Thinking Of Lapband-Have Lots Of Questions

[Florida Geezer 0]

Hi I need info before I can make a decision to get "banded". I am about 220 lbs and 5' 3". I am a female age 67. May I hear from those of you who have had the surgery, the pros and cons? Does it eliminate hunger? Is your diet dramatically different? Is it easy to eat less? Do you have health benefits? If so what kind. What problems do you have. Who would you recommend for the surgery in the Tampa Bay area? How long does it take to start losing weight? Is thee a lot of follow up? Does the band have to be adjusted? Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

[TKW 501]

LOL... wow

Does it emiminate hunger - physical hunger, yes helps greatly, head hunger - that's a different story.

Is my diet different - well yes, but I can pretty much eat anything. It's more different because I had to choose to eat healthier and cut sweets, carbs and fat from my diet. I can honestly say, I don't miss anything.

Yes, it is easy for me to eat less, much... much easier.

Blood pressure normal, colesterol normal, blood sugars normal. Joints don't hurt and I have so much more energy. Life is great and I still have a ways to go.

I started loosing weight from the get go. I had restriction right away but a lot of people don't. I consistantly lost 10 - 12 pounds a month for the first 8 months. Now it is a little harder but still losing

Personally... I think follow up is one of the keys to success. They say the people who usually fail are the people who don't do the followups with their Dr.

Some people never need an adjustment. I know of a couple who never had a one... however, that is pretty rare I think.

Hope my answers helped. It is very very different for everyone. Go to an informational meeting at your hospital. You can get lots of good info/answers there.

Best of Luck

[NurseLydsss 59]

Check out this website, It will teach you a lot you need to know

http://all-about-lapband.com/

[sassylady662002 0]

Newbie we are in the same boat.. ( mine tad bigger 284lb 5'!) I am nerveous about asking my insurance to pay for it .. I know i need to get over that.. I have paid health insurance for years.

My questions-

--If Insurane doesnt pay.. and i dont want to get a load..how much would surgery cauase. I know i would still have followup visits and medication.. just looking for a ball park.

--Some one mentioned get the band tightened- why is that needed what happens internally

--in most cases how many until you can get out of bed and do light things. do i need 6 weeks of sick leave

Thousands more questions to come im sure

[sassylady662002 0]

ok.. i found some of my answers....

[NYC_gal 0]

Your portions will be dramatically reduced. You lose weight immediately as long as you follow the diet plan they give you post surgery. Since it starts with liquids, then thicker liquids, then soft foods and so on.... most people will lose a good portion of weight right away. By the time of my first doctor follow up (about 2 weeks or so after surgery?) I lost 18 lbs right off the bat.

Your band will need to be adjusted...the band isn't very tight once its placed. It may take many visits to determine at what adjustment you are comfortable at. My doctor pretty much used me as a science experiment and despite loosing weight at a good pace, he would tighten my band to speed things along so that I would be more in pace with his gastric bypass patients.... not right at all, but that's part of the reason why my surgery was so unsuccessful.

Another reason why (this would be a big, big con!)...it wasn't explained to me that when the band is placed, it basically tightens around nerves running through your body, around your stomach and the exact area the band is in. This wasn't mentioned at all... by anyone. It could affect a patient.... it could not... its all the luck of the draw! I wasn't very lucky and my surgery resulted in terrible pain and nerve damage in my shoulder. In my opinion, its a very big risk that IF I had known about it, I would not have considered this surgery.

newbie 2- As far as recovery goes, mine was terrible... I have absolutely no clue why. I wasn't able to comfortably get in and out of bed until about 3 weeks. The shoulder pain I had (from the nerves being irritated) came on immediately. The second I woke up! It was excruciating and when I complained about it, it was dismissed as "gas bubbles" that is very common after surgery. Well, mine never went away! I was told, even months and months later that I still had gas bubbles from the surgery. Yeah...not true at all.

When my band was removed, I was up and around within 2 days!

I'm not sure how much the surgery cost, as my insurance covered it. I think its in the $10,000+ range.

All in all, not trying to scare anyone.... I guess I wish I would have waited or held out and tried one more thing before getting the band. I've been happily without it since last July (:

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

the pros and cons? -I honestly can't think of any cons. I've had my band for 8 months and absolutely love it. It's the best decision I've ever made for myself. I've lost 143 pounds in 8 months and I'm positively thrilled with my progress so far.

Does it eliminate hunger? -not eliminate it but it does greatly reduce it

Is your diet dramatically different? -yes, I eat healthy now.

Is it easy to eat less? -yes, it's a lot easier, especially when I'm no longer hungry after very little food

Do you have health benefits? If so what kind. -I feel better than I have in years. 8 months ago, I was using a cane to walk and could barely make it to a grocery store door from a handicapped space. Now, I'm walking a couple miles a night with ease. My blood pressure was borderline high, now it's normal.

What problems do you have. -with my band? zero. no problems whatsoever.

How long does it take to start losing weight? -everyone is different and that's totally in your control. It all depends on how willing you are to change your eating habits and stick to band sized portions. I have consistently lost weight ever since surgery.

Is thee a lot of follow up? -My doctor wants to see me monthly for the first year. I'm more than happy to do that as he's very supportive of me and offers great guidance. I firmly believe following up my doctor regularly has helped me be successful.

Does the band have to be adjusted? -yes, saline has to be added until it's adequate to control hunger.

