Search the Community

If you haven't read this topic, it might be of interest to you since you are researching both procedures. This complication is not new, or rare and is being seen more and more with plication patients. There are a few posts on obesityhelp.com regarding this very complication, and you may want to search around on the VSG and Main forum for more information from those that have endured this specific issue. http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/14816-gps-update-important-new-information/page__p__125678__fromsearch__1#entry125678

I think this is a great idea. I am going to be a conversion if all goes well. I have been warned that the band will be removed but if the situation is not ideal she will not due the conversion until a later date. This is getting me very nervous. Two surgeries means twice the chance of complications. I am really hoping the MD will be able to do both.

Hey Beanie& Rosie's Mom. When I had the band, I couldnt eat salads, veggies, chicken or turkey & other foods except of course junk food. As many ppl who've had a revision say, the sleeve is everything the band was supposed to be. I never slime now. I've only vomited twice in over 3 mos. Both times I tried to eat re-heated meat and it was to dry. I know my sleeve cant tolerate it. So my fault. Lesson learned. I had a 36 bougie which I think it's slightly bigger than most but my doctor said its the size with least complications. I never had trouble drinking water or getting 4 oz of food in. I have no regrets. Ask me anything.

Hi Sara, My husband and I had the revision done it Tijuana June 1st. After doing months of research we decided to go with Dr. Kelly. He charged us $5500 for the sleeve and an addition $500 for the revision, so we paid a total of $6000 each. He offered the choice of 2 days in the hospital and 3 days at the hotel or 3 days at the hospital and two days at the hotel. We were very nervous since we have 3 girls and knew that there was a higher chance of complications since we were revision. We asked a lot of questions about the surgery. Initially with Omar the assistant and we spoke with Dr. Kelly on the phone. The way he spoke with us gave us the confidence that we needed to have the procedure done with him. So, we flew in to San Diego from Miami. Our flight arrived almost at 10pm but Cecy Dr. Kelly's wife was waiting for us at the terminal. She absolutely wonderful and caring. She offered to either take us to the hotel or check in to the hospital. We chose the hospital since we would have to get up at 5am and get ready if we stayed at the hotel. When we arrived at the hospital at 11pm we were surprised to find not only Omar the assistant waiting for us but also Dr. Kelly. They were there to greet us and make sure we were comfortable. We sad down and spoke for a few minutes as we were being admitted. We were shocked to find nurses and doctors that spoke english. The staff at the hospital and the level of care we received is by far the best I have ever encounter in any. Hospital. Our post op experience was truly amazing. I know everyone is different. But we took our fist steps two hours after surgery. Compared to my recovery from lapband this was unbelievable. We did shopping, we went to have our teeth laser cleaned and did just about anything everyone would normally do (except eat solid food). Dr. Kelly and Omar met us for Breakfast at the hotel. They were so kind as to invite us to Dr. Kelly's birthday party that night with his family and friends. In the end all I can say is we came as patients and left as friends. Everyone was amazing. Dr. Kelly is not the cheapest or the most expensive, but he is the one we felt comfortable with. You will find that many people have similar success stories like mine with other doctors, you will need to do your own research to see who you feel comfortable with. But hopefully you will at least get two or three good doctors to research from this post. I'm sorry for the long story, I'm just so excited to have this lapbad off and I feel so great! Tanay

God its so complicated!!!!! For us its... get a referral from your doctor. .. meet surgeon... decide on surgery.. get a date... meet with nut/psych... get chopped up. .. simple! It took me 3 weeks from start to finish and thats including my pre op diet!!

I agree - Dr. Manigat is a great surgeon and is dedicated to his patients and takes his time with each and everyone so that they understand the procedure before and after. He is very busy and you may have to wait - but it is worth it. I have had the LapBand over 2 years with no complications and have been at goal for a long time.

Congrats on getting banded! Glad to know you're doing better now. If you don't mind me asking, why did they decide to keep you overnight? I am concerned that I might have some complications due to past experiences. I have had surgery twice in the past, and both times, I experienced gratuitous vomiting almost immediately after coming out of the anesthesia. I imagine that's not the best outcome for someone who is essentially having stomach surgery. I'm told that it was a reaction to demerol, but I don't know what that really is, or if it's necessary during surgery.

One more thing. Getting banded and being home with no complications is only a small part of this journey. You may need regular contact with your Dr. Its nice when he actually talks with you on the phone. This is very important. Old saying here "you get what you pay for "

Hi, I'm 8 months out. And I too had a hard time finding neg. stories pre and def post op. I talk a bit about my complications n some old posts. But even in my support group my leader asked me to tell my story because soo many ppl have no bad stories to go off of or feel like they have someone else in their position. But hopefully if you do decide to have it done, you will be fine and have no neg. stories to tell either. Good luck

I had several complications during and after my surgery which resulted in another surgery, multiple hospital stays and half a million dollars in extra costs. You are quite right in saying that most insurance companies DO NOT pay for those costs if the initial surgery or the root cause of the complications was elective surgery. I always like to advise people who have this surgery self pay or in Mexico (often there are specific clauses in insurance policies to rule out coverage for complications stemming from any procedure completed outside of your natural country) to look for supplemental coverage just in case. This surgery almost took me away from my small child forever. He needs his mommy and he'd have been better off if I didn't have it. He still suffers concerns because of the trauma he went through when I was sick. I was such an idiot to have it but hadn't seen many complication stories either, and my doctors assured me constantly that I wasn't one of those risk factor patients anyhoo because I was so low BMI and had no other issues. It's a great sales pitch until you find yourself feeling so familiar in an ambulance you can get your own oxygen mask. There are many stories in these threads if you look of horrible complications. Mine has been removed because it caused my dear doctor so much stress (eyes rolling) but they are here in spades. As the procedure gets more and more popular we will see more and more people sharing their stories of pain and suffering sadly.

I'm 7 months post op & 100 lbs less today! I have had complications, I had an infection after surgery, then another in my intestine and have endured pain, nausea, depression & finally lots of hair loss. I missed 3 months of work since surgery in May due to surgical complications & then the infections. However, I've learned a lot about myself, I've learned to exercise, forced to learn portion control & would do it all again. I'm not the typical story & even I think its been worth it. One thing I've learned is that under my layers of fat & skin, I'm still me. So the struggles I had are still there. Also there is the reality of whats left of my body, my skin with a lot of fat gone... not a pretty sight. Looks ok under clothes though. And still with all that, I would do it again. Today I'm am half of me, surgery set me free.

“I respectfully have to disagree with you. “ As many people do. “First off all I do believe that no Doctor in their sane mind would deliberately hurt another human being or intentionally install a Lap band the wrong way.” And just where did I say it was intentional or deliberate? I am certain that it WASN’T either. I believe he WAS incompetent. And, my biggest problem with him was his REACTION to me when I presented the problems. It’s that simple. “What happened to you is a rare exception and I am not in the position to judge you or your Doctor because I only know your side of the story. I am very careful with the information that I read in forums.” I have stated quite repeatedly that I KNOW that my experience was rare and unusual. But that doesn’t mean it DOESN’T happen to other people. Here’s a simple and unscientific, but legitimate observation. Take a look at this forum. Go to the front page. Look at the listing of all the various subtopics that are presented. Look for “Lap-Band Success Stories”. You’ll see that there are 47 threads and 448 posts Now, go further down. Look for “Lap band Complications”. You’ll see that there are 2,003 threads and 21,084 posts. It would appear that the Complications outweigh the Success Stories by a margin that could only be described as “vast”. Now, there are MANY reasons for this, and this is NOT an accurate measurement, but it DOES suggest that there are problems that ARE encountered by people. And my “message” to people is not to AVOID having the Lap band, rather make sure you do your homework THOROUGHLY so that you can mitigate the potential of there being problems in YOUR procedure. It’s that simple, and there should be nothing objectionable in that. And, one of the components of creating a successful surgical experience for yourself is CHOOSING the RIGHT SURGEON…..AND the RIGHT FACILITY. I am not clear AT ALL why anyone would find that concept objectionable. “At any rate, please do not take my candid words as a sign of disrespect or insult, I am just being honest.” No, I understand that, and I understand your concerns about the things I am saying. It’s not easy to hear this stuff when you are contemplating this procedure. “When I researched lapbanding I was so cautious about the entire procedure that I never thought I would actually find someone that I could really trust let alone agree to the procedure. “I am not some naive little teenager that is SOLD a surgery,” Understand that many, many people ARE naïve about this. It is an INDUSTRY. With billions of dollars at stake. And the Lap Band is the “darling” of the industry at the moment. A lot of people like to make the whole process sound very easy and rosy. Most often, it is. Sometimes it’s not. THAT is a reality. I am a highly educated woman that lived in several countries and cities and therefore carries suitcases full of life- experiences with her anywhere she goes. What I am trying to say is that I appreciate your concern and your advice but I truly believe that I can make an educated decision and distinguish between a money hungry crook and an honest, genuinely caring professional.” I never said that you WEREN’T capable of making a good decision. However, your responses in this thread would indicate that you DO have some reservations about it. And you should. It’s SURGERY. You should ALWAYS think twice or even three times before you have ANY elective surgery. And, I never said that MY surgeon was a “money hungry crook”. An incompetent brain-dead buffoon who should be slicing turkey at Subway perhaps, but not a money hungry crook. However….there ARE money-hungry crooks out there, and you do need to be aware of them. I suspect that Dr. Feiz is NOT one of those. He is probably a fine Surgeon. He probably slices turkey MUCH better than MY surgeon. “Again, I do not mean to offend you.” And I am not offended. You would know if I was. “As someone that searches for "Los Angeles" and "Cedars" I had to read at least 15 to 30 of your very detailed posts in this forum.” “I am sorry for you, I feel bad what happened to you and I wish you had a great experience like many other users on this board had. Please understand where I am coming from. I am a new user on this board and I am here to absorb the positive energy and spirit from positive people. I did not come here to be lectured about unethical or incompetent Doctors.” I often hear people say that they come here for “support and encouragement, NOT to hear bad things” or something like that. I need to point out that this forum is called “Lap Band Talk”, not “Lap Band Happy Land” Or “Band Nirvana”. People here talk about EVERYTHING with regard to the band. Not just the good stuff. You can find PLENTY of “positive” information about the surgery here, tons of terrific information about “good” doctors and positive outcomes. But I would have to seriously question your sense of reality if ALL you want to hear about is the “good stuff”. Choosing a WLS is the same as most anything else, really. When I buy a new car, I want to know its safety track record. I want to know if there have been recalls. I want to know if there is ANYTHING about that vehicle that might preclude the possibility of it being wise choice for MY requirements. Now, there MAY be something about a particular car that is a little negative, but if the GOOD outweighs the bad in an appropriate proportion, then I will most likely buy the Car because it fills some particular NEED for me….even though it might have some quirk that will annoy me. Now, with surgery, it’s a little different, but not THAT much. It’s still about your SAFETY. But if the potential POSITIVES outweigh the POTENTIAL negatives in a proportion that is comfortable for YOU, then you need to go for it. Plain and Simple. You CAN, however, have an IMPACT on those proportions by making the RIGHT CHOICES. And that’s what this about for me….making the RIGHT CHOICES. “I have arrived at a point in my life where I do not need to have EVERYTHING under control, I can very well live with the uncertainties of life itself and rather focus on the positive things and positive outcomes than to waste my time and life with worrying and negative thoughts.” “When something should go wrong I will deal with it with the same positive outlook.” You CANNOT control EVERYTHING in your life. It does take some people many years to arrive at that conclusion. It is often very liberating when you learn that important lesson. You CAN, however, significantly mitigate the possibility of something going wrong by making GOOD choices. You may not be able to change the OUTCOME of something once it is in process, but you can certainly have an impact on the way it turns out by the choices that you make going into it. “You really need to know how down lifting your posts are, especially for someone that is new here and was (until a couple of hours ago) very much looking forward to the journey she is about to embark on.” “Down lifting”? If you searched my posts outside of the Cedars references you will actually find many posts that are “Up Pushing”. I’m not an opponent of the Lap Band. I heartily encourage people to GET one, if they have determined that the Lap Band is what will help them with their particular issue. But PART of that “self-education” process HAS to be a “reality check”. Knowing the BAD stuff will HELP you make the decisions that will lead you to the GOOD stuff. I could spend the next few hours pounding out metaphors, examples, stories, etc, but the bottom line is that knowing the reality is NOT a bad thing. And knowing it should NOT keep you from having the surgery if you have determined that it IS what you need. I am VERY supportive of people moving forward on this. There are some WONDERFUL success stories in this forum, and some terrific people that will HELP you get to that “good place’ that you want to be. “I have to excuse myself now and have to take a very long shower; this negativity was just too much.” I also have to run and take a shower. But for an entirely different reason. :thumbup: Again, no disrespect intended... we just seem to be VERY different people and I don’t think lap-band-forum-life is the kind of support that will do me any good. And no disrespect was perceived. And, I think that if you knew me, you would find that we more alike than you might guess. We all have the same goals, dreams, and desires. For most of us, that includes good health. We are ALL on that path. “I am a highly educated woman that lived in several countries and cities and therefore carries suitcases full of life- experiences with her anywhere she goes.” And I have a suitcase as well. Unfortunately, mine contains a couple of half-empty bottles of Jack Daniels, some melted ice cream, some monkey food, a thong with the initials RS embroidered, and a citation from the Tucson Police Department for “lewd and lascivious conduct”. It’s a long story. Best of luck, and enjoy your journey! HH

