First Post - Angry About Lap Band.

[Skinny_Jill 36]

Charles,

I've had my lapband for 8 months and I love it. I've lost 60 pounds. I eat pretty much anything I want but less of it. I do try to be healthy but I still eat my favorite food as well. I drink carbonated drinks (diet coke and beer), eat bread, Pasta and rice. I exercise at least twice a week. If I only ate the healthy foods then yes I would be at goal by now.

Good luck to you!

Jill

[PennyLane 0]

A lot of this has been covered but I'll add my two cents:

• 3-4 days of clear liquid diet: This will be the same for any weight loss surgery so that the liver is small and retractable.
  
• 0 caffeine for 3 months: Depends on surgeon
  
• 0 carbonated beverages: Jury's out--mine says that the concept of it stretching the pouch may or may not be true but the reason he says to do it is that most carbonated drinks are calorie dense. That being said, a Guinness now and again is fine by him (lower calorie beer, lowest carbonation beer).
  
• 6 weeks of liquid diet: Every surgeon is different, this sounds extreme. Most people seem to be on 2 weeks of full liquids, and this is standard for all weight loss surgeries.
  
• followed by 6 to 12 weeks of shredded food diet: Again, it varies wildly but most seem to be on 2-4 weeks of mushy foods or soft foods, what you've said sounds extreme.
  
• 0 bread
  
• 0 potatoes
  
• 0 high Fiber veggies
  
• 0 fried foods
  
• 0 nuts
  
• 0 fruits with the skin still
  
• 0 steaks and maybe 0 hamburger for some
  

The rest of the foods you've mentioned vary from person to person, it seems. That being said, my surgeon's office takes a conservative approach to fill levels and diets (it seems). My nutritionist said that no one food item should be off the table because it gets stuck in the band--if it does than that's a symptom of not eating properly (taking large bites, not chewing enough) or the band being too tight.

The goal is to achieve adequate weight loss through the restriction of food volume alone, not food item choices. Now, reality can be very different and I'm willing to accept that. I'm also willing to accept a slower rate of weight loss if it means that I still have a wide variety of food items available to me. She says that she only has one Lap Band patient who can't tolerate steak and that person is less than 5 months post op.

Finally, I'm at a loss as to why you'd be angry at the Lap Band in particular. Other weight loss surgeries have the same or more strict pre and post op diets, and more severe consequences for eating foods that aren't tolerated by those methods (Dumping Syndrome for one: Dumping Syndrome: The Dirty Secret Gastric Bypass Patients Keep).

Also, the idea that you can "pretend that I already have one in place and follow a modified version of the diet above. I would achieve the same results without any danger of nasty complications" is great--if diet and exercise work for you long term. For most of us who have this significant amount of weight to lose that's just not the case, and no one really knows why. The Lap Band is a tool that allows your hard work of dieting and exercising pay off and be permanent. It doesn't do the hard work for you, it makes the hard work effective and makes it stick.

[PennyLane 0]

• How many doctors did you speak with choosing one?
  
• Is a lap band like a diamond [forever] or do folks have them for period of time and them have them removed?
  
• What is the rate of expected weight loss for men?
  
• Are most members of this forum women? If so, why?
  
• Will exercise cause the band to slip? [i don't want to give up my lousy golf game, throwing around the kids in the pool, or gardening]
  
• Can anyone recommend doctors in the metro DC area?
  

I can speak to some of those questions, too.

Personally, I looked into three programs and went to seminars at two. I could have gone to many more, but I was happy with the two hospitals I narrowed my focus to.

The lap band is intended to stay in forever, and they say that if removed, patients regain their weight in about 2 years. The "easy" part of weight loss, it turns out, is the loss itself...the real trick is keeping it off which is one of the major "selling points" of weight loss surgery for me.

I don't know about rates of loss for men in particular but I don't think the official line would be much different than for women...they say the healthy rate is 1-2lbs/week, possibly faster at the beginning because of a higher start weight. Now, from what I've seen here and elsewhere that seems kind of slow until you start to approach the goal weight but 1-2lbs/week is the "official" goal from what I understand.

It seems to me that most members here are women, and I couldn't begin to tell you why. Women do gain weight easier and have a harder time losing weight than men do and it's more of a social stigma to be an overweight female than male so maybe there are more female weight loss patients? Maybe it's a male/female personality thing about these kinds of forums? Who knows?

They say that exercise doesn't cause the band to slip. I'm only recently banded so I can't verify that from experience and I'm kind of wary about it myself (I'm thinking more high-stretching things like pilates and yoga), but people swear up and down that it's not going anywhere because of physical activity so I guess I have no choice but to believe them.

Finally, in the DC Metro area, you (we) have a huge number of options, these are just the ones from the top of my head and I know mainly DC and Northern Virginia, not much about Maryland at all:

Center for Obesity Surgery (DC)

GW University Hospital

Georgetown University Hospital

Sibley Hospital

Providence Hospital

INOVA Fair Oaks

INOVA Fairfax

Advanced Weight Loss Solutions (Reston, performs at the INOVA hospitals)

University of Maryland Medical Center (not sure if they do Lap Bands though)

And, it's farther but could be close to you and it's good to know that Johns Hopkins has a center as well.

I considered Providence, GW and Sibley (Providence because it's close to work and GW and Sibley because they, along with Georgetown, are consistently rated the top hospitals in the area--remember it's not ALL about the surgeon, there's anesthesiologists and nurses and lots of other people and factors to consider). I wound up going with Sibley. I have thus far had a great experience (except a mix up with my insurance which is the billing departments fault, not the weight loss surgery program's). I still wonder if having gone with a longer-established program wouldn't have been a better idea just because that's how things are "supposed" to be, but Sibley is a great hospital, the surgeon is great and I got an overall good, and highly involved and attentive feeling from them, which is what I was looking for.

I never even went to Providence (the Catholic hospital) because they made a bad first impression over the phone--seemed very unprofessional and that was that for me. I went to the seminar at GW and was impressed by the program but put off by how large and impersonal it was--the surgeons weren't even there but at Sibley the surgeon was the one conducting the seminar. I didn't know about the place in Reston until I'd already made up my mind and I do wish I'd looked into them--it looks like a great program and while I'm very happy with Sibley it would have been nice to at least have a look.

If you're even considering any sort of weight loss surgery, attending a few seminars at different area hospitals is a very good idea. You don't have to commit to anything--just go and see what it's all about.

[themis 0]

Charles,

You should do a bit of shopping for doctors.. one of the things that you will read in here, is that different doctors suggest different things. It seems your list is a synopsis of all those things combined.

I just had a long chat with my doc about all this yesterday, basically rumors verses facts...

I will be banded in a matter of weeks so I wanted to start stocking my house with the 'right' things.

The biggest change for me is medication for the first 6 weeks. He said, crushed, chewed or liquid only. (i.e.: pain reliever)

But pre-op... is 14 day low carb

Post op- is a transformation diet basically, for 4 weeks, you go from liquid to mushy to solid. You need to get used to it... and gradually work your way to solids.

He said you can eat anything (peanuts, steaks whatever) as long as you chew, chew, chew.

The main thing to remember is you want to get the most out of the food that you eat. You need to have Protein, so if you are going to get full quickly, you want to make sure you eat the good stuff first.

Just keep reading in the forum and make sure your doctor works with you on your concerns.

[StLouisGal 1]

Charles,

Have you been to a seminar or support group for the doctor that you are considering. That is the best way to get a feel for how your surgeon works. Talking to others at a support group will help you understand how the band works.

I did not have a pre-op diet, was on liquids for 10 days, mushies for 2 weeks and then started adding foods one at a time to see what I could tolerate. There are some foods I choose not to eat because they either cause a problem (get stuck) or I really don't crave them and why waste the calories. I find that I can eat small amounts of most of my favorite foods. This has been a great tool to help me lose the weight I have stuggled with all my adult life.

The article you read has some mis-information but it did serve to help you really think about the sacrifices you will have to make if you get banded. The band is not a magic bullet, you still have to work at losing the weight. You are going to have to use the "E" word occasionally (exercise) and you are going to have to watch what you eat very carefully for the first few months until you get a feel for what works and what doesn't. If you want the band to fail, it is pretty easy, eat ice cream, shakes, a lot of juices, etc. My doctor says no carbonation or coconut forever. Let me tell you, I was a Coca cola addict. I love the stuff. Coke doesn't taste anywhere near as good as being able to climb a mountain with my family instead of waiting at the bottom for them to come back down. If you want the band to work the way it is designed you will be willing to make the small sacrifices required to make it work.

Good luck in your search for the right answer for you. It is a very personal decision. I wish you the best.:biggrin:

[OH Juli 15]

Charles

I suppose I'm an old timer at this point as I was banded in 07.

Seems like you've gotten an ear full, I won't add to what has been said aside from I eat pretty much everything in moderation. There are few things I don't such as grapes because chewing the skins are a pain in the butt. Skins on peppers, apples and potatoes tend to be tricky.

All the simple white carbs go down, but only a bit at a time and they don't fuel me well so I avoid them.

I think you find more women than men on this forum because men don't engage in weight loss as much as women and they don't generally need the community support like women do. You'd probably find the same ratios at a Weight Watcher's meeting.

Good luck to you,

Please use LBT to determine what's right for you.

[jjsmiles 3]

Hi Charles,

I echo OhJuli - I was banded in September of 07. I can and do eat everything on your list, including steak, potatoes, Pasta, high Fiber veggies (asparagus is one of my favorites). I have very occasionally had trouble with some foods, but I think it is mainly due to too big of a bite or not chewing enough. If I have trouble one day, the next I don't.

I don't really drink alcohol, but I have had a couple of soda's in the last year - they tend to give me the burps and make me feel quite full in the chest if I drink too fast, but that is the extent of my problems with it.

I am not doing low carb, but I am careful to eat high density, complex, low glycemic index carbs for the most part (whole wheat, unrefined, veggies, fruit, etc).

If you do decide on the band, one of the things you find is there are as many opinions about what to eat, when, what not to eat, when, how much, pre-op, etc as there are people out there. One or 3 articles are not gospel (haven't we yet learned from the eggs kill you, eggs are the perfect Protein debate?). You need to make decisions on lots of information, and then form your own opinions.

It can be really frustrating to get such conflicting information, but just remember that the lap band is ultimately meant to be a tool to help you to learn to eat in a healthy manner that can last for a lifetime. I would have never "bought" into anything that told me I "couldn't" eat every day food ever again.

If nothing else, look at my ticker and you can see that I am a successful loser and I eat everything in moderation.

Good luck in your decisions and in your journey.

[CMF 0]

The "band" is not out of the question. I see it as a last alternative. This is only second serious attempt to loose weight on my part and I have motivators that I did not have when I was younger.

Again, thank you all for your support.

Charles

[LovingWhatIs 0]

:sad: If your problem with Dr. Eric Pinnar's practice, I totally am not intending to invalidate it with this post - not everyone is a match for every doctor. But I wanted to post this recent FANTASTIC experience I had with Dr. Eric Pinnar and his staff, as well as a continuing great experience with the practice - Advanced Weight Loss Solutions :: Home

I had some severe belly button area pain a couple weeks ago and thought it might be my Port. Went to the emergency room. The staff there contacted Eric. He and his AMAZING PA Phil dropped everything they were doing (it was a Saturday and they were involved in family events) and came to the hospital.

Eric realized it was my appendix and removed the offending organ (unfortunately the damn thing didn't weight 40 pounds!)

Then he dropped everything Sunday Night to help me out with getting an early discharge. He is amazing. And I don't have insurance and he has been remarkable in putting my mind at ease about that, and that we will work it out.

Here is what I also love about their practice... They spare NO expense in offering the best technology in the practice. They have an exray machine there to do barium swallows immediately when indicated which is so important and they CHARGE ME NOTHING FOR IT. Nor is there ever a charge for a fill. Also, I had a band slip, the early barium swallow caught it, and they were able to correct it by unfilling, very successfully contrary to what often happens where it is caught long after.

Also, they have two FANTASTIC PA's, Phil and Kellie, so I can get an appointment almost any day I need to come in.

They also have this cool body picture scanner (looks like a tanning booth), that scans your body silhouette periodically and actually see the progress you are making - this is GREAT especially when we get discouraged.

This equipment cost a fortune. Eric is also organizing a bicycling group for us, has a clothing exchange program and all kinds of other stuff. I get that he cares deeply, feeling incredibly supported and never like a pest.

[Lady Lap Band 71]

I have not closed the door on the option and that is why I am posting here. I'm been on a low carb diet for about three months [give or take] and have lost about 25 lbs. I added the weight tracker thingy to my signature to see how well I can do without the lap band. A couple of follow-up questions:

• How many doctors did you speak with choosing one?
  
• Is a lap band like a diamond [forever] or do folks have them for period of time and them have them removed?
  
• What is the rate of expected weight loss for men?
  
• Are most members of this forum women? If so, why?
  
• Will exercise cause the band to slip? [i don't want to give up my lousy golf game, throwing around the kids in the pool, or gardening]
  
• Can anyone recommend doctors in the metro DC area?
  

Thanks for your patience.

Charles

To answer your 2nd question....At first I was set on Lap Band, then I started to wonder if gastric would be better. So I asked my surgeon...he said that gastric is not reversible and that I could never do another weight loss treatment because of that. He said if I do Lap Band and in 15 years if they come up with a way to help people control their weight without a device, I could have the lap band removed and do that instead. But like I said I wouldn't be eligible with gastric. So you can get it out if you want!

[food expert 1]

:sad: If your problem with Dr. Eric Pinnar's practice, I totally am not intending to invalidate it with this post - not everyone is a match for every doctor. But I wanted to post this recent FANTASTIC experience I had with Dr. Eric Pinnar and his staff, as well as a continuing great experience with the practice - Advanced Weight Loss Solutions :: Home

I had some severe belly button area pain a couple weeks ago and thought it might be my Port. Went to the emergency room. The staff there contacted Eric. He and his AMAZING PA Phil dropped everything they were doing (it was a Saturday and they were involved in family events) and came to the hospital.

Here is what I also love about their practice... They spare NO expense in offering the best technology in the practice. They have an exray machine there to do barium swallows immediately when indicated which is so important and they CHARGE ME NOTHING FOR IT. Nor is there ever a charge for a fill. Also, I had a band slip, the early barium swallow caught it, and they were able to correct it by unfilling, very successfully contrary to what often happens where it is caught long after.

Also, they have two FANTASTIC PA's, Phil and Kellie, so I can get an appointment almost any day I need to come in.

They also have this cool body picture scanner (looks like a tanning booth), that scans your body silhouette periodically and actually see the progress you are making - this is GREAT especially when we get discouraged.

This equipment cost a fortune. Eric is also organizing a bicycling group for us, has a clothing exchange program and all kinds of other stuff. I get that he cares deeply, feeling incredibly supported and never like a pest.

I bet you don't love Dr. Eric Pinnar so much anymore now that he packed up shop, broke his contract with you as well as his promise for free follow up care! Do you still think he cares deeply for you??? I don't. I'm mad. He took our money and abandoned us. So what are you going to do now???