I've been considering lap band surgery, but I have some fears. First, I'm 33 yrs old, 5'5" and weigh 235. I'm pretty sure I have sleep apnea, but the rest of my stats are normal (blood work, etc).

I'm nervous about having something in my body for my entire life. I realize the lapband can be removed, but it seems as if this isn't an option most ppl take.

I'm scared I won't be able to have fun with my friends anymore. I want to be able to go on vacation with my friends and eat some bad food and drink and just be "one of the girls." Will this be over for the rest of my life??

I wonder about the port, too. I like to sleep on my stomach... Would this be weird/uncomfortable b/c I would constantly "feel" the port?

Also, there are times in my life I've been fairly active (I play golf and I used to go running)-- with the limited food intake, will I be too light headed for too much activity?

Everything being said, I understand that I will lose weight! A task that has alluded me for most my life! I have tried every diet. I'm just nervous to jump into something "permanent".

Please help me if you can answer my questions!

I apologize as well for my participation in taking this thread to a bad place. I won't go into explanations now cause I don't want to cause a flare up. I hope you find all the answers you are looking for. Do know that any WLS regardless of which one takes some nerves and patience.

So, for a different point of view (FYI, this thread amused me greatly)

I am a failed band, had it removed almost 3 weeks ago secondary to slip. I was banded 12/2009 @ 295 with a BMI of about 50. I did well for about 6 months then had an episode of tightness leading to dehydration leading to total unfill and IV fluids. I had some restriction but was not too tight, I as slowly and consistently losing weight but it was the week before my period, 4th of July weekend and things just got tight. I went to liquids, but never recovered. After the unfill things were never the same. I NEVER could get to a comfortable spot with my band. We put a little in here and there but essentially any time I'd add anything I'd have to have it removed soon after. Upper GI was normal. So I played the band game. I ate mostly what I should but had great difficulty with solid Protein, I drank my Water, I exercised very little. I got down to and maintained around 225 with a BMI of 36 ish. I lost essentially half my excess body weight which is about average.

I did not drink through straws, drink sodas, eat a lot of crap..... I spent a couple years with almost nothing in my band and I maintained that weight. This summer I developed severe reflux, waking up at night choking, chest pain with any foods (soft or otherwise) and eventually difficulty tolerating liquids. I was found to have a slipped band. Was I a perfect bandster? No. Was I bad and did so etching to my band? No. Sometimes **** happens....

Do I hate bands? No. Will I have another? No way. When I had my band removed I had so much inflammation and irritation that my surgeon felt it unsafe to do an immediate revision and I'm now in a 6 month healing period before I can get bypass. In hind site I have a lot of problems with allergies and drainage and my band didn't like that. I catch every GI bug that comes through the clinic, and my band didn't like that....I was not the best choice for a band. Knowing what I know now, I would have gotten a gastric sleeve (except the weren't being done here yet).

The band works for some but there's a chunk of us out there that it didn't work for. It is reversible as they say but that doesn't mean there's not permanent damage being done that can ever be taken out. I know of 1 case where the band did so much damage the patients surgeon told her she can never safely have another bariatric surgery (1 out of a million yes, but still something to think about).

FYI I am a family practice physician assistant, my surgeon is one of the best in the area and who you go to if there's a problem or you need a revision. I went in to this well educated with a good surgical/bariatric program to support me. I again contend that sometimes **** just happens and you can't really predict who it'll happen to!

Best of luck with your decision. Get to know all 3 procedures and talk to people who have been successful as well as those who have not been successful.

As for bravo-omega-fatty acid dude, he's a freak, ignore him. I love how he talks about 'intel' cuz obviously he's important and in the know on all things lapband.

See, now that's a helpful contribution to this thread. It proves that it is indeed possible to make negative comments about the band in a clear, informative fashion intended to help rather than confuse or frighten the listener.

agreed...

See' date=' now that's a helpful contribution to this thread. It proves that it is indeed possible to make negative comments about the band in a clear, informative fashion intended to help rather than confuse or frighten the listener.[/quote']

Emotions run high when weight loss surgery and obesity come up. It's a struggle, it's a fight, it's HARD.... What I don't get is why we have to fraction ourselves out and can't support each other. We all have, or should have, the same goal: to get healthy. Ina perfect world, this would be a place to come for support, no matter what. I had a band, it is gone, I'm getting a bypass. When I say my band slipped I typically get a rash of band-nazis who know each and everything band worthy telling me how I screwed up and caused it. They can bite me. Yes, many slips could be prevented, but not all...when I first saw my surgeon with the slip he chewed me out, after talking to me and thinking it through he agrees with my theory that the band and I, we are just not compatible. Stuff happens. If my story can help someone not get a band because it may be a oroblem for them, then it is worth sharing. If my story helps convince someone that they are a band candidate and they then succeed, then it is worth sharing.

I am not better or worse for getting a bypass. If you mention band or bypass on the sleeve boards you get attacked. They are no better than me. If you mention sleeve on the bypass forum everyone starts screaming about leaks....they are no better than the sleeves or banders. We each have to find our way through the miserable journey of obesity, we each know someone who had something horrible happen when they had a band or bypass or...the goal is to find the right path for ourselves and ultimately I am trying to help guide people along their path, not push them down it.

