devotion

Thanks, Sandra! I hope you are doing well. I am glad I'm not the only one. I am self-pay for bypass, but the removal is covered under my insurance thank goodness!

Good luck! I am also going from band to bypass but the surgeon is making me do two separate surgeries: removal of the band and then the bypass. Ugh! I am thinking I should get a second opinion to see if it can be done all at once. Hope everything goes well for you!

thank you so much for the information. glad you finally got your surgery after such a long wait!

Hi there, I was banded on Friday, May 16th and everything went great. However, I have had diarrhea very bad since my operation. It is not getting any better. It seems like I go to the bathroom and then I have to go again a few minutes later. Is this normal? I do not have any nausea or fever so I'm not too terribly alarmed. But I am having some cramping. I took an imodium earlier and that did not help and am taking another one now. I just wanted to see if anyone else had experienced this, and if so, when and how it stopped. Thanks in advance!

Hello, I am terrified. I am having terrible acid reflux and am scared that my band has slipped. I have a fill doctor that I can go to for a barium swallow and x-ray, and am planning to do that asap. But I got my band in Mexico so I'm wondering, what do I do if I have to have my band removed? Is there anyone out there who had to have their band removed due to slippage and insurance paid for it since it is causing medical problems? I know my insurance doesn't pay for putting a lap band in, but I'm wondering if it will to take it out. And what doctor should I see? Should I go to the emergency room? Please help. Thanks in advance :Yawn:

Sorry I did not give more info. I do appreciate the responses so far. Essentially, I have been having severe heartburn for about three days and feeling nauseous. I've been taking Zantac to help with the heartburn. I've also been coughing a lot from the acid reflux (feels like liquid coming up in my throat suddenly). Finally, and sorry if this is TMI, but my stools have been orange in color. Something is not right. I'm going to go to the doctor I see for a barium swallow and x-ray but I have to wait a week to do that since she only does them on certain days. Again, I had my surgery in Mexico - it was a year ago - and I went to a great doctor. If my band slipped, it is my fault because I've been bad lately eating around the band and vomiting. :Yawn: I know I will have to have the band repositioned or replaced if the band has slipped, but my question is - if the band has slipped, is this an emergency situation? Do I need to go to the ER? And for those who've had this happen, did insurance cover removal of the band if you went out of the country to have your band put in?

I am certainly not trying to scare anyone, but I did do *a lot* of research on this subject. According to a University of Washington study recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, 1 in 50 patients who have had GB die within 30 days of the surgery, regardless of how good the doctor is. If the surgeon is inexperienced, that rate increases fivefold. Here is a link: Gastric Bypass Surgery Gone Bad, Study: 1 In 50 People Die Within A Month Of Surgery - CBS News If you get a good surgeon, you will likely be fine with GB. But do the research and be informed. It is a personal decision. I personally couldn't take the 1 in 50 risk and I didn't want something so drastic. But everyone is different. I know GB patients who have done great like the poster above. It's very personal. I wish the best for you.

Of course it is up to you; I know the decision is not easy. I have a lot of weight to lose and so I considered GB. But when I realized how many people die from that surgery, I just couldn't risk it. The mortality rate is estimated at 25 percent and some doctors say it is even higher. Just go to the GB internet forum and you will see a "memorials" section. That freaked me out. Plus my mom is a nurse and saw way too many people die from this surgery. I know there are great doctors who do GB, and obviously the chances are in your favor that you will get through it fine. It is something you need to research and feel comfortable with. I was banded on 5-16 and have lost 17 pounds. I just had my first fill today. This route is certainly not easy, but it is a great option. The advantages to LB in my mind: 1) low risk of complication; 2) constant adjustment of band allowing you to re-focus if you start to lose motivation; 3) the studies showing that after 5 years, LB and GB patients had lost the same amount; and 4) the reversible nature of the LB. If I want to get rid of it, I can. I wish the best for you as you make this decision. I know it is not easy. Whatever you do, I hope you find absolute success.

I had 5 cc's left in my band after surgery with no restriction after the two weeks following surgery. I just had my first fill today - 3 cc's for a total of 8 cc's. I'll let you know whether I am restricted or not. I can't tell yet and I'm on liquids for two days.

This happened to me too. It is better now, 2 weeks post-op. What saved me was going to our local Chinese restaurant and getting egg drop soup - but not eating the egg part. Very filling. I also had a lot of yogurt and fat-free pudding with fat free whipped cream. Hang in there, it will get better.

Thanks so much Alfie! :wink2: I also hope to hear from anyone else who has experienced this so I can feel at ease...

Hi, I am considering joining Overeaters Anonymous to deal with my food addiction. I am getting banded this Friday, May 16; however, I have an emotional eating problem and would like to join a group that deals with how to overcome the emotional side of eating. I am afraid though that OA will judge me for getting the surgery. Does anyone know what OA's stance is on lap-band surgery?

