Hi, First time post..I finally decided to have the lapband. It has taken me 4 years to make this decision. I have tried every diet out there. From injection of pregnant womans urine to fen phen. I always lost but ALWAYS gained back plus more. I will be 60 this month and I don't want to spend the rest of my life morbidly obese and I will not try any more drugs or fad diets.

I had mitral valve repair which "could have been " caused by Phen fen.

I have had a total knee replaced. I can't walk very far without being out of breath. My decision has been make!!

I am almost 60 and I weigh 255 and am 5'5. I am planning on the surgery in December. I will be a self pay. I will have it done by Dr Ponce in Chatanooga.

I am going thru some tests. I need to have my gallbladder taken out first.

Everything is going OK so far.

Now that I have made my decision, I am getting stressed. I know it is what I want but I am still a little scared. That is why I am on this website.

Sorry to ramble. I have never made a long story short.

Hi and welcome! Can't he take your gallbladder out while he's in there to do the band? Easier on you and probably a little cheaper, too!

I was told that there is a chance of contamination from the gallbladder is done during banding. If the gallbladder should leak some bile into the cavity, infection could be serious.

That makes sense! If it's any consolation for you, I'm 53 and had 2 surgeries in August; my first lap band attempt on 8/11 (liver was still too fatty) and again on 8/29 (successful). They honestly didn't bother me as much as the upper respiratory infection I got on 9/16! Everyone's different but as "bad times" go, the surgery isn't even on the list!