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Full band replacement - experiences sought
JACKIEO85 replied to lellow's topic in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums
Lellow & Kush I have searched and all I can find is this: Band slip types (I, II, IV and V) are acute and always require surgical intervention. Laparoscopic removal or repositioning of the band is the preferred method of treatment. Pouch enlargement is a chronic complication that should be managed nonoperatively in the first instance, and surgical readjustment is reserved only for those patients in whom conservative treatment fails. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3038361/ -
It's hard to lose wieght after the plateau and frankly my personal opinion is that people quit trying b/c the weight they've lost is "good enough" for them. I think everyone has the potential to lsoe all the weight but when they speak statistics they have to factor in everyone with the band - which means they will factor in people who have to get the band taken out due to a complication and they don't lose all the weight, and people who never get a fill b/c they have refulx so they never lose all the weight, and people like some people I've seen at my docs office who just don't try! For example, one woman I saw in the waiting room sais she didn't do the pre-op diet b/c she "didn't feel like it" and ate fajitas and margaritas the night before surgery - I'm sorry but if you have no self control the friggin' night before surgery you probably won't be as sucessful. Then also take the 2 other women who had surgery tha same day as me. One said she refused to give up oreos and chocolate milk, and the other said the only protein shakes she would drink was Boost b/c she liked the taste (HELLO FULL OF SUGAR!!!!) and she said that losing 1/2 the weight was "good enough" for her. May I also mention that I had to pay for my own band yet these people had Medicaid pay for it! Tax dollars hard at work right??? Anyways, when you look at statistics they factor in EVERYONE - and I don't worry b/c I know I don't need chocolate milk and oreos, I do exersize, I can follow my docs instructions, I will get fills, etc so I believe in my heart I can lose 100% and all I need is that faith in myself - not statistics!
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NEED ADVICE!!! Going on a cruise! (1 week post-op)
BansterNYC posted a topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Ok - banded a week ago today. I feel great, back at work after 4 days. I am on mushies (they had me on them before I left the hospital). I want to be gentle on the band, so I am trying to stick with more liquids than mushies thus I have a liquid Protein shake for Breakfast and lunch -- then pureed Soup or mashed potatoes for dinner. I am getting 60+ grams of protein each day. I am off pain meds and just taking liquid tylenol. Anyway, I am going on a cruise for Thanksgiving week, leaving on this Sunday! I need as much advice as I can get on how to recover well while in this situation!!! How can I best remain on mushies and liquids? I am going to bring Protein powder that I can add to skim milk for breakfast (and likely lunch). I am also going to bring the Magic Bullet to puree foods back in my room. When eating in the dining room I'll just order chicken broth or mashed potatoes for dinner. Also, what if I have a complication with the band? I am worried that I will be stranded on a ship without any help. I am going to take it easy and not do any strenuous activities. I will also keep my scars out of the sun! (Ha- like I'd ever get this body into a bikini right now!) Please give me your thoughts and advice to help me navigate this vacation. -
BMI of 34-anyone out there with same??
liannatx replied to imalene's topic in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums
My bmi was higher, but under 40. I am 5' 4 and a half" and was at 229 going into surgery. But I am one of those people that wishes I had done something sooner. I spent 9 years dieting myself from 160 to 190, back and forth, and the next 5 to go to 230. I wish I would have had the chance to make a permanent change downward before it affected my health. I am not even 40 yrs old (yet, but soon) and have Metabolic syndrome...high cholesterol, borderline high blood pressure, and insulin resistance. All are related to weight and poor diet choices, with a smidgen of heriditary involved. Makes me feel bad and puts me at the highest risk for heart disease,,,,,,,,,,,didnt hit that category until I was over 200. So consider all aspects of your health before you do something as drastic as surgery. There are possible complications. That said, I wish had stopped the downward (upward) spiral pounds ago. -
Switching Surgeons in Houston
AlisonTexas41 replied to AlisonTexas41's topic in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums
Oh nooooo. Stick with the lap band. It is so less invasive than the gastric bypass and so much safer!! My husband had a gastric bypass way back when they first started them and he almost died. Also, years later he had severe complications, really painful complications that required even more surgery. Listen to the others on here... you'll see that weight will start to fall off faster when you get your fills. I put off getting my band filled because of other things and my weight stayed the same. As soon as I got the right fill I definately saw a difference. I know, those darn needles hurt!! Especially when the dr. can't find the right spot. I get so frustrated with not being able to keep solid food down. I just resort to drinking slim fast for Breakfast and eating lots of homemade chicken and vegetable Soup and I drink lots of Water and Crystal Light Pink Lemonade. If I even attempt to drink a carbonated soda I burp like a man! It's horrible. I stick to my pink lemonade. The Crystal Lite Peach Iced Tea is really good too! Oh and don't forget to take a Vitamin every day! -
I agree with alex-- I am a nurse and I have seen lots of GB pt's with severe complications and although annoying slippage and erosion is nothing compared to some of the complications from GB I really hope yours works out without surg! Good luck Jill
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I have struggled with this lapband since October 8, 2008. I lost 23 lbs at the beginning on the liquid diet. Within six months after my lapband I came down with psoriatic arthritis. This is an immune disease that leaves psoriasis all over your body and arthritis in your joints. Can also affect your organs. Is compared to Rheumatoid Arthritis. I should have known not to do this because I already had sjogrens, another immune disease. I don't know if I was pre-destined to get this or the lapband actually caused it, these are things we will never know. I just know that I have struggled with this disease and now on methotextrate injections every week and simponi once a month. Have been on Humira and Embrel but didn't work. I am a little scared about the surgery again but I know it is the best thing to do for me. If any of you have ever had these issues please get back to me. We need to let the company know if this is the cause to help others not to do this. I understand alot of people do have success and I am very happy for them but I have also been doing alot of research and it seems that over 40 % of the people with lapbands will have to remove them within 5 years because of some kind of complication. I don't want to wait until that happens. If any of you can, please pray for me that everything goes well and I can get my life back to normal again. I plan on starting a nutrtitional healthy plan with some exercise. I have found out the hard way for me the only way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you take in. No miracles out there for me. Thanks for listening. I sure hope that the girl who had the band removed this week is okay. She hasn't responded to anyone yet. Prayers need to go up for her too. Cheryl
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I am so sorry for the loss of your friend... All I can say is that I knew someone that died of the same complications and I still went thru with my band. Today is exactly one week since my surgery and I feel great. The Dr. said no lifting for 30 days... but I have been holding my 20 pound baby and doing just fine. I would not tell anybody about it if you are worried about them saying stuff. Only my husband, mom and mother in law know about me and that is only because I needed a little help with the baby. Well, I take it back... some folks at work know about it, but they have had it done. If you want to be healthy and YOU are ready for surgery I think you should do it. That is great that your husband is supportive. Gastric bypass is a completely different story from banding, just as you said. Good Luck and let us know. By the way from what I have read all Dr.'s are different with diets. I was on a low carb (that I didn't follow) before surgery. After surgery I had 48 hours of liquids and now I am on mushies for 4 weeks. No PROBLEM. I am doing EXACTLY as my Dr. says. I have already lost 17 pounds!!! (yep, in 1 week)
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Ok....here goes: Hello to everyone! I was sleeved on 5/5/13. Starting weight 196, current weight 158. I love my sleeve! I have never had any kind of complication or problem. I think I could tolerate eating anything...Now, if only I liked meat I would be set. I am trying my best to eat some of the nasty stuff every day. My preferred proteins are the protein drinks like Unjury and Premier Protein in vanilla, eggs, cheese, cottage cheese and yogurt. I do like chicken breast grilled or baked (boneless and skinless) but I get tired of it. We are heaving grilled steak for dinner tonight. I hate it but will try to eat an ounce.......
