Hello everyone,

I am very happy to find this forum. I have a appt. on 2/11 & I'm very nervous. I have been hearing horror stories about lap band. One of my close friends went to 6 different symposiums and they all say the same. She ended up having Gastric Bypass RNY. She is very happy with the results. Now she is telling me that in the beginning she was stuck on having lapband no matter what but going to the meetings made her think otherwise. Even the FDA website tells you that there is 90% complications with the lapband, especially with leakage, slipping and extreme nausea and vomiting. I am 130 pounds overweight, and I am very goal oriented to lose the weight. I have done every diet, at one point I lost 120 pounds, and gained it all and then some. I think this will be great for me but I am very scared of all the complications. If this matters...I don't have a gall bladder either, and am extremely nauseated after surgery, ( I always vomit after surgery) Please help me with my situation, and give me advice. I have picked Dr. Quilici in Burbank California, he is highly recommended, do you guys know anyone else. I appreciate your help.

ROzI

Dear Roz,

Every choice is individual, but I was firm in my decision to have the band and NOT the RNY. (Despite many trying to convince me otherwise.) For me, the band is SO much less invasive, and can be reversed if necessary. My primary doctor, just two weeks before the surgery, told me I'd made a wise decision... she said they are seeing SO many more bypass patients having difficulty with vitamin deficiencies (needing regular B vitamin shots...) and anemia (some actually living from transfusion to transfusion...) that this less invasive procedure was a good choice for me, even though they thought I wasn't a good cadidate originally because of my size.

SO far so good!! I'm two week out and feel really good about the decision. I made up my mind to follow all directions to a T and make this work for me. I know I have a LONG road to go, but am greatly encouraged that it CAN happen.

Good luck in your decision, I'm sure you will choose what's best for you.

I am so glad that I am not alone in this. Thank you for your advice, being the size I am as well, it is very uncomfortable for me to talk about my weight and my problems, but you make it easy.

I know of all the future complications with RNY and I would rather have complications with the band which is reversible rather than something that is permanent. How are you overall? Do you have a lot of pain? My big fear is having to vomit after surgery. No matter how much medicine they have put in my I.V. I still vomit after surgery from the anesthesia. Did you vomit? It's scary because you have a band on your stomach and during vomiting you have to force the Fluid out, doesn't it hurt the band or you?

Okay enough vomit talk. Could you fill me in on the little abbreviations used on lapbandtalk. Some I don't understand like VP or PB or stuff like that.

Again thanks, and you're right ....All things are possible with Jesus. +

Dear Rozi,

I had absolutely NO vomiting, I woke up in pain and somewhat nauseous, but as soon as I told them, they gave me meds that knocked me out and took care of the nausea. I ended up staying overnight at the hospital because of the pain, and I was really glad I did. I was pretty good in the am though, got up, washed, walked, took more pain med, and headed home. I have had NO problem with nausea since. (I'm following strict instructions on what to eat).

I had a wonderful core group of friends who prayed me through it, and I truly had great peace. Just before the surgery I asked Jesus where He would be and He gave me a wonderful vision of Him standing next to me in the OR. It really helped.

You are absolutely right about the complications being easier to correct with the band... it was my thought all day that I hadn't really made a strong point about that... I was glad to hear you think in that direction. The band complications can all be taken care of pretty easily... major complications with the bypass are life long and considerably more difficult to correct. I was told that if the band didn't work for me I could opt to do the bypass later. If this doesn't help, I know I won't go the other route, it just seems way too risky for me.

I am SO GRATEFUL for the chance to have this tool to help me get healthier. I joined Curves a few months before surgery, and do you want to hear something REALLY funny?...... I'd quit my other job to have more time to exercise, and GOd gave me a job at curves! ( I weighed 333 pounds!) LOL! I started just before the surgery and have gone back to work since but can't exercise yet. But He knew exactly what I was going to need to keep me on track and getting healthier!

Put your trust in Him, Rozi, He WILL direct your path. Guaranteed!!!

There is a place on this site that has a list of abbreviations... I'll see if I can find it again and direct you to it. There is a TON of information here, it is really great. Just go t a search box and type in a word, and up will pop tons of posts about the subject.

Blessings to you tonight, Rozi!

Ok, go to Lap Band FAQs and Questions.... there's a great list there of the abbreviations. (You can use the pull down menu at the bottom of the page.)

I had originally wanted to have bypass surgery. I didn't change my mind until shortly before the surgery. The band is less invasive, can be reversed, you still have all your parts and don't have to live on some form of vitamin pills for the rest of your life. I know a lot of people that have had the RNY. I don't know one that hasn't had complications. I'm not saying that some people don't have complications with the band, but I don't hear the stories that I hear with RNY.

The band can slip. Nothing is perfect, but you follow what you're told by your doctors and dieticians. The surgery was not a problem and lasted less than an hour. I didn't have pain, well very little.

Lap band patients over 18 months to 3 years on average loss the equal weight as bypass patients. Bypass patients just start off lossing a lot faster than band patients.

Good luck to you on your decision. Get to know everything you can about both surgeries and discuss with your doctors what is best for you.

I have been looking into the lap banding for some time now. One of the main reasons that has swayed me towards the lap banding is because of it being reversable if needed. I work a surgery trauma unit ( we are opening a barriatric center in feb) and I have seen first hands alot of complications that can arise from having gastric bypass either the RNY or the Duodonal Switch. There are so many things that they dont tell you about in the seminars when you go through an open surgery instead of laproscopic. Any time they cut you open you get scar tissue build up and eventually it can cause several problems with it building up and attatching to other organs this is called lysis of adheasions. Once they are developed they and cause problems(very painful) even though removed they have to be removed over and over and over. Also those that have it done open have more chance to develop hernias. I know several people that have had various types of barriatric surgical treatments and to me...less pain is better and reversable is the best!!! Sorry for being so long but when you see it first hand several times a month...thought I would share with you what I get to see.

Hi my name is Tee.I am thinking about having the Lap Band Surgery done.

I am afraid of the bad that can happen. I am having health problems.

Will I have to get the band filled for the rest of my life.

on Friday. The Lapband is my choice and also my doctor's, because I am 60 yrs. young and less invasive. I am diabetic and have not been following the proper diet. The Doc told me to get on the diabetic diet and loose weight before the next appointment, which is the first week in March. I started yesterday after my consultation. I'm soooooooo excited to have this done. My Doc wants all of the patients to have a psych and nutrition evaluation before the procedure. Is this the procedure for all of the other physicans? I live in the San Francisco Area.

p.s. how do you get the tickler onto my posts?

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