Weight Loss Surgery - Lap Banders

Hey everyone,
I'm new here. Have been doing extensive research on gastric banding. I've heard many good things but very few bad things. As a matter of fact, the worst thing I've heard so far, was from someone in this blog who mentioned she was depressed and struggling with the liquid diet portion of the post op. SPEAK UP FOLKS (pretty please?). I really would like to hear the negative points to this procedure. Has anyone out there had a lap band placed and then removed because they didn't like it? I'm seriously considering this procedure, but I know in my heart of hearts that it cannot be entirely wonderful and great. Would any of you lapbanders out there be willing to speak up about the negatives ??? Feel free to counter with the positives, but I really do want to go into this with a realistic knowledge of what I'm going to encounter. :?:

Thanks everyone!
Shary :hug:

I would like to hear more too. Sometimes the gastric stories sound very tough, I wonder how the lapband compares?

I'd also love to hear any negatives and/or struggles with the band. I'm seeing my doctor on Friday to discuss the surgery. I've spoken with my insurance and lap-band will be covered for me, as is bypass. I'm not comfortable with re-routing my stuff, so the band is my choice. I'm sure my dr. will be happy since he's been on me to do wls for the last couple years - as he always says "you're too young not to be enjoying your life".. finally, I digress, he's right. I'm actually excited and looking forward to what will be.. but I'd certainly love to hear any negatives as well. It's better to go into this informed and with realistic expectations.

Thanks in advance for your time/stories.

El

Okey dokey,

I'll bite, so to speak.

I've been banded for over 2 years. I gotta tell you ladies that I have very little negative to say about the band.

I do wish I would lose weight faster. I've been at the same weight for quite a while now. Of course, I do not diet. I just try to make healthy choices most of the time, so if I dieted I would probably not have this comment. I do work out like a fiend though.

There are times when I am pissed because I want to eat more food. It's kind of a shocker to realize how big a role food plays in your life. This complaint would be true for any weight loss surgery, not just the band.

When food gets stuck it hurts! Even after two years I have to remind myself to eat very slowly and take very small bites. I remember reading before I was banded that a bite of food should be about the size of a kernel of corn and thinking that was just crazy talk. It's true though, small bites are very important. Sometimes I miss the feeling of lots of food in my mouth, as strange as that sounds. I believe this is also true for bypass patients, but I could be wrong. It's happened before!

If you want to completely sabotage yourself by eating around the band, you can. I'm not sure why you would though. If you choose to eat only ice cream and cookies and other fattening things that slip right through your stoma, you could totally undermine all your efforts. I have always been a big sweets eater and the band has been a blessing because my need for sweet stuff has lessened amazingly. I still eat some, but not a ton.

That's all I can think of for now. I really do love my band and feel it's one of the best decisions I ever made. Hopefully some of our other bandsters will chime in here too.

Later,
Chickadee

Chickadee!
Thanks for the info! If I may be so bold as to ask direct questions???
How long are you on clear liquids post op? Then how long on mushy food?
I'm assuming the next step after that is regular, well-chewed food???

About how much weight did you lose in your first year??? I'm assuming the weight comes off quicker at the beginning.

I know my tasty friend and my too-frequent passion (food) needs a physical restraining order, and like you, I have very little doubt that I'm gonig to miss it once that restraining order is put on...

I like though, that even in the face of those nostalgic memories and woes, you still have little if no regrets that you did it.

Shary

1. Weight loss can be a lot slower than other WLS. This can be very frustrating because we want the weight off now, so you have to be patient.

2. You have an device in your body (can be strange, but you really can't tell)

3. You get fills which is a shot in your stomach to the port (doesn't really hurt, it's like any shot).

4. Some people have complications where the band erodes or slips and it has to be removed. That would really suck to go through another surgery. It seems that this may be perfected and maybe doesn't happen as much, but I could be wrong.

So far these are the only negatives I can think of and really not that big of a deal. I would take these negatives any day compared to the negatives with Gastric bypass.

Read the book "Lap-band for Life" by Dr. Ortiz.

You folks are so great to get back to me on this! So I take it you're glad you did it? Seems like that's the overwhelming consensus here. Was reading through the other thread for Lapbanders. What a bunch of characters! Somebody call TBS. VERY funny. I think I've pretty much decided to go ahead with it. I think I'm going to go to Tiajuana to do it. Anyone have thoughts on that?

The lapband is a great tool but you have to work it and follow the guidelines and you will be successful. For me it was this or nothing. I was too scared to have the bypass and felt too risky, even though I know many people that had it done and they are so common these days. Pick an experienced lapband surgeon, I think that is the most important.

I think I've pretty much decided to go ahead with it. I think I'm going to go to Tiajuana to do it. Anyone have thoughts on that?

Sharybean,

I am a self-pay patient and had my surgery done locally, but I did consider having it done in Mexico by Dr. Ortiz. My only suggestion/thought on having it done in Mexico is this:

Before you even schedule the surgery in Mexico make sure you have lined up competent aftercare for you fills and follow-ups. With this surgery, more than any other, your weight loss is dependent upon good, knowledgeable after care.

Finding a doctor who will do aftercare for a patient s/he did not band can be difficult. Many surgical practices are simply too busy to take on patients from other surgeons and some surgeons have concerns over malpractice issues involved with doing fills and aftercare for patients they did not band.

Other than that, thoroughly research the surgeons in Mexico and choose carefully - just like you would do here in the States!

