Hello everyone!
I am new to this forum, I am terrified of surgery, and after reading all of the posts about the lapband, I am feeling more hopeful. I figured the lapband was the less risky of the two typpes of weight loss surgeries...... I had some terrible experiences in the past with surgery ( I woke up in the middle of one, and tried to get off the operating table and leave!) I know that was many years ago, but it has been keeping me stuck. Any words of wisdom, and encouragement would be greatly apppreciated!

Hi.. I am new to the 3FC site... I am a bandster.. banded on April 6, 2005.
I am now 5 months out and have lost 34lbs... looking forward to chatting

I'm considering lapband surgery but here in Canada it's so expensive! $18,000!

darlin - at a size 16-18, it's doubtful that she had a gastric bypass. she'd be too thin for that, and unless she had so much money that she didn't need the insurance company, there's almost no way that she could have talked her insurance company into covering it [notice i said ALMOST no way - there may be some exceptions out there].

as for Lapband - i just don't know. which upsets you more? the possibility that she didn't tell you and kept this secret? or that she had the surgery?

you have a couple of choices here. you can take a deep breath and ask her CALMLY. and listen calmly to her answer. OR, you could just congratulate her on her weight loss. OR you could just ask her how she's feeling.

or you could act as if nothing had happened.

no matter what, may i suggest that you focus on yourself and the changes YOU want to make, rather on what someone else may or may not have done? that may sound a bit harsh, but let's face it - who's hurting here - it's YOU, and no one needs that kind of pain.

First I have to say that I don't see what this post has to do with the Lap-Band (which is afterall the point of this thread).

Second ... You have a serious issue here. And it isn't whether or not your sister-in-law had weight loss surgery.

You're guessing that she had weight loss surgery - but the fact is that you don't know. As to why she didn't tell you, if in fact she did have weight loss surgery ... gee maybe because it isn't really any of your business?

Given your reaction and your obvious jealousy (and accusations of cruelty on her part) ... if she did have WLS that she knows you cannot afford, perhaps she didn't tell you because she didn't want to deal with your baggage.

By the way ... after I had my gall bladder removed several years ago I took very seriously my doctor's admonition to stop eating fatty foods. As a result I lost weight after my surgery.

The reality of the increased surgical risks due to excess weight could have motivated her to make some lifestyle changes.

There are a number of reasons why she may be loosing weight. There are a number of reasons why (if she did indeed have surgery) that she wouldn't have told you she did.

Either way the issues you have with this are your issues and I think before you approach your sister-in-law you should work them out for yourself.

Hi. I'm new to this, and am researching whether or not I think a lapband is for me.

My question is.. how did your relationship with food change once you got the band?

In my family, everything is celebrated with food. Everyone eats and eats until they feel about to pop. Everyone LOVES food. (I guess I should be saying "I" and not "everyone" and take some responsibility here too!)

So, once you get the band, how does it change the relationship with food? Do you still love it? Does it become a love/hate thing? Does it stay pretty much the same, but just in smaller quantities?

When you go to family affairs, do you feel deprived? Heck, do you feel deprived on a daily basis? Do you wish you could eat more? When I went on diets, I always felt like I was being punished, especially when I saw my relatives eating and eating. But, I think if I could feel full, I would feel better about it all...

Anyways, just looking for some insights!

Thanks!

Tweet,

Let me tell you ... I love to cook. I love to try new foods. I love to eat out. I love food. Period. My family loves food. They love my cooking, the love to try new things. We're a food family.

And I have to say that I love it more now that I have my Lap-Band.

Sounds crazy, right? It isn't I promise.

I have enough of a fill in my band to limit my food intake but not so much that I have food intolerances. I am able to eat anything I want to eat for the most part. Really soft, spongy white bread doesn't sit well - but I figure I can live without that.

I used to have two stages. Starving and So-Stuffed-I-Can-Barely-Breathe. There was very little in between for me. I ate fast, I ate a lot and I rarely enjoyed the sensation of being satisfied with my meal.

Now that I eat slower I get to truly enjoy the smells, tastes, textures and appearance of my food. Now that I get full and feel satisfied without feeling like I am about to burst I get to really enjoy the satisfaction of a good meal.

I had more of a love/hate relationship with food before my band. I loved food. I hated knowing that my love affair with food was making me fat. I loved eating. I hated how fat my overeating made me. I loved everything to do with food; buying it, shopping for the tools to prepare it, preparing it, eating it. I hated how out of control food could make me feel.

