JFleming56

Okay, okay...I've complained about NO restriction...but what if I think my band is too tight, but am losing the weight? Can you wait a while, with the band too tight, until you reach a level of weight loss you are comfortable with, THEN have an unfill???

I had the VG placed in July. When I began to eat solids again 3 weeks post-op, I felt NO restriction. I went back to TJ at the 6 week mark for my first fill (3.2cc). Still NO restriction whatsoever, returned to TJ for second fill of 4.2. They allowed me to go eat, to see how much restriction I felt. I returned to the center the next morning and had another .4cc topped off. So, I left TJ with about 4.6cc. I felt a little restriction at first (very little, but some) but after a week or so, I could eat/drink whatever I pleased--PBing only under certain circumstances (eating too large of bites too quickly, for instance). **Let me pause for a second to say this...when I went in for the operation, I was under the impression that I could very well find my sweet spot during the very first fill (as were many other patients I've spoken with) and that the center in TJ would be much more aggressive in their fills than here in the US. I found this NOT to be the case...read on... So, about 1 1/2 weeks ago, I went to Dr. Curry in Cincinnati (I live in Ohio) for my 4th fill. I was very discouraged and disheartened when I went. He gave me 2cc (no fluoro) and had me walk around the shopping center for a few hours sipping water, to see if I PB'd any of the liquids, so I could return if it was too tight. I didn't PB, thus didn't return. I was on liquids then soft foods for 3 days, and am now eating solids. I should say, trying to eat solids. I'm having difficulty NOW because it's like I'm starting from scratch, trying to figure out how to eat with the band! I have lost 8 lbs since this last fill! I know that the center in TJ really, really stressed using the fluoro for your fills...but honestly, it didn't get me tight any faster than the blind fill did...so, I question that logic a bit...but, I'm no doctor of course! Jodie

After a few months of utter discouragement about my fill trips to Tijuana leaving me less than full and less than satisfied about my wieght loss, my VG band has finally been filled to the sweet spot! I've been so down and depressed about my decision to have the band surgery, because I thought I was failing at THIS TOO! It's been 3 months since my surgery, and the friends and family who were very skeptical about me doing this have been watching me and waiting for the pounds to drop, and they watch me eat-how much, how fast, etc. and I have been feeling like I wasted all this time, energy, money and STRESS going through this for nothing but embarassment! I have had 3 fills, and still no restriction to speak of! I know that there has been alot of discussion amongst those of us with VG bands about how we don't feel enough restriction and such, but I want to encourage anyone else who feels that the band is NOT working for them--GO GET MORE FILL!!! Last week, I went to Cincinnati, Ohio to Dr. Curry (he posted his info on this site a while ago) and he gave me my 4th fill--an additional 2cc (bringing my band up to 6.7cc) and I am doing TERRIFIC! I have lost 8 lbs.--not that I expect to lose that much on a regular basis-because I had to do liquids/soft foods for 3 days after the fill. I am only able to eat a few bites of food at each meal, but am surprisingly SATISFIED! It's been difficult adjusting from the amount I THINK I will eat to what I actually am able to eat! Dr. Curry's staff, nurse, and nutritionist were so pleasant and courteaous, as was he...I recommend him to all of you who can't make it back to Tijuana. Yeah!!

I had my initial surgery in July (I've written extensively on other posts about my experience, if you're interested), had no restriction, went back to TJ at 6 weeks, was filled 3.5cc, still no restriction, went again 6 weeks after that to TJ and was filled to 4.2, ate dinner that night and breakfast the next morning, still didn't have much restriction, so they put in another .5cc, totalling 4.7cc now. I have restriction some of the time, but oddly enough not most of the time or even regularly. I may have NO restriction the very next meal after PBing!! I can't seem to make rhymn nor reason of things. I'm still struggling with the habit of drinking while eating--and when I DO, I almost always wind up PBing (I think the liquid displaces the solids up into the esophagus), so I'm really on a learning curve--BUT... I'm hoping to go next week to that fill doctor in OH...I didn't get to make an appt. today before their office closed. But, I can still eat about 1/2 of what I did before. I need to have more fill...I'm starting to feel like this might have been a mistake for me...perhaps, I'M the exection to the successful results of the lapband procedure--Goodness I hope not. I've lost about 25lbs total since pre-op diet...only about 5 lbs since my last fill mid-Sept.

