Search the Community

I know there are people who love their bands, and I'm so glad for them, but so many people do eventually have issues with the band. I had complications that made it impossible for me to keep the band tight enough to have the intended effect - and after having lost 70 pounds I gained it all back. My sister got banded the same day as me and she had a completely different experience. She lost less than me initially, but kept off about 40 pounds since 2008. But recently she's now starting to have issues and can't tolerate the band being tight either. She's going back and forth with fills, but is now starting to think about revising to the sleeve as well. The best thing about the band is that it's the least risky, and that's an important factor. But I've now had three surgeries, which has overall put me more at risk than just having done one, so in hindsight I wish I'd just done the sleeve initially. Is the sleeve an option for you? It's less risky than bypass, but may be more effective longterm than the band.

My brother had the lap band about 4 years ago. He has probably lost 40 pounds with another 50 that he needs to lose. He says it doesn't feel like the band is restricting his eating much, and that he thinks that they gave him a band that was too large. That saying, he is comfortable with his loss and his current ability to eat. He expects to have the band for the rest of his life, but I know that a lot of people with bands eventually have them shift or have some other complication... after all, the band is a foreign object to your body. His wife had RNY a year and a half ago. She lost a TON of weight pretty quickly, and now wears size 0-2. She is too small in my opinion, but she had to have a hip replacement before the RNY, and I know having all her excess weight off enables her to walk around nearly pain free. That said, she has a problem with nutrition and her hair is extremely thin and dry. She is also comfortable with her loss, but expects (hopes) to gain 10-15 pounds back. I had the sleeve in Feb. 2014, and have had no complications whatsoever. I've lost over 60 pounds and am well on my way to my goal of 130. If I reach 150 and no further loss, I will be satisfied. I can eat whatever I want, I just don't want a lot of it, and I feel better when I choose Protein over sugary foods, so I have been sort of self-trained by my sleeve to choose healthier foods. I sometimes wish I had the RNY, so I would have had a faster loss, but over the long run, I know I chose the right option for me. If my insurance didn't cover my surgery, I would have gone to Mexico and had it done.

I can feel my port, too. In fact,I can even see it. But the issue is if you mess it up, you can risk all sorts of complications including life threatening complications due to infection. The risks are simply far to great. Leave it to the bariatric professionals.

I was in your shoes last week, I was still skeptical but went with it. I am just so happy now that I did. The diet sounds way may complicated than it turns out to be. As for me I just make sure I get everything in and it is working out well. You will find your routine as the post above stated and it really is actually fun....sort of... to watch yourself develop a new eating pattern with really very little stress and a ton of happiness. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

It will be so much cheaper to see your surgeon once or twice than to have major complications that could put you into the hospital! I know when your not insured or insurance doesn't cover doctors visits a lot of us tend to stop seeing our doctor. However, I think this could be the difference between being successful with the band or not! I hope all goes well with you and there is an easy solution to your problem! please let us know how it turns out!!

In Tyler Texas. I'm not sure who around here could do a second opinion. I could go to dallas I guess. He was like well you have has a complication so that slows things down. I hate to do surgery again and it leave more scar tissue You just never know what could happen when you go in for multiple surgeries. I think if I could increase my calories my body would move out of starvation mode and lose weight. I've been saying that for 3 months though. My scale hasn't budged since end of march first of April. And it was we can stretch ur esophagus again but that's ur call. Let's see how ur feeling. Really? I'm pissed cause I spent all this money and efforts and for this?? How do I think I feel? I was told my strictures were caused from scar tissue from my large hernia. He said it was quite large. Digestive guy says cut the tissue out. WL guy says let's we what happens ?

Hey there- I’m a lower BMI patient and do not meet my insurance criteria for coverage. Have decided to self pay at blossom Bariatrics. I have such fear over complications and my normal insurance not covering them bc they would be the result of an uncovered surgery. Does anyone know of any supplemental insurance coverage you can buy for this type of elective procedure?

There is always risk in surgery. I know a guy who went in for a hip replacement and was ready to go home and died of a blood clot. Things happen. However more patients die from gastric bipass than lapband. The risks and complications are few. Everyone is entitiled to thier opinion and each one of us have to make our own dicisions. It is up to each of us to do our homework and feel comfortable with what we decide.