Best wishes!

Thanks Veggie Mom!
Any reference there to Veggie Tales? Great advice by the way. I actually looked into the follow-up protocol and the place I'm looking at is actually very insistent on patient's following up with THEM. Not exactly overly excited about having to fly to San Diego on the weekends... turns into an expensive trip. They charge a fee of $250 and they do the fill under a fluoroscope while you're swallowing x-ray lucent fluid. So between the cost of the fill and the cost of the flight, between $500-600 per fill. Seems a bit hefty but then again, I'm new to all of this. The attending surgeon (I forget his name) is FACS certified. They have a website: www.getbandednow.com. I spoke to one of their US based counsellors and by all indications, they seem like a first-rate organization.

VeggieMom... are you glad you got it done? Any regrets? I'm "feeling out" as many banders as possible. There's a permanence to this procedure and I want to go into it emotionally prepared for what's to come.

All of you banders are very kind to take the time to share and educate.

Have a wondeful day!
Shary

hey there bean!

I'm going to TJ to have my band. Dr. Ortiz who wrote the book "Lap Band for Life" is performing the surgery. I feel really comfortable going there. They 'insisted' I follow up with them but were going to charge the same rates - $250 per fill and I just told them "uh, no!" :devil: and found a doctor here in Houston who is willing to follow me and do my fills. I already have my aftercare appointment scheduled - and the surgery hasn't even happened yet! Oh, my surgery is on May 12th and I paid $8500.

Good luck to you!! :hug:

That's exactly the same price I was quoted. Have you definitely decided to go ahead with it? I'll need to google Dr. Ortiz and see where he is exactly.

Bean,

yes, I'm going through with it. I'm leaving a week from today!!!! My surgery is Friday, 5/12/06. I'll definately let you know how it goes. I'll tell you the real scoop - you can count on it!

Hey Sharybean,
I just got banded on March 20th. I go for my first fill on May 23rd. So far I have had no problems with my band. The liquid and mushy phase to a bit of getting used to. About four to five days post-op I was craving reqular food until I found a protein shake that I really liked, and then things got better.


How long are you on clear liquids post op? Then how long on mushy food?
I'm assuming the next step after that is regular, well-chewed food???

Shary

To answer your questions, I was on liquids for two weeks post-op which does include protein shakes, and then mushy foods for another two weeks. I am currently on regualar foods. However, that will change after I go for my first fill and then I will repeat my post-op diet.

I hope this helps.

Keep me posted Girls! Angela, I'll be really looking forward to hearing from you post op! Good luck! Deborah, Thanks so much for answering my questions. I ordered a book that one of the gals on this thread recommended... It's not the one authored by Dr. Ortiz... but rather a nutritionist who works with banders. Anway... it's still not here and I'm chompin' at the bit... actually more than just the bit... still chompin' on TOO MUCH FOOD! I keep thinking about how, if I do this, it's going to change SO MUCH. I'm a big sushi freak and most banders I've talked to say they cannot eat shushi... rice is bad so I hear. Am I going to give up the social aspect of eating with friends? Give up SUSHI??? ... never more to go out with friends, share rolls of raw fish and rice???.. food is such a social thing... I'm worried about being the odd man out (so to speak) at social dinners and such. Wierd when you ponder how much of our lives revolve around food... Then we wonder why American's are so fat...

shary - sashimi doesn't have rice. and sushi places have other dishes as well..

my view: if you view this as resulting in deprivation, you'll have problems. but if you view this as a challenge, and as a chance to literally start over to learn better habits, you'll do better.

attitude counts for A LOT here. don't get me wrong. some things just don't work, and there's no point in forcing it. but the important thing about going out to dinner with friends, or having them over, is the FRIENDSHIP, not really the food.

keep posting!

Jiffy,
Holy Moly! You GO GIRL! What an inspiration you are! I was pondering the truth of your words and scrolled down to look at what you've accomplished! Well said Oh Wise One! This grasshopper can hope to gleen much wisdom and encouragement from you! I just found out on Friday that I have been accepted as a potential lap band patient, now it's just a matter of when...
Many congratulations on your amazing and encouraging progress! I hope to hear from you again!
Shary

You know girls,
I was just wondering.... Did any of you keep this a secret from friends?
I've told two people so far. One a family member (so someone knows where I am if something goes terribly wrong in surgery), and the other my best friend. I don't want anyone else to know. I'm not sure why exactly, whether it's because I'm afraid they'll judge, or think I'm crazy, or think I'm weak.... yeah.. I guess it's because I'm just afraid they'll make judgements period. YET, I know that when Al Rocher (the morning show guy) announced that he was going to have WLS, I and most of America were rooting for him and happy for him. Why am I so freaky about not wanting anyone to know? Anyone out there that can relate?

Remember when you tell folks, they tend to watch and comment on every morsal you put in your mouth LOL.

Great Prayer Leenie... I prayed it as I read it.

I have told more people than I intended to in the beginning. Not the world, but the people who 'matter' in my life. My mom, brothers, closest friends. These are people we see regularly and I figured while I know they are going to be nosey (part of why I love them) I also know they are going to be incredibly supportive. These are the people it will be ok for me to have a PB in front of (God forbid).

May I jump in here? I am considering the surgery as well and am going to a seminar on Thursday evening. I appreciate all who have posted about their experiences.

