Rjc0704

Happy belated 64th birthday! I sure hope you are stressing less and less as you inch through the home stretch to retirement! Congrats on your weight loss achievement and continued success. Thanks for sharing your journey! Yes, there are still surgeons who perform Lapband. I just had a consult last week. I've spoken with a few doctors how are against the other radical, irreversible procedures. There is more money in these than lapband and many of them have abandoned their lapband patients altogether. Even if I were a candidate (My BMI not high enough) I would NEVER consider removing stomach after watching my sister slowly waste away to nothing and die over a course of 5 years because of a botched procedure. Countless doctors and nurses at her bedside ICU would tell me they wished they would stop doing these surgeries because there is nothing that can be done to fix complications once they arrive. I have to do self pay for the procedure and they can schedule it pretty much anytime. My only real concern is additional out of pocket $ for complications such as rejection, slippage, dilation, etc. You're success and happiness is great to know as I contemplate taking the lapband leap! Thanks and best wishes!

Pals, Thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge and wisdom. You have given me so much to think about that I have decided to cancel my consult scheduled next week. Very true that the experience my sister endured has a major influence on my hesitancy. You've also shared information I did not know about, such as the bypass may be reversible and the Reshape vest that may be an option down the road. I've also read posts where people with Bands had complications and suffered for weeks and months before their issues were addressed. Thanks for sharing and helping me realize I need to hit the pause button! Happy Independence Day!

There are still a few surgeons in the midwest that do lap band surgery. They say there has been great advancements and improvements. I am considering this less favored option because I supported my sister through an agonizing DS that slowly tortured her for 5 years until she passed shortly after a 2nd correction attempt. Countless doctors and nurses over the years looking after her in ICU said they wished they would stop doing GS and DS because there is not much that can be done when things go wrong. So the band is the only option I will consider. I am post menopausal and since starting sleep apnea treatment, I've gained even more weight and have a current bmi of 35. With diet and exercise I plateau and cant seem to lose more than 30 lbs. While there seems to limited weight loss as well as frequent complications with the Band, at least they seem to be correctable. Does anyone have any words of wisdom as I consider this?