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You know, more and more people are having complications later on down the road after having the band for awhile. I would not hesitate to get the VGS if anything went wrong with my band.

Had my pre-op Dr visit & blood work on Fri. for surgery on Jan 14th. Feel better about decision after talking to Dr Chae. Because it has to be open incision (could take 2-3 hours because they may have a lot of adhesions to deal with) and I'll be in hospital for 5-8 days. That was kind of a shock! Guess my biggest concerns are post-op complications. My nutritionist says not to do "The last meal of my life" thing but I'm kind of doing that. Going to try and be better on diet & exercise this last week. Wish me luck.

Yayyy! I'm glad to hear that there were no complications. The first few days are definitely quite painful. Believe me, it gets better soon! Get up and walk walk walk, those gas pains are killer and being active really helps cut some of it down.

I have an appointment in St Louis this Friday to see a nurse, nut, and have my psych eval. Im nervous but looking forward to any information they can give me. I have had 3 abdominal surgeries in the past so my big fear is that they will not be able to it laproscopically. Anyone ever have it done open? Or have a lot of scar tissue but able to have it done lap? And is there any long term complications that someone can think of? Im trying to come up with lots of questions for my appt!

oh!! I won't! I'm here to ask lots of questions! I think I have a bunch of stuff already done, for that "passport checklist" thingy required for the insurance co.. "hoping and praying" that the 4 month 3x a week cardiac rehab classes & weigh-ins with exercise routine, monitored by both my cardiologist & the nurses, (also was paid for by BC/BS since end of Nov.-March) included nutritional counseling, exercise physiologist, mediterranean diet (my cardiologists' fav, lol!) and aggressive meds..yikes, I'm even seeing a bariatric weight loss dr TOO, with appetite suppressants and even THOSE don't help, for heaven's sakes!! and I've continued the program at phase III level, paying "out of pocket" on my own, while being weighed monthly since April/May and still being weighed at the cardiologist's (saw him April 18th).. I just started seeing the dietician prescribed by the endocrinologist, since starting the metformin 2 months ago, so I'm due for bloodwork again which I will be doing tomorrow, since I'm seeing her on the 26th. My last visit with her, was when she told me I had a BMI of 35, so when I called the insurance co and they said the 35 BMI was accepted with the ONE complication, I figured since I had even MORE than the one, it wouldn't be an issue. The deal is, I have to pass the cardiac stress test again. BOO. no fun. then, the endoscopy, which I've never had any of those things done before. ewwww.. those things are entrances and exits, you know??LOL! just kidding! Guess I better get used to it! It's easy when it's "other people" when you are an RN, but when it's YOURSELF? omg.

Hello all and please excuse if this question is in the wrong forum.... I'm relatively new to the process, have had some appts and have 3-4 more to go. When I initially met with my to be surgeon, he said I would probably qualify for all the procedures (BMI 48 with few other medical problems). First, I thought the sleeve was the best, seemed less invasive, etc. But, now I am understanding that I will need to take Vitamins with both ( one or two more doesn't seem like a big deal), major dietary changes with both and the recovery time doesn't seem that much longer with the bypass PLUS the overall success rate seems better with the bypass. I do understand the bypass comes with additional risks. But, as this is a long complicated process, I want to make sure it sticks and long term success is my overall goal. What made you select the bypass over the sleeve? Thanks in advance for the feedback.

I chose the sleeve because I don't like the thought of having my digestive system re-routed, and the sleeve keeps everything in its original place. I also don't like the thought of having my stomach/other detached parts remaining dormant in my body, where they can still grow ulcers or cancer. A lot of people think the RNY is the way to go because it's the "gold standard," but my surgeon/team at Beth Israel in Boston made compelling arguments why that could soon change. There simply isn't enough/old enough data on the sleeve yet to compare to the RNY, but all indications are pointing to the sleeve overtaking as the new gold standard based on new data, so I'm told. People are generally having as good of results with the sleeve, without all the complications (e.g., dumping). Just my two cents.

I was the exact same way...couldn't get enough information! Today makes 7 mos. post-op...95 lbs. down and lovin' life! I guess I was fortunate...zero issues/complications. I was fanatical about following doc's orders, however still visited this site daily for post-op info/advice. Before you know it, the surgery will be behind you and you'll be having the time of your life! Good luck!

Hi there! I've had no problems up to then since my last fill in early Sept. '09 and the problem was immediately resolved with the unfill. I had information from a Dr. friend who had the Band that had gone through these spasms (she's a nuclear medicine Doc for cardiology and even she thought she might be having a heart problem)...so that's why I knew what it was (plus I've had two normal heart stress tests and a routine heart MRI for pre-op that were all normal). I'm back to the Doc for a small fill (hopefully) on Tuesday, but I don't want to get to the point where I'm having reflux again. I think this is a big indicator of being too tight. I'll keep you posted on the blog. I know this all sounds very scary right before banding, but trust me when I say that I'd do it all again 100x over to get rid of the weight. My 'complications' have luckily been very minor and not all that problematic for me. Part of this was my stupidity in that I should have gone in for the unfill after the first incident...'ANY REFLUX PROBLEMS AT NIGHT MEAN AN UNFILL', just remember that and you'll do fine. -BG

Hey ladies! I met with my surgeon yesterday...plan is to get sleeved April 2015. So much went on yesterday that I forgot to ask a few questions. One of them being allowed methods of contraception. I saw in the pamphlet that it said to stop taking oral contraception a few days before surgery and choose a barrier method but I assume that's because they want your bowels empty...not cuz of the hormones? Anyways....I have an appointment with my midwife Oct 20th for my IUD...the IUD is good for 3 years and I don't wanna get this put in to find out I can't use it cuz it's hormonal and could cause blood clots and post-op complications. Thanks for your insight!

Thanks MattZ for your informative reply. It is good to know poop smell can be controlled by diet. I also have very low Vit D already. Mini Gastric Bypass (MGB) actually has a lot less complications and has replacing RYN in many countries. Thanks again HK

Frankly, I can't believe you found a doctor who would actually do the surgery. That is a low BMI. Yes, at 22 you could have done it yourself and kept it off. Maybe not 52 pounds, but 35? You'd be 155. That's a great weight. "Yes, at 22 you could have done it yourself and kept it off". I feel like this comment is pretty hypocritical. Regardless of age, if we could do it ourselves we wouldn't have resorted to surgery. I'm now 33 and have been doing it myself for 10 years, losing, gaining, losing etc. Why not do it now so she can save herself the heart ache of going through what so many of us have gone through for 10, 20, 30+ years? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App I said that because IF she can keep that off then that would always be preferable to surgery, with its possible risks and complications. And, she asked. Hypocritical? No. It would be hypocritical if I had similar stats to hers. I don't. I am much older and have a lot more weight to lose. Well hey, at one point you weren't as old as you are now and probably could've lost the weight and kept it off too, like ANYONE at ANY age can, but most of us can't successfully maintain. We've all tried. I've already heard enough of this from the ONE friend I told about planning to get surgery that I've decided not to tell anyone else. I don't want to hear any more from people about how this is too extreme, or how I'm "giving up on myself", I'm trying to get control of the situation before it gets MORE out of hand. If I'd had the surgery 5 years ago maybe I wouldn't weigh 230 lbs and be suffering from joint pain and other problems I didn't plan on having at age 35. To the OP, this is a personal decision and I already fully expect to go through a "why did I do this?" period. I think it's probably pretty normal.

@@Jane1979 I originally went to surgeon with the intention of getting LapBand. After he told me that they are removing more than putting in and that 50-60% of lapband patients require a secondary surgery from complications - I quickly changed my mind and will be sleeved instead. Some have had success with the Lapband but they seem to be the minority.

I'm at 21 months with the band, no complications at all so far. I feel lucky and hope for no problems in the future.

i started my diet monday my dr told me i was able to eat chicken and fish, but im thinking about just doing protein shakes, juice and water diet do u guys think that is safe? i havent lost that much weight and i really want to shrink my liver because it was the root complications with my gallbladder removal.

Thanks, Betsy! Yes, the doctor said that we are playing catch up now because he had to unfill the first 2 cc's in that 3rd week. According to him, I am moving along just fine. He is a Bariatric Center of Excellence rated doctor who has personally done well over 700 lap band surgeries alone, not sure how many gastric bypass surgeries in addition to that. He is definitely experienced in this. I agree that I would prefer a more conservative approach than some of the other doctors that I have read about on here that seem to be way too aggressive. I think that would definitely have more propensity to cause complications resulting in PBing and unfills, etc. Betsy, I admire your resolve and self discipline when it comes to your diet. Unfortunately for me, I cannot be that strict with myself all the time. If I do so, then eventually I will have a complete meltdown and cram any and everything I can find into my mouth! I do much better to allow myself a little here and there so I don't feel so deprived over all. But you are right, whatever works for you! Thanks for your input! It is much appreciated! I hope to one day be working on maintenance like you too!

I am 5 weeks out and I can barely get in 1/4 cup of Soup, and I can get in about 1 to 1 to 1.25 ounces of Tuna with ff mayo & 3 teaspoons of 1% cottage cheese. I also had hernia repair, adhesion removal and some serious complication that caused my surgery to run to 7 hours, when the anesthesiologist dropped the esophageal tube into my stomach while the doctor was stapling and it got stapled in me. It took 5 hours for them to remove it and I think there was some compromise of the size going from my esophagus into my stomach, though I was told there was none. I just started pureed foods so it's definitely harder to tell. I was only able to eat 1/2 cup of sf pudding at a time, but I did get an entire pudding cup down, so that's a big improvement for me. I have Lupus, so I think I'm a slower healer also.

Sounds like a great option and like you already know a lot about them! I know I was surprised at who I ended up selecting. I don't mind small, as long as the stats (% complications, slippage, etc.) are similar to the big guys and they can handle anything that comes up, bigger isn't always better for everything. I've decided that with all the aftercare in this process; ability to get in quickly, see the same people who'll get to know you and maybe even see your surgeon is a plus for the little guys. I've been to the big guys (used Magee for female issues) for other things and have experienced not being able to get in for 3 mo., waiting forever in a huge waiting room and seeing a different nurse pract. ea time...it's may be good healthcare, but it's not excellent care as a whole, and it's certainly not personal. Good luck on the continuing quest!

