Search the Community

The plication is not as reversible as it's marketed. Several plication patients are looking at revisions to the sleeve. There are a few patients who had severe complications that have shared on obesityhelp and personally, I would never consider the plication. Partial gastrectomies and complete gastrectomies have been performed since the 1800's for stomach cancer and ulcers. Many people live fully-functioning lives without part or all of their stomachs. Best wishes in your research.

So what are your qualifications to argue with a doctors policies? I'm not looking for an argument, It is true that you should listen to your body. But as we all know we are a society that is focused on instant gratification. Sadly I think thats what your mentality is based on. I question some of you becauseI feel that If you think your doctor is not a good one why are you still seeing him? It's an unfortunate thing that happened to your hubbys exwife. But we are not talking about cancer here. Were talking about a band beeing progressively filled to give you less room in your tummy to fill. I think that we banded folk need to learn how to use our tool and that takes time. There are alot of bandsters on here who have had complications because they never adapted to their new way of eating. Most of them live with an overly tight band, product of beeing filled too fast. How many pbs have you had? Why do you think that might have happened? Hmmm.. Along with the band beeing used as a tool there has to be some sort of behavioral adjustment. What do you think?

@@parisshel I am so glad that you went to the ER and that they were able to help stabilize you. The symptoms of heart attack in women are so much different then what we would think they are. Here is a link to a Video by Elizabeth Banks on Heart Attacks in Women. We might think it can't be that, but sometimes it can very well be. I had one when I was very young due to medical complications after the birth of my son. https://www.goredforwomen.org/about-heart-disease/symptoms_of_heart_disease_in_women/just-a-little-heart-attack/ It is a GREAT idea to have your cardio Dr. sync up with your bariatric surgeon because the Vagus nerve can also play a role in what's going on and most Cardiologist are not familiar with WLS patients, having him consult with your surgeon will help in what ever diagnosis and treatment that may be needed. So glad you are OK. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and keep in touch let us know how your doing.

I agree, the Stories are not true or the people don't know enough detail to gossip about it. As for the stories about people who are as big as they ever were, the gossiper doesn't know if the patient ever got fills and such. I can only tell you my own experience. I had no surgery complications. I feel great. I lost 100 pounds in the first year. I was much closer to health related complications being morbidly obese. My self esteem was in the gutter being morbidly obese. Getting banded was the best thing I have ever done for myself.

I heard a rumor from a friend who is related to one of anna nicole's chefs that she had the band. and she had lots of complications from it too because she refused to follow the rules when it came to eating, but eventually it made her so sick she started following the rules. she left the country to have it, and she has actually been "altered" in the head less due to less drinking and less pill popping. but it has really helped her back pain losing all that weight. And she did use trimspa after the surgery. It helped raise her resting metabolic rate, because she refuses to work out. she says she likes the soft look, and doesn't want muscles. Amy

Ok, well there is a big difference in saying "I know you will not find one with more experience" and saying " I am not sure and I just could not find one". You are correct, there is no substitute for experience, that is why I chose Dr. Aceves over some of these surgeons in the States. Yes, he was only a couple thousand less than them, but why would I pay MORE for a surgeon with less experience? The sleeve is relatively new in the States. Dr. Aceves has been doing it for many years and teaches other surgeons how to do it. The two surgeons in my area that I considered had only done a couple hundred between them. As for other Mexican surgeons, there is no way I am having major surgery anywhere other than a hospital. And as for Almanza's experience, he just started his surgical career in December of 2006. So, that's 4 1/2 years. Dr. Aceves, for example has been a surgeon since 1986. There is no way Almanza has more experience in that amount of time. And as for him doing 145 a month, if he worked 5 days a week, he would be doing 7 VSG's a day. No way would I let a surgeon operate on me with 6 patients behind him. Or even 5 or 4. I don't want to be on an assembly line. The day I had surgery, there was one other patient having their surgery that day. The next day, there were 3 having surgery. So yes, experience is important, just not all crammed into a few years. That is how mistakes, complications, and even deaths happen. <div><br></div><div>Just curious again how you have this information that there are Dr's coordinators coming here posting horror stories? How could you possibly know this? </div>

Hi all, I had my 8 week visit with the Dietician today and have been progressed onto 'normal foods'. Yayyy! I've lost 12.5kg (28 lb) since my Op & feel good. She was happy with my weight loss, but slightly concerned how quickly I'm losing and queried whether I have been eating enough. I assured her that I have and don't let myself get too hungry. I've only been walking 2-3 times a week and she doesn't recommend upping the ante just yet as I'm still recovering. She said I can try toast, crispbread, soft drink & I alcohol (keeping in mind it will affect me more). I also told her how I've eaten chocolate and wasn't scolded- just told it's a 'sometimes food' and to know my limits. It was pleasantly refreshing because some people in the bariatric community talk like it's the antichrist lol I can hear the US weight loss patients collectively gasp at how much free reign I'm allowed. I have faith in her professional advice as she works closely with my surgeon, who is well regarded in my state & has trained most other GB surgeons in the city. What I am wondering is whether other people have been given the same advice. I don't really have much contact with other GB patients in Australia, so can't compare. I wonder whether pre & post op diets are that much stricter in the US because insurance companies fund the surgery costs, therefore want the patient to drop weight super quickly? I might be way off....I don't know much about US insurance. I just know that I paid hospital cover for 12 months and was instantly approved for surgery, whereas it seems like the process is much more complicated in America. So glad to be progressing on to the next stage in this journey.

For me its hard because my family is overweight and you would think they would understand...I think they are getting more comfortable with it now...I think they are concerned because I am so young and with any surgery there can be complications and we already lost my brother 5 years ago christmas day in iraq so I think they are scared something might happen....but I feel like if I don't do this something might happen. Sometimes when I go to bed at night idk if im going to wake up I have horrible chest pains and it hurts to lay on my back bc of all the pressure on my chest. Right now I have a good 150 to 180 pounds to lose. Im sick of being depressed about my weight. I've never been so excited to get started with something. I have so much motivation to go workout now and im just getting started...I think when I see the weight coming off I will be even more motivated. Can someone tell me what the average amount of calories is for someone post op? And also another question I have is what are people eating after surgery? I know for a little while its liquids only but I don't really know how to cook very well...and I am not the best grocery shopper lol. I need some advice. And I just want to say that I am here for anyone that needs it. I love this site! If anyone needs extra support or is maybe getting started with the process private msg me if you want to keep in touch through the process. Its always nice to have a friend that knows what your going through :) Sent from my Verizon DROID3 using RNYTalk

My original surgeon never did a single one of my fills under flouro... The surgeon I am using now did my first fill in his office under flouro due to my history of problems with fills... but this last fill was approached slowly so he didn't feel the flouro was necessary. I personally don't feel that is is necessary to have fills done under flouro but I do think it makes the search for the sweet spot a little smoother. I think it is also a good way to avoid having too tight of a fill and thus avoid some of the complications that can result from too much restriction. Good luck!

Tina, Congratulations to you! It's a tough decision, and it takes courage to decide to change. Change is the most frightening thing we go through in life. Many people stay fat and unhealthy because of this fear. I was afraid that the Band, or any WLS surgery for that matter, would change everything about my life. And so far it has. But the changes have been good. I no longer fear change, I welcome it. People in our lives have no idea how to be supportive, I'm convinced of that. I'm also convinced that many of the people who seem so unsupportive think they are being just the opposite. But remember, change is a frightening for them as it is for you. They too are afraid. After all, any change in you could result in a change in your relationships. They are afraid, and their fear has no reason behind it. They forget that you will still be YOU whether you band or not. They forget that your quality will shine through. You are afraid, and it's normal. Change is scary. Everyone you talk to knows someone who's best friend's aunt, had an acquaintance whose youngest daughter had the surgery and she only lost the weight on one side then her left leg blew up like a zeppelin and they went in and found the band broken into seventeen pieces and lodged near a perfectly preserved donut in her uterus. (preceding ludicrous story for illustration purposes only). So, if that kind of thing bothers you, by all means, keep it all on the down low. It's your life, and your business. But fear not. The beauty of the band is it's safety. Low complication rate. Non invasiveness, and ease of reversibility. Of all the courses out there it is the logical choice. I had to decide. I picked this, and now I'm one month out, it was easy, fast, and nearly painless. Well, a lot less painful than my overactive imagination had drawn it for me. Diet and exercise do not work. Lose the weight, gain it back, plus a little bonus. Will power is good for the next meal, and maybe for months, but sooner or later the will power fades, and we fall into our old ways. If the will power worked there would be no fat people, no alchoholics, no addicts of any kind. The way I saw it the only way to go was to choose between a short life and a longer one. Keeping my messed up relationship with food was the short life, the band was the longer one. Follow your own star. Make your own decision based on who you are. One thing about these people here, they know how to be supportive, visit often, read the old threads. Contemplate. But move yourself to action. As Red says in "Shawshank Redemption" it's time to get busy living, or get busy dying. I suggest living with the band, you'll smile more than you do now, you'll laugh daily. Good luck, and glad to see you here.

Agree with above post, if you are having complications due to your excess skin and can document some medical problems some insurance companies will pay for at all or part of corrective surgery. Make sure you keep your appointments with your medical doctor and make sure he is documenting well your complications. Good luck to your and awesome job on the weight loss.

