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In 2012 I paid for my lap band out of pocket 13,000 and it was outpatient and 2 weeks ago I paid for a revision to a sleeve out of my pocket as well. My insurance doesn't cover WLS or any complications of it. While it's frustrating to have to pay, I know the money I will save on weight related medical issues will make up for it in the long run. My total for the revision was around 15,000 in the Salt Lake area. That included a 4 day stay in the hospital.

I started out thinking I'd have lapband like three of my friends did. Two of the three are regaining, neither reached their goal. The third, the wife of one of the others, had complications and had her band removed 6 weeks after it was put in place. I read and read, and the failure rate was/is high. I'd never heard of the sleeve 3.5 years ago when I started researching, but when I did, I knew forced Portion Control is what I needed. I never looked back.

Family with issues with the band, lots of anecdotal issues I've heard from others all lead me to the conclusion of the sleeve, then my doctor said flat out I don't recommend the band. In my nut class one week post op there were about 25 people in there for the 2 surgeons, only 1 bypass and 1 lap band. The rest were sleeve patients for a reason. It is successful and in general has less complications or room for complication. That proved I had made the right choice.

I told almost nobody about my surgery, so events with food were (and still are) a bit complicated and unnerving for me. However, buffet style is definitely the easiest to deal with, as you can pick and choose foods that will work with your diet. (I would frequently go with cheese and cold cuts. No, cheese is not the best choice, but it has protein--and a little won't kill you.). If it's a sit-down dinner, I usually say that I'm feeling unwell and will only be eating small portions of a few things. People don't usually push back. One word of warning, since this is the first time with family since surgery. If any of them are quite overweight, they might come across as a bit hostile or dismissive about your surgery. I have one obese family member who has never approved of my surgery and is always quite nasty about it. I believe that such people feel threatened by the fact that we are taking control of our health and may be a bit envious. (I hope this isn't the case with your family, but if it does happen, you're not alone.)

I don't want to stay only 1 day ????, atleast two . I don't think 1 day is enough to know If I had no complications.

I was sleeved yesterday at 7am and was discharged today at 1pm. I had no complications and little pain.

After weeks of waiting, my initial consult is tomorrow. I am so excited to get this journey started! I just hope I ask all the questions that need to be asked. Here is what I have so far: Is it Outpatient/inpatient surgery? Is the Anesthesiologist- a service provider? Complication from getting pregnant a year after surgery? Complications - leaks? Cause heartburn? what size bougie do you use? How many Sleeves have you done? How do you re-inforce your staple line? How long do you keep your patients in the hospital? How long is the pre-op diet? Pre-op diet - shakes how much sugar, Proteins, and what else do you eat? What type of meds do you prescribe when discharged? How long before I can return to work? What pre-op testing do you require? What other tests will be done (already have nut and psych scheduled) Will I be able to still take birth control? Can you think of any other questions to ask? Thanks so much!

This is really good thinking on our moderators part, Thanks, I learn something new everyday. I hope though that there isn't an awfull lot posted here as none of us wish to have any complications, however Im sure that this thread is needed. Good job!

Ditto - 3 WLS first a band in 2013 lost all the weight but complications set in and could not eat or drink and the band came out in May 2015. Gained 30lbs and different surgeon did sleeve on 21 December 2015. Complications and blockage due to scar tissue from the very start, never moved from clear liquid stage. Weight 46kgs but had revision to bypass on 9th May as could not eat or drink. Think I will make the Guinness book for bypass at the lowest weight ever (lol)

I am a little over 13 weeks out. I eat what I am supposed to, having dense protein first. I eat the required amounts only. I never, ever feel full and have zero restriction. I feel the same when I’m done eating as I did before I ate. I. feel like I can eat more but I don’t. I do not have that deep down hunger like I did prior to surgery, but I have a constant, low level hunger 24/7. Really don’t feel like I had surgery, I had zero complications with food and fluids. I had my follow up appointment two weeks ago, saw the nutritionist first, she had me increase my protein by an ounce. I waited for the surgeon and he was over an hour late seeing me and I had to leave to go to work so I wasn’t even able to ask him why I feel nothing. I’m afraid 6 months down the road I won’t be in the mindset I am now and will start to eat more. Was wondering if anyone else felt the same after bypass. I’m pretty frustrated.