I started biotin a little bit before surgery. A week before surgery I had to go off all vitamins & minerals. I started the biotin as soon as I thought I could swallow the pill at home. If you drink any pop (diet or regular) or coffee quit now! Quit before you have to go on the pre-op diet. I can only tell you things that made things easier on me. I brought one of those soft cuddly comfy throw blankets from Target (mine was brown, one side was soft and comfy and the other side was fluffy). I had it freshly washed and it smelled like home (Downy). It was my comfort in the hospital, I cuddled with it in the chair and it made me happy. I went into the surgery smiling and humming. Made my nurses hum, even hummed my favorite little theme song to my doctor and anesthesiologists and nurses. It made everyone smile and lighten up and I was told I was one of the most positive people going into surgery and I woke up positive. I found a decaff tea that was refreshing to bring to the hospital plus I bought my own artificial sweetener (truvia). I tried several decaff teas (after quitting coffee). Bigelow Peppermint Tea fit the bill with truvia. It literally calmed my tummy and felt better than water at first and even though it went from warm to cold, it tasted good cold. Hospitals normally serve hot tea with generic artificial sweetener in a coffee cup. It's not appetizing it smells like coffee though it's hot water. I probably have mentioned this 100 times since surgery in posts. This was my saving grace. Bring Cottonelle or Charmaigne Box of wet wipes. After surgery your privates feel nasty (after getting the catheter out). It's a little harder to urinate on your own. Wiping yourself is a little hard because your tummy is swollen, but getting some of the orange stuff off you makes you feel cleaner. I also kept a brush on my table, because it was such a comfort to brush my hair because it became a birds nest. When you go for your walk around the ward, bring along one of those mouth stick wipes because if you talk while you walk, your mouth will dry up on you so fast, especially if you are given the anti-nausea patch and anti-nausea shots. You will be most likely be receiving shots in your belly every so often for blood clots. I wasn't prepared for this, nor was I prepared for a drain. Ask the doctor if you are getting one. The ted hose they use and compression thing I was afraid of but it actually didn't hurt and was comforting, I was nervous about those. If the ted hose starts rolling down and hurting, makes sure you get someone to fix it. I made sure I kept my mouth sticks, water and peppermint tea and spirometer and I brought my own Kleenex (Vicks) type to the hospital. Those I made sure were close to me. When I would wake up during the night I would make sure I used the spirometer. I am prone to pneumonia and I used it OFTEN. I would take my big brown blanket and ball it up with a pillow and then cough. I still use it and it's 19 days out. My hardest part of surgery (I was in the hospital 5 days) was the leak test. I had an allergic reaction to the Gastrique used and it was really hard on me. My face, neck and chest turned a bright red and I got dizzy and sick. Most people just feel sick from their first drink being something like that. Things I did not use. I didn't use my kindle, didn't change clothes once (all the iv's getting any real pj's on there is no way.) I did have a pair crocs that I used to walk in, which was more stable to me than wearing their socks. When I came home getting in and out of bed was not easy for me, and I spent a lot of time sleeping in the lazy boy. I walked as much as I could and I started spacing it out 20 minutes walking through the kitchen, living room and dining room 3 times a day. I had the drain for 9 days and the last few days it started bugging me. Getting it out, was not comfortable but there was HUGE relief getting it out. I could finally actually breathe again. Realize that no two people heal alike. There are people that sound as though they have surgery and go home and are out walking miles in the first week. You may have had previous abdominal surgeries and have more scar tissue, you may have never had one and aren't used to it and take it harder. Everyone recovers differently and don't compare your experience to others because it's unneeded frustration. Try to remain positive, even when the going gets tough. I had only questioned my decision when I had the reaction to the gastrique, and then when my drain got infected (I have lupus), they were fleeting. I have tried to stay positive otherwise and it's done me well. I have a brain tumor, and I suffer from Lupus, I had diabetes and sleep apnea, and I suffer from raynauds and severe migraines and I have a lot of things that could contribute to me not staying positive. I had complications during my surgery which were pretty severe and still I would do it all over again. I will be 49 in August, which is how old my Great Grandmother Died due to obesity, and I am built just like her. Good Luck to you and stay positive, keep a fun song in your head that day, be it a theme song - like Brick House, or whatever current music you like. Mine was the Theme from Sanford & Son and old TV show that I loved as a little girl. The music is happy & funky and to remember the look on my surgeons face or remember the nurses trying to hum it or my husband and son humming it as I was being wheeled out still makes me giggle

There has been much very good and some bad…I had some postoperative complications (more about that below) But when it comes to the surgery and how it works I regret absolutely nothing but not having done this earlier! I managed to lose 20 pounds the month before surgery . It was actually quite easy since I was so motivated. I had done that before (VLCD quick loss) and knew that it wouldn´t last normally but the surgery as a goal made it easier. The surgery went OK as far as I can judge. Spent two nights in the hospital. A lot less pain then when I did the open VGB 20 years earlier. Had some problems starting to urinate again after the anesthetic (quite common as they told me) and that’s why they kept me two nights. The sensation of drinking Water was a lot better than after the VBG, I was worried that the suffocated feeling I remembered from the first month then would return but it didn´t.I felt kind of sick the first week at home but I attributed that to fatigue and rapid weight loss which I exepcted from all that I had read up on That was a part of it for sure but it also turned out when I was examined at the ER after I got a rapidly rising fever that I had gotten a postoperative infection. Sigh! I was readmitted and put on antibiotics. I spent a week in the hospital while the doctors discussed whether to perform another surgery to drain the abscess under my ribs or if the antibiotics would suffice. It turned out that they did and I was released after a week with a continued antibiotics treatment at home. It took two months before they cleared me of the infection. So be attentive to how you feel postoperatively and don´t, like I did, underestimate the signs of your body. Better to do an extra check up than to spend an extra week in hospital and two months on antibiotics is the lesson I learnt from this! The infection made it impossible for me to exercise more than slow walks but I´ve lost a lot of weight any way. When it comes to the actual surgery I couldn´t be happier. Everything works grand. My GERD is gone and I hope to be cleared from my sleep apnea soon (scheduled for the sleeplab in two months, feel great). Still some weight to lose but I don´t have any unrealistic expectations, would be super happy if I lost another 40 pounds or so . We´ll see. I´m playing volleyball Tuesdays, cardio in the gym Thursday and walk/jog 3 miles every weekend so I think that will help too. I´ve had some of the normal problems that I expected and read up on before. Mild constipation etc – takes some time to learn what foods that works for you. I recently discovered that my stomach works better if I eat more fat than I initially did but I guess that that is individual. When it comes to the dreaded band the surgeons’ didn´t remove that but left it in. They reasoned that the risks of removing it (being stuck to everything after all those years) were higher than leaving it in. They don´t expect it to be a problem and I hope that they are right of course. I didn´t feel a need to question their knowledge on that one. I´ve discovered one thing that I believe to be an advantage for VBG:ers…the chewing is already there. Many fellow patients complained about the difficulties of learning to chew properly but for me that was already a natural habit. In all, despite the infection, I am super happy with this decision! I have gotten a new life. I will trek the In ca trail in Peru in October, a thing I could have just dreamed of before loosing all this weight. I wish you the best of luck whatever option you go for!

