buzzp

Most of you won't like this, but imho, the lapband ought to be outlawed.

My surgery was done in Denver, in 2006.

From surgery time, I had to sleep sitting up. I took daily antacids to keep the

burning down. Eventually, I lived on tums, more than 10 a day sometimes.

I had an upper G.I. in 09. Docs don't see anything unusual, except for a

small antacid pill stuck in the band area. All meds then had to be crushed (yuck) or

liquid (expensive or nonexistant).

My lapband doc retired a few years after I had it put in. The doc office is

8 hours away from me, so it was very difficult to just go see the old or the new

doc.

Fills started at $15 each. The doc did them first. Later, an assistant took that over.

I had trouble with it due to air in the thing, and living at altitude. Don't let them tell you

it makes no difference. It DOES.

I could not find a doc in my own STATE, let alone town. And any new docs wanted $500+

just for the first appointment.

Fills went to $150 each. yes, a 10x increase.

More and more problems. Vomiting, pain, odd pains going up my neck, - I had all the fill removed

and it did not help, and I started putting on weight...

I had a barium swallow, everything looks "ok".

Well, it was NOT ok.

Most doctors know next to nothing about this device. They look at Xrays and tests

and say it looks ok to them.

When I finally got to my lapband doc, he found it was twisted, even though other docs said it

"looked fine to them". I had it removed in May of 2014, and I had immediate relief. I cound

finally sleep again!

BUT .. the body went berserk. From May to Oct, 25 pounds on.

Yes, I had lost 40 the first 2 years, but it crept back up over the rest of the time.

Now I'm back over my install surgery date weight.

I have been told that the permanent surgery is a better idea. But at this point,

I'm scared to death to look into it. I'm in my 50s now, and not in the great shape I used to

be in. But I'm SICK of being fat. Our family genetics have myself and my sisters all being

fat. Especially in older age.

I know people will go ahead with the lapband, no matter what. No one wants to hear the

bad part of it, but don't do it.

Studies show that after 5 years, the lapband is useless anyway. That is what I'm told.

So there it my story. Take it or leave it.

(yes, I am a woman)

Hi: I am going through my tests and evaluations and decided to come here to see what everyone was talking about. The more I read, the more discouraged I get. I hear a lot of negatives. Can anyone post something positive about getting the lap band so I don't chicken out and not get it???? thanks

No. Everything negative you hear is true. I had mine in october of 2006. I lost 50 pounds, and most of my hair.

I'm only 15 pound down from my surgery weight right now.

Then gained most of the weight back, after sleepless nights of sitting up trying to keep down reflux acid.

Now, it is a daily battle of prilosec and tums, and waking up at night with acid. I can't eat vegetables.

Just the fatty/sugary stuff goes down.

You can't sleep, you can't function at work, and you need to throw up often. There is constant hurt.

I had an upper GI years ago, and all they could say was that a pill was stuck in the band area.

No more pills -- you have to crush them for the rest of your life. And they don't taste good, folks. Think about the

meds you have to take as you age.

It is not worth it. Find another support group and work out the weight issues with good people around.

Say no. The FDA should ban this proceedure.

Please don't start the email about how I need to see the doc. I've lived with this thing for 4 years and I know

all about it.

You need to take into account ALL opinions, negative or positive. But there is no reason to downplay

the negative aspects.

If your Doc really will chew you out, get a different doctor.

We're all different. That's my advice, and opinion.

After a year of battling this with little success scares the crap out of me. I had my surgery 4 mos. ago the 12th. i am also out of control with my eating. I am also suffering with serious boughts of depression. I FEEL YOUR PAIN!!! I thought this would be a little easier. I never thought this would be so trying.

I have searched the internet like crazy and bought several books on the subjesct trying to motivate myself.....nothing seems to be working!!!!! I go to the doctor Wednesday, and I know he's gonna chew me out, which I totally dread!!!!! I feel like Im going to confession.....crazy..I know.

What are we supposed to do? Why does this have to be so hard? I think Im having a harder time after the band than before. Dont get me wrong Im thankful for the weight Ive lost but.....I havent lost in a month, and I know its because of my eating habits. My cloths are getting tighter and its so depressing........

