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My doctor told me the reason I have had steady weight loss and no complications or nausea or anything is because I did and ate exactly what I was supposed to. he said so many people try to rush things and try to eat things they shouldn't too soon. and then they are sick so much and complain about it. If you do what your doctor says, you will be fine. Your time for real food will come before you know it and when it does, you will already be so much slimmer!

my doctor didn't ask for a pre-operative diet neither and he is on of the best in Jeddah he did the surgery for 3 of my friends without any complications nor pre-operative diets i guess it is just optional or depending on the patients liver size and the amount of fatty tissue in the abdominal cavity

I was banded on 10/08/08 and two weeks after started having sharp pains in my lower right side. Today I ended up in the Hospital with what I thought was an appendicites attack. After hours of X-rays and a CT scan, they sent me home saying everything looks good it must be complications from you lap band surgery.It may be normal but it sure the hell hurt. I see the Doc on thursday for my first fill. I'll see what he say's and then I'll share it with you. GOD Bless:rolleyes2:

I posted this under "My story" but maybe this will save someone searching for a surgeon some misery if they read this here first. Unfortunately, I have Dr Milton Owens as my Dr at Chapman Medical Center in Orange, CA. He NEVER remembers who I am OR my history, he is rude and downright mean. I also think he is a sadist who wants to make me suffer for asking legitimate questions about my healthcare. He is dismissive, arrogant etc. Some examples of screwed up things he has said/done: ~Once I cheated (post op) and ate doritos and I was very afraid that I would tear something or who knows what. I called to ask for advice (i.e. to throw up, slam Water...whatever) He said "If you are going to eat doritos why did you bother having the surgery?" ~I asked for a SECOND fill because I was having ZERO restriction, was always hungry and had waited 2 weeks already. He said, "Whats wrong with being hungry? You are not starving. The average person could survive on their fat stores for about a month, for you it would be even longer." ~I got an OVERFILL from him once and was in so much misery I called within 24 hours to get an unfill. As a cash patient, I was really hoping to take advantage of his alleged "24 hour FREE return visit for complications" but he said since it was a Saturday I still had to pay $200. He also said "If I called a plumber after hours it would cost $200 n hour, if I called an attorney it would be $350 an hour. I thought I was doing you a FAVOR." ~When I make appointments with him he refuses to see me 2 doors over in his practices office for $200, but forces me to make my appointments in the office that he shares with the hospital for an additional $126 a visit. Lastly, on one occasion when I asked him if he thought I should have more of a fill due to non restriction, he unfilled me then refilled me to almost maximum capacity. I was sweating and bubbling and gagging and he kept making me drink water to show me what "too much fill" was. I hate this man but so far have not been able to find anyone else who will take a cash patient for just fills. (I got divorced and lost my health insurance) but PLEASE do not subject yourself to this horrible, maybe evil ass of a human being. My whole lapband experience has been hell, and Im trapped. Don't be like me!!!

Hi Pepper, I'm at 4 months post op & I've had zero complications. I didn't have any digestive or heartburn issues going into this & I don't have any after. I'd say nothing has changed for me at all except I eat a lot less & I wish I'd done this sooner.