Staples??? Apparently yours was not laparoscopic surgery. Well, hope your healing is without complications. Sounds like so good so far though. Keep posting. Keep visiting and exploring this site. There are wonderful people, ideas, support, critiques, complaints, etc.

Well dont be like me and ready e v e r y post of surgery complications. i have freaked myself out!!

I see you've decided to go forward with the sleeve surgery. Good for you. I am nearly twice your age and really wish I had done this years ago. If it matters any, not everyone has complications or difficulties with the surgery. I had none. Not even gas. So congratulations on making a smart decision.

I hope I do not have any complications with them. I called and verified 3x if I needed a 6 mos supervised diet and they stated no as long as I have 5 years of weight record . I have 3 from my primary doctor , 1 from my Ob gyn and 2 from a previous family physician . I hope they will accept them. I also got records from enrollment at the ymca and Shapes ( gym membership) My bmi is 40 .2 . Did you have to take a sleep apnea test?

I feel amazing! I guess it's from losing weight, not eating all the junk, and of course vitamins! I even look forward to my walks everyday because each day I wake up I feel different because I am shrinking! I do struggle with head hunger but watching that scale go down definitely over rides that!! I was one of the lucky ones and had no complications and very little pain, mainly gas and feeling like I did 100000 sit ups. It is a major adjustment but it depends on you and how bad you are sick of feeling sick! I reached the bottom and decided I am done! LOVIN MY SLEEVE

If there were no urgent reason for a bypass, or a complicated hernia situation to consider, this would smell like the old bait-and -switch trick. Given that, I would think that the surgeon just simply has more experience with the bypass and is more confident in his/her surgical skills in that regard. Who knows? Maybe you will get a different answer. However, if the second surgeon also feels that a bypass would be a safer procedure and give you better long-term results, then that is probably the way to go. I went to the bariatric clinic expecting a lap-band and ended up with a sleeve.

I was the exact same way...couldn't get enough information! Today makes 7 mos. post-op...95 lbs. down and lovin' life! I guess I was fortunate...zero issues/complications. I was fanatical about following doc's orders, however still visited this site daily for post-op info/advice. Before you know it, the surgery will be behind you and you'll be having the time of your life! Good luck!

Yes, relax! Everyone having this surgery goes through the same exact concerns you have. It is very normal, but don't let fear and doubt cloud your judgement. I had incision complications after my surgery, but it doesn't even come close to making me regret having a vsg.

The only absolute in biology is that there are no absolutes, there's always an exception or a complication. (That's why I love it!)

I took four weeks but I had a complication and had to have a second surgery about a week out. I could have gone back in three but I had some nausea that would have been hard to deal with and I was still getting my food under control. I have a desk job but I travel all over PA.

I chose the band because bypass and the sleeve scared me too much. Yes, you are adding something to your body, but with the other two surgeries, you are permanently altering your body. I like that if for some reason I have complications with the band, it can be taken out and I am back to how I was before. Of course, I do plan on keeping it in there forever, but I like to keep my options open. I also liked that the death rates with the band were much lower than the bypass, and also lower than the sleeve. Another thing I didn't like about bypass and the sleeve was that you must take Vitamins for the rest of your life. Of course, as a bandster I should take my vitamins, and I will. But with bypass, you must. One of the reasons for getting the band for me was because I wanted to get off my diabetes meds, and I didn't want to just have to start taking different meds. Of course, gummy vitamins are much more fun to take than pills anyways, I look forward to it, lol. I hope that helps, it's a hard decision and I wish you luck.

I went ot a siminar recently and the answer is yes. If you have complications you will have to pay out of pocket for that. What you pay out of pocket is just for the post op,surgery, and first year. Anything after that is on you. That's what the Dr. out of El Paso said. I think each Dr. is different though. Hope this helps some.