Hi, I'm Erin, my gastric bypass was may 4th. I had some complications. A 1 hour surgery took 5.5 hours. My liver encompassed my entire abdominal cavity. Dr didn't know or missed. Was on 8 liters of oxygen a minute 24 hours a day because my liver was crushing everything and I was having troubles breathing. Preoperative I was on liquid diet two weeks. And my liver was still ginormous. So far in two weeks I've lost 25 pounds. Today I graduated to soft foods. Here's my question...... Will I forever hurt/be in pain/be uncomfortable? Dr says it was lucky she found my liver in the state it was, it can now begin to heal. She said how my liver was I'd died within a year. But.... I don't want to be in pain forever. Do you ever feel *normal*, no pain. I'm not permitted any pain meds due to them crossing the liver so basically I'm on my own with zero pain tolerance.. Advice? Experience? Thank you in advance. Sent from my SM-N910T using the BariatricPal App

It is the actual stomach tissue that erode..... come on.... think about it. I'll see if I can find an actual picture or something...... The use of NSAIDS, alcohol and smoking are proposed as three of the main factors contributing to hyperacidity and irritation of the mucosa layer of the stomach. This important layer prevent us from acquiring an ulcer and when the irritation is persistent causes its erosion and then the erosion of all the wall layers of the stomach favoring the lap band to migrate into the stomach (”inside out” erosion theory). just found this at "thinner times" Lap-Band erosion is migration of the band through the stomach wall into the stomach. This complication occurs in less than 2% of patients when surgeons use present day technique (pars flacidatechnique). It was significantly more common early on when the band was placed tightly against the stomach (peri-gastric technique).

It depends on possible complications as well... if they can do it laproscopically then you are in better shape.. which is why it's so important to stick to the liquid pre-op so they don't need to open you up.. I had a drain for 2 weeks so that delayed my ability to go back to work.. but other than that I had minimal pain once I got home, just had to adjust for sleeping upright for the first little while.. Good luck!!!

Thank you guys so much for the support. I can't imagine doing this without him. He has never had trouble with weight but somehow always knew exactly what to say. When he said I was beautiful, I actually believed him. I have a lot of work to do on myself. I know WLS is right for me but it seems so scary now. I've been prepping for it since October of last year, all in the context of our relationship and our future. I'm going to be getting my surgery date in the next week or two and I know that will really set things in motion and I feel like I'm struggling to put this in the new context of my life without him (which I can't even imagine right now). Breakups suck in general. I really didn't need this added complication. I think it will only emphasize how alone I am. The funny thing is that since he broke up with me I haven't been able to eat anything really. Just thinking about the smell of food made me sick to my stomach. When I did manage to convince myself to put something in my mouth, I couldn't bear the taste or texture. I was so hungry but so sick to my stomach. I turned to Protein shakes just to quiet the rumbling and to get in some nourishment. I kept thinking "get used to this--this is what it's going to be like post-op!" Today is the first day I haven't thrown up due to stress (tmi?) and I was actually able to eat two decent meals. Anyway, thanks for listen to me ramble. My friends and family have been supportive about the breakup but this element of it needed some specialized attention.

Let me start off by saying that I dislike going to that area of the board, however as a prebander I feel it is necessary to hear the good, bad and ugly about this from all view points. However, I have noticed that a lot of people begin having problems years out and dont immediately seek medical care from their surgeon. They live with problems for months and then finally decide to go back to the dr. I guess my question is to those of you that are a success story -- how often do you see your surgeon? My surgeon requires monthly visits for the first yr - regardless of if you want/need a fill. After 1 yr post op your follow up visits are up to you but it must be at least once a yr. So my response to him was "so i can come monthly for the rest of my life?" he said yes. I look at my relationship with my surgeon as one i will have forever. Perhaps all newbies think like that though, then they make it to goal, life get in the way and before you know it you havent seen your doc in 2 yrs. My dr did say that while the majority of his long term post op patients dont come in monthly they do come in regularily-- quarterly, every other month, etc. But when i think about it how does he know the success of the other patients if they dont come in? If i end up having problems with my band i dont want it to be because of something i did. I want to follow the rules and to me regular follow ups with your dr is part of the rules.

the band is meant to be permanent. One gets the band filled in order to lose weight and then unfilled to gain or maintain weight. You shouldn't have to get it removed unless there are complications.

Nope, no regrets. I was one of the vast majority who have no complications and a comparatively easy recovery. That's not to say there aren't challenges -- of learning, adapting, risking, not being perfect and trying again, figuring out perfect isn't required -- just consistency. I think WLS has sparked one of my long life's best personal growth periods. I'm workin' it. P.S. I've lost 100 pounds and maintaining at 135.

