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

Ok me again do you know the medical term for the high Water content in cells. I am a nursing student so i am fascinated by this stuff. Also what does the UKM stand for in the hospitals name. Oh and did those neighboring patients die from weight loss or from something else. Either way that must have been scary. And why were you so weak? Thanks again.

Hi Ariel

1) High water content is called "Fluid retention" or "water retention", defined as "An abnormal accumulation of fluid in cells, tissues or body cavities that results in swelling" - this explain why my body had suddenly strenching and getting bigger rapidly. It was actually "swelling" with water.

2) UKM - Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia or in english, Malaysia National University.

3) Lapband surgery was done 1 or 2 cases a month. Not many hospital offer this facility. Neighbouring patient died of other causes, both case elderly patients. Scary? yes but only realise them gone in the morning when i saw their bed empty.

4) Weak. Yes, CPAP machine pump extra oxygen to my body. Correct me if i'm wrong, sudden increase in oxygen gave same effect of taking drug. You'll be half awake and dificulties of remembering anything. When I was first woke up, a doctor ask me simple questions but i failed to answer back. Days pass by I regain my memory. Lying down on bed 24 hours for 3 weeks, make my whole body paralyst. I had physiotherapist on frequent visit for physical training.

So, Mr Tay never had the surgery (he was a martial arts instructor?---hmmmm)....They cut him open twice....he got blood poison....he was diabetic....Allergic reaction to the band...yeah I'll buy that...so they tell him to do it again (hello what happend to the allergic part??) ..so they go back in and 4 months later he had so much scar tissue they can't do it?? Hmmm...they must have chopped the crap out of him in the first surgery.

hmmm at 378 lbs, he must have had other issues. I love the media and their lack of truth. Sad that he died though....it happens. At that weight, and being diabetic he prob wasn't gonna live a long time.

..so they go back in and 4 months later he had so much scar tissue they can't do it?? Hmmm...they must have chopped the crap out of him in the first surgery.

Actually they further chopped him

"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."

4) Weak. Yes, CPAP machine pump extra oxygen to my body. Correct me if i'm wrong, sudden increase in oxygen gave same effect of taking drug. You'll be half awake and dificulties of remembering anything. When I was first woke up, a doctor ask me simple questions but i failed to answer back. Days pass by I regain my memory. Lying down on bed 24 hours for 3 weeks, make my whole body paralyst. I had physiotherapist on frequent visit for physical training.

The CPAP machime does not pump pure oxygen, it pumps regular air. The same that you breath during the day. With sleep apena you stop breathing periodically throughout the night. The CPAP machine forces the air into your lungs. Therefor the results of a CPAP machine is a better night rest and waking up more alert. The CPAP would not cause a sudden increase in your oxygen levels as it pupms regular air, it tries to maintain the level of oxygen that you have throughout the day. Now pure oxygen does act like a drug and if you "overdose" on it the resulting condition is Pulmonary Oxygen Toxicity. This happens when someone is exposed to high oxygen levels for over 16 hours in pressures of 0.5 bar or more. Symptoms begin with a substernal irritation that becomes progressively worse and is accompanied by an increasingly uncontrollable cough. The patient may experience tracheal or bronchial burning, that worsens during inspiration. Lung damage is sometimes irreversible. I got the info about the oxygen at http://lungdiseases.about.com/od/termsdefinitions/f/excess_oxygen.htm

Too much air in the cpap makes you wake up not make you sleepy. There had to be another issue regarding difficulty remembering anything the doc said to you. Too much air coming in makes you gasp. It has to--- if there is too much air in the lungs, it backs up and fills your cheeks....you open your mouth...and ta-da air is gone. The air you get from the cpap is about as pure as the air is in the room that it runs in. I'm sure there is some sort of filter....but its not that great.

Besides for a medically supervised flushing...you were on drugs so they prob played a part in the memory lapse. Hell a barium enima is a psychedelic experience...ugh never want to do that again!!! LOL:p

The CPAP machime does not pump pure oxygen, it pumps regular air. The same that you breath during the day. With sleep apena you stop breathing periodically throughout the night. The CPAP machine forces the air into your lungs. Therefor the results of a CPAP machine is a better night rest and waking up more alert. The CPAP would not cause a sudden increase in your oxygen levels as it pupms regular air, it tries to maintain the level of oxygen that you have throughout the day. Now pure oxygen does act like a drug and if you "overdose" on it the resulting condition is Pulmonary Oxygen Toxicity. This happens when someone is exposed to high oxygen levels for over 16 hours in pressures of 0.5 bar or more.

I was not aware about sleep apnea until my doc told me. I remember he told me untreated sleep apnea a period of time, cause my arterial oxygen saturation level to drop to as low as 30-40 %. Becuase the drop took many years, my body function adapting to low oxygen environment; resulting low metabolism rate; contributing to obesity.

When they put me on CPAP, thought O2 at normal flow, but for my body, it higher than usual. That explain why I fell asleep the moment they put on CPAP on me. They told me I was awake next day but I cn't remember anything. I can't even remember been send to ICU on 3rd day. Remember woke up a week later and start mumbling about getting my eye glasses from table top.

Only after 3 weeks on CPAP for 24 hours, I was able to bring O2 level to 88-90%. After that change to BPAP only at nite, then when confident enough change to smaller oxygen mask.

Week 5,with proper breathing technique manage to get O2 to 97-98% which is norm.

Yet everytime I was not on any O2 aids, it drop. Now 2 months after discharge/without O2 aids, I belief my O2 saturation drop again. Sleep apnea syntoms coming back, sweating, panting, blueish finger nail, asthmatic symtom, coughing, weezing.

Working on getting myself personal CPAP machine. Expensive ! might have to forget about getting lapband surgeri if I use the money on CPAP machine.

Too much air in the cpap makes you wake up not make you sleepy. There had to be another issue regarding difficulty remembering anything the doc said to you. Too much air coming in makes you gasp. It has to--- if there is too much air in the lungs, it backs up and fills your cheeks....you open your mouth...and ta-da air is gone. The air you get from the cpap is about as pure as the air is in the room that it runs in. I'm sure there is some sort of filter....but its not that great.

Besides for a medically supervised flushing...you were on drugs so they prob played a part in the memory lapse. Hell a barium enima is a psychedelic experience...ugh never want to do that again!!! LOL:p

Poeple with sleep apnea wake up at nite gasping for air. Your sleeping quality is so bad you wake up in the morning tired and still sleepy. You fall asleep easily and in worst case, fall asleep while driving. CPAP delivers air into your airway through a specially designed nasal mask. The mask does not breathe for you; the flow of air creates enough pressure when you inhale to keep your airway open.

Of couse first few nite it was hell uncomfortable nite. I had my both hand tied to the bed by nurses on duty coz i keep on pulling the mask off my face at nite. I was told later 2 masks broken after being pulled by me. The airtight mask also sound proof. Had to yell all the time.

1) High Water content is called "Fluid retention" or "water retention", defined as "An abnormal accumulation of fluid in cells, tissues or body cavities that results in swelling" - this explain why my body had suddenly strenching and getting bigger rapidly. It was actually "swelling" with water.

Most people get "Fluid retention" or "Water retention" during their periods. It causes them to gain a few pounds that goes away. You could mean Edema maybe?

Poeple with sleep apnea wake up at nite gasping for air. Your sleeping quality is so bad you wake up in the morning tired and still sleepy. You fall asleep easily and in worst case, fall asleep while driving. CPAP delivers air into your airway through a specially designed nasal mask. The mask does not breathe for you; the flow of air creates enough pressure when you inhale to keep your airway open.

Normally with sleep apnea, your mind jolts your body so you can start breathing again but not normally enough to even wake you up. I had my tonsils out to correct my sleep apnea and I am fine now. My father was on the mask and it didn't help him much at all and he decided to go and get his tonsils out as well and is now fine also.

Poeple with sleep apnea wake up at nite gasping for air. Your sleeping quality is so bad you wake up in the morning tired and still sleepy. You fall asleep easily and in worst case, fall asleep while driving. CPAP delivers air into your airway through a specially designed nasal mask. The mask does not breathe for you; the flow of air creates enough pressure when you inhale to keep your airway open.

I know what sleep apnea is ---I have it.

I was not aware about sleep apnea until my doc told me. I remember he told me untreated sleep apnea a period of time, cause my arterial oxygen saturation level to drop to as low as 30-40 %. Becuase the drop took many years, my body function adapting to low oxygen environment; resulting low metabolism rate; contributing to obesity.

When they put me on CPAP, thought O2 at normal flow, but for my body, it higher than usual. That explain why I fell asleep the moment they put on CPAP on me. They told me I was awake next day but I cn't remember anything. I can't even remember been send to ICU on 3rd day. Remember woke up a week later and start mumbling about getting my eye glasses from table top.

Only after 3 weeks on CPAP for 24 hours, I was able to bring O2 level to 88-90%. After that change to BPAP only at nite, then when confident enough change to smaller oxygen mask.

Week 5,with proper breathing technique manage to get O2 to 97-98% which is norm.

Yet everytime I was not on any O2 aids, it drop. Now 2 months after discharge/without O2 aids, I belief my O2 saturation drop again. Sleep apnea syntoms coming back, sweating, panting, blueish finger nail, asthmatic symtom, coughing, weezing.

Working on getting myself personal CPAP machine. Expensive ! might have to forget about getting lapband surgeri if I use the money on CPAP machine.

It would seem that you have a little more than sleep apnea going on...the symptoms you list are not symptoms of sleep apnea....sleep apnea symptoms occur at night while you are sleeping (or lack of sleeping) It sounds like you don't get enough air during the day due to your weight...sweating, panting, blueish finger nails, coughing, weezing aren't symptoms of sleep apnea..apnea is the stopping of breathing. You don't have your own machine...that stinks.....don't you have health insurance ?? I would def get one, sleep apnea also strains your heart....can lead to heart failure...not good.

Normally with sleep apnea, your mind jolts your body so you can start breathing again but not normally enough to even wake you up. I had my tonsils out to correct my sleep apnea and I am fine now. My father was on the mask and it didn't help him much at all and he decided to go and get his tonsils out as well and is now fine also.

Oh no, are you kidding...I have been waiting all this time for my cpap...and tonsils can be a culprit??? Ugh, I could have had my tonsils out quicker than it took to get my pulm doc to read my test results!!:frusty: :pound:

meyor it seems more resonable that you had congestive heart failure with pulmonary edema than sleep apena and fluid retention. Once again the CPAP machine does not pump O2 it pumps normal air. If you had O2 you were not on the CPAP machine.

Not trying to be rude, but I can't get over the fact that meyour keeps posting things that don't make sense and then getting angry at us when we point out the mistakes or misunderstanding. It sounds to me like someone is not understanding their doctor. But again, I'm probably gonna be yelled at for saying it, but I think someone is making up stories to make us think that lapband isn't a good surgery.

or maybe someone is jealous.

Oh no, are you kidding...I have been waiting all this time for my cpap...and tonsils can be a culprit??? Ugh, I could have had my tonsils out quicker than it took to get my pulm doc to read my test results!!:frusty: :pound:

Yep. My sister had sleep apnea and had her tonsils out when she was about 15 or so with normal surgery. When I was 21 I snored ALOT and I would stop breathing in my sleep, and be so tired I could fall asleep anywhere, even at work. My PCP decided I should get my tonsils out and I haven't had a problem since. My sister and I are both overweight and both had it. Here is a link I found. http://www.doctorhoffman.com/ta.htm