When I had my 5.5 month stay due to complications from WLS...All my hair fell out. i came home to 2 little strands on either side of my head. I did not eat for over 5 months and so did not get the proper nutrients to keep it or regrow it... I started to take Biotin and protein and upped the vitamins and soon I started to see little fuzzies coming up all over my head.... I have short hair now but my hubby likes it that way.....Losing hair is part of the package of WLS. Once your vitamins are established and your eating protein and drinking the right amount of water..Thing will change...This from the girl who lost it all except 2 strands of course!!!!!!!

You all know this debate has been around forever. Bottom line is the Band is safer. The band is Harder. AND the band is not for everyone. Ever get one of those shirts that say "OSFA" and you look like a stuffed sausage in it? Well, one size doesn't fit all. And yes, there are complications with every surgery, even the band. But bypass complications are usually alot more serious. But, guess what? These bypass patients are not sitting around dying and getting fat as much as everyone lets on. Believe it. Yes, it does happen, sometimes the patient is complient, but moreso than not, the patient is not complient and does not follow doctors instructions. Same as with the band. Some can't lose weight for nothing, and some aren't complient. It is hard to be complient when you have an addiction whether you have a band or bypass. So please, please, please don't think all us bypassers are sitting around with yellow skin, blind with no teeth and hair! Most of us are just out enjoying life! And btw, my daddy can beat up your daddy.... And Nykee, It's OK. You are a brave woman, and you'll be fine. If you pursue success with the band, I wish you wild success. If you pursue something else, thats ok, too. Thats why the band is reversable, and it is a good place to start. The band was not the best choice for me, but I was scared of the bypass and convinced myself that it would be.

I too will have to have my band removed--the date hasn't been scheduled but I have an appt. tomorrow to discuss my options. I also had good results in the beginning however after the 8th month started having complications. I have had several o/p tests with all of them coming back within "normal limits"-I cannot eat anything substantial so I am also now gaining weight. I wish you luck on whichever procedure you have and look forward to hearing about your outcome.

Hello everyone I have just read alot of posts of people getting there LapBand removed and I want to add my reasons why I had my removed. First I want to say my doctor did a great job putting in the LapBand no problem there. The first six weeks I lost 25 lbs. I followed the diet plan however, I was having problems with the LapBand around eight weeks when I was told to change my diet to regular solid foods. The foods on the diet plan however, when I started eating it would get clogged and I would have to drink something hot to melt it down or make myself throw up. So I thought maybe I should eat slower or the bites are to big. So I changed it. Smaller then feeding a baby with a spoon. It took me one and half hours to eat a small plate of food. Okay I went to the doctor and he took out some fluids. Same thing happened. One day I was eating dinner and I was so sick, I became light headed and and almost passed out. I was admitted in the hospital for a week (twice). My blood pressure was to low. The doctor came and removed the rest of the fluids from the LapBand and told me to wait a few weeks and come in the office and get a adjustment he gave me a very small amount and the same thing happened a few months later (twice). This don't have anything to do about educating myself about LapBand or doing research (which I did before I had it done) it was not comfortable for me. And by the way I read all the sucess stories and the complications stories on this site too. It did not give me the results I expected. I do not want to adjust my life style to taking hours to complete a meal. I have a family and a job and my whole day should not be consumed with eating a meal. It felt uncomfortable having it inside to. It took me over a year before I could lay on my stomach to sleep. Because I had to eat Yes I had to have sauces on meal so it would go down. Even having all the fluids out. Therefore, I gain weight. The regular people here who are having sucess with the LapBand can sit back and judge you because then are losing weight. Typical. But unless you are in my shoes and know how it feels to be sick with it in you, you cant judge me. Just like it is rude to judge fat people and call them lazy, because that is completely untrue. I am having it removed and I am going for another procedure that makes you FEEL FULL not like a clogged sink all the time. Good luck to the people losing weight with the LapBand it works for you. But, if you was not okay with the LapBand and had it removed, you are not alone. Next time I post it will because I was sucessful and had it removed this friday 10//31/2008. God Bless:thumbup:

I've previously done a bit of research on Lap-Band after my doctor brought it up earlier in the year, but this time I'm actually seriously considering it. In fact, I'm signed up to go to an information session at one of the local hospitals tomorrow night with a surgeon who I've heard lots of good things about. Before, it was sort of a "well, ok, maybe I'll think about it as a vague possibility" situation, but now I'm in a spot where I could actually see myself going through with it. Scary, but good! I'm going to be a fun patient because I'm a data geek by trade-- I've got an MA in sociology (no fear of PubMed here!) and I work in healthcare outcomes reporting. Success stories are fun and exciting, but I definitely want to see as many numbers as I can, particularly regarding long-term complication/removal rates. I'm open to banding because I'd personally rather not have my insides rearranged, but I'd like to see what the average patient experience is 10 years down the road. If I do end up doing this, it'll be quite a way out; due to work schedules and such, I think my best shot would be in early December or mid-February. And if my research makes me nervous, I can wait longer, or not do it at all. That's why I'm here, doing my homework. Looking forward to "meeting" everyone and reading as much as I can!

