Hello,

I am over 100 lbs over weight and im going through the approval process for the lapband. I think i will be approved but i am very scared. I am researching about the lapband and read about 4 people that have died so far. I also know that if i don't lose the weight, i will could also die too. I would just like anyones opinion. i have hypertension and i am breathless after walking to my car I will be going to my pre tests, and im a bit scared about the endoscopy too. Does it hurt??? Please help...

The death rate for this surgery is extremely low, .01% much much lower than the death rate for obesity. All of the tests will determine if you are at too high a risk to have the surgery. There certainly are no guarantees but the risks are very low.

I did not have an encoscopy, just a barium swallow so I can not contribute anything to your concerns on that.

Endoscopy does not hurt. They will put in an IV and give you medications to make you very sleepy (similar to a colonoscopy). Then they give you some time to recover and something to drink and send you home. It's nothing to worry about - I honestly don't remember mine at all. The results of mine were that they found a bit of acid reflux damage and just put me on some medication for 3 weeks before surgery.

The rest of the tests were non-invasive and weren't a big deal at all...good luck to you!

For long time, too long, I allowed fear to dictate my life. In my 20s and 30s there were many things I didn't do because I was afraid --including driving 3 hours by myself to visit my mom in the hospital, going to the pool to swim, going places with my husband like car races. My fears were real to me --might have an accident, might get lost, might be laughed at, might not be able to sit in the bleachers that long, etc, etc. One day I woke up --really. I had a chance to SCUBA dive --I'd done that in college--but that was 20 years ago --I needed new certification --ooooh, pretty scary --but I thought I'd check it out --I'd been a crackerjack diver in college --so maybe --I found out that EVERYONE in the class was my age or older and in not so perfect shape. I took the class, passed, and took my brand new C card to a topical island --and BY MYSELF--found a dive boat and went diving. At that time and now, those boats are mostly men (older --it's an expensive sport) and a few women MY AGE and MOST divers were, well, heavy people --no skinny minnies.

And I had FUN!

After that, I started doing more "scary things." I'd sit myself down and say, 'What's the worse that could happen and how would you deal with it." I got AAA incase of car problems and now drive all over the US by myself, with my hubs, and with daughters and half the time I'm pulling a huge trailer!

And then there was this weight thing --like everyone here, I'd tried it all, lost it a ton of times (I was 100 pounds overweight) , and was heavier than ever when I found an ad for lapband. Selling point to me was that it could be taken out if . . .well, not sure what the if was. Step by step I did the process. Now the day of the surgery, I said to my hubs, I'm scared --he pointed out that I had a greater chance of dying on the way to the hospital than in surgery. And, you know, at the weight I was, I really didn't want to live --I didn't tell people that, but I was gaining more weight each year ---I'd be over 600 pounds by the time I retired at the rate I was going. And I KNEW what life was like for overweight people in retirement centers. I'd rather die.

But I didn't. And now nearing retirement, I'm 5'10", 150 pounds, with dyed blonde hair and a wardrobe that has a lot of sequins and black leather in it.

Remember courage is doing something when you ARE scared. Keep thinking -- This is your chance --grab it and fly with it. It's kind of like getting on a plane --you have to ,at some point, trust the pilot will get you safely to your destination. If you can't make that step, then you can never fly.

So anyway, that's my 2 cents worth.

Thank you all so much for your input. I had my endoscopy and just like you guys said, i was asleep and woke up wondering if they had started it yet My ultrasounds found some gallstones and small fibroids and i guess i have to get the gallbladder taken out before the lap band. Im still going throught the process, so im not even sure if i will be approved yet. But im hoping and praying all goes well.

@ Foxglove, thank you so much for your 2 cents! I have been going back and forth about this but i do feel the exact same thing. I have an autistic little boy who needs me and i want to be on this earth for as long as i can for him. Yes this is scary but i don't want my obesity to take me away from him.

How was everyone's experience? After the surgery? Any pain and discomfort???? lol guess i still am nervous

Thank you all so much for your input. I had my endoscopy and just like you guys said, i was asleep and woke up wondering if they had started it yet My ultrasounds found some gallstones and small fibroids and i guess i have to get the gallbladder taken out before the lap band. Im still going throught the process, so im not even sure if i will be approved yet. But im hoping and praying all goes well.

@ Foxglove, thank you so much for your 2 cents! I have been going back and forth about this but i do feel the exact same thing. I have an autistic little boy who needs me and i want to be on this earth for as long as i can for him. Yes this is scary but i don't want my obesity to take me away from him.

How was everyone's experience? After the surgery? Any pain and discomfort???? lol guess i still am nervous

I really feel for you, I was quite scared myself. It took me the better part of a decade to finally get my surgery. I've got a real problem with anxiety, and of course had a massive panic attack right as the first nurse got me prepped for surgery (inserting the IV).

That said, and even though I'm struggling on my weight loss, I'm really happy I went forward with it. I'm a computer geek as well as a car geek. I often joke with people, if you do enough computer research, you'll find whatever you want to prove. I know you've found some deaths due to the band, however I'm positive if you search, you can find people dying of getting their tonsils removed too. The point that I took with my family was this: here you have 2 choices, continue as you have (which has it's own mortality rate) or get the band (which has it's own as well). In the end, I'm confident I made the right choice.

does it hurt? well maybe...The nurses were shocked when I didn't use my morphine drip after the surgery, so I suppose I hurt less than others. The thing is the pain (for me) came a while later. So yes, it does hurt, and when it hurts if you are like me, you wonder when is it going to end...but then 2 weeks later, it doesn't hurt any more and you wonder if it actually ever did

the fills themselves are a bit scary, but if you don't watch the doctor, you will only feel the first needle (painkiller) and you can't feel the long scary needle at all.

I hope this helps and I think you're on the right track if you ask me.

For long time, too long, I allowed fear to dictate my life. In my 20s and 30s there were many things I didn't do because I was afraid --including driving 3 hours by myself to visit my mom in the hospital, going to the pool to swim, going places with my husband like car races. My fears were real to me --might have an accident, might get lost, might be laughed at, might not be able to sit in the bleachers that long, etc, etc. One day I woke up --really. I had a chance to SCUBA dive --I'd done that in college--but that was 20 years ago --I needed new certification --ooooh, pretty scary --but I thought I'd check it out --I'd been a crackerjack diver in college --so maybe --I found out that EVERYONE in the class was my age or older and in not so perfect shape. I took the class, passed, and took my brand new C card to a topical island --and BY MYSELF--found a dive boat and went diving. At that time and now, those boats are mostly men (older --it's an expensive sport) and a few women MY AGE and MOST divers were, well, heavy people --no skinny minnies.

And I had FUN!

After that, I started doing more "scary things." I'd sit myself down and say, 'What's the worse that could happen and how would you deal with it." I got AAA incase of car problems and now drive all over the US by myself, with my hubs, and with daughters and half the time I'm pulling a huge trailer!

And then there was this weight thing --like everyone here, I'd tried it all, lost it a ton of times (I was 100 pounds overweight) , and was heavier than ever when I found an ad for lapband. Selling point to me was that it could be taken out if . . .well, not sure what the if was. Step by step I did the process. Now the day of the surgery, I said to my hubs, I'm scared --he pointed out that I had a greater chance of dying on the way to the hospital than in surgery. And, you know, at the weight I was, I really didn't want to live --I didn't tell people that, but I was gaining more weight each year ---I'd be over 600 pounds by the time I retired at the rate I was going. And I KNEW what life was like for overweight people in retirement centers. I'd rather die.

But I didn't. And now nearing retirement, I'm 5'10", 150 pounds, with dyed blonde hair and a wardrobe that has a lot of sequins and black leather in it.

