Weight Loss Surgery?

I had the lap band placed in me in 2006 and had problems from the beginning. My doctor was more concerned about a paycheck than my health. I had a lot of problems with acid reflux which pretty much should have excluded me from the operation. I still have the band in me but never had it filled because of my problems a. reflux. Food gets stuck all the time and it feels like I'm having heart attack when it does. I have a lot of friends whom also had the surgery and later had complications and had to have it removed like slippage, erosion, blockages, and hernias. The removal is worse than the surgery itself which is only four small incisions, but they cut you wide open from your sternum to your naval to remove it. If you are having this surgery I would think twice about it. I wish they had this site when I got mine. Good luck. You can friend me if you'd like. Take care and God Bless.

I appreciate your concern and really have thought about it long and hard. They are able to do it laprascopically and are going to use the same ports as before when they did the lap band, maybe opening the one that the port is attached to a little bit bigger to pull the dead band and the stomach portion that is removed out. Talked to a few people who have had the revisions. It is a more serious surgery, but they are doing okay and I can't just leave this hanging around in me.. I want to continue the good way I have been doing and will pray that the recovery time comes okay. My job is giving me 5 weeks to recuperate and I got approved for flma for that time. So I won't totally be without income,. I appreciated it and they were the ones that brought it up to me.. Got lucky that the insurance is willing to cover it also. At my age, which I think is a little more advanced than a lot of you youngun's , if I wait longer possible insurance could change and and no longer cover in the future and I will be a chicken liver and not do when I have had the opportunity to do.. Thus,.,.,.,. Going in with eyes wide open and feel like I am making the correct decision. Will keep you all posted

I would have weight loss surgery in a heart beat if I had the money - which is why I have joined this site, so I can do it myself! I think the fact that people who are overweight are stigmatized to the point where they consider being cut open to be a socially 'normal' weight is a little bit upsetting though. But you gotta do these things for yourself and no-one else I guess!

The point of Weight loss surgery isn't Vanity or Stigma. If you are a candidate for it you need it for your health. My sister is a lead nurse in a Bariatric program and you have to have a seriously high bmi AND other weight related problems before they'll get you in the program and they have meetings you go to and you have to see a psychologist and jump through a bunch of hoops before you get approved plus you'll have to get approved by your insurance as well.

She was trying to sell me on the lapband but I've laproscopic surgery before (gallbladder) and that was enough. Besides once you have the band, they fill/empty it with a needle and I hate needles. I have to pull my hat down over my face when I give blood.

Oh and saying that weight loss surgery is the easy way out is like saying "you can lose weight if you just stop stuffing your pie hole" That should offend all of us, those people who opted for weightloss surgery still have to work at getting healthy, it just gives them a better than a fighting chance.

hi, i am so sorry about your problem, but I did not have the problem with the surgery that some are saying they had. I had a band for 5 years, then it slipped. Had to have a revision to have the band removed and decided to do the gastric sleeve in place. The revision surgery took a little longer as they had to remove the band that was laying over my liver, and they removed the band and part of my stomach for the sleeve all at the same time. The surgery took about 2 1./2 hrs with no problem, they did not cut me wide open as you indicated would happen. They went thru laproscopically the same way they did the band. Had it done Friday and was home Sunday. Healing wonderfully with no problems. Maybe each person is different, but I wanted to give others who might have this problem another set of information from someone who actually had the whole revision done. For me it was not as bad as some might think it to be. I am not sorry I did it. Just wanted to put another perspective out there. Good luck to all

Hi, all!

Great thread and many great points. I had VSG three weeks ago today. I'm 52 and considered a "lightweight" in the WLS world at a starting weight of "only" 220 pounds. I can't stress enough that the decision to have or not have surgery is a very individual one. I struggled with this decsion and opted to have it for the following reasons:

1. A 4 decade history of marginal (20-25#) weight loss with regaining it every time.
2. Heavy ALWAYS - from childhood on. I should weigh 140 at the most and have no recollection of EVER weighing that! Probably for 5 minutes in Junior High!
3. A family history of stroke and heart disease.
Most importantly...
4. Multiple health concerns aside from the numbers on the scale, including High BP for the past 30 years, borderline cholesteral and sleep apnea.

At 5'3" I carried my 220 pounds evenly... I wore a size 14-16 and looked OK. Vanity alone would have never driven me to this procedure. My metabolic issues did. Let me tell you, the result has been nothing short of miraculous! In ONE WEEK I was off 2/3 of my meds, and I expect I'll be off everything by my next appointment. I've only lost 25 pounds so far (10 before surgery, 15 since). I've lost this much before on my own and have NEVER seen the resulting changes to BP - even with meds and weight loss and working out it's always been 130 to 140's over 90's. I work out regularly and have for years - I've run (OK - not fast but I finish!) 5K's, do Bikram yoga, etc) with no change in BP. One week after surgery and it was in the 90's over 60's! Too low! My surgeon was not surprised and said he considers himself a metabolic specialist, not a weight loss specialist. In fact, the medical community is seeing great results with people of normal weight with certain diseases such as diabetes. See link below...

http://asmbs.org/benefits-of-bariatric-surgery/

Anyway, if I never lose another pound (and I'm sure I will!) I'm glad I went through with this for just the opportunity to control my BP! I had NO problems (the anesthesia was the worst part! My throat hurt more than anything!) and was back at the gym and work after 2 weeks.

Friend me if you like - I'd be happy to be a sounding board for anyone struggling with this decision. I totally respect those who do it on their own, by the way. Wish I could have, but not sorry I made this choice at all! Minimal side effects with the sleeve, but it is a major decision. Good luck to all who are considering it!

I had RNY Sept. '12 and don't regret one single second of it despite the fact that it is a daily struggle to not put the weight back on. Like many people who have had weight loss surgery, it isn't just about eating less and exercising more. I had always been a little on the heavy side but saw my weight balloon a number of years ago after developing mental and physical health problems. Not only was my deit and exercise program thrown off balance but much of the weight was due to all the different medications I had to be on. I was actually told by a doctor that no amount of eating right and exercising would take off the med. weight.

The bottom line is that you have to do what is/feels right for you and no one else should judge you for your chosen weight loss path.