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I am sorry for all of the trouble you have had; there is a forum on this site called lap band complications which has a subforum on lap band removal. Just keep scrolling down and you will see it. Take care of yourself. Robbie

Thank you! I had my surgery at St Joseph's through Healtheast with Dr Kelly. I had no complications whatsoever!

It seems to be not recommended. The surgeon I went to no longer places them as stated above. We do have people here that have had no issues and you can look in the surgery specific boards, but there are tons of posts about people that had to revise due to complications. Of course, you can have complications from any surgery. So is this cold feet or do you need to postpone and do some research before you decide to have this surgery Saturday? Good luck!

I cheat to one day b4 my surgery lol I eat a Cuban sandwich n I don't have complication thanz god Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

Glad ur feeling better! I took it as long as he prescribed it to me for as long as he told me to so I don't know, guess they are all different... I haven't had any pain at all after the first 3 weeks and no problems or complications, but I will let everyone know the outcome!

I have the same as you do. I had surgery August 6th and no complications so far.

Please don’t get lap band! I honestly can’t believe they do them anymore. So many complications and resurgery needed after. I thought they’d be removed from market by now.

Thank you for ALL the advice!!! Today was a MUCH better - I have been on soft food since Sunday as per my meal plan from my doc. Foods on my acceptable list are : eggs, chicken, baked fish, crab, melon, pear, banana, yogurt, steamed veggies. (I had to be on pureed foods for 3 days before that and "full" liquid for 3 before that - and clear liquid for three before that. I have been VERY blessed to have very few complications and only felt that I have had "too much" restriction once when I didnt chew well enough before I swollowed. I was feeling hungry because I have reactive hypoglicemia because of my p.c.o.s. -but today I took Betsy's advice - and toughened up!!! I moved my meal times back later in the day and stuck with a skim milk with sugar free carnation this afternoon and NO cheating!!! Yeah!!! One good day down and many more to come. (My morning weigh in was a huge wake up call - only lost 3 ounces since Sunday!!) THANK YOU SOOO much to my new lap band friends - this has been a HUGE help and encouragement and look forwaed to many more pounds lost together!!!:thumbup:

When I had my surgery I was slow to the draw. I also had complications. But I stayed at the same weight for almost a month!!! During that time I was eating nothing. No shakes either. My body was rejecting everything. So how could I not eat for 4 wks and survive and not lose weight? Iv fluids first of all and second my body was in starvation mode. Eventually I lost weight about 6-10 lbs a week depending on my participation in exercise. Now almost a year later I am down 129 lbs. You will get there! Each journey is different.

I too have waited many years thinking about WLS. I work in healthcare and see so many bypass complications that haunt patients for years. I don't see band patients though (I work in a bariatric hospital). I have the issue that even though I know I'm overweight I don't feel overweight. I'm very active and "see" myself skinnier then I really am. I lost 110 lbs in one year (11 yrs ago) doing Atkins/exercise.....kept it off for 2-3 yrs then it started to creep back. I've gained 60 back total, so not a total loss! I decided on getting banded this past fall, have done all the work for approval (lost 18 lbs too!) and got my surgery date today! April 16th will be here before I know it!! I wish you the best with your band and know that we are taking a great step towards healthier lives!!!

My dr. Put me on a low sodium low carb diet and i dont feel that im shrinking my liver enough so i put myself on a liquid diet during the day and only having tuna salmon or chicken for dinner and still am not dropping as much weight as i would like. I think im overthinking this whole pre op thing because my liver was enormously enlarged and caused me a lot of complications with my gall bladder removal... i get banded december 12th and i cant wait. How are u all doing with ur pre op diet? CONGRATS TO ALL GOOD LUCK

I started out 223 pounds pre-op and was at 130 pounds at 6 months post op. I was told I was infertile before I had WLS. One year post op I became pregnant. I had complications with anemia and dehydration during pregnancy but delivered a healthy 8 pound baby despite the fact I only gained 20 pounds. I was lucky and lost it all within a week of delivery. Good luck on your endeavor it was the BEST thing I have done for myself & my health.... Not mention I got a beautiful baby I would never have had otherwise. My only regret.... Not having surgery sooner!

l'm sorry you met someone so insensitive as that. People forget everyone's experience with this can be very different. I've been blessed with no complications, but at week 3 my belly button & lower left incisions woke up! They're very painful and if I bend a certain way or get up to fast I get excrutiating pain. This is getting better and subsiding every day. I hope you are feeling better! The only thing I remind myself is "This, too, shall pass!":biggrin0: ps. I also had surgery at Forest Park, loved the experience there too!

You're probably just keying in on the negative stories right now due to nerves. Totally normal response, but there are lots and lots more good stories than bad. Go back to the statistics on complications if it will help remind you of the risk of complications and settle your mind. Hang in there, and good luck!

I know of 3 people now who have had severe complications post surgery. It is good information to know, and I don't think it should be deleted. I do, however, think that there is a complication factor with each and every WLS. Everyone should be able to see all the facts though, and make an informed decision on whether to have WLS, and if so, which one to pick. There were several reasons why I chose plication surgery, even after hearing of the other two complication cases. I think it might not be the right surgery for some, but for me it made sense. Thank you Lena for posting this! Hope you're feeling much better! Are you going to revise to another surgery now? Take care!