Remember courage is doing something when you ARE scared. Keep thinking -- This is your chance --grab it and fly with it. It's kind of like getting on a plane --you have to ,at some point, trust the pilot will get you safely to your destination. If you can't make that step, then you can never fly.

So anyway, that's my 2 cents worth.

That was beautiful. You should be a motivational speaker! Seriously. It motivated me and gave me new hope.

Hi Please dont be scared its a breeze. My experience the week and day before,I was petrified out my mind!!! I was scared mainly of the anesthesia and being put to sleep and also having too much belly fat and the dr not being able to comp the procedure. I actually wanted to say forget this. ~~~~~ I went to the hospital at 6 got my gown socks iv etc... up until 8 talk to anesthesiologist for 5 min or less , dr arrived at 830 , they roll me back to OR at 845 im in tears and scared , 3 people in the OR a nurse said let me give you something to relax so im thinking a lil med in the iv . I swear to u she held the mask close to my nose and mouth and told me breath twice and THATS ALL I REMEMBER... I woke up by 930 in the recovery room a lil drowsy but excited I wanted my hubby so I got it together quickly, by 950 and checking my vitals I was sent to my room where I was given juice water and some yuck broth , I tried to sip the water because I had an AWFUL DRY MOUTH !!! My nurse asked if I wanted to walk I was like yeah I think I walked the entire 2nd floor 10x, wnet back to my room use the RR whicjh the were GLAD about walk 10x more while sipping water on a scale of 1-10 pain was 3 . I asked the nurse could I put my clothes because I was ready to DIP!!! lOl she said yes they check vitals again .. all great .. i walked some more and they were like well we will check vitals again and you can go .. cAN U SAY ELATED...LOL I left the hospital by 12:00pm ... I had a 5 hour drive that I could not stay awake for .lol . As for gas this entire experience I have NONE... maybe because I walked soon after IDK , My only pain has been getting in and out of bed ... VERY HI BED, My hubby propped our safe up so I can get in and out a lil better. But after a week and a half that pain was basically gone. Today makes the start of my 4th week post op and my wounds except where the port is located kinda look like small dots. wITH ALL THIS BEING SAID JUST PRAY HUN AND KNOW ALL WILL BE OK!!! GOOD LUCK

My ultrasounds found some gallstones and small fibroids and i guess i have to get the gallbladder taken out before the lap band.

I won't go into details but I too have fibroids - because of the weight these have become more difficult to deal with than if I had lost the weight at an earlier time. Once you lose the weight and become more active you will be able to have more options managing these buggers.

I have an autistic little boy who needs me and i want to be on this earth for as long as i can for him. Yes this is scary but i don't want my obesity to take me away from him.

I started this journey for some of the very similar reasons - and truth be told I was tired of losing weight to gain it back over and over. Losing the weight is not the issue for me - its the keeping it off that I always fail at ...

I have 10 year old twin daughters that I have noticed lately are being affected by my weight (probably more than I am). I don't take them to the park, or walk with them, or play with them, they are becoming isolated because I don't want children teasing them because they have a fat mommy. I am tired of watching others live their lives while I sit on the sidelines wishing I could take part.

The other members are correct - you can always find negatives if that is what you are looking for. But - I bet if you dug deeper you would find there were underlying problems with those who died due to the surgery. As for me - I am rescheduled for 18 April - the first attempt didn't go well - yup I coded on the table twice. NOW dont let that scare you - it was the first time something like that happened to my Dr (he was joking with the anesthesiologist prior that I was his healthiest patient) ...he jinxed us!! Actually I have had many surgeries and this was simply a wake up call.

Your Dr is equiped to manage anything that can happen (and I bet those deaths were years ago before the lap band was perfected and improved upon)

What I am trying to say, I guess, is you do what you have to do and what is right for you - for me if I dont do this .... I could be coding on the table due to other preventable issues caused by my weight.

wow thank you all so much! you all are such a motivation and i appreciate all your feed back.. Glitter G we have a lot in common. Best wishes to you and good luck. Please let me know how your surgery goes!!

Again thank you all! <3