Death Rates...

[alley-gator 96]

So I am new here, but know after much research I am doing lap band with plication. Tonight I went to my seminar even though I already made my choice, and she said that the death rates were 1 in 2000. I know that sometimes these surgeries are performed on very sick, end of the line patients who need help and that skews the numbers, but this really freaks me out. I am still going to go through with surgery after my 6 month diet is over, but 1/2000 feels like a huge risk to take . I really don't want to leave my family behind, I mean, isn't that the reason we are doing this to begin with?

It doesn't help that I had a dream a couple nights ago that I the grimm reaper came down and got my soul from surgery and I died.

Ugh, I know its responsible to know the risk, but I almost wish I didnt!

[PandorasBox92264 61]

Why don't you just look at the Lap Band alone? Just curious.

[fericito 138]

Just wanted to say, I get banded in two days. I've known several people who've been through it ok but even with that, the closer I get, the little more nervous I'm feeling. Had an appt with the dr. yesterday for my rx's and he asked if I had any questions. I said "Am I going to live through this?" He started to laugh and said "Of all the things to worry about, that's your big worry?" And I explained that it really was. Not nervous about life after - just unsettled for some reason - I think because this is my first surgery I'm choosing. He's been doing lapband for many years and told me he'd never lost a patient. He's only had one patient that had a stroke and she lived (blood pressure issues) and is even still banded. He really and truly reassured me and I know it'll be ok. If I don't do this I'm going to die young or have severe complications anyway which are a lot more likely than 1/2000. So for me, it's worth the risk. I hope you find some peace about it.

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

That is the correct statistic, 1 in 2000. However, you have to take into consideration the fact we're obese. A lot of us are in horrible health when we decide to have this surgery- heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc. The risk is going to be greater by default because of that.

Also keep in mind, the mortality rate for Gastric Bypass is 1 in 250. By comparison, the Lap Band is MUCH MUCH safer.

And one final thought: I don't have a statistic, but I am more than sure the risk of premature death because obesity related health issues is likely higher than the risk of Gastric Bypass or the Lap Band.

[scorrea 95]

My doctor also told me that it was a safe surgery. Well with the usual risks that surgery does entail. We are much more likely to develop health issues if we do not lose the weight. I was also told how many years I would be adding onto my life by doing this.

Know the risks, do your homework, it still is a bit nerve wracking, but when you are sure, you will know what the best choice is for yourself.

Good luck!!

[Sojourner 2,446]

All surgery has some risk factors...and being obese and not loosing weight also has risk factors. I don't have any hard statistics, but we all know someone who has high blood pressure, arthritis, heart disease, and the list goes on...

The odds are well in your favor to have a fast and uncomplicated recovery. It is totally normal to have pre op anxiety...especially if you have not had any previous surgery.

Have faith in the expertise of your surgeon and his surgical team. The band was my second abdominal surgery...and it was a (pardon the choice of words...) cake walk compared to my first surgery.

Keep us posted on your progress...Best wishes.

[Cazzy 725]

The mortality rates from Obesity related illnesses far outweigh those of surgery.. The lapband has a great safety record, i was 400lbs when i started this journey and 56 yrs old, if anyone was going to die on an operating table i was a good candidate, but here i am over 200lbs lighter and just been through 11 hours of cosmetic surgery in one operation, and i never felt better.

Its easy to sit thinking that we wont survive, but u wont survive being obese either, instead of keep thinking what if i die what if i die, try and think ... but what if i live

[bandbun 9]

The mortality rates from Obesity related illnesses far outweigh those of surgery.. The lapband has a great safety record, i was 400lbs when i started this journey and 56 yrs old, if anyone was going to die on an operating table i was a good candidate, but here i am over 200lbs lighter and just been through 11 hours of cosmetic surgery in one operation, and i never felt better.

Its easy to sit thinking that we wont survive, but u wont survive being obese either, instead of keep thinking what if i die what if i die, try and think ... but what if i live

We all get scared at some point during this process, once its all over then, from what ive read on here, people then get scared band will slip, or they wont lose weight etc etc, seems like we find things to worry about a lot !

[alley-gator 96]

I totally know its a safe surgery with less complications then most others. I know all of the logical things that you great ladies have told me are true but that doesnt stop the irrational part of your brain from being scared.

I've had 13 surgeries to date, and 1 was abdominal which was gallbladder. Of all my surgeries that was the hardest...I ended right back up in the er a few hours later, sick as a dog. Maybe that plays into my fear, knowing I have to deal with that again. The gas pain is absolutely terrible for me. I am sure many of us say that!

To answer your question Pandora... It isn't the band procedure or plication that is freaking me out. I chose the banded plication because while bypass and sleeve are just too drastic for me, I am totally fine having a few stitches thrown in. In fact, I like that in many cases bandster hell can be eliminated because of the instant restriction it creates. Also it lessens the chance of a slip, and I like that.

I saw a post earlier about intense vomiting and the band....that does worry me, as I do get bugs/flu and get pretty intense vomiting at times. Do you just get an unfilled or....? How hard can you really vomit before causing a slip?

[Cazzy 725]

You will find that as u begin to get healtheir and lose weight and not be eating junk food etc etc , u wont be anywhere near as prone to catching bugs /flu than u were believe me

Bands do not slip that often, and mostly its due to sustained vomiting/regurtitation over a much longer period of time than a short illness, bands can slip with a bad bout of vomiting, but its more likely because the band is too tight and there is a longer history of regurgitating food on a regular basis .

[alley-gator 96]

That's good to know cazzy thanks for the info!

Sometimes its hard to process all this info I am ready while gathering research, or apply it to myself because I'm not banded yet.

[wildrose1966 396]

One of my first questions at my consultation was if anyone had died in thier clinic............we all go there sometime.

[GodsTyro 63]

Hey- I am new to the boards, just recently actually had my first appointment to go thru the lap band and this was actually a big concern for me (not neccessarily death, but just everything when it comes to risk.) The Lap band surgery is not something to take lightly, it is after all a surgery of the stomach and is not considered a "minor" surgery.

With that said however, out of ALL the surgeries for the lap band it is the only one that is the least extensive. It is the only one that you can do as outpatient as well. I am going thru True Results here in Phoenix, AZ and one of the things they give to you first appointment is a book called "The Lap-Band Solution- A partnership for weight loss" by Paul O'briend MD." I HIGHLY recommend picking up this book if you have not read it for several reasons:

It gives a look into the lap band, whether you want to know more about it, have decided to go thru it, or just in general want more information concerning it. It talks not just about what to expect in detail with the lap band but the difference between the lap band and other surgeries and weight-loss options. It also brings up the risk factors (like death that you mentioned). A LOT of my questions that I needed answered were answered with this book and given me the ability to decide to go thru with the lap band.

It is important to remember that the Lap Band, though it is there to help, it is still surgery and no surgery comes without risk. Below though, I wrote up the excerpt on the "Death" portion from this book because it is VERY important to see that I think for you. Please remember this is a book from True Results so this is assuming the lap band group you are with is the same (safe etc)

Excerpt on Death from book:

"Any stomach operation for obesity is major sugery and carries with it the risks that would go with any complex operation. People have died from having operations for morbid obesity- it happens rarely with LAP-BAND placement, but we can never take away the risk compoletely. If you are older and if you already have certain diseases due to your obesity, or if you are otherwise unwell, you will be at greater risk.

Deaths associates with obesity surgery occur mostly because of heart attacks after the operation, clots passing to the lungs or infection due to the breakdown of some part of the stomach wall. The LAP-BAND has been shown to be very much safer than the stapling operations, but still death is possible. If we look at the figures for LAP-BAND placement across the world there has been about one death for every 2,000 to 3,000 people who have the procedure. This is less than 1/10 of the risk of death associated with gastric bypass or biliopancreatic diversion. For a death to occur, multiple things have to have gone wrong and to have gone wrong in a particular sequence.

Firstly, it is extremely unlikely that anyone would die while under anesthesia. Our patients probably worry about this possibility the most and yet it almost never happens. Today, the knowledge base of anesthesia, the training and quality of our anesthestists and the prescence of sophisticated monitoring systems make having an anesthetic very much safer than 50 or even 10 years ago.

If someone did die after a LAP-BAND procedure, a series of technical errors usually would have taken place. The surgeon would have to have made a mistake, not recognized what error occurred, not recognized that you were becoming unwell, not thought of the possible causes nor the investigations needed in response, and not treated the problem correctly. That is not just one error, but a whole series of errors that all line up into one path.

Nevertheless, you must minimize this risk by ensuring that your surgeon is well trained, has extensive experience, publishes or can make available to you his or her outcome data and can show you a track record of being safe. The placement of the LAP-BAND is very safe when done properly but its potential risks are higher when the surgeon is not well trained or proficient.

In the 17 years of personal experience with the band and many thousands of people treated through our (True Results) clinic, we have never lost anyone. We intend to keep it that way."

I hope the above helped in calming your fears dealing with the LAP BAND results.

-Mary-

[Latrelljayden 4]

Mary, that was AWESOME!!! I had my surgery 2 weeks ago and that still made me feel great! Thank you so much for sharing that.

[GodsTyro 63]

Mary' date=' that was AWESOME!!! I had my surgery 2 weeks ago and that still made me feel great! Thank you so much for sharing that. <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />[/quote']

Thanks :-) I know that was very helpful to calm my fears, so I can imagine it would be the same or others too. Congrats on the start of your new journey! Hope it's going well!