Hi Suzanne! The seminar is in Ashburn Va, and I will jsut cut and paste the info here. It's sponsored by Obesity help (dot) com another GREAT resource. 2008 - Ashburn, VA ObesityHelp Event ObesityHelp Regional Conference Quick Links: Purchase Tickets Topic List Schedule Sponsors 0.5 km0.5 mi Data ©Navteq,TeleAtlas ©2006 Yahoo! Inc. When: May 3, 2008, All day. Where: Embassy Suites Dulles - North/Loudoun 44610 Waxpool Road Ashburn, VA Hotel Website 1-800-EMBASSY Lodging: Embassy Suites Dulles - North/Loudoun 44610 Waxpool Road Ashburn, VA Hotel Website 1-800-EMBASSY About the area: The newly built Embassy Suites Dulles - North/Loudoun, VA hotel is located only three miles from the Washington Dulles International Airport, near the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum - Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Ashburn Ice House, Old Dominion Brewing Company, Dulles Indoor Sportsplex, Dulles Town Center, Washington Redskins Park and the corporate headquarters of AOL, Verizon Business, Airbus and Orbital Sciences. This full-service upscale all-suite hotel is just minutes from the Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, Reston Town Center and Tysons Corner. Guests of the Embassy Suites Dulles - North/Loudoun, VA hotel stay in spacious two-room suites and receive a complimentary cooked-to-order Breakfast and a nightly manager's reception. Wireless and high-speed Internet access is available in all guest suites and public areas of the Embassy Suites hotel (daily surcharge applies). The hotel provides a complimentary shuttle to and from the Washington Dulles International Airport. Announcements: HOTEL RESERVATIONS To make your reservations, please call 1-800-EMBASSY and give them the code "OBH". Room rates are $109 per night and prices are valid on the nights of May 2-4. Reservations must be made by April 11th, 2008. For ease, you can CLICK HERE to reserve your room! Event Host Jackie Thodos is a Gastric bypass post-op, ObesityHelp Support Group Leader and co-founder of Obesity Freedom. Since her surgery, she has been very committed to the bariatric community, and helps people succeed everyday in her successful support group in Fredericksburg, VA and beyond. A Motivational speaker, Certified Back on Track facilitator and Life Coach, Jackie has inspired audiences large and small on transforming your life through weight loss surgery. Jackie combines her true passion for coaching fellow weight loss surgery patients with years of event organization and staff development. Her latest book, Idle Hands = Active Mouth: A Grazer's Journey to Weight Loss Success, will be available in early 2009. Jackie lives in Fredericksburg, Virginia with her husband and son, her greatest supporters. For more information on Jackie, visit Bringing Freedom from the Restrictions Associated with Obesity. Schedule: General Schedule for Saturday7:00 AM - 8:00 AM Vendor Setup Time8:00 AM - 8:45 AM Registration and Time to visit with the Vendors8:45 AM - 9:00 AM Opening statements and introductions9:00 AM - 9:45 AM Dr. Mitchel Krieger9:55 AM - 10:40 AM Dr. Andrew Goldberg10:50 AM - 11:35 AM Dr. Denis Halmi & Dr.Daniel Tran11:35 AM - 12:15 PM Break - Visit the Vendors12:15 PM - 1:15 PM lunch & Schedule Update1:30 PM - 2:15 PM Guest Speaker - Heidi Ecker2:25 PM - 3:10 PM Jeremy Gentles, BS, CSCS3:20 PM - 4:05 PM Speaker 4 - TBA4:15 PM - 5:00 PM Closing Statements and Prize Giveaways Speakers / Topics Special Guest Speaker - Heidi Ecker - from ABC's Extreme Makeover "Laugh it Off: Tales of a 100 Pound Weight Loss" -from ABC Extreme Makeover Cast Member Heidi Ecker Join Heidi as she takes you for a speedwalk on her awesome journey as an always-overweight 270 pound 32 year old woman who one day decides to transform her life by eating healthy and exercising and loses over 100 pounds and six feet of fat in less than a year! Heidi will take you on a hilarious review of five a.m. curtain calls at the gym, eating enough eggs to lay one, and being so sore from working out just sitting on the toilet felt like competing in the Iron Man! You won't want to miss this exciting review of how she exchanged Washington's scales of justice for the scales at the gym going from a size 24 to a size 4, a story ABC believed in so much she was then selected for an Extreme Makeover that aired last year. She's launched a website community to bring her vision to others in the battle against obesity. Her website, Heidi Hype - Heidi Ecker, is where America is laughing together and losing together! Dr. Mitchel Krieger, Plastic Surgeon Dr. Krieger is a plastic surgeon specializing in the art of aesthetic and reconstructive surgery. He prides himself on the excellent care he and his staff provide their patients. A former military surgeon, Dr. Krieger completed surgical training in San Francisco and Washington, D.C. He brings nearly 20 years worth of experience in treating bariatric patients. Dr. Krieger offers a full range of cosmetic surgery services with an emphasis on plastic surgery for post bariatric weight loss patients. He is a skilled surgeon sensitive to the needs of patients who have lost considerable weight. He is currently co-authoring a new book on plastic surgery following massive weight loss. It is expected to be released this summer. Providing body recontouring surgery options to patients who have recently undergone bariatric procedures, he is able to help people more fully enjoy their new, slimmed-down bodies. His involvement with Fair Oaks Hospital has given Dr. Krieger unique experience to help optimize your surgical results. Adroit in a wide array of available procedures for patients, Dr. Krieger readily consults with patients to bring them the latest techniques suitable to their needs and desires. He looks forward to the opportunity to meet with you. Dr. Krieger's presentation will include: -Mid and Lower Body Recontouring After Weight Loss -Bodylift and Thighlift Surgery -Answers to common questions related to recovery afer plastic surgery Dr. Krieger will be providing private, one-on-one consultations during the conference. Registration for the spots are limited and will be available the morning of the conference. Dr. Andrew Goldberg, Plastic Surgeon Dr. Goldberg is an accomplished cosmetic surgeon trained in both aesthetic and complex reconstructive surgical procedures. Washington Checkbook and Northern Virginia magazines along with multiple other groups have consistently listed him as a Top Physician. He is fervent in his belief that plastic surgery can improve one's self-esteem and confidence. He hopes you will give him the opportunity to help you reach your goals. Dr. Goldberg's cosmetic surgery practice covers a broad range - from facelift, breast enhancement, and body contouring to laser and minimally invasive procedures. His colleagues trust of his experience and knowledge are evident by his position as the Chairman of the Department of Surgery at FairOaks Hospital and by his membership on the Board of the Medical Society of Virginia. Dr. Goldberg's Presentation will include: -Breast/Arms/Facial Rejuvenation After Weight Loss -Answers to common questions regarding plastic surgery Dr. Goldberg will be providing private, one-on-one consultations during the conference. Registration for the spots are limited and will be available the morning of the conference. Dr. Denis Halmi, Bariatric Surgeon Denis J. Halmi, M.D., F.A.C.S. is certified by the American Board of Surgery and is designated as a Center of Excellence Surgeon by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). Dr. Halmi has performed over 1,500 gastric bypass surgeries and over 150 laparoscopic adjustable gastric bands. He is one of the pioneers in the field of weight loss surgery with more than 15 years of experience in treating overweight patients. He is well known nationally and internationally for his clinical and scientific work; he has contributed numerous research papers in this area. Dr Halmi regularly attends professional meetings as a speaker on the surgical treatment of obesity. Dr. Halmi has special interest in long term weight management after bariatric surgery and in minimally invasive revisional weight loss surgery utilizing the latest technologies. Currently, Dr. Halmi is the Medical Director of the Virginia Weight Loss Surgery Center – a multi-specialty medical center dedicated to provide physician supervised services in weight loss, diet education, exercise, behavior modification and plastic and cosmetic surgery. He is also the Medical Director of the Weight Loss Surgery Center at Potomac Hospital in Woodbridge, Virginia, a designated Center of Excellence in Bariatric Surgery. Dr. Halmi will be providing private, one-on-one consultations during the conference. Registration for the spots are limited and will be available the morning of the conference. Dr. Daniel Tran, Bariatric Surgeon Daniel D. Tran, MD, FACS Bariatric Surgeon, is a board certified general surgeon who completed his residency at Loma Linda University Medical Center in California. He received subspecialty training in trauma and surgical critical care medicine at Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Tran has special interest and expertise in minimally invasive weight loss surgery. Prior to relocating to Virginia, Dr. Tran was the medical director of the Bridgeport-Yale New Haven Health Weight Loss Surgery Center in Connecticut. He has performed over 300 laparoscopic gastric bypasses and over 200 laparoscopic gastric bands. Dr. Tran has special interest in the latest surgical technologies: endoluminal surgery and robotic assisted surgery. Dr. Tran is designated as a Center of Excellence Surgeon by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). Dr Tran is the Director of Bariatric Surgery at the Virginia Weight Loss Surgery Center performing a high volume of laparoscopic weight loss surgery procedures. Topics being presented: -Key factors of success in long term weight loss after bariatric surgery -Long term side effects/risks of different weight loss procedures -Latest surgical options if all else fail (weight regain, complications) Jeremy Gentles, Fitness Expert Jeremy Gentles, CSCS, is ObesityHelp's staff health and fitness expert. Jeremy studied Exercise Science at East Tennessee State University and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). In his presentation, Jeremy will arm you with the knowledge to safely participate in a self-guided exercise program to assist you in achieving long-term success after weight loss surgery. He'll offer solutions for overcoming a multitude of obstacles that can get in the way of enjoy a full, active life. By helping you understand the why's and how's of exercise, Jeremy will empower you to knock down those obstacles, allowing you to become healthier through exercise. Come explore the benefits of having a healthy focus and learn how to properly and safely implement a weight/resistance training program. It's your journey....Train for it! I know the registration was getting close to being full, i registered for two spots, but am not sure if my friend will be there or not, so once i find out, if you are interested in going I can give you one of my slots.

