Thinking about having lap band

neesh · May 18, 2009

Hi all I am new here and have been thinking of gastric, but too scared for that one and will never do it. So I saw my cousin yesterday and she looks great. She has the band, but doesn't want anyone to know so she doesn't know I know about it. I want to talk to her, but I can't so I am here. I have never had any surgery before and am scared to death, but I have tried so many diets they just don't work. I refuse to spend another dime on dieting. I just need help with loosing this weight. I think I am going to call my dr tomorrow to make an appointment to see a surgeon and go to a siminar and hear more about it. My mother is all for it, but my husband is scared and don't even want to talk about it with me. I have a few friends who has had the gastric and he thinks they all look sick and are not healthy and thinks the band is the same thing. i told him I don't care if he isn't behind me on this he doesn't understand how I feel I have been fat for too long now and it's time to do something about it. Anyone have any advice for me I would love to hear it. also I want to know do you have to go to counsling for months before having the band. I can remember my friends having to go to counsling before there gastric surgery for a long time before they got the surgery done. Can you feel the band sitting in your stomach? Do you throw up a lot like people with gastric?

Sarah.R · May 18, 2009

Hey neesh, understandably alot of people won't be supportive but if you think it's the right thing for you then thats all that matters. For me I'm young so it was one of my only options - loose weight or be dead in 10 years - horrible but true. As for the counselling it's normally to make sure that you won't try to sabotage your weight loss (stupid but true) you hear about people that have the band and they say they never lost anything all the while they where really eating the bad foods that just slip right thru, counselling helps because you realise the reason you want it and why you need it. As for vomitting - I was under the impression that bypass patients usually vomit if they have high sugar or greasy foods - Yes you can vomit with the band if you don't chew something well or eat something to fast or eat too much. Maybe try talking to your cousin, tell her you realise she doesn't want other people to know that she has it but you need help in deciding for the band.

Good luck

neesh · May 18, 2009

Thanks for the info, but yeah I cannot go to my cousin becuase she will be realy mad at her mother for telling so that's out. I guess I will learn more at the meeting I am calling today to see when the next meeting will be. Also I just see in here how people go to the consult with dr then schedule surgery so I was asking about the counsling becuase it seems there is none. Like you saw dr in march then scheduled surgery the end of march. I mean did you have to have counsling for months before or what? Also I see you just had the surgery how do you feel?

Sarah.R · May 19, 2009

Well actually I've been going thru this process well over a year, I don't have insurance and the hospital I go to was willing to fund it for me. (thank god) In october 07 my doctor said that I would possibly need a transplant in 5-10 years and that I should consider the band - Hadn't even occured to me that I would ever need the band, next thing I knew I had an appointment with dieticians and the endocrine part at my hospital, then in may 08 I saw the surgeon, signed the papers to have surgery and he told me I was on the category 2 list (which is 3-6 months) still hadn't heard anything, then in december was supposed to get done, then the whole march part is just this year so yeah it sucks being pushed around but I couldn't do alot about it. As for counselling - I'm required to do it eventually and I'm glad they're doing it, not everyone is given that option mainly because the lap band isn't as invasive as the gastric bypass where counselling is a requirement before they even approve you. It sucks you can't go to your cousin but sometimes it's like that, you could always ask your surgeon if he can refer you to a counsellor just for your piece of mind.

As for after, I went in about 2.30pm on the 12th this month, came out dunno when but didn't really feel great, stomach was horrible actually (not trying to put you off at all but this is what I went thru) around 7 went to a ward. Before that when I woke up my stomach muscles where convulsing so that was pretty painful, and then I thought I needed to vomit but they gave me something all I did was burp up the gas thankfully. Umm the next day was way better, wasn't as bad but still pretty sore. Went home that afternoon and had anap cuz I was pretty tired. The pain has been easing every day, I was taking some pain killers/aspirin in the morning, lunch and then before bed for days 2-4 and then just the past 3 I've taken one before bed and last night didn't take any. Haven't had any shoulder tip pain at all which is great. I think I answered all your questions, just message me if you need any more info =)