Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Belgium Banding experience



Recommended Posts

I was recently banded in Belgium buy an excellent surgeon named Dr. Chris DeBruyne. I felt I received excellent care in the hospital there and could not have asked for a more positive "banding" experience. Most everyone in the hospital spoke much better English than I expected and I was treated with the utmost care while in the hospital. The cost for my surgery was 4,000 Euros about $5,500 US dollars. I can't say enough about how wonderful my care was in this particular hospital and how happy I am to have Dr. DeBruyne as my surgeon. I had very little postop pain, very little gas pain and was walking around Brussels the next day with my husband. I was amazed at how quickly I recovered from this surgery.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

wow only 5,000 did they pay the air fare?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

heck even if they did not thats a great deal...do you have his contact information and the name of the hospital out of which he works?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

(((((((((Madeline)))))))))) Welcome back sweetie! I am so glad to hear of your great experience and you are healing well! How was the plane ride home? What you planning on doing for aftercare!

Keep on going girl! I am going on Thursday so I will meet you in bandland!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The airfare was completely seperate. The cost of the surgery included one or two nights in the AZ Jan Portaals Hospital. I was given IV Paracetamol every 6 hours and was given fraxiparin ( lovenox shots) to prevent DVT. The band I was fitted with was the 11cc Ionamed band and was also given 3cc of saline during surgery. I was also supplied all the necessary dressing supplies and oral pain medications for the trip home. But I have to say I experienced very little pain and I am usally a sissy about pain. Try this link http://www.zyworld.com/acr/surgeons.htm

chris.debruyne@advalvas.be (personal email)

Also he is a very experienced surgeon performing over 1,200 lap band placements.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Wow.... sounds like youve discovered a great alternative - one that LBT isnt real familear with - alot cheaper too!

Glad you are doing well... how much weight have you lost so far?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi

I had my surgery in France and know of many that have had surgery in belgium and it seems to me that its a real option if you are looking to self pay. The surgeons are well experienced and the cost is minimal. My surgeon is on the euro surgeon site mentioned in this thread

Love tracey

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It a wonder no one knows about it...cool. I would have loved to have seen a little bit of Europe while I was there...Humm maybe I'll just go:)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Many thanks for the info... If I ever get the money up, Brussels sounds like a good place for a second banding... :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • KeeWee

      It's been 10 long years! Here is my VSG weight loss surgiversary update..
      https://www.ae1bmerchme.com/post/10-year-surgiversary-update-for-2024 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Aunty Mamo

      Iʻm roughly 6 weeks post-op this morning and have begun to feel like a normal human, with a normal human body again. I started introducing solid foods and pill forms of medications/supplements a couple of weeks ago and it's really amazing to eat meals with my family again, despite the fact that my portions are so much smaller than theirs. 
      I live on the island of Oʻahu and spend a lot of time in the water- for exercise, for play,  and for spiritual & mental health. The day I had my month out appointment with my surgeon, I packed all my gear in my truck, anticipating his permission to get back in the ocean. The minute I walked out of that hospital I drove straight to the shore and got in that water. Hallelujah! My appointment was at 10 am. I didn't get home until after 5 pm. 
      I'm down 31 pounds since the day of surgery and 47 since my pre-op diet began, with that typical week long stall occurring at three weeks. I'm really starting to see some changes lately- some of my clothing is too big, some fits again. The most drastic changes I notice however are in my face. I've also noticed my endurance and flexibility increasing. I was really starting to be held up physically, and I'm so grateful that I'm seeing that turn around in such short order. 
      My general disposition lately is hopeful and motivated. The only thing that bugs me on a daily basis still is the way those supplements make my house smell. So stink! But I just bought a smell proof bag online that other people use to put their pot in. My house doesn't stink anymore. 
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Oh yeah, something I wanted to rant about, a billing dispute that cropped up 3 months ago.
      Surgery was in August of 2023. A bill shows up for over $7,000 in January. WTF? I asks myself. I know that I jumped through all of the insurance hoops and verified this and triple checked that, as did the surgeon's office. All was set, and I paid all of the known costs before surgery.
      A looong story short, is that an assistant surgeon that was in the process of accepting money from my insurance company touched me while I was under anesthesia. That is what the bill was for. But hey, guess what? Some federal legislation was enacted last year to help patients out when they cannot consent to being touched by someone out of their insurance network. These types of bills fall under something called, "surprise billing," and you don't have to put up with it.
      https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises
      I had to make a lot of phone calls to both the surgeon's office and the insurance company and explain my rights and what the maximum out of pocket costs were that I could be liable for. Also had to remind them that it isn't my place to be taking care of all of this and that I was going to escalate things if they could not play nice with one another.
      Quick ending is that I don't have to pay that $7,000+. Advocate, advocate, advocate for yourself no matter how long it takes and learn more about this law if you are ever hit with a surprise bill.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Some days I feel like an infiltrator... I'm participating in society as a "thin" person. They have no idea that I haven't always been one of them! 🤣
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • ChunkCat

      Thank you everyone for your well wishes! I totally forgot I wrote an update here... I'm one week post op today. I gained 15 lbs in water weight overnight because they had to give me tons of fluids to bring my BP up after surgery! I stayed one night in the hospital. Everything has been fine except I seem to have picked up a bug while I was there and I've been running a low grade fever, coughing, and a sore throat. So I've been hydrating well and sleeping a ton. So far the Covid tests are negative.
      I haven't been able to advance my diet past purees. Everything I eat other than tofu makes me choke and feels like trying to swallow rocks. They warned me it would get worse before it gets better, so lets hope this is all normal. I have my follow up on Monday so we'll see. Living on shakes and soup again is not fun. I had enough of them the first time!! LOL 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×