JiffyPop, I am in North Jersey as well. Bergen county. Where about's are you. I'd love to hear more about your experiences.

Lots to comment on here.

Sushi - I love sushi! I eat it sometimes. For me the trick is to eat very, very slowly. When you think you're eating slowly, slow down more. I usually unwrap the roll, because the Nori (seaweed wrapper stuff) gives me more trouble than the rice does. Again, eat it very, very slowly. I like that with sushi and sashimi you get a lot of "bang for the buck" because you can add such great condiments. I love, love, love wasabi, pickled ginger and soy sauce. So much flavor, such little bites!

That said, there are times I can't eat it, no matter how slowly I eat. The band is a very fickle beast, so you've just got to be prepared for anything.

As for telling people - I told very few. Like Leenie said, people tend to police every morsel if they know and I might have to take someone out if they did that to me. My husband, kids, brother and parents know. They don't think twice about what I'm eating or not eating. There's no way in the world I'd tell me in-laws. Nope, not happening!

Jif, did you ever know that you're my hero? You're everything I wish I could be. I could fly ... oh wait, getting carried away here, thank you Bette Midler! You are absolutely (as usual) right. It's all about the attitude. For the first time in my adult life, I'm free of that horrible feeling of deprivation. It's a wonderful place to be!

The Chickster

Melmcc.... :wave: I'm from jersey too... haven't we talked before?

everybody in the WORLD knows [well, almost everyone!]. i lost so much, so fast that it was sooo noticeable [another good thing about the band - the slower loss is less dramatic, and you'll get more compliments than 'what on earth is WRONG with you!]

and shary, i'm sitting here at work, in beautiful office park MONTVALE! so we are very very near each other.

Aint it the truth Jiffypop ain't it the truth :s:

Thanks Veggie Mom!
Any reference there to Veggie Tales? Great advice by the way. I actually looked into the follow-up protocol and the place I'm looking at is actually very insistent on patient's following up with THEM. Not exactly overly excited about having to fly to San Diego on the weekends... turns into an expensive trip. They charge a fee of $250 and they do the fill under a fluoroscope while you're swallowing x-ray lucent fluid. So between the cost of the fill and the cost of the flight, between $500-600 per fill. Seems a bit hefty but then again, I'm new to all of this. The attending surgeon (I forget his name) is FACS certified. They have a website: www.getbandednow.com. I spoke to one of their US based counsellors and by all indications, they seem like a first-rate organization.

VeggieMom... are you glad you got it done? Any regrets? I'm "feeling out" as many banders as possible. There's a permanence to this procedure and I want to go into it emotionally prepared for what's to come.

All of you banders are very kind to take the time to share and educate.

Have a wondeful day!
Shary


Sorry I took so long to answer ... I've been crazy busy the past week.

I don't have any regrets at all - beyond the regret that I waited until I was 310 pounds to do this instead of doing it when I was 280 pounds. :D

I started researching adjustable gastric banding before it was even available in the U.S. It was the only type of WLS that seemed right for me. So after about 8 years of thinking, reading, praying and procrastinating I just decided to "go for it" and I am very glad that I did.

I still eat sushi but I try to stick to traditional sushi and steer clear of the rolls because like The Chickster I have more problems with nori than with rice. Though I have heard that there is a type of edible rice paper that they use in Japan that is easier to eat than the nori. I don't know if it is true or not but I plan on asking my favourite sushi chef if it is!

I still eat out with friends. In fact I think I enjoy eating more now than I did before because I actually eat slowly enough to taste my food, to savour my food, to enjoy my food. I'm having to make some adjustments and to learn some new things, of course. But I try to look at it as a challenge (like Jiffy said) rather than a hurdle, obstacle or means of deprivation.

I have to admit that I tell people I've had surgery. Especially when the person who is complimenting me on my weight loss and asking how I've lost weight is overweight themselves. I would hate to give someone the impression that all I've done is "count calories" or "cut out carbs" or what have you. I'd rather that they know that I was desperate to change my life and I chose to use a tool to help me acheive my goals.

Hey Girls!
Chick - you cracked me up. I laughed out loud.
Did I tell you all that the surgical team accepted me as a band patient?!
I'm SO relieved. I'm counting on you girls to be here to mentor me with all the wise things you've learned. Looking at June surgery if all goes well.

Yeah... the telling people thing... I wasn't always fat. Don't get me wrong, I ALWAYS struggled to be at a somewhat normal weight... I remember dieting at the age of 12 (I was chubby). People used to talk about my mother (especially family members) when she started getting fat (she's morbidly obese now and in serious denial). Anyway, the family still talks about it. "Poor Pat (that's my mom), she used to be so pretty... too bad she got so fat... ", or "too bad she can't take off that weight." I suspect they say the same thing about me these days... and as much as I love them, I'm sure it would be quite the buzz if the family knew that poor Shary had to go to such lengths to take off that weight... Oddly, the rest of them aren't fat and never have been. I love them, but they really don't get it. And like Chick... even though I love them, if they started to make comments on every bit if food I put in my mouth... well, it would be ugly... very ugly... So, for now ALL of you anonymous friends know... My best friend knows and my stepmom knows (and is very supportive of it). Will keep you all posted.
Shary

I told everybody who would listen I was having the surgery.....and I still tell anybody who will listen I had the surgery. Something happened to me when I turned 50. I'm not sure what it was but I stopped caring so much what people thought or what they said. Ya know... a drunk can sober up and nobody knows he's a drunk...and a mean person can walk down the street and nobody knows what's inside him/her. My issues with weight were visible all the time to everybody. So...if they need to make themselves believe their problems are less than mine ....pity them. They would be better off sweeping around their own back door before they go messing around mine LOL. Just don't let them push your buttons. I know it can be hard...and sometimes I don't always win the battle with myself....but progress is the important thing. Try blessing them. It works wonders !!! If you can get to the place where you can laugh.....it takes the punch out it for them. Unfortunately, they'll find somebody else to pick on.

