Dear People,

I made up my mind to have the lap band surgery, researching like wild, narrowing my choice of suregeons - then, boom! I'm terrified! I really believed that this lap band was going to free me from the battle. You know the one I'm talking about. But the more I read the more I wonder if I'm going to end up regretting the whole thing. It's a lot of money, and I'm just an average-income American. I'm now afraid of the following things:

Will I loose any weight at all in the first month? Seems that many don't.

Will I loose even 20 lbs in the first 6 months? Seems like many don't.

You would think that if you were on a liquid only diet for basically the first 4-6

weeks after surgery - you would HAVE to loose weight. Again, seems like

many don't.

Will I be able to drink a full 8 oz glass of Water when I've just mowed the lawn

and I'm hot as the devil (and there's nothing like it then, is there?)?

Will I be able to find anyone locally that will be a kind and willing "fill-dr."?

Sounds like no one wants to do the fills unless they have done the

surgery. (I live in MN/WI border)

How can I financially go back to Mexico 3-6 times in a year for a fill?

If my band would not let anything through - even liquid, isn't that a HUGE emergency? Life threatening, really.

If there is an emergency having to do with the band and I would have to go

to a US Hospital - will my insurance pay? (I've read that it should - and I

would check this before, but still...)

I was the happiest I'd been in years when I discovered that the lap band might be the answer to free me from this never ending weight-war but now I don't know.

Please tell me like it is. Not like what I want to hear. I can take it. And I thank you for it....

Patti

Dear Imaline, I too researched before banding and some of the stats you quote arent what I discovered but anyway I would definate still consider banding, However having said that I would like to encourage you to to see an american Dr and continue, My Dr.'s charge includes the first year of post op check ups and fills. This is the most important time to get your band healed properly and filled properly, even unfilled when necessary. I would also be concerned as you were before surgery especially out of country. I know many have banded outside the country with great sucess so I cant speak to that. Its just that as you said that getting urgent care could pose as a problem. Could you save and be banded in a few years in the US?

Hi Patti,

I don't know what you are basing your idea that most people don't lose weight. The average banster does lose between 1-2 pounds a week.

The first month, six to eight weeks is NOT for losing weight, it is for healing. Any weight lost during this time is bonus. Some people lose, some don't, but that isn't what this time is for.

You should be able to drink an 8 ounce glass of Water without any problems. If you are too tight, then you are too tight. You might or might not be able to gulp, but that's something that no one will be able to tell.

As for whether you will find someone to do you fills, well, you better figure this out before you have your band. The band surgery is only the beginning, the real work is in monitoring the fills. You need to find a fill doctor before you even have your surgery. I cannot stress how important this is. You might check the threads dedicated to your two states to see if anyone know of a fill doc in your area.

I can't offer any insight to insurance questions. I know what mine covers, but that's mine and not yours. Sorry

Even as so as my journey has been, I would have it done again in a heart beat.

I'm no expert, but I'll try to answer your questions to the best of my knowledge. I firmly believe that being banded was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I was a bit nervous, but not at all terrified beforehand. I'm not even the slightest bit worried even with some of the recent erosions, etc. mentioned on the board.

Will I loose any weight at all in the first month? Seems that many don't.

If you didn't lose weight the first month, I would be really shocked. I lost 17 lbs. the first month. My surgeon said that people lose an average of 15-25 lbs. the first month.

Will I loose even 20 lbs in the first 6 months? Seems like many don't.

If you follow the rules and exercise at least 1 hour, 3 times per week, you will most likely lose more than 20 lbs. in the first 6 months.

Will I be able to drink a full 8 oz glass of Water when I've just mowed the lawn

and I'm hot as the devil (and there's nothing like it then, is there?)?

As long as band isn't too full, you should have no problem drinking 8 oz. of water.

Will I be able to find anyone locally that will be a kind and willing "fill-dr."?

Sounds like no one wants to do the fills unless they have done the

surgery. (I live in MN/WI border)

Go to the following Inamed site and search for a doctor on your area (or close by). http://www.lap-band.com/lapband2/locator.jsp

How can I financially go back to Mexico 3-6 times in a year for a fill?

See above

If my band would not let anything through - even liquid, isn't that a HUGE emergency? Life threatening, really.

Should this happen, you have too much of a fill and need some removed. Therefore, the nearest fill doctor needs to be notified and a date scheduled for an unfill.

If there is an emergency having to do with the band and I would have to go

to a US Hospital - will my insurance pay? (I've read that it should - and I

would check this before, but still...)

You should DEFINITELY check with your current insurance to find out of they'll cover any complications/emergencies that may arise from having the band placed.

I hope this helps to alleviate some of your fears.

Tricia

Be scared, it's a pain in the butt. I'm cash pay, went to MX, and I'm not floating in money either.

*line up a local fill doc BEFORE you go to MX. It's the Cardinal Rule of Mexican Bandsters, at least on this site. You'll regret it if you don't. You never know. KNOW that someone will see you before you leave.

*I went to the ER for IV fluids 1-week post-op and my insurance paid. I had an upper GI there, too, to be sure I wasn't obstructed and the contrast Fluid was slowly trickling through. The IV's got me over the hump to reducing the swelling and feeling lots better.

*I can guzzle 8 ounces of Water. Well, 3-4 ounces at a time, then right back at it. Unless you are post-op or are filled too tight, you can drink water that fast.

*My weight loss has been slow. But I'm so happy with my band. It makes it possible for me to do the work needed to lose my weight, day after day after week after month. Never before has a well-balanced diet lasted so long!! The results are slow but sure. Yesterday I weighed 187.6. Wow. It's still hard, but doable.

Set yourself up to be surprised by nothing, should it happen. Know that you could easily spend 10K PLUS! for your band and not have it a year or two from now. Know what you need to do to keep your band healthy and happy. Eat correctly, don't over-fill. Even then you could still be part of the percentage of people who have trouble and even lose their bands. It happens. You could be wasting your money.

BUT! You could also get banded, have a fairly smooth ride, lose your weight and keep it off for the rest of your life with a happy healthy band. It's a crap shoot. I risked the odds. It isn't always easy, but I have no regrets. Should I lose my band, I have learned alot about myself and my eating and I think I'd be okay. I'd be really mad, but okay.

Good luck!

My surgeons have often said it's not always a good thing to rely too much on information gleaned from the internet. What you're seeing here is NOT a representative sample. The experiences you read about here can give you an insight into what you might expect IF you have problems--which is of course a good thing--but you cannot extrapolate from this board the likelihood that you will have any problems.

Talk to your surgeon. Ask him about his patient population and their incidence of complications. If you are not confident that the information you get from him is reliable, then change surgeons.

Your concerns about Mexico and access to care are valid. I would not have considered surgery outside of the U.S. because I know how important the aftercare is. With two children there is no way I could be flying off to Mexico for adjustments or exams, so I waited almost a year to get things in order so that I could have surgery locally.

If you can locate a competent aftercare physician convenient to you, then all the other answers will fall into place. Aftercare is Job 1.