annanyc

Sorry if there are threads on this, but the search function doesn't seem to be working so well for me today. I've seen a lot of people mentioning high vs low profile ports, and that a lot of people who started with the former ended up replacing with the latter. Are there medical reasons one is better than the other? Cost? Is the physical placement similar? Thanks in advance for any feedback.

I believe at the OCC they're offering plication as a sole procedure, without the band. I've decided to go the band route. But I do think it's an interesting option, just maybe a little too extreme for what I'm looking for. I also welcome lap band's continued adjustability depending on how much help I'm needing and where my weight loss is. Plication does sound like a really promising option to the normal sleeve surgery though. Supposedly, complications so far have been dramatically reduced. If subsequent data backs this up, I bet it will become an additional option. Thanks for all the comments/help!

Yeah, if you google it's called "stomach saving gastric plication". They don't use staples, and it's supposed to be about as effective as a gastric sleeve plus reversible and without required adjustment follow-up like the band. They fold your stomach up over itself and stitch it so it remains contorted in place. You don't bypass anything, you can still absorb all nutrients... It doesn't sound bad, really, except it does sound more "dramatic" to me, and the fact that there aren't a lot of long-term results out there is also a little unsettling. I'm probably still going to go for the band. But the center seems to be such a fan of gp, I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing out on a much better option for no good reason.

Right. I can fluctuate that much in a day. You don't even really need to gain that weight for real. Just drink 2 liters of water right before the weigh in. (4.2) pounds, wear slightly heavier clothes, and come in after eating lunch. You've gained weight. But you haven't.

Hi, I recently decided to get lap band after more than a decade of fighting my weight. I have no problem losing it. I've gotten down to 130-140 on no fewer than 4 separate occasions in the past 10 years. But I also shoot right back up to 190-210 mere months later. It's exhausting. And while I wish I could be one of those women who lived life to the fullest, regardless of the scale, I'm just not. My weight has too often limited the way I live- the opportunities I take, the relationships I pursue, etc. This summer I didn't even go to my cousin's wedding, because I didn't want everyone to notice I was fatter than the last time they saw me. Terrible! If I could, what I'd really want to do is lose all the weight again and *then* get the lap band, because that's when I need a little extra help. And don't most dieters gain the weight back? A timely use of lap band at the low point, well, not a doctor and haven't seen any studies, but I bet this would work wonders. Anyway, my BMI is currently only 30, has only been as high as 33, and I don't have any comorbidities. As such, insurance paying for the lap band was never an option. After much research, I decided to get the procedure done in Mexico, where they will perform the surgery on BMIs above 28. However, the center there seems to be pushing for gastric plication. The price is comparable (especially factoring in the after care for the lap band and none for gp). Both are supposed to be reversible (though one website seemed to suggest that though gp, doesn't cut into the stomach, the folding and sutures scar it so significantly that further revisions are problematic). From what I can tell, gastric plication seems more restrictive and often leads to more weight loss. But there isn't a lot of other data about it in relation to incidence of complications or long-term results. Is anyone aware of any studies? Or does anyone have anecdotal information of why one might be better than the other? Or why they selected one over the other?

Does insurance typically cover aftercare if they don't approve the surgery? I'm very close to the border in BMI for qualifying for the surgery, and while I've submitted my paperwork, I have a feeling (confirmed by the hospital staff) that my insurance is going to decline paying for the surgery. If they do pay for it, the paperwork is clear that they cover all follow-up care like fills, surgical readjustments, etc. While I do realize I need to discuss this with my insurance provider, I don't want to bring it up to them while they're actually considering my file. So any general feedback here? It seems like insurance would at least have to cover necessary surgical adjustments, no? But maybe not fills? What are your experiences, and if you had to pay for fills, how much were they? Also, did anyone have trouble finding a different doctor/hospital to administer the fills than performed the surgery? There's a good chance I'll move in the next year or so, and I'd like to make sure this is seamless. Thanks in advance!