I can manage it, but its interesting how resilient our bodies are. I'm pretty sure too that if I just remain as active as I am, weight wont be a real problem for me again.