Hello everyone! I've been on the average to thinner side most of my life. However When I was 21 I noticed my weight had really started getting out of hand and I didn't know why as I've always been really good with exercise and maintaining a healthy diet. After going back and fourth to the doctors for months they eventually sent me to an endocrinologist and discovered that my testosterone levels were through the roof , put some of my other symptoms and pieces together and eventually diagnosed me with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Since being diagnosed, I've tried various weight loss programs and even if I succeeded in weight loss its always come back and I feel helpless. Diabetes runs heavily in my family and I'm worried about getting diabetes myself. I've been considering weight loss surgery and wanted to know if my situation is enough for me to have the lap band procedure done. I'm currently 25 weigh 200lbs and am 5'6 giving me a BMI of 31. I've read if you do not have a BMI of at least 40 they will work with you if it is at least 30 but you need to also have some sort of weight threatening disorder.Does anyone out there have a similar story to mine or had the Lap Band procedure done with a BMI under 40? Do you think I'm a good candidate for this procedure given my back round?

Thanks so much,
Taylor

4 hours ago, Screwballski said:

I too just had my lap band removed and now have a sleeve. That was over a decade of Band Hell I could have done without.
I would never recommend a Band. Many Doctors will no longer do them, mine included.

Thank you for your input! I've been hearing a lot of the same thing when it comes to the band, I'm definitely more interested in the sleeve now and believe thats the route ill be taking. How do you like your sleeve? What was your recovery time and how much success have you had?

Thank you (:

On 07/01/2018 at 20:02, taylor2021 said:

Thank you for your input! I've been hearing a lot of the same thing when it comes to the band, I'm definitely more interested in the sleeve now and believe thats the route ill be taking. How do you like your sleeve? What was your recovery time and how much success have you had?

Thank you (:

I am a little over 5 weeks out. When I was revised from Band to Sleeve my BMI was 30 and I weighed 180. I’m now at 160 (my original goal). I’m going for 140 now. The surgery was a breeze. No surgical pain. The only reason I needed any pain meds was due to an old back injury getting jostled from surgical positioning. Other than that I was fine. Up an walking as soon as I was steady after recovery. Had a morning surgery on May 17th. Was home walking around by noon May 18th. Tanning (with a towel over belly) and running errands with hubby by 20th!
I’m so happy!

On 06/29/2018 at 07:18, Matt Z said:

Hey Taylor (don't worry about not taking my advise, I wont' get offended and call you out for making your own decisions.)



I hit 370 sometime in 2010 and decided to do something about it. I chose the band, the sleeve wasn't fully approved yet, and the bypass scared me. The idea of it being permanent changes to my anatomy bothered me. I wanted something that could be removed at a future date. So, I went with the band.



Nov 2011, I had the band installed. Surgery wasn't that big of a deal, I was kept overnight because I have sleep apnea. Pain was moderate but tolerable. After what was covered by insurance, I was out of pocket somewhere around the 5k mark. I took 2 months out of work, mainly because I had to drive to and from Boston, and travel times were minimum 1 hour, upwards of 4 hours, so I wanted to be 100% healed before doing all that driving. I followed all the instructions I was given, got my fills and adjustments as required, and ultimately lost 70 lbs within a year or so. (combined with the pre-op diet etc).



I'd get stuck on things maybe once or twice a week. Leafy greens and other fibrous veggies that didn't chew down to "baby food" were uncomfortable enough where I started to avoid them. I got stuck on lean meats, etc. So I got frustrated that, the healthy foods I was supposed to be eating, caused issues thanks to the band.



I gained a bit back, then fought to lose it again, this happened a few times. I never could break that 300 mark, no matter what I did. The band was easily eaten around, things I shouldn't be eating... were the things that didn't cause issues. I became depressed, I felt like a failure, the band was reported to have all these amazing benefits... and I wasn't seeing them, I stopped checking in with my surgeon unless I needed some adjustments due to illness or getting stuck badly enough where my stomach swelled up. I was still way too overweight, wasn't eating as well as I should be, I just wasn't happy with how things were not living up to the bands reported outcomes. After almost 7 years with the band, I finally dragged myself back into my surgeons office, defeated, and I confessed to my surgeon that I was a failure. Boy was I surprised when she told me that my outcomes and dealings were typical, and that it wasn't me that was the problem, it was the band. She went out to tell me that 2 of the major manufacturers have stopped making bands and replacement parts for them. We discussed our options for revision, I was set on the sleeve. My surgeon said she refuses to do band to sleeve revisions because the staple line for the sleeve runs right across the band area, and that scar tissue build up at the band site increases the chances for staple line failure. She advised that others in the same practice would do the sleeve revision, but she won't because of the added complication rates. I trust my surgeon, and I really wanted her to do the revision because she installed the band in the first place. So, I pondered for a bit and finally decided that the bypass, as scary as it sounded, was my best option. Restriction only didn't work for me with the band, why would I think that restriction only with the sleeve would be any different. I needed the malabsorption to ensure that I would lose the weight I needed to.



March 2nd I started my pre-op diet, March 21st I was revised to the bypass and I'm down almost 60 lbs since March 2nd. I truly wish I went bypass from the get go. The revision surgery was not uneventful. What should have taken 2 hours, took 6+. My band, even though all scans, imaging, scoping showed nothing wrong, the band was 100% completely encapsulated in scar tissue and took my surgical team more than 3 times longer to remove. I'm not even sure what would have happened if I left it in place.



Hopefully that answers some of your questions, if you have more, please feel free to shoot me a message.

Matt-my clinic, Newton Wellesley dies not offer the band. They feel it fails the patient. They say at the new patient seminar that it is really hard because it doesn’t remove the hunger, and that isn’t long term successful. I’m sorry you had a long road and I hope the bypass is more successful for you!!

On 06/30/2018 at 17:21, newmebithebypass said:

So if your willing to travel don’t know where you live but Johns Hopkins does a procedure called the epigastric sleeve it’s really new and they basically use surgical thread to sew your stomach into a sleeve it’s completely reversible and would be good for someone your BMI as it is less invasive

That would not remove the hunger hormones the same way the sleeve does though.

I had a BMI if 35 plus diabetes. Without a co morbidity you need a BMI of 40. Just try regular diet. This weight loss surgery is tough. I would only do it if I needed it.

@taylor. Don't give up easily if your insurance tries to put up a roadblock for you. Also, not all co-morbidities are created equally. Some have life-long consequences while others may fade away after surgery.

Don't rely on your insurance company's website. Talk to a real-live someone (on the phone) and have them explain your benefits to you. Ask questions. Have them email or send you your benefits so you can see them in print. If you don't get satisfactory answers after you call, call back. And keep calling. Ask for a supervisor. Be a squeaky wheel if you have to. Involve your primary doctor. Have him/her be an advocate for why this surgery is necessary for you. Your big gun, of course, is your endocrinologist. S/he is the one who's a specialist in PCOS and diabetes. If Kaiser turns you down, appeal it. Have your endo intervene on your behalf. It's in your insurance company's best interest to frustrate you; they want you to give up and go away. It saves them thousands of dollars.

Do your parents have an H.M.O. or a PPO?

My daughter is a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) and understands her PCOS from a medical viewpoint. Because I also have a medical background and because she was diagnosed as a teenager, it's a disease known to us for years. My daughter is in her 30s now.

Edited July 2, 20188 yr by Missouri-Lee's Summit

47 minutes ago, Missouri-Lee's Summit said:

@taylor. Don't give up easily if your insurance tries to put up a roadblock for you. Also, not all co-morbidities are created equally. Some have life-long consequences while others may fade away after surgery.

Don't rely on your insurance company's website. Talk to a real-live someone (on the phone) and have them explain your benefits to you. Ask questions. Have them email or send you your benefits so you can see them in print. If you don't get satisfactory answers after you call, call back. And keep calling. Ask for a supervisor. Be a squeaky wheel if you have to. Involve your primary doctor. Have him/her be an advocate for why this surgery is necessary for you. Your big gun, of course, is your endocrinologist. S/he is the one who's a specialist in PCOS and diabetes. If Kaiser turns you down, appeal it. Have your endo intervene on your behalf. It's in your insurance company's best interest to frustrate you; they want you to give up and go away. It saves them thousands of dollars.

Do your parents have an H.M.O. or a PPO?

My daughter is a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) and understands her PCOS from a medical viewpoint. Because I also have a medical background and because she was diagnosed as a teenager, it's a disease known to us for years. My daughter is in her 30s now.

You guys come from a medical background, thats awesome. Thank you for all of your help, I really appreciate it. My parents insurance is an PPO. My aunt is actually a director of nursing at one of the Kaisers out here and I worked at one of the locations as a med-tech for a couple of years. My aunt is trying to set me up with a good endocrinologist as we speak. Yeah, kaiser can be VERY frustrating so I'm not expecting this to be easy. Before I was diagnosed with PCOS I was desperately trying to find answers and didn't get a proper diagnosis until a couple years after I started complaining to my doctor about what was going on with me. So I know first hand how dismissive they can be but I'm going to try as hard as I can because I REALLY want the WLS. Everyone on here is saying not to dismiss WLS in Mexico but I'd be more comfortable if I got it done at Kaiser as I've always had them as my healthcare provider but again they are very STRICT. I'm not going to give up. Thank you for the encouragement:)

@taylor. Two of my sons are medical doctors, so, yes, it helps. You can imagine all the medical support I get from my kids.

Edited July 2, 20188 yr by Missouri-Lee's Summit

@taylor. Has your thyroid been tested? I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis. They'll only find it if they do an antibody test. When your aunt hooks you up with a new endo, have him/her check out your thyroid, too. A sluggish thyroid can make losing weight harder, too. It's in your best interest to make a strong case for yourself. I hope you find a good endo.

I adore my endo. He's kind, patient, and very knowledgeable. Not your typical "doorknob doctor" --doctors that have one hand around the doorknob, ready to bolt.

Edited July 2, 20188 yr by Missouri-Lee's Summit

11 minutes ago, Missouri-Lee's Summit said:

@taylor. Two of my sons are medical doctors, so, yes, it helps. You can imagine all the medical support I get from my kids.

That's amazing. I'm sure they love to help, It sounds like you've done an awesome job as their mother

3 minutes ago, Missouri-Lee's Summit said:

@taylor. Has your thyroid been tested? I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis. They'll only find it if they do an antibody test. When your aunt hooks you up with a new endo, have him/her check out your thyroid, too. A sluggish thyroid can make losing weight harder, too. It's in your best interest to make a strong case for yourself. I hope you find a good endo.

I adore my endo. He's kind, patient, and very knowledgeable. Not your typical "doorknob doctor" --doctors that have one hand around the doorknob, ready to bolt.

It has not. I will definitely have them check it out hopefully that will help my case. Again, you've been great, thank you so much for all of your knowledge and kindness. I hope to get as lucky as you with a great Endo because the lord KNOWS I've had it up to here with the doorknob Docs!

@taylor. We mothers can't help ourselves. We have a compulsion to (s)mother anyone young enough to be our own.

I'm glad my info helped in some small way.

Now... go to your room, young lady! It's getting late, and you need your sleep.

24 minutes ago, Missouri-Lee's Summit said:

@taylor. We mothers can't help ourselves. We have a compulsion to (s)mother anyone young enough to be our own.

I'm glad my info helped in some small way.

Now... go to your room, young lady! It's getting late, and you need your sleep.

lol (salutes) Yes Ma'am!

Sweet dreams and hope to see you in the forums! (:

Taylor

One other suggestion, based on your family's history with diabetes, and your low BMI.

You might ask you doctor about taking a weight loss drug such as Victoza.

It will lower your A1C, and will reduce hunger. It also slows food movement through stomach. There are different dosage levels, the higher are used for weight loss.

I've considered it when my weight loss on the band slows done, but haven't felt the need to go that as of yet... however, it an alternative to surgery. There are medical weight loss forums on Bariatric Pal.

Victoza isn't the first drug of choice if one merely wants to lower their A1C. Metformin will do the same thing and is much, much safer... and used daily by millions. Your endo will determine what is right for you. The most common dose is 500mg 1tab/twice daily.

My bariatric surgeon told me that after my surgery that I no longer need to take Metformin. (I am not diabetic, btw; and my A1C never rose above 5.8 ... thanks to the Metformin I took pre-surgery.)

Metformin also affects hunger. Many people lose weight from it as a bonus. It's not the reason why doctors prescribe it, though.