My Band is FULL!!!!

Irishlapbandgirl · November 11, 2011

Hi guys, I was banded by Dr Chris De Bruyne last Feb 2011 in Belgium and have since lost 42lbs. I am currently 176 and want to get down to 140 so I have another 36lbs to go.. however, at my last fill I was told that my 7mil band was FULL and that i can maybe only have one more very small fill if i really need it.. I am absolutely freaking out over this. I have a 7 mil band and I have 7 mils in it. When i first went for my first fill i asked what cc my band was.. i could have kicked myself that i didnt ask this question BEFORE the surgery.. and I knew from reading other blogs etc that a lot of people had 10 mil bands and 12 mil bands.

I knew in my heart and soul I would probably need a bigger one, as it took me AGES to get restriction. I will be the first to say that I am not exercising, and I need to adjust my diet to a certain extent but I was wondering if anyone else had this problem?? would love to hear from anyone who can offer advice..

auntbrat · November 11, 2011

Have you gotten a second opinion on the level of Fluid? My original surgeon told me the band was full and when I finally got a second opinion I found I was nowhere near full. Just a thought. I wish you well.

Brandi

Irishlapbandgirl · November 11, 2011

Have you gotten a second opinion on the level of Fluid? My original surgeon told me the band was full and when I finally got a second opinion I found I was nowhere near full. Just a thought. I wish you well.

Brandi

Really??? wow.. oh god please i hope so!!! where did you get banded? I think the surgeons assistants that do my fills are very good though, i never doubted them before.. i will ask but i dont know!!

auntbrat · November 11, 2011

I was banded in El Paso Tx by Dr. Applebaum in April 2009. After several fills over the next year he told me the band was full and I failed and should consider bypass. Since I was a self pay and my insurance at the time didn't cover bariatric surgery, I gave up for a while. Now I have insurance and went to a new surgeon who said I had 7.5 cc in a 11 cc band! I couldn't believe it. He added more Fluid and it has made a huge difference. It has given me hope again. I think it's worth it for you to look into that possibility. Just don't give up like I did for so long. I wasted a year and a half because I let my doc take my hope away.

Jachut · November 11, 2011

A bigger band wouldnt make any difference - they are even harder to find good restriction with, takes more fills again.

I've got the older 4cc band and it was very quick to find restriction but six years out, mine is almost full and I'm not what I'd call at optimal restriction. Although I'm maintianing, not trying to lose so it doesnt worry me so much. But it is a scary thought that you dont have unlimited capacity to tighten the reigns, so to speak. You sound like me, under 100 lb to lose (although I ended up losing more), it can be harder to find good restriction without the fat in your abdomen that heavier people still have. You need much more fill for a milder result.