My doctor want me to be aware of the possible risks associated with this surgery. Does anyone know if anyone has ever died or had a blood clot or bad reaction or major infection from this surgery....I'm sooooo scared but I want this sooo bad...Help me put my mind at ease!!! Is this considered major or minor surgery?

I remember being really nervous (especially the day of my surgery) about things that could go wrong. I was most worried about the anesthesia and something going wrong there. But it really isn't bad at all. And everything these days has risks. Heck look at all the prescription drug commercials...."side effects include, diarrhea, hypertension, headaches, itching, rash, painful urination....." the list goes on and on. The truth is that yes there are some risks but they really are minimal. These people are professionals and know what they are doing. They know the risks and what to watch for and what to do if anything happens.

The day of my surgery they gave me something via my IV to help me "relax" while I waited to go into surgery. I eventually got wheeled into the operating room. They put an oxygen mask over my nose and that was about all I remember. The next thing I knew I was in recovery. Piece of cake. And I am so glad that I did this.

Good luck to you.

Hi Sphynx,

As surgeries go, lap-band placement is pretty minor. But it's probably not considered "minor surgery" in the medical sense because it involves general anaesthesia (which is where most of the risk lies) and internal organs.

It is, however, often done as an outpatient procedure with no need for an overnight stay. I've had three band-related surgeries, and none were difficult at all. For me personally the hardest part was recovering from anaesthesia, which took a couple of days to work itself out through my system.

You ask if "anyone has ever died or had a blood clot or bad reaction or major infection from this surgery" and the answer to that is yes, of course. People have died from infections and complications related to having their tonsils removed! Surgery is surgery and there are risks. But the overall risk of complications with surgery is quite small, and with this kind of surgery it's VERY small. Your doctor's skill and experience is the best predictor of your chances of having a surgical complication, so choose one you have maximum confidence in.

Your fears seem related more to surgery in general than to lap-band surgery specifically, and your doctor is the best person to discuss those with. Surgery is a scary thing, absolutely, but it may help you to consider all the people you know and all the people here who come through these types of procedures every day without issue.