HOLY SMOKES!! I hadn't even THOUGHT about my other organs being in jeopardy! Glad I didn't think of the black market pre-surgery!! LOL...that's HYSTERICAL! I'm going back for my second fill tomorrow, and I want to have a sketch to give to them, so THANKS for all these visuals! And, for the record...if any of my internal organs HAD BEEN compromised during my Mexican WLS...I haven't missed them yet!

I'm feeling very frustrated with my band experience, and I'm hoping someone can relate and share their experience to help encourage me! I was banded early July, first fill of 3.5cc mid-Aug. (had lost 23lbs at that point), after eating my first meal (after the 3 day liquid diet post-fill) I felt no restriction whatsoever. Spoke with Dr. Ramirez, then Dr. Ortiz and Dr. Martinez. Dr. Ortiz had me email him a food journal of what I had been eating. He was going to go over it with Dr. Miranda and get back to me, but I never heard a word from either of them about the matter (disappointing)...a week after my surgery, I left a message for Dr. Ortiz at the office, but he had never returned that call either, come to think of it. Fortunately, I was able to search out many answers/suggestions via this forum--thank you. I've hit a disappointing plateau, have not lost any weight since my first fill, and still feel no restriction whatsoever. I am travelling back to Mexico tomorrow for my second fill. Feel very glum about what to expect from this second fill...I don't want to get my hopes up and be disappointed when I get home and perhaps, see no progress. I know we need to find the sweet spot, but I'm worried that I feel NO restriction...why wouldn't I have at least SOME restriction with the band itself, let alone a 3.5 cc fill?! I'm not questioning whether this was a crazy thing to do, if I just flushed 10G in the toilet, and how embarrassed I will be if this, too, fails to help me slim down. I'm so bummed...

I had surgery in early July, my first fill Aug. 15th, and still have no restriction whatsoever. I live in northern Ohio and called around to several band doctors within an hour's drive to me. I had many doctors refuse to give me a fill, since I had surgery with Dr. Ortiz/Dr. Martinez in Mexico. One office in Toledo would treat me, but charged-GET THIS--$175 consultation fee, $250 doctor's fee, and $1000 to St. Vincent's hospital for the xray!! WOW! I went ahead and made an appointment to go back to Mexico for my second fill--leaving tomorrow am, actually. As I was getting things together this morning, I happened to check the postings on this site and came across Dr. Curry's message about doing fills for surgery-out-of-the country band patients. Cincinnati is about 4 hours drive away from me, but I thought, well, let me call just to see what they say... I called Dr. Curry's office today, and spoke the the office manager, Tracy--who was lovely! She was very generous with her time and patience. I was THRILLED to find out that their fees were reasonable and acceptable, and look forward to using them in the future.

Thanks for your imput, Pat! Those are some good visuals for me to use! I'm with you--telling others about this procedure is on a need-to-know basis! How is your success with the band? Mine is not going well right now. I had a 3.5cc fill 3 weeks ago, and have no restriction whatsoever. I'm heading back on Sept. 20th for a second fill...

Thanks, Mary...very encouraging message. What is the advantage of the VG band over the smaller ones? I recall Dr. Martinez saying they were using the new one on everyone now...but didn't someone else say that wasn't true? If they do use different ones on different patients, what is the variable? I remember him saying that inamed developed the VG so they wouldn't have to cut into the stomachs of larger patients whose stomachs would not fit the smaller bands... But, back to your message Mary--I guess I expected the uncomfortability to be the guiding factor in your food intake amount. From what you're saying, this is not the case. When Dr. Ortiz was raving about the procedure and how we banded folk would never have to "diet" again, per se...what did he mean? If I ate only when I was hungry, I wouldn't have needed the band in the first place, would I? I'm dazed and confused!!

Your point about the definition of hungry is a very poignant. My husband and I have been discussing that very same thing! Although I feel that I have little to no restriction, I am NOT getting hungry either. He and I both agreed that our perception of the after-effects of the band would be that I could only eat a few bites before feeling STUFFED--like you said, ALMOST THANKSGIVING STUFFED. I spoke with both Dr. Ortiz and Dr. Martinez. Dr. Martinez was very empathetic and encouraging. He discussed the situation, and some variables. Since talking with Dr. Martinez, I don't feel as hopeless about my band and I did in my prior posts. Ideally, I would like to go back to Mexico...Dr. Martinez asked me to request that he be in the fill room with Dr. Romero when I come back. The issue isn't as much the cost as it is the travel time--coming from Ohio. So, I'm currently looking for a fill doctor in northern Ohio--Cincinnati is a 4+ hour drive, so I might as well just go to Mexico! If anyone has anyone they've used and would recommend, please let me know...incidently, if there's anyone they would NOT recommend, I'd like to know that too!!

