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This is for me. Ok so I am nearly 40, married, three kids and I have always been overweight. I am sick of the comments "your not fat" or "you have beautiful skin"( yeah dont look to close!) and my favorite "your healthy" No I'm not! I am always doing for others and then blaming them for my hangups and failures. I am sick and tired of getting dressed up thinking i look nice and then arriving at said function being surrounded by tiny gorgeous women that dont sweat. :toetap05: So after great deliberation I have decided on the band! Yeah I was confident and excited and now I am kinda starting to freak the closer I get to surgery date which is Feb 20th 2009. My start weight is 108kgs. I am frightened, hey like what am I going to eat, what if there are complications blah blah, you know what EXCUSES! my whole life is made up of excuses! so hear we go!

Good luck to you. My consult appt is in May. I’ve done a ton of research already but this is what I’m planning on asking: Explain the procedure in detail What are the potential complications/ risks? What will recovery look like for me? What will my diet consist of immediately post-op in 1 and 3 months? And I’m sure I’ll think of more!

I was afraid. Not sure I would get approved and also afraid of complication. I am 9 days post op. went back to work after 6 days( only 5 hours) I am resting knowing my limit getting all protein vitamins and walking. Go in with confidence and know this shall pass. I had never had any kind o surgery. I'm 47. I was afraid. Never let fear stop you. Do research follow Instructions on recovery to a t. I jut went for a walk with my 11 year old and after 9 days I feel great. Yes it isn't easy ( major gas, insicion pain!) bur think I expected the worse and it is ok. Good luck.

I am so afraid of the unknown and the potential complications. I just really need this to go well.

Hi I am a new recipient of the band, June 24th. I have had few complications and am looking forward to the next stages of my new life choice. Please plant all your wisdoms upon me, they are welcomed. Thanks

I was going to say that if you're price shopping, Dr. Aceves isn't exactly the cheapest Mexican surgeon. He's just the best one! I could have chosen to have surgery anywhere in the world. I'm lucky enough to have great credit, and my bank was willing to grant me an unsecured loan up to $20K. I was living in Germany and couldn't find a doctor experienced enough with sleeves to do it there (where it would have cost a fortune in euros vs. dollars for self pay), or I would have had it done in Germany and saved myself the two days of travel back and forth. I chose Dr. Aceves after carefully researching three other stateside doctors, all of them good, all of them experienced and all of them good choices. But as someone self-paying and flying 11 hours to do this, I wanted the BEST care, with the longest possible hospital stay. Dr. Aceves fit the bill and I cannot complain at all. I urge everyone, regardless of where you're having surgery done, to DO YOUR RESEARCH. Do not assume that just because your doctor is American that he/she is automatically a great choice. Review statistics, look up as many reviews/recommends as you can. Do the leg work. This is your LIFE on the line if you choose an inexperienced doctor. And sometimes, sh*t happens and even an experienced doctor can have a leak and you can suffer complications. It's a hazard of choosing a serious surgery. So do your leg work and be prepared. Finally, I would like to comment on the notes about Dr. Rodriguez. While I do not discount that this person had legitimate reasons to be concerned, I'd say that when you choose to go to a hospital out of America you can't be upset if they're not 100% to American standards. This issue is on the patient for not researching adequately, though I do appreciate that she shared her experience for everyone else. Word of mouth is very important. If she had an allergy this could have been a fatal operation. I have had two operations and countless medical appointments outside of America and can honestly say that even top notch care in another country can seem outdated or not as safe to us because we're so incredibly used to American care. I was amazed to see old school glass bottles and plastic tubing were going to be my IV when I was in Kyiv for a procedure, but they broke out clean, sterilized tubing and a sterile needle without my mentioning anything so I felt comfortable. Sometimes you have to go with the flow, but above all, try to be prepared. ~Cheri