I would be less concerned if it's only the stomach affected than I would if your intestines were affected as well.. ultimately, you have to find a surgeon you can trust, and then trust them. Make sure your nutritionist before and after surgery is aware of the problem. Know that liquids will likely be a big part of your post surgery diet... because you don't want a food back up leading to dehydration. I think the only surgery related complication that would make it worse is if you were to develop a stricture, and they have endoscopic dilation for that... Tough decision to make.

Hello, I am due for my first official step, the seminar next Tuesday. I am really conflicted about this, but I don't see another way available to get control of my weight, and life. I have many problems that the weight complicates. I'm looking for support, and I thank you for any offered.

Well not personal experience,even though I have done very well my 21/2 months being banded. A close friend was banded over 5 years ago when nobody in my town did the procedure. He was and still is highly addicted to sugar and sweets but thanks to the band and working out very hard is a slim person now. We compare storiesd,his addiction to sugar and sweets is far worse than any food addiction i know and experience and he is slim and doing great! When he had the surgery it was not very much heard of surgery and was forced to go to Mexico...which is a decision he is actually happy to say he liked other than aftercare accessibility. But my Dr has recently taken him on as an aftercare patient for checkups and such. All in all I can say he has had no complications that I know of and 5+ years of super successful banding. And unless you saw pics of him before you wold never know he was ever an obese person and he is my personal inspiration!

This is strictly my opinion. I'm no doctor and I'm no expert. With that said, if it were me, there is no way I'd get the Lap Band if I already had gastroparesis. Gastroparesis causes the muscles in the stomach to not function properly and because of it there are issues emptying. It's rare but gastroparesis can be a complication of the Lap Band anyway as a result of the pressure on the Vagus nerve. This then can lead to other serious complications, including band erosion because of food sitting and digesting above the band. Again, just my opinion, but if it were me there's no way I'd get the Lap Band if I knew I already had gastroparesis.

