What size and type of band? HELP! PLEASE!!! So nervous!

wiredshut · July 19, 2008

HI! I was just wondering what size and types of band you have been banded with. My son-in-law's doctor uses a size 14. His father on the other hand was banded with a size 4. One doctor I spoke with wanted to use a 10 and another wanted to use the Realize band that expands to a 9. What does "expand to" mean?" Does that mean it isn't really a 9. I so want to make the right choice. Help! PLEASE! What do you have and what worked for you! Thank you

LundyLane · July 19, 2008

My understanding is.....you don't pick the size, your doctor does. My doctor offered me the Lapband or the Realize band (I got the Lapband) but as far as the size....the doctor picked that....he told me I have a "small" that holds 10cc's Like you, I don't know what "small" means, the 10cc's part I understand....that is how much it holds for fills.

I read about both bands and picked the Lapband because it's been around longer and the doctor said he reallly did not prefer one over the other.

Great2BThin · July 20, 2008

The dr. chose my size as well during surgery. I don't think the 4cc is used much anymore but I am not sure, as it slipped more. My dr. referred to the 10cc as the small and 14cc as the large. During my surgery he started with a 10 but had a hard time with fit, but the 14 was too big, so he used the 14 and put in a prefill of 14cc. He did both types of bands as well (Lapband and Realize) and said he didn't have a preference either way so I went with the tried and true that he was most experienced in.