:w00t:hi everyone today i went for my first fill. my appointment was at 11:40. got their at 11:15. had to wait for like five minutes.by the way i gained 3lbs.she ask me what i was eating i said mashed potatoes.mushy stage she said no carbs.but protien. the doctor gave me 1.5cc he said i had the small band, standard.i don,t know how many cc,s it hold. but anyway it was painless an easy about f ive seconds it was done he ask me did i fell anything i say no he says most people do some don,t but for a second i could taste it in my throat.it taste just like my iv fluid when my nurse change my iv bag during my hospital stay. after the fill he gave me water to sip it went down fine.i am to do liquids for today, tomorrow mushy, then he said regular foods.he is a great doctor.so far i haven,t had any complications what so ever. as i sit here sipping my chicken broth i think i can feel something.so my people how are you doing. wishing everyone blessings on our new journey in life. (:smile::tt2::lol:sil)

So sorry you've had some complications but hopefully it is all resolved for the better now! The mood swings and sadness and depressed feelings (and even rage, joy, irritability) can be chalked up to hormone swings because of the fat you're losing (fat is a very efficient hormone storage medium and as you lose fat, the hormones are flushed into your system to cause all sorts of mood changes). It is normal to feel down after having this procedure, especially the "what the @#! did I just do" type of depression and I imagine it's multiplied by having complications. Be kind to yourself and just know it does get better and once you start really improving weight and activity wise. Good luck to you!

I'm so sorry that you've had complications. Sending positive, healing vibes.

Sorry to hear you are having issues. Have you been told what the actual problemis? Is it on the list of possible complications you should have been provided with pre surgery?

Im having my surgery on the 24th aswell. its been a very looooong 2 weeks of fluids. I dont think i can go on anymore, i just wanna have the opp over and done with now. im getting admitted tomorrow at 1pm. im counting the hours now actually and im hoping for a safe surgery with no complications..

Welcome to LBT! The band is not meant to be removed unless you have complications. Good Luck!

Tomorrow I will be one week post op. The first 3 days i was in hospital, it was only going to be one night but I had alot of complications and ended up in there for 3 nights. The gas pain is crazy! My stomach is very bloated and it's difficult to burp, walking alot does help but it doesn't make it all better 😁. I am on full liquids for 2 weeks and staying hydrated seems to be pretty easy because I feel thirsty every minute of the day. Protein isn't as easy. But every time I swallow, I feel pain/pressure. Hmmf . I just keep going, I know it will get better and better. 😛

Rather than focusing on the very low risk of surgery complications.....focus on the very REAL risk of obesity related cancers, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and reduced mobility. If you frame it in your mind as something you must do to prevent harm coming to you....instead of something that could cause harm, you might be less afraid. The odds are in your favor of the surgery doing much more good than harm. PS...the first time I went in for a consult for weight loss surgery was almost 20 years ago:) Got it done in December and wish i'd done it years ago:)

@@Tryingtogetmylifeback, Call your surgeon. You don't need to go this long without hydration. This is extremely dangerous. You may need to go to the ER but certainly call your doctor right away. I know mine gave me a number to call for complications and emergencies. Not being able to drink for two days is an emergency.

I was a big worrier my biggest fear what if something went wrong. I went back over the pro and con list I made to once again remind myself why I need to lose my weight. I questioned why I was scared or what was the real reason I was scared/worried. I question one of my biggest worry, death. Why was I afraid I might die? For me I question the trust of my surgeon. I took a deep look at why I was worried about the surgery itself and looked at the reality of my worries. I looked at the fact my surgeon was a stranger, I looked at if he was experienced enough, I looked at the trust I had for my doctor and staff. I found that my fears were unfounded. Yes, there are concerns for anyone going under the knife, but when looking at the low complication rate and trusting your skilled surgeon is the key. For me, I couldn’t trust my surgeon. My head and my heart said I should rethink my surgery so that’s what I did. I researched the operation compared to others (I’m glad I did I was schedule 3 days later for Gastric bypass but I changed to a VSG, thank goodness I did the research), complication rate, hospital standards, and most importantly, the doctors background (success rate, complication, or malpractice). Once all my concerns where answered, I prepared for my surgery using positive talk and meditation by thinking of the weight I would lose and the health I will get back. To help me through the stressful period, I downloaded some free meditation audio files and listen to them. Here is a link to Kaiser Permeate Guided imagery programs that really helped me. Download the one for surgery and take it with you to listen on your mp3 player. Your probably don’t need it, but good luck on your surgery. https://members.kaiserpermanente.org/redirects/listen/

