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Good luck!!! I'm sure this is a very trying time for you but this too shall pass. I'm sorry to hear of all the complications you have encountered. Thank you for sharing this information though because I will definitely make sure to take it easy and allow myself to heal and pay attention to any signs my body may be giving me. Stay strong!!!

@@amandasue Oh dear Lord you poor thing. I'm so sorry to hear of all of these complications you have had. How are you feeling now? I hope your resting comfortably.

I was banded Sept. 2010. I know it hasn't been that long, but I can tell you that getting banded was the best thing I could have done for myself. Bypass was never an option for me. I have seen too many people with complications/death and I have 2 young children. It didn't even cross my mind. The band has been a great tool for weight loss. I am down 53 lbs and so proud of what I have been able to do so far! Do your research and figure out what is best for you.

Wendy, So sweet of you to post and leave such a positive message for me. I really appreciate this! As for losing weight on my own, I am totally focussed at the moment and that hasn't happened before. I know I can do it! 60 pounds isn't really that much and what else would I do in the next two years?. I still have to eat right anyways whether I have the band or not. I know a person who got the band in January of this year and she's not losing that much weight. She's disappointed! She's lost almost 35 pounds since her surgery and she has another 120 to go. (Wow) She hasn't had any complications, so that is good. I believe in God and what I've read on the forums about the complications and troubles people had with the band I know God was whispering with that little voice in the back of my head that I shouldn't do this surgery. Some of the stories got me real scared. I know God is a loving God and only wants what is best for me considering my heart condition. My appetite has greatly decreased in the past month and I believe this is an answer to my prayer. I prayed and asked him to help me with this weight problem because I cannot do it alone. I need him to give me the strength and motivation. I believe this is the way he wants me to do it and I am A okay with that! :D I feel so content and happy! Best of luck to you as well. Hugs, Christina

You look GREAT Tiffy! I know from your posts that it was a hard journey to get where you are now from the complications with your revision, but I can tell you appreciate your success sooo much more because of how difficult it was. I agree with everyone that you are a marvelous inspiration. I can't wait for next spring/summer to wear some cute dresses. Like you, I have never experienced that. Oh the little things in life...:tongue_smilie:

I was banded on 12/31/13. I've only had one fill since. There are only 4cc in the 10cc band. I don't feel any restriction. Never been stuck. I've lost 30 lbs and rarely feel real hunger. I'm actually afraid to get another fill because I don't want to take a chance on it being too tight or causing complications. Hoping to leave it alone as long as I continue to lose 1-2 pounds a week. I really make an effort to watch everything I eat and had to change the way I think about food. I'm sure if I had more restriction, I might lose faster, but think I'll stay where I'm at for awhile. Best of luck to you. I hope you get where you need to be:-)

Today I am regretting the heck out of wearing jeans that have been sitting in the back of my closet for over 10 years. Kidding. There could be complications. There could be excess skin. In my situation, it was worth the risk. I have a list of reasons I hated being fat. Only you can decide if it's worth the risk for you.

I do miss food. But I miss that refreshed feeling of drinking water. I had some complications so that also contributes to my feelings.

Thank you all for the concern & good advice, I see I was not detailed enough in my post, in my defense it was my very FIRST post and at 2:30 am after the shock of seeing a mug shot of my surgeon so a little slack please 1. I have been under a doctors care and have the medical bills to prove it (ouch $$$$) Constant care. 2. I did recieve post op instructions & followed them to a T. Exercise & diet I have the YMCA membership and grocery bills to prove that too, hee hee. So with that being said I assure you I am living up to my responsibilities as an adult. And thou you do not know me, I am here to say I am not a person who is in it for a quick buck by suing somebody. I have never went to court in my life. I don't even return my meal at a restaurant if it sucks, I just chalk it up to "life", ya know? I simply got shook up from seeing a mug shot of the man who operated on me in Mexico, plus the fact of my unusual health symptoms since the surgery. More worrisome then the lapband was my mass amount of blood loss. I feel like I have some internal infection of sorts (But I am by NO means a doctor, and it is just my feeling). My post was not saying Dr. Huacuz has damagaged me. It said my family (especially my hubby) has been saying all my health problems started as soon as I had the lapband so as you can imagine he hit the roof once he saw the article... My post was expressing my fear and my feeling of "What do I do now" Prior to this I had spent much time trying to get my records from the Tijuana clinic for the Gastric fill center I am going to state side without any luck. I do agree that I need a fill, and have every intention of getting one when I have the extra $425. ~ It is my doctor's belief that some of my failure to loose wieght is due to the medication I am on to breathe. I agree that this has some role in the band failure. ~I also am not sure Dr. Huacuz did anything to damage or harm me. I simply am a little more convinced there is a possibility he might have now than I was initially when my family had concerns. I don't know many people who, if they were having unexplained health complications after a trip to Mexico for a surgery, that wouldn't be a little alarmed to see a mug shot of their doc! And I do say unexplained health complications because in my doctors own words they "came out of the blue" Again like I stated in my initial post all I want is for the Doc to fix me if he did make a mistake. Key word being "IF", aside from that I just want to feel better, get back to work and loose the pounds I set out to do. I will say this will make me turn up the heat to get my records sent to me from the clinic so my doctor has all the facts. Take Care everyone, and congrats on your success.

I assume you want to have your band with you for life, but is this realistic?; I mean if there are no complications how long can the band be intact inside your body? are there studies about this?

I am just getting started on the lap band journey, in fact I haven't even made an appt with the surgeon yet. My dad had lap band surgery 2 years ago and has had great success. Since his surgery I have been considering having surgery myself. Unfortunately my insurance did not cover any kind of weight loss surgery. This March our insurance changed to AETNA who does cover Lap Bands!!! I am hoping some of you that have already gone through the approval process can give me tips on how to get approved without complications. This site is awesome btw!! what a great resource.

I asked my surgeon abt the clear liquid rule the day I went in for surgery because I tried the clear Isopure ready made drinks and thought I was gonna die. He said as long as I'm mixing y protein with water it was absolutely fine. I trust my surgeon a tremendous amount. He is the director of the bariatric unit at the hospital and I have not had a single complication. I couldn't imagine not having him to turn to.

yeah what doctor told you it was ok to drink soda? youre not supposed to have anything carbonated EVER. it can cause you complications. plus its just bad for u.

Hello fellow sleevers. I was sleeved 1/31/17 I am so excited to be on the losers bench. I now realize that you really have to be mentally prepared for this journey and it is very hard. I first decided to get the sleeve because I failed at so many diets. Then after I went thru all The blood work I found out I had sleep apena, pre diabetic and high blood pressure. At that moment I knew it was time to change my life forever. I am so grateful to have took that step to start my journey on healthier me. I go to my post op appointment Wednesday and I can not wait to get on full liquids. I haven't had any complications as of yet. (Thank u Jesus ) I just still feel very hungry and a little heart burn. I actually going back to work today. Sent from my SM-T113 using the BariatricPal App

That's good enough reason to follow instructions and stay on that pre-op diet. Missing a little solid food is nothing compared with what happens if they do have complications because of an enlarged liver.

Everyone... Ask questions and research. The complications are infrequent. They happen, but not too often.

Hi. I didn't have to get drainage tubes my surgeon only put them if I had risk or complications during surgery. My friend had it she said it was more uncomfortable then painful Sent from my LG-H811 using the BariatricPal App

Please please call the Dr. I just lost a friend who was recovering from back surgery. Her legs were swelling. She called the Drs office , they told her to walk. She died from a clot. Please seek medical treatment. In all the paperwork we signed about possible complications it talks about leg swelling and contacting the Dr office Sent from my VS986 using the BariatricPal App

Surgery was 6 months ago, and I'm loving it! I now weight 175, which is actually below my goal weight of 180. I'm happy though, everything went well and I'm enjoying my life. I feel better, healthier and it has changed my life for the better. I never had any major complications, or nausea. Thank you for supporting me and helping get through everything.

I am about 6 weeks post op. I've already called my bariatric office and left a message. About 10 days ago my husband had a stomach bug that we thought was food poisoning from him getting Chinese take out. It lasted three days. This morning, I woke up and felt "not right." Then I started to get nauseous. I took a zofran and drank half a protien shake with some decaf. Four hours later, I popped another Zofran because the nausea came back. I went to the bathroom and had diahreah, but once the zofran kicked in again I felt better. Now, I'm having this strange gurgle pains going through my intestines. (I think it's my intestines at least.) I ate a sf Popsicle and I felt it travel all the way through. I haven't thrown up at all but I thank the zofran for that because I truly think I would be otherwise. I've had no complications at all, I think everything is healing okay inside. I haven't had any pain anywhere. Yesterday I was packing some boxes and now I feel a little like I did some ab work from bending and moving around. Usually, I would take pepto or Imodium and go from there--but I've had issues being "backed up" two times in the recent past and I don't wanna constipate myself. Is the gurgling all the way down thing normal? Should I take some pepto and tough it out later? Should I try saltines? I've been the anti carb since I started.

I know all the infomercials and seminars make it seem like the band is a piece of cake with little or no complications or downsides. I've done lots of research and know that's not true, it's not all roses and sunshine, but would love to hear from the experienced bandsters here. What do you wish someone had told you BEFORE you had the band put in?

If you are willing to travel to California, check out Dr. Oliak for VSG. Zero post op complications, one all inclusive fee. Follows up with his results, his weight Loss results are about 80% of your excess weight. Outstanding.

If it were me...I'd buy a couple books on the lap band (which, in fact, I did) and I'd ask friends and my PCP to recommend bariatic surgeons (although I don't care for the one my PCP recommended, actually; I love the one I did use!) and then go to a couple of seminars. They will tell you the cost during the seminar. Of course, what you have to pay shouldn't be the deciding factor, but after a couple of seminars you should be able to pick the surgeon with the support staff that best suits you. Remember some include free fills for a year, etc. AND...I've learned that the post op care is as important (if not moreso) than the surgery. Find out what fills will cost you once any "free" service is used up, and find out what the cost will be if, for example, your port flips or leaks or if you have other post op complications. That should be a good start. You shouldn't have all the prereqs that insurance requires. How fast will depend on many factors including you, your health, the surgeon you pick and his/her schedule, etc.

I went and had my first consult with the surgeon I have picked yesterday. (Dr. David Kim, Fort Worth TX). I asked him about leaks and he said he has had 2 leaks out of 1500 sleeves over 6 years. He REALLY stresses the eating of liquids after and allowing your tummy to heal. He does the staples with sutures on the sleeves and staples on the incisions. He actually had some of the staples in a jar so you can see them and then stapled to this weird rubbery plastic stuff. They were very little and I got rough with them to see if they hurt in any way. They did not. Uhm, I had visions of the staples from a STAPLE GUN, hahaha, so it was nice to get my hands on them. I had previously met with another surgeon who PUSHED the lap band. NO WAY I WAS GETTING A LAP BAND!!! I have complete confidence in Dr. Kim and his record for the sleeve so I feel good about this. I think what I am trying to say is you may want to find the surgeon you can use who has done the most sleeves with the least amount of complications. I am still waiting to hear back on the 6 mo supervised diet. One day insurance tells me I don't need it but then someone says I do. Enjoy your journey!

Hello everyone, I went to my first consultation. I am a little scared of the sleeve now. I was so excited, but after going to this, I am now fearful of the sleeve leaking. I know like this it is complications with everything, but I just want to know if anyone has had this fear at all. The doctor talked about long term effects. Has anyone had their sleeve longer than 10 years and if so how are things going ? Any feed back would be wonderful! I love the support here!!