Is the lap band healthy?

[momof4 0]

Sorry, I haven't been on here for a while. I am not trying to push or sway anyone into getting an MGB. I only want people to know it's available. It is completely reversible and have even spoken to one person who had to have a complete reversal after one year due to being malnourished. Out of the many people I have talked to, she is the only one I could find who had complications and it wasn't until she was over a year out of surgery that she developed complications. She went solo for a couple of years and then after more research together with Dr. Rutledge, they agreed to perform another MGB, but this time only bypassed 3 feet. She's doing extremely well now.

The MGB does use the Billroth II type connection, but it is NOT the old loop. In fact, the new stomach is vertical and not a pouch up at the top of the stomach near the esophagus. They have found that there's less acid reflux this way and a lot less complications overall. Whatever any of you decide, just do your research and when you think you've done enough, do more. I have been researching this for 6 months and have only ever found TWO reports that were negative. One of them was from a competing doctor here in Vegas and the other was a Japanese report that referred to a surgery that is not an MGB, but they called it that. I had to read a 100+ page manual, informing myself of the MGB and alternatives. I then had to write a 15 page paper, explaining what I learned to even be considered for the surgery. If you print he manual and take to a doctor, most will be impressed at the amount of information in there. It is not pushing the MGB, it is informing of all the pros and cons of every surgery out there, as well as non surgical alternatives.

Best wishes and good luck to all of you,

Tricia H.

[Vera 7]

Hello momof4

I'm doing some research for my sister and I've never heard about MGB

I am getting the band taken out and am seriously considering getting the "mini gastric bypass". This has shown to have the same weight loss as RNY and the normal bypass, but the people with the MGB seem to be keeping the weight off beyond 7 years--unlike the others. It is completely reversible and if you aren't losing enough weight, they can bypass more intestines or if you're losing too much weight, then the doctor can bypass less intestines to slow it down.

I guess I don't understand the part about "It is completely reversible" there is some cutting and rerouting isn't there?

Thanks

[ddee 0]

My band saved my life and I had it for a year, losing a bit over 100 pounds.

Suddenly, this last May, I started having pains, and saw a surgeon who

obviously did not understand this surgery at all, so I traveled back to the

state in which I had had my band put in (I had moved right after original

surgery). My esophogus was badly swollen, and the surgeon removed my

band, saying that it wasn't safe to put in another at this time. I gained

27 pounds in 6 weeks and have been having a very hard time since losing

my band. I cannot decide if I should try for another band in 6 months, or

try to resume losing, thinking of the band for a year as being a fabulous

"jump start." Gastric bypass terrifies me and I cannot imagine having it

done to me, being irreversible and so invasive. I'm trying to start each

day off with a hot drink (even home-made Soup with no sodium) and also

to only drink ice Water after 5 p.m. -- that part is hard! I didn't realize how many complications the band could have when I had lapband surgery

in May of 2005, but even so, that one year made such a difference in my

life, and I'm still glad I had it, even though only for a year. "C.J."

banded May 16, 2005 top weight 319

unbanded June 26, 2006 weighed 211

September 2006 --- had gained 27 lbs; lost 5, gained 5... am trying to

restart the losing process without the lapband tool

Your story is so like mine!! I was unbanded April 2006 due to slippage. The surgeon said that I am lucky to be alive. My stomach was completely cut off from any blood flow. I too have gained 27 lbs. -- since April!!!

I am so depressed! Glad to fit in my fatter clothes but don't know how long before a new size needs to be bought. I'm gaining 3 lbs a week now. I teach school and eat in a lunchroom with 200 loud teens. I am an emotional eater... well, you know the rest of that story...what to do, what to do...I am miserable.

DDEE

[wild_in97 0]

I had a problem right after I had the surgery. I woke up from the surgery with hiccups and evidently the band slipped. So, I had a second surgery to correct it while in Mexico. I felt better about the second surgery than the first. I knew I was in good hands when they started telling me they were thinking of doing another surgery and would take care of the problem. I don't know if they cared about me or just their reputation that I would bring back to the states............but they cared about something because they did a second surgery for free. Tell me of an American doctor that would do that!!!!!

Anyhow, I have lost around 20 pounds. I have had one fill, but it really did not do much for me. I might have gotten a tiny restriction for a few days from it, but believe me, it was tiny. I am going back for another fill this Saturday. I started out weighing around 237, lost only down to 231.5 for surgery and am right now at 216. I am hoping the second fill will be a little more restrictive. Even without the restriction, I have to remember to chew, chew, chew for it to go down as it should. I eat very healthy....whole grains, lean meats, fruits and veggies.....you just have to remember to chew, chew, chew!!!!!! It is hard to remember sometimes, but it is becoming more a part of my life to chew. It makes an apple so much more satisfying when you chew it up to an applesauce.....including the peel. See, the doctors told me to peel my apples, but that is where the majority of the nourishment is. So, I keep them on and chew, chew, chew and it is much more satisfying that way. I do love my band. It is not as restrictive as I wish it was, but that is the purpose of the fills.....right?

The doc doing my fills told me not to expect too much from the first fill. So, she was right and now I will go in for my second fill. I do pray it is more restrictive. The first two weeks after the surgery, there was truly NO hunger at all. But most of us that are overweight are emotional eaters. So, we do need that reminder in our life, are we eating because our body needs the nourishment, or are we eating because we had a crappy day!!!!????? Most of my eating is the second. How about yours????? I find myself resenting the fact I can't eat as much and as long as I once could...........dah, why did I get banded. Oh yeah, to help me remember when enough is enough!!!!!

OK, now tell me how my thinking is stinking!!!!!!

Wild

[beversman 0]

This thread makes me question doing the procedure at all... wow.

[lisah25 3]

This thread makes me question doing the procedure at all... wow.

I think having questions is a good thing. You need to know what you are getting into, and that yes complications can and do happen. Some are quite serious, although that's rare.

For me, it came down to knowing that 1)I had tried enough times on my own, and proven to myself I couldn't lose and maintain a loss and 2)I was going to have health issues because of my weight. I already was, there was a 100% chance of complication from being MO in other words. I balanced that against the complications from having a lap-band, and decided to go ahead with it.

[beversman 0]

I think you've hit the nail on the head. That is exactly how you have to look at it. :-) thanks

[lildarlin 0]

This thread makes me question doing the procedure at all... wow.

Don't let it scare you too much! Make sure you know your surgeon, how many he's done, his success rate, his failure rate and talk to other bandsters as much as you can. The boards are good, but face to face is better. I went to monthly support groups for 5 months while in the process of getting approved to learn all that I could.

Complications don't occur for everyone. I had an uneventful surgery, I was walking the halls 3 hours later for hours on end. My mother said it was the easiest recovery from major surgery she's ever seen. I stayed home 2 weeks just to be at my best because my workload was going to be very heavy when I went back.

I have never PB'd, I slime now and then because I eat too fast, I have lost 64lbs in 7 months, I can eat most everything and I am doing this with a little over 1cc in the 4cc band. I don't even know that I have the band except for when it's time to eat!! That's the way it should be!

I wish you luck in your decision.

[health1st 1]

Wildin97, I had the same thing as you. You are the first person I've found with this immediate slippage It is really rare! I woke up from surgery in trouble and 3 days later back in surgery with a slipped band. They replaced a small band with the Vandgard. It is not clear what caused the slipped band, I didn't vomit or anything but best guess was the band was too small for me. My DOC is a US doc and he DIDN"T charge me either and no charges from the hospital. So not all US Docs and hospitals are bad.

I have no problems now but am pretty cautious. I knew all the possible complications but I just didn't think it would happen to me. Surprise.

Would I have the band again, probably. I feel so much better. I would never do the Gastric bypass or anything that alters my stomach, but that's just me. For some it works just fine. I am just hoping that my band lasts until they get the grinlin hormon pill that works. Estimated 10 years and they'll have it figured out.

[angyl2314 1]

With my mother who is now out of her mind about this surgery. I am scheduled for Jan 3rd. Her questions. which I cannot answer, but maybe some of you can help me with are: what are the possible long term effects of having a silicone band inside our bodies for such a long period of time (she still remembers INITIAL myths re: breast implants and cancer), how will I feel going out to dinner with people and not being able to eat like a "normal" person, how will others look at me if they know I have undergone this surgery. My intention is to use the band in its intention, as a tool to lose my desired amount of weight, and then have it removed and continuing behavior mod. programs like WW and exercise. I have maintained a significant weight loss of over 3.5 years, but just stopped losing weight. I am confident that with my discipline and proper supports I can maintain this weight loss too. Her questions are valid though, and things that I really did not think about up to this point. Anybody have any insight for me?

[NewSho 20]

:hungry:

With my mother who is now out of her mind about this surgery. I am scheduled for Jan 3rd. Her questions. which I cannot answer, but maybe some of you can help me with are:

I have to admit, some of these questions just didn't even occur to me - because I just didn't deal with other people's questions as a PreOp patient. I'm single and so there just wasn't anyone to "answer" to about having this surgery. I did for me, with me, and only had to convince myself. But I'll try...

• what are the possible long term effects of having a silicone band inside our bodies for such a long period of time (she still remembers INITIAL myths re: breast implants and cancer)

I don't know. Does medical science know? I guess I look at the LapBand like any other life-saving medical device. So what are the long term affects of having a pace maker inside your heart, or knee or hip replacements? Or titanium pins in your joints? After five and half years of being banded, I don't know, I just hope it stays in. It works.

• how will I feel going out to dinner with people and not being able to eat like a "normal" person

Is this your Mom's question or yours? It seems odd that she'd ask this one. I mean, I eat out nearly every single night. (And I go to Happy Hour quite a bit, frankly.) I go out with friends who are banded, friends who are NOT banded, friends with RnY bypasses and friends who have never had surgery. I don't think banded folk eat that much differently overall.

So as someone who still eats out regularly :hungry: I still eat "normal" food. I just eat less of it. My band hasn't really made me miss any restaurant meals (except when I was on liquids, and even then I ate Soup out every night. Now it has made me pickier about what I eat. I just no longer eat things that don't taste good, that I don't really want, or that are improperly cooked. Other than that, Bon Appetit !

• how will others look at me if they know I have undergone this surgery

Huh? Can't answer this one. Before I had it, I was obese. How did "others" look at me then? Either way, this is better.

• My intention is to use the band in its intention, as a tool to lose my desired amount of weight and then have it removed...

Oh, excuse me here... but people kill me with this. I really think this is a misconception.

If you think the LapBand was invented so you'd lose weight, then take it out and keep the weight off - you're seriously barking up the wrong tree. :faint: It's a lifelong tool to prevent obesity, and that's how I plan to use it unless I'm unable to keep it. If they invent something better that works down the line, sure - sign me up. Until then, I hope to keep it in and keep the weight off, hopefully for good.

• ...(and then have it removed) and continuing behavior mod. programs like WW and exercise.

Um... I guess I'm the only formerly obese person in America who was HAPPY to get off of the diet bandwagon.Weight Watchers is great - if I needed to lose 15# to fit into a bridesmaid dress. But for long term, life long control of obesity? Nope, didn't work for me like that.

And if I had saved every dime I paid WW over the years - I could have almost paid for my LapBand cash. Exercise is a wonderful way to help to help keep the weight off, but there are a lot of fat people in the gym and on the track. Sadly, I was one of them. :cry So I never delude myself into thinking that exercise alone will keep my weight off, I need a little more help than that. Doesn't embarrass me to say I needed help - the band seems to be doing its job (although I still call it the "Silicone Freeloader":) ) and hopefully it will keep doing so.

• I have maintained a significant weight loss of over 3.5 years, but just stopped losing weight. I am confident that with my discipline and proper supports I can maintain this weight loss too.

Well no one gets to "this point" in the Weight Loss Surgery game without taking a long hard look at themselves and their weight over a lifetime. Personally, I could lose weight, but never enough and it never stayed off long enough for me. Other people's experiences may be different along the way, but a lot of us still end up in the O.R. getting the tool we need to make life improvements.

• Her questions are valid though, and things that I really did not think about up to this point. Anybody have any insight for me?

Some of us never get comfortable with the idea that they needed "surgical help" to lose weight for good. I understand that. No matter what your path or your decision, hopefully this method or some other method will be what works for you. That's all I think matters overall. Do this, or anything else that will work If you're confident, I hope it will translate into achieving whatever goal you set for yourself. Attitude has a lot to do with people's feelings about their success.

And as for your mother's questions... over time when you get to your comfort level, you might find that you are less likely to weigh other people's opinions (even opinions of people you really respect) so heavily. Their questions, misconceptions, and concerns matter less, once you're confident that you're doing what's right for you.

As always, good luck.

[health1st 1]

Good questions and I encourage you to ask as many as it takes.

Long term effects: The band is relatively new so after 10 years who knows for sure. I read on this board of a person who did have it removed because of rejection of the silicone but it is rare and she was alergic to other substances too. However, when people compare it to a knee or joint replacement or pacemaker, in my opinion, it is NOT completely accurate. The silicon firm band is around a SOFT organ, the stomach, that is used all day long. There is going to be some irritation. Just ask banders about AM tightness. Who knows why but we are tight in the AM and loosen up in the PM. We can tighten up when we are nervous, or with some foods, the band is very unpredictable and very individual. I don't think a pace maker or joint replacement is quite the same.

Going to dinner: I don't know of any bandsters that have any problems over the long haul. If people noticed, I just tell them I'm not hungry, or I ate earlier. Most of the time the normal people are so busy eating fast and unconscious they don't even notice! And I do eat more than 1/2 cup of food at times. It is critical to follow the rules the first 3 months but I think if we're honest, most of us can eat a lot more than 1 cup of food.

Having the band out after you lose weight. I can relate. I lost 100 pounds on a liquid diet 15 years ago and it took me 10 years, 10 pounds a year to gain it back. So I have pretty good will power, and I exercise a lot so I just need a little help. I have very mild restriction in my band, compared to others. TO me excessive restriction can cause problems. If you decide to have the band removed, keep in mind there are possible complications to ANY surgery, including death. You can have it removed but do you want to take the risk? You may want to consider losing your weight and then getting a total UNFILL, having all the solution removed, so there is ALMOST no restriction and see how you do for a few months, maybe even a year. If you can keep it off, great. If it is just a thing in your body, and not giving you any problem, let it be. If you need a little help to maintain your weight, have a fill. One more thing, the band can be removed but there is a lot of scar tissue that builds up around the band and the stomach and abdomen and it isn't always a simple procedure to get the band removed. It may take longer to remove it than it took to put it in.

A FEW SUGGESTIONS: Limit who you tell. I didn't tell very many people and I am SO GLAD I did that. It wasn't a secret so much as I figured it wasn't anyones business but my own. I can always tell them months later if I feel like it. AND investigate the Vangard band. It is larger and has fewer problems.

Good luck on your journey.

[ddee 0]

Hi, folks! I haven't posted in awhile. I've been unbanded since March 2006; had a scope done in Sept. to check stomach/esophagus for potential rebanding; and go in this Fri. for hiatal hernia repair and rebanding! Please say a prayer for me. With God's help, this time I'll be without band slippage. Thanks for any input.

DDee

[fabfatgrl 10]

I think the Band works differently on different people. Not sure if it has to do with the type of Band... fill docs... or whatever. Some people PB a ton from the get-go regardless of what they eat. Others never have a PB at all. What I do believe is that you need to work to be successful with as little fill as possible? Why? Because in general, the smaller the fill, the more healthful/normal foods you can eat. The smaller the fill, the more calories you're probably getting (although not too many), so your metabolism doesn't shut down. You also leave yourself more room for success.

I know that when I got super-tight... when barely anythign would go down... that's when I turned to the junk food that somehow always made it down. At this point, I was starving... eating so little... and desperate, so I turned to food, any food, for nourishment. My nails were shot... hair looked like crap, etc. Removing some fill lead to better choices, and eventually more weight loss.

Of course, now it's been three years since I've had a fill. Had to have the one I had in March (I think) removed because it gave me problems. Was planning on revising to a VSG (Vertical Sleeve)... but became preggers again. I will say that even though my Band can go crazy during pregnancy, even with no fills (like when you have your period)... it is still comforting to know that I have the Band vs. a malabsorption surgery during pregnancy.

As for the MGB, I looked into having that done in 1999 when I started my WLS research. Have nothing but good things to say about Dr. Rutledge. He has published some great long-term data on the MGB, covering a ton of patients. You can check it out at his site, which used to be clos.net Not sure if that still works.

[kwhenrykerr 0]

Boy their is sure a lot of information in this group. I have enjoyed the good and bad. Lets all keep talking.