I am having a very hard time trying to exercise before my surgery on May 16th. My lower back kills me if I walk around too much. I mean, it kills me to the point I have to sit down. I am hoping and praying I have not done permanent damage to my back and once I lose some weight after the surgery I will be able to work out without this lower back pain. I did not start to have the lower back pain until I gained a bunch of weight - I've never been as heavy as I am now. Anyone with any insight? Thanks in advance.

Hey there - my insurance sucks so I'm going to Mexico - self-pay to one of the top doctors in Mexcio - Dr. Miguel Zapata, after much, much research. But before I learned my insurance company was going to screw me over (I'm not bitter) I was talking extensively with Southwest Bariatrics and was going to use a doctor whose first name was Bridget. There was another doctor there I wanted to use but he was way booked up. Bridget seemed really personable and nice and she has good training. I hope you like who you are talking to. And Gayle, the patient advocate, is awesome! I am thrilled that I am going to Mexico though - my cost is $7K as opposed to Southwest Bariatric's "cash" price of $15,000. After researching the great care I would be getting and talking with many patients, I am happy with my decision. Good luck to you! I think SW Bariatrics is the best place to go in Austin. That's my personal opinion.

I so hope I can handle sushi - it is one of my favorite, favorite foods of all time. And it is relatively healthy so I'll be bummed if I can't eat it. I like sashimi so that will be OK if I cut it up. Seriously though, if I have to give up sushi to become healthy, it will be worth it. I will, however, be very sad. Of all the foods I am saying goodbye to, that will be one that I will "mourn" the most.

Tunalee and Jaden's Mama - I get banded on the 16th! I am really, really nervous but excited. Good luck to you ladies!

Thank you Susan!

Michee you rock too! Wow you have lost a lot of weight, and you have done so much on your own! Be proud! I totally agree, be your own cheerleader. Best of luck to you as you continue your journey.

Hi there, No the Realize band is not new. Well, it is in "new" in the sense that the U.S. just received FDA approval for it. Formerly known as the Swedish Band, it was in use in Europe for nearly 20 years. It is wider than the traditional Inamed band and softer. It supposedly has a port that clings to muscle and does not get flipped over as much. But everyone seems to agree - there aren't any BAD bands. I am going with the Realize Band after my research has led me to think this is the band for me. But Inamed has a new band called AP or something like it that is similar to the Realize Band. Only you and your surgeon can decide what is best for you! If you do a word search for "Realize band" for this forum I bet you will find more info. Good luck to you!

One thing you can do is contact your insurance co. and tell them you are getting worse by the day and need to see a doctor NOW. Since the doctor that has Aetna can't see you for so long, you want a doctor who can see you right away. You can get special approval for that. Just be aggressive Good luck to you.

I will definitely be there! I live in Austin! I'd love to see fill doctors who accept Mexican patients who use flouro - such as Dr. Stephanie in Bryan, TX and Tyler, TX. It is so hard for us Mexican "refugees" to get any respect. I'd also like to see the representative from the J&J Realize Band (they should have a local rep). I'd also like to have a yoga class and a massage therapist (for us to pay extra of course) and a place for mani/pedis. We want to pamper ourselves as we learn! You asked for what we want, so I'm allowed to go to crazy right : )

Congrats foreverme65 - I'm one day after you on May 16! Our lives are about to change for the better! And for everyone on this thread - congrats and good luck!

I don't want to be too harsh, but SCREW anyone who can't be supportive of you. This is a disease that could KILL you if you don't have this surgery. How anyone cannot be supportive of our decision to get banded is beyond me. That said, how I dealt with it was to deal a pre-emptive strike. I researched and researched, found studies showing that diet and excercise alone has a 100 percent failure rate over time, and the benefits of the lap-band. Since I am going to Mexico, I also researched doctors. I put all of this research in an email and to my loved ones said simply: "Thank you in advance for your love and support. This was not an easy decision, but in the end, it was a choice for living life to its fullest, living without disease or chronic conditions, and simply, just staying alive. If for some reason you have any concerns or negagtive judgments, please keep them to yourself. I have researched every aspect of this procedure and I am well aware of its benefits, risks, complications, and believe me, the success stories far outweigh any potential complication. Please respect that this is my decision and I hope I can count on you to support me and love me as I go through this process - which is going to take a lot of work on my end. Thank you all and remember I love you very much!" So that is what I wrote and no one, no one, has since had anything but good things to say - and I am going to Mexico too. They know it is NOT an option to give me their negative opinion (if they have one). So it has been very empowering for me to speak up. I wish you luck and hope you can find the strength to tell your loved ones to give you the space to make your own decision and I hope that that they will love you without condition and without judgment. Angela