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I hung out on lapband and bypass forums, reading what kinds of problems and victories people were having. And I choose the band. There were too many serious stories of bypass problems, including deaths. Too many things I just didn't want to risk living with. And too many bypass patients re-gaining their weight and not knowing what to do. Yes, there can be complications with the band. And for many, the weightloss is slower at first, but studies are showing that 5 years out, it's about equal. And I think the banders are much healthier.

I don't think there are any doctors out there that don't stitch it in place anymore. There were way too many complications before. ~Mandy

BBCooks: I am a Physician Assistant and did much research before I took this "big" step. I found the consequences of morbid obesity were much worse than the less than 1% complication risk of lap band surgery. I TRULY understand the concern of failure...the battlefield truly is the mind in this! I am 6 days post op and have already lost 17lbs. I do realize that the weight loss will slow down but will happily take whatever I can get for the jump start and this is great motivation. I have also set goals up that I can meet too feel like I am not failing or "messing up" again! It's truly all about choices....make the choice that you are VERY important and you want to choose a good quality of life! God Bless you!!! Melody

My doctors have told me that I am 29 pounds from their goal weight for me! Personally, I thought I had 40 pounds to go. But I trust them more at this point. I made it through the holidays! Last year I was on liquid because of complications, and two years ago on liquid because of the impending surgery, so I was finally able to taste the food my family cooks only this time of year. I have no qualms that the last 29 pounds are going to take me at least 6 months, if not longer, so I am not going to let it bother me. LadyRoz hang in there.

Thanks for the reassurance. I have had medically necessary surgery before. I guess I am just worried about complications. I have 5 kids. It worries me. I will be glad to be on the other side of the surgery. I have to report to the hosp. in about 14 hours.:thumbup:

I know, I totally understand that. Surgery by choice creates much more anxiety and fear, especially being a mom. It took me three years to decide I would do the surgery because I have children! The risk of complications is what scared me the most. I talked to my surgeon about that and he reassured me that the risk was very low.... Think about the positives of this surgery and how it will change the example you set for them! You will be okay. When you get to the hospital, express to them your nerves are haywire and that you need an IV 'margarita!'. STAT! I have had several surgeries and I have never had anything for my nerves in pre-op. I just had a lap band revisional surgery four weeks ago. the anesthesiologist gave me a shot of versed or what he called a "maragarita" in the pre-op waiting room. I was so looped up when my surgeon came that I did not care! You just need to be able to relax. Hang in there and let us know how you feel afterward!

Hello all! I'm sorry to have missed this question earlier. I had my surgery 11/8/07 at Harper, and I really like Dr. Weiner. He is a very good surgeon, and I've had no complications or issues. I live outside of Toledo, Ohio and make the commute when I need a fill. I had a pretty good experience at the hospital - nurses were mostly good, etc. I have lost 83 pounds to date, and could not be happier with the band. It's a struggle, mentally, sometimes, but well worth it. Please keep us informed, since you are now post-op! My biggest complaint after surgery was the shoulder/gas pain right after surgery, but it was temporary. Best of luck! La Chaim!

