Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Went to 1st Support Meeting Last Night



Recommended Posts

Hi all,

You may or may not know that I am a newbie having some tripidations about getting the band.

SO I took myself to a Lap Band support meeting last night.

It was a small group, about 6 of us. I was a little surprised at how much the banded people in the group did not know about how to eat, food selections, erosion, slippage, etc.

One of the things I asked the doctor was about erosion and he said 2 in 100 people will experience it within 3 years.

I also asked about long term and he said the band probably would not last the lifetime and would need to be either replaced or removed or left inside at some point in a bander's life.

So, additional surgeries are likely for a bander.

How do you all feel about that?

I asked one person there that question and she said she doesn't worry about the risks or what may happen. I'm just can't do that.

Interesting to note no one in my group asked the questions I did and where hearing them for the first time.

On the positive, all of them said it's the best thing they ever did and many said do it now before diabetes sets in.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Someone (sorry, I can't remember her name) from Israel who posts here e-mailed me that they have been doing them for about 10 years in Israel and most of the people she knows have had to have at least one more surgery for some reason...so maybe it's not as permanent as we have been lead to believe???

Emily

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest myband

Professor Paul O'brien said it does last a life time and only needs additional surgery if there are complications.

If the band is still working it does not need to be touched. The band does not deteriorate over time at all.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Newbie here waiting on surgery date....I would rather have something i can have remove than to have to go through having my stomach cut and reattached.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm with MzzNet...I'm OK with having to have it removed somewhere down the line if needed rather than having my insides cut and rearranged. I think the bad probably does last a lifetime...it's our innards that have problems with it sometimes and necessitate additional surgeries to correct the problem. But I'll take my chances with it anyway.

Emily

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

OH! ANother thing I asked (de to reading DeCarla's recent complication) was what happens if erosion occurs.

First I asked if there are periodic checkups to make sure all is normal and he said no, only if you feel something is wrong do they take further look to see if there is slippage or erosion.

He said the hole in the stomach is sewn up.

I asked what happens to the stomach, is it okay after that?

He said most of the time yes, sometimes the whole in the stoamch does not heal.

!!!!!

I said, what happens if the hole in the stomach can't heal??

And we were inturrupted by someone so I never heard the answer to that.

I would think you could die from stomach leaking into the system right? Infection, septicemia, etc.

Again, the people were hearing this for the first time. I was sort of concerned no one asked this before getting banded.

I don't know, maybe I'm not normal or something.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think that you're just being cautious and smart...people are crazy to not ask questions before hand. At least you can go into it knowing what you are dealing with. I've been spending hours and hours researching...reading all opinions, general comments, everything about post care, all of it. I want to know all of it, the good and the bad.

For me personally, I think that I will be going ahead with surgery in March. I feel like safer getting the band than gastric bypass.

I think that you should keep asking questions until you feel comfortable one way or the other.

Good luck in your search.;-)

Lanie

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I know my line of questioning is annoying to some, and many are so desperate at this point that they just do it and hope for the best. I'm desperate too, believe me. But I was desperate when I took Phen-Fen along with others and was lucky enough to not be one of the many who have life threatening heart and lung disease from taking that stuff.

Like Phen-Fen, I would hate to rush into something releatively new here in the US and surgery to the body as this is, and find out later it causes serious problems.

I am leaning towards doing this in the next few months, just hunting now for the best surgeon I can get.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Surgery is a risk and so is having something implanted in your body - like a lapband, fake heart valve or breast implant. So you've got to do your homework. Write down the benefits and risks side by side on a piece of paper. Decide if any of the risks are "deal busters". If there are no deal busters and the benefits outweigh the risks, you have your answer.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 2 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×