I am considering having the procedure. Please tell me all about it because I have sleep apnea due to my weight and can't get used to the breathing machine I have to use. The apnea is hard on my heart and other organs, I could lose my life if I don't loose weight.

What is a "fill" and an "unfill"? What complications can I come up against? What are some of the terms, and lingo, I will have to know and understand.

Pray, please tell me.

Alida:help:

Alida, I also have sleep apnea, have had for the past 4 years, also got diabetes and high blood pressure. I know how hard it is to try and sleep with that contraption on your face, but...remember it's there to save your life! Try and use it. Keep in mind having the surgery does not magically make the apnea go away. You will need to loose a minimum of 25% of your body weight before that becomes a possiblity. There is no guarantee, but most peoples' apnea goes away. I sure hope so. If you google lap band surgery, the web is full of information. The band has like a ring around it that they can fill with saline. They don't do this until 4-6 weeks after surgery though. It takes time to heal, then they begin slowly filling the band until you feel restriction when you eat a small amount, you feel satisfied. There are alot of do's and don'ts though. Some docs have you on a liquid diet pre-op for 2 weeks to shrink the liver so it's not in the way when they do the surgery, then you are on a liquid diet post-op. The time varies among docs. Complications should be to a min. if you follow your docs instructions. If you try and eat solid food too soon after surgery your band could slip and they would have to go back in and fix it. If you eat foods on the "don't eat" list, it could get stuck in the opening to the stomach. It won't kill you, just make you very uncomfortable. Their are very few complications with the band, which is why I chose it. And of course there is just the normal surgery risks, which would go for any surgery or anytime you are put under. Hope this helped a little. This site also has a host of information, it has helped me alot

Alida, :welcomeB: to LBT!

Here's a couple of links for you to click on, the first is a forum of Frequently Asked Questions and has loads of good info about what the abbreviations mean, what to ask a doc, what the band is, etc... The second is a link to a thread that describes how the band works and how fills work.

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f73/

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f13/how-lap-band-actually-works-fills-refills-41738/

Alida,

Along with the other good information given here, I would read as much and you can on this site. Read, Read, Read, most of my reaserch and information gathering was found right here on this site! After about a month, I decided it was for me.

I would also try to find a free seminar in your area, if possible.

Good luck with your research.

PS, Losing weight is the best thing you can do to alleviate or stop sleep apnea and the Lapband is a great tool to help get you there.

I am researching this matter very seriously. Thank you for the e-mail.

Alida

Alida, :welcomeB: to LBT!

Here's a couple of links for you to click on, the first is a forum of Frequently Asked Questions and has loads of good info about what the abbreviations mean, what to ask a doc, what the band is, etc... The second is a link to a thread that describes how the band works and how fills work.

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f73/

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f13/how-lap-band-actually-works-fills-refills-41738/

:scared:

I think I'll write a book...