Questions About Lap Band

FRECKLES3 · June 27, 2005

I Have Been Researching The Lap Band Procedure For A While Now And I Have Also Been On Here Almost Everyday Reading Through The Discussions. I Have A Couple Of Questions If Anyone Would Like To Answer These.

1. Is It Easy To Just Go Back To Overeating/not Exercising And Not Lose Anything With The Band? Or Do You Actually Feel A Difference With The Band...more Restriction?

2. I Have Heard With The Bypass, People Can Have Alot Of Excess Skin Due To How Quickly You Loose The Weight...has Anyone Experienced This With The Lap Band?

3. Anyone Had Lap Band And Then Experienced Pregnancy? If So, Did You Have Any Complications?

Thanks To Anyone Who Responds

princess_n_thep · June 27, 2005

1. No it is not easy. It is nearly impossible. It is easy to not exercise, that you must work at. Yes, you definitely feel a difference with the band.

2. Some people have extra skin. I think it depends on the person, the elasticity of their skin, how much weight they lose, genetics, how you take care of your skin as you lose weight, etc. However, I do think that because the weight loss is WAY more gradual than Gbypass the excess skin issue is lessened.

3. Several people here on LBT have had babies and have the band. In the top blue bar on the top of the page do a search for some key words you are looking for and surf the posts. It will be very helpful. As far as I know, they did just great.

Good luck, hope this helped!

Julie_Dizz · June 28, 2005

I Have Been Researching The Lap Band Procedure For A While Now And I Have Also Been On Here Almost Everyday Reading Through The Discussions. I Have A Couple Of Questions If Anyone Would Like To Answer These.
1. Is It Easy To Just Go Back To Overeating/not Exercising And Not Lose Anything With The Band? Or Do You Actually Feel A Difference With The Band...more Restriction?

Anyone can "outsmart" the band. Grazing all day is the best way to do it. However, if one eats three good meals a day with very limited snacking, the band will do its job. It is impossible to binge eat if the band is properly adjusted. It just hurts too darn much to put too much food it that itty-bitty pouch.

2. I Have Heard With The Bypass, People Can Have Alot Of Excess Skin Due To How Quickly You Loose The Weight...has Anyone Experienced This With The Lap Band?

I will have to have a Tummy Tuck and a breast lift. I know several band patients who have gone ahead and had their extra skin removed. There are a lot of factors related to extra skin. Age is a major factor. People in their 20's have significantly less issues than people in their 40's (like me). The truth of the matter is that the stretching has damaged the connecting tissues within the skin. If those tissues have been damaged for a long time, the damage is permanent and no matter how slowly the weight is lost, it will still be damaged. No amount of creams, lotions, or potions will correct that deep tissue damage.

3. Anyone Had Lap Band And Then Experienced Pregnancy? If So, Did You Have Any Complications?

I have no personal experience with this... I have a hubby and a poodle.... that's enough for me... lol. I will tell you that in my bariatric program in New York, the doctors ask patients to agree not to get pregnant for at least two years after surgery. They are serious enough about it to discuss what birth control methods patients intend to use to make sure preganancy doesn't happen. Personally, I think if one wants to have weight loss surgery and eventually become pregnant, the band is the best way to go. The band allows the medical team to adjust the intake of the mom-to-be. Therefore, if a mom needed more nutrition to support the preganacy, the band can be unfilled. This could never happen the the other surgeries. What you get it what you get with them!

La_madam · June 28, 2005

1. Is It Easy To Just Go Back To Overeating/not Exercising And Not Lose Anything With The Band? Or Do You Actually Feel A Difference With The Band...more Restriction?

The band is not a Magic Wand, there are ways to eat around the band, if you eat the right foods you can not over eat if you have proper restriction, if you eat the wrong foods you can definately over eat. There are certain foods the band does not restrict no matter how tight you are ( junk food, ice cream, chocolate)

2. I Have Heard With The Bypass, People Can Have Alot Of Excess Skin Due To How Quickly You Loose The Weight...has Anyone Experienced This With The Lap Band?

it all depends on your age, how long you have been morbidly obese, genetics, exercise etc...my saggy arms are my only concern at this point.

soonergirl · June 28, 2005

Although I am sure that every Dr. is different, none of the Dr.s that I talked to about getting pregnant said that you need to wait any certain amount of time. Their biggest consideration is whether or not you are at or close to your goal weight.

There are a number of us on here that have chosen the band partly because it was highly recommended to assist in fertility issues that may be related to weight (like PCOS).

If you do get pregnant or want to get pregnant before you have lost ALL of your weight, they may be Ok with that too.

My surgeon has said that he may have me journal my food intake and work with my Obgyn to make sure that I would be getting enough calories and Vitamins for me and baby.

He also indicated that many times this can be accomplished without always taking out all of the fill. Again, they monitor everyone and determine an individual approach at my Dr.

There are some great threads on pregnancy out there if you do a search. A few girls have shared their experience.

I would just make sure to discuss it with your Dr. during your appointment.