I had my surgery two weeks ago. I have lost 18 pds. if you include the liquid diet the week before. I have started very soft foods like mashed potatoes and puree consistency. I lost 8 pds the week after the surgery. I have stayed the same for several days. I have been measuring my food with the half cup measuring cup. I have not had any side effects. I guess I am scared that since I read somewhere about the mashed potatoes being bad for you, am I strectching the stomach?

Shary, You sound like me with the dieting at 12 and the struggle to be at normal weight as a teen. I'm 32 now and 85-90lbs overweight. We will get there somehow.

pmarke (http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/member.php?u=54092) - Congrats on the surgery and 18lbs down. Yes, I'd count the week before with the preop diet. 18lbs is 18lbs lower then you were 3 weeks ago. Good for you! I haven't had the surgery, but am considering it yet, so I don't know if mashed potatos are ok or not, but check with the doctor and if it's not, just move on from here. I doubt it caused any stretching especially if you've only had a half a cup. That's the whole idea is to have that small portion.

I went to a seminar last night and sat and listened and asked questions. The doctor was very nice and he had a man come in who had the procedure done 8 months ago and is down 85lbs. I am hopefull, but I'm not sure if I will qualify as I am in that zone of 35-40. I do have some other conditions, but I'm not sure if they qualify or are serious enough to warrant the insurance company paying for it. We'll see.....starting my research into that today.

pmarke - did you have a lap band or the RNY? with the lap band, mashed potatoes aren't a big problem - but it's not protein.

with the RNY, mashed potatoes have way too many carbs, and many of us get dumping syndrome - a very very very sick feeling. soooooo, it all comes down to the type of surgery!

With the band, doctors don't stress to much on eating protein in the beginning stages. They pretty much tell you in the mushy stages to eat potatoes, apple sauce, cottage cheese.... its when you are able to eat regular foods that they say to eat proteins first, then veggies then if you must carbs.

IMHO I think they should stress that patients make sure they are getting protein shakes in and their vitamins from the get go.

Melissa, which doctor did you see?

I went to a seminar with dr. Gristus, in Lincoln Park, he seemed very nice and I met a nurse who works with him at the hospital that said, she is seeing him, only from all the patients that have raved about him. She is going to have him do the procedure.

dr gritsus is a nice man and a good surgeon. chilton will take good care of you, i promise. don't listen to the dieticians, though, when they tell you that you should be eating 3-4 oz of protein at every meal within 6 weeks of your surgery. they just don't get it. there's not enough room for that, and they have quite a few people getting sick because they're trying to comply with the dieticians, and it's just not possible.

I agree with Jiffypop, the dietitians don't know squat. You'll get more information here and other LB support groups than with them. They are really clueless and I think they confuse LB with GBP... knuckleheads.

I've yet to meet a bandster that can ONLY eat a baby food size jar of food after a few months out.

Good Luck Melissa :)

Leenie,
GBP = Gastric Bypass?

Girls, The surgeon I'm consulting with says his team does 175 LB's per year in addition to Gastric Bypass and Gastric Balloon. Because my BMI is relatively low he tried to talk me into the Gastric Balloon, but I have read bad things about it... mostly that patients simply do not tolerate it. That it is profoundly uncomfortable and patients often demand that it be removed. I told the surgeon I cannot afford to spend that kind of money to risk not being able to tolerate it. Any words from the wise out there?
Is 175 LB surgeries per year a good number?

CJ's Princess (OKA: Angela) had her surgery yesterday. Can't wait to welcome her back and see how she's doing...

Have a great day everybody,
Shary

Hey Shary, yes, GBP is gastric bypass. I don't know about you all but the gastric balloon sounds aweful, just aweful, to scary for me.

Just an update, since I was last here. I had a visit with my primary today and my bp was very high. I also have an appt with the surgeon next Thursday. I'll give an update soon.

Good luck Melissa, yes, please let us know. If there's anything I can do, let me know.

Hugs !!!

Sorry to hear your BP was up. I know that can make you feel awful! You're scale is inching down. That's GREAT! Let us know how the MD appt. goes.

Angela, you where just banded and have lost 15lbs....that's great!

Thanks Leenie!

i had the lapband surgery on May 1. I have lost 20 pounds now. I seem to be stuck. I can tell a difference in the clothes that I have. Is it common to get stuck after losing a big amount at first? I found out that I can't eat deli turkey meat!!!!!!!!

I was banded an April 18th this year and my life has definetly changed. Im 19 years old so you can imagine how often I have to turn them down when they want to go out. I even tried to go to the club last weekend and I couldnt even have a drink. My life overall has changed though I dont eat fast food, I always look at labels to keep track of my calories and carbs. But I must say it is soooo worth it! Im losing so much weight and inches and this is just the beginning! I must say that it was very hard for me to adjust I guess because I had so many adjustments to make cause my eating habits sucked! But I never regreted getting my band. Now my band is my best friend instead of food.

