Has anyone had both, and how would you rate one over the other????

Hi, I'm Trinity and I'm in the approval process of the surgery. I had a C-section last year followed by a gall bladder removal surgery two weeks later and needless to say, May of 2009 SUCKED (except minus the birth of my baby!).

Any advice?!?! Thanks in advance!

I have had 2 C-sections (2205 and 2007) and compared to those LB pain is non existent!...i was so surprised because i expected the pain to be as bad as the c-sections, but needless to say my surgery was virtually painless...i mean your stomach feels soar, but no major pain...the only pain i had was gas pains and drinking too much liquids pains....Good Luck with everything, but if my surgery is like most Lb surgery's then dont worry about the pain because it is far less painful!

Same here! LB surgery was a breeze compared to c-section! Remember recovery for c-section is 8 weeks, LB, 1 week or less. I had c-section 21 months ago and LB surgery 3/29/10. My only surprise was that I couldn't lift anything over 20 lbs for 6 weeks, that's so hard with a little-one.

Thanks for the info! I had a feeling it wouldn't be as awful as a C-Section, but I'm a total wimp when it comes to pain! LOL

I didn't think about the not being able to lift anything for 6wks. That's going to be a challenge since I take my DD to and from school every day. Hmmm, guess I'll have to have DH do that! I've been doing it for over 7yrs (we have two kids), I think he can handle six weeks! hahahsh

LB is a walk-in-the-park compared to c-section plus you don't have a new baby to take care of or the hormonal roller-coaster. The gas pains are 'different', though. Sometimes you can get one that comes on strong all of a sudden. I recommend having a heating pad to roll up and put on your shoulder when/if you get any bad gas pains.

I've had tow c-sections as well and this is a walk in the park compared to that. The shoulder/gas pain was a little disturbing but I pretty much resumed normal activity (aside from exercise) after a day. The diet part is hard. The surgery part is no big deal.

I agree. The LB surgery is NOTHING compared to a C section.

My surgery went very smoothly, and my doctor told me that lifting my daughter (11 months at the time of surgery) was ok. He said there really wasn't much for me to damage. Just to take it easy for a few days.

I picked her up to put her in a shopping cart 2 days after surgery and she kicked me in the stomach. Now THAT hurt, but still doesn't compare to a C section. Don't worry. The surgery is a breeze compared to that.

Same here. I also had 2 c-sections and while they were both actually a piece of cake, the LB was even easier! I was only in real pain the day of surgery and the day after. Believe me, I have a VERY low threshold for pain too. Honestly, a walk in the park is the best way to describe it in comparison to a c-section. Good luck!

I agree with everyone else, the LB was nothing compared to a C Section. The recovery, for me, with the LB was a piece of cake compared to the C Section too. The pain I did have didn't last nearly as long!

Immediately post op, they were similar (about a 5 out of 10 for me, not bad pain at all). By the next day the lapband pain was gone enough that I went for a couple of miles walk. The csection pain was fairly minor but hung around a lot longer, naturally, as muscles and organs had been cut.

I was fully recovered from my band within a week.

No comparison! My first c-section was on the heels of a 53+-hour labor, so I'm not even using that one as a basis for comparison. My second was a breeze.

And banding was light-years easier.

Like Jacqui said, the first night was similar---I felt cruddy, but not terrible. I did accept pain meds in the hospital in order to get up and moving around a lot. That made a huge difference.

By the next day, it was a soreness issue---not an I-just-had-major-abdominal-surgery thing. And it was very liveable.

Yes, there are discomforts, and there are twinges of pain. But it's nothing like a c-section.

Awesome, thank you so much for putting my fears on that issue to rest! It's great to hear from BTDT (been there, done that) moms!!

I went to see my PCP today and he brought up a good point that I didn't think of. Since I've had a CS and my gall bladder removed lapriscopically, do you think scar tissue will get in the way of the LB procedure?? Anyone BTDT with the gall bladder??? Thanks in advance!!! :bored:

If scarring were a concern, your surgeon would likely have brought it up to you.

I would not worry about it; I know many, many, many women who've had both CS and cholecystectomy for whom scarring was a total non-issue during banding.

The surgeon will be well-equipped to handle any scarring/adhesion he finds, though.

to me c section is way worst then the lap band pain.

Has anyone had both, and how would you rate one over the other????

Hi, I'm Trinity and I'm in the approval process of the surgery. I had a C-section last year followed by a gall bladder removal surgery two weeks later and needless to say, May of 2009 SUCKED (except minus the birth of my baby!).

Any advice?!?! Thanks in advance!

I've had a c-section (10/07), gallbladder removal (12/09) and LB (3/10). The lapband was the easiest - I'd compare it to the gallbladder and have to say it was even easier. Doc didn't even blink when I had my LB consult 3-4 weeks after my gallbladder removal and there was no issue whatsoever with scar tissue....only thing is I I have twice as many mini incisions from TWO laproscopic surguries!

I've had a c-section (10/07), gallbladder removal (12/09) and LB (3/10). The LAP-BAND® was the easiest - I'd compare it to the gallbladder and have to say it was even easier. Doc didn't even blink when I had my LB consult 3-4 weeks after my gallbladder removal and there was no issue whatsoever with scar tissue....only thing is I I have twice as many mini incisions from TWO laproscopic surguries!

Thanks PMommy! I'm a P mommy too (and I'm from LA). So your tummy must look polka-dotted like mine. LOL The next time I meet with the surgeon, I'm going to see if it's possible to use the same incisions with the LB. Won't hurt to ask. NOT that I would be ruining my bikini body any further (HAHA), but if not to add to what's already there, if he can help it. KWIM?! It's the least of my worries. LOL

Thanks again everyone for all of the advice!! As long as I have some vicodin handy, I think I will be fine! :biggrin: