Anyone wake up to find they had an "open" lapband surgery?

[delo 1]

pbpunisher, where in sw michigan do you live, I live in kalamazoo

[Sades 4]

Sades, I was but, just wanted the same ease as when it was placed. Had lap going in, thought I would have lap coming out.

I can understand that. I had mine replaced last week and I had visions of waking up with all sorts of problems. Sorry you had to go through that. No chance of a new band further down the track?

[Sades 4]

No I wasn't, he didn't mention it at all.

Well it must have been a shock waking up to it for sure. Sorry about your dilemma. Hopefully after you've lost 100 lbs it will be just a distant memory!

[rxsweety 0]

when you had your liver function test how where your levels ast and alt?How long did you stay in the hospital

[mrshobo 0]

pb punisher, thank you. I was having problems. I only had the band three months before it was removed.

[baby ruth 1]

I was fortunate enough to have my laproscopic. Open surgery was my biggest fear because I have already had that same insicion once when I had to have an emergency spleenectomy. I was scared that there would be too much scar tissue from that surgery to do it laproscopic.

But I wanted this band so bad I was willing to endure it all over again.

I feel your pain, the recovery is much longer and you are much more limited in what you can do after surgery.

But hang in there, it will be worth it in the end. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Ruth

[flowers 0]

I was told the number of incisions depends on how many the doctor needs to see everything, more if you weigh more. I never was told it was even possible to have a open incision all the way down.

Iv been upset that my main incision is 3 inches long when I was lead to expect it would be about 1 inch.

You dont look like you weigh all that much from your BMI, so I have to say Id have been surprised and upset in your case.

I still feel like Im recoving, draggy, cant breath deep, ribs bruised etc.

[singledad167 0]

pbpunisher, where in sw michigan do you live, I live in kalamazoo

I live in St. Joseph, right on the lake, about an hour west of you.

[delo 1]

pbpunisher, that is where we hit a deer on I-94, in St. Joe.

[shannongetsslim 0]

So yea I woke up to an open surgery. I was warned and also did not have a pre op diet. Now I wish I had done a diet prior to surgery.

My family sat in the waiting room, waiting and waiting. No one came and told them anything, and when they asked, everyone looked clueless. Finally the Doc came out and said they had to convert me to an open surgery. MY family was worried, because nothing else was said. Finally four and a half hours later, what was supposed to be a 45 min surgery was over.

In recovery they let my mother and fiance in. My mom didn't tell me she just cried, and my fiance told me they had to open me up. I didn't understand right at first, then it sunk it when I saw the clock and noticed 5 hours had gone by. I had to stay the night in the hospital I hadn't thought that was going to happen, so I wasn't prepared. My fiance stayed with me to help me get out of bed and help me go to the washroom. I walked as much as I could, hooked up to an IV and on way too much pain medication. Now I can't remember if I was in pain or not. My surgery was May 30th.

I went home the next day and spent the next 4 weeks recovery. I was only supposed to be off of my new job as a nurse for 9 days. Thank goodness work was supportive and so was my family and friends.

So now, almost completely healed, as one part stayed open longer due to my weight being mostly in my belly I am feeling a lot better. I wouldn't have changed it for the world, and am so glad I have this band. However looking at my belly and my large incision just makes me realize how unhealthy I was/am at 29. So now with a belly that looks like it was split like a fish I am more determined than ever to use this band of mine to the best of my abilities.

Sorry you had to go through it pb, I felt like I was the only one at times, and was so pissed off at the world, now having been through it I am the better for it. Just take it slow and don't rush give yourself the time to heal, mentally and physically.

[Jillbeme65 1]

So yea I woke up to an open surgery. I was warned and also did not have a pre op diet. Now I wish I had done a diet prior to surgery.

My family sat in the waiting room, waiting and waiting. No one came and told them anything, and when they asked, everyone looked clueless. Finally the Doc came out and said they had to convert me to an open surgery. MY family was worried, because nothing else was said. Finally four and a half hours later, what was supposed to be a 45 min surgery was over.

In recovery they let my mother and fiance in. My mom didn't tell me she just cried, and my fiance told me they had to open me up. I didn't understand right at first, then it sunk it when I saw the clock and noticed 5 hours had gone by. I had to stay the night in the hospital I hadn't thought that was going to happen, so I wasn't prepared. My fiance stayed with me to help me get out of bed and help me go to the washroom. I walked as much as I could, hooked up to an IV and on way too much pain medication. Now I can't remember if I was in pain or not. My surgery was May 30th.

I went home the next day and spent the next 4 weeks recovery. I was only supposed to be off of my new job as a nurse for 9 days. Thank goodness work was supportive and so was my family and friends.

So now, almost completely healed, as one part stayed open longer due to my weight being mostly in my belly I am feeling a lot better. I wouldn't have changed it for the world, and am so glad I have this band. However looking at my belly and my large incision just makes me realize how unhealthy I was/am at 29. So now with a belly that looks like it was split like a fish I am more determined than ever to use this band of mine to the best of my abilities.

Sorry you had to go through it pb, I felt like I was the only one at times, and was so pissed off at the world, now having been through it I am the better for it. Just take it slow and don't rush give yourself the time to heal, mentally and physically.

how long is your incision ?

[shannongetsslim 0]

Well I have five 1inch incisions from the laperscopic try. I have one 3 inch where my port went and another 8inch vertical incision just below my port incision to just above my belly button.

[SeattleSweetie 5]

I was banded on the 7/14. When I woke up from surgery I found an incision from just below my breast bone to my belly button. The doctor said because of the size of my liver they could not do the surgery laproscopically and had to do an open surgery. I was not expecting this, and will require much more recovery time, which I had not planned on and was expected to be back to work next week, but I doubt I'll be able to return. I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced this.

I woke up from surgery to find I didn't have a band at ALL because my liver was too big.

My doctor was considering doing an open surgery, but didn't want to go so drastic since I'm still pretty young. He put me on a 6-week low carb diet instead, and when I went back to try surgery again, it went great. He said the diet reduced my liver by more than 50%.

He had photos of my liver from both surgeries. The first, it was like a big huge floppy steak. Just laying there. He couldn't hardly move it at all. The second surgery it was way smaller and he took photos of it being lifted up and turned partially over and of all the extra space there was.

Anyway, this is probably way more than you wanted to know...

[SeattleSweetie 5]

That was wrong of the doctor, not warning you, since it is always a possibility with any lapband surgery. You should have been informed.

Yep, agreed.

Congratulations on being banded now though, PB! I'm sorry that your experience wasn't what you thought it would be, but I'm still happy for you that you got a band.

[Bea1128 1]

Paul - I'm really sorry you had to have an open surgery. I know it was a disappointment due to the longer healing time, etc. But the good news is you're finally a bandster! I know you've been waiting a long time for this. Congrats! I wish you a very speedy recovery!