Anyway, stay on this website it is such a great support system.....we'll get thru this!!!! ha ha ha ha

My surgery was in october, and I had a fill in dec of 1 cc.

I've been quite uncomfortable, and lost 10 pounds in 1 month.

(I want it to go s-l-o-w-l-y)

Last week I could eat anything! I was surprised. But I could

chow down.

Then yesterday, Sund 2/4, it got really bad. I threw up for the first time.

That kinnd of projectile vomit that I'd heard of. no bile, just

food and saliva. I lost 3 pounds in 3 days and was quite ill.

I again threw up today in my car.

Now, what is going on? I finally got some Soup downtoday

thank goodness for thom kha gai Thai soup! But I'm very week

and I know my nutrition is not good.

What is this? Is this a symptom of someting stuck for a long time?

(I tried roast beef, and it was too dry, I know that). I was eating a lot

of meat tenderizer.

Says it all. I'd like to find a doc who would do fills

using the fluro. I like the assurance that the darn thing

is in place.

Allrighty, this is not supposed to hurt, I hear.

Well, it does. I have the smaller band and was losing slowly

(perfectly fine) after my 10/10/06 surgery.

I had 1 cc put in on Dec 14. Doc wanted to do 2, but I said no way.

Just this week it has been bad. Maybe the holidays are over and

I am noticing it more. But I've lost 8 pounds since Dec 14. Far too

much for me!! I'm noticing how weak I get.

I seem to have a lot of air trapped that I work at getting

out of my stomach.

I'm considering having half of the restriction removed. But

I have to drive a long way to do it.

Does this just happen? I heard that some people have restriction kick

in after about 4 weeks. is this enough time to have it settled?

I think it is.

What do you do to see that the band is in the correct p l ace?

Insist on an X-ray?

I also waited 2 months after surgery, and had only 1cc put in.

I know my own body, and *I* control what the doc does.

I'd just wait ... there's no big rush on this thing. You sound like you're

doing fine.

I waited 2 months to get any kind of fill.

I have a 9.75 size band.

Doc said most people get 2cc's the first fill. But I could feel that

thing when he injected only 1. I said that's plenty!

I'm having a hard time with just this 1cc. I've had a few times with

the nasty chest pains and the spitting. I thought I'd learn a lesson

with the first one, but it seems to be inconsistent.

The fatigue and energy problems are back, too. I am assuming they're

associated with another caloric intake adjustment, just like

it was after surgery when calorie intake drastically reduced. It did

adjust after a while. I also assume this one will adjust.

I was losing slowly even with no fill at all and am thinkin'

that that will be the way to go!

This seems to contradict everything everyone else goes through.

Guess it's just the differences in body types.

My .02.

Yeah, I feel it. But it feels like a baseball-sized hard lump

in the middle of my waistline. The injection site is just on the side

of my navel, but apparently the scar tissue is a big area.

Others don't have it in the waist. It's really uncomfortable and makes

clothing uncomfortable over it. My doc basically tells me to live with it.

I found it at Wild Oats markets. I still like it, but

can't mix it with anything sweet, like pudding. it gets too sweet.

I'm starting to associate it with the Protein drinks, or

a very salty meal.

It has been better until I had one of those awful Protein Drinks.

The substitutes for sugar are some of the worst ingredients on the planet!

Nutrasweet, aspartame, splenda, etc are all proven to be very bad for you - most are a derivative of sacharin, -remember from the 70s when saccharin was removed from products? They got around it.

Yet in our culture they're used in everything. Especially those diet

drinks.

I cannot tolerate them at all. Headaches, muscle pain, nausea.

Regular suger is much better.

So I have a baaaad time with the Protein drinks. Most are loaded with

this stuff.

I found one that is tolerable and rather good. Its a powder.

It is Wild Oats "Whey to Go" I think is the name . vanilla.

A tip I got from a bypass person, and band people have said it works.

If meat sticks, use about a teasp or tenderizer with a little Water.

I guess it makes the problem go away a lot faster.

I just heard this, I've not experienced it.

I'm in central NM. Sorry, too far from Farmington.

I'm also female. Most think buzz is a man.

I could make the drive to the abq area, too, if it gets organized.

http://www.lapbandrockies.com/

Denver. $9950

Ok, something between vomit and burp.