It's important to remember that medicine is a game of odds; there is ALWAYS a chance of a bad reaction or bad surgical outcome, even with the best doctors. When a doctor has a complication rate at or below the median rate for that procedure, it shouldn't be seen as a negative for the doctor; nor should a zero complications rate be seen as a positive. Complications are due to individual physiology -- e.g. my body may be more aggressive with infection and inflammation than yours, and yours may be better at building fibrous scar tissue quickly; how could the doctor know that before hand? -- and pure old random chance. So I'd say that your task in picking a surgeon is to look for one whose complication rate isn't ABOVE the median rate. Beyond that, I would just not worry too much, since it's all a game of chance as long as you're following the post-op instructions carefully. Patient non-compliance is by FAR the biggest cause of post-surgical complications, BTW. That should tell you something right there...

I also did Atkins for 2 weeks as my pre-op diet. It was great and there were no complications with a thick liver because I ate zero carbs for those weeks.

I had the same worry also. I went to Mexico and other than one of my incisions developing a hematoma I haven't had any complications. I have been to my primary care dr's nurse practitioner. She took the time to research the sleeve and has been a great resource to me. There are medical practitioners out there that will be supportive of your decision. Good luck!

Hi All, I'm scheduled to have my revision surgery on August 7, 2015. I have Dr. Rabkin. I'm traveling alone across country from CT to CA. HELP! Anyone can relate? What do I do? Strange city. No one to run to the pharmacy for me. Have to stay 4-5 days in hospital. Will be open, not laparoscopic. Argh. What about complications? What if I have a meltdown? Having the hardest time finding an affordable place to stay, Dr's office of no help. Any advice, would be greatly appreciated. Thanks NurseSmart

Thank you!! Yes I’ve seen so many people who say they wanted this so bad, regretted and now are grateful for it. As well as the other way around, were scared but ended up with no complications and hardly any pain. I’m a pretty strong person and have a great support system BUT I know this is a life change and I pray my strength continues mentally. I’m trying to prepare myself for “the worst” (as far as healing, pain, learning to use my new tool, transitioning into a new phase, etc.) but hopeful for the best experience!

I am feeling okay also. I have some pain on one of my incisions but everyday gets better. No complications from surgery. Walking. Sipping. Resting.

This is a very complicated issue for some. I suspect more women may be victims of the kind of self-deprecation that comes from monitoring success and failure at the scale too closely, rather than just seeing the data as an indicator. So much feels at stake at that moment when the number is about to appear.

Headdesk is correct! It's clear that your dad loves you and is coming from a place of love. Maybe he knew someone who had the surgery and had some crazy complication? That's usually what I have heard about from people (who then act like experts) about WLS. If your surgery is tomorrow, at least you are toward the end of his pleading. Unless of course, he decides to continue to talk about how you shouldn't have done this after surgery? That might be one thing to address with him, that you know his opinion but now hat you've had the surgery, you need him to be 110% supportive and not bring up his personal opinions about doubts. You're not a lemming. Your an adult making an informed decision with which your dad disagrees. You're allowed to put yourself and your health first. Good luck with your surgery! All will be well! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hello all. Im struggling with not eating. I can smell the food through the walls of my apt building. I went out for the first time and I could smell the BBQ in the air. My Docs recovery is very strict compared to others i see. Will be on Protein for 5 more weeks, then mush. Ive been holding on but i was determined to have a soft scrambled egg yesterday, but its not worth the complications that may come. How are others doing and how did you over come this stage?

i went to my Dr. thing about Gastric Bypass he told me it wasn't necessary that the sleeve would do the work with less complications and to be honest its the best decision i`ve made my only complain is why i didn't do it sooner, today i`m 6 months and 2 days post op and i`ve lost 121 pounds since the day of surgery i started out at 300 lbs and i`m proud to say i weight 179 pounds i have a Dr appointment on Monday because i already lost the amount i wanted to lose and then some, my advise for you is go for it! do the works follow your Dr direction do lots of exercise and welcome your new and healthy life.