Well "a lot" in terms of the complications we see here. :wink2:

Check out the complications Forum, lots of folks there have had a slip and many have had another band placed.

Hello everyone, I was banded by Dr. Yau in 2011. I've had numerous complications...still have discomfort, and I can't get any support from Slimband now. I still have my band. I would be interested in meeting and talking with others who share similar experiences. My email is: bryndayman@hotmail.com Take care, Bryn

@@Christina.Rose have you already ordered your wedding dress in the size 20 and think you might need to take it in up to a 16? When is your wedding? 4 sizes is a lot to take in alterations at some point you will end up reconstructing the whole dress. Depending on the time frame for your wedding your gonna want to try and stay pretty consistent in your weight if you can the closer and closer you get. If you plan to lose a lot of weight right before, try to order the smaller size but maybe an 18 so you can always take it in to a 16 if needed. Wedding dresses can have complicated sizing depending on the material and the style Aline, Mermaid, etc. Always best to check with the seamstress doing the alterations they know and trust me they won't lie to you just to make you feel good I got married at my highest weight ever...but I couldn't have been happier and I still love my photo's even as hubby and I have lost over 60 pounds each

Hi Jerziegirl, I'm a mother of three and is anticipating a date in early or mid March. My stats are around yours too; 5'4,220 lbs. I'm more excited than nervous. I have had over 7 months to contemplate and I'm going for it! I have several years of yoyo dieting. Ready for a change and a lifestyle of consistency/accountability. Fast forward 20-30 years from now...with your current health state do you still believe you will be around for your kids? I believe I will but with more complications, medications from A-Z, and in more pain. Ultimately, it's up to you just way your pros and cons. Good luck!

Sorry to have been a lurker on here -- I've never participated in a forum mostly on iPad before... I keep thinking I'll get to a desktop and do the courteous thing and post and respond, but I'm seldom at a desktop ! Sorry about that! I am an older (50 year old) mom to 3 kids under 12 who has become obese the last five years and stayed that way despite very regular, concerted exercise the last 18 months. I have many high BP readings, high-ish cholesterol, sometimes high-ish blood sugar. I feel like a ticking time bomb of bad health and I need to do what it takes to get healthy now (BMI has bounced around 31-33.5 the last three years despite a lot of effort on my part). I am getting ready to pull the trigger and firm up a sleeve date in MX in November. I have spent hours reading these forums and various blogs, etc., and--for somewhat intangible reasons, I have become comfortable with Dr. Illan and florence Hospital. BUT-- I'm now at the "seeking-reassuring-information-to-provide-to-loved ones-so-they-will-help-with-chlldcare" stage and I'm eager to find a few easy links or printouts to put under their noses. They won't/don't have the time to surf forums for hours. In fact, my husband is a broadcaster/journalist whose efficient, analytical research style will lead him right to a senior/expensive "elder statesman of bariatric surgery" type doc like Dr. Aceves, which would be fine if every $500 didn't matter to me, but it does. If anyone has seen a posting or blog where someone succinctly recites some verifiable stats or facts about Dr. Illan and/or Florence Hospital, I would sure appreciate being directed there. The kinds of things that will get my dear husband in helpful mode (agreeing to handle care of three kids while I'm gone) would be info on which hospital Florence uses as back-up for severe complications (I assume Angeles, based on what I've read, but I don't have the facts to sing praises of Angeles' sophistication, stellar rating, etc.), impressive, verifiable fact-lets about Dr. Illan, what support might be available if a complication occurred back home, etc. Thanks in advance if anyone can send me a link, etc. I have joined the helpful FB group for their practice and (as a result of hours of reading and some corresponding with patients) *I* am comfortable, but I need those bullet points for the husband if possible . Best wishes, Annie (getting close to a November 2013 Mexican sleeve date)