So everything went great surgery was perfect, and I had no complications (praise God!). Let me be very honest. The first day was horrible, even into the first night. I had so much chest pain from the gas and acid reflux, its extremely painful, but would rather see you prepared. My only incision that hurt was the one where they took out my stomach. It burned but by day two I was fine. I'm excited to go home today. Yesterday I had 14oz of liquid and today I've already had 4 yes I'm tired. But walking gives me energy and it helps with moving my food and gas so very much do as much walking as you can. I wish you all the best of luck on your journies. And remember you make this tool work for you, but you must exercise abs use it the right way. I'm glad I made this decision, one of the best choices I made )

I'm about 4 days out from surgery, resting at home with no complications (knock on wood). I'm able to sleep regularly without pain meds, however when I wake up in the morning or after a nap, I have a horribly acrid/bitter taste in my mouth. I'm not having problems with reflux, so it's not an acidic taste. Any insight?

sleep apnea is something your anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist will be able to manage during your surgery. They'll ventilate you with positive pressure through your endotracheal tube. They deal with obstructive sleep apnea all the time, particularly in WLS patients. It's vital that they're informed of the severity of your apnea, but you shouldn't be concerned about not waking up or having complications due to it. Also, you'll need your CPAP in the hospital afterward.

I have seen it go both ways when someone has a complication. There's been times when a persons insurance pays, and then there are people who's insurance refuses to pay for any complication related to weight loss. I think it depends on your insurance company and to know for sure you would need to ask them. I wish I could help you more, but no one here is really going to be able to answer your question, only your insurance. I was self-pay for my Sleeve in MX, so I do understand the concerns completely! Good luck on your weight loss journey!

I also was a self pay. I was sleeved last Thursday. The way the doctor here in KY explained it to me was that my insurance would not cover any cost with the original surgery, hospital stay etc. And if there were complications they would not cover it. They actually offered me a thing called BLIS insurance that for a fee would cover any complications. You may want to see if your doctor offers this. It gave me great peace of mind.

Experience is very important but you also have to consider the travel time. What if you are having some type of complication or another and cant get there? Plus like you said he has done gastric for 10 years. In my opinion, it seems doing a lap band would be a piece of cake for him. Plus he wouldnt have been certified if he didnt know what he was doing. Another thing to think of is that he is not going to be the only one in the room. Im sure someone else though they may not be the one doing the surgery have seen one done and could assist him if the need be.

