Hello all,

I was wondering if this is normally an inpatient or outpatient procedure...I realize of course that you can start out as outpatient and have to stay for observation etc....but what was your experience???

It is my understanding that it is normally done on an outpatient basis, depending on any other underlying health issues or complications.

Mine was done Inpatient only because I suffer from sleep Apnea and my surgeon wanted to keep me in overnight for observation. I ended up stay overnight plus well into the next evening before my release (my surgeon makes his rounds LATE in the day).

Mine was done on an outpatient basis.

if you have the choice... choose IN!

i traveled 4 hours to my surgeon so i basically had to stay overnight but i'm glad i did. i needed help getting in and out of bed to use the restroom and all i had to do was press a button and a nurse came in to give me a pain shot!

Mine was outpatient. I could have stayed overnight on my authorization. I think up to 23 hours before it became inpatient. On my insurance my co-pays would have been different for inpatient vs. outpatient. But if I'd have had a problem, I have no doubt my surgeon could have admitted me to the inpatient floor.

I was originally planning to spend the night, but as I was the second case of the day and I'd had no problems my surgeon discharged me around 5 p.m. the evening of my surgery.

It all depends on your surgeon and how his "program" works. I actually went to 4 seminars, in 2 of those you were released the same day, the other two were overnight. I stayed overnight and have no co-morbidities.

My surgeon also has his lap band patients stay over night. Day after my surgery I had another upper GI done and was discharged in the afternoon.

Even though I didn't get much sleep in the hospital I think I was better off staying the night - it was easier getting in/out of that hospital bed - I think I would have been miserable at home that first night.

My surgeon had originally told me that I could go home at 4pm. I was done at 7:30 am. He then came in, after my husband drove for an hour, and said neither my insurance nor my roommates insurance would pay for an outpatients lapband surgery. So, we both had to stay overnight. I was very glad, I wasn't ready to go home. I think, my husband was not ready for me to go home either!

But, it can be out or in depending on what your insurance pays for. Karen(kll724)

Mine was outpatient, and I am glad. I hate hospitals. I was glad to e able to go home to recover. My surgery was at 7:30 am and I was walking otu of the hospital at 12:30. Home at 3:00 and sound asleep by 5:00. I only had someone to help me over night the first day and then i was on my own and did fine.