Dear all,

First of all, I'm not into any anti-lapband or anything. In fact I was a 250kg fat guy and was actually going for gastric bypass earlier in this March. I was to big and risky for the operation so they put me on very tight diet and managed to drop down to 173kg after 5 weeks. Days before operation day, there was a change in plan when my doc offer me BIB - Bio Centric Intragastric Balloon, for FREE, being their workshop supermodel.

This was suppose to help me down another 20kg before I can safely proceed with lap band ops at 150kg.

Like others, I was told / read , lap band is 99% risk free. Somehow we can never ignore the 1% fatality rate......

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/8/3/asia/15032858&sec=asia

<!-- end Breadcrumb--> Thursday August 3, 2006

Weight-loss surgery proves fatal for driver ROSS Tay, 31, and Jade Ma Yu-yu, 23, were just beginning to enjoy life as husband and wife when their marital bliss was tragically cut short. On Monday, the portly tourist bus driver died as a result of complications following gastric lap-band surgery meant to help him lose weight. The procedure involves wrapping an adjustable silicon gastric band around the upper part of the stomach to create a small pouch. This restricts the size of the stomach, so the patient gets the feeling of fullness quickly. The pouch also empties slowly because of the constriction, so it takes longer for the patient to feel hungry again.

With doctors supervising the patient’s diet and careful exercise, weight loss is supposed to follow.

Tay, who tipped the scales at 176kg at his heaviest and was 160kg at his slimmest, is believed to be the first here to die as a result of such an operation. Ma, a Chinese national, told reporters at her husband’s wake on Monday night that it was his second go at the procedure. The first attempt was in March, before their two-day wedding in Singapore, but it was unsuccessful. He tried again last month but it proved fatal for him.

Tay first decided to try the procedure after he learnt from news reports that the number of people going for the surgery had gone up eight times between 2004 and last year. He thought then that he had the answer to his weight problem. Ma said: “He read in several newspapers that the surgery was one of the safest. He wanted to lose weight and be healthy.”

When the surgery was first done at Alexandra Hospital, he had to have the band removed after five days because the doctor said it had slipped. Tay checked in for his second surgery on July 13.

The operation was to have been done through a “keyhole” – a small incision – but the surgeon had to make a 20cm cut on his belly when he could not locate the top of the stomach. Tay’s condition took a turn for the worse on Friday. He suffered excessive bleeding and his spleen had to be removed.

Then his kidneys failed and he had to be put on dialysis, said Ma. Tay lapsed into a coma and died on Monday from complications, including blood poisoning. Police have classified the case as unnatural death. – The Straits Times / Asia News Network

The source of this "news story" is The Star Online. I wonder if the The Star Online is as reliable a news source as The Star magazine you see in the grocery store check-out?

The reason this story smells fishy is because that's all that "newspaper" is good for - wrapping up fish.

Is it just me or is anyone else ticked off when someone refers to the Lap Band as "cosmetic surgery"?

No its not just you. This is "life saving" surgery...cosmetic would be teeth whitening, boob enhancement, nose job....LOL

My husband has a "Santa Claus" belly and he has had no complications from his LB surgery. He had the standard 5 hole lap procedure and came home the same day - no staples or stitches, either. He has lost 68 pounds and reduced his Diabetes meds by 3/4.

I am sorry, but I smell something funny with your whole post. If you are for real, I am sorry, but it took me 18 months, with a band, working my ass off to lose 72kg. And you say you lost 97.50kg (if I did my math right) in 5 weeks? I am really sorry but is sounds off. Very off.

And as for the article? The media will twist anything to suit themselves. They do it all the time. This bit of "reporting" is no different.

Sorry for the confusion. here how it goes

I have too much Water in my body cell, they gave me LASIX treatment to flush out water

Day 1 - admitted at 250 kgs

Day 3 - weighted at 235 kgs (in ICU)

After 3 weeks - 180kg

Week 4 - 177kg

Week 5 - Pre BIB Operation 173kg

Post BIB operation 175 kg (balloon has 1 kg ++ of water)

First 1 week, I was sub-contious (sudden increase in oxygen) on liquid diet (tube intake)

Week 2 - awake but still on liquid diet

Week 3 - started 800 kal diet.

At this level, my weight reduce rapidly becuase all of it water. After week 3 my weight reduction slow down to 0.5 kg daily. Do your maths, last 2 week only lost 7 kilos.

But honestly, after discharge I think I gain weight. First 2 week after BIB, I can control my intake, if I took extra i'll vomit out. But after 2 weeks I guess my body evolve and allow extra intake.

BIB turn out to be not as effective as lapband. BIB cost as much as lapband. But I took BIB becuase of the free offer.

By the way, THE STAR is legit nasional english paper in Malaysia and currently no 1 in Malaysia. They don't twist these kind of stories. However I believe they just don't dive deeper. They could have copied from Singapore newspaper.

But they twist politics stories a lot.

No its not just you. This is "life saving" surgery...cosmetic would be teeth whitening, boob enhancement, nose job....LOL

In my country, lapband falls under cosmetic. Here not many people aware of this treatment. Lipo is definitely under cosmetic. Thus anything about losing weight is cosmetic, includes tummy thuck.

That is why most insurance company does not cover this and general hospital did not perform lap band. They stock to traditional diet and execise.

I'm still trying to get reimbursement on my treatment bill based on the fact that this is "life treatening" if not threated.

Another side on the story

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/222473/1/.html

Man dies after complications from gastric band surgery

By Joanne Leow/Valarie Tan, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 01 August 2006 1825 hrs

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SINGAPORE : A 31-year-old man died on Monday following complications after undergoing gastric band surgery.

Ross Tay is believed to be the first person in Singapore to have died from such complications.

He had the procedure performed at Alexandra Hospital, which is a leading institution for such surgical weight management procedures.

Also known as lap band surgery, it is only available to people who are very overweight and who have not responded to changes in diet, exercise regimen and medication.

Mr Tay, a martial arts instructor and tour bus driver, weighed 176 kilogrammes and was diabetic.

His family told Channel NewsAsia he first went for gastric band surgery in March this year and suffered an allergic reaction to the band.

He had it removed days after but was advised to try the procedure again in July.

This time, surgeons found too much scar tissue to install the band.

When he returned home, he complained that he was feeling unwell and on July 29, was readmitted with a high fever.

Doctors operated on him a third time and removed infected tissue and his spleen.

Mr Tay then fell into a coma and continued to bleed internally, so he was operated on a fourth time.

He died on Monday from complications including blood poisoning.

Mr Tay had just got married in March; now, his family members expect the medical bills to come up to some S$20,000.

They say they are grateful for the staff who tried to save Mr Tay in the last days of his life, but wonder if his death could have been prevented.

Said his brother Melvin Tay, "Public awareness - we just want to let others know this cannot be 100 percent. It was like a very simple operation, we thought; we didn't expect that it would lead to today's stage."

Gastric band surgery is a keyhole procedure that involves putting a band around the upper part of the stomach to reduce appetite.

It is a measure of last resort, and the Health Ministry only allows it for people with a body mass index over 32.

Doctors here say the risks from gastric band surgery are low compared to other weight management surgery like stomach stapling; in fact, the mortality rate is 1 in 2,000, or 0.04 percent.

Still, doctors say that as with any surgery there are risks

As for this case, Alexandra Hospital says it cannot comment until the coroner's report, which is expected to be out in three to four months.

Alexandra Hospital has performed some 300 gastric band surgeries since 2001, with some patients losing up to 70 kilogrammes from the procedure.

Patients who opt for this procedure have to go through a six-month preparation period which involves tests and counselling.

The Health Promotion Board says the number of obese Singaporeans has increased from 6 percent in 1998 to 6.9 percent in 2004.

Of these, 16 percent are at high risk of developing obesity-related diseases. - CNA /ct

Sorry for the confusion. here how it goes

I have too much Water in my body cell, they gave me LASIX treatment to flush out water

Day 1 - admitted at 250 kgs

Day 3 - weighted at 235 kgs (in ICU)

After 3 weeks - 180kg

Week 4 - 177kg

Week 5 - Pre BIB Operation 173kg

Post BIB operation 175 kg (balloon has 1 kg ++ of water)

First 1 week, I was sub-contious (sudden increase in oxygen) on liquid diet (tube intake)

Week 2 - awake but still on liquid diet

Week 3 - started 800 kal diet.

At this level, my weight reduce rapidly becuase all of it water. After week 3 my weight reduction slow down to 0.5 kg daily. Do your maths, last 2 week only lost 7 kilos.

But honestly, after discharge I think I gain weight. First 2 week after BIB, I can control my intake, if I took extra i'll vomit out. But after 2 weeks I guess my body evolve and allow extra intake.

BIB turn out to be not as effective as lapband. BIB cost as much as lapband. But I took BIB becuase of the free offer.

By the way, THE STAR is legit nasional english paper in Malaysia and currently no 1 in Malaysia. They don't twist these kind of stories. However I believe they just don't dive deeper. They could have copied from Singapore newspaper.

But they twist politics stories a lot.