Who I am now isn't so important as how I came to be this person, wife, mother, grandmother, sister. The history is what formed me, challenged me to overcome, compelled me to do better than those who came before me. I was born near the mid-point of the last century, in a large western US city. My parents married because they had conceived me when my mom was 16. My birth father was 19. As it turned out, he was a violent paranoid schizophrenic and a pedophile. My mom was later Dx with Borderline Personality disorder. I won't go into detail, suffice it to say that my earliest memories are horrific. My two younger brothers and I suffered the abuse and neglect until I was 9 1/2 years old, when a neighbor girl was assaulted by my birth father, he was arrested and sent to a state psychiatric hospital for treatment. I was taken in to protective custody for four days, while my mother was investigated and cleared of complicity in my abuse. He was not allowed within 300 miles of me, upon his release, 4 years later. When I was 14, he committed suicide. My mom had remarried in 1960 to a wonderful man I refer to as Dad. He earned my trust, respect and love. They had two more little boys in the two years following their marriage. My Dad died of sleep apnea in 1978, we were all devastated and heartbroken...it was the undoing of my mom and my dearest brother. My mom turned to scotch for comfort, inviting my 17 year old brother to be her drinking partner. My mom died 8 miserable years later of pancreatic cancer. Those 8 years were awful, watching my mom decline, my brothers suffer. She raged constantly, told me often that I had no idea of her pain, her suffering. She made life a living hell for her family and circle of friends. She was diagnosed and died in 12 short weeks later. My brother died 14 years later, the victim of a predatory female who took advantage of his alcoholism, a recent injury, subbed his Rx pain Meds with extra strength Tylenol. Took him 3 weeks to die of liver failure, on our dad's birthday. My heart was broken. This brother was the first male I had in my life who loved me unconditionally. He was born when I was 11 and he was like a son to me. He was my husband's best buddy, my kids favorite uncle, everybody loved him. Yes, he was an alcoholic, very high functioning, but losing him was the saddest event of my life to date. My brother has been gone for 12 years...I think of him every day. I remember my little grandkids running up to the car when I'd arrive at their house, all four of them would climb in the car hugging me, asking me "...is you sad? Did your Brubbie die? Sorry *****, usses loves you! ". They did this for months, until I finally told them I felt better because they healed my broken heart. I have 8 grandkids 6 teens, 2 in their twenties. The youngest 4 are all the same age, 3 identical girls and a boy. I am blessed. Of my four siblings, two have passed. The oldest, died at age 51 as a transient. He inherited the mental illness genes and I never saw him after my mother's death. The next oldest lives in NM, his mind ravaged by years of alcohol and drug abuse. We have minimal contact thru FB. The youngest has never been able to form healthy relationships with anyone...I see him once per year when he comes to visit. He misses his big brother too. He tells me that his true home is wherever I am. I wish my mom had let me take him when he was 15 and she went on her 8 year binge. So...this is my emotional history, in a nutshell. The other stuff doesn't matter, except to say that my family is healthy, successful and happy. We celebrate often, mourn together when the time comes and love and support each other faithfully. My kids have all been married to their HS sweethearts for over 20 years each. We have done better than the generation before us...the bar was low on my side, but my husband and his family were great role models. I'm thankful every day for their love, support and example. I miss them painfully.

