Which brand of Gastric Band does the OCC Use?

[CALF]

Our fill doctor in Eugene says a normal first fill for an 11cc band is 4cc.

Hi!

We all have our stories....

I was banded in Oct. 2009 with an 11cc J&J band and had my first fill with Dr. So in Dec. 2009. When he initially injected 3.5cc's as my first fill into my band I thought I was going to gag from the tight restriction. We settled on 2.6 as providing comfortable restriction for me.

I returned to OCC in Jan 2010 and Dr. So injected 3.5cc's and once aqain I had a gag reflex from the restriction. He removed 1cc and that was still too much so he took out a wee bit more out.

I currently have a total of 5cc saline in an 11cc band. I have great restriction and have lost 62 pounds in less than 5 months. I am a very happy camper.

[BrownEyedGirl]

Hi!

I currently have a total of 5cc saline in an 11cc band. I have great restriction and have lost 62 pounds in less than 5 months. I am a very happy camper.

Woohoo!!! Congrats!! That's workin' it, girl!

[bogiesmom]

Again, I am very curious to find out if anyone has receive an individual fill of 5cc's or more at the OCC (individual being the operative word here)?

[ButterflyBandita]

I never post, but felt compelled.

I was banded at the OCC on 1/21/10 at 202 lbs, 5'2". After my 6 weeks post op, I was down to about 191. I went in last Saturday to the OCC for my first fill and was given 5 cc. I believe I have a 10 cc J&J band as well.

So yes, the OCC does give fills of 5 cc when needed.

I think I may need to go in in another 6 weeks for another fill though, as I'm definitely not at my sweet spot. I'm trying to work the band as much as possible: eating my hard proteins first, then veggies, then starches (if I get to them), chewing thoroughly, not drinking with meals, etc. This week I've lost 2 lbs and am down to 189. I don't feel like I have serious restriction, but I have had some trouble getting things down when I've neglected the rules ( not chewing a huge bite of meat or shoving a big bite of my kids' leftover pbj on wheat toast into my mouth in the morning, but nothing when I'm following the rules. I feel like I can eat more, but try not to.

When I was at the OCC, the woman that I was sharing the shuttle with was also a January surgery. She was given 3.5-ish CCs (although that may be a bit off).

Hope this is helpful.

[bogiesmom]

Thanks Kris for speaking up. It is good to know that the OCC does give 5cc fills when needed. Congrats on your loss this week of 2 pounds. That is really awesome and although you are not at your sweet spot yet I am sure you will have a lot of loss to show for it once you get there.

[Am1e]

Thanks Kris for speaking up. It is good to know that the OCC does give 5cc fills when needed. Congrats on your loss this week of 2 pounds. That is really awesome and although you are not at your sweet spot yet I am sure you will have a lot of loss to show for it once you get there.

I just wanted to share my experience so far, as it relates to the conversation. I didn't ask or know what brand I was getting at the OCC. I assumed that Dr. Ortiz is a gastric band expert as he trains others and I believe he was part of the trials before they ever started doing it on people. (I believe I read that in the "Lap-Band For Life" book). Anyway, back to more relevant stuff....When I got home and looked at the patient ID card and saw that it was a J&J band, I thought, OMG! I assumed it would be a Lap-Band, and some providers I called actually said they would not fill a J&J band, and some said they would not see me just because it was done in Mexico. But I started doing some research on my own, and this is my opinion as to why the doctor MAY have chosen a J&J for me: I had a 35 BMI, but had a previous tummy tuck, so a perfectly flat stomach, and 65 lbs to lose. I read, and I'm not sure it is a fact, but I read that a Realize J&J band has a shorter port. What I mean by shorter is that when you lose the weight, it will be less likely to stick out and make a bump on your stomach. I would like to discuss the differences with Dr. Ortiz and maybe sometime I will email or something, but I am just trusting that he knows what he is doing. Did you ever get to talk to him? Hopefully he resolved all your questions. I am only 3 weeks post-op and I won't have the money for a trip back to the OCC, so I will be getting a fill at the fill centers usa. I have chosen to only use a provider who uses flouro, because I have read horror stories about getting a hole poked in the tube or port messed up from a blind fill. But I have read posts on this site as well as others about getting a 5 and 6 cc fill on the first time. Probably not for everyone though, because I have seen some who said they felt restriction at 1.5cc.

