Lap Band

psych101

Wait? What? You WON a lap band?! wow.

so i'm not going to give you my thoughts on WLS - we all choose our own paths and live with the consequences of our own decisions. Whats right for you may not be whats right for me.....

I would want to know what the surgeon gets out of this 'free' lapband? Is he going to use your photos as advertising? Will he be blogging/facebooking/youtubing clips about your surgery? Are you comfortable with that?

0somuchbetter0

I have to agree with billieljaime on this one. What I just don't understand -- and maybe someone who has had WLS can explain to me -- is how many people state they lost like 15-20 lbs on a restrictive diet PRIOR to surgery to prepare for surgery??? uh... if you can lose weight by dieting, why the surgery then?

I have not -- nor will I ever contemplate any WLS-- I've known too many people who have either gained all their weight back plus more, have had lifetime complications set in, or are dead because of this surgery... it's not worth risking my life over. Just because you have this surgery does not mean you have a free ticket to weight loss... you STILL have to learn behavior modification. And if you learn behavior modification, you lose weight... and THAT is something I DO KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT.... I weighed 270 lbs (5'3") at my all time high... I would guess I am now about 1/2 that size -- don't know since I don't weigh myself... but I have gone from a size 26 to a size 4... all because I learned portion control, food group choices, and exercise. It's all about lifestyle change and no surgery in the world can teach you lifestyle change...

I can't speak for everyone, only myself. So to answer your question about why, here is a post I wrote about a month ago:

I had lap band surgery two years ago and I'm happy to share my experience. Keep in mind that everyone is different, though, and surgery may not be the best route for your sister.

I tried many diets over the years, including severe calorie restriction, weight watchers, and Meridia. They all worked to a point, but eventually the weight always came back plus more. Eventually I realized my overeating had little to do with my love of good food. I still love good food. I'm a pretty good cook and I love going to good restaurants. I've never been a junk food junkie. My overeating was directly related to depression. I was on antidepressants for years, but was still unable to control the emotional overeating. Finally, I started to understand that I needed to learn new coping mechanisms to deal with stress, depression, life, that didn't involve food. I've been working with a therapist who specializes in eating disorders for over two years now, and I've made great progress.

NONE of this is thanks to my bariatric surgeon. He's a nice guy, but he's a surgeon, not a therapist. The reason I decided to go with the surgery...well, several reasons, and they're complicated. I had tried and failed so many times before, I didn't think I could face failing again. I was terrified of trying and failing, and my weight kept going up. I was fortunate not to have any other health issues, largely because of my active lifestyle and the fact that I never ate much junk (and genetics), but I knew it was just a matter of time before the weight would catch up to me. When I finally sat down and face reality I was about 120 lbs overweight and the thought of losing all that with no help was just so daunting I wanted to give up completely. If not for my kids, I might have ended it all at that point. How in the world do you lose 120 lbs???? It was just too much...I couldn't face it. My husband is a physician and read up on the medical literature, and weight loss surgery has a great success rate. Yes, people can and do re-gain weight after surgery. Everyone knows someone who has. But a meta analysis of the literature shows that *statistically* it's more successful than any other method of weight loss.

I decided on the lap band vs gastric bypass or sleeve or the other methods because it's the least invasive and can be reversed. My band is pretty loose these days, so I can *almost* eat like "normal." The other surgeries can cause malabsorption issues and you can't drink alcohol or sweets, and I wasn't about to give up any one type of food (or wine!). For six months to a year leading up to the surgery, I had to undergo a whole battery of tests (cardiac ultrasound, endoscopy, blood work, sleep study...can't remember what else) to make sure I was healthy enough to take the surgery. I was also required to lose a certain amount of weight (10% of my weight I think...can't remember now) to prove that I could make healthy choices. I also had a fitness test, treadmill stress test...can't remember what else. Anyway, my point is, you can't decide one day to have the surgery and then go and do it the following week. They put you through so much, that you have plenty of time to think it through and educate yourself before you actually go through with it.

Finally, and MOST IMPORTANT, I would not have had the success I've had if not for my therapist and a LOT of hard work on my mental and emotional relationship to food. I'm happy to say I've been off antidepressants since last summer and I "manage" my depression with exercise.

I still want to lose a lot more weight, but I can honestly say that I've reached my "goal" of having a healthy relationship with food and I'm no longer terrified of failing.

That's my story.

0somuchbetter0

The pre-op diet is a liquid diet to help shrink their liver for the surgery. Anybody can lose weight on a liquid diet.

That pre-op diet is only for about 2 weeks and, like you said, it's only required for the surgery. I lost about 5-6 lbs during those two weeks. It was during the 6 months prior that I lost the 10% of my starting weight, with the help of a dietitian, a shrink, and a trainer. They wanted to make sure I knew the proper way to eat before I committed to a life-changing surgery.

0somuchbetter0

I hope that appt goes well for you.

I would want to know a lot about
~the Anesthesiologist
~pain medicine after the surgery

In one of your posts your mentioned "removal."
Talk to the MD about that. I am pretty sure that it is considered permanent.

Also ask about side effects of living with the lap band.

Good luck.

No, the lap band is the only weight loss surgical procedure that is reversible. I met one person who had it removed because the band had slipped out of position. This surprises me, since the band is stitched into place, but it does happen sometimes.

0somuchbetter0

The lapband has the highest failure and complication rate. Don't do it.

You mean "failure" as in weight gain? If that's what you mean, yes, it's the least "effective' of the procedures because it's the least invasive. Since they don't actually remove or reroute any part of your anatomy, you don't get the malabsorption issues that the others cause. So basically, you can eat anything that you used to eat before. That's why you have to work on your head and make serious, lifelong behavioral changes too. But I have to admit it does help me. Even though I *can* eat pizza and donuts and stuff like that, I have to take small bites and eat slowly -- not something you do when you're on a serious emotional binge. Also, when I'm eating a regular meal (and not overeating out of emotional issues, or wanting to anyway), I feel satisfied with less quantities of food. I opted for the band vs the other procedures *because* it was the least invasive and *because* I wanted to work on my emotional issues related to food. It was definitely the right choice for me.

As for complication rates. I'm not aware of the band having more complications that the other procedures. Do you have more information about this?

kimothy38

It sounds to me like you've made a considered choice so all the haters can naff off. Best of luck!

0somuchbetter0

Questions I would want answered:
Assuming everything is a smashing success, I lose 90 pounds and keep it off 30 years, what diet/exercise limitations will I face 30 years from now?
Are there studies comparing excess skin complications (i.e. chronic infection) from lap band aided loss vs, weight loss not aided by surgery?

There are no diet or exercise limitations from lap band surgery.

I don't know the answer to your second question, but I'm guessing no.

Um, I'm not sure why you said there are no diet or exercise limitations, as that is simply not true (no bariatric doctor I saw ever said that)

When I had Lap Band, I was told never to do abdominal exercises, as it can bust the band.
There a lot of diet limitations with Lap Band. I ended up getting sick off of everything I ate, I was nauseated all the time and vomited daily. I would be EXTREMELY careful about what you eat. Also, you're not supposed to even vomit with the Lap Band, as it can cause slippage. I ended up having it removed after about 6 years (when I finally got insurance again) and opted for gastric bypass). You won't want to eat bread or pasta, as it will likely make you feel so uncomfortably full. Those were the WORST foods for me. Make sure to chew, chew, chew as well, otherwise you can get basically clogged where it won't want to pass through. I truly hope you don't have the issues I did.


ETA: Also, veggies and fruit really bothered me. Do not eat skin on fruit (especially apples!) and try to avoid very fibrous veggies. I love apples and spinach and could never eat those without getting very sick.
Also, my doctor told me that Lap Band does fail more than other surgeries, and that people can have issues with having a foreign body in them. My first surgeon didn't know why I was getting sick and simply said I was "rejecting the band"

I'm sorry you had those issues. I've had none, and the entire bariatric team at Washington Hospital Center assured me that there are no diet or exercise limitations with the band. There is no food I can't eat and no exercise I can't do. Sure there are some foods that can cause discomfort if I eat too much too fast. Bread is difficult, but that's ok -- I don't need to be wasting precious calories on tons of bread anyway. Sometimes very dense foods like steak and pasta can get stuck, but I just eat more slowly and take smaller bites and it's no problem. I have no problem with fruit, vegetables, or anything else. My surgery was in 2012 - maybe yours was earlier before they had worked out some issues? I don't know what your specific situation is, but I can assure you that I'm not making this up.

You said yourself that your surgeon said you simply "rejected the band." Some people are like that, but it's rare. You're an exception to the rule.

ETA: I do ab exercises like a madwoman... I do this intense core workout that leaves me feeling like a piece of cooked spaghetti. No band problems.

_KitKat_

Wait...what? A contest?? Red flag! Red flag! Your insurance should cover it if you're eligible, and if you're not eligible, maybe you don't need lap band surgery in the first place. Just how overweight are you? They already scheduled surgery for you without ever having met you???

I had lap band surgery two years ago, but not before months and months and months of counseling, medical screening, nutrition classes, a workout routine, etc. I worked (and still work) with a therapist, a dietitian, a physical trainer, and my surgeon. You can't just walk in for a pre-op, ask a few questions, and waltz into the operating room!

If I were you, I'd cancel the appointment and do some research...and then do some thinking...and then more research and more thinking.

^^^^^^This ...... Also remember all contest winners in the US need to pay tax on the value of their winnings. You also have the option of taking the cash value normally. Anyone I have ever met or heard of that had WL surgery had extensive therapy and medical services before the doctor would schedule surgery. Not trying to be a downer, but this has red flags everywhere. You say you want to lose 90lbs. I thought you had to have over 100lbs to lose, if wrong sorry.

0somuchbetter0

Questions I would want answered:
Assuming everything is a smashing success, I lose 90 pounds and keep it off 30 years, what diet/exercise limitations will I face 30 years from now?
Are there studies comparing excess skin complications (i.e. chronic infection) from lap band aided loss vs, weight loss not aided by surgery?

I'm not trying to beat a dead horse here, I just didn't have time to answer all the questions yesterday.

So I emailed my surgeon and asked about potential excess skin complications from weight loss from lap band surgery vs no surgery, and he said he's not aware of any such studies because there's no relation. Excess skin from weight loss varies from person to person, depending on age, genetics, gender, etc. Whether they lose the weight with surgery or without is irrelevant.

0somuchbetter0

Hi. I've recently won a "contest" for free lap band from a very reputable doctor here in central Illinois. I have yo-yo dieted for a few years, losing 40, gaining 20, losing 10, gaining 30. You know the drill. I entered this contest figuring there was no way in heck I'd win, so when they called me to tell me I was a finalist, it blew me away. Then to find out 2 days later I was the winner, I think I'm still in a state of shock.

I go in for pre-op today, and surgery is scheduled for the 3rd. I would appreciate any words of wisdom, advice, good or bad anyone
would please share with me.

My goal is to lose at least 90 lbs, no more than 100lbs.

Thanks for any help.

I hope that appt goes well for you.

I would want to know a lot about
~the Anesthesiologist
~pain medicine after the surgery

In one of your posts your mentioned "removal."
Talk to the MD about that. I am pretty sure that it is considered permanent.

Also ask about side effects of living with the lap band.

Good luck.

I agree about being informed re: the anesthesiologist, considering a small mistake can make you dead.

As for pain meds, I was offered percocet but I never took it. I filled the script just in case, but the pain was so minimal that I never felt the need to take it, or anything else for that matter. I left the hospital the same day as the surgery (granted, they said that was unusual) and I felt normal within a day a or two. Of course people have different reactions and thresholds to pain, so...

