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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! :-(

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?

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

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???

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

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!

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!!

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.

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

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!

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.

Yes. I had my surgery November 8 and had my first fill this morning. I can't say enough about Dr. Mac and his nurse, Brenda. My best advice in getting through the red tape of the process it to FOLLOW UP, FOLLOW UP, FOLLOW UP! The staff would much rather you stay on them with reminders, questions, etc., than expect that they'll remember everything pending with every patient. Granted, they do their best, but they're only human! I had absolutely no complications from the surgery (knock on wood!) and so far, so good, on the fill. I love Dr. Mac because he no longer does the bypass. He's COMPLETELY committed to the band, which means he and his staff will be there for the critical follow-up support. I have spoken at his last 2 information sessions. Any chance you were in attendance??? Allison 321/300/288/175

i think my main concern would be that he hasnt had much hands on experience. if you let him get a few bandings under your belt the chance for surgical error would go down (i would think) i would come up with an excuse of why you need to wait a few months, let him do a few bands and get some experience before you go to him. i would spend the next month or 2 or 3 DOING MAJOR RESEARCH on the band. if you go in there and are able to ask him questions (like how he would handle worse case scenarios, complications) and get a satisfactory answer that lets you know that he *KNOWS* his stuff then i would go for it! are you all gonna be in saudi long term? if you EVER have complications it would likely be an out of pocket expense so you NEED to have a plan as to where that $$$ would come from...just in case. good luck!

Thankyou very much. I try not to listen to the bad things that people say. All I know is that no matter how bad any complications may be, they will never be as bad as the gastric bypass. I know I will be fine. Are you excited??

I found out about my gallbladder problems in June this year when i caught pancreatitis due to stones. After it was cured, the lap surgeon ddn't feel confident operating on me due to 390 lbs and 60+ age, referred me to a lap band surgeon who wanted to take it out and put on the lapband - one operation. But that assessment was made based on conveninence and less on where my 'fat' was distributed and the problems that might cause in gallbladder removal alone. I was concerned about whether I was strong enough to recover from both, honestly. Personally i felt unsure about the lapband due to the erosion concerns expressed here, and felt rushed into making that part of the decision so decided to go with just the gallbladder. Good decision. It has taken me a long long time to recover - almost 6 weeks and at least I know the whole problem was the gallbladder and not the lapband too. The doc, when he got in there, had big problems - instead of 3 lap cuts I have 7 and he had to call another lap doc in to help out as the 'trocars' (?) were not long enough to go throught my layers of fat. It was all he could do to just take out the gallbladder without 'opening' me from my breastbone to my hip - so I am thankful for that. The operation took a lot out of me, a whole lot. The additional lapband would have just added to that complication and the doc said he wouldn't have done it then even I had approved both because the gallbladder was so difficult. Operating on big people is not easy - and the gallbladder fits this class. If I decide on the lapband, now I have time to make a proper decision and go into it with my eyes wide open ... and to realize that this is another 'major' operation. Hopefully I've reached that point in life where my mind will work with me to fix my weight problem without to need of another operation for a process that has risks of its own. At least when the gallbladder op is over and recovered, it's over. Do rely on your surgeons and doctors - but all mine promoted having both at once - only I had to live with that decision - and now feel I made the right one. The doc feels the same...but didn't until he got in there. There's a lot of swelling over the gallbladder operation too - perhaps all operations - and it took me a long time to feel 'better'. Getting my strength back from major surgery was very difficult, took weeks, and thank God for my treadmill starting out at the slowest speed for only 5 min a day and increasing.

Well, you're definitely odd... No, I wouldn't count you in the "complication" group -- I think you have something else going on with your body. Is the thyroid medication helping at all yet? I haven't read all the posts around here lately, sorry if that's already answered somewhere...

I thought this was a really great FAQ that answers a few more questions beyond the usual what is a band/how is it adjusted type of question. Also, interestingly, the doctor talks about the causes and repair of erosion, slippage, and pouch dilation. This docter says erosion has to do with the way the band is stitched to your stomach. If that's true, it might explain why erosion is more likely to happen with some surgeons than with others. Just a thought. liquids. That said, average weight loss is 50% of excess weight at 5 years. But this includes all patients, including those who have lost little or no weight. How is the Band adjusted? The Band is tightened by accessing the port with a needle. This is most commonly done in the office. Some surgeons do it at the hospital under x-ray guidance, but this is generally not necessary, and makes the procedure much more expensive. For patients with very thick abdominal walls, it may be more difficult to find the port. In our office we have an ultrasound machine which makes it possible to access most ports without need for x-ray. Can I adjust my own Band? In theory, yes. But the answer is NO. NO. NO :confused: (you just know somebody has tried this at home) Why do I have to take Vitamins? The LapBand operation is purely restrictive, so technically you don't need to take vitamins if you are eating a healthy diet. On the other hand, by definition you are eating a hypo-caloric diet, one which will cause you to lose weight. Because of this, we worry that you won't get all the vitamins and minerals you need. This is the main reason we ask you to take vitamins after the surgery. What about the gallbladder? We don't remove the gallbladder unless you already have gallstones that are causing symptoms. Weight loss is slow and natural, so the risk of gallstones is not sufficiently elevated as to make gallbladder removal worth doing. Can the Band be rejected by my body? The Band is made of silicone rubber, and cannot be rejected. Of course it can become infected and require removal, but this is not the same as being rejected like a transplanted organ. What happens after I lose my weight? The Band causes you to lose weight by restricting your caloric intake to less than your caloric expenditure. As you lose weight, your calorie requirements diminish. Once intake matches expenditure, you stop losing weight. How long does the Band stay in? The Band stays in forever. If it is removed you will regain all the weight you lost. What is a slipped Band, and what causes it? There are two types of slippage; anterior and posterior. This refers to whether the front or back side of the stomach slips. There is something else called concentric pouch dilation, but this is not the same as slippage. Slippage or prolapse is when the stomach slides up through the Band, making the pouch bigger. If this happens the Band usually becomes too tight, and patients experience symptoms of reflux (heartburn) as well as nausea and vomiting. This is because the amount of stomach being “squeezed” by the Band is increased, thereby obstructing the Band. There are several causes. Posterior slippage was more common when the Band was placed by the “perigastric” technique. With this technique the back side of the stomach was free to slide up through the Band. These days most surgeons use the “pars flaccida” technique, which was developed to prevent posterior slippage, and has more or less eliminated the incidence of this problem. Anterior slippage is when the front of the stomach slips up through the Band. We try to prevent this by suturing the stomach below the Band to the stomach above the Band, “locking” the Band in place in the right spot. In spite of this, slippage still occurs. It can happen because we haven't placed enough stitches, or they haven't been placed in the right place. Slippage can also occur if patients eat too much and vomit frequently. How is a slipped Band diagnosed? Fortunately, this is very easy. Often the diagnosis is made based on the history alone. A patient who has been going along fine, with no problems, and then suddenly develops reflux symptoms or symptoms of a too-tight Band will most likely have a slipped Band. The diagnosis is easily confirmed with an x-ray and barium swallow examination. Endoscopy is rarely necessary. How is a slipped Band fixed? A slipped Band needs to be fixed with an operation. The Band has to be dissected out, all the sutures removed, and the position of the stomach made right. Some surgeons remove the Band and place it back through a new tunnel. Others just straighten things out and re-suture the stomach over the Band. What happens if the Band slips again? That's a tough one. One could certainly try to fix the slip again, but my personal view is that, for whatever reason, the Band is just not working for that particular patient, and ought to be removed. What is a Band erosion? This is when the Band actually erodes into the stomach. It is a more serious problem, and generally requires removal of the Band. Band erosion is thought to be related to placing too many sutures (or too tight sutures) at the time of Band implantation. Surprisingly, Band erosion is often unnoticed. Occasionally the port will become infected if bacteria track along the catheter out to the port. Other times patients will stop losing weight. Diagnosis often requires an endoscopy. What is concentric pouch dilation? This is technically not the same as slippage. In this case the pouch just seems to be enlarged. Sometimes partial emptying of the Band may help with this. What is esophageal dilation? This is when the esophagus enlarges over time, and is probably related to either too tight a Band, or possibly improper placement of the Band around the junction of the esophagus and stomach. This requires loosening or removal of the Band. What happens if my Band has to be removed because of complications or failure to lose weight? One option, of course, is to give up on weight loss surgery. Another option is to convert to another procedure such as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. This can be done at the same time the Band is removed, and is generally done laparoscopically. If you have questions that have not been answered by this FAQ, please send them to me and I will try to answer them for you. Mark A Pleatman MD 43494 Woodward Ave. #202 Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48302 Office Hours: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Phone: (248) 334-5444 Fax: (248) 334-5484 Email: pleatman@laparoscopy.com

IMHO, not a complication. You may just be one of those people who cannot eat potatoes or pasta. I was.

