StacyinDE

Ironically Irgau is the one who told me same as you .... RNY was not a good option for me. I am soooooooo glad I switched practices, the surgical group who did my revision is about an hour away in NJ but the differences in the practices are unbelievable. Love my new surgeon ... he and his partner both said I should have had RNY and they would have never given me a band, especially with me being diabetic for 15+ years. The RNY caused metabolic changes that put my diabetes into remission. That's is just one of the many benefits from RNY.

I am glad you found a practice that sounds like it is really great and you got your revision done. Best of luck to you!

Omg they are STILL placing LapBands?!?!! Wow, I am shocked. Finally got mine out 2 yrs ago and left with permanent esophageal damage and scarring and now dental issues because of the LapBand induced reflux....wish I had gone with the bypass in 2006 and not let CHRIAS talk me into the crap-band that was my worst decision ever. Love my RNY.

I'm pretty happy with where I am, I may work at losing another 10-15 pounds, I haven't decided yet so here is a before and a current picture and a before and after close up.

Dr. Schulman,

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions, and for all of the information you provided me with! It is greatly appreciated!

Hi Fairy,

Yes, even though I still have lots of healing left to do, I'm very pleased. It's strange looking down and seeing my lap rather than my big ole belly that used to be there, that takes some getting used to!

I think they do a TT as part of the LBL though I could be mistaken about that. That would be a lot nicer for you, you'd only have to have one procedure done! I would recommend renting a lift chair from Rent-A-Center when you go get it done, that and a raised toilet seat will make your life so much easier!

My mom had her arms done and they turned out really nice. I know what you mean about the belly though, I was miserable, that was what got me over the fear of the plastic surgery.

Don't psych yourself out over having PS, you'll drive yourself nuts!!!! Just think of it as another stage in your adventure to becoming a more beautiful and healthier you. :biggrin:

That sounds good to me! If I can get off work in time, I'll be there. :thumbdown:

Well, I'm not in New York, but I live close enough to the Amtrak station here in Delaware to make my way up there! :thumbdown:

I have I guess more of a contouring question for you. I just had a TT and breast lift on July 31st. Prior to my TT I had much more of an hourglass figure with marked waist indentations than I do now. I am still really swollen in the midriff area right above my incision line but not really on the sides now. Since I've already had the TT is there any way I can go back and get my waist more defined like it was? I would say I have more of the "boxy" shape you mentioned in a previous post.

Also, I have had some significant wound healing complications in both my abdominal incision and underneath of the left breast. I'm sure you have come across these situations before. What would you say the chances are that I am now predisposed to wound healing complications for future plastic surgeries? This was my 6th surgery ever (and the biggest) and I never had complications (other than anesthesia-related) with any of the previous surgeries and have always healed very well and bounced back quickly. I know you can't give me an exact answer, but I'm curious as to what you have encountered in these situations.

Thank you in advance for your time and assistance!

Hiya Fairy, and thanks! :biggrin:

Nope, I don't mind sharing at all. I'm pretty much an open book, lol.

Unfortunately I had some wound healing complications, which are rare and to have the two that I have at the same time is VERY rare. This was my 6th surgery and I never had any complications, wound healing or otherwise with any of the other ones so we didn't expect any with this one either.

As it turns out, I got an infection and my TT incision split open about 8 inches. It had to be left open and packed daily by my Plastic Surgeon till he felt it was stable enough to be resutured, ummmm, can I just say, NOT fun because I was awake for it that time, yikes! I ended up being resutured about 2 weeks after my original surgery so it was like starting all over again. Then, about ten days later, 2-3 inches of it re-split open but thank goodness this time it was superficial and not very deep so I am still doing twice a day dressing changes with neosporin while it heals. It has actually been kinda cool watching it heal, it heals from the inside out. He thinks part of reason this is happening is because I'm still pretty swollen and the swelling can cause the incisions to separate.

I was worried about it messing up my incision line but after he resutured me, you could not even tell it wasnt the original incision. He said this small area will heal up fine and shouldn't mess up the scar line.

Also, underneath my left breast it looks like I had a blister that ran almost along the entire underneath of my breast and popped. We're not sure if I had a reaction to the tape or possibly the sutures used in that area. The skin never came all of the way off so he had to remove it and clean it up. I have to do twice a day dressing changes with neosporin and saline on that area too. It's healing now, I have skin regrowing, it is a spot a little smaller than the palm of your hand and looks like a third degree burn, very raw. It actually doesn't hurt though, which is a good thing, lol! He also said as bad as it looks this won't scar and I have to say where i can see the new skin regrowing and the wound getting smaller, it is NOT scarring!! Yay!!