:confused: On my own with Portion Control & exercise had successfully lost from 406 in January 2007 to 346 in August 2008. I was continuing to lose weight but HUNGRY all the time. I had investigated gastric bypass in 1999 & again in 2002 but it wasn't a risk I was willing to take at that time. The complications for someone with Lupus were astoundingly bad.:thumbdown: I had a friend go to a lap band seminar in June of 2007 & told me all the WONDERFUL things they learned.:biggrin: I went to a seminar in July 2007. I scheduled my appointment the night of the seminar but with insurance approval I couldn't have the surgery until August. My rheumatologist warned me about lupus complications but approved me for surgery at my insistence(sp?). My bad! I flew through the surgery without a glitch & only MINIMAL pain. :thumbup: I continued exercising by walking 10,000 steps a day without fail & riding the exercycle for 25 to 30 minutes daily. I had a big adjustment with lap band eating. It was awful not being able to drink with a meal or immediately after meals.:eek: After a few months, my port began to protrude & be extremely painful. :crying: I continued to loose & reached 261 before I couldn't stand to touch my own port area with an elastic waistband. I continued to see the surgeon & he was wonderful. I had a CT scan to determine if my body was rejecting the port & while there was some slight inflammation, he didn't believe it was infected. He thought the port might need to be relocated. I gained back up to 300 pounds just to be able to 'pad' the port & be able to tolerate the slightest touch any where near there. He gave me a cortisone injection in the area surrounding the port. It helped for a few days until the numbing agent wore off. I'd planned to get another in October 2008, by then my weight was up to 320 & quite frankly I was embarrassed :blushing: to go in since the first shot didn't really help. I moved away from the area in November 2008. By January 2009 I gained to 333. Needless to say I was very disappointed in myself. Now I'm unhappy after having pain for 1 1/2 years. I'm looking for surgeon to remove the whole thing but finding it a difficult process. The one I visited wanted $1,600 for 'out of network' expenses & I paid a non-refundable $500 to have him scare me out of my mind with a potential 'disaster'scare story. I had an egd & there were no leaks or erosion but he wanted the full balance before he'd operate. I wrote a personal check but that wouldn't work for their 'office policy'. I cancelled the surgery because it seemed the primary concern was MONEY, MONEY, MONEY!! My wellbeing took second place to the $$$ discussion. To have the lap band surgery initially, my insurance covered EVERYTHING except co-pay. Medicare picked up most of that. Quite frankly, I was doing better on my own with diet & exercise & in retrospect, I realize that hunger was simply 'fat burning' off my body & a good thing, not something to AVOID AT ALL COSTS. By exercising my legs in the hot tub, walking & riding the bike 15 to 20 minutes a day, I'm back down to 318. I hope to find a surgeon nearby that won't be so focussed on the financing. It's not that I don't HAVE the money, it's a matter of principle with me to have my health as a doctor's priority. I have ZERO fill in my band now! Other than when I have the flu & have to vomit, I have no restriction at all for eating. It's painful to throw up because even with only the band in place there's still a minor restriction.:w00t: Anyone out there who has lupus & banded? Any recommendations for surgeons in the Las Vegas, NV or Phoenix, AZ area for having it removed?

When I went to the doctor last for a case of bronchitis, I had a huge shock when I stepped on the scale -- 204!!! I'm 4'11. That gives me a BMI of 41.2. I've been maintaining at 170-180 for about the last 3-4 years. My highest weight ever was 244 when I was 19 and on birth control pills. When I wasn't in a relationship I decided to just throw them away -- they were costing me money and it wasn't like I was in danger of getting pregnant... my allegedly underactive thyroid got into the normal range within a month of coming off of them. I got down to 145 over a year, then have crept back up. The thing that changed me from the 170-180 up to this was dislocating my kneecap nearly two years ago. I've had reduced activity -- it still hurts to walk through Wal-Mart. When I saw the scale go up over 200, I wanted to cry, and not just for physical pain. I know to some I don't have a huge weight problem. People say I "carry it well". They don't want to offend me, I'm sure. And I even admit it's not as bad as it used to be. But I'm terrified. My mother had gastric bypass at 265 lbs, she now weighs 120 but has had major complications -- says she doesn't regret it a bit tho. Four of her cousins had it. My paternal grandmother should have had it, but at the time Medicaid didn't cover it. She died in a nursing home at 62, weighing 600 lbs needing double knee replacements but too heavy for them to do them. I don't want to live that life. I don't know if I have severe comorbidities because I've not checked. I haven't had a cholesterol test, sleep study, EKG, anything else like that -- almost too afraid to. I do have asthma and my knee, but I have Aetna insurance and I know those don't qualify. But am I crazy to be thinking about the Lap-Band when I'm only 29 and only a 41.2 BMI? (If the pre-surgical diet takes me down much, and it doesn't take much at 4'11, I might not meet Aetna's qualifications for the surgery from what I can see....)

Well I met with my surgeon yesterday and I'm scheduled for surgery on April 26th. I'm extremely happy and nervous all at the same time. I already see a change in my attitude (I'm happier) just knowing I'm going to have a better and healthier future. But I do still question if im doing the right thing. Im not Severely overweight. Im 5'6" and weighed 218 yesterday. But Im have other health concerns and I'm trying to address this quickly instead of waiting. But With the what if's. What if Im the one out of so many with the complications. Like bad heartburn, I do some acid reflux now but I don't have to be on a daily medicine. The complications are scary but not living happy is scary too. I'm not trying to bring myself down. Did anyone have this scared feeling if your doing the right thing and come out of it with or without regrets

Well the 12th is getting here really fast. I dont say much on here but could write a book with the things going through my mind. This site has been a great comfort. I am in a new place with no friends around to talk to. I have a wonderful understanding wife but she cant really relate. Its been really good for me to read the sucesses, the what to bring checklist, and even the complications just to know that if I have any of them, I wasnt alone and not in the dark about them. It doesnt take away the nerves but it has helped alot. Thank you to all that have shared the good, the bad, and the ugly and after Tuesday, I will be adding more experience to everyone looking for information. E

Port infections are thought to sometime cause erosion. Erosion is very serious -- if it happens, you've lost your band and can't have another. Please do what you can to have this taken care of ASAP! Also, if you post in the Complications forum, you will find a bunch of people who have already gone through this who can give you good advice.

