I just found out about the lap band. Where do I start? Thanks, Chanell

Hi Chanell,

Wow a mom of 6, I thought 4 was a lot!! Here are some great web sites(besides this one) that will be a wealth of information for you:

http://www.lap-band.com/

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/SmartBandsters/

http://www.myagb.homestead.com/links.html

http://www.thebandsters.com/

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/PNW_Bandsters

http://obesityhelp.com

And here are some questions you might want to ask your surgeon after you have chosen one:

·What types of obesity surgery procedures have you performed?

·How many of each weight loss procedure have you performed?

·Can this surgery be performed using minimally invasive techniques?

·Can I be considered a candidate for surgery even though I have one or more associated health conditions related to my obesity?

·Which weight loss procedure is best for me? Why? What are the risks involved?

·How long will I be in surgery?

·What is the length of my anticipated hospital stay?

·How long will it be before I can return to pre-surgery levels of activity?

·How will my eating habits change?

·Do you have information about obesity surgery costs and payment options?

·What is the typical excess weight loss and improvement of associated health conditions for your other patients?

·Do you have patients who are willing to share their experiences, both positive and negative?

·What information can you give me to help family and friends better understand this surgery?

·What type of long-term, after-care services (such as support groups and counseling) can you provide for me?

·What do you expect from me if I decide to choose a surgical solution?

But if you read through all the things that have been asked and reported here at this web site, you will probably learn enough to get you going.

Good Luck

Hi Chanell!

THis is a great site that is very easy to navigate! I have learned so much here and the support is fantastic! 6 CHILDREN... WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THe banding is a safer option than the Gastric Bypass surgery and it sounds like you have a family that needs and I'm sure loves you! Good luck as you start researching!

Darcy

Chanell,

There is another support group called Spotlight Health that is very good too. I spend my time between LapbandTalk & Spotlight Health. I bumped a previous post called "Banding 101" that will get you there. It has a Banding 101 post that answers just about any question you might have about banding.

Good luck on your journey.

Sheila