Velum_cado

Wait...what? A contest?? Red flag! Red flag! Your insurance should cover it if you're eligible, and if you're not eligible, maybe you don't need lap band surgery in the first place. Just how overweight are you? They already scheduled surgery for you without ever having met you???

I had lap band surgery two years ago, but not before months and months and months of counseling, medical screening, nutrition classes, a workout routine, etc. I worked (and still work) with a therapist, a dietitian, a physical trainer, and my surgeon. You can't just walk in for a pre-op, ask a few questions, and waltz into the operating room!

If I were you, I'd cancel the appointment and do some research...and then do some thinking...and then more research and more thinking.

My thoughts exactly. This sounds dodgy as hell.

GretchenReine

Wait...what? A contest?? Red flag! Red flag! Your insurance should cover it if you're eligible, and if you're not eligible, maybe you don't need lap band surgery in the first place. Just how overweight are you? They already scheduled surgery for you without ever having met you???

I had lap band surgery two years ago, but not before months and months and months of counseling, medical screening, nutrition classes, a workout routine, etc. I worked (and still work) with a therapist, a dietitian, a physical trainer, and my surgeon. You can't just walk in for a pre-op, ask a few questions, and waltz into the operating room!

If I were you, I'd cancel the appointment and do some research...and then do some thinking...and then more research and more thinking.

^^^^^^This ...... Also remember all contest winners in the US need to pay tax on the value of their winnings. You also have the option of taking the cash value normally. Anyone I have ever met or heard of that had WL surgery had extensive therapy and medical services before the doctor would schedule surgery. Not trying to be a downer, but this has red flags everywhere. You say you want to lose 90lbs. I thought you had to have over 100lbs to lose, if wrong sorry.

Having had gastric bypass millions of years ago...I'd be careful. Even if the doctor is reputable...I've never heard of a contest for winning WLS. Doesn't mean it doesn't happen...but it seems as if they're moving it along pretty quick!

With gastric bypass you had to be at least 100 pounds over weight or have multiple co-morbidities. I am not familiar with lap band and if the rules are the same...lap band was relatively new when I had my gastric bypass.

joansjourney

I have to agree with billieljaime on this one. What I just don't understand -- and maybe someone who has had WLS can explain to me -- is how many people state they lost like 15-20 lbs on a restrictive diet PRIOR to surgery to prepare for surgery??? uh... if you can lose weight by dieting, why the surgery then?

I have not -- nor will I ever contemplate any WLS-- I've known too many people who have either gained all their weight back plus more, have had lifetime complications set in, or are dead because of this surgery... it's not worth risking my life over. Just because you have this surgery does not mean you have a free ticket to weight loss... you STILL have to learn behavior modification. And if you learn behavior modification, you lose weight... and THAT is something I DO KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT.... I weighed 270 lbs (5'3") at my all time high... I would guess I am now about 1/2 that size -- don't know since I don't weigh myself... but I have gone from a size 26 to a size 4... all because I learned portion control, food group choices, and exercise. It's all about lifestyle change and no surgery in the world can teach you lifestyle change...

I can't speak for everyone, only myself. So to answer your question about why, here is a post I wrote about a month ago:

I had lap band surgery two years ago and I'm happy to share my experience. Keep in mind that everyone is different, though, and surgery may not be the best route for your sister.

I tried many diets over the years, including severe calorie restriction, weight watchers, and Meridia. They all worked to a point, but eventually the weight always came back plus more. Eventually I realized my overeating had little to do with my love of good food. I still love good food. I'm a pretty good cook and I love going to good restaurants. I've never been a junk food junkie. My overeating was directly related to depression. I was on antidepressants for years, but was still unable to control the emotional overeating. Finally, I started to understand that I needed to learn new coping mechanisms to deal with stress, depression, life, that didn't involve food. I've been working with a therapist who specializes in eating disorders for over two years now, and I've made great progress.

NONE of this is thanks to my bariatric surgeon. He's a nice guy, but he's a surgeon, not a therapist. The reason I decided to go with the surgery...well, several reasons, and they're complicated. I had tried and failed so many times before, I didn't think I could face failing again. I was terrified of trying and failing, and my weight kept going up. I was fortunate not to have any other health issues, largely because of my active lifestyle and the fact that I never ate much junk (and genetics), but I knew it was just a matter of time before the weight would catch up to me. When I finally sat down and face reality I was about 120 lbs overweight and the thought of losing all that with no help was just so daunting I wanted to give up completely. If not for my kids, I might have ended it all at that point. How in the world do you lose 120 lbs???? It was just too much...I couldn't face it. My husband is a physician and read up on the medical literature, and weight loss surgery has a great success rate. Yes, people can and do re-gain weight after surgery. Everyone knows someone who has. But a meta analysis of the literature shows that *statistically* it's more successful than any other method of weight loss.

I decided on the lap band vs gastric bypass or sleeve or the other methods because it's the least invasive and can be reversed. My band is pretty loose these days, so I can *almost* eat like "normal." The other surgeries can cause malabsorption issues and you can't drink alcohol or sweets, and I wasn't about to give up any one type of food (or wine!). For six months to a year leading up to the surgery, I had to undergo a whole battery of tests (cardiac ultrasound, endoscopy, blood work, sleep study...can't remember what else) to make sure I was healthy enough to take the surgery. I was also required to lose a certain amount of weight (10% of my weight I think...can't remember now) to prove that I could make healthy choices. I also had a fitness test, treadmill stress test...can't remember what else. Anyway, my point is, you can't decide one day to have the surgery and then go and do it the following week. They put you through so much, that you have plenty of time to think it through and educate yourself before you actually go through with it.

Finally, and MOST IMPORTANT, I would not have had the success I've had if not for my therapist and a LOT of hard work on my mental and emotional relationship to food. I'm happy to say I've been off antidepressants since last summer and I "manage" my depression with exercise.

I still want to lose a lot more weight, but I can honestly say that I've reached my "goal" of having a healthy relationship with food and I'm no longer terrified of failing.

That's my story.

Welcome to the internet where people have varying opinions

good on y ou for having surgery instead of will power
thanks for raising our insurance premiums because you lack self control

Also the surgery is DIRTY

they cut you open and tamper with your insides. Personally I think it is SELFISH for anyone to do it.

I need bewbs, do i go get a boob job?

NO because no one is tampering with me in such a way that could cause complications for me later. PEOPLE DIE from WLS surgery, there are LIFE TIME side effects.

But hey do you, I am more than happy to count calories and do things the right way.

And yes u did cheat, u created a calorie defecit by re arranging your insides, and that quite frankly is gross.

almost Frankensteinish.


I am anit WLS all the way and there is no eveidence that you could EVER present to me that will make me change how I feel about it.

See you in ten years when u wonder why the weight came back on.

I will be munching on my carrots and sitting in my bikini while i respond to your dilemma.

Just wanted to say that the LapBand does not rearrange any body parts it's a band placed around the stomach to make it smaller vs removing a portion, this is the reason its completely reversible. Not here to argue but I wanted to clarify the facts.

Fatandfifty3

WLS is a drastic option. For some people it is a life saver. For them it's literally do it or die. You can't argue with the benefits in that case. However are you in that category? Do you really need this surgery?

Do you feel this is the answer to your problems? Be warned-You can 'eat through' a gastric band. You can put weight on with a gastric band in place. I have a friend who a 'non-essential' band fitted. She did lose a lot of weight... and she's put it all back on again. The band is still in place. After the operation you will still have to keep from being overweight by controlling calorie input vs. calorie output. (Diet and exercise in other words)


What ever you decide to do (it is your choice) unless you make significant lifestyle changes in the long term it will be of no benefit to you.

Just an idea- Could you perhaps commute this 'prize' into something else? Maybe donate it to someone who really needs it and has no way to pay for it. Would the feel good factor suffice for you?

Good luck with your decision