I was banded on March 7, 2006...I have nothing but good things to say.....My recovery was easy....I was back at work in less than a week.....I have lost 37 pounds since surgery......I was in a stall after my initial weight loss I was in a stall for a few weeks, while my body adjusted, but now I am losing between 1-2 pounds a week.....on my 2nd fill and am doing well, I am not too tight, and can eat most anything in small amounts if I chew it very well....I eat about a baby spoon of food at a time. It is worth it all....I was wearing 22-24 bottoms and 2x tops....I now wear 16-18 bottoms and medium-large top......I am very satisfied...I do not having any sag at this moment....It may be due to me losing 1-2 pounds a week....I eat about 1000-1200 calories a day and feel healthier than I have in many years. I am off my insulin, metformin and lipitor.......I have had no problems whatsoever, no sliming, no PB's etc.....I guess I am just lucky....I don't want to be so tight that everything I eat is a chore.....I can eat, it is just smaller amounts, healthier food, no snacking between meals, but I feel satisfied not hungry all the time......in fact sometimes, my stomach starts growling just to tell me it is lunchtime........if you have any questions......I would be glad to answer any that I can....I LOVE MY BAND!:carrot: :twirly:

I was banded on March 7, 2006...I have nothing but good things to say.....My recovery was easy....I was back at work in less than a week.....I have lost 37 pounds since surgery......I was in a stall after my initial weight loss I was in a stall for a few weeks, while my body adjusted, but now I am losing between 1-2 pounds a week.....on my 2nd fill and am doing well, I am not too tight, and can eat most anything in small amounts if I chew it very well....I eat about a baby spoon of food at a time. It is worth it all....I was wearing 22-24 bottoms and 2x tops....I now wear 16-18 bottoms and medium-large top......I am very satisfied...I do not having any sag at this moment....It may be due to me losing 1-2 pounds a week....I eat about 1000-1200 calories a day and feel healthier than I have in many years. I am off my insulin, metformin and lipitor.......I have had no problems whatsoever, no sliming, no PB's etc.....I guess I am just lucky....I don't want to be so tight that everything I eat is a chore.....I can eat, it is just smaller amounts, healthier food, no snacking between meals, but I feel satisfied not hungry all the time......in fact sometimes, my stomach starts growling just to tell me it is lunchtime........if you have any questions......I would be glad to answer any that I can....I LOVE MY BAND!:carrot: :twirly:

Hi Mommaduck and :welcome:

Congrats on the WL whooooohoo thats awesome !!!!

Hey Everyone,
It's been awhile, I've had a lot going on. Selling my house, packing up my things, getting ready to start a new job... Lots of stress. BUT the good news is I have a surgery date w/ Dr. Ortiz on June 4th! I'm a little nervous, but mostly just excited and ready for this. They had no problem with the fact that I have a relatively low BMI. I'll likely take off weight a bit slower, but at this rate, I'm just packing it on, so anything's an improvement. Right now my BMI is officially 31, down from 32 about a year ago but slowly eaking my way back up (again). Anyone out there have lower BMI's? I'm curious to know how much weight loss I can look forward to.

Angela (CJ's Princess), I've been wondering about you and how you're doing with your band. Sounds like you're doing great!

I'm a little freaked out because the nutritionist in Dr. Ortiz's group told me she wants me to lose 10 pounds before surgery. I laughed out loud... right over the phone. I wanted to say, "Lady, if I could lose 10 pounds in 10 days, I wouldn't need to do this." Then there is some clause in the paperwork that says if you fail to do what they ask of you they can deny your surgery... They're stressing me out.

Anyway, I'm going on with life, drinking protien drinks and of course, NOT losing the pound a day Dr. Miranda wants me to lose.... pahlease... Anyway, will continue to look forward to hearing from all of you.

Welcome to Mommaduck!

Have a great week eveyone,
Shary

Pmark, sounds like you need your band adjusted! Make an appointment with the surgeon.

Lauderdale chick, keep up the good work!

mommaduck, you give me hope. I am scheduled for the 24th of July, but am still waiting for the insurance to respond.. I'm a bmi of 38 and have kidney disease and hypertension. We'll see what happens.

Shary, That's too funny about 10 lbs in 10 days. I know what you mean. But maybe she is giving you a large number just so you lose as much as you can before surgery. The surgeon told me they want you to eat healthy as possible because it decreases liver size and makes surgery less risky. Good luck to you and let us know how you do.

Leenie, Hope all is well with you!

Hey Bean!

I lost 3, count 'em 3 pounds before surgery. If you have the cashier's check in your hand, I bet they'll take you in for surgery. She's ambitious, but she's much nicer in person!

Cjprincess (http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/member.php?u=49022)
I just looked at your weight and see that you lost 15 lbs since the 12th I think that's wonderful! Keep up the good work!

I was banded for 3 years and I found it to be a difficult and unpleasant experience. Having restriction felt like wearing a choke chain. I developed severe acid reflux and finally in April my surgeon discovered my band had slipped. I had it removed on the 19th of April. I wouldn't recommend this surgery to anyone. Some folks do lose weight, some even lose a lot, but many many people do not.
The slippage and erosion rates are supposed to be VERY LOW, but 2 and 3 years out I read of more and more people developing complications.
If you have binge eating disorder or compulsion towards food you are much less likely to be successful with the band. There are studies that have been done on this that you can google. If you've been successful at losing weight in the past you are much more likely to be successful with the band. It is NOT easy. Dieting is required. Many people lose weight because they are eating 1000 calories or less per day.
I urge you to do a lot of research before making up your mind.
I believe some people CAN be successful with the lapband, but it's because they are putting in a lot of hard work and making drastic changes to their lifestyle.