I read the other line of discussion regarding fills...I watched the fluoro, but honestly, it went so fast, and not having ANY experience whatsoever in the medical field, it was difficult for me to know what I was seeing. Like having a sonogram! I really like the fill doctor, and I definitely am not quesitoning his abilities--I just know where I am right now--and it's certainly NOT anywhere near even 1/4 restriction! Granted, I'm not actually eating that much at each meal--I'm still dieting, so I'm watching what I eat, but I haven't yet felt anywhere NEAR full!! I'm thinking about doing an experiment--I wonder if I should sit down and just eat as much as I can, until I bp. This sounds extreme, but I want to really know what's going on in there. Has anyone tried this kind of testing, like on purpose?? Lori, what is O.C.C.'s policy regarding getting me back for a fill?

I've been eating regularly for 2 days, after being filled this past Tuesday. I still didn't get "full"...I was satisfied, and haven't really been hungry later on in the day--and actually haven't been emotionally hungry, either, so these are good things. But, I guess I was just expected to feel FULL full after eating a few bites. I was/am aware that it is likely to need to be filled more than once in order to hit the sweet spot, however I did not expect that the very first fill would do nothing for me, in terms of restriction! I think that this is totally unacceptable! I should feel SOME restriction!!! What has everyone else's first fill been filled to? As I mentioned, mine was filled to 3.5cc--with the VG band, does 3.5 equate to a lower cc with the other bands? Why must we do liquids for an additional 3 days after the fill? It would seem to be beneficial to be able to eat something afterward, before flying back 3000 miles to the other side of the continent, to see if any restriction is felt! Even when I drank the barium drink and flushed it with the bottle of water, I told him that I didn't feel anything at that time. Any thoughts?

This is a very light-hearted post! I was just at the clinic earlier this week, to get my first fill actually! I went with a friend who actually had the surgery done herself! While I was waiting with her during surgery and recovery, I drew caricatures of the doctors and staff. We had such a great time, they were going to frame the pictures and hang them up in their lounge. Anyways, Dr. Ortiz and I were talking and laughing about what the Americans imagine it will be like getting surgery in Mexico. He said he always wanted a picture of this scenario. He and the cardiologist were saying that they wanted to be dressed in Sombreros with ponchos sleeping by cactus' and such. So, I putting together this cartoon for them, and would like to hear about what you, your family and friends imagined it to be like! Don't hold back, the doctors had GREAT senses of humor about the whole thing, and I'd really like to jack this one up!!! So, think tacos, Mariachi bands, YOU NAME IT... Thanks, in advance, for your input! Jodie

I just had my fill earlier this week. Before the fill, during the weeks I was eating solids, I had no restriction whatsoever. I called Dr. Martinez, who explained that that was to be expected. They are using the VG band on all their patients, from what I understand. Evidently, it allows for more fill control...more room, perhaps. So, my fill was absolutely painless. Dr. Romero warned that it might pinch, but actually I didn't even feel that. The barium drink was fine...neither disgusting nor pleasant. He filled me 3.5cc. I ate my first meal this evening, and had pizza. I'm very concerned, however, because I didn't feel all that full! I ate about 1/2 of what I would normally eat, but didn't feel stuffed or uncomfortable in anyway. No pb-ing or backup OR ANYTHING! I called Dr. Romero, and he told me to give it the weekend to see how I feel...but I'm so afraid it's not full enough! I live in Ohio and can afford neither the time to fly to Mexico, nor the cost involved in going back againg for a refill--not even a week from my first fill!!!! Has anyone else had an experience like this? Is it something I should be worried about? Is it reasonable to expect a different experience when eating meals over the next few days? If so, how? Why would I feel full in a few days, if I don't already? HELP! I'M GETTING WORKED UP INTO A PANIC! What if all this was for nothing!!

I paid for my surgery using paypal. It's very easy and efficient, and essentually just like paying with your credit card. If I'm not mistaken, the $500 limit that paypal is referring to is regarding you selling something. You are authorized to accept a payment for $500 with your initial verification. This has nothing to do with you actually buying something (or, in this case paying for something.) The verification process is required in order to "register" you, so you can buy and sell items, and then use paypal to be able to accept credit card payments without actually having setup a deal with the credit card company directly. Incidently, this is very good for the start up and small business person. Financil background check, if you will. At least, this is my understanding...so, do worry about making your final payment for surgery, that $500 limit is no relevant to that.