[lassie 247]

I am also in my sixties, love my band. Banded May 24th. I am not as hunger, I have had the band filled once and seem to be doing fine with losing, ( slowly but still losing ) I wish I had it done sooner. Everyone I am sure is different please go in to it with an open mind and learn all you can. Get your own info from your doctor. God bless

[VictoriousPassion 64]

Your portions will be dramatically reduced. You lose weight immediately as long as you follow the diet plan they give you post surgery. Since it starts with liquids' date=' then thicker liquids, then soft foods and so on.... most people will lose a good portion of weight right away. By the time of my first doctor follow up (about 2 weeks or so after surgery?) I lost 18 lbs right off the bat.

Your band will need to be adjusted...the band isn't very tight once its placed. It may take many visits to determine at what adjustment you are comfortable at. My doctor pretty much used me as a science experiment and despite loosing weight at a good pace, he would tighten my band to speed things along so that I would be more in pace with his gastric bypass patients.... not right at all, but that's part of the reason why my surgery was so unsuccessful.

Another reason why (this would be a big, big con!)...it wasn't explained to me that when the band is placed, it basically tightens around nerves running through your body, around your stomach and the exact area the band is in. This wasn't mentioned at all... by anyone. It could affect a patient.... it could not... its all the luck of the draw! I wasn't very lucky and my surgery resulted in terrible pain and nerve damage in my shoulder. In my opinion, its a very big risk that IF I had known about it, I would not have considered this surgery.

newbie 2- As far as recovery goes, mine was terrible... I have absolutely no clue why. I wasn't able to comfortably get in and out of bed until about 3 weeks. The shoulder pain I had (from the nerves being irritated) came on immediately. The second I woke up! It was excruciating and when I complained about it, it was dismissed as "gas bubbles" that is very common after surgery. Well, mine never went away! I was told, even months and months later that I still had gas bubbles from the surgery. Yeah...not true at all.

When my band was removed, I was up and around within 2 days!

I'm not sure how much the surgery cost, as my insurance covered it. I think its in the 10,000+ range.

All in all, not trying to scare anyone.... I guess I wish I would have waited or held out and tried one more thing before getting the band. I've been happily without it since last July (:[/quote']

Please don't take this as being rude, but could the problems you had been from the surgeon and not the band? Because I don't know why he would want you to be on track with a gastric bypass patient. I'm so sorry you experienced these problems. How are you doing now?

Current pre-op wt 344

[VictoriousPassion 64]

the pros and cons? -I honestly can't think of any cons. I've had my band for 8 months and absolutely love it. It's the best decision I've ever made for myself. I've lost 143 pounds in 8 months and I'm positively thrilled with my progress so far.

Does it eliminate hunger? -not eliminate it but it does greatly reduce it

Is your diet dramatically different? -yes' date=' I eat healthy now.

Is it easy to eat less? -yes, it's a lot easier, especially when I'm no longer hungry after very little food

Do you have health benefits? If so what kind. -I feel better than I have in years. 8 months ago, I was using a cane to walk and could barely make it to a grocery store door from a handicapped space. Now, I'm walking a couple miles a night with ease. My blood pressure was borderline high, now it's normal.

What problems do you have. -with my band? zero. no problems whatsoever.

How long does it take to start losing weight? -everyone is different and that's totally in your control. It all depends on how willing you are to change your eating habits and stick to band sized portions. I have consistently lost weight ever since surgery.

Is thee a lot of follow up? -My doctor wants to see me monthly for the first year. I'm more than happy to do that as he's very supportive of me and offers great guidance. I firmly believe following up my doctor regularly has helped me be successful.

Does the band have to be adjusted? -yes, saline has to be added until it's adequate to control hunger.[/quote']

Thank you for sharing this! It's more motivating to hear you are more mobile than ever!

Current pre-op wt 344

[NYC_gal 0]

Please don't take this as being rude, but could the problems you had been from the surgeon and not the band? Because I don't know why he would want you to be on track with a gastric bypass patient. I'm so sorry you experienced these problems. How are you doing now?

Current pre-op wt 344

My original troubles with not finding a comfortable zone were from my first surgeon, absolutely.

The excruciating nerve pain I experienced? That's a roll of the dice. My surgeon who removed my band explained that some people experience it, some people don't. Its part of the risks of that surgery. If you felt it, you too would agree that its not at all worth it. My shoulder still gets little hints of pain, but very infrequently now. I also have what I call "phantom pains" lol from the largest incision on my stomach. My second surgeon (the good one lol) said I had a ton of scar tissue there.

Overall, I'm feeling good. Not being able to keep the lapband really devastated me, but I found new ways to lose the weight that are working for me.

[cheryl2586 3,053]

First I would see if you would qualify that is where you need to start. Go to a seminar or something.

[hbrhonda 108]

I am assuming you want advice. Skip the band and go straight to sleeve. Just go peek at the thread of "band to sleeve revision". I personally dont know anyone 5 years out that still have their band. I lost great in the beginning too with my band. But only for one year then nothing. Well slowly, very slowly started to gain. Maybe 1-2 lbs a month. Then maybe 3 or 4 lbs on vacation.

With band you are constantly chasing the "sweet spot" where you aren't too tight or too loose. The sleeve eliminates all that. Just food for thought. If I had to do it over again, I would have skipped all the band drama, sliming and fills.

Best of Luck, in your decision and process. Keep us posted <3