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Hi Everyone.... I just got back from Mexico last night. I had my surgery on Thursday by Dr. Rumbaut. I was more nervous about what would happen after surgery, but everything went great. I am so glad to be home and to begin my journey.... things are well and there were no complications...Down 7 lbs already:D I am very excited.... d
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Emily, You too! Your surgery date is my sister's lap band 1-year anniversary. She has had no complications and is really really happy she had the surgery! :biggrin1: Kelli
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BIG VG bander here too. My Dr uses the VG band only now too, says there is less complications with them. It took me a little longer to reach restriction too, but then some of my very lucky friends had restriction with one fill with the VG. It all depends on your insides I think. Good Luck with it and trust your DR. As for Dr Fielding I have heard alot about him since I started my lapband journey, he studied and worked here in Australia and to date he has performed over 2000 bandings. He underwent lap-band surgery himself in December 1999 so who better than him to understand and know what we are going through. I think you would be in the hands of ONE of the best banding Drs in the world....but thats just my opinion :cake:
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Okay, I need a little help here. I have decided to be banded by Dr. ABkin and started walking again to strengthen by body. After I went for a walk today on a flat road (and I had a tough time doing so, took a lot out of me, big effort and just felt unwell). Afterwards, my blood sugar dipped so badly I broke out into a cold sweat and had to drink a thing of OJ to get myself back to normal. This happened yesterday too. It's scaring me. I was walking fine just last month. 1/2 hour on trails almost every day. I also popped into the Complications Forum and it scared the hell out of me. " 25% will experience complications leading to removal"?! And the posts about esophagus problems that create pain until removal, but it could be a permanent condition then?? Ladies (and gents) I really feel sick, like I'm going to die if I don't do this soon. And I hope I'm healthy enough to make it through the surgery. But reading this stuff scared me! :-(
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Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis and GS surgery
SummerShadow posted a topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Hi everyone. Well, I had my first appointment with the surgeon on April 18 and all went well and quickly, which surprised me. The surgeon knows, and we discussed briefly, that I was diagnosed with NASH last year. He was non-plussed and said that would improve with weight loss, mentioned nothing about it posing a problem during or after surgery. However, a co-worker of my husband had the banding done, is having to have it re-done (whatever that means), and he told my husband yesterday that his surgeon told him that if he found a fatty liver that he would terminate the surgery. So then I went online to read about NAFLD and NASH (which is what I have) and gastric sleeve surgery. Confusing confusing confusing information..... A couple of research papers said it helps and doesn't pose too many complications unless the person has cirrhosis and/or portal hypertension. As of my biopsy last year I have neither of those. But other articles, etc say that the liver will "Shred" or "Tear" and bruise due to it's larger size due to the fat. There wasn't any mention by my liver specialist, nor was it in the copies of the biopsy results, that stated my liver was enlarged. BUT... which of the information is true??? Will my liver shred or tear if it's fatty and they try to do this surgery, or.....???? Anyone else have fatty liver, and if so... what was your experience? -
Becoming afraid of reading this site!!
SuperDaddy! replied to pati-o's topic in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums
Pati- You've lost FIFTY inches!?! Awesome! Do you think that you would have done that without the band? Have you made permenant lifestyle changes? Do you ever want to pull those clothes out again...or have you already burned them? With each reward comes risk. The actual amount of removed bands is less than 1-3%, according to the information I have from the hospital in Minnesota. And that's including older 1st generation bands which aren't as effective. The technology and quality of the equipment and procedure has exponentially improved in the past two years as the insurance companies have started to cover the procedure. If you were a candidate for this surgery...than you know that your health before Band was a MUCH higher risk than any complications you've seen here. Obesity -related death is about ready to supercede heart/lung conditions, cancer....it if hasn't already surpassed it. The band does have risks....but FAR LESS than any bypass, and EVEN LESS THAN DOING NOTHING. You have a 100% chance of dying someday...this was meant to improve your chances of a longer, healthier life. Here's the other truth....nobody has time to waste during this time of year. So the majority of notes posted are when stuff sucks and you need some support. NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS!!! Hey...in a way, it's like a bra! Of course I'm not one to wear one, but my wife would attest to the fact that the ugliest bras she owns are the best because they have the most support. So....maybe our posts look a little scary when we need the most support!!! Ok it's a strectch...but I've never used a bra analogy before! Hang in there! Find the positive things that you've gained from this experience! God Bless! Jon -
Becoming afraid of reading this site!!
HarleyNana replied to pati-o's topic in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums
I think you definately have to look at the high number of banded folks compared to the very, very small number of those with serious complications. I have no regrets. -
Am I the only one who is becoming afraid of this site? It seems like every time I read new posts, they are about people having complications with their bands. Don't get me wrong, I want the truth, but I am coming to the conclusion that my band is only going to be a temporary solution. I am TERRIFIED of gaining my weight back, and from what I'm reading here lately, it seems like it is only a matter of time before we all lose our bands. Anyone else feel like I do???
