LapBand?

♥_Ellybean_♥
♥_Ellybean_♥ Posts: 1,646 Member
edited September 28 in Health and Weight Loss
How many of you are LapBand patients? and what made you decide to finally go this route? How long did it take before everything was back to normal for you? and were there any difficulties that came with the procedure? Were there any successful PCOS patient that got lapband? Any successful Fertily patients that used LapBand?

What did you try before you made the final decision? I was VERY against it at one point in my life... but now I'm at the point where I'm 32 this year... I need to get this done and move on with my life... I want a baby.. I want to be happy and free of all this weight. I've tried everything in the book, Low Carb, Low Calorie, Low Fat, Combination of all, diet pills, WW, Jenny Craig, Atkins etc. I've worked out more than you can imagine, and worked harder than ever before... it took me 8 months to lose a measly 30lbs.. (and two months to gain 20 back) I spent 1500 on a personal trainer.. with little results. I have PCOS and HYpothyroidism, considered Morbidly Obese and have Fertility issues.

I understand that LapBand is not a solution, but a tool. But I am heavely considering using this tool as two of the 4 doctors I have has brought it up to me. I'm thinking of scheduling an appt to discuss this with my dr.

Replies

  • I had LapBand in July 2010. I was 35 and miserable with my weight, couldn't keep up with my 4 yr old... It was the best thing I ever did. I have lost 80 lbs total. Not to say it didn't have it's speedbumps. A known complication is ulcers at the band site, which I got. Still fighting them, it's been since August. My band hasn't been filled since December because of that. But do I regret the band? I do not.
  • Waynes_World
    Waynes_World Posts: 333
    I had my lapband surgery about 7 months ago.. I had tried to lose weight before and gained it back.. As with any diet or surgery you have to be ready to make life style changes.. All diets , surgeries etc all fail if you dont make these changes..

    I have been obese my whole life and I finally decided to make those changes.. I gave up alot of little things to gain the most important thing.. A new life !

    The lap band is a great tool but if you arent prepared to follow a strict diet plan and workout it will not help you.

    As far as my decision to have it I feel like it was one of the best things I have done.. Recovery time was very fast.. I was back to work in under 2 weeks.. Which depending on your job it could be less. I havent had any problems so far.. Knock on wood hehe..

    I have lost 122 pounds or so in 7 months after my band surgery..

    Whatever you decide I wish you the best of luck and will give you all the support I can to help you

    Have a great day
  • bloodbank
    bloodbank Posts: 468 Member
    I had the exact same starting weight as you & also have PCOS. Surgery has never crossed my mind. Correct me if I'm wrong, but does a lap band not simply 'force' you to restrict your calories? You CAN do that on your own, if you so choose, and PCOS does not negate the science of calories in/calories out.

    Whole foods with an eye on those that are low GI, a deficit in your calories, and an active lifestyle. That will save you a lot of money and somebody getting all up in your guts.
  • vickyd205
    vickyd205 Posts: 29 Member
    I was banded in December 2010 and I have been diagnosed with PCOS although it is not severe enough that I have to be on medication and I was able to get pregnant twice without fertility treatments (even though my doctor says that I shouldn't have been able to). Since I started my pre-op diet in mid November, I have lost 86.8 lbs.

    The tipping point for me was having to have knee surgery a year ago to repair a torn meniscus (injured while working out) and after it was over my surgeon showed me picture of my knee and informed me that I had advanced arthritis in that knee (and suspected in the other knee) due to my obesity and it isn't a matter of "if" I will need a knee replacement but "when". I couldn't imagine going through that sort of surgery at my weight (325 lbs) so I started looking in to LapBand surgery.

    You are right that the LapBand is just a tool and you have to do your part to make that tool work for you. I still have to make good food choices, weigh and measure my food and count my calories every day. My band doesn't prevent me from eating anything and it doesn't stop me from eating too much if I really want to. What it does do is help me feel satisfied on smaller amounts of food - note that I didn't say "full". I rarely feel full when I'm finished eating - I measure out my food and stop eating when it is gone - that took quite a while to get used to.

    The reason I mention all of this is that there are too many people who think that they can get a band and it will do all the work for them...they honestly think that they can keep eating McDonalds Extra Value Meals (only eat less of it) and lose weight...it doesn't work that way.