Good Luck!

Just remembered - "Lower Profile" was the term used.

[celticbanded]

Here is my experience. I have the 11cc band I am told by Dr. Ortiz’ office. I have been filled to 9.4 and only now am I feeling any restriction. I was at 8.4 and felt nothing. (The OCC told my buddy bander that they hardly ever have to fill to an 8.5.) It is my understanding that my band only goes to 10cc. That is what the American doctors are telling me here. I don’t understand why Dr. Ortiz’ office says 11cc when everyone else says 10cc. Here is my concern, because the other fills gave me no restriction whatsoever, it has taken me almost reaching the max fill for my bad for me to feel anything (assuming that I have a 10cc vs. 11cc). What is going to happen when I lose weight and the band needs a fill? My worries are that I won’t have enough room for a fill that will make me feel restriction when I get closer to goal, for I still have the 98lbs to lose. So I wonder why did Dr. Ortiz’ put such a big band on me if my esophagus was smaller. I hope that this 9.4 fill is what will take me to my goal but only time is going to tell. So that is what I learned on my last fill visit to the docs here in the states.

[Am1e]

Here is my experience. I have the 11cc band I am told by Dr. Ortiz’ office. I have been filled to 9.4 and only now am I feeling any restriction. I was at 8.4 and felt nothing. (The OCC told my buddy bander that they hardly ever have to fill to an 8.5.) It is my understanding that my band only goes to 10cc. That is what the American doctors are telling me here. I don’t understand why Dr. Ortiz’ office says 11cc when everyone else says 10cc. Here is my concern, because the other fills gave me no restriction whatsoever, it has taken me almost reaching the max fill for my bad for me to feel anything (assuming that I have a 10cc vs. 11cc). What is going to happen when I lose weight and the band needs a fill? My worries are that I won’t have enough room for a fill that will make me feel restriction when I get closer to goal, for I still have the 98lbs to lose. So I wonder why did Dr. Ortiz’ put such a big band on me if my esophagus was smaller. I hope that this 9.4 fill is what will take me to my goal but only time is going to tell. So that is what I learned on my last fill visit to the docs here in the states.

I don't know if this will help or not, but I do think that the US uses a different version than Mexico. The reason I believe that is that my card says Johnson & Johnson SAGB VC, which when I searched on google, it uses J&J and Realize Band interchangeably, like they are the same thing. Then I went back to the OCC website ( http://www.obesitycontrolcenter.com/surgery.php ) and it says they use 2 types of bands, the Lap Band and the Realize. So I assumed, I have a realize band. I went to the realize website and tried to register for the "Realize My Success" website and it wanted the dr name and state, but it wouldn't let me pick Mexico, so my registration was limited, because they couldn't verify with the doctor that I have a realize band. So I called to tell them that my dr was in Mexico and wouldn't let me select that option. She told me that in Mexico they use a band that is not available in the US and it is the Swedish Band, not a US Realize band, so I could not get full access to the realize my success website. So I emailed Carolyn and she said "You do have a Johnson & Johnson Realize C band. In Mexico, the J & J Realize band is calles the SAGB - C band. It is the same band." I don't know if it is 10cc or 11cc but I do intend to ask because I am getting my first fill in 3 weeks. I also think most providers that I have talked to in the US have an attitude about people who went to Mexico, like it is sub-standard or something. But I researched it before I did it and I believe Dr. Ortiz trained a lot of US doctors. Trained them!!! And some of them refuse to do a fill on a patient that he banded!

[celticbanded]

Briangie, I agree that is what I did. My American Dr. that I was going to before I got laid off and lost my benefits and had to go to Mexico said to my friend who still goes to him that “Dr. Ortiz is a very skilled doctor who I have worked with in the past.” So I take that to translate to this: Dr. Ortiz is a very skilled doctor who trained me to do what I am doing today. LOL The band confusion is sort of frustrating, but I can deal. I just worry that I might be at my max fill. Thanks for the insight though. I am going to start Googling.