Dude, all reporters twist stories, lol. Its their job.

And to lose 25kg (55lbs) in Fluid on Lasix in 3 days is pretty unheard of. I hope your treating doctor is submitting your story to a medical journal.

Hey AussieChick, this is off topic....you look terrific!! I hope I can be as succesful as you have been!!

Sorry for the confusion. here how it goes

I have too much Water in my body cell, they gave me LASIX treatment to flush out water

Day 1 - admitted at 250 kgs

Day 3 - weighted at 235 kgs (in ICU)

After 3 weeks - 180kg

Week 4 - 177kg

Week 5 - Pre BIB Operation 173kg

Post BIB operation 175 kg (balloon has 1 kg ++ of water)

First 1 week, I was sub-contious (sudden increase in oxygen) on liquid diet (tube intake)

Week 2 - awake but still on liquid diet

Week 3 - started 800 kal diet.

At this level, my weight reduce rapidly becuase all of it water. After week 3 my weight reduction slow down to 0.5 kg daily. Do your maths, last 2 week only lost 7 kilos.

Congrats on your weightloss and good luck when it comes time to banding. I just have a few questions you said you were in the ICU was this for another condition or to lose weight? I have been doing some reserch on lasix and it says Lasix treats Fluid retention (edema) in people with congestive heart failure, liver disease, or a kidney disorder such as nephrotic syndrome. Lasix is also used to treat high high blood pressure did you have any of these that resulted in the ICU vist or the use of lasix. Also you were subconscious for the first week this seems highly unusual did they put you under or was it some sort of complication? Which hospital were you in I am interested in trying to see if they are doing reserch or if this is standard protocol for them. Thanks for answering these questions.

Yup yup. Still not seeing "lapband causes death" over "infection causes death".

Yeah, something screams "FISHY" here. I was nervous reading this as I'm a week away from my surgery, but it's pretty obvious there were other "issues" not mentioned that contributed to this man's death.

I realize there is a very small, tiny chance I could react badly to something about the surgery and serious complications, including dieing.. But there is a MUCH bigger chance that I'll react badly to remaining this overweight.

I'm an RN with ICU experience any I have never had a patient lose 55lbs in 3 days from lasix. Do you know what that would do to your electrolytes. Why did you have to lose so much weight for the lap band? Sepsis which is a blood infection kills people after all types of surgey, but usually very invasive surgery. I'm not too concerned with this post, I agree with the others something seems fishy.

So, you lost 80kg of Fluid (peed out, as you said in your other post), and a further half kilo a day? (17.5kg over 5 weeks = 3.5x5=17.5)

I am sorry, but I smell something funny with your whole post. If you are for real, I am sorry, but it took me 18 months, with a band, working my ass off to lose 72kg. And you say you lost 97.50kg (if I did my math right) in 5 weeks? I am really sorry but is sounds off. Very off.

And as for the article? The media will twist anything to suit themselves. They do it all the time. This bit of "reporting" is no different.

OK meyour, here's the deal you are either confused or lying about your weight loss because the conversion from kg to lbs comes to 170 pounds lost in 5 weeks. I don't care if you pee like a racehorse you will not ever in your wildest dreams loose 4.86 pounds per day, no, not even if you ate nothing and only drank Water to stay hydrated. No, not even if you were 550 lbs before. Not unless you cut off a leg and an arm. Did you cut off a leg and an arm? No, I didn't think so. Don't come on our message boards and write lies please. We don't have time for that crap. Good luck in your weight loss journey and I hope you get it all straightened out.

So, you lost 80kg of Fluid (peed out, as you said in your other post), and a further half kilo a day? (17.5kg over 5 weeks = 3.5x5=17.5)

I am sorry, but I smell something funny with your whole post. If you are for real, I am sorry, but it took me 18 months, with a band, working my ass off to lose 72kg. And you say you lost 97.50kg (if I did my math right) in 5 weeks? I am really sorry but is sounds off. Very off.

And as for the article? The media will twist anything to suit themselves. They do it all the time. This bit of "reporting" is no different.

I'm with you Aussie. This post seems highly suspicious to me. I can't imagine anyone losing that much weight so quickly without seriously damaging their health. Besides that, you said your doctor put you on a very strict diet, but the diet you posted doesn't seem all that severe, and certainly not severe enough to lose that kind of weight in such a short time. In my opinion, that would require some sort of liquid diet. Looking at the meal plan you posted - an egg, three pieces of bread, three pieces of chicken, two pieces of fish, nevermind the other stuff - that's more than 800 calories.

I'm sorry, but I'm too much of a cynic to believe you. You know what they say about things that sound too good to be true...