I was wondering if anyone has had the lap band procedure done without general anesthesia. I am a little scared of going under general anesthesia, I was wondering if maybe it could be done with twilight anesthesia.

i was just as frightened to go under. but you are out for only a short while. anesthesia in the old days was given by the doctors who couldnt make it as anything else. that is why there were so many ill effects. today anesthesiologists are just as qualified as any other MD. your fears are wasted.

Actually anesthesiologists are MD's, and they are very qualified to run an OR. They have more training in this field (thus the specialty) and would not take someone to the OR if they felt that person was at a high risk for a serious complication from the surgery or anesthesia. I work in the field and know that there are risks to any surgical procedure but it is truly more safe for the patient during this type of procedure to under go general anesthetic (IMO). Twilight anesthesia still allows the patient to move and one would really not want that when they are working with your liver and stomach. Way to vascular (blood vessels aplenty) for that. Good luck and God bless.

Just a note; I was under twilight for a colonoscopy and 'woke up' during the procedure...yes, I remember it...groggy, but I remember. I've been under a general twice and it's no biggie, you won't remember the moment you go out, nor the moment you wake up there's kind of a 'gray area' on both ends that makes it so much easier.

I spoke with my sister in law who is an OR Rn. I asked her if it were possible to do the lapband using twilight and she said no it isn't. The reason for this is that when they fill your abdomin with the gas, it prevents you from breathing, thus the reason for the tracheotomy. They don't do traches when you are under twilight. It has to be general anesthesia. I think there may have been a couple other technical things she said, but it went over my head.

I made it through despite the fact that I had a reaction to the paralytic medication. It effected me a lot faster than they thought, and unfortunately, I remembered it (the effect - not the surgery).

Actually anesthesiologists are MD's, and they are very qualified to run an OR. They have more training in this field (thus the specialty) and would not take someone to the OR if they felt that person was at a high risk for a serious complication from the surgery or anesthesia. I work in the field and know that there are risks to any surgical procedure but it is truly more safe for the patient during this type of procedure to under go general anesthetic (IMO). Twilight anesthesia still allows the patient to move and one would really not want that when they are working with your liver and stomach. Way to vascular (blood vessels aplenty) for that. Good luck and God bless.

I can attest to being able to move during twilight. When they did the egg retrieval during our IVF, I was under twilight. The time they went to get the first egg, I apparently felt it and moved my leg, about knocking the RE down! So yeah, part of being under GA is the fact that they "paralyze" you so you are unable to move.