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BIG VG bander here too. My Dr uses the VG band only now too, says there is less complications with them. It took me a little longer to reach restriction too, but then some of my very lucky friends had restriction with one fill with the VG. It all depends on your insides I think. Good Luck with it and trust your DR. As for Dr Fielding I have heard alot about him since I started my lapband journey, he studied and worked here in Australia and to date he has performed over 2000 bandings. He underwent lap-band surgery himself in December 1999 so who better than him to understand and know what we are going through. I think you would be in the hands of ONE of the best banding Drs in the world....but thats just my opinion :cake:

Hello to all, I just recently had my VGS done this past wednesday and was out by Friday. I am fortunate in that I heal fast. I notice that I find myself becoming more concerned about the complications after all is said and done. My surgeon said after 6-8 weeks the stomach has absorbed the staples and sutures. What i find that I am having trouble understanding is how this is called an irreversible procedure yet many have said the stomach can stretch out again. Does this mean it can grow back to the size it was previously or that it can stretch to a bigger holding capacity and that is it? Another part of me questions what I have done. I was around 354lbs,but i always worked out but found out my metabolism had stalled,my sleep apnea was at a superbad level. Yet no matter how hard i worked and even with just Protein shakes and a regular meal of broiled chiken or lean meat,i still could not drop weight. Now a day before surgery im 350,i check myself today. and im 337. To me though it's more a component of being on a liquid diet rather than anything else. Im just wondering if i gave up good times with my family eating out at restaurants and not being able to finish a plate that has 2 sides and one main dish. Not that i do that all the time,just I don't want to enjoy 1/4 a plate then get full and the smell would still be tempting me even though i feel full. Am I only the only one to have these feelings of uncertainty? I am not an emotional eater or a stress eater. I eat because I enjoy it. I even love to cook. I know i did this for my health. I just feel unsure.

When I started my journey, I was going to have the band. But with my first visit with the surgeon, he suggested the sleeve and my insurance had just recently approved coverage for it. I came home and did my research. After weighing the risk and complications of both surgery and discussing with my husband-I chose the sleeve. I am so grateful for making that decision. I have no limitations on food except for what I chose. I am following my diet closely and have lost 56 pounds so far and I have only been sleeved for 3 months. I have never vomited, regurtitated, slimed my food. I don't have to make appointments for fills/worry about slippage/rejection/breakage. Some people are very succesful with the band-but I have only seen one-everyone else I know has had complications and had revisions to the sleeve. I know you will need to make your own decision and good luck but I do not regret having the sleeve instead of the band.

No post-surgery complications here. I swear that this surgery saved my life, and it did! I had so many medical issues pre-op that I knew I wouldn't survive surgery, yet I still did it. I gambled, rolled the dice and WON big time!!! I'm slightly over 10 months out, down 107 pounds and feeling like a million bucks. My goal weight is still 55 pounds away, but I will get there. Even with that, if I don't lose another pound, I'm thrilled I had my surgery. I am happy, healthy and alive today because I was sleeved. Thank God and Dr Domkowski. I'm ALIVE!!!

i didnt have many complications during or after surgery. my only complaint was minor pain around the surgery site. good pain management while in the hospital helped a lot too. another thing that helps is your pre-op preperation. make sure you follow the diet to the T and loose as much weight as you can. everyone is different when it comes to a major surgery like this. a lot of the complications are temporary as your body has gone through a lot of trama and needs to heal. you should be fine a few days after the surgery.

My only regret is that I didn't have this surgery sooner. I didn't have any complications at all. I had to take small sips the first week out of surgery, but now I can drink water just like I used to. I feel better and have more energy than I have had in years.

Hoping someone can might know the answer. I was about as far along as possible last wed. in hospital and literally ready for surgery. My surgeon and the anestig. where speaking with me and my wife when I mentioned that I was having muscle cramps. Due to me being on a statin and the muscle cramps the surgeon felt that this elecvated my risk of complications for surgery so surgery was canceled until this wed. and I was taken off the statin(crestor). Here I am two days away again and I thought I would sail thru past week as I had already had dry run(lol) but has not happened. I can't get out of my mind maybe last week was a sign I should not do this now. I was wondering if I postpone will my insurance cover me for this in future.

6 months and a week ago, i had no health problems even with a 47 BMI - BUT i felt so disgusting. I hated clothes. I wore things just to hide myself. I knew I had a pretty face but that all others saw was the fat. Today, 6 months after surgery and 88 pounds later, I feel INCREDIBLE. i am all about what i'm wearing, my make up, I feel just plain unstoppable. I want you to know that yes there can be complications. I have experienced none so far (truly this is thanks to GOD and following my surgeon's instructions) - but they can happen. I am very, very sorry I did not do this 10 years ago (I'm 38). But i cannot dwell on that. This is a LIFE CHANGING thing if you let it be. I truly wish all of you the best of luck in your decision and if you have the surgery - the best of luck on your journey. It TRULY is a journey. God bless us all!!!!

I hope everyone who is released from the hospital is given appropriate discharge instructions, however it seems like some may have disregarded these important instructions. With anything, we need to be informed and take action, when necessary. So with that said, I would like to remind those recent surgical patients that when you leave the hospital, call your doctor if any of the following occurs: **Signs of infection, including fever and chills **Redness, swelling, increasing pain, excessive bleeding, or discharge from the incision sites **Pain that you cannot control with the medicines you have been given **Blood in the stool **Pain, burning, urgency, or frequency of urination, or persistent bleeding in the urine **Persistent nausea and/or vomiting **Pain and/or swelling in your feet, calves, or legs **Cough, shortness of breath, or chest pain **Any other concerning symptoms In case of an emergency, CALL 911 Be smart! This could save your life or prevent you from having major complications.

The fill really only feels like a shot to me. You feel the puncture of the needle and that is it. the saline runs through a tube so it's not like you feel it shooting all over inside of you. I do not notice the port or the tube unless I am intentionally trying to find the port. You will have a tiny spot about 1.5" wide where the port is that is hard when you press on it. This is the injection site of the port. That is all. For everyday activities you will not notice it. I recommend reading all that you can here on LBT because being informed is the right way to go. Of course there are complications and there are issues that arise but the complications and the negatives for me were very tiny in comparison to losing 90lbs and gaining massive amounts of health benefits. Believe me you dont' lose your social/career life over it and you will live better because of it. I have much more of a social life and the band doesn't slow me down. I have quite the opposite...I go out of my way to go places, do things, and socialize. tonight I am going to a brewery with about 10 coworkers to have drinks, nibble on Snacks, and just hang out. I wouldnt have done that before. It's truely the best thing I have done.

Hi everyone, I recently had my surgery on January 12, 2011. I was doing okay until day 2 post op I noticed some yellowish/green discharge from one of my incissions. I called my surgeon right away and he prescribed an antibiotic for me to take. Another 2 days has passed and the area around the incission is really red and my skin surrounding the area is hot to the touch and swollen. The incission is still pussing under the glue. My follow up appointment is not until Tuesday. What should I do? I'm really concerned. : (

Doddie you sound like you are doing fantastic. An I agree of course you have to follow the rules a I think i can once I have my surgery. I am more affraid of the unknown and the what if's.i wish you much luck staying on track. My friend has a relative in the Toronto area who was banded and has not followed procedure, she has not has complications yet but is gaining again. Also my best friend's name is Doddy. Take care and thnakyou. Sherry

Top down bug. 18 pounds in 10 days??Wow, that's great. My surgery was on the 16th and I have lost 10 pounds but I cant wait to lose the remaining 80. I feel great and except for the gas pain a first few days. I feel fine. I am praying to God for no complications. I am still on liquids though. I can't wait till next week so I can start my mushies....

Hi and thanks. I have a few co morbidities as well. High blood pressure, borderline diabetic, high triglycerides, moderate sleep apnea as well as fibromyalgia. Otherwise I wouldn't have even considered it. All my other tests came back pretty good tho. I really thought I wouldn't have any complications. I just need to know exactly what happened and whether or not it's safe to go forward.

Well, let's see how he's feeling tomorrow ... once the pain medicine all wears off. Am glad he came through his surgery w/o any complications and there was no hernia repair needed. He didn't believe me that they operated on him and had to lift his "gown" up to double check ...:bored0:

I would base it more on the overall program than the surgeon/surgeons office if there are any differences. My program offers nutritionists and free NUT appointments for life following surgery. They also have exercise classes, in person support groups, cooking classes and all sorts of other things. I haven't had any complications (knock on wood!) but I have absolutely taken advantage of all of those other things since I live very close. I know there are others who used the same surgeon as me but live much farther away so they can't utilize all of the other services...and they struggle. I also know some individuals who have moved away from our surgeon and have really had a hard time finding a new doctor who will take them on board which is another thing to consider. If you really love the surgeon/program 60 miles west that you've started with you could go ahead and ask the group 50 miles east if they would be willing to take you on post-op and just plan on switching to them at a point in time after surgery.

Hi everyone, I have what may be an unusual situation in that I am not "settled" in my life. Because of illness and disability I am temporarily living in a small town (less than 200 people) in the middle of nowhere. Once I lose weight and get some orthopedic surgery, I am going to move. Here's my dilemma. I have started a program (two nutritionist visits) in one clinic that is 60 miles west. Very good reputation. There is also a clinic about 50 miles east, also with a good reputation. In my imagined (hoped for) future, I will be living in the town that is 50 miles east, which places me 110 miles away from my doctors if there is a complication in the coming years. I am wondering if I should switch over to the program that is in the town where I will be living; it seems to make more sense to me that in case of emergency the hospital has my records and the surgeon and staff are right there. I'm getting a bit nervous because as I research RNY I keep seeing a lot of folks going back to get gallbladder surgery, or other emergency surgery for problems related to their RNY even years down the line. It just seems like it would nice to be in the same city as your doc. So--Is it better to have your surgeon nearby or does it really matter, as long as you have good medical care available? Thanks for any advice you can give me, I am questioning everything right now.

Hello MsMook, welcome to VST!! I'm a revision patient as well. There's a lot to know, so it would be more helpful if you might give us a little background on your situation. Don't be shy - when it comes to the band there is bound to be someone here who has lived what you're going through, in all kinds of complications scenarios. Ask lots of questions... we are always willing to either lend an ear or help out.

Hi Happy2BMe1 Like you I am a bit worried about the mortality rates for the VSG. However, I have still decided to have the sleeve instead of the band. My surgeon who is one of the leading bariatric surgeons in the UK said that he hardly does bands anymore. They have too many complications and a lot of people need additional surgery. I think the VSG is a good alternative and not as dramatic as the bypass. However, there is still a risk, but hey what's the risk of you staying at 345 pounds. You are relatively young and might not get any problems with your weight, but problems do often come up when one gets later. I've just weight up the pros and cons of doing the VSG vs doing nothing and the VSG won even though I've got very young kids (and I certainly want to be around to see them grow up). In the end, only you can make this decision though.

My doctor says it stays in forever, unless there is a complication.

This very subject came up at my last support group meeting. I was speaking about myself with regard to night time hunger and how it seems that even with adequate restriction, in the evenings I tend to become hungry and I often times get a very powerful urge to eat. It isn't head hunger, but true hunger. It only occurs at night though. One of the surgeons (not mine) was attending the group and he said that from time to time he refers his patients to a coleague of his who prescribes a mild diet pill for this very reason. When I told him I didn't want to become dependant on a diet pill he said that he understood and that they we're used only for a very short period of time with the patients who are working to make better choices, yet still haven't quite mastered their new eating habits. As in just long enough to get over a certain hurdle. I haven't called regarding the pills....because I found that a snack size bag of popcorn (100 calories) when this happens and a can of tomato juice (35 cal.) does the trick for me. They take away the hunger and the need I feel to snack all at the same time. I just make sure they are in my caloric intake allowance for the day. I will say that IF this becomes a problem that I can't do on my own....I have no problem using the pills to suppress me until I get a better hold on the situation, but that's just me. I'm 30 pounds from goal and if I need a little extra boost to get there, so be it. As long as I'm working the band and the program and have made the necessary changes in my life...I see nothing wrong with getting a little extra help for the harder hurdles. Finding perfect restriction that will do all this isn't easy....then you find it and lose another 15 pounds and the band loosens and you have to have fills until you find it again. It's a process for sure, and I'm one who believes in using the band in conjunction with diet changes while not getting myself too tight to a point where I can't eat meat or other foods. I've never pb'd or slimmed. But it's sometimes difficult to find that perfect medium. Another words being able to eat normal foods with no pb's or slimes yet still having good restriction. Not easy... I see no reason why one shouldn't add a supplemental prescription in to help in the process for a short term if necessary. I'de rather do that than tango with being too tight and having to deal with the complications of what that can bring. So I personally suggest talking to your surgeon, explain that you'de like the precription ONLY until your fills begin to give you restriction and then come off of them and be on your way. As long as they are used with caution and as prescribed and with the understanding that they are not being used to take the weight off for you, but to help you with appetite suppression UNTIL your band kicks in and you develope stronger new habits.... Good luck Kay AKA: Miss Losin Lot's

Ok here goes...I just joined this forum to get answers as well but I feel unless I say something someone else won't get answers.....I had the lapband inserted march 2008....started at 237...5'8" (recorded but incorrect) so I met the guidelines. After a baby I went up to 259 then down to 193...lowest with band....I started having complications with the band....leaking....didn't feel Anything until three months in when started having severe pains. In and out of hospital resulted in the removal of my band.....we were waiting first for the insurance comp to approve fixing the band but they denied..."not medically necessary" since I was now not "morbidly obese"anymore..... Then tried for the sleeve...denied again..."experimental bc my bmi was below 35.....I had the band removed to find out the tube cracked.....the band was literally cutting up my insides. Since surgery on October 2, I have gained 17lbs and now meet the 35 bmi but the insurance company wants a letter of medical necessity. Normal you would have to go under supervised weight loss program monitoring for 3 months but my internal medical doctor is hopeful that his letter showing my past six year struggle will suffice. If I don't get approve under my insurance I will try my husbands and if denied under his ill end up paying for it.....I find it ironic that they knew I had a weight problem approved the first device, then when it became defective I'm no longer a candidate. Nothing within my control.....I'll be patient and wait my turn. Hopefully all goes well by the summer.

I chose the band beacuse it has a lot less complications. I am 5'2 and started out at 318lbs I now weight 228. I have lost 90lbs and still losing. It is a slower process, but I know my insides are all in tact and that if there is a complication the band can be removed. I have 4 friends who have had the bypass and 3 of them have gained over half of their weight back. With the band after I lose all my weight and I start to gain. I can go back and get a fill. Do your homework about both surgeries. It is your body and your decision not the doctors. Good luck on your journey.

As a kid, teenager and young adult I was very active. I did a lot of sports, track and field, figure skating, ballet and basketball. I even trained juniors in basketball. I had a lot of injuries, that finally led to the sad conclusion that I had to stop training so hard. I started gaining weight, not too much in the beginning, but it added up. My Mom shows her love with food and sweets. I don't blame her, her Mom was the same way. My Mom still has no idea I had wls, because she hates any kind of surgery and I only told a few people. My hubby and Dad are supportive, so that's all I need. I will tell my Dads wife on Thursday, since we will be spending xmas with them. I met my hubby when I was 21, so he has seen all my ups and downs, I'm a textbook example of a yo-yo dieter. I know what to do to lose weight, I just never mastered the maintenance phase. I worked hard in my dream profession, I was an aviation specialist and very good at my job. It all came to a bitter end when I was 34. My arm stopped working in the middle of a phone call with an air traffic controller in Russia. I'm now on early retirement at 42. I had 2 surgeries on both shoulders, because they were too loose. I regained mobility, but never really got my full strength back. 2 years later I was diagnosed with a rare syndrome, EDS, and found myself to be a part time wheelchair user. Try keeping your weight at a healthy level when your mobility is minimal? So I had a 9 month private pity party. Smart, right? I was mourning the loss of my former life and had to find my new path. Today I counsel other patients, lecture about my syndrome and related issues and have an active role in my patient organization. I live my life happy. Still travel, go to concerts, do most things I want. My manual wheelchair is pink and my electric wheelchair is decorated for xmas, lights and all! A year ago a went to see a nutritionist. I lost some weight again on a very strict diet on mostly frankenfoods. Yay! But when I started going back on real foods, my weight turned back up. This summer my nut asked if I have considered wls, that I would be a good candidate. Nope, never thought about it other than watching some shows on tv. I wanted some time to do research and told her that I would give her an answer the next time I saw her. So sep 14th I said yes please and she said she would send my papers forward. That day I put myself on a 1300 cal low carb, high Protein diet. When I got my surgery date of nov 21st, I lowered my calories to 1200 cal. I also did a 4 week pre-op diet that was very similar, but more frankenfood and an 800 cal limit. I had rny on nov 21st, as scheduled. I was wheeled to recovery to wait for my turn, second wls that day. I started having second thoughts... Do I really want to put my body thru this? Am i really sure i can't do it on my own? I didn't get very far with my thinking before they took me in. I remember that my last thought on the table was that I can still change my mind. When I woke up in recovery I had the worst gas pain I ever experienced. Horrible! The meds didn't work for it at all! I regretted my desicion instantly. But when they asked if I wanted to go to the bathroom I was so happy to realize that all the stories of moving around to get rid of gas were true. I had to stay 3 nights in the hospital due to drinking issues. I never had any other pain than gas pain, but boy was it painful before I was able to move around. In total I had pain and took meds for about a week. Now, 13 days post-op, only a tiny bit of discomfort when laying down. And today I'm happy to report that my drinking issues seem to have gone away slightly! My surgery weight was 228.8 lbs and today I'm 222.0 lbs (hw his summer was around 255 lbs, that I recall). I have been in a stall for 4 days now and I hope that the increase in liquids will help a lot with moving forward. The only real post-op complication I had was that the heparin shots were too much for me. I was supposed to do them for 10 days at home, but had to stop half way thru. I started bleeding from my nose and other parts... I called the hospital and they agreed, no more heparin for me. The bleeding stopped the very next day. My post-op diet allows food quite fast, I'm on soft foods right now. But the only solids, other than dairy products and puddings, have been cottage cheese and meatballs. I have tolerated everything I have tried, with the exeption of mashed potatoes. I got a 15 min dumping episode... But I have not thrown up even once and the regret went out the window the second I was able to stand up in recovery. I average 400 cal per day for now. I will be posting more on this thread as time goes by, as a small journal to myself. I hope everyone has as an easy journey as I have had with my wls, I think it's totally worth it. Just waiting for my stall to break... Happy holidays to you all! Nilla

I do have my gb. They checked both in the CT and said they were fine. My gb was also fine at my pre-op gb ultrasound. I'm not convinced, though. I have a long history of a set of the same specific reoccurring but long-lasting (four weeks plus) gb-type symptoms with varying vague diagnoses from different doctors. I've never had a HIDA scan, though. My family history is incomplete because I know nothing about my dad's side. My mom's side has no history of gallbladder issues so they look at that, the fact that I have no vomiting, and rule out gallbladder issues with normal CT scans. I also have severe GERD that is controlled by omeprazole. Complicating that, I have fibromyalgia, which several rheumatologists have said is probably secondary to another autoimmune disorder but they haven't found enough information in bloodwork to figure out what it is. I was recently told by another specialist that I likely have Ehlers-Danlos Hypermobility, something that was all ready suspected by my family doctor (who follows me for my fibro and laundry list of other issues) and myself. That can cross-type with other variants of EDS, some of which can cause issues with the digestive system, and that would also explain issues I have with my heart that my mother's side also does not have a history of. My mom's side actually has no history of any of my issues besides obesity. Sooooooooo...yeah. I woke up Thursday feeling a million times better but continue to have issues. The bowel issues are gone but the upper pain is still there. I'm struggling to eat but can stay hydrated. I follow up with my surgeon on Wednesday. If I'm still having issues I'm going to ask for a HIDA scan if he doesn't have his own plan of action. If he has no plan of his own and refuses a scan I will be presenting myself at a higher-level medical system. I can't afford to not be able to take in enough Protein for so long.