I wish you success in whatever you decide to pursue.

-Ana Maria

Ana Maria - welcome to 3fc! as you can see, i edited your post to remove the other website that you referred to. It's against 3fc policy to direct members to a competitor forum.

You are more than welcome to hang out here, and to post the good, the bad, and the ugly as you see it. As most people around here can tell you, I'm not much into the 'happy happy happy' aspect of WLS. it's serious business, and many people don't have good results, and some people die.

around here, we urge - repeatedly - that people do their research, ask questions, and then ask more.

I don't get it....
competitor? huh? Aren't we all in this together...trying to lose weight? This isn't a for-profit site is it? The post below was from THIS thread and it wasn't removed. hmmmmmmmmmmmmm...
I was just trying to keep it real. The initial person who posted this question asked for the truth. Just trying to direct them somewhere where they can get it in spades. (lapbandtalk) i don't understand why that would be discouraged, but will refrain from mentioning "competitors" in the future even though the logic behind it eludes me.
adios,

Ana Maria

Ana Maria,
I absolutely appreciate your candor. You're the first person who has spoken up with the negatives and I very much appreciate it. Do feel free to email me directly. I think you can do that via my name link, or just email *******************

Ana I'm sorry the band did not work out for you and I think it is important that people know the good as well as the bad from experienced folks such as yourself. :hug:

I for one wanted to know it all before I had it done and if anyone thinks they are exempt from the band slipping or erosion, they are dead wrong. What works for one person obviously won't work for another but that shouldn't prevent people from trying. The percentage of slipped bands is very low considering the amount of people who have had the surgery. And don't forget, not everyone with a band posts on websites, weather it be good or bad. There are LOTS of successful people we just don't hear from.

We all know that surgery is not the cure, weather you get a band, sleeve, gbp.... its a tool and yes, you have to work your a$$ off to lose the weight.

Shary, she is the first person to speak up because none of us to date have had any problems.

I wish everyone much success in their WL journey, what ever they choose to do.

Leenie

I don't get it....
competitor? huh? Aren't we all in this together...trying to lose weight?


Hi, welcome to 3FC :)

I wanted to step in and clarify this for you or anyone else that might not have understood. 'Competitor' is probably not the best word to use. We don't allow links to any other weight loss forums, and the reason is because we used to get spammed a lot by people that joined with no intention of becoming part of the community, but just wanted to advertise other forums. They think "hey, there's a forum with 50k members, let's get them to join us!" And trust me, it has happened a lot. So we found that it was best to make a strong link policy. We just want to make sure that everyone is here for the same reason :) Only a select few links are allowed. If someone posts a link, our mods may remove it at their discretion. If you'll notice, their is a notice in bright red letters next to the posting field that lets every member know about our linking policy. We aren't the only ones that have this policy. We decided to implement it after noticing most of the other forums we visited had similar policies. We don't believe that we can be everything to everyone, and there are plenty of resources available on the net. We do believe that if someone doesn't find what they need here, that they know how to use Google as the most valuable resource of all.

Thanks :)

Suzanne,

I understand your policy however I did not post a link. Several pages ahead of my post however someone DID post not one, but 2 very obvious links which I saw when I was reading the thread. I merely mentioned the other lap banding site as a place to find more complete information about that specific procedure. I am certainly not trying to advertise for them. Part of the reason I came here is that I like 3fatchicks better and want to become a part of this community. I think my mention of the other site was taken out because I suggested it as a good place to find more negative stories/experiences about the lap band. As you said, anyone can google any information they're looking for at any time. And members can PM other members if they want more information.
Since I no longer have a band I'm moving on to other forums on this site.
To reiterate my previous comments re: the band. There are many folks who are successful with the band and just as many who are not. In the great game of life it's a crap shoot like anything else. It has been my experience that far fewer people with negative experiences post than positive because they are flamed/shamed into silence. Now 3 years after I was banded many more people are speaking up. That's a good thing. It's just helpful if you know where to find them. When you're in the research phase it can be like searching for a needle in a haystack.

adios,

Ana Maria

Ana Maria,
I absolutely appreciate your candor. You're the first person who has spoken up with the negatives and I very much appreciate it.

I'm going to stick my nose in again :lol: I would also love to hear more people discuss the negative aspects of WLS. You may not know this, but Amy 3FC (one of the owners of this site) had WLS. She told me recently that she stopped going to her support group meetings because they were not allowed to talk about the negatives, and that was very disturbing to her. Several people in her group were having problems and had to resort to discussing it privately. No one should have to whisper about something so serious. From what I understand, many WLS forums have the same policy of just focusing on what good COULD come from WLS, without discussing what isn't so positive. Amy had her WLS in late 2003 and she is still discovering new things about her body, and it's constantly changing, and she's still having a variety of problems. She's also concerned because she doesn't know what the future holds for her. It's good to talk about the other side of the issue, and I hope more people will come forward.