Since Aetna denied my request for a revision I will be a self pay . What kind of complications Policy is out there to cover the potential of costs due to complications? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I just posted this on another forum but it seems to fit here as well. First things first, take a deep breath. Yes surgery can be very scary and yes sometimes there are complications but if you are well informed and you fully trust that you have a competent surgeon that will do everything in his power to take care of you, you shouldn't worry about it to much. Of course there are always thoughts in the back of your mind that make you second guess your decision but you are doing this to be a better mom to your kids and just over all a better you. I look at it this way, the rates of something going really wrong are slim to none. Saying that you don't want the surgery due to the "what ifs" is like saying I won't ride in a car just in case I get into an accident or I'm not going to cross a street because I might get hit. As long as you are educated on what to expect and your doctor has been thorough with you, go for it with your head held high and don't look back. Your kids will have a better life because their mom will be happy and healthy. My surgery is on Friday and I have butterflies like crazy but I know in my heart of hearts it is what I HAVE to do in order to live my life to the best of my ability. I hope that everything goes smoothly for you and if you ever feel the need to talk message me directly. Hope to hear from you soon. ~Pam

:huh2: I am not hear to whine or complain and I hope that I do not appear to be doing it but I need some answers and hopefully some solutions. I am post op day 11. I am still on a liquid diet per my Dr's orders. I have been ordered to drink between 60-90 grams of protein. I can have low sodium broth and low sodium tomato soup. I exercise between 30-60 minutes a day and I am getting in at least 64oz of water on top of sugar free ice pops and unsweetened tea (no caffeine). I've had several surgeries c-section laparoscopic partial hysterectomy and a very complicated complete hysterectomy (abdominal incision). Those surgeries, especially the last one was extremely painful and I deal with pain very well. This surgery by far has been the most painful. I had 4 puncture wounds and 1 incision about 3 inches long where the port is. All are healing well with no drainage, but the port one and the one to the left remain extremely painful. All sutures are out and I have steristrips on the two painful ones. I had some vacation days to burn so I took a week off. I returned today for 1/2 a day and I worked from home for 1/2 a day. I have so much bloating, not necessarily gas you can expel. I put my lose fitting clothes on this morning when I left and by noon I looked like I was 6 months pregnant. My stomach feels like it is eating itself, almost like if you had a virus and you were getting over it and a saltine cracker would settle it. I drink slowly and at intervals but everytime I drink my protein shake or soup my stomach does this same kind of thing. I am able to go to the bathroom without difficulty. I have no restriction as the Dr. does not put any fluid in for the first 6 weeks. I have no difficulty swallowing. I am hungry, but not all of the time. I keep myself mentally busy so that I am not concentrating on food all of the time. And if I have not complained enough, I have absolutely no energy. Everything I do washes me out. I am usually a busy person, and productive, but just to fold clothes or do normal household cleaning, I find myself short of breath and weak. I have checked my blood pressure and it remains on the low side of normal. We did have to reduce my dosage because of very low blood pressures a few days after surgery. Can anyone offer any advice to me? Is this normal? Do I need to do anything different? I do not regret the fact that I have my Band whom I lovingly call Cha Cha....long story. BUT I need some reassurance. I have pulled my big girl panties up and am trying to be optomistic.:cursing: Jill (Sorry for such a long post....just needed to unload)

Surgery is scheduled for August 6th. I still cant believe it.. Im not going to lie, Im having some mixed emotions but I keep checking out this forum, the gastric sleeve support group on facebook and instagram and continue to read about everyones success stories so I can feel more encouraged. I know this is what I want, I just hope I dont fail at this or god forbid any complications ! Trying to stay strong!

Take it easy girl, I just finished college 2 years ago and I know the craziness of girls. I'm sure he did not ask you to get married, neither anybody around you asked you to get married soon. Take it easy, if you like spenidng time with him/and he likes to do the same, then be with him. Being with a guy doesn't mean to get married, but at least some commitment and not acting weird. About not wanting long term relation, this is craziness, do you think whenever 2 people start dating, they put a time line for how long the relation should be???? Go out with him, if you like it then continue, if you you don't then break up.. its that simple At the end its not rocket science, he is just a guy who likes you:D so don't complicate simple things my dear.. All the best

I agree with Meesh. My doc has a strict diet policy pre-surgery, and he hopes you continue the diet post-op. He took me down to liquid slowly. First, I had a few months of low-carb diet. (This is the most difficult part, IMHO.) Then he took me down to soft, easy to digest foods, and finally, liquids only for the week before surgery. Was it fun? No. However, Meesh is correct. The liver should be reduced to avoid complications, bruising and even splitting of your liver. Who needs that? Getting a band is enough to handle. Don't make your body work more than it has to.

I decided to do the lapband because it has less complications. I also love the idea of not having my major organs cut. I need to lose about 110lbs and Ive read lots of stories on here of people who have lost that and more, so I am confident that if I put in the effort I can do it too. You will do very well, just follow the rules and the weight will come off. If you ever need to chat or support, Im here!