    It sounds like you are dedicated to losing the weight so as long as you are willing to continue to work hard the LapBand might be a good solution for you.

    Good Luck!
  • Ashley_Panda
    Ashley_Panda Posts: 1,404 Member
    I've had mine since 2005. I hate it. It's the worst decision I let my parents make for me. I was only 17 at the time. I don't even use mine anymore. It's all out of whack from being pregnant and where it moved. I throw up a lot. And it's not even filled. I lost a lot of weight quickly, gained it all back, lost, gained, lost, gained and when I was back up to 304 pregnant, I decided screw it, I'm doing it myself.
  • katya143
    katya143 Posts: 313 Member
    Hey, I was VERYYYYYYYYY hesistant on having LB! I decided I dont want to live my life being over weight anymore! TRIED EVERYTHING! BESTTTTTTTTTT DECISION EVER!!! I went for a consultation and said "NO WAY" did Jenny craig for a few month following only to continue gaining weight! woke up 10 months later and said, "I AM GOING TO DO IT!!!!" 3 months later was the beginning of a new and happier me!
  • waguchan
    waguchan Posts: 450 Member
    I was banded on June 23, 2008. And it's the best decision I ever made.

    I'm just like you, except I never tried pills: I tried Weight Watchers so many times, I'm a lifetime member. I've spent thousands and thousands of dollars on personal trainers, dieticians, and weight loss programs with doctors and therapists, etc. Exercising like an triathlete and watching carbs/calories, I was very fit for someone over 200 pounds.

    The lapband helps me to restrict my calories to under 1000 calories per day. That is not so easy to do without the surgery. And I have found it's the only way I can lose weight with this pre-diabetic body of mine.
  • megan4487
    megan4487 Posts: 142 Member
    I was banded may of last year, and I am not going to lie I am struggling with it. The recovery time of the actual surgery was a week for me and I was back to work. I did good with it for a while and was down 50 lbs total from pre surgery and post surgery. I have gained some of the weight back, and now I am working to get back on track with the help of mfp.

    My advice to you is make sure that you are really ready for the change. The process to get to surgery was a long one for me, but once I completed the necessary steps the surgery happened very fast, and honestly I do not think I was ready for it. I do not regret the decision I just wish I would have been a little more mentally prepared. Your whole life will change, not just the way you look. It is important to realize that. I think you should do whatever is right for you and you will know.

    Also know that the way in which you eat will change. I was not told about this before surgery and I wish I would have realized. You have to eat very slow or you will get sick. That has happened to me several times and it is just not fun. Good luck with your decision, I'm sure you will make the right decision, and I am here to offer any advie. Friend me if you ever want to chat about it or need help with anything else. Good luck!!!
  • AmberMagdalena
    AmberMagdalena Posts: 461 Member
    I am not banded, but I have concidered it. When I went to a consultation at a high-end bariatric facility in the suburbs of Philadelpha, there I was convinced of the reality of lab band surgery. The doctors there assured that there are overall more pros cons, but the list of cons was still pretty high. Basically I went there thinking, lapBand and left knowing that gastric bypass was the better choice. It seems scary because it's forever, but it seemed to be a lot more effective as a weight loss tool. You should really go to bariatic clinic for a pre-op consultation. If my insurance covered the surgery, I would've had it a long time ago.
  • Krustarella
    Krustarella Posts: 12 Member
    @Ambermagdalena.
    I have been a bander since 2007. To my knowledge people who do the gastric by pass and stretch out their pouch end up with a lap band. So, my choice was LapBand.

    I have lost 125 pounds. I struggle now to pull the last 20ish pounds off. My pants size goal is a 10. If I would stop carbing out I could reach my goal. So Myfitnesspal is a nice eye opener.
    I am looking for fitness pal friends, open to friends request.
  • hmm33502
    hmm33502 Posts: 201 Member
    I think what everyone is saying is....it is different for everyone! Definately do your research and look into meeting with a psychologist or a counselor who specializes in eating disorders. If you don't fix the problem that caused the eating and the weight gain, the band will NEVER work.