Now I am in control. I still love cooking (and everything that goes into cooking). I still love eating. But now I am no longer a slave to the food. I have a level of control that I haven't had in years.

Do I feel deprived? Nope. But that's because I don't deprive myself. But now if I want some desert I have desert. Of course I have a couple of bites of key lime pie instead of a whole slice. If I want a food that is rich I have it. But I eat it in moderation.

Yes, there may be some things I find I have to give up. I may, at some point, find a food I cannot tolerate. But you know what ... there is a whole world of delicious food out there. I need not feel deprived just because I can't have one or two of the several million foods out there.

I have taken up this challenge to find new and exciting ways to prepare my favourite foods so that they are leaner and healthier. I have taken up the challenge to find new favourites.

But that doesn't mean that I will give up everything I loved for a life of deprivation. I already know that doesn't work. I never has. It never will.

I have found though, that there is a huge difference between having fresh steamed vegetables in a bechamel sauce and only eating 3/4 of a cup of the dish and eating 2 cups.

All things in moderation.

My Lap-Band makes moderation an attainable goal for me. I couldn't have done it before. But I am amazed at what I can walk away from now. Not because I 'have to' but becasue I 'want to' or because I couldn't care less if I tried.

Hello everyone. I have been thinking of having a lap band or the ballloon procedure in Mexico. I am unsure of how to choose a doc. I have studied many websites and spoken to many of their assistants but I have yet to make a decision. How does one go about checking a doc out? Can anyone offer some advice or give a doc referal?

Hi Marea! I can't really help you about Mexico doctors... but I was wondering how much money the Lap bands cost in Mexico. I saw something that said to expect to pay about $10K in Mexico, which is what the clinic here charges (in Phx, AZ).... if that really is what it costs in Mexico, then I'm not sure why people go there. I'm guessing that the article I read was incorrect or out of date?

Yes, In Mexico I have seen it from about 8500 - 10,000.
I am in GA. and the cost here is around 18 - 25,000.
Have you heard of the balloon surgery?

If you are considering having surgery in Mexico there are a couple very important things to keep in mind.

#1 - After care with the band is extremely important. Without proper adjustments there is no way the Band will work for you. Make sure you have local after care lined up before you have the surgery.

Many surgeons are hesitant to accept patients for after care if they did not do the surgery themselves. This is for two primary reasons. A) Their schedules are full with their own surgical patients. Taking on patients from other doctors can take away from the time they have to care for their own patients. B) Liability/malpractice issues.

As a result it can be difficult to line up competent and knowledgeable after care. Be sure you have this in place before hand. Patients whose doctors are less experienced with placing the band can have higher complication rates and patients whose doctors are less experienced with band after care do not loose weight at the same rate as patients of more experienced doctors.

#2 - Make sure you carefully research the surgeon in Mexico and their facilities. There is no option for suing for malpractice if you have surgery in Mexico. So make sure that you choose a surgeon who has modern, clean facilities and who is experienced in doing peforming Lap-Band surgery.


On the balloon surgery ... the only thing that I have read about it is that its primary use (and what it was designed for) was intended to be as a temporary measure to help super-morbidly obese patients loose weight before having another type of WLS in an effort to reduce surgical risks. If you do a Google search on "weight loss balloon" or "gastric balloon" you'll find some information about it. I found an article at CBC news (out of Canada) and the article clearly states that this device is "designed to help people lose weight temporarily before they undergo gastric bypass surgery, or stomach stapling"

I also found an abstract with the results of a clinical trial for the gastric balloon which stated:

At an estimated cost of $4,000 this doesn't sound like a "solution" that would be of interest to me.

One common thread in each article or medical journal abstract that I have located is that the gastric balloon is temporary. It is not designed or intended to remain in place for life, unlilke the Lap-Band and other weight loss surgeries which permanently alter internal physiology.

Keep searching for information on both the Lap-Band and the gastric ballon.

Best wishes and warmes regards,

I am looking at Dr. Ortiz and Dr. Rumbart. they both seem to be reputable Docs. However I am very concerned about the fills. Still researching. Thanks for all your help. The article helped a lot.

actually, iwasskinny, there is no rule that says that you have to have your gallbladder out at the same time you have some form of weight loss surgery. many doctors do it, many doctors recommend it, but it's not a REQUIREMENT. i still have my gallbladder. and, of course, many people have their gallbladders removed without the wls. the only person who knows the truth is your sister in law, and probably her husband.

and, based on this last post, it does sound as if you've calmed down considerably from your first post. that's a good sign. good luck to you!