BobBigBoy

What the story long term? Is it really in there for life? & who might you know that's had it more than a few years? Do we really know what the possible long term effects of having a foreign object inside our bodies might be?

Thanks.. :drool:

I actually live in Burbank, That's within Los Angeles county. Anyways I'm new to the site & I'm hear to learn more about lap band. I just completed a 12 week course at Kaiser about have WLS & yet when I completed the class I found myself having 2nd thoughts about it. I was originally gonna go for the Gastric sleeve being its not as hard core with re-routing my insides.. But the long list of side effects has me thinking more about the lap band now. I like the fact that I will still be able to sample different things to eat that could never try with the other WLS. I plan to visit the UK. next year for example & would like to sample all the different foods they offer there vs whats available here. & with the Lap Band I could still do this. With the other 2 options it might be a bad idea. If I get any sugar in my system it could ruin my vacation. :smile2: Anyways, I'll have lots of questions for you guys, so dont say you were not warned..

As I sit here drinking a Rum with Diet tea, I wonder what about drinking after the lap band. I suppose you would not drink as much because the belly in tiny & that you have not had much food to keep you grounded. But I enjoy a drink after work with dinner to help me relax. How will the Band effect this? I know I know Booze are fattening & if your serious you'll stop drinking. :smile2: But I'm curious as to what the band will change with this?

The sleeve was actually originally started in attempts to get the really big people down to a smaller size before preforming the RNY down the road but the results of the sleeve on it own proved very effective on its own. & as you pointed out does not have the issues of re-routing the intestines as the RNY does so alot of the more serious issue don't present them selves as much if at all. The Doctor I'm going to have my pre-op consultation with does both the lap-band & the sleeve & will help me decide what might be best for me.. :rolleyes2: & sorry to hear about your brothers issues...

My doctor told me today most don't have their lap band in more than 5 years, & then in the next building when I asked the same question these others told me the same... I posted more about my doctor visit in my intro tread.

& in what ways? & Where on you did it hurt? Did it hurt inside where they did stuff? Did the holes they put in your belly hurt as they healed? I've read some on this site about some sort of shoulder pain? & on a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rate the pain? Was it more of a ache or an actual pain.. Were you able to take pain pills for the pain?

Huh? The lap band is known to have a slower weight loss than the other WLS options from everything I have always heard...?

Seems Kaiser dont really like doing Lap Bands & neither does UCLA. UCLA use to do it but no longer does....? I was told 4 out of 5 people have the lap band removed within 3 to 4 years. Some due to complications others seem to reach their goal weight & want it removed.. I gave a urine sample & gave about 15 vials of blood this morning so they can run all my lab test. & then I'll be getting a call to set up a consultation with a doctor that does both the Lap Band & Sleeve, & so as I was told & it makes sense to have this talk with the surgeon that actually will be performing the surgery. He will help me decide what direction I should choose. The doctor I saw today said something that makes no sense to me. He said sure you'll be able to eat Cookies & ice cream, But eating fruits & vegetables & such will be difficult to eat. & thats when I told him I don't care much for cookies & Ice Cream, what I like is red meat! I also said well, that why the class taught us the importance of chewing & chewing & then chewing our food even more before swallowing.. I'm not what I'll finally do, but for now I'll keep riding my bike & doing a loose Atkins diet.

That's a big fear I have. I've heard about food getting stuck & then having to rush to the hospital to get it out. & wouldn't this also effect your breathing? I've never been able to make myself puke, so if I got something stuck, I fear how to get it out. :smile2:

Does it really make you feel full with much less food? Or is it more of a controlling tool so you just cant take in more food & so you lose weight? You still be hungry, but your losing weight?

& might you just say to heck with it I'm gonna eat that even though I know its bad for me.. After mentioning that I was having a drink tonight I decided to go ride my new bike for about 3 miles to work off that drink. :smile2:

Or any other form of WLS.

I don't care for beer or many other carbonated drinks. & from what I understand carbonation is bad for Banders?

Did you drink much before? I'm going to the UK next year & thats what they tend to do over there. :mad: I can imagine I wont be able to drink much, but its no fun being the sober guy in a room full of drunks. :smile2:

What is PB it up? & thats another one of those things I've never learned to do is make myself burp. :smile2:

I've never been able to make myself puke & so I worry a bit about what I would do if water dont wash it down. With my paranoia I'll probably never have an issue. LOL! I just know at 1st its hard to remember to Chew Chew chew & then chew some more. Growing up my grand ma always gave me a hard time about not chewing my food enough & I always rolled my eyes at her. :smile2:

Well.... your still dependent on food to survive. :smile2:

Great! Thats what I was hoping to hear! :smile2:

Thanks! :smile2:

How long ago were you banded? & what did you do to get un-stuck?

Your food got stuck!?!?!?! How did you get it un-stuck? That is a fear I have, I've heard stories of having to rush to the hospital to get it out...

I like to lose 100 lbs. & that's what I've come to realize, I've been dieting most of my life & look at me I was up 318 a few months ago. Now I'm back down to 287. I have High Blood Pressure & sleep Apnea. & I just bought a new bike yesterday that I plan to start riding in attempts to get some exercise. I don't really like walking much due to my flat feet, but a bike should do the trick. :smile2: I'll post how my Dr's appointment went in my Intro thread here on this site after I get back tomorrow.

I've been researching this for about a year & am pretty much ready to go for it..... But as I'm sure you guys did as well, I have some fear of actually doing it. :smile2: