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What I was reading was the bypass is a lot safer and a lot if people are having to cross over from lap band to RNY. I'm sure you won't have AS MANY complications tho.. if none at all. I would think having a foreign object in your body would cause issues alone. ~Leticia **HW: 259**PreOp: 216**SURG: 3/21/13 **Discharged @: 221**34 days post op. CW: 191.0 lbs. ---ONE-DERLAND ---

I have been banded for 5 weeks. Whenever I inhale deeply I swear I can feel where my band is. It's not painful, just uncomfortable. In the morning it feels the same way, kinda of tight, and as the day goes it loosens and I barely notice it's there. It really depends on the day. On my post op visit dr. didn't seem too concerned. It has gotten better over the last few weeks but it hasn't gone away. Does anyone else feel their band? I have no problems swallowing, nothing comes back up and I haven't had problems with any food. Minimal complications.... So far I have lost 20 lbs. and I feel fantastic. Going for a fill soon. I have lost most of my weight in my belly area and it seems like my port has shifted position. It hasn't flipped it just feels like it maybe shifted? I can still press on the site with my fingers and feel it. Am I just paranoid? Has one else had their port shift? Thank everyone!

Had surgery 4/26 no complications down feon 234 to 168

Yup. I came home from the hospital at 9 days post-op (I had non-surgical complications) and when I weighed myself a week later I was down 19 pounds. I was worried I wouldn't lose any more weight after I came home, but in my second month I was down another 10 pounds.

Ben I am the same height as you and when I started I was heavier than you. I chose to have the lapband done. Bypass will have a person lose the weight faster but the surgery is far more extreme. With the bypass/RNY they cut out half of your stomach and re-route your intestines. This can cause malnutrition. From my research I found that complications are more prone with bypass. Fatality rate is much higher as well. With the band it is work, but the band will assist you and aid you to success. It isn't a quick fix, you will have to be aware of the your food choices. Protein being the most important source. Definitely research your options, keep in mind the band is reversible where as once you do the bypass there is no turning back.

I just wanted to ask if anyone had any complications from lifting weights after surgery? I am 7 weeks post op and have lost 40 pounds so far, but I know to keep losing I need to exercise more. I have been doing a few light weights...ab machines...leg press, etc....nothing too heavy along with aerobic activity. I did speak with a nurse at my doctor's office this morning and she stated that everything should be fine; however, I am self pay and certainly cannot afford any complications. I would appreciate any help! Thank you!

Thanks for all the suggestions.. We are moving this weekend. At this time I'm ok with my fill level but would like to have a Dr available for complications or future fills.. I'll try to get a referral from my surgeon here.

You should try contacting your insurance company(s) directly to ask if post-op complications would be covered. I was assured they would when I contacted my insurance. The comparison they gave me was that it's like smoking. People choose to smoke and their insurance covers medical complications due to smoking. It's the same with people choosing to have elective surgery.

I had my lap band surgery last Wednesday (November 9). I had to spend the night in the hospital because I had a large hiatal hernia that had to be repaired. Two days after surgery, there was redness and pain at the site of my port. Back to clinic for strong antibiotics which are now causing diarrhea. I'm drinking lots of liquids and 3 Protein shakes a day (20g. each). Today is the first day I'm beginning to feel better. I go see my surgeon tomorrow morning to check the port site. If any of you are prayer warriors, I could use some prayer to heal this infection so they don't have to operate again. Although I've had complications, I am still glad I did this. I had great reservations the week before and almost canceled it. Now, I'm focusing on the long-term benefits and looking forward to a healthier me! Thanks for prayers.

So I've been thinking about the pros and cons of this surgery: Pros: Have a chance to get and stay at my goal weight. I know it'll take work on my end as well, and in the past, I've shown that I can be dedicated and consistent, but I just need something to catch me when I fall Everything that comes with being slim--I'll enjoy shopping, new hair styles, etc Possibly lowering my chances of getting obesity related illnesses Cons: i think my biggest fear is how it might affect any future kids I have. Would I be able to get the right amount of nutrients in? From what I'm reading, everything should be fine as long as I take vitamins. I'm willing to take a prenatal vitamin every day for the remainder of my child bearing years if necessary (which won't be much longer, considering I'm about to be 32). In addition, it is recommended that you wait 18 months before having a baby. Well, I'm about to be 32. In 18 months, I'll be approaching 34! The older I get, the older my eggs will be, and the more chances of complications. Also, I was hoping my son would have a brother (or sister) close to his age. Acid reflux! On my first (and only) pregnancy, I got a taste of what acid reflux was like. It was horrible! One night I was awakened to acid going up my nose! Worst. Feeling. Ever. I think I even cried one night because I was so frustrated. The question is: Am I willing to possibly experience acid reflux for the rest of my life in exchange for being slim? Honestly, I think so. I'm at the point now where I ordered pills off the internet that have foreign labeling and I have no idea what's *really* in it. I was willing to risk my life to lose weight, so I should be willing to deal with acid reflux, right? The usual surgery risks. There's a chance of dying or something going wrong during any surgery. Of course, there's a risk when I drive to the grocery store as well. Yes, this worries me, especially since I have a child now. But I honestly feel like I can't give my son my best when I feel like hiding under a rock all the time. To be continued...

I just finnished 3 weeks of liquids post op and yes it sucked. I had unexpected complications so I was liquids for longer than expected. As much as it sucks, try to keep it in perspective. You need to follow your Dr's orders or there is a possibility you could go in for surgery and wake up with the holes and pain and no band. The band is only a tool to help with the weight loss, you must make a personal commitment to YOURSELF. If you think you can do it than you can, but if you have doubts in yourself it sure makes it harder. Good luck and remember, evey day you make it through is 1 day closer to your goal!:thumbup:

Everything she said ^^^^. Follow your doc's orders during a pregnancy and always remember, it's all about the baby. Due to other complications during my pregnancy (had before surgery) , I gained 15 lbs only following every order given. Doc reminded me all the time, "it's not about you, but the health of your baby" remember this and congrats on your success thus far and baby to be soon.

Allison, my dear you NEED to bring this up with your surgeon. If you dont who knows what kind of complications you can have that aren't worth the risks involved !!! Worst thing is that you get rescheduled for later in the month or even next month, but at least you will be SAFE !!! PLEASE< PLEASE !!! call your doc or tell the surgeon on monday !! Hope you're feeling better !:thumbup:

Thank you ALL so much. My day has been frustrating. I got to hospital and they had complications with scheduling (not sure how) and then my insurance just recently converted to a Cobra plan so they thought my insurance had changed so since the hospital took HOURS trying to get their mess figured out I could NOT get my surgery today. I was so upset and frustrated and mad and Grrrrrr! My surgeon came out personally to speak with me and my family and apologized and said she will do my surgery Thurs or Friday. Now I'm way more nervous than I was before....

I was sleeved with hiatal hernia repair on 4/9, and started mushies on the 22nd. I haven't pushed it too much, slowing adding pudding, poached eggs, was going to start refried Beans today. Last night I had 1/4 cup of egg whites scrambled. Even though I ate slowly, chewed really well and the eggs were soft cooked, something just didn't go down right. I felt like all my food was stuck in my esophagus, had terrible hiccups and just didn't feel well. This morning I have mild but constant discomfort in the area underneath my left shoulder (which was the only place I had gas pains after surgery), a feeling like my esophagus is really restricted, and my tummy is making a lot of noise. liquids are going down OK although the sleeve sounds like Chewbacca again when liquid hits it. I spoke with one of the surgeon's nurses. She thinks a piece of egg might have gotten stuck and caused irritation and swelling. She told me to double my Protonix and stay on liquids through the weekend. I have a 3 week follow up appt. with them on Monday, but to call if I don't feel better by Friday. This has set my mind to fretting and worrying about developing a leak. Has anybody else had a similar experience? Talk me off the cliff, please!

I am sure you'll be fine! It's all done laproscopically now, so much less chance of complications and healing time is quicker. I would advise staying away from reading up on complications now as you'll just freak yourself out. Be prepared for a little weight gain after surgery; you're just wanting to heal at that point. Good luck, it will all go well!

I'm going to come at this from a different angle. I am only 6 days post-op at this point, so obviously some things will change, but I wouldn't go back and have the surgery before kids. Nope. I had two healthy, normal pregnancies (despite my weight, which isn't really an issue) and now I have 2 lovely kids. And now I have no plans to have any more, so I don't have to worry about a fetus being properly nourished...just me! And I don't have to worry that if I have extreme (but rare!) complications that it will set pregnancy back even further... I think you'll also find that pregnancy and motherhood puts a wrench in your body hatred. You might feel uncomfortable, but you will find that your body is a miraculous, awe-inspiring thing. And frankly, you won't have time or energy for self-loathing. So don't worry too much about that. Just some thoughts. On the other hand, if you are hoping the surgery will enable you to become pregnant, that's a whole 'nother ball of wax! Oh, and you talk about your age...I know that you're in Texas, and I am most certainly not, but I had my kids at 31 and 35, and am on the young side of the other young mothers I know. Many of my friends didn't have their children until their late 30s and early 40s!

Yes, I think I paid the hospital about $84.00. Their bill was $43,000 but allowed amount was about $7600. It was the copays of all the different billers that added up to the total. I never met my catastrophic cap so it wasn't that that limited the amount I owed. That's why its difficult to find a dr. that takes Tricare. But they are out there. The allowed amount is low, but the cost to the insured...you can't beat it!! I had private secondary ins at the time, more trouble than it was worth, it paid zero. Now I have a cheap supplemental plan that will pay the difference if I need to have any thing going forward, or complications. You might want to check on one before seeking the surgery if you aren't too far into it yet or maybe for afterward in case of complications. Don't think that's likely, but I'm one of those people that likes to be prepared for anything! LOL!! Good luck to you!!

Hi all, Im new around here and will be going to the Bariatric Orientation tonight so Im obviously just beginning with the journey. My question is, where can I find reliable statistics on the 3 main weightloss surgeries? I'm trying to read up on stats of complications, etc so I weight all the possibilities. Can you help? Thanks! Lori

I was self pay Memphis, TN as well. Approximately 15k for gastric sleeve at COE. Attended 2 classes, psych, blood work, and EGD which was done in April. I could have scheduled surgery within 2 weeks after initial visit but waited to celebrate my and significant other birthdays. I was concerned about complications but I prayed about it and left it in God's hands. So far I am 6 weeks and have been doing well.

Hi Melanieleigh, congratulations search, you've come to the right place. This is a long, overdue story and I will also post it in “My Positive Experience w/Dr. Watkins Thread." This forum is awesome and I've been researching WLS HEAVILY since about June. I've read a lot on WLS. I struggled with the idea of partial stomach removal w/VSG, but knew that having a foreign object in my body would make me worried: slipping, rubbing, etc. - so I wasn't excited about lap band, but some have had great success with it. When I read about GPS on this forum, I KNEW it felt right. WHAT MAKES THE RIGHT DOCTOR? Initially, in my mind, I was all set to go to someone locally, so that if I needed support or had issues they would be there for me. I have never had surgery of any kind so this was all new to me. I also thought that I would ONLY choose a doctor who has had some sort of WLS and would be understanding in the weight loss/surgery/food struggle. I attended a seminar from a Dr. who I think had done only 3 VSGs (yes, I know, they have to start somewhere and make a living, but in this case, I didn’t want it to be me) and I found out later that certain things he talked about were incorrect, (like shoulder pain cause being unknown and that could be permanent) is actually referred pain from the diaphragm -per Dr. Watkins. RESEARCHING… THANK GOODNESS I RESEARCHED MORE! According to one of the WLS books I read, complications go WAY DOWN (like 80%) when you use an EXPERIENCED surgeon. Of course, this GPS surgery is NEW, but it would stand to reason that it is still better to choose a doctor who had done a lot of surgeries, especially weight loss surgeries. Naturally, I researched Dr. Corvala in Mexico because I think has had done over 100 GPSs by now plus thousands of other weight loss surgeries. However, the book I read also cautioned that while some hospitals/Dr. were terrific in Mexico (just like US-there are good and bad hospitals/Drs.) it may be more challenging to find aftercare in the US. However, there are many people happy with their choice to leave the country and I probably would have been very happy with that route, but I am a worrier. As I constantly read the forum and asked MANY, MANY questions of the patients and to a few doctors. Dr. Watkins was the most responsive doctor. I would ask him about the surgery details, what other patients experienced, emotional eating, what hunger felt like, hormones, genetic makeup, etc. my symptoms, how big the size of the sleeve, aftercare, etc. For awhile I thought I would try dieting and exercise one more time, and he directed me to the free YOU TUBE about weigh loss which again, shows that although he does run a business, he is really trying to help people. I came obvious conclusion that Dr. Watkins is EXTREMELY KNOWLEGABLE, DEDICATED and in always in COMMUNICATION when you need him, is ALWAYS helping on the forum (even if someone is not his patient) and isn’t pushy. I had a friend that wasn't sure about her GPS surgery, and he left it up to her - didn't pressure her. She had it and is doing fine. I researched him EVERYWHERE and found happy patients and a great track record. Like others have said, it is important that you have the hiatal hernia fixed when they are doing WLS surgery, and that was important to me that Dr. Watkins did that. Yes, I love Cincy Weight Loss-NO I don't get any financial gain or have anything to gain, no discount for my writing all of this. I do not work in any way with Cincy/Dr. Watkins; I am just a happy patient. WHEN ONLY THE BEST WILL DO..TOP NOTCH CARE- DR.WATKINS/CINCY WEIGHT LOSS & HOSPTIAL This Dr. does the right thing.. he even denied me surgery because it was the right thing to do.. Here is my story: After asking A TON of questions and doing lots of research, I was scheduled for Plication surgery in the fall w/Dr. Watkins a couple months ago. Everything went great up to surgery, did well on the pre-op. Visited Cincy Weight Loss, it was a VERY NICE, NEW upscale area, the OFFICE was GREAT. EVERYONE there IS REALLY & TRULY INTERESTED their patients! They had a great book with lots of before & after pictures of real people and it was so exciting to see the success. My husband and I chatted with Diane for almost 3 hours about the great things and weight loss challenges. We met the nurses and his lovely wife Pamela and they were ALL great! We made new friends and had a GREAT TIME. We met Dr. Watkins in person, and sat in his office. He truly is a NICE, SINCERE, DEDICATED & KNOWLEDGABLE PERSON. He is very humble, but it still made me feel good to see all of his certificates/accolades on the wall to know that I was getting a quality and knowledgeable doctor. Since they rarely talk about it, I’ve taken pictures so everyone can see HOW NICE & NEW, MODERN the hospital and his office are. Never once did we feel “rushed” or pressured, or cut off in conversation, they listened answered our questions thoroughly-my husband and I were REALLY impressed. I was VERY scared, because I hadn’t ever had surgery or been put under other than my wisdom teeth. However, being put under and waking up was a breeze. HOSPTIAL was MODERN, NEW and I felt VERY confident with my surroundings. They even offered me a hospital gown with state of the art technology where warm air was blown in. I walked with the Dr. and staff into the OR, and laid down on the table. Everything was state of the art, clean new and I was out like light, felt NO pain (except for the initial IV). It felt odd when I woke up, like it had only been a couple of minutes. Unfortunately for me, the surgery didn’t happen because I had surprise stomach polyps for no good reason. I was VERY disappointed and asked Dr. Watkins about 5 times if we could do surgery later on that week, but it was important to have some other tests & due diligence done. Even though he faced disappointing me, he did the right thing. Some surgeons don’t even do an endoscope, which can reveal polyps, ulcers, hiatal hernias, etc. My family was also grateful for the level of care and professionalism from this Dr. Later on that day and few times over the weekend, he called us to see how I was doing with anesthesia recovery, and I didn’t even have the surgery! But he is that caring. After many tests, (gallbladder, H Pylori, blood test, gastric level tests, gastric emptying test and colonoscopy) it looks like I am fine. I have one more I am going to have done on Friday but I am SO happy that I SHOULD be having GPS surgery with Dr. Watkins in about a week! I am praying that there will be nothing from stopping the surgery and the new life.. Here are a final few words on what I’ve learned..1) It is NOT normal to have stomach pain/throat burning. I lived with this probably my whole adult life. The pain/burning I experienced feels the same as STARVING HUNGER-GOT-TO EAT-NOW was actually acid and was GREATLY reduced on the pre-op diet with the PPI/Prevacaid. Dr. Watkins and his staff have kindly and patiently helped me through this lengthily process of research and tests. Hopefully, no one will have any surprises like I did, but it only made me feel better about my decision. 2) Keep researching until feel comfortable w/your doctor. If you research their website you’ll see they SUPPORTIVE & HAVE GREAT FOLLOWUP: http://www.cincyweightloss.com/ Here are my pictures.. Info from Cincy Weight Loss Site Cincinnati Weight Loss Center is owned by Dr. Watkins, not a large corporation. This allows us to provide you with the kind of customer experience that family owned businesses like ours can provide. Most of our competitors focus on surgery. We focus on weight loss. There is a huge difference between the two philosophies. Other practices try to compete with us by lowering their price. We focus on maximizing your weight loss success. We don't strive to be the "cheapest in town". That is not a good weight loss model. We strive to provide the best weight loss success in every patient. We offer value - the lowest cost per pound lost. We get a lot of transfer patients who had gastric band surgery elsewhere and are disappointed with their post-op program so they transfer to our practice where we help them achieve their weight loss goals. Many practices don't monitor their weight loss success. We do, and have published five scientific articles on gastric band weight loss. We started doing band surgery shortly after it was FDA approved in the United States (June 2001). Since then we've completed nearly 5,000 gastric band procedures and have experience with band adjustments that number in the tens of thousands. That extensive experience has taught us many import things on how to perform gastric band surgery and how to take care of patients afterward to minimize their frustration and maximize their weight loss success. We repair/revise a lot of band operations done improperly by other practices. Patients who choose our practice want it done right the first time and want to maximize their weight loss success. People who only care about getting the cheapest surgery and don't care if they lose weight afterward go to our competitors. Dr. Brad Watkins Dr. Brad Watkins is one of the few surgeons in the United States who: · Has completed well over 1,000 gastric band procedures · Has experience with nearly 5,000 procedures in his gastric band clinics · FDA proctoring surgeon for both band companies (Allergan, Ethicon) · Published five academic papers on gastric banding in the surgical literature · Performs band-over-bypass procedure · Performs the new incisionless ROSE procedure · Teaches other surgeons on primary gastric banding · Teaches other surgeons on band-over-bypass · Teaches gastric band courses · Teaches ROSE courses · Consultant for Allergan Company, LAP-BAND® · Consultant for Ethicon Company, REALIZE ™ · Consultant for USGI Company, ROSE procedure · Completed many advanced bariatric courses and bariatric CME programs · Involved in multiple clinical trials for adult and adolescent obesity · Nationally recognized on the "Today Show" · Member American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery · Member Council for Advances in Bariatrics

Hey all, I am meeting with the surgeon tomorrow to discuss any final doubts before my gastric sleeve procedure. Then I will make a surgery date. But here is my dilemma... I am 25 years old and the path I am on in life is a little complicated. So far, I have traveled to almost a dozen countries doing volunteer programs and teaching English as a way to build my future opportunities. I just love to travel and see the world. However I continuously feel held back because of my size and the judgement I give to myself and receive from others. I have dreams to do bigger things and to have a lifestyle I can enjoy, but I am afraid that this procedure will really hold me back from getting myself in a good place both professionally and financially because I am actively looking for a career job here in New York. My question is--is the surgery worth it as I am on the job hunt, an active traveler, and someone who is just dreaming of moving out from her parents house? I am worried I will be stuck once I get the procedure. I will be out of commission for a while, I don't know how easy it would be to make a complete lifestyle change amidst other lifestyle changes. I know this is for LIFE and all together my quality of life will improve after time. Maybe I am just too worried about the present. What am I really scared of? I could use some reassuring words from people. I want this procedure, I've done immense amounts of research, and I've been tremendously overweight for my entire life and I don't know anything else. Just some words of encouragement would be helpful. Thanks, Alexa

You need to listen to what your doctor tells you. I found out at the support group meeting that patients done by the same doctor may have been given different instructions so at my first post-op appt. I asked him about it. First thing, he has changed some of his instructions from when he did a band lets say for example a year ago. Secondly, the instructions given pre-op are general instructions. These may change once the surgery is actually done. There may have been complications, something he found once he was in there, etc. Or you may be one of the lucky ones and everything go as he said about my surgery "about as perfect as I could have hoped for". Then things can change down the road like they have for me. Bummer! I was losing a significant amount of weight the first 3 months post op and now I swear I just lose and gain the same 2 pounds. Seems like I am stuck at this plateau. I go for another fill in a few weeks so I am hoping that it helps. But we all know this is a long journey, not a quick fix so I am being patient. If quicker was my only consideration I would have chosen bypass. I had many variables that made me decide on the band instead so I will take it slow and steady. Good luck and hang in there. You are doing super fantastic.

So sorry to hear of all your troubles! Please hang on to that determination and hope you've mentioned throughout your post - you will get to the other side of this. This isn't your fault, it's an unfortunate series of events and complications that could have happened to any of us. I'm sure your husband is upset and scared, rather than hating you. One thing to consider is getting another opinion. The best physicians can benefit from consulting with others, and in no way implies he doesn't know what he's doing. I'm sending prayers and good thoughts your way for a speedy recovery.Please keep us posted as to your progress!

Hi sweet I was on that antibiotic 7 days after surgery. I ended up very nauseous and heart palpitations and oral thrush. Keep in mind that it was only 7 days after my surgery and was through a complication post op. As far as having the surgery antibiotics for anyone should be fine. Just read the leaflet in the packet about side effects. Everyone is different and I gather my situation was a little different. Hope your feeling better soon! Sent from my SM-G925I using the BariatricPal App