Ana Maria - I thought long and hard about whether or not to remove the mentions of the other forum, and decided to err on the side of caution. It was your first post, and there was no way of knowing whether you were a perfectly nice, helpful person or the owner of the other site, or a spammer.

we have always - and will always - encourage people to tell the good, the bad, and the ugly about any form of WLS. it's not easy, and there is ALWAYS a risk of complications, both right after surgery and for YEARS afterwards.

i hope you will share your wisdom and your experience.

and i was concerned about your comments that there were other links in this thread. there is one - and it's a website for the member's surgeon. not another message forum.

I agree with Amy, I do not participate in our local support group b/c it really is a joke, so I depend on the internet for support. I did alot of research before I was banded because I wanted to know as much as possible before I let some one cut me open.

Hey everyone,
Well I'm back from my surgery. I guess it went ok. I'm a little concerned about a few things but I'm going to wait until I'm past the squishy food phase to get really bothered. So far everything stays down and my appetite is back... a little too back in my opinion. I'm blaming the continued hunger on the fact that squishy stuff can get through better... I certainly hope that's the case anyway.

So here's my big QOTD (question of the day). Do all of you guys (gals) REALLY mash up all your medication? I was told only to swallow capsules. But I gotta tell you, smashed meds taste like crap. So yeah... Shary is swallowing her over-the-counter ibuprofen whole... and her antihistamines... because let me just tell you what else... it hurts
like HAYL to sneeze.... Everytime it happens I'm just sure my guts just blew out through that little inscision site...

So what's the verdict? Am I already being a terrible patient?

Welcome home Shary,

Yes, I smashed up all my meds and yep, taste like dodo, but I was afraid of hurting myself. IMHO, you really should smash it up, you could mix it with applesauce to kill the taste. Doctors set these rules for a reason, so try to be a good girl lol. Thats my 2 cents ;) Right now your not restricted so pills will go down easier but once you start the restriction your gonna upchuck those pills and irritate your esophagus so be very careful. BTW, they do make liquid Tylenol for adults. I have bottles all over the place, one in my car, my desk at work and home LOL.

How are you feeling other wise.

Hi, I'm new and checking out different forums and I thought I'd pipe in.

*WARNING* My lapband experience has not been a happy one. Sorry.

I joined 3FC with the intention of checking out the south beach group, as I am desperate to wean myself off of sugar, but am browsing around first. I am a lapbander (I was banded by Dr. Ortiz in Oct. of '03). I have had a lot of problems with my band, unfortunately. I have had 2 slips and a surgical repair. I had a subsequent pregnancy and had problems with hyperemesis (excessive nausea/vomitting) and am having troubles again with excessive restriction. I am extremely sensitive to fill levels. The times which I have lost weight have been when my band has been too tight and I have excessive restriction. I blamed myself for my slips, but was told by my surgeon that the main slip was probably the result of a hiatal hernia which was not detected at the time of my initial surgery. This has been a very painful process for me.

I think the band is a great tool for some people. One woman I became friends with who was banded at the same hospital as I has reached her goal weight of 140 lbs. (she started at 240). I am within 25 lbs. of my starting weight. My goal was to lose much, much more. I read everything I could get a hold of, joined support groups, checked out web sites, and tried to do as much research as possible before having this surgery. I contacted Don Mills at Inamed before proceeding with Dr. Ortiz just to make sure I was going with a qualified and skilled surgeon. Unfortunately I am at the point now where my optimism is fading and I just don't think this is going to work for me.

I have terrible soft food syndrome. The band is great if you can stay away from sweets and soft foods (it seems that I can not). I feel like a failure, but I've always felt this way as far as dieting goes. I started abusing OTC diet pills in junior high school (!) and continued from there. I went from eating a half gallon of rocky road with my friends to being a full blown self starver (eating once every day or two) by the time I was in college. I have been through weight watchers countless times, been to Lindora 3 times, been on phen-fen twice, been to 3 different nutritionists, had lapband surgery and repair... It always ends for me with a handfull of M&Ms.

Sorry, but I must say with the lapband, buyer beware. I wish I had never had it done. It's been an emotional and financial burden for me and my family. I am sometimes overwhelmed by the fear of future complications. I also know several people who have had slips and surgical repairs, tube leaks and replacements, and port problems. I know of 4 erosions. And I know of at least 3 people who have converted to duodonal switch, because they really felt that they needed a malabsorptive component in order to be successful with their weightloss.

I hope this doesn't create too much controversy. I know that the negative view is not the popular one. I sincerely wish success to those of you who are newly banded. I wish I had heard more of the 'non-success' stories before I started.

Shannkat

Shannkat - your story needs to be heard. your experience is heartbreaking, and i hope that somewhere, somehow, you will find the help you need.

having said that, we WANT people to give their experiences - the good, the bad and the ugly. it's been very strange to hear only from people who've done great, when i know that there are people who've done not-so-well for a variety of reasons, and those whose health has completely failed.

are you considering having it reversed? what's your next step?

Shannkat,

I'm sorry to hear about your experience. It sounds physically painful and emotionally devestating. Thank you for sharing your story.

I was also banded by Dr. Ortiz. So far, I've had no complications, but again, I'm really sorry this doesn't seem to be working for you.

I'm also curious as to whether you've considered having the band removed?