So, I ended up out of work 5 weeks rather than the 2 that I had planned for and was on bedrest the entire time so as not to strain the abdominal incisions. I've just been back to work for a week now and fortunately, I am healing.

Even with the above mess, I'd do it again in a minute. Once this swelling goes down, I will have a flat stomach. It's kinda funny, I look about 4-5months pregnant. I am still swollen in my midriff area, above my incision line but the swelling is gone under my incision line (above pubic area) and below my breasts. I'm still wearing my binder and the swelling can last anywhere from 4-12 months though most people's have resolved around 6 mths or so. I'm anxious to see my final results but even now, it is an amazing difference and I already LOVE the changes to my body even though I'm not done healing and still have a lot of abdominal swelling.

And, my port scar is gone, woooooooo hoooooooooo! I was thrilled with that, I never liked that scar, lol. He had to move my port some though when he stitched the abdominal muscles. I probably should have asked for a low profile port but I didn't think of it ahead of time. I think I feel it, hopefully Dr. Irgau won't have a problem finding it when I go in the end of the month. At least he knows it won't be where he left it, lol.

Geesh, that was a novel, lol. Sorry, I hope that wasn't too much information. If you guys have any questions, feel free to ask, as you can see, I don't mind sharing and I'm happy to help if I can.

Take care!!

Thanks Lynn!

Is the meeting a St. Francis meeting or a CHRIAS meeting? I had my surgery at Christiana, would I still be able to attend?

Wow! This thread is really hopping compared to the last time I was on it, lol. I stopped checking because it seemed everyone posted once and then disappeared. It figures, I've been absent from LBT probably since about March and that's when everyone started coming around. I thought I'd check back in and see what's going on.

Hello to everyone on the thread now!! Nice to meet ya!! :smile:

I need to get my butt back to support group meetings. I slacked off over the summer and its so easy to lose your motivation, especially farther out. I find I do better when I go to support groups regularly. I'm a little frustrated at the moment, I just had plastic surgery on July 31st, and due to some complications that extended my recovery I can't exercise yet. :frown: I'm hoping I'll get clearance to at least start doing my arms and legs when I go back on the 12th.

I had to push back my fill with Dr. Irgau because of the complications. I was originally scheduled 9/8 but now I'm scheduled for 9/29. I needed a fill before my PS but man am I glad we waited. The abdominal swelling gave me some really good restriction, too good!!! I'd have been too tight and Dr. Irgau wouldn't have been able to find my port through all the swelling, lol!

I was hoping to do the 5K in December for the Special Olympics that they hold in Newark but I'm not sure now if I'm going to be able to start from scratch here and get enough training in for that. That's my immediate exercise goal (well other than to get started lol). I work crazy hours but may join you ladies on some of your walks if you keep them up. It won't be consistent but it would be fantastic to have some company while I exercise!

Well, it was great to see you guys here, I hope everyone will keep coming around, I will if you will. :redface:

Take care!

Hi welcome! Tell us about yourself! :shades_smile:

I didn't wake up during my band surgery but I woke up with my second C-Section while under general anesthesia. It was when they were getting my son out of me that I woke up, couldn't breathe, move, scream, felt like I was suffocating - no pain, thankfully, but I could feel them tugging and pulling and my body being shaken. It was the most horrible feeling I have ever felt!! That's how I found out my son was in respiratory distress. He couldn't get enough oxygen to cry and I heard the doctors and nurses scrambling to get him help and I started freaking out and my pressure skyrocketed and they knocked me back out.

When I came to, they came in to tell me that my son was in the NICU on a ventilator and before they started talking I was asking where he was and was he breathing now. To say they were shocked is an understatement. I told them what happened, and repeated word for the word the doctors and nurses conversations, my son's Apgar scores and what the NICU doc had said. They couldn't apologize enough. Also, my OB is a doc that I used to work for.

I canceled previous WLS because I was terrified to do anesthesia again. But, before being banded I talked to Anesthesia at the hosipital I was getting banded in. The anesthesiologist explained to me that that is actually quite common in C-Sections under general because general affects the baby so they can't give the mom too much and many "moms" come awake and have a level of awareness though don't usually feel any pain.

She assured me they used the forehead monitors for all surgeries at this hospital, so they would know exactly how far under I was and would make sure I didn't wake up. I didn't, and being banded after the C-Section scare actually was a tremendous help to me. I am no longer terrified of going under again now that I understand what happened. I just wish the other hospital had explained what was going on and that it could happen before I had my section.

I've had 10 fills and 2 unfills so far. None ever done under fluoro and I never had to be stuck more than once.

Sorry to hear some of you have had problems with your fills, I hope it gets better for you!

Hi,

You can use this link from the Allergan/Inamed (makers of the lap band) web site to locate a surgeon in your area.

Inamed, a division of Allergan: Products: Obesity Solutions (US Patients)

I'm in Delaware, not far from you if you're in Philly. I went through Christiana Advanced Institure for Surgery and had my surgery at Christiana Hospital, all here in Newark, Delaware.

Hope this helps! :eek:

CONGRATULATIONS!! :clap2::whoo::clap2::whoo::clap2:

What a fantastic feeling that must be! Good for you!!!! Looks like all of your hard work has paid off, congratulations, again!! :clap2:

Wow! So many of you guys are soooo close!

You can do it, all of you can do it! You are doing great, keep up the good work!! :clap2: :Banane44:On the road to Onederland. . .:car:. . .

Hi TerriDoodle!

I've used my pill cutter and cut the regular Advil in half and taken them a few times when I was pretty desperate with a bad headache. I wouldn't recommend doing it regularly but it worked when I needed it!

I'm with WasABubbleButt, just stick me or let me do it myself!!!! :heh:

Hey Monica,

Look at you, standing at the doorway to Onderland, you'll be here before you know it, great job! Keep it up!! :clap2::clap2:

Stacy, I did it!!!! I weighed in this morning at 199. I checked it 3 times...and I didnt even stip down to naked. I figured it would be a couple more days till I would get there, but nope I made it.....after the weigh in's I sat on the toilet and cried....my 3 big dogs came over and started licking my legs. LOL!!!

Congrats Stacey!!! If I knew how to do all that pretty stuff on my post I would too!!!! YEA!!!!

Sandra

255h/242s/199c/165g

Yaaaaaaaaaaay Sandra! I knew you could do it! WOOHOOOOO!!! Happy dance time!!

Sandra,

Don't panic, you can do this! Same thing happened to me and at end of TOM I finally broke through the plateau! You can do it!!

I FINALLY MADE IT TO ONEDERLAND!!!!!!!!

WOOOOHOOO!!!!

:clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

198.2 today!!!!!

I'm just a little excited, can ya tell? :whoo::whoo::whoo::whoo::whoo::whoo::whoo::whoo::whoo::whoo::whoo:

WEIGHED IN AT 200 THIS MORNING!!! ALMOST THERE!!!!! CANT WAIT!!! I bet you are all sick of me posting every single pound that I loose!!!! Cant help it I am a compulsive weigher!!!

Sandra

255h/242s/200c/165g

LOL! Nah, we don't mind, it's good to see someone inching their way closer to the elusive Onderland! The closer you get, the more excited I get! :whoo::clap2::whoo:

Thank you for the encouragement, it does help! This is my first "real" plateau and I swear my body stopped here just to torture me, lol! You'll know when I finally get into Onderland cuz I'll be on here posting my weight hourly, lol! I'll be the crazy lady carrying the scale with me everywhere and hopping on and off it all day! :heh:

I am still stuck at 200 :faint: . . . . grrrr!!!! :faint:

Hi ITTAKS2,

Welcome to LBT! As far as would I do it over again, that would be a resounding YES!! Keep in mind a lot of the posts you see on here are from people who are having problems, needing extra support or are new. Most of the happy bandsters are out living their lives and not participating here on the boards. Some do, but a lot don't.

There is going to be a level of frustration with any weight loss procedure in my opinion. My mom had the bypass (Dr. Irgau) and she had a lot of complications. She is doing great now four years out, but still has to work every day and focus on everything she eats or she will start to regain like crazy!

My aunt had the lap band done May 1st (Dr. Irgau) and she is down 30 pounds so far and loves her band.