I've not experienced it yet, I guess. But

I have no fill. I'm hoping I don't need a fill at all.

Does that happen? Peopel who don't need fills?

5 days after surgery I chewed up 1/2 a piece of pizza, and spit it out.

There seems to be no issue with it, as long as you spit it out.

It was reccomended to me by someone who did gastic bypass.

My surgery was on 10/10/06.

I did ok the first week, and the second I went to

work on shorter hours, then got exhausted. And likely had a UTI.

I took 4 days off, flew to visit a friend and just relaxed and slept.

My bmi to start was 35.8, not very high, so I expect slow progress.

And I prefer it, so my skin will remold itself.

I got a nasty burning in the throat 17 days post surgery.

It appears to be either acid, or a yeast infection in the throat-

something I've experienced before.

Taking post-surgery antibiotics wreaks havoc with me due

to the sensitivity to yeast. It is a constant lifelong battle.

So I'm not surprised if that is the issue.

I hit a plateau starting surgery day at 202 pounds. I stayed there until

3 weeks out from surgery. I then dropped to 197.5. I try to only weigh

on Mondays.

I notice that when I break a weight loss plateau I get very, very

fatigued. And weepy. This was very true the 2nd week out from surgery.

The throat burns, the port site has a sting in it once in a while, but

not often. I would say that is expected - the body has a foreign

object in it. ha.

From preop diet to now, I'm down 17.5 pounds. I have no fill,

and I'm actually hoping that I don't have to have one.

It is somewhat difficult, as I live alone and am very far from

my solid network of friends. But I get a lot of leeway to

do as I need and as I please.

I'm extending mushy foods 1 more week to 4 weeks.

I LOVE the fact that my clothes are getting looser. And I'm happy with

the weight loss rate. I am a patient person.

I still don't get it. If it's just burping, why not call it

burping?

I'm 3 weeks and 2 days out from surgery, and I burp, but it's just

a burp. It's just air.

Am I missing something?

Alrighty, about 5 days ago I started burning in the throat/esophagus.

When I tried to describe it to my doc today, I said throat and he said that

has nothing to do with the band, and then I tried to tell him it did, it is

hard to pinpoint where these things hurt.

He basically argues with me about anything I say to him!

It has something to do with this band, I can tell. I've never had this -

except once. For 9 months they thought it was gerd and tried all that.

Then a homeopath figured out that I had a yeast infection that settled

in my throat! of all places. 2 weeks of nystatin and I was fine.

After all the meds and the endoscopy!

So. For 5 days I've had this burn, and now I'll go see my g.p.

(surgeon is 8 hours away) I made an appt with the surgeon

for 10 days from now.

Anyone else experienced this just as a minor problem? I read the major

ones and I don't want to go there!!!!

aggravated. and burning.

I've not had this before, but I think it is gerd. My throat burns.

It started on day 17 after surgery. I can't pinpoint the times

or conditions when it starts.

It doesn't hurt a lot, but it is uncomfortable.

Eating cold/cool foods feels really good.

Is that Gerd? It is sorta like somethingis stuck in the back of my

throat, too.

surgery was 10/10/06.

My understanding is that PBing means to vomit.

Why use such a word? Am I correct with this meaning?

To vomit is to vomit. Seems like a normal word to me.

I think we're all talkinga about Dr. K in Denver, yes?

I dunno if I should mention his name.

I'm a self-pay, and chose him based on this laproscopic credentials,

and experience. I think I was his 50+ lapband.

He is technically good, as far as I can tell. He says he has never had

to undo, never had a slip.

He also says his prices are lower because he competes with the

Mexican doctors. I think the prices will be falling soon as they get

more competitive.

Hello.

I started having a burning sensation in my throat last night around 9,

after some lime Jello. It hasn't gone away. I've had a smooth recovery

except for fatigue, some dizziness. I'm on the pureed foods.

My doc is out of town, my g.p. says go to 'urgent care' clinic

if I'm concerned. Just gotta love these docs.

Cool water/food feels good, but is temporary and the burn comes back.

I _could_ have picked up a cold coming on, but it doesn't feel like that.

Should I just get an antacid?

Anyone experienced this? Is it temporary ..maybe the feeling is just

coming back in my stomach area now and it is normal for a while?

-buzzp (no idea why I picked such a name!)