Sorry, just checked back in. I like the idea of having it out, but the expense and risks associated with surgery are very high. Even though Dr. Ortiz did not charge "surgeon's fees" for the 'repositioning surgery,' it was still something like $3500. I don't really want to have another surgery. 2 is enough. However, I really would like to have it out. I feel stuck with it; I try not to think about having more complications. One of the eroded women I know is waiting until her band erodes far enough into her stomach that they can go in via her mouth (!) to remove it. Odd. Different doctor.

Thats some scary stuff Shannkat, I'm sorry your having a bad time with the band. It really is a roll of the dice isn't it. What works for some, doesn't work for others. BIG HUGS to you !!!!! :hug:

Hi. I went to a seminar about WLS last month, and they gave me lots of paperwork. One was how you eat after the surgery. However, it seemed to be written for people who got the bypass surgery, not a lap band.

In your experience, what are the changes that need to be made? My husband wants to have us both start making changes in our diet now. My biggest question is about soda... did you have to give up all carbonated beverages? Looking at the list of no-nos, I don't have much a problem with it, but I'm finding that I'm really not looking forward to giving up my diet coke.

tweet

Tweet,
Had the same reservations about giving up carbonated beverages altogether. Don't know what exactly that's about.

Quick question to throw out: I had a cup of chili two days ago and it threw me into WRETCHED TORMENT. Horrible, horrible cramps and PAIN for over 24 solid hours. I have not eaten solid food since. What does this mean? Have any of you ever experienced this? It did not come up but it evidently had a terrible time going down. And I DO mean terrible. It almost felt like I was getting not just stomach type cramps but gall bladder spasms to boot. I almost went to the ER. I'm 12 days post op. Anyone out there have suggestions? It was very scary to say the least.

SHARY

ummm. shary. ummm. well. here's my two cents. at 12 days post op, it might be a wee bit too soon for chili. even for lapbanders. but maybe someone else will have some wisdom.

I have a question about band size. I was told I have a 10cm band - Inamed and that it holds 4cc's of saline or omni or whatever the doc fills it with. I went for my first fill and the doctor gave me 3.6cc's. I posted this on another site and got a response that a 10cm band holds 10cc's of saline. Can anyone shed any light on this? I've been looking at the medical sites but can't find the info. Thanks in advance.

Shary, I was not allowed to eat solid food until 5 weeks out, no wonder your innard were hurting. Your still swollen inside, be very careful. What does your doctor say?

Tweet, the only changes I had to make was the soda, you really want to give that up with the band, not only will it hurt if you drink it, its been said that it can stretch the pouch. One thing you can do is let the soda go flat and drink it that way if you must. Other than that, really no diet changes except that you wanna make the band work so you want to choose healthier foods and definitly stay away from junk. For some reason junk can go down alot easier than other foods... Its not fare I tell yah LOL.

CJ, the 9.75 cm band holds 4 cc saline(aka 4 cc band), that is correct. IMHO if you have a 4 cc band, I don't think the doctor would fill you with 3.6 cc's for your first visit, that would make it so tight you probably couldn't drink water (but then everyone IS different) I have never heard of that large of a fill unless it was the vanguard band which holds up to 11 cc's I believe. I have a 4 cc band and I just now have 2 cc's (thats after 4 fills) in it and let me tell you its freakin tight. Are you sure you don't have the vanguard band?

Inamed makes three different bands. One is a 9.75 cm band with a saline capacity of 4 cc. One is a 10 cm band with a capacity of 4 cc.

The third is the VG band (often referred to as the "Vanguard" band but really just called teh VG) and it is a 10 (or 11 cm) band with a capacity of 10 cc.

A fill of 3.6 cc would generally seem to indicate that you have the 10cc band.

My fill doc said he was being aggressive... I looked at my op report and I do have a 10cm band, which according to ya'll holds 4cc's (which is what I thought and what both my surgeon and my fill doc told me) and he put 3.6 cc in. He actually put in more than that to constrict me totally, and then removed some. So far so good. I know this hasn't been everyone's experience and I may have to go back for an unfill, but so far, so good.

Thanks for your help.

Hi. I posted here a while ago with some questions... and have some more.

I had my surgical consult scheduled for July 3. (Silly me!) I think the surgeon realized that if he cancelled appointments for that day, he'd have a 4 day weekend, so the week before, they called to reschedule me. So, my appointment is next month.

Anyway, when I started this process, I thought that I'd be able to have the surgery done this summer, but that isn't going to happen. So, my question is... how long did you need off after the surgery? I'm going to be going back to school August 21 part-time. It will just be two days a week. Can I just be 'sick' for a week, or being that classes are sitting down, can I still go? Do I need to plan on having the surgery during the winter holidays? Gee, wouldn't that be a great way to celebrate the cookie season of the year. LOL! The rest of the time, I'm home with my 2 yo twins and 6 month old baby. Do I need to plan on having a babysitter for the days I'd normally be home?

Also... diet questions... I had thought I'd ask these of the nutritionist, but my insurance company won't cover that. Before I make and pay for that appointment, I thought I'd see what advice I could get here....

One of my biggest concerns right now is breakfast. What do you eat for breakfast? The diet plan information I was given suggested things like cooking eggs. I know me, and I won't do that. I've always been a breakfast on the go kind of person... When I've done really well on diets, I've always had things like a slimfast for breakfast. I assume that is a lap-band no-no. So, I was thinking perhaps a protien bar? Can I eat those? I know they make yummy chocolate ones, and Luna has a nice lemon one. Any other ideas?

Thanks!
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