Thanks to everyone who has responded. I will be seeing the surgeon on Oct. 30th so I will be able to ask more questions and have a better understanding then. I am a nurse so I know what gastroparesis is and though I don't deal with lapband patients in my area of practice, I am familiar enough to know that gastroparesis can be a complication of being banded, which is why I was curious if anyone ever had it prior to being banded and what the outcome was. I do know that there are certain things that can cause exacerbations of gastroparesis, one of those being elevated blood glucose levels. Gastroparesis can and often does improve with better blood glucose control. So I don't know if he suspects that the cause may be related to my weight or something caused by my weight and maybe that's why he thinks it's ok to proceed with surgery ? I do want to know what his reasoning is and whether he's had other patients like me. I want to know, given that gastric sleeve seems to be a treatment used to help facilitate gastric emptying, why would he not recommend that instead? Another possibility is that perhaps he's thinking its medication induced? There are certain medications that can cause gastroparesis and 1 of the heart/blood pressure medications I'm on is on that list. I don't know if he intends to do more testing prior to making a final decision either so that may be another possibility. I was just waking up from the anesthesia when he came in to speak with my husband so I don't remember too much from the conversation anyway and hubby isn't a medical person so he doesn't ask the same questions I would ask if I were a bit more awake. All he cared about at the time was that I was ok and nothing horrible happened during the procedure. He figures I can worry about the rest later!lol...anyway, thanks again to everyone who has responded and if anyone else has any experience with this, I would love to hear about it.

Not 3 years but as a Fellow Floridian wanted to help you Lost 177 in 8 months Complications: Really none a little heart burn and i get crabby at times when i can not drink Cravings - White Russians and I now eat what i crave but I eat differently, One thing you will realize is your taste buds will change and your tastes will change a little But you are on the right place for information

Wow! I am so sorry to hear that. It has to be very awful for you and your gf. This is not the way it goes for the majority of people though. The complication rate for this surgery is only 1%. I will be very interested to read what your surgeon tells you about your leak that the anesthesiologist told you maybe permanent. Your surgeon will know the next course of action.

**sorry this one's a long one!!!!** Hello everybody, I had an appt with my doctor a few days ago for follow up on my bloodwork and ultrasound on my gallbladder because she thought I might have needed to get my gallbladder removed. Turns out all my labs were perfect, no gallbladder problems but I did have a little bit of a higher cholestoral and I found out that I also have Fatty Liver [emoji45][emoji45] we discussed how it happens and how you treat it and basically... She said I have to lose weight. I finally brought up weight loss surgery to her. She wrote down everything she could to try to get me to get approved. She wrote down how long I've tried diets, what diets I've tried, morbid obesity (she said if she just out obesity it wouldn't get approved), body pains, asthma, etc and she put in a referral for surgery. Since I have medi-cal I guess the referral goes to a referall center then it goes to the bariatric surgeon or bariatric program or something like that and I'm supposed to hear a call back within two weeks. My doctor said the program is going to take 3-4 months and that I can't do it through her, I have to do it through the bariatric office I guess. Like my nutrition appointments and things like that can't be through my personal doctors office. Anyways, I am super excited and hoping I get good news soon! On a side note the bariatric office/surgeon that the people in my county get reffered to (I'm in the central Valley of CA btw) has horrible reviews and someone who went to him is dealing with horrible complications. I do not want that to be me... Is there anyway that I can go to a different county to get surgery but still have it covered by medi-cal? If that place is my only option then I will hold off on surgery until I move or until I can pay out of pocket I guess [emoji45]🤦🏻‍♀️ If anyone has any info that would be great, thanks so much.

Additional surgery shouldn't even be in the conversation unless there's ongoing complications that need to be addressed, especially for 35 pounds. I think habits need to be looked at, and understanding your situation and what's happening wrong.

To me it means your golden year is your best time frame for weight loss. Weight loss surgery restriction is fantastic in your first months. Your surgery restriction will become less over time and weight loss slows down. “Taking advantage” means don’t waste this time frame. Follow your surgeons’ plan/instructions. Log your food, hit your calories and macro goals for the day, hydrate, exercise/activity and make behavior changes for the long term. We cannot control the “luck factor” Sex, age, medical issues, medications, complications, hormones and body physiology. What you can control is “working your plan” Decide how lax or strict you want to work this. Decide what you want out of your first year.

Hope things are getting better with you... Had my surgery in the same hospital. Had some trouble bouncing back from surgery as well. But ultimately with the right attitude, lots and lots of patience, and with Dr. Feiz's guidance I finally got well. I guess we are the bottom small percentages that have complications and longer recovery time. I'm at point in my journey where I'm finally out of the tunnel, and hoping you're at least seeing the light. :-)

I hope it's not inappropriate for me to be posting here. I don't have any complications (my surgery isn't until 9/20), but I've been reading your posts to get an idea about what to expect. People keep mentioning PBs. What is that? Linda

Dr. Hollis is a very good doctor. I had no complaints with him. The surgery went smoothly and I've had no complications. Just follow his diet plan and you'll lose weight fast. I did. I fell off the wagon a few months ago but I'm about ready to go back to my low carbing losing weight days.

I worried about this as well and am currently looking at medical tourism complication insurance. I found this company but am continuing to research it. It does give me some peace of mind as I'm not sure if my insurance would cover complications related to a procedure that they don't cover. But I also am not too worried, as complications are extremely rare! https://www.globalprotectivesolutions.com/individual-and-companion-travel-accident/

7/15 here! I have lost 33 pounds, including pre-surgery loss, 18 pounds since surgery. I have had about two weeks without any loss during that time, and up 1 pound since last week. I haven't gotten filled yet, as I felt pretty restricted. That all changed this past week; little restriction, increased appetite, ability to eat anything, anytime, but refraining from indulging and trying to eat my 1/2 cup three times a day. Two Protein shakes a day. My original plan was to not fill, but I may have them fill at my next appointment in a couple of weeks. Other than the elusive Quest for the green zone, all is going well. Need to increase Water intake. Incisions are healing well. I apply Kelo-cote religiously twice a day. No complications, no complaints. So happy...Best decision I could have made!

Woah woah... slow down for a sec. My cursed objectivity, perhaps, but I see lots of "divorce" and "use him to get your surgery, then leave him" being thrown around. But you haven't indicated any ongoing relationship problems. Everything you've mentioned is around his threatening to remove you from his policy. Are there more problems? Or is it possible that you're not seeing some turmoil that he's going through? (power, insecurities, uncertainties, etc.) My husband was a little Jerky before I had my surgery because he was afraid something would go wrong and he would lose me. He didn't know wha to do with those fears, and they ended up coming out in less-than-desirable behavior. Do you guys really think that "when he gets mad he threatens to remove me from his coverage" really warrants ending a marriage, or compromising integrity and happiness in order to use someone for a surgery? Obviously we don't know much about your situation, but I think that him threatening to remove you from his policy is FAR from reason to end the marriage, or use him just to get the surgery and dump him afterwards. Surgery can be a very emotionally charged situation. Especially weightloss surgery and all the hype around risks and complications, and fear of future changes. Will she leave me once she loses the weight? Will I have more "competition" and need to worry about things? Will I still be attractive to her if she loses weight and I haven't? Etc. And if it happens around more than the surgery, then its his way of feeling in control. A lot of people refue to go to counseling. It doesn't mean they don't care. Especially in the case of insecure men, they fear being told "it's your fault". You know how guys sometimes won't go to the doctor even though they know something is wrong, because they don't want to "officially" hear what the problem is? This is the same kind of situation. Girls, too - for sure - but guys in particular are really finicky about this kind of stuff. Maybe just take a step back and consider his situation and see if you can identify anything that would be causing him distress. Marriage is a two-way street. If he's just a jerk, then that's fine. But if this is atypical behavior (and I have the sense that it is, , you need to open up some communication and talk about fears and concerns, what's eating him, and how he's manifesting those emotions. Ok, that's my advice, worth exactly what you paid for it.