Is this the same thing as the Vertical Banded Gastrectomy? If so, I've heard that procedure is less popular due to ineffectiveness over time and potential complications. But I've never heard of the one you cite.

I believe the reason that they push it is because they believe (as do I), that it has fewer complications (both long term and short term) than RnY. There are always LONG term risks with foreign bodies being implanted in somebody, I mean LOOOONG term...20 years or more. Obviously, the band can be removed if you happen to develop problems. I'm not positive if the VG will provide less long term risk than the band, but I believe that it will definitely provide less long term complications than the RnY. Also, from what I've heard, the VG does cut hunger quite severely... Something that my band has never done. I guess I'll find out in the next few months (I'm having a VG on 3-1-06). The evidence does seem to suggest that there is greater long term weight loss with the VG versus the band, but it will take long term research to bare this out.

Hi Natlin, How do you know if surgery is right for you? The best you can do is research, research, RESEARCH. Take a peek around the postings here, the different boards including the complications board. Read up on anything and everything. Check out the websites for hospitals near you and see if they have a Bariatric unit or the surgeons that do the different WLS. See how many they've done, etc. Then take that ALL in and ask yourself....Is this right for me. If you think it could be visit your PCP, get his/her recommendation on a surgeon who does them, make an appointment with that surgeon and ASK questions. There are also informational groups at many hospitals where you'll hear first hand what folks have gone through and questions they have. Amazing what you'll learn. Definately...make the decision being well informed. I know for me RnY wasn't an option. When I finally heard about Lap-Band I studied like crazy and THIS website has been the best. I'm being banded tomorrow (2/13) at Beth Israel in Boston,MA and I'm very excited about it! Good luck with your decision Sherry

This very subject came up at my last support group meeting. I was speaking about myself with regard to night time hunger and how it seems that even with adequate restriction, in the evenings I tend to become hungry and I often times get a very powerful urge to eat. It isn't head hunger, but true hunger. It only occurs at night though. One of the surgeons (not mine) was attending the group and he said that from time to time he refers his patients to a coleague of his who prescribes a mild diet pill for this very reason. When I told him I didn't want to become dependant on a diet pill he said that he understood and that they we're used only for a very short period of time with the patients who are working to make better choices, yet still haven't quite mastered their new eating habits. As in just long enough to get over a certain hurdle. I haven't called regarding the pills....because I found that a snack size bag of popcorn (100 calories) when this happens and a can of tomato juice (35 cal.) does the trick for me. They take away the hunger and the need I feel to snack all at the same time. I just make sure they are in my caloric intake allowance for the day. I will say that IF this becomes a problem that I can't do on my own....I have no problem using the pills to suppress me until I get a better hold on the situation, but that's just me. I'm 30 pounds from goal and if I need a little extra boost to get there, so be it. As long as I'm working the band and the program and have made the necessary changes in my life...I see nothing wrong with getting a little extra help for the harder hurdles. Finding perfect restriction that will do all this isn't easy....then you find it and lose another 15 pounds and the band loosens and you have to have fills until you find it again. It's a process for sure, and I'm one who believes in using the band in conjunction with diet changes while not getting myself too tight to a point where I can't eat meat or other foods. I've never pb'd or slimmed. But it's sometimes difficult to find that perfect medium. Another words being able to eat normal foods with no pb's or slimes yet still having good restriction. Not easy... I see no reason why one shouldn't add a supplemental prescription in to help in the process for a short term if necessary. I'de rather do that than tango with being too tight and having to deal with the complications of what that can bring. So I personally suggest talking to your surgeon, explain that you'de like the precription ONLY until your fills begin to give you restriction and then come off of them and be on your way. As long as they are used with caution and as prescribed and with the understanding that they are not being used to take the weight off for you, but to help you with appetite suppression UNTIL your band kicks in and you develope stronger new habits.... Good luck Kay AKA: Miss Losin Lot's

Oh man... I felt like such a tool when he had me do that in the consultation room. I've been thinking about this a lot. I'm not nervous about the band, or the recovery, or complications. Not yet, anyway. I'm nervous about the surgery process, and most specifically -- about going under. I know I won't remember it, etc. - but just the thought of it unnerves me. I had surgery once, but I was only about a year old. I have complete confidence in our doc & his team. I feel like I am in very good hands. :nod: