My band eroded after only having it for a year, I'm currently researching doctors that might reband me. The doctor that removed my band said it probably eroded after six months. I had lost 50 pounds in the first six months. some have said that it may have eroded due to a small infection from the get go, or the doctor may have put it on too tight in the first place, or my body just rejected it. i hope it is not the latter, because I would like to find someone to reband me. I lost that 50 pounds without ever having a fill, so i like to think that maybe it was just too tight from the get go. My problem is going to be finding a doctor that will reband me at 5'6" 173 pounds, that puts my BMI at like 28ish i think. BUT I think I should be an exception for if my band had not eroded, I would have one at this point. I have gained back 23 pounds since having it removed in Dec. So I dont' want to balloon back up to preband weight before anyone will help me. I was wondering also about people who may have had the lap rny, and what their experience may have been. Is the healing time less for that than the open rny?

Hi catfanlover,

So sorry to hear about your travails! Did you have your initial banding in the U.S., and did insurance pay for it? I don't think you're going to have any luck talking an insurance carrier into paying for banding at your current weight on the strength of the argument that you would have still had one if it didn't erode, sad to say. The band is prescribed in the U.S. for the purposes of weight loss, not maintenance, so it would not be considered medically necessary at this point.

You might be able to find a doctor to do it elsewhere, though. But are you seriously considering RNY at your current weight? I have to say that I think that would be an extreme step, and if any doctor would do it on you that would be very surprising.

No, I didn't have insurance pay for the first banding. I was banded by Dr. Lopez in Tijuana. I have spoken with a few doctors in Mexico who are considering rebanding me based on the fact that I would still have my band if it hadn't been removed. I don't see it as a way of maintenance. however if I did still have it, it would be doing exactly that helping me to maintain the loss I already had. I do feel obese at this weight especially after being down to below 150 right after I came home from having it removed. I am praying someone will help me.

try Dr Kuri in Tijuana

Lopez told me the same thing about my band and it being a rejection. I was not eroded and there is no known documented case of anyone ever rejecting this type of band. So if you want to be rebanded DO NOT go back to him.

HUGS

Try asking Dr. Roberto Rumbaut Diaz in Monterrey. I have no idea where he stands on the rebanding issue, but he's an excellent, experienced surgeon with a lot of American self-paying patients: see http://www.obesitylapbandsurgery.com/teammain.html