I can't recommend one or the other but here are my thoughts: Advice for those researching Lapband: Ask what your doctor's experience is with removing lap bands. How long can I expect to keep my band before it needs to be removed? (Bands are being removed anywhere between 2 years out and onwards. I personally know of only 3 people who have had their bands 5+ years and one of those is on band #2.) What long term negative effects have your patients experienced with Lapband? Lapband is a high pressure system. The band creates a great deal of pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter. The esophagus, in attempting to move food into the pouch, puts tremendous pressure on the LES, as well. Over time this causes damage and the sphincter fails to open. This creates a feeling of being "stuck" but your food hasn't even made it to the pouch. This situation is becoming more and more common in the banded population and causes permanent long term damage that cannot be reversed. This is what is called "difficulty swallowing" on the disclosure. It's actually band induced achalasia. Often on the various wls forums or social media groups, people will speak of random tightness, difficulty with swallowing yogurt, liquids, etc, regurgitation of meals despite cutting their food, chewing thouroghly and eating only 1/2 cup meals. What's your practice's re operation %? (Re operation following Lapband is upwards of 50%) any claims of lower % might mean your doctors patients are seeking help elsewhere when problems arise. How many of your Lapband patients have reached goal weight? (Average EW loss is in the 40-60% range...if you have 100 lb to lose, you can expect to lose 40-60 lb.) What do you consider compliance? -attendance at support meetings? -weighing, measuring, logging food intake? -adherence to a particular diet? -steady weight loss? -monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual band check ups? -what is the protocol for fills? (Many doctors consider failure to lose 1-2 lb per week noncompliance despite their patients claiming to adhere to a strict protocol.) I hear a lot about certain complications such as: achalasia, gastroparesis, adhesions of stomach to liver, erosion, band slips, band tightening without a recent fill. What's your experience with these issues. (More and more banded patients are experiencing these complications starting as early as 1 year post op and as long as 9-10 years out.) Will you band someone with autoimmune disorders? (This is a mixed bag...my personal experience is that having a foreign object in my body exacerbated my IBS) Do you screen for contraindications using EGD, esophageal manometry and upper GI? (These tests should be done to evaluate your ability to tolerate banding) If I have a hiatal hernia, what procedure do you use to repair it? What type of sutures do you use? (Nissen fundoplication and pledgeted sutures are never used in conjunction with bariatric surgery to repair existing hiatal hernia). As a final warning, recently there have been increasing reports of cardiac issues following banding...irregular heartbeat, arrhythmias, palpitations, etc. The heart and the esophagus lie sued by side in the chest. The vagus nerve(controls heart rate, breathing and GI tract) is also in the same area. Food retained in the esophagus puts pressure on the nerve and heart. This is not good. I'm posting this because although I lost over 100 lb while I had my band, I now have permanent esophageal damage, cardiac problems and I'm on additional medications to manage the complications caused by my band. I was compliant with diet and lifestyle changes. Part of the problem was that my hiatal hernia was repaired using a nissen fundoplication and pledgeted sutures. Also, upon removing my band it was found to be placed very high on the stomach. I didn't have esophageal manometry testing prior to my band placement. (My band doctor was recently named as one of Seattle's Best Bariatric Surgeons for 2013.) 3 years later I had 0% motility when tested. I never had swallowing problems before banding. I still have difficulty with many foods. Bands are a money maker for doctors who are still implanting them. They get paid to put them in, fill them, empty them and remove them, then revise their patients. Many reputable medical institutions will no longer implant a band and many who still do, consider it a short term device and remove within 2-3 years then revise to gastric sleeve before permanent damage is done. I thought the band was least invasive. I have 15 incisions on my belly I didn't have when I started this. 3 surgeries, dozens of diagnostic, invasive tests, $150,000 later and I don't have a WL tool. I have a cardiac condition I didn't have, esophageal dilation and achalasia + 3 new meds costing me $150/month out of pocket. Do your research and be open to hearing the "negative" along with the positive...it might save you from years of suffering.

Yikes! Wish me luck! I am nervous, and hoping for a complication surgery and recovery!

From the minute I came out of recovery on Thu up until today, I have wondered if they even did anything. The only proof I have is the slight pain around my port site. I have had zero complications. Even when my tummy aches, it's more like a hunger pain, I sip some broth and it goes away. Either I had an amazing surgeon, or my body just took to this like a fish to Water. I am afraid to say anything, because as soon as I do I'm sure I'll keel over in pain, but seriously, I thought this would be much more dramatic. Did anyone else sail through this?