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I certainly understand your concern, especially as you are quickly approaching your surgery date. I'm glad you paid attention to both the good stories and the unfortunate stories as well. That's life, sadly there is always bad that goes along with good. Though it's difficult for us to admit, we do not have control of the universe and there are certain things that are totally out of our control. You've certainly done your homework and weighed all of the pros and cons. You know yourself better than anyone else and have made the decision to do this. That's the best any of us can do, that and pray that we have made the right decision. In February I will have been banded for 4 years with zero complications. I consider complications as those things we have no control over, such as band slippage, erosion, infections. We have no way of knowing whether or not any of those things will happen to any of us, it's a chance we have been willing to take. Things like PB's, vomitting, constipation are all things we do have control over, it's a learning process we go through and even after this long, I am still learning and will probably continue to learn until the day I die, hopefully around 150ish :-] The most difficult part of this whole process for me has been facing the emotional issues, but they are worth going through and overcoming. I see it as a kind of insurance policy against my gaining my weight back. I wish you the very best of luck and will keep you in my prayers that everything goes according to textbook and that you fly through your recooperation and start a new and wonderful life. Cindy
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I have the midband. It takes a contrast/saline solution for fills. The self filling issue was resolved by adding the contrast to the saline. I was given a 6cc fill at surgery and to date have not needed another one. I have been at my sweet spot to the tune of 92 lbs lost. I am beginning to consider a slight increase as I seem to have be stalling here at this weight. I've only lost 3 lbs in the last 4 months. I seem to lose and regain the same 3 to 4 lbs never dipping below the 92 mark. I chose to have a midband because of the statistics showing very low risk of slippage or erosion. As there is no real aftercare in my area for bands, I'll need to go back to Tijuana for care. Since I'll have to travel so far, I wanted the band that was at the least risk for complications. So far so good!
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Congratulations on obtaining your surgery date. There were plenty of people in your shoes prior to surgery. I, on the other hand, didn't have any concerns but I suppose I'm the exception to the rule. Just remember that you're doing this to change your life AND to add years to your life. It's a great tool. There are no guarantees in life so I believe you should live each day as it comes. Try not to worry about complications, etc. but rather the benefits of this tool. Keep your chin up!!
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Hello everyone, I am scheduled for the surgery next week and the fear of the surgery/ complications is setting in? Anyone have any words of encouragement and is there anyone out there from Massachusetts. I think this forum will be a great support for me.
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Hey all - I'm looking to expand my excercise DVD's beyond yoga & tai chi by adding something more aerobic - I'm wanting easy recommendations for some sort of sexy dancing. I'm hoping VINES will chime in here as I know she is an experienced belly dancer although belly dancing isn't what I'm looking for, but more so like some striptease or along those lines. I was thinking along the lines of the Carmen Electra's Aerobic Striptease? Anyone tried it - is it hard for a beginner? Did you like it? Please chime in and let me know what you've tried, what you liked about it and what you didn't - like I said I need something geared towards a beginner that wouldn't be too complicated as I'm just a sorta an average dancer - my moves arn't so smooth and need some help. With this new body that I'm aiming for - I want to be able to shake it correctly So tell me what you've tried! P.S. what was the name of that instructor Oprah had on that taught you how to pole dance???? I liked her but does she have anything besides the pole dancing as I will not be installing a pole in my living room to excercise
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looking for buddy in lexington/winchester ky - my surgery is July 1
clove replied to sheri_cummings's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Hi, Sheri, i am about 2 hrs. Away in Ashland, Ky. I have lots of family there in Lexington. I would love to have someone to talk to that has been sleeved. I was sleeved April 3, 2013. I doing well, no complications, and feeling great!! Down 55#. -
**I did a search and found an old thread (few years old) that talked about complications where some one had to have the band removed. Wasn't sure if the thread was legit, or troll... so I decided to start a new thread. I hope I didn't miss one in my search, sorry if I am being redundant** I would just like to know if anyone here has had complications with their band... I am interested in both minor and major complications. My main questions are: What kind of complications did you encounter with the band? What kind of side effects do you deal with on a regular basis? What side effects did you have that went away with time? Would you do the operation again even with the problems encountered? I see a lot of posts about the good, but I also know not everyone sails through without any bumps. I am aware of the risks and statistics (conflicting as reports can be), but I just want to get a better feel for what kind of bumps I can expect from talking with people who have "been there done that". Figured it was easiest to compile the info in one post, rather than hop thru a bunch trying to find the experiences that were not so "wonderful". Thanks!
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What kind of complications did you encounter with the band? No surgical complications. What kind of side effects do you deal with on a regular basis? PBing, but that only happens if I eat too fast, lol. What side effects did you have that went away with time? None. Would you do the operation again even with the problems encountered? yes, absolutely. Do a search on thread by donali, who had her band removed, and by DeLarla, who had her port removed. There's others, but those are the ones that stick out most in my mind. A girl named Erin recently had her port removed, but for the life of me I can't remember her screenname here.