I did not have a pain pump, I was in alot of pain, but I think that might have made it much more complicated and worse. Just a tip, make sure you get your scheduled fills after to get best results! Good Luck! I took a nasal spray pain medicine which was great and worked well.

Hi, Excuse me but I am new to online forums. I'm sure over time my tech-savvy will improve. I am 4 weeks post sleeve. My first 2 weeks were awesome I thought "wow" then I've been really going backwards. I have celiac disease which flared a lactose intolerance, which has added to my woes. At about 2 weeks on a minced and mashed diet I started to vomit all solids. It didn't matter if I took nause medication (I take Nexium) up it would come. Landed in hospital for a night just after xmas for fluids and a scope - all was fine. Home sweet home for a few days and the vomiting started all over again. My doc is great but I think he's wondering what to do with me. Also every time I eat solids or even thick Soups I get moderate to severe stomach pain - like a spasm and in my stomach that radiated to a variety of places over my tummy. I have now been told this is not 'normal'. After I eat, the pain goes away generally within 5 to 10 minutes. I am keen to here if others have experienced a similar set of complications and how did you cope and DID IT PASS? Cheers, Gmac (I have not figured a signature out yet!):thumbup:

I would think you are probably fine, but get it checked for peace of mind. And perhaps you should up your calories to more than 800 a day. Not more than 4-6 oz in a sitting, but more calories a day could be why you are hungry. I have to eat between 1400-2000 calories a day. Yeah I'm eating all day long.... but I worked my butt off to lose the weight, now I gotta work on keeping it up a bit (due to complications as my signature shows, I've not be a "normal" sleever and lost too much this last go around due to complications, so now I'm working at keeping my weight at 135, which I am below this week). I know at one point in my journey, 800 calories wasn't doing it for me. Perhaps you are just at that stage, but I hope to read you are fine and all is good after getting it checked. Best of luck, always.

Have you considered getting the gastric sleeve? Especially since you are self pay. Don't forget that with the band, you will have to pay for fills until you get to your "sweet" spot. You will also need to have follow up EGDs yearly to check for erosions, etc. Lastly, contrary to what some say, the band isn't always "reversable". I spent nearly $40,000.00 after I had the band dealing with the problems that the band caused (this is not including the original surgery which my insurance paid for). I am not trying to scare you but just think about it. The sleeve is the same thing as a partial gastrectomy, which they have been doing for years for other issues such as cancer, severe ulcers, etc. It is considered "experimental" for weight loss because of the "newness" of doing it for weight loss. Kind of like when they use a medication for one thing and then a few years later find out that it helps other diseases than just those that it was approved for. There are many people who I know that have had "partial gastrectomies" for years. The only problem they have is that they are "skinny". Once you get the sleeve, you are done. No going back and paying for "fills". No having multiple surgeries to correct adhesions and other issues caused by the band. No paying for yearly EGDs. No worrying about finding another surgeon to take care of you and do the fills if you move away or your surgeon decides to "retire" or close his practice. I could go on and on but I won't. As I said, I'm not trying to scare you or piss on your parade so to speak. Just giving you something to think about. This is especially true since you are self pay. Just trying to let you know that there is a cheaper, safer way to achieve weight loss through surgery. Just go to verticlesleevetalk.com and obesityhelp.com to the revision sections/complications section and read, read, read, read before you have your surgery.

Rhonda, Your decision should be made between you and your surgeon and some self-reflection. I am 4 mos out now and feel great with my decision and my weight loss. That said, my surgeon was very clear with me that if I could not commit to regular exercise I would probably lose 20-40# tops! I am in the gym 5-7days every week since a month after surgery. For me, I had lost weight before I considered surgery. I know I can lose it and have the right mindset to succeed and keep it off. Also, I had made many lifestyle changes prior to surgery. I am young and otherwise very healthy aside from a back injury. At this point, I didn't feel I needed to go the more drastic route of RNY. I like that I am responsible for my weight loss. I have some restriction now, but I still have more control over my choices than bypass patients do. In 4 mos postop and a little over a year since starting this process I am now down almost 90# and down 6 dress sizes. So it can be done, but takes A LOT of dedication. If you are able and willing to commit to regular cardio and strength training as well as make the changes in your diet, then the band may be right for you. However, choosing the bypass is a great option as well. You will lose weight faster, but there are other possible complications and longer recovery. You can dump post bypass but not post band. With either surgery, vomiting and PB'ing can happen. Since bypass is malabsorptive, you can have Vitamin and mineral deficits, but these issues can happen after the band too, if you make poor choices. Also, do not look at the band as reversible because it should not be removed except in the extreme case of severe complications. The band is placed to help you manage your weight over time. Just because you lose X pounds doesn't mean then the band can come out. Both surgeries are major abdominal procedures and are permanent except in the rare case. RNY is more drastic and requires a lot of cutting and stapling while the band involves some internal sutures around the device. Both surgeries have been proven to be safe and effective. Remember, RNY is still considered the gold standard for WLS. In the end, both surgeries require you to exercise in order to keep the weight off. The bypass just shortens the weight loss phase. I know many people who have chosen both surgeries and each has been successful and healthy. The choice is yours, but I encourage you to be honest with yourself- your comittment, expectations, and lifestyle. Talk to your surgeon and others who have had surgery. Best of luck! I'm sure you'll come to the right decision for you. I wouldn't change my decision for anything!!

Well I have decided there is no "leaning" toward the sleeve - it is definitely the one I want. My appointment with the surgeon is April 7th but my insurance just changed and now I have to see my primary Doctor for 6 months instead of 3 - a little disappointed, if I had not sat on the fence for a month I would probably be scheduled already But hey, all in good time. I now think it will be August, hopefully earlier in the month and not latter!! I joined weight watchers this week in hopes to start losing some now and as part of my "plan" with my doctor - even if I lose 50 lbs I still have a high enough BMI. I went ahead and scheduled all my monthly visits with my doctor. Honestly, if it weren't for all the scary "your insurance won't pay for complications" I would go to Mexico and have it done tomorrow!!! I am really enjoying reading everyone's posts, this is a great board. I don't know anyone around me who has had the sleeve, pretty new around here I believe. I know a ton who have had RNY and a few with Lap Band and one with DS but that's it so this board has been so helpful!! Thanks everyone!

I am a 49 year old female with a BMI of 35, high blood pressure. For years I have been wanting a lapband but neither my insurance nor my husbands would cover it. Since the kids are now out of school my husband said if you really want this then do it. I talked with a surgeon in my city and then went to Houston to see one that my friend had used. I was all ready to get it scheduled and then when he heard that I wanted to lose 50-60 pounds he said, no I'm not going to do it because you will not lose that much weight and you will be wanting a revision in less than 5 years. He wanted me to do the sleeve and I said no and he still wouldn't do the lapband. Now I am a self pay and this is a real good surgeon. So after crying all the way home I started thinking why would he say this to me if its not true. I believe that you can search these forums and find the responses that you want to find, I always mostly read to good about lapband. I have to say that I can't find too much negative about the sleeve. My only problem is that I am so scared of complications since I am a selfpay. I don't want my family to have financial problems because of me. My husband says whatever I want to do he is behind me but added that he really doesn't think I am big enough to have the surgery, just exercise and follow my diet. Oh of course, I hadn't even thought about that. Anyway, I read these forums daily and just can't decide what to do, its not the money, its not having to deal with eating small portions, its just being scared of a leak. I just want to cry every morning when I get dressed cause I look so fat.

oh, I know I'm not getting the lapband. After the surgeon refused to do it and I got over the rejection, I started really reading about it and decided not to do the band. I just need to decide if to do the sleeve, just scared of costly complications. You have done so good, I enjoy reading your post

It'll pass faster than you think, I had to do 6 months but my dr accepted a previous month as a starting point, would tha work for you? My cousin just had sleeve on 3/21 and she purchased a insurance thru the droctor office to cover complications it was 1200.00 and covered any dr anywhere...just saying it does exist if you are leaning toward self pay. She pd 12,200.00 and tht included EVERYTHING! Good Luck you'll love this forum. Eyeryone is super supportive!!