But I still say alpha omega-fatty acid guy is an idiot....pretty sure I can find intel about that.

Getting off my high horse now to go see patients (and yes, when I have a patient who wants to discuss surgical weight loss I present all 3 options, the good, the bad. And the ugly)

Ok anyone have a clue who this moron BRAVOGOLOFTANGO is? Or what the hell he's talking about? Because I'm seriously at a loss at to what the heck he's talking about.

EDIT: Oh apparently he's now blocked me so I can't see his posts. Apparently he prefers to spread fear and lies and can't handle the truth so he decided to block me rather than face facts.

Now I totally get it

OK, OK< I've got it all figured out. Let me try to explain it. BRAVOGOLFTANGO is an aviator's lingo for his plane's registration numbers, which in this member's case would be something like BGT1234567. This is the number the pilot radios to air traffic controllers on the ground or other planes in the air. It's his "handle", so to speak.

Now, just who is this aviator and where is his airplane headed? Well - oh, excuse me, my genuine Maxwell Smart Shoe Phone is ringing. Let me just quickly answer it.

[brrrring, brrrring. Brrrrring, brrrrring],

Hello? Lieutenant McMillan speaking. Certainly, sir. Let me just advise my crew members to stand by.

[Lt. McMillan covers the shoe-phone and turns to her crew.]

Men, women, please stand by. Brigadier General Huffenpuffen has some important new Lap-Band intel for us.

[back on the shoe-phone]

Yes, sir, what can you tell us about this emerging situation? Do you have any new intel on the identity of BGT1234567? Really? No sir, I'm not doubting you, sir. It's just extremely startling news. Yes, I understand. No, we'll stay on the alert until you issue the command. And thank you, sir. It's an honor to serve you. This is why I joined the IAF (Internet Air Force) in the first place. Roger, over and out.

[Lt. McMillan turns off the phone, puts her foot back in the shoe, and with a single gesture commands the silence and attention of her crew]

OK, this is it. the intel we've been waiting for. Brigadier General Huffenpuffen informs me that BGT1234567 is registered to an individual using an alias of Big G Troll. "BGT" believes he is the reincarnation of Secret Agent John Drake (played by Patrick McGoohan in 1964-1967) and has, under the guise of a Procurement Agent for Her Majesty's Secret Service, been stockpiling Moon Pies, RC Cola, and Evans' Pork Rinds since May of 2011. His physical address is located approximately 3.249871 miles from Bessy's pizza and Bait Shop in Bessemer, Alabama. Bessy is believed to be BGT's mama but since she hasn't left the shop in 17 years, that has not yet been substantiated. We have further intel that BGT dropped out of Jefferson County Technical School in November 2009 because of conflicts with his instructors in the highly-respected How to Get a Life Program there. It is believed that BGT is planning a bombing raid on the Bandwagon Airfield in an unspecified location in Tennessee. Anyone who witnesses the Raining Frogs or Devrom Swamp Gas phenomena is to report it to me immediately. Brigadier General Huffenpuffen assures me that a counter-strike is in the works and that a specially-trained squadron will be dispatched in the next 24 hours. Any questions? Corporal Missy?

Ma'am, what does any of this have to do with the Lap-Band?

Good question, Corporal. In point of fact, none of BGT's activities have been proven to be related to the Lap-Band or anything bariatric at all, but a team of investigators is hard at work on verifying that as we speak.

And Ma'am, no offense, but do you realize you have just spent 47 minutes and 39 seconds spinning a tale about a troll? Is it possible that you're due for some badly-needed R&R?

Affirmative, Corporal, but if it's good enough for Hans Christian Anderson, it's good enough for me. Very well, men and women, please stand down.

That's all for now, soldiers. Stand down.

HAM Operators use phonetic alphabet as well. Maybe he's a ham.

Cheers,

Juliet India Mike 1967

He must eat alot of ham since he doesn't have a band.

OMG,ROFLMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you Jean,Jim & Bandarama!!!!!

It's a good thing I got my staples out yesterday or I would've popped one laughing for sure.

Jean, you are too awesome

you know what, you guys are just........well no wonder i like you all

be nice to me or i shall block the lot of you (((LOL)))

HAM Operators use phonetic alphabet as well. Maybe he's a ham.

Cheers,

Juliet India Mike 1967

Oh, dear, I just had a mental image of a flying ham, wearing goggles, helmet, and scarf just like Snoopy in his Flying Ace persona...

It's a good thing I got my staples out yesterday or I would've popped one laughing for sure.

Jean, you are too awesome

Popping a staple would've been for a good cause, though. Laughter is the best medicine!

It's taken me a while but I think I may finally have got with the program. Sorry I missed it initially, it looks like you all had lots of fun.

I think the official verdict could be that you are all mad so maybe I'm lucky I wasn't here earlier or I could have been classified mad too!

I love LBT. Somedays it covers the whole entertainment spectrum - Drama, tragedy,comedy, slapstick..............

It's taken me a while but I think I may finally have got with the program. Sorry I missed it initially, it looks like you all had lots of fun.

I think the official verdict could be that you are all mad so maybe I'm lucky I wasn't here earlier or I could have been classified mad too!

I love LBT. Somedays it covers the whole entertainment spectrum - Drama, tragedy,comedy, slapstick..............

Lots and lots of slapstick!