This is my first entry in a blog in a very long time. I am not one to keep up with writing every day, but I'd like to make an effort to throughout my journey. I think that not only will I appreciate having a chronicle of my life to look back on, but that it will help me explore the feelings that come up through this process. So I guess a good place to start is an introduction to myself and my journey thus far. Unlike most people on this website, I have not been in the process of trying to get my vertical sleeve for almost a year. The decision has been made for months, but only recently have I been able to afford it/had the ability to get time off work/school. However, the insurance that will cover the procedure ends at the end of this month (I am covered under a family member's plan and am limited in my ability to have an impact on which insurance I am covered under), and my surgeon's office has been very accommodating in helping make this a reality for me before I lose the benefits that will cover the surgery. I will be covered by another insurance plan post-op so I will still have any issues/follow-up covered, just their coverage is far stricter in terms of what they cover for weight loss surgery. Because of this difference in circumstances, everything has been kind of abbreviated so far. I have a lengthy pre-op appointment on Tuesday, July 24th to have final blood work and other measurements taken to ensure I am well for surgery. I have no significant comorbidities that threaten to complicate the surgery. I was tested for low thyroid last year, so while it does run in my family, it's not something that I have yet. I completed my pysch eval on Tuesday, July 3rd. I do see a psychiatrist regularly, and if I was going to recommend something for anyone who has actually had treatment would be to stay with either your doctor if they can do evals or see if there is another doctor in the area they recommend. I chose my evaluating psychologist based on who could get me in the soonest so I could get my paperwork done. It made my evaluation more difficult and stressful than it should have been. My surgeon is not requiring me to do a cardiac stress test or whatnot based on my age and lack of any past health problems. I got the feeling from their scheduling department that the pre-op appointment may include quite a bit of testing (Maybe EKG, etc) but they have not detailed the exact tests they will be doing. I am already aware that this means post-op may be a little difficult due to less time preparing, but I am following up after surgery with continual therapy, nutritional counseling, and am currently looking for a support group to join in the area (Plus this website's support). So I suppose a little about me would be helpful for my background too. I am in my mid 20's and I am about halfway through school to become a nurse. I live in Michigan, although I dream of eventually being able to move to North Carolina =) I have been overweight all of my life, and morbidly obese for probably the last 5-7 years. I have done many different diets and have had mixed success. For a long period of time I did weight watchers and lost quite a bit, but keeping it off has always been a struggle. I spent a long time when I was younger with the view that surgery was "The easy way out" which is something that I've heard over the past few months from a couple family/friends. It's interesting how as you grow (both physically and mentally) how your view point changes. I think my turning point came somewhere a year or so ago when I realized that this isn't about a competition or some kind of badge to lose weight, it's about whatever route works for you to get to a place where you are physically healthy enough to participate in life and decrease the likelihood of an early death or disease condition. Once in a while the comment about it being easy (Because surgery is not a 100% guarantee, it's a tool to help) still gets to me, but if I take the time to remember why I felt that way and that the people I'm talking to may not understand how it feels, I usually feel better about it. Today: Today I'm feeling about 4/10 on an anxiety scale. I know that I shouldn't be, because I have faith that things will work out, but I'm worried about the pre testing. I know that if they did find something that it would be in my best interest to not have surgery until getting it corrected, but with my insurance changing and the small window I have to get it done, it's something that's hard to keep out of my mind. On the other hand, I am incredibly excited to have even the chance at an opportunity to turn my life around. My surgeon does not require a pre-op diet, but I have decided that getting myself on a modified version of post-op diet food will be helpful in building both a better understanding of what the post-op diet consists of, the habit of eating these foods, and the momentum of having already been on this path. I have been eating better for the past few months, but I am generally not a big person for protein shakes, so I've been working at least one in every two days for breakfast, and today I have moved to 2 daily. I have to admit, I have been surprised about how filling the shakes have been. Right now I am supplementing a whey protein mix with soy milk or skim milk depending on what we have had here at home. I am in the process of looking for a more well rounded meal replacement shake, and my clinic does offer some that I will be taking a look into on Tuesday. I have a problem that I'm hoping others may be able to shed some light on for me. I have been making sure to get in my vitamins, and I know that vitamin d is essential to your body. It's something that we often find people low in here in my state, and I know that it's very possible that I am not at an optimal level either. So I have always made an effort to get some in my diet and in supplement. Unfortunately, vitamin d makes me NAUSEOUS. At first I thought it might be the combination calcium/vitamin d (Which I know you're supposed to take together) since that only has 400iu of vitamin d in it, but I tried vitamin d on it's own, and it is absolutely the vitamin d. Anything over 400iu and I will get nauseous to the point of getting sick. Does anyone have this problem? Any suggestions or ideas how you get in your vitamin d/calcium with this issue?

I have been considering GBP for a LONG time. However, my insurance doesn't cover it so I have to be a self pay patient and it is $23,000. Needless to say I have been putting it off for financial reasons. Anyway, lately I have been doubting my decision to have GBP and have started considering the Lap-Band. I have a friend who had it done and has had very little success and I am afraid I won't suceed either. With GBP you have no choice but to succeed. I have researched GBP for a long time but not so much the Lap band. I have a lot of questions...... How much does it cost for self pay? How quickly do you lose weight? How soon after you get it on can you get it filled and how often? What are the complications?