Hi everyone, I'm new here and hoping to be banded after August when my private health insurance kicks in. Is there such a thing as being too heavy to be banded? I weigh 190kgs.:smile2: I know that the heavier you are, the more dangerous any surgical operation is, and that scares me. I'm doing my best to lose as much weight as I can before the op. I haven't seen the surgeon yet...I'll be going to Geoffrey Draper.

Some Dr.'s do have cut offs above a certain weight, but it varies among surgeons. A lot will also depend on how you carry the weight. They have to use metal tools to manipulate the fat, and organs out of the way in the abdomen. I have read posts, that there was simply too much abdominal fat for the surgery to be completed. BUT I carried the bulk of my weight in my stomach and it was accomplished without issue.

Have you attended the seminar with the Dr. that you plan on using? That kind of weight limit information is usually discussed during the seminars.

Good Luck on your Quest for banding, I love my band and highly recommend it!!!

Welcome to LBT!!!

Kat

I believe most surgeons cut off around BMI of 60. That's not to say they won't do it, just that they may require weightloss first. And there are always exceptions.

For 190kg, about 178cm is the threshold for a BMI of 60.

Hi everyone, I'm new here and hoping to be banded after August when my private health insurance kicks in. Is there such a thing as being too heavy to be banded? I weigh 190kgs.:biggrin: I know that the heavier you are, the more dangerous any surgical operation is, and that scares me. I'm doing my best to lose as much weight as I can before the op. I haven't seen the surgeon yet...I'll be going to Geoffrey Draper.

Hi chedaw

I was banded on Friday 11th just gone. My start weight was 182.5kgs with a BMI of nearly 74. My surgeon had no problem about my huge weight. I have many medical problems as well, but he did not hesitate at all, said that this would be the best way for me to go. I am 51 and I have been home for a couple of days now and I am feeling just wonderful. I did loose about 12kgs before surgery, as you will find that all surgeons have dietitians that they use and they will put on on a pre op diet to help clear up fatty liver issues. I never thought I would be able to handle the pre op diet, but I did and I got thru it. I have been overweight since childhood, and believe me if I could do it then just about anyone could.

Jane

It can also come down to your health status - not just your weight. Every operation has risks anaesthetic wise and if they think your body will not be able to handle the anaesthetic then they won't do it.

It can also come down to your health status - not just your weight. Every operation has risks anaesthetic wise and if they think your body will not be able to handle the anaesthetic then they won't do it.[/quote

Some of my health issues that I have are, diabetes insulin Dependant, high blood pressure, severe sleep apneoa, asthma, bi polar, reflux, heart disease, these are just a few to mention. The reason that I decided about the banding was my knees are in constant pain as well, as well as my GP thought that I might be heading towards congestive heart failure and he really couldn't see me surviving in the direction I was heading. I have been overweight all of my life and have tried so many different things to loose weight, which I have, but only to put it all back on and more each time. The specialist that I talked to went thru my medical history, my ways in the past to loose weight etc, told me the risks which I already knew, as I know that there are always risks with anesthetic regardless of what your health is like, but more so with some of the conditions that I already have, and it was upto me to see what my greatest risk was. I have had anesthetic before and I knew that I did not have a problem with it in the past. Please also note that I had to get through the fear of going under in the 1st place as my dad died in 1991 on the operating table, his surgery went fine but he just did not wake up. So I knew what I was getting myself into, as we all know that the band is only a tool for us to help us, but a great deal of it also upto ourselves. I know I only got banded last friday the 11th april, had no problems with the anesthetic at all, I am feeling just wonderful and have totally surprised myself in just well I am handling the band and life in general at present.

So hopefully each surgeon will ask the right questions, you give them the true answers, know everything about all of the risks before ever proceeding with any kind of surgery. I was at the point where I thought the risk was worth it.

Any weight that anyone can get off before surgery makes it just that little bit better especially in recovery and the less you weigh the less they have to give you in the way of anesthetic.

Good luck chedaw with any decision you make, as long as it is the right decision for yourself and not anybody else.

Jane

I also had a BMI of over 60 but my surgeon had no issues. If you are really keen and what to prove to the Dr that you are serious about the weight loss, try doing the Optifast diet - you can lose quite a few kg's and it helps to reduce the fat around your liver. Chances are you may have to do this anyway as many Dr's require it before the surgery - mine did.

Danna