ASDMom78

I've always been overweight. I knew a couple people back in 2004 that had the Lap-Band surgery were happy with it. I found a surgeon and had it done in a few months. I can honestly say that having the band was a HUGE mistake in my case. I started around 303lbs and lost 140lbs in 10 months. I lost the weight entirely too fast and developed SEVERE back pain from the sudden change in posture. At the time I worked for a group of surgeons and spent my entire 8 hour day rooming patients and pulling medical records. On top of that I experienced vomiting on a daily basis. I live in Texas where allergy season is year round. Even though I took medications to help with allergies I had sinus drainage that would block my band. I would get an adjustment (band tightened) only to return a couple weeks later to have some taken out. I had the band for a total of 6 years and was miserable the ENTIRE time. The surgeon who placed my band was originally a Harvard trained heart surgeon here in the DFW area who realized how much more money was to be made in Lap-Bands. He eventually lost all his patients due to sub-par medical care and left the state. His name is Dr. Robert Owen Powell and there are a ton of reviews from his former patients and families of patients who did not survive. The last I checked he was still doing bariatric surgery in California.

In 2010 I decided to ditch the band and have a revision to a vertical gastric sleeve. Thankfully I used a different surgeon after the craziness of the surgeon who put in my band. The only issues I have since my revision is the continual need for PPI's specifically generic Nexium. If I don't take them I experience severe heartburn and sour stomach. I do experience reflux if I eat and lay down to soon after eating something. If I stay up for an hour or more I have no issues.

I'm not currently following any type of bariatric diet and while I did gain weight back after having the revision I have maintained my weight for the past 10 years with very little changes. I have a severe addiction to soft drinks.. aka Coke Cola and have no real modivation to do the things necessary to successfully change my diet and lower my weight. I don't regret my sleeve surgery but would NEVER recommend Lap-Band to my worst enemy.