For me, the bypass wasn't a good option becuase of other medical problems I had at the time, which by the way, 8 months later have all resolved. Actually, it was more like by 2 months after being banded that my diabetes and high blood pressure were gone and no more med's for them! I have to say, I love my band though it can be fickle at times and it all comes down to making the committment to make better choices and to work with your band.

I can make bad food choices but the band stops me from going overboard. But, if I do make bad choices, I do it consciously, knowing that Ben and Jerry's is going to slide right on through and I won't be losing anything that week. That is another reason I chose the band, I did not want to be completely deprived and have the dumping syndrome, which is horrible to go through -- I felt so bad for my mom everytime it happened to her, and it wasn't always from her making a bad choice or eating what she wasn't supposed to. She still, today, can't eat a lot of rich foods, or butter because it causes her to dump.

To me, it was all worth it. I've lost 58 pounds and am at a plateau right now, but I have never lost this much weight and kept it off. I can tell you if I didn't have a band, I'd gain every pound back and then some.

There's another online group I belong to you might want to join or at least take a look at. It has more positive experiences and some very experienced bandsters willing to help out, tell their stories and offer constructive advice. It is a yahoo group called SmartBandsters. I think the web address is www.smartbandsters.yahoogroups.com if that's not the right address, you can google it. There is a lot of participation so it does generate a lot of mail, though you can do the digest form, which groups like 25 messages or so together.

I hope this helps! I don't always check the posts on here daily so feel free to e-mail me off-list if you like at LuvMyRotttie@aol.com.

Take care and good luck!

Thank you for writing about your son. Certainly he has had a rough time and of course you yourself have been sharing in his troubles. It strikes me that your child is now stuck in a place where he has a number of factors working against him with respect to weight control. He has severe breathing issues and this will interfere with his level of physical activity. He is also on a number of drugs which cause weight gain. (I was briefly put on an antipsychotic and watched, with horror, my weight skyrocket.) It also seems that you are a bandster member because you yourself have weight issues due to the beautifully efficient metabolism, the very tool which was so useful for survival in primitive times and which, ironically, causes modern folk to end up with the problems of excess weight. This is also something which is hereditary. Your son may have inherited your metabolism along with his other hassles, the ones which lead him to suffer from weight control issues. Who knows?

Certainly your child is in a very different situation from that of the young girl who has been the topic of discussion on this thread or, indeed, from the case of any pre-teen or child who is only just entering into her teen years with a weight problem that is neither hooked up with other medical issues nor a case of serious morbidity.

In the case of your child his weight issues are both the cause of pre-existing medical conditions and the result of these; and your son's weight problem will seriously erode his health if this is not checked at some future point. All of my heart goes out to you and your boy. He sounds like a champ - I love the "rubber band'" request - and you sound like one, too.

It certainly sounds as though the Nemours Children's Hospital will have criteria in place which ideally will assess the medical needs of the child and the maturity of the family before deciding whether the child should be banded or not.

I am sure that none of us who were engaged in discussion prior to your post had no intention of dissing people such as you or your son or, for that matter, those young people who are morbidly obese. Weight issues of this nature are medical issues. We were more concerned about this particular kid who had already undergone a year of liposuction/liposculpture while she was still a preteen. Now she has hit the news again because she has been banded at the very young age of 13. The kid is nowhere near 100 lbs overweight and neither she nor her mother seem to have a firm fix on the bandster's role in responsible food behaviour. It was at this point that a couple of other bandster mums waded in to say that all good mothers do insure that their kids learn proper nutritional habits.

Knowing proper nutritional habits is never a guarantee that one is going to remain slender, of course. I have superb nutritional habits. My downfall was Portion Control. I was a healthy fatso, eh. :heh:

Green,

Thank you for your kind words and compassion. We have a daily struggle in a number of things, but his weight and the issues related to it are prevalant at this point, which is why this situation strikes so close to home for me.

I agree that neither this little girl nor her mother seemed to really understand the behavioral or psychological changes associated with having the banding surgery. I just can't imagine a mother not only allowing but encouraging her to undergo these procedures as her mother has done. And, the mother was very flip about the preop testing and especially the psychological testing needed prior to banding. She seemed more concerned about the cost to her rather than the importance of making sure her child was fully prepared for this life changing procedure.

I think we are going to see a rise in teens and preteens wanting this surgery for a quick fix and not fully understanding the consequences and the hard work and diligence involved in living with your band. Sadly, I think there will be many more stories similar to the one about this little girl.