Remember it is a process...do not expect results within the first few weeks, months even. People get frustrated too early on. The band is adjustable and needs to be before it starts to function the way it was designed to do. Also, as the band gets adjusted, so the patient needs to adjust themselves also...old habits will not co-exist with the changes the band wants to bring. It's easy to blame the band while all along the patient is resisting change. Some people insist on hanging onto old things...things that made them obese in the first place I was very frustrated early on, felt I made a big mistake, especially after all the work and anticipation leading up to surgery... But 4-6 months later...Everything started to fall into place, and it just got easier and easier. Best decision I ever made. Here I am over 5 years later...no excess weight or fat, medical problems reversed, definitely a new person and still going strong! Most of the day I do not even think about it that much. Never had a complication, other than the ones I brought upon myself by eating things I shouldn't.

Hi and Welcome That's awesome that you don't have to reschedule! I also started with researching the lapband... On lapbandtalk I think I got to page 50 of 75+ pages in the Complications subforum before I just stopped reading... I wanted to read the bad stuff, not just the omgsquee-i-lost-all-the-weight posts. I also didn't like the way people on LBT were quick to jump on others that said their bands gave them problems... they made it seem like it was always "your fault" and couldn't possibly be their beloved bands. :001_wub: I've read way too much to believe that's the case for all the problems. Well grats and goodluck! I look forward to reading more about your journey! Hopefully my own surgery won't be far behind.

He everyone! Just have a question and need some advice! With summer here, and pool party season in full swing, I need some advice. It seems like every weekend for the next month or so I have a party. Most are pot-luck style with a lot of grazing going on. I am 4 months post op, and am wondering how my fellow sleevers handle themselves in this situation. My problem is not over eating, but grazing. And with having to wait 45 minutes after eating to drink, it seems to be complicating things. Any advice would be great!! . Thanks

So is it all worth it in your opinion? It seems like no one really regrets doing it even if they have complications. I think there are very few who ultimately, seriously regret it. I was fortunate enough to not have any negative effects so its easy for me to say it is beyond worth it. I think that we tend to focus on the things that could happen, as if it was maybe easier to talk ourselves out of the surgery if it sounds like there is too much of a risk. Not saying people don't have bad experiences, it is certainly possible, but I think the positive experiences far outweigh the bad. The thing with the bad experiences is that you hear them very loud, very frequently. You hear positive stories too, but how many people who had a wonderful experience don't go online and tell their story? They might not even give it another thought and continue on. so you may only be hearing a lot of the bad stuff. Either way, most only regret waiting so long.

I will be 62 in Sept. and was banded this past April. I am thrilled with my results (44 pounds). I've heard we 60ers loose slower, but I am right on target. I feel better than I've ever felt. I am not worried about complications. I do everything they tell me to do, so I don't foresee a problem.