Need Advice

[ForeverHopeful 0]

Hi........

I am 70 lbs overweight with other health conditions that would qualify me for banding .I have gained and lost the same 60 or so pounds over and over again. I know how to lose the weight but can not keep it off for any length of time. My primary care doctor is not a fan of Lap Band and thinks that I should just go to a private dietitian . He basically told me that the surgeon and staff will say anything to me because they have a financial interest. I have always respected my doctor's opinion so am now confused about pursuing the surgery. I just feel so tired and want to have lasting success. Has anyone else experienced the same ?

[jennifer1 180]

Years ago I mentioned the surgery to my doctor and her response was "oh sweetie if you eat right and exercise you will lose weight"! ummmmmm why didnt i think of that! ugh!!!!! so needless to say I'm getting banded on the 20th and she has no clue. i got around her cuz i'm self pay..now while she didnt really try to discourage me from doing it, she wasnt exactly the lap band cheerleader. if you have to have a referral from your PCP to start the process for inusurance I would consider changing PCP's and getting a second opinion...Just my 2 cents. Best wishes!

[onikenbai 33]

I've had my band for two years now. I met with the surgeon on Monday and he said that, while he was really excited about banding when it first came out and was all for it as a weight loss option, he is finding that he has to take out about 50% of the bands he puts in. Even if he were exaggerating and he really only takes out 30% of the bands he puts in, that's still a really high failure rate.

I'm not anti-band because it does work for many, but the emerging failure rate is something that you should know about before you go into this. Make sure you discuss your situation with a doctor that has zero financial interest in your decision. A band clinic wants to sell you bands so of course they will tell you what you want to hear. At the very least, consult with a surgeon who does all types of WLS who can give you a more rounded opinion.

[tim h 0]

i would go with the surgery i have got mine done already and im already happy with the results, 45 pounds in 5 weeks!

[Rachel412 116]

I agree that offices have a financial stake in your decision, but there is a HUGE difference in surgical practices. I was involved with one practice 4 years ago and I always felt a little uncomfortable... I didn't feel like they knew me at all, it just seemed like they were making me jump through the hoops but didn't really care about my success. At that time my workplace's insurance covered the band, and I had a lot of co-workers who go it. They all decided after a year that "it doesn't work", I think because they weren't properly prepared for how much THEY were going to have to do. They seemed to eat anything they wanted and then complain that the surgery was a failure and a scam and nobody should ever get it.

My practice now... it felt different from the first info meeting. The actual surgeons and nutritionists were there. The office does all different sorts of surgeries- bypass, LapBand, Realize Band, so they gave their ups & downs of each surgery. I got a big binder chock full of info about the pre-surgery process, and my post-surgery directions. They have free monthly support groups. I can call or email my nutritionist any time if I have questions. I feel like they KNOW me, and I am so comfortable there. My nutritionist came to the hospital to check on me on the day after surgery. I fully feel that they have my best interests at heart.

So my advice is, if you begin to go down this road, trust your gut! If you go to a seminar and start to feel like something isn't clicking, or isn't right with the practice you're in, don't stay!

[gettinthelapbandtogether 1]

When you get in with a reputable clinic, the process is amazing. I am having mine done next tuesday (the 10th) at the Institute for Surgical Weight Loss at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, Florida. They had a G.P Primary Care DR on staff who took care of the referral and my weight trial and everything.

I CAN NOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH!!

A true Institute/Center of Excellence will have people on staff who know what they are doing, and they will also do multiple procedures. Like many have mentioned, the pros/cons of all the procedures were mentioned. There was no advantage to my Dr. letting me get a band; actually he would have made more money off of a bypass.

The next time someone says that diet and exercise alone will work, ask them what you are supposed to do when you fall off the wagon and start to regain? The band is there for permanent accountability. Yes it requires lots of work and it requires discipline, DIET and EXERCISE, but it is that nice and not so gentle reminder at 3 in the morning when you think about going and demolishing that half of a pizza that is still in your refrigerator.

I have lost over 50 lbs twice in my life and gained back more each time. I lost 160 lbs on the Optifast diet only to regain almost 200lbs afterwards!

The lap band is not for everyone, and yes there are failures; there are failures with Gastric Bypass as well.

Has anyone ever asked about or looked into the number of gastric bypass patients now undergoing revisions and getting bands placed on their stretched out pouches? It is happening!

Good luck in the process... I followed every step the Institute here in Pensacola set for me and the insurance approval process was almost a joke because we had done everything right! Do the same; find a great clinic that does WLS exclusively and they will take care of you!

Ben

read about my lapband journey at

benworship.wordpress.com

[cwm812 11]

Hi........

I am 70 lbs overweight with other health conditions that would qualify me for banding .I have gained and lost the same 60 or so pounds over and over again. I know how to lose the weight but can not keep it off for any length of time. My primary care doctor is not a fan of Lap Band and thinks that I should just go to a private dietitian . He basically told me that the surgeon and staff will say anything to me because they have a financial interest. I have always respected my doctor's opinion so am now confused about pursuing the surgery. I just feel so tired and want to have lasting success. Has anyone else experienced the same ?

Your doctor doesn't understand obesity, plain and simple. My story is a lot like yours except I had more weight to lose. I lost 140 lbs with diet, exercise and a private nutritionist! I gained back 160 lbs. Then I kept losing the same 60-80 lbs and gaining them back. I did this for 20 years. All the education in the world will not help. I love my band because it provides the help I need to keep this weight off. The nutritionist won't be there when things fall apart and judging by your past experience, things will fall apart and the yo-yo cycle begins again.

As for the financial stuff....yep, I'm sure the doctor does make money off of placing lap-bands, but surgeons also make money from fixing hernias and taking out gall bladders. We don't let the fact that they make a healthy living stop us from using their services when we need them.

Go to a seminar and research for yourself. A good practice will have your best interests at heart. They like to see their patients succeed. If you get the feeling that it's all about the money...look elsewhere. Good (and honest) surgeons do exist.

Cindy

[MustangMama 2]

I didn't really ask my Dr's opinion on the matter. I went in for an appt. He asked me why I was there... I told him I wanted a referral to see a particular Dr. He asked me if I knew him, I said yes and his next words were... "Let me get the paper and fill it out right now." That was Tuesday afternoon and I just heard from the bariatric surgeon's office about an hour ago. I was real direct on the matter. The way I look at it, my Doctor works for me. If he wants to replace his wishes with my own... there is always another PCM out there. I am not one to live in the Dr's office. I always think whatever ailment I have "will go away" well... when you are diagnosed with something that won't "go away" and you face your mortality head on, you realize a lot of important things. The least of which is if your Dr is ignoring your wishes to further their own agenda its time to find a new Dr.

We have all gained and lost our whole lives. When you are ready to take this step, you know it. I find it offensive when I hear people go to their doctors for help and are told to diet and exercise. Ummmmm.... like, I didn't already think of that!

[Grider 92]

I've had my band for two years now. I met with the surgeon on Monday and he said that, while he was really excited about banding when it first came out and was all for it as a weight loss option, he is finding that he has to take out about 50% of the bands he puts in. Even if he were exaggerating and he really only takes out 30% of the bands he puts in, that's still a really high failure rate.

I'm not anti-band because it does work for many, but the emerging failure rate is something that you should know about before you go into this. Make sure you discuss your situation with a doctor that has zero financial interest in your decision. A band clinic wants to sell you bands so of course they will tell you what you want to hear. At the very least, consult with a surgeon who does all types of WLS who can give you a more rounded opinion.

[Grider 92]

why are they taking the bands OFF?

[wannawearabikini 9]

ForeverHopeful,

I am much like you. I have about 75lbs that I would like to lose. I've lost and gained for the past decade. Does your insurance cover the surgery? Many will not cover it if you don't have a BMI of at least 35 with health issues. In my case, I don't have a BMI of 35 so I am having to pay for it myself. I was told because I am self pay, I don't have to have any Doctor give me "permission." All those hoops you have to jump through are usually for the insurance companies, not for the surgeons. So if you're self pay it's actually a lot easier and so much quicker! I am paying $10,000 and the way I see it is my health,happiness, and self esteem are well worth it! And I am very determined to be one of the success stories, not the failures. Best of luck to you!

[onikenbai 33]

why are they taking the bands OFF?

Erosions, infections, slippage and massive nausea due to unknown causes.

[peacequeen 434]

onikenbai..does your 4 pound weightloss in 2 years have anything to do with why you are mentioning the band removals? I know there are risks and there are issues as you have mentioned but I've also read 1000's...upon 1000's of successes..over years. I haven't been banded or had any surgery..yet..but just sayin...

[onikenbai 33]

It's not really about the fact I haven't lost any weight, it's more about the fact that I have spent the last two years throwing up every single time I eat, unable to reach restriction and starving all the time because all I have been able to eat is Soup, salad and oatmeal. I have not been able to eat proper solid food for years.

I do t want to discourage people from having surgery but clinics tend to gloss over the failure rate in attempt to sell you a product, and people who need surgery are so desperate that they don't question harder.

[peacequeen 434]

That's probably true. I'm sorry you are having so much trouble. Hope things get better for you. Can you have your band removed?