Hi everyone! I am 27 years old, married in June of 2008. I am getting banded on tuesday January 6th 2009. The reason I am having this done is so that I can be healthy enough to have a baby. It will be my first. This is where things get a bit weird. You see I am a teacher of students with special needs. I teach kids with autism, downs syndrome, cerbral palsy, etc. and I ADORE my job. However, I am naturally paranoid about having a child with a disability and want to take all precautions while I am pregnant. Has anyone heard anything about this band creating any type of birth defects or complications with the pregnancy. I know it may not be what everyone wants to talk about but I think it's important to know. Thanks for understanding. Meghan

Thank you @JamieLogical and @liannatx. I appreciate it. I could take a few days off, but I teach. It wouldn't be fair to the students as we only have a month before the exam. I guess I am just starting to get a bit anxious now that I have decided to do it. Seems it may be best to wait in case of complications or fatigue. Thank you!

Had my RNY on Monday August 18th in Danville PA at Geisinger. Had some unexpected complications and some annoyances which may someday actually seem funny to me and my family. First off, The Bypass surgery itself went well, the Doctors were very good and the nursing staff...heck even the cleaning staff, made the experience bearable. Now for the bad parts. surgery started at 11 AM on the nose, I was looking at the clock as I took a nice long deep breath. Approx 8 hours later I was finally groggily awake, still in the recovery room looking into the teary eyes of my grandaughter and my husband.Seems i didnt want to breath on my own, every time they turned down the respirator I forgot to breath ! I'm here now and still breathing, so I guess it could have been a lot worse. The surgeon informed me later that he found an old hernia repair which had basically disintegrated, leaving me with mesh for them to clean out and he did a quick temporary fix for the hernia. Says the surgery for that will be a walk in the Park! So onward and upward. The next and worst thing of all was the monster bed they put me in. according to my Surgeon it is the latest best bariatraic hospital bed. cost $7000. I told him, during rounds, that is was worthless. i couldnt turn over or even sit up in the bed, I was basically a turtle on my back. This was also making it hard for me to cough or breath properly.The nurses said the beds are only useful for tall people or those who need mechanical aids to move them. they found me an old short-procedure wooden recliner to sleep in and I finally was able to breathe. Was having some Fluid build up in my ankles on wed, they didnt seem too concerned and sent me home. by Friday my foot was twice normal size and red and shiny. Bumex to the rescue. Started it on my own. didnt bother call anyone for advice. Seems to have worked as my swelling is slowly subsiding. Saw my PCP today and he spent the visit asking me why they took me off various meds? How the hell do I know? He wanted me to have the procedure and now seems upset that he cant micromanage it. His problem not mine. he is normally not like that but I guess we learn something new about people every day. So I came home, took a well deserved nap and am sipping on my wylers light raspberry iced Water and dreaming of pain free days. 2 1/2 hour drive to Danville tomorrow for checkup. Fun.

So, I just had my blood tests and MRSA swabs in advance of surgery next week (1st March) and decided that I would detail my journey here. Partly because I want to remember to come back on here when things get tough and I need a reminder of why I am doing this, and partly because I want to have a record of what I’m doing anyway, and I figure that having one that others can read, contribute to and, maybe, learn from (if I ever get to the point of having any lessons to teach) is as good a way as any. So, my background… I’m 29, living in London. I’ve always been overweight, ever since I was a kid, but my weight has fluctuated a lot. Generally, when I move to a new place, it falls, until I discover all the good places to eat, when it rises again. About five years ago I managed to get down to about 200lbs, but since then have crept steadily up and now I am about 290lbs. I think as I get a bit older, I’m realising a bit more the impact my weight is having on me. Over the last couple of years – walking has become more of a chore, for the first time, tying a seatbelt on an airplane has become a problem, I feel less and less energy and more strain on my joints. And I simply don’t want that to get worse. I haven’t felt any motivation to lose weight since that last time in 2009, and I had to admit to myself that I never will be able to do this on my own. So I have a choice. Continue to put on weight. Face into my thirtieth birthday at nearly 300lbs, maybe my 35th at 400lbs – who knows. And continue to see my body become more and more unable to cope. Or I stop. I take action, accept that I’m not going to be able to do it alone and take measures that will force me into a position of being healthier. It’s also driven by the fact that I want to have kids. As I’m gay, the most likely way for that is to adopt, but I’m pretty sure that I wouldn’t be approved as an adopter at my current weight. And even if I was, I don’t think I could be a good dad as I just wouldn’t have the energy to be rolling around playing with a kid and giving them the attention they deserve. I decided to self-fund for the operation. I have been diagnosed with sleep Apnoea (in December) through the NHS, and since that’s technically a comorbidity, my GP did say that I could be put on the NHS waiting list. But faced with a wait of two years or more, I decided it would be better to just get it done privately. So I met with my surgeon, Ameet Patel, before Christmas. I had hoped to have it done before Christmas, but I was due to start a new job on the 12th, and he said that if I had the operation on the 3rd or 4th January, he wouldn’t recommend me going to work on the 12th. So I decided to wait until Easter when I could take some time off work. As it turned out, there were no available dates at Easter, and leaving it later brings me too close to a trip I have planned at the end of May. So I ended up plumping for 1st March. I’ve had no pre-op diet to follow, so I’ve probably been a bit naughty in what I’ve been eating since I found out my date. I know I shouldn’t but I have been seeing these last weeks as an opportunity for one last hurrah with food. Biggest Fears I was sent my consent form in the post, and seeing the risks in black and white terrified me – especially where it just bluntly lists ‘Death’ as a risk. Even though I’ve talked them through with Dr Patel, and even though I know the risks are very low, they feel very real now. I’ve started to think about things I need to do in case the worst happens, and again, I know it’s a very low risk, but my family live in a different country, so I’m making sure my partner has their number in case he needs to call them etc. The reality of that is kinda scary. I’m also scared of complications – and not knowing whether pain is normal or a sign of something more serious. But my biggest fear is that I just won’t be able to be happy when I can’t eat what I want to. I keep telling myself that being able to go shopping for clothes or go for a run or exercise without wanting to collapse will all make up for any feeling of deprivation – and that I won’t feel that deprived because I just won’t have the same appetite that I have now. But it is probably my biggest fear that I will spend the rest of my life regretting what I’ve done. To combat that I just keep reminding myself that the price of having that total freedom to eat what I want is looking and feeling like I do now – I plan to keep a photo diary of my journey to remind myself that however much I regret not being able to eat what I want when I want, it will be nothing compared to the regret I would have if I had the opportunity to get healthy but turned it down. My Hopes This is the bit that keeps me going. My main hope – what I desperately hope – is that the tales I’ve heard of your tastes changing are true. I would dearly love to wake up from the operation and be revolted by the foods I used to love and suddenly find love for the foods I used to hate. If only I could like vegetables and low fat foods more! My biggest hope is that my tastes will change, so that when I can’t pig out on chips it won’t matter to me because I don’t want to pig out on chips. The same applies – big time – to Diet Coke. I’ve never been one for full fat soft drinks, I find them syrupy. But I love diet coke, and I am really dreading not being able to have it. If I could wake up and not desire it, that would be super. I’m not claiming these hopes are realistic. More generally – like everyone – I hope this works. My thirtieth birthday is in October and I have a vision of how I will look and feel for it. I hope that vision becomes a reality. I also hope that my relationship withstands the change. My partner has been incredibly supportive. I think one of the reasons I put on weight is that he loved me and found me attractive when we first met and I was overweight (but still, I was only about 200lbs) – I think my mind went ‘yay, you found someone who’s attracted to you even when you’re fat…eat away’. But my weight gain has made me feel less attractive and so has impacted on our relationship. As I say, he’s been really supportive and I just hope that the changes don’t result in any changes to how either of us feels about the other. So, having rattled on for too long, let the journey begin…

I cannot say anything about post-op, because my surgery is not until Dec.2, but I sure can about now. I am being weined off my antidepressant Celexa and boy did I have a few off days this past Sat-Tues. I will not go completely off my Celexa today as was planned. Now I will go down to 10 mg for the next 6 days, then I will have to go off completely the day of surgery until the doctor says I can go back on it. I was on 60 mg until the pre-op diet. They want patients to get weaned off of it so that the withdrawal will not cause complications or they won't be so severe if there is any. I guess right after surgery it is too difficult to swallow pills for a little while. I hope I don't have to stay off of mine very long. When had those off days I was on 20 mg a day, so I know that it is probably the effects of it being reduced from 60. If you are on any medications, have they let you start them again. I wish you all the best.