@@smellslikecoffee There are always risks to surgery - but the chance of dying during the surgery is extremely low. The majority of complications (which is minimal as well) happen post-op. You can reduce these chances by following your guidelines exactly. Talk to your surgeon about mortality rates and complication rates. I can assure you that they are minuscule compared to the rate of mortality or complications from obesity related disease. Good luck on your journey!

Hello all, I just found this site a few days ago. It's great. I like reading about everyone's experiences. I won't make this too long. I'm in southern California and am just in the middle of my pre surgery classes (12 wks long). After that hopefully it won't be too long before the surgery because I swear I change my mind EVERY week! One day I'm all for it, the next I'm convinced I can do it myself. It seems great, quick procedure, few to lil complications, etc but I like to eat and drink at the same time! lol . . . I know it's funny for me to focus on that one thing, but I just don't know. I've lost almost 50 lbs. on my own since last yr. But I keep gaining and losing the same 15lbs. over and over. Well would love to hear stories from those that were skeptical and apprehensive prior to haveing the VSG and who are happy and have no regrets. Also any Kaiser members who have insight about this whole long procedure I'm going through would be nice. Thanks =):biggrin0:

i would follow exactly what your dr told you to do. you have only done a week or so, i had to follow fluids for 3 weeks. the problem is that if you dont allow your sutures to anchor in properly, and form the correct amount of scar tissue, you could have a much more increased risk of slippage, and other complications down the track, you dont want the firt time you do a PB, you end up with a slip do you.

I can only give you my experience with the Lap Band as I know that is one of your choices. I had the Lap Band put in Aug. 2005. I originally lost 140lbs. All was well for about the first 2 years. Like so many people who can quote my story, I began having problems with the band and ultimately had to have all the fluid removed. I was okay for a while and went through a pregnancy. I gained ZERO weight during my pregnancy which really freaked out my doctor as I had almost weekly ultrasounds to check her growth and delivered an almost 8lb butterball . After her birth I began having even more severe problems with my Lap Band. I got to the point where I was on primarily liquids for 6 months prior to having my band removed and sleeve done at the same time last Thursday. I figured the only difference is clear liquids rather than other liquid foods at this point. My band was placed wrong by a doctor who at the time had an awesome reputation. It was dangerously close to my heart and major blood vessells. Thankfully my new surgeon, Dr. Castro had the skills and experience necessary to get the band out without any complications and sleeved. So that's about 5 years worth of Lap Band experience. I did gain about 60lbs back, so I am 70lbs under my start weight, therefore even with all the complications, I am a Lap Band success story!! Imagine that!

Bypass was never an option for me. I'd choose DS over RNY if I was forced to make that decision. Luckily, VSG was an option for my revision, I had to fight for it, but I got it. I was never interested in a malabsorptive procedure especially RNY. I figured the 2 years of malabsorption of calories and fat was not a fair trade off for a lifetime of malabsorption of nutrients and vitamins. Considering RNY patients only malabsorb for 18-24 months, I figured what the heck am I going to do for the rest of my life if I rely on malabsorption to get me to goal? Plus, I had a pouch with the band. My body hated the pouch. It's not natural, it didn't work for my body, and I knew RNY would give me the same pouch/stoma combo. Add in that only 30% of RNY patients dump with sugar, it just wasn't appealing. I've watched friend after friend have multiple long term complications with RNY. I can't count how many of them are deficient on some vitamin, one friend is going in for her 4th surgery related to her 7 yr old RNY pouch. This time, her intestines are twisted, and obstructed, and she's malnourished to the point of her teeth falling out because she malabsorbs so much of the nutrients she eats. For me, I just didn't want to deal with the long term complications that I've witnessed with friends in real life. I love having a normal, full functioning stomach. If VSG would not have been an option for my revision, I would have had my band removed, and stayed fat. Many patients win appeals for VSG. Work with your surgeon, and if your surgeon won't work with you, find a surgeon that will give you the surgery you want. You have to live with the surgery type for the rest of your life, not the surgeon. Best wishes, and don't give up or give in on getting the sleeve if you truly believe it is the best option for your long term health, and life goals.

We'll I only got a couple more days to go before it's time for me to walk the plank for VSG surgery next week...Im currently on my 2 week high Protein,zero starch diet and it's going pretty good after making it out of the first day with headaches...Tomorrow I will be completing my final labs and am scheduled on 09/13/2011 with my final surgeon interview...I completed the Kaiser Options program back in 02/2011 and turned down a fast moving surgery date process since I wanted to make a little more extra money at work. I will be going with Dr.Suh from www.suhbariatric.com and will be having my VSG surgery at Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar,CA on 09/16/2011...I was really nervous at first but im pretty much just going with the flow now and just following all my doctor's instructions before surgery so that way no complications will arise during surgery (hopefully). Im 5'9 and weight about 285 and have been overweight most of my life without any medical problems and have also tried and failed with all the popular fad diets throughout the years...Hopefully this decision is the best one I ever make and I would of preferred to of lost the weight with diet and excersice but unfortunately im one of the few that it hasn't worked on. Let the journey begin