Hi there- I am a revision patient. I had a band for almost 4 years - lost 40 pounds, gained back 20. Totally not worth it. That said, only you can decide if the sleeve is the right thing to do after the band. I wanted an "insurance policy" after I had my band taken out. I wanted to make sure that I wouldn't baloon up again after the band was gone. It has been 6 weeks since my revision and I am ECSTATIC with the results. The recovery was hard, but the positives outweigh the negatives. I am at a point where I can eat almost anything (but very small quantities) and it feels really good. Make sure you read through this board extensively - there is so much infromation here! Also, there is a band to sleeve revision topic on the main page (scroll down until you see it). A lot of us revision folks post info there. As far as your questions: 1. Is all this true? Averag weight loss is just that - an average. Since I have less to lose, I am not sure how close I will get to my goal or how soon. People lose well over 100 pounds with the surgery. 2. Are there more than 1 type of sleeve operations? There is one variation that I know of - sleeve plication. You might want to do a search on this board for "plication" and send messages to some of the folks who have had it done. It is not nearly as common. 3. Is it difficult to transition from the lapband to the sleeve? Surgically, it can be challenging if you have had complications or excessive scarring. The doc won't really know until they get in there and see what is going on. My revision was not terribly complicated - Dr removed scar tissue and adhesions from my liver and my total surgery time was less than 90 minutes. Emotionally, the transition has its ups and downs. You will feel restriction like you never had with the band. This is good, but the first few weeks on all liquids and very strict diet can be tough on you emotionally. The good thing is that it doesn't allow you to cheat. After 4-6 weeks you are eating normally (but a lot less) and it gets much easier. 4. Does Insurance cover it? (I have Blue Cross) For some people it does - you will have to explore that option. 5. Are there other important questions that I am not asking? Read through the boards extensively and you will most likely come up with a list of questions for your doctor. Also, feel free to ask all of us questions about our experiences. The knowledge and support here is invaluable. Good luck to you in your decision! Lara

Hi Sarah I've been lurking around for a little while round here too! Three years ago at the age of 33 I was diagnosed with uterine cancer which was treated with a hysterectomy. Because it was a very rare type of cancer (uterine adenosarcoma) my surgeon preferred not to do any other chemo/radiation as it was caught early and there wasn't enough data to suggest the benefits would outweight the negatives. So I was lucky to avoid those hair-loss type side effects you experienced, and six monthly check-ups have been all good. I too lost a lot of weight around that time from the stress of it all, but of course gained it all back over time. I got banded in June. I have noticed a little more hair falls out on the sink after brushing it, but can't notice any difference on my head. Not sure if it takes longer than 3 months to be noticeable though? Others will let you know. My orthopaedic surgeon was the one who suggested banding as I needed a hip replacement (to treat congenital hip dysplasia) and he was reluctant to perform the surgery due to my weight and the associated risks/complications. I spent 20 years yo-yo dieting, weight fluctuations of up to 50 pounds, only to wind up heavier than ever. Although my hip would always have failed earlier than most, it's pretty clear my obesity didn't help matters. Sounds like a cliche but I really wish I could have gotten the weight under control 10 years ago when I was your age. The struggle doesn't get any easier, and the impact on your health just compounds as years go by. I've lost about 50 pounds in the past 3.5 months (even with a total hip replacement surgery last month and being unable to do any activity for the past 5 weeks). It's not always easy having a band as I'm sure you've gathered. I've been having a lot of trouble eating and even sometimes drinking in the past couple of weeks. I've had all of my small amount of fill (2cc) removed and still having trouble. My surgeon can only put it down to changes in body's Fluid composition following the hip replacement surgery last month, as a barium swallow showed the band has not slipped. All very stressful, but I would do it over again as it's my best chance at reaching/maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding any more health problems. All I can tell you is I really wish I could have done it at your age and had 10 less years of wear and tear on my body. All the very best regardless of your decision.

My dr. and his partner have done over 2,000 lapbands with minimal (like.02%) complications. That number satisfied me. That being said, I agree that it's also important to get a feel for the office. Also, remember that the more patients, the busier the office. Good luck to you. Rainer

if you go to lap band complications you will find people who have had issues. as for me i think i have first bite syndrome. in the beginning like the first 3 months it felt like i constantly had something stuck in my throat. over time it went away it was just annoying. it does come back every once in awhile. im fortunate to say so far i have not had any major issues.