Hello all, I'm new to the forums. I was sleeved by Dr Macik 1/6/16. Surgery went well with no complications. I'm about 11lbs down after 13 days and have my first follow up appt later today. Jen

Also think of it this way. If you don't so something (even if it turns out you can't), what's going to happen to his next patient? I know I asked my surgeon how many of his patients failed or had major complications and needed revisions. Will he tell the truth to his next patient? I know it's not your job to look out for the next person, but we all have to live on this dirt ball together! At least until WWIII anyway 😂

I agree. Please do your research and be wary of any practice in Mexico that charges less than $4600 USD. Ask for certifications and accreditations for both the Surgeon and the Hospital. These are fairly easy to confirm online. Look for surgeon accreditations like FACS, ASMBS, SRC Surgeon of Excellence and SRC Master Surgeon in Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. As for the Hospital. Make sure it is a FULL-Service Hospital and not a clinic or surgery center. Clinics and surgery centers are not equipped to handle serious complications. Their accreditations and certifications include SRC Center of Excellence in Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, as well as Local, State and Federal certifications.

How is everyone doing? Are you happy with your weight loss so far? What stage of food are you in? Have you had any complications? Any exciting moments?

I had surgery on 1/6. I took 6 weeks off for recovery, and was back at work last Monday. Things are going amazingly well. No complications, no dumping, no vomiting, no nothing. I work out 5-6 days per week, and actually look forward to the gym. The hardest thing so far is the head hunger. I had some success last week navigating serious food temptations at work, but I was prepared for them and kept my hands to myself. But I fantasize about bad foods all the time and I occasionally put things in the grocery cart that I know are bad choices. So far, I have always come to my senses and put them back, but the fantasies of bad foods rear their heads every few days. I am mostly satisfied with my weight loss so far - it's certainly more than I've ever lost through other means - but I am so anxious to have it GONE that it's hard to be patient. I see some of my surgery buddies and those after me that have lost more than me, and it's hard not to be envious even though I know we're all on our own journey. One thing I did to help with this is to start using an iPhone app called "Everyday". The idea is to take a selfie of your face every day, and turn it into a timelapse video. I started about a month before surgery, and I don't take one every day by any stretch so I don't know that the movie will ever look like anything interesting. But I look at photos of my face on surgery day vs. today and I am shocked and thrilled to find angles where before there was only roundness. So there's that.

So I'm just curious how many people have actually went to Mexico and had their surgery? Its kinda scary to me but not as scary as my insurance telling me they will cover nothing if I have complications from this surgery. I have noticed there is insurance you can buy for any complications but it's only good for thirty days. Did anyone else have my concerns and went ahead with the surgery anyways in Mexico? What was the experience like? Anyone have Dr.Maytorena? Thanks Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

When a doctor is discouraging you from a lapband.. This should be a your red flag. I too, was very defensive about my lapband, but only because I was skinny ( but unhealthy as hell) and that was all I was wanting. I could sell you on a lapband in a second. I sold it to myself twice and fought like a pit bull when they said they were removing it to save my life.. I fought until I did die. (read my profile story) Don't be as stupid as me.. If I knew about the sleeve I wouldn't have wasted $100,000 on band and complications. Your doctor is probably very aware of the lapband failure and vast complication rate..