Just a little over a year ago, I wrote about what I thought 2012 would be like for me. I was experiencing a lot of stress at the time thinking how drastically my life would transform by having weight loss surgery, adopting a baby and potentially changing my job; three major life changes. The weight loss journey has been a unique ride into a bizarre world where I am valued and found to be attractive by people around me. While it was difficult physically, it was not any harder than what I had expected. Mentally and emotionally, the journey has been surreal. I’m still not sure what to make of everything and I’m still trying to get used to this new life. I was very anxious about my surgery. I was worried about having medical complications and I was concerned about the impact the surgery would have on my life. Fortunately, I had nothing to worry about. The surgery and recovery went smoothly. I was worried about standing out in a crowd or drawing attention to myself because of my dietary needs. My anxiety was unfounded as I have discovered that I am no different than anyone else except that I eat less food. I don’t mind telling waiters and fellow diners that I’ve had surgery and therefore am not able to eat large quantities of food. I am not ashamed of my surgery in the least. I know I could not have lost this weight without the surgery. Last year, I had a lot of new experiences with food and people. My goal this year will be to take what I learned last year and apply it. I still have 60 pounds I want to lose. I need to focus on my recovery and weight loss once again like I did a year ago. It is necessary for me to use what I learned about protein shakes, eating slowly, and making better food choices to take my journey to the next level. I bought bicycles last year but did not use them very much. After losing weight I was more active than I had ever been before. I went on several walks and then there was that infamous kayaking trip. It is very easy for me to revert back to my old sedentary habits; therefore, I need to make a conscious effort to continue to stay active in 2013. Finally, this year I need to learn to become more comfortable in my own skin. I need to learn the social skills required to make new friends and confidently talk to strangers. I think this has more to do with my self-esteem and confidence than anything else. I don’t believe in making concrete New Year’s resolutions, but I think some lifestyle and behavioral changes are always a positive thing. In a push to grow as an individual, I will make an effort to be more active; more social; and practice healthy eating behaviors. As it is getting late, I will discuss the adoption and career at another time.

I would not be surprised if Joffe decided to retire, when I was banded 5 years ago he was already in his 50's so he is not a young man and he has kids, and family and a complete golf obsession. I know the clinic staff haven't been told why he is leaving or at least nothing they can say since three of them are friends of mine and have been for a while. I have an appt booked with Yau on Monday and I know I will be asking him about my aftercare since I was banded before TLBC was a blink in anyones eye and Joffe once upon a time was my primary surgeon and in the past I have had serious complications so my follow up care in the future is a huge concern of mine. I hope his health is great and he just decided that we are too high maintenance for him he runs what is basically two practices that are both full time jobs. He still does general surgery and is an emerg oncall surgeon for Scarborough Grace along with his banding practice. I know banding patients take huge amounts of time (less now that he isn't doing fills anymore) and our follow up goes on forever, at 5 years out I am still getting the occasional fill and de-fill so multiply that by the 2000+ patients they have banded and that is a ton of work for both the surgeons. But people should keep in mind that their contracts if they are TLBC are not with Joffe or Yau but with TLBC. And as long as TLBC exists they should be ok with fills, de-fills and any possible complications.

I think it's like anything... ...politics, views on social issues, finances, religion. Once you have a formed opinion or stance... You tend to only indoctrinate yourself with data that supports your claim (because we are so darned smarter than everyone in the room) and you become an apologist for whatever that stance is. If you said "hey, I was thinking about getting LASIK surgery" to a guy who doesn't wear glasses and had a close friend who had a bad experience... From that moment... all that person would see LASIK is as a sight ending bullet to the head and not what it is 99.9% of the time... A simple (yet expensive) life changing procedure that lets you see. I think Bariatric surgery is the same. If you ask a thin athletic person who never stifled with being overweight and is regularly surrounded with thin likeminded people about Bariatric they will probably have prairie dog ears for all the bad and negative stories and completely ignore the success stories. Talk to an overweight person who struggles with weight loss that either is too scared of getting the procedure... Doesn't want to get it because the future limitations scare them or someone who wants it and can't afford it or can't fit it into their daily schedule... Yeah, they are going to balk at it. Talk to anyone who has had it... Even the ones that slipped up or had complications and almost almost them would say that if they could go back in time and not do it, in spite of their failures and complications they wouldn't have changed their mind. People tend to apply bias heavily based off of emotion and less on facts or compelling data. Just keep that in perspective.

Thanks, everyone. Lots to think about. For me the primary issue is fear of the surgery itself and possible complications. I have a young son with significant special needs who will likely need lifetime support- I want to invest in my ability to be there for him for many years to come but he also really needs me now and I am worried about my ability to care for him after surgery- if it was just a week or so I could rely on others but I know complications can happen and some people are put of commission for longer than they anticipated. I know no one else can decide for me- it just helps me to put my thoughts into writing and hear others' perspectives.