JustinsMama

I'm a little confused, if this surgery isn't invasive and doesn't cut any part of the stomach, why is it irritated up to six weeks post-op? I'm not trying to arguementative, I'll do whatever the doctor says once I hopefully get the band, but was just trying to understand the process. Thanks in advance!

Good luck Becca and Tink, let us know how you're doing!

Thanks everyone for the great replies!

And is now down between 140-160? I'm 5'5 now and weigh 275 but my ideal weight would be in the above range. Heck, right now though I'll take just seeing 199 again. In high school when I was about 5'3 I got down to 146 and fit (with a struggle) into my friends size 9 junior jeans. So I'm thinking with my boobs being bigger now, and me being a tad bit taller, then that would be a perfect weight for me. I haven't gotten the band yet but hopefully will be on my way in a few months and hope the above range is realistic. Thanks for any comments!

Good for you for not giving up!

If you google it or VSG or go to Obesity Help.com they have a place dedicated to info on that specifically. :cursing:

Well that pretty much says it all. I had really been thinking about the lap band (hard), then ran across what the VSG is on the internet and it sounds like a good solution also. Anyone have an opinion? Thanks in advance!

Everything will go fine and it will be over before you know it. Let us know how it went once you're up to it! Try to get some sleep too!

Thanks for the responses!

The surgeon or the insurance company? I called BCBSNC to see if I was covered. I was told under our plan it was if deemed medically neccessary (minus the $1,000 family deductible) (we have PPO-Blue Options 123). I then asked who determines if you have to go through a supervised diet before being approved. The BCBS rep told me that was up to the doctor, if he said I needed a 2 month or whatever prediet first, that BCBS would pay for it if the doctor deemed it was neccessary. It just seems on here that I read it that when people say they have to diet for 6-12 months first before approval that it is the insurance company making them jump through this hoop. Anyone have any input? Thanks in advance!

Going under is what has me concerned too. Has anyone heard of them doing this with a spinal block or twilight sedation? I guess they want you to be totally out in case they need to go from laproscopic to full open surgery? I've done the seminar and my consultation is March 12th. I wish everyone luck with their journey!

Thanks for the replies :scared2:

Would this be possible - to get the lapband and try to lose the majority of your weight with this and then do a "maintenance" period by introducing regular food? I did Medifast before and lost 13 lbs in one week by sheer willpower, surely the band would help even more? (Of course this was last year and I've since gained it back and then some). I don't particulary view myself as a sensitive/queasy type person, but I was just reading the thread about food sitting in the smaller pouch waiting to go into the stoma and then something about saliva being so gross when something won't go down and I literally gagged at my computer after trying to picture it. Needless to say I backed out of those threads and am not going to open up anything else like that for a day or two. So, I'm thinking if I gag like that just reading about other people's experience and I don't even have a lapband, what is trying to eat real food going to be like if/when I actually have the lapband? Thanks for any advice!

Hmmm...do you still have your gallbladder in? I have ocassional IBS and also had my gallbladder out several years ago. Now anytime I eat something to greasy or fatty because I have no gallbladder it kind of causes me to run to the bathroom sometimes. Just a thought?

Good luck Brad! I've been thinking this over for the past few months also. I initially ended up shying away from the idea, but the more I read here (and have since put on about 15 lbs due to stress of losing my job) the more I'm leaning back towards it. I've just got to get over the fear of surgery first (well actually the fear is of going under general anesthesia not the surgery itself really). But I had my gallbladder out a few years ago under general and a c-section where I had a spinal block and everything turned out fine under both of those. I finally called and have a consultation on March 12 (hopefully sooner if there is a cancellation). Well, I'll wish us both luck. Let us know of your progress/decision!

Doh!!! What was I thinking? I thought you meant like a "real" condom. I was sitting here saying to myself, now how does a condom help you if you put it in your mouth? :tongue2:<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

Me too! :tongue2:

I'm not sure if you are speaking to the OP or me. The only reason I questioned her response was she said the band does 25% of the work and you do the other 75%. Whereas I'v heard the opposite - the band helps with appx. 75% and you need your 25% or more. If the rest of the response was directed to me, I'm not sure where you got that insight into my life/head just from a one sentence post. If it was directed to the OP, my apologies.

That sounds like a lot better odds

Lord, I hope that's just your experience and not the norm.

I'm not a smoker (actually I'm huge, adamant non-smoker) but anyway...I have a friend who had to have reconstructive surgery on her breasts from a masectomy (I know this is a completely different kind of surgery) but was told that she needed to quit 6 weeks before her surgery but couldn't/didn't. Long story short, she never healed properly so it was almost like her surgery didn't "take" I guess having to do with smoking constricts blood vessles, hinders healing, etc. Same thing with my mother-in-law at the time she had one or two knee surgeries and didn't quit like she was supposed to and has had trouble with her knee and the healing ever since. She finally has quit for good (at least that's what she's told us) but it didn't do her knee any good at the time (before she quit). You're a grown-up so ultimately it's your decision but just thought I'd pass that along. Good luck with your process whatever is decided!

You don't think it could be gallstones do you? I had to have my gallbladder out about 5 years ago and the pain that sent me to the hospital was this squeezing/pressure type pain to me felt like right below my breastbone area. It also made me nauseous when that pain was going on as well. I hope you find out the cause and get better whatever it may be!

Yeah it does. But thanks again for everyone's input.

Thanks again everyone. Maybe one of my mistakes is going over to the lapband complications and life without the lapband discussion pages, there just seems to be an awful lot of people having complications or needing to have theirs removed.

Keep in mind this was the doctor's physician assistant not the actual doctor himself, so I may need to go back for the seminar when the actual doctor is there.