[Am1e]

I requested my surgery report, since I am getting my first fill soon. I got it today and it does say it is 11cc. So I got the Johnson & Johnson SAGB BD3XV. If the US docs try to tell me something else, I will know they are mistaken, and I have a report to show them!

[CaliGirl]

I was told the same thing,that I could not register for the "Realize my success" program because my band is from Sweden. Kinda sucks that they tell you it's a J&J band when you cannot register on the J&J Realize site.

[DrCif]

Wow, I'm glad this discussion has calmed down a little bit...it was pretty fiesty there for a while. Here is my 2 cents worth:

1. I was informed that the OCC did have both LapBand and Realize bands and that the surgeon would decide the best one based on my anatomy. Sounds good to me. Most American hospitals only have 1 brand to choose from because they are forced to choose which company will "fund" them.

2. From all the sites and research that I have found, there is no significant difference in results from either band. Results are still based on an individuals work and dedication to getting the weight off...Look at RevyD on the forum...has lost 145+ pounds and hasn't had a single fill!

3. I am a veterinarian that performs LOTS of varied surgeries and I can honestly say that you have no idea what you're going to need in a patient until you open them up and see what you've got going on in there. Abdominal fat can show up in the weirdest places even on a thinner patient.

4. American doctors have egos that tend to be a bit too large in my opinion. I attend a LapBand support group monthly here in the Midwest and I get the "shut out" of lots of discussions because I am very supportive of my "Mexican surgery"...the American hospitals really don't want people to get wind of this option....despite the fact that I have had better results and less complications than all of them...huh...sounds kinda fishy.

5. Most American facilities really push you not to do the Fluoro...why?...just seems like a logical step in a fill..see #3...every person reacts differently...to say that we just start people out at a certain number of cc's is crazy. Fills are very expensive here in the states and each access to the port (especially a blind stick) increases chance of damage to the port/tubing and infection....Less fills = better in my opinion. I am very nervous to get my first fill...have heard so many horror stories...but regardless will do it under fluoro...just doesn't make sense not to.

Anyway, that is my opinion, take it or leave it...but remember if you post something on a forum...you will get LOTS of opinions and they may not all be siding with you...we all have such varied experiences. I am very happy with my choice to go to the OCC...they have saved my life and opened my eyes to the world outside of "american medicine".

[shmee]

Hi boogies mom, I am new and just curious about how long you have had your band- and what you think would be different if you had a smaller band. I am so curious about this because I haven't been banded so I have no idea. No judgments. besides not getting the band you requested what are the things you don't like about your band.

Lisa

[CaliGirl]

I had 5.5 cc on my first fill at OCC and 2.5 cc on my second fill at OCC. Total of 8 in my Realize band.

[DMJY510]

thank you sharing your ideas,I will learn from you ,I am a newbie,i will try best my best to do it.

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[CaliGirl]

Update: I now have 9.5 cc in my band. I also know one other girl with 9.5 cc.

[B2010]

honestly, I've been too tight before. I also have the 11cc band and tend to swell a lot after a fill.

However I've had the band for over a year now and I honestly would not want something that was not as adjustable as this band is.

I had a major issue with an over aggressive fill doctor here in Alaska, and he basically overfilled me, then closed for christmas.

I found another provider that was able to help me and remove 3 cc taking me back down to 6cc. It was such a relief to me to know that in emergency situations

that I am able to remove all restriction so that my body can heal correctly.

After having been so tight as to not be able to get water down, my weight issue took second saddle to the more serious issue of having an overfill.

I'm glad I had the 11cc band and that it gave me enough flexibility.

[Red]

I have 6.5 cc's in my 11cc band. In the 2 years I've had my band, I had 2 fills and then had .5cc taken out because I felt too tight. I've been at 6.5ccs for over a year and am comfortable. I agree with what B2010 said about having more flexibility with the 11cc band. I lost 60 pounds and am now140Lbs and a size 8..this was the best decision of my life. I'm feel so much more in control now. Soon I will be accompanying my sister-in-law to Mexico to be banded at OCC.