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YEAH! I got more answers - I am so gratefull All your inputs really helps me! In Denmark this procedure is almost unknown - it is only used very seldom. Most of sleeve-procedures on danes is done abroad Thank you for your respond, Tiffany! "RNY just wasn't an option because of the regain stats" The statistics shows that weight regain RNY is more likely to happen? That is very interesting - if I have understood it correct? That was the main reason why, I would consider a Bypass. I know that there is a lot complications already now. How will it look in 30 years? :-( "I can tell you that studies show only 30% of RNY patients "dump" on sugar meaning that it's no guarantee that you'll get sick if you eat sweets." That is an important argument for not believing, that this will "cure" your cravings. So it is not as beneficial in this way - only the malabsorbtion works "better". But unfortunately also on important Vitamins and minerals. "and all of them have either gained back 75% of their weight" WHAT? Thats a lot!!! The surgery sites claims, that only 20-30% will have the weight regain. "and are now seeking revisions, or have had major complications with vitamin/nutrient deficiencies, bowel obstructions, strictures, pouch and esophageal dilation, and a whole slew of other issues." That really helps with my decision. I think that we perhaps are not so up to date in Denmark, because the boom in operations startet only 2 years ago. So we havent seen all the difficulties yet. Well a lot of people is writing about Hernia - does anyone know, if hernia is less common in VSG-operations? "Least amount of long term complications" As far as I can read in the journals, they do not have enough results yet to know how it will work on long term? But it is so LOGICAL to me that it will have far less complications "no rerouting" Yes, I am not religious - but it is easier for me to have my stomach reduced instead of changing the way the digestive system works. I can better accept the "halfway-just-as-before-procedure-with-a-small-stomach" "no blind stomach left behind that can't be easily scoped yet can still develop cancer and ulcers." Are the taking the rest of the stomach out of the body in a VSG? Some say that they just staple it? I wanted to ask my surgeon this. If it is left in the body, will it still produce Ghrelin? I feel a little stupid, but I have treally tried to find as many informations - so I am so glad, I found this site. "None of the surgeries cure cravings, head hunger, or emotional eating." No, you need to have gotten the brain in order first. I almost have - but I know, that when I am stressed or sad, it could trick this, if I am not cafeful and monitor my feelings and hunger for the rest of my life. But I have worked with this a lot more than others. (I am also writing these things to myself, to be "aware" - thinking out loud) "I've done extremely well with the sleeve, and live a perfectly normal little life" I am so glad to hear that! It really makes me believe that it can help me too. Just enough to get into the healthy section "We have to form new habits, and work on our own issues." I am speculating - how many have had their cognitive emotional in check before an operation - and how many are working along with the issues - after the operation. THANK YOU SO MUCH! ------------------------------------------------------------- And thank you Stacy160 - if you are thinking the same as Tiffany, it just backs up, what she is saying . And with my "low" BMI, the risk of bypass is not worth it. As far as I have read, the mortality-risk of a bypass is 5 times higher than a sleeve. Thank you. You are backing me up! ------------------------------------------------------------------ Thank you for your message, Cheri :-) "if you don't have as much weight to lose, why risk the lifelong nutritional deficiencies of the bypass?" That is just what I am thinking. But in the danish forum everyone is supporting the bypass-thinking Because it is the thing, that works. And because 95% of them had that operation. So I needed to read other stories, to make my desicion. But a lot of new reseach has shown, that the two operation, have almost the same results. But I can not seem to find the medical documentation... "The portion of the stomach they leave behind is the least stretchy part of the stomach and is far less likely to stretch than the bypass pouch. It will stretch a little over time, but not anywhere near what it was prior to surgery." That I didnt know - I am so glad to read this! That calms me a lot. Not that I will try to strech it. But I didnt wanted to waste money and health on an operation, that didnt work much. "If you wouldn't mind posting information about your potential surgeons on a new thread, it would be very helpful to some of us living overseas. I'm currently in Germany and flew all the way to Mexico for my surgery because I couldn't find a surgeon very experienced with VSG in my area. If you're in contact with a few that do VSG in Europe, you should post their names and information so that other folks can have them as an option as well." Mexico is a long way from home.... I would be happy to do that. I found two surgeons i Belgium, but they mostly recommend and perform Bypass, but have experience in Sleeve as well. There is also a center in Northern Germany wch are very popular in Denmark, they perform a lot of sleeve operations as well. And I found a great (I think) surgeon in Grecce. He is educated i Denmark, where I am from, and have worked in Sweden for many years. There is also a center in Stockholm, who have a fantastic 3 year follow up with psychologist, dieticians, hotline, and a workshop - all included in the price. But I will try to find the right place to post the operation. But what is "Experienced"? How many operations is that. Thank you Cheri

Hello - I am a danish woman, trying to loose weight. ME: 36 years old BMI: "only" 33 Comorbidities of my weight: sleep apnea High bloodpressure Lower back problems are getting worse for every pound overweight (scoliosis/ Ishias problems) Father diabetes 2, both mother and father are medicatet for hight bloodpressure. Sister underwent a Gastric Bypass en roux with a BMI of 40 with great succes :rose: I have tried almost every diet on earth, undergoing lifestyle changes, have been in therapy, have spent a lot of money on al kinds of thing.Iron, Calcium and Proteins, that I am digesting.:confused2: Futhermore it seems that a sleeve operation is having a lower mortality rate and fewer post complications?:confused: One of the reasons why I am overweight is the earlier use og sugar as a coping strategy for everything. I have worked through most of this - but see it as somekind of a dependency even if I do not use it as much as before. And this is not good with the sleeve? :eek: Does anyone in this forum have eny experiences with. If some of my earlier eating habits are due to cognitive habits, lower ghrelin secretion will not help me? Or?:confused1: All you comments are welcome - my brain is exploding I already know, that my BMI is low (but high enough to die earlier), and I am mostly considering an operation because og my health issues. Just a few words, please?:angel:

There is a section on "complications" on the forum you might want to look at. I'm sorry you've had problems.

Best wishes tiffanie;) your right it just scares me to think I could possibly die or suffer from complications. I know every surgery has them but it doesn't make it easier lol. Sent from my ADR6400L using VST

Glad you found the answer. You are one of those for whom it is necessary for the short term because of that hiatal hernia. I was one of the lucky ones.I had no pain and no complications. I only had some discomfort from the gas which I walked off like one possessed. I do attribute some of it to the fact that I treated this surgery as something akin to a vacation and a new lease on life.

Where & from whom do you purchase complication insurance? How expensive is it?

My doctor said he changed to the 10cc band because his research told him it had less complications. Now that he's been using them, he said that for him, it is indeed true. With the 4cc he saw more complications.

This is not the 1st surgery I have had with complications so that wasn't anything I couldn't adapt to other than not being told what was going on for 3 days until my surgeon come back at the first of the week after my 2nd surgery. I have had gallbladder surgery and 3 hernia surgeries and my 2nd hernia surgery is where I had all the complications such as infection (packing for 5 weeks 2 times a day, wound vacuum for 6 weeks and out of work for 3 weeks). This is not my first rodeo but it definitely sucks.....

When I reach 200 lbs. I am having knee replacement surgery and I asked my surgeon this very question and he said Yes, they unfill you and if you don't have any serious complications they refill the band in about a week, taking me back up to my sweet spot. Hope this helps. Best wishes with your foot surgery.

I know exactly how you feel. I worried for the entire 4 months after booking my tummy tuck that something was going to happen to me and I would end up leaving my two little boys. My ps was very good about reassuring me that everything would be ok and that he had never had a patient die from complications. When you look at all of the people that have ps every single day and they come through it just fine, that will hopefully provide you with some comfort. It was a hard decision for me. So was the Lap band. I even canceled my Lap band the first time because I was so scared. I am now 8 days post op from having my tummy tuck and I am so thrilled. My body has never looked better!

I had to do a six months supervised dietian classes. i started in march 08. had surgery in january 09.i had to do all the pre op testing.part of my problem was not making my own appointments i was waiting on the doctors office to do it for me.no you have to follow up on your own make sure you call them an ask is their anymore tests you need. then i had to wait because of the holidays. but in all i had it on january 13th.with no complications thank goodness. in all its took me 10months.good luck on your new life journey.

Don't trust them with your life! The waiting room of the Beverly Hills surgery clinic was teeming with customers on a recent Saturday, with many of the patients there for the weight-loss operation hawked on freeway billboards, bus placards, and TV and radio commercials across Southern California: 1-800-GET-THIN. But few, if any, were probably aware of the troubled history of the medical suite where they might be waiting to undergo major surgery. Suite 106 at 9001 Wilshire Blvd., currently known as the Beverly Hills Surgery Center, has for years been a business address of TopSurgeons, the sponsors of the ubiquitous marketing campaign for the lap-band® -- a surgical implant designed to suppress the appetite of obese patients and normally prescribed for those who are at least 75 to 100 pounds overweight. As I wrote last month, the people behind TopSurgeons are the Omidi brothers -- Julian, whose medical license was revoked in 2009, and Michael, who was placed on three years’ probation for gross negligence in 2008,according to the Medical Board of California. TopSurgeons attracts customers in part by pitching the lap-band® to people who, according to conventional medical guidelines, shouldn't need major surgery to shed weight. The Omidis formerly operated the Wilshire Boulevard facility as the Almont Ambulatory Surgery Center. Almont lost an important federal certification last summer after inspectors determined that conditions there posed "immediate jeopardy to the health and safety" of patients. The government's cancellation of the clinic's certification, which was effective July 20, meant it could no longer receive payments from Medicare and Medicaid for treating the programs' members. Separately, the American Assn. for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities had already revoked the clinic's accreditation. The California Department of Public Health was well aware of health and safety issues at the clinic -- its own staff had performed the inspection for the federal government. The Medical Board of California was aware of the history of TopSurgeons' owners because it was the agency that had revoked Julian Omidi's license and placed his brother Michael on probation. Yet state regulators' ability to respond to the actions by the federal government and the accreditation body was limited. Under state law, no agency has clear jurisdiction over such free-standing ambulatory surgical centers. Free-standing surgical centers owned by a physician are exempt from licensing by the Department of Public Health. For its part, the California Medical Board has no legal oversight over a surgical facility because its legal authority extends only to disciplining individual doctors. The federal government's authority is limited to determining whether a clinic can participate in Medicare and Medicaid (in this state, Medi-Cal). Once it does that, its regulatory bolt is shot. Robert Silverman, an attorney representing the Omidis, points out that his clients "have no involvement in the performance of weight loss surgeries themselves." So why should you care about them? For one thing, the business model of free-standing surgery clinics unaffiliated with hospitals is spreading. These places perform major surgery under general anesthesia, which can be life-threatening. If there are any holes in the regulatory safety net applicable to such facilities, they need to be closed, but quick. Then there are the particulars of that June inspection report of Almont Ambulatory Surgery Center, which runs for 22 pages. Here are some highlights: * The inspectors found unsanitary conditions in the surgical areas. Medications and supplies to treat complications from anesthesia were expired or missing, though 23 patients were waiting for surgery. * Surgical instruments weren't being properly disinfected. Medical supplies that were supposed to have been tossed after use on a single patient were being reused. Two employees had positive tests for tuberculosis, but there was no record that they got required follow-up chest X-rays. * The crash cart, which carries equipment and supplies for cardiac emergencies, contained opened and expired drugs and supplies, including some more than 4 years old. Other drugs and supplies, including emergency drugs, were months or years past expiration. Filled and inadequately labeled syringes were found in the operating room. Most of the scrub sinks weren't working. * Patient records, which contain such confidential information as psychological exams, were left where unauthorized people could read them. That inspection wasn't the only one to turn up problems. The American Assn. for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities, a voluntary association that inspects such facilities to make sure they're safe and properly run, had revoked the facility's accreditation April 4. The association's executive director, Jeff Pearcy, told me that it had suspended Almont's credentials a few weeks earlier, after receiving a serious complaint that he wouldn't specify. During an unannounced visit April 4, its inspectors discovered that surgery was being performed on the premises despite the suspension. Pearcy said his organization promptly informed federal Medicare authorities and the state medical board of its action. Silverman blames those violations on unidentified Almont managers who he said were placed in charge by the Omidis. He said Almont went out of business soon after the revocation of its certification and accreditation. The clinic's quarters, he maintains, were then taken over by Beverly Hills Surgery Center. Under that name the facility received accreditation as an ambulatory care center in January from a different medical accreditation agency, the Joint Commission. Silverman maintains that Beverly Hills Surgery Center is "a completely separate entity" from Almont. But he also acknowledged that Julian and Michael Omidi helped launch Almont, and records show both have connections to Beverly Hills Surgery Center. The Department of Public Health still lists Michael Omidi as 100% owner of the surgery center at Suite 106 at 9001 Wilshire Blvd. and Almont as its corporate name, department spokesman Ralph Montano said Wednesday. He said the information was filed with the agency in May 2009 and that the center's owners have not updated the filing since. Julian Omidi, who is identified in Los Angeles County records as president of Almont, is also listed as president of TopSurgeons Inc., which, as mentioned earlier, also listsits address in state and county business filings as 9001 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 106. Beverly Hills Surgery Center was registered with the county by Thomas C. Cloud on Oct. 15, 2009, also at 9001 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 106. Cloud is a business associate of Julian Omidi's, according to legal papers Cloud filed in several lawsuits in Los Angeles Superior Court seeking payments from patients who allegedly did not pay their bills. Cloud is a former doctor whose license was revoked by the medical board -- for the second time -- in 2001, based on a string of felony convictions, including a 1993 conviction for Medi-Cal fraud that garnered him a sentence of 16 months in state prison. Silverman says Cloud isn't an employee of TopSurgeons, just "an independent contractor." Through Silverman, the Omidis refused my request for interviews. Silverman told me this week that TopSurgeons Inc. no longer conducts any business. There's a TopSurgeons LLC, he says, but it doesn't operate at 9001 Wilshire Blvd. As of Wednesday, however, the California secretary of state's website listed that address as the entity's official address, and the TopSurgeons website listed the location as one of the offices to which it refers patients. Silverman refused to identify the ownership and management of TopSurgeons LLC but said it's different from TopSurgeons Inc. Should we take that on faith? I'll just note that when TopSurgeons LLC registered its business name with the county last April it listed the same Wilshire Boulevard surgical suite as its address and named as its registration agent Cindy Omidi, which is the name of Julian and Michael Omidi's mother. When TopSurgeons LLC filed its business registration with the California secretary of state in 2008, its agent was Thomas Cloud and its address of record was 9001 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 106. Silverman said there was no "wrongdoing, illegal conduct, or even inappropriate conduct" involved here. But the public record shows that one or both Omidi brothers have been doing business out of the same location under various corporate names since at least 2005 -- and it's a location that has drawn some not entirely positive attention from health and medical inspectors. If I were even remotely inclined to answer one of those "GET THIN" ads, I'd like to know if my regulators were still keeping their eyes on the place. Michael Hiltzik's column appears Sundays and Wednesdays. Reach him at michael.hiltzik@latimes.com, read previous columns at Michael Hiltzik - latimes.com, and follow @latimeshiltzik on Twitter.

Don't trust them with your life! The waiting room of the Beverly Hills surgery clinic was teeming with customers on a recent Saturday, with many of the patients there for the weight-loss operation hawked on freeway billboards, bus placards, and TV and radio commercials across Southern California: 1-800-GET-THIN. But few, if any, were probably aware of the troubled history of the medical suite where they might be waiting to undergo major surgery. Suite 106 at 9001 Wilshire Blvd., currently known as the Beverly Hills Surgery Center, has for years been a business address of TopSurgeons, the sponsors of the ubiquitous marketing campaign for the lap-band® -- a surgical implant designed to suppress the appetite of obese patients and normally prescribed for those who are at least 75 to 100 pounds overweight. As I wrote last month, the people behind TopSurgeons are the Omidi brothers -- Julian, whose medical license was revoked in 2009, and Michael, who was placed on three years’ probation for gross negligence in 2008,according to the Medical Board of California. TopSurgeons attracts customers in part by pitching the lap-band® to people who, according to conventional medical guidelines, shouldn't need major surgery to shed weight. The Omidis formerly operated the Wilshire Boulevard facility as the Almont Ambulatory Surgery Center. Almont lost an important federal certification last summer after inspectors determined that conditions there posed "immediate jeopardy to the health and safety" of patients. The government's cancellation of the clinic's certification, which was effective July 20, meant it could no longer receive payments from Medicare and Medicaid for treating the programs' members. Separately, the American Assn. for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities had already revoked the clinic's accreditation. The California Department of Public Health was well aware of health and safety issues at the clinic -- its own staff had performed the inspection for the federal government. The Medical Board of California was aware of the history of TopSurgeons' owners because it was the agency that had revoked Julian Omidi's license and placed his brother Michael on probation. Yet state regulators' ability to respond to the actions by the federal government and the accreditation body was limited. Under state law, no agency has clear jurisdiction over such free-standing ambulatory surgical centers. Free-standing surgical centers owned by a physician are exempt from licensing by the Department of Public Health. For its part, the California Medical Board has no legal oversight over a surgical facility because its legal authority extends only to disciplining individual doctors. The federal government's authority is limited to determining whether a clinic can participate in Medicare and Medicaid (in this state, Medi-Cal). Once it does that, its regulatory bolt is shot. Robert Silverman, an attorney representing the Omidis, points out that his clients "have no involvement in the performance of weight loss surgeries themselves." So why should you care about them? For one thing, the business model of free-standing surgery clinics unaffiliated with hospitals is spreading. These places perform major surgery under general anesthesia, which can be life-threatening. If there are any holes in the regulatory safety net applicable to such facilities, they need to be closed, but quick. Then there are the particulars of that June inspection report of Almont Ambulatory Surgery Center, which runs for 22 pages. Here are some highlights: * The inspectors found unsanitary conditions in the surgical areas. Medications and supplies to treat complications from anesthesia were expired or missing, though 23 patients were waiting for surgery. * Surgical instruments weren't being properly disinfected. Medical supplies that were supposed to have been tossed after use on a single patient were being reused. Two employees had positive tests for tuberculosis, but there was no record that they got required follow-up chest X-rays. * The crash cart, which carries equipment and supplies for cardiac emergencies, contained opened and expired drugs and supplies, including some more than 4 years old. Other drugs and supplies, including emergency drugs, were months or years past expiration. Filled and inadequately labeled syringes were found in the operating room. Most of the scrub sinks weren't working. * Patient records, which contain such confidential information as psychological exams, were left where unauthorized people could read them. That inspection wasn't the only one to turn up problems. The American Assn. for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities, a voluntary association that inspects such facilities to make sure they're safe and properly run, had revoked the facility's accreditation April 4. The association's executive director, Jeff Pearcy, told me that it had suspended Almont's credentials a few weeks earlier, after receiving a serious complaint that he wouldn't specify. During an unannounced visit April 4, its inspectors discovered that surgery was being performed on the premises despite the suspension. Pearcy said his organization promptly informed federal Medicare authorities and the state medical board of its action. Silverman blames those violations on unidentified Almont managers who he said were placed in charge by the Omidis. He said Almont went out of business soon after the revocation of its certification and accreditation. The clinic's quarters, he maintains, were then taken over by Beverly Hills Surgery Center. Under that name the facility received accreditation as an ambulatory care center in January from a different medical accreditation agency, the Joint Commission. Silverman maintains that Beverly Hills Surgery Center is "a completely separate entity" from Almont. But he also acknowledged that Julian and Michael Omidi helped launch Almont, and records show both have connections to Beverly Hills Surgery Center. The Department of Public Health still lists Michael Omidi as 100% owner of the surgery center at Suite 106 at 9001 Wilshire Blvd. and Almont as its corporate name, department spokesman Ralph Montano said Wednesday. He said the information was filed with the agency in May 2009 and that the center's owners have not updated the filing since. Julian Omidi, who is identified in Los Angeles County records as president of Almont, is also listed as president of TopSurgeons Inc., which, as mentioned earlier, also listsits address in state and county business filings as 9001 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 106. Beverly Hills Surgery Center was registered with the county by Thomas C. Cloud on Oct. 15, 2009, also at 9001 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 106. Cloud is a business associate of Julian Omidi's, according to legal papers Cloud filed in several lawsuits in Los Angeles Superior Court seeking payments from patients who allegedly did not pay their bills. Cloud is a former doctor whose license was revoked by the medical board -- for the second time -- in 2001, based on a string of felony convictions, including a 1993 conviction for Medi-Cal fraud that garnered him a sentence of 16 months in state prison. Silverman says Cloud isn't an employee of TopSurgeons, just "an independent contractor." Through Silverman, the Omidis refused my request for interviews. Silverman told me this week that TopSurgeons Inc. no longer conducts any business. There's a TopSurgeons LLC, he says, but it doesn't operate at 9001 Wilshire Blvd. As of Wednesday, however, the California secretary of state's website listed that address as the entity's official address, and the TopSurgeons website listed the location as one of the offices to which it refers patients. Silverman refused to identify the ownership and management of TopSurgeons LLC but said it's different from TopSurgeons Inc. Should we take that on faith? I'll just note that when TopSurgeons LLC registered its business name with the county last April it listed the same Wilshire Boulevard surgical suite as its address and named as its registration agent Cindy Omidi, which is the name of Julian and Michael Omidi's mother. When TopSurgeons LLC filed its business registration with the California secretary of state in 2008, its agent was Thomas Cloud and its address of record was 9001 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 106. Silverman said there was no "wrongdoing, illegal conduct, or even inappropriate conduct" involved here. But the public record shows that one or both Omidi brothers have been doing business out of the same location under various corporate names since at least 2005 -- and it's a location that has drawn some not entirely positive attention from health and medical inspectors. If I were even remotely inclined to answer one of those "GET THIN" ads, I'd like to know if my regulators were still keeping their eyes on the place. Michael Hiltzik's column appears Sundays and Wednesdays. Reach him at michael.hiltzik@latimes.com, read previous columns at Michael Hiltzik - latimes.com, and follow @latimeshiltzik on Twitter.

Hi Sarah I've been lurking around for a little while round here too! Three years ago at the age of 33 I was diagnosed with uterine cancer which was treated with a hysterectomy. Because it was a very rare type of cancer (uterine adenosarcoma) my surgeon preferred not to do any other chemo/radiation as it was caught early and there wasn't enough data to suggest the benefits would outweight the negatives. So I was lucky to avoid those hair-loss type side effects you experienced, and six monthly check-ups have been all good. I too lost a lot of weight around that time from the stress of it all, but of course gained it all back over time. I got banded in June. I have noticed a little more hair falls out on the sink after brushing it, but can't notice any difference on my head. Not sure if it takes longer than 3 months to be noticeable though? Others will let you know. My orthopaedic surgeon was the one who suggested banding as I needed a hip replacement (to treat congenital hip dysplasia) and he was reluctant to perform the surgery due to my weight and the associated risks/complications. I spent 20 years yo-yo dieting, weight fluctuations of up to 50 pounds, only to wind up heavier than ever. Although my hip would always have failed earlier than most, it's pretty clear my obesity didn't help matters. Sounds like a cliche but I really wish I could have gotten the weight under control 10 years ago when I was your age. The struggle doesn't get any easier, and the impact on your health just compounds as years go by. I've lost about 50 pounds in the past 3.5 months (even with a total hip replacement surgery last month and being unable to do any activity for the past 5 weeks). It's not always easy having a band as I'm sure you've gathered. I've been having a lot of trouble eating and even sometimes drinking in the past couple of weeks. I've had all of my small amount of fill (2cc) removed and still having trouble. My surgeon can only put it down to changes in body's Fluid composition following the hip replacement surgery last month, as a barium swallow showed the band has not slipped. All very stressful, but I would do it over again as it's my best chance at reaching/maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding any more health problems. All I can tell you is I really wish I could have done it at your age and had 10 less years of wear and tear on my body. All the very best regardless of your decision.

Hi, Excuse me but I am new to online forums. I'm sure over time my tech-savvy will improve. I am 4 weeks post sleeve. My first 2 weeks were awesome I thought "wow" then I've been really going backwards. I have celiac disease which flared a lactose intolerance, which has added to my woes. At about 2 weeks on a minced and mashed diet I started to vomit all solids. It didn't matter if I took nause medication (I take Nexium) up it would come. Landed in hospital for a night just after xmas for fluids and a scope - all was fine. Home sweet home for a few days and the vomiting started all over again. My doc is great but I think he's wondering what to do with me. Also every time I eat solids or even thick Soups I get moderate to severe stomach pain - like a spasm and in my stomach that radiated to a variety of places over my tummy. I have now been told this is not 'normal'. After I eat, the pain goes away generally within 5 to 10 minutes. I am keen to here if others have experienced a similar set of complications and how did you cope and DID IT PASS? Cheers, Gmac (I have not figured a signature out yet!):thumbup:

He isn't intubated. eviltouch sorry to hear you too had complications but comforting to know you are doing well.

Dayne, If you will check out the "Lapband Complications" thread I'm sure you will find plenty of people who feel your pain and can relate to your experience. They might even be able to offer some very valuable advice.

Many times, what we see in the negative posts about Mexico is that the poster knows someone whose cousin heard of someone whose sister read about someone who went to some unnamed clinic in unnamed city with unnamed doctor and had complications. I have read many posts on this forum about our bariatric brothers and sisters who went to Mexico and had no trouble at all........about the same as folks who get their surgery done in the states. I don't recall in the last two years of anybody being vilified for getting their surgery done in Europe or elsewhere. It's just easy to pick on Mexico, I guess. And no, I'm not from Mexico. I was born in Wisconsin.

Dear Rob-- My surgery is Thursday and I leave for Mexico tomorrow. As a self-pay, it's been about a month since I decided on VSG and got an appointment. After I made the deposit I got the shakes I was so nervous. I have alternated between excitement, terror, resignation, and calm. I also got really sentimental and somewhat maudlin, cried at a TV commercial for Cereal, for God's sake, and I'm not usually a crier. I am not afraid of dying or complications but of failure at yet another weight loss solution. I think I'm also afraid I might be hungry all the time and I would hate that, I'm hoping hunger goes away. I found taking walks and just being outdoors helpful. I have a good friend I talked to about my fears and I talked to the dog. Tonight I am pretty calm and looking forward to the surgery being over and working to lose my weight by keeping a food journal, staying on program, and exercising when I get the okay. My advice is, keep your eye on the goal and know that the moods are temporary. Best wishes, Rachel

NO you will not be able to drive yourself home, you'll still be on pain meds. My stay was 2 days with no complications. BTW I'm almost 3 weeks post op. I'm so sorry you don't have support from your family & friends! I joined this site about 4 days ago & I've seen the love everyone gives to one another so I think you have come to the right place! What I can say is, if you have made your mind up please don't let transportation stop you!! Take a taxi!! Heck if your in my city Concord NC or close by I'll be more than happy to drive you there and pick you up!!

I'm not sure what could be causing the edema either, but compression garments sound like a good idea. I had the same deep posterior opening that you are describing, and needed sutures as well. It took its sweet time, but it did close up. I can feel this hard scar tissue in its place though, which is disturbing. My surgeon says it will eventually soften up, but I don't see how. I hope the garments are the ticket for you, and know that you are not alone with the occasional pity parties for one. These complications simply can't last forever, they have to resolve. And then we will be left with an end product that we will appreciate more than ever for the effort taken to make it happen!

Had my bypass on 4/20/18. Two weeks later sharp pain on lower left side. Was admitted to hospital with an abscess on my bowel. Had to stay back to stage 1 liquids. It's been 5 weeks now and still vomiting from most solids. Had an endoscopy last week. Everything looked good except some irritation, probably from throwing up everyday. I'm on heavy antacids and testing what makes me throw up. I can't do meats except Turkey, nothing fried, no breads, no eggs..... Has anyone experienced food allergies post-op?

I am over 4 years post-op RNY gastric bypass surgery. I was taking 5 prescription medications prior to surgery (2 for diabetes, 2 for high blood pressure, and 1 for asthma). Now I take none. I took some supplements (vitamins, minerals) prior to surgery. Now I take more. But the cost of the added vitamins is less than the cost of the prescription medicines that I use to take. So I am money ahead. I also had severe acid reflux prior to surgery. That is gone now. I had sleep apnea. I would keep my wife awake at night, all night long because she was a light sleeper, prior to surgery. Several months after surgery, I would find her hovering over my bed at night. I would ask her what she was doing and she said, I was sleeping so silently, that she thought I was dead and she was trying to see if I was still breathing. I had several other conditions as well that went into remission after the surgery. Before you make up your mind about which surgery, it might be good to listen to what your surgeon recommends. Also some insurance companies will pay for one type of surgery but not the other. So it is worth investigating this element. As far as your specific questions: ▪️can you stretch your sleeve/bypass easily? Since I have an issue with portion control, this is a major concern for me. I believe the answer is NO, stretching is a myth. ▪️Is dumping syndrome really helpful or is it not worth it? Helpful ▪️Bypass patients: let's say I can control the Vitamin deficiency issue with supplements and the dumping syndrome issue with cutting out sugar and fats as best I can, do you think it was worth the complications (gallstones, stoma obstruction, etc)? I did not experience complications. Also right after surgery, your body may reject fats and sugars because the part of the stomach that normally processes these has been cut away but as time goes on at about a year, your intestines will realize something is wrong and step up to the plate and your body will again be able to absorb these food types without dumping. I had a major sweet tooth prior to surgery and this contributed to my weight and to my diabetes. So I have to avoid sugars like a plague. I rely on natural no calorie sweeteners (such as stevia) and synthetic sweeteners (such as Splenda) to put the sweetness back into my life.

My eval doctor ask me what's the worse thing about lapband surgery. The answer is death during surgery and complications. He asked me if I had tried other weight loss diets. He also wanted me to explain the surgery technique on how they install the band and where do I think its located. Try and use Youtube for lapband procedures for more information. It was 2 hours long and I got thre 15 minutes early and a 75 questionaire needed to be filled out prior to exam. Best wishes

I like that last statement. So true! Congratulations on your weight loss!! That's amazing. My negative side always seems to take over. I'm not scared of the surgery. I've had several before. I know it is more the complications after if they happen because I'm self pay and I think. "oh Lord, what is something happens and no one will take care of me because I can't afford it and insurance won't pay because they didn't pay for the surgery to begin with.??"... That kind of thinking consumes me. Thank you though. Getting these positive comments helps me so much!! I love this forum and love reading all of the success stories of the people who have made it. God Bless!