    I also have PCOS and have taken metformin and Spiro. I am currently not having any issues, but I love the tool that the band provides. They key is to not compare yourself to anyone else. Certian people are really fast losers and others are SLOW losers. There are lots of options for WLS other than band. I suggest going to a doctor that does all of them and talking about what is best for you!

    Research doctors and find one that is focused on before and after education. We have monthly meetings on diet and exercise ideas and support groups at my doctor. There are doctors out there that don't provide anywhere near enough info to their patients before cutting them open!

    Good luck! Feel free to message me any time with any questions!

    OBVIOUSLY....I am very pro-band. It was the best decision I ever made and the best money I have ever spent! (I paid out of pocket...insurance was a no-go for me!)
  • mom23nuts
    mom23nuts Posts: 636 Member
    I had considered gastric bypass but was told that I didn't meet the body mass weight requirements and then talked to a friend who is an anesthia nurse and she said a friend of hers had it done. (bypass)

    She lost a ton of weight and then broke her leg in the parking garage and fell....yes in that order...because her bones were so weak due to malabsorption issues.

    Later on after the leg healed....she died behind the wheel of her car and crashed into a telephone pole....in that order...her heart gave out again freaky malabsorption issues.

    Obviously I am not saying this to freak you out, but this was a NURSE that thought she needed quick life saving results from her weight issue and now she is gone.

    Ask your doctor about all of the issues for side effects and complications and then weigh it carefully. It is up to you but I would think slow and steady is safer on your body, your bones and your heart than sprinting to the finish line while falling apart.
  • Jadesmommy2003
    Jadesmommy2003 Posts: 36 Member
    I have been banded since June 26, 2007 and have lost 113lbs and will not live without my tool. Yes, I say "tool". No one can make this decision for you and you must be invested in it for yourself and dedicated to making your body work and the band will back you up. I had my son 5/5/2008 while banded and my band was filled. I have my band adjusted frequently to my protein needs and body changes. My doctor and his group are very supportive and on call for us 24/7. You must be educated and dedicated before and even more after. When I get sick, I have to go in for an unfill because it can get irritated, when my appetite kicks in I have to go in for a fill to control my intake. I joined with a fellow bandster that goes to my same doctor and we support each other on an online support group.
    I never regret having it, I will never have it removed, it has worked for me, I got pregnant aftr my first 25 lbs lost and had no problems with it obviousy during or after my pregnancy. My son is and was very healthy and my pregnancy was great as a pregnancy gets. That is my story, and there are many others here to read... I am here if you have any questions ;0)
    Crystal
  • Loveslady2
    Loveslady2 Posts: 13
    Hi, I am banded and I have pcos. I did take met but I release myself from it. My highest weight was 297. My lowest 219. I am currently 244. When I first got the band I lost alot of weight because I was determined and knew that this could be the tool that I needed. Then I noticed that I could eat more and more and more. It wasn't because I didn't have it filled enough either. My doctor says I am nearly full. I feel that it is mostly my fault and not the bands. I think that I have manipulated it to work how I want it to work. I like food and unfortunately, it cannot keep me away from it. I also think that pcos keeps me from losing as much weight as those without. I am going to get it together and I am going to lose this weight! IF you are more determined than I and think that you can get rid of most of your bad eating habits then this could really help you. Now, I know that us pcos'ers have a habit of craving sweets and carbs; well this is going to be very difficult to overcome because those things go through the band very easily. In conclusions and the most important part, IF THE BAND IS USED PROPERLY it is very beneficial and will help you with your weight loss. Exercise and proper eating habits still apply with the band, not like other more evasive surgeries.
  • calicat40
    calicat40 Posts: 37 Member
    It took me a year of research and asking questions and talking to friends who have it to make my decision. I was banded two years ago and most days I am happy about it. the days I am not happy about it are the days I try to stuff food in my mouth like I used to. So it's a great tool to have, use it wisely and follow your doctors advice. research the surgeons you choose too. if you are in north texas I can recommend an awsome surgeon and group. my doctor is also banded as are several of his employees. it helps to have someone who has been through what we are going through to help us out. i still have a ways to go and i need to go in for a fill but as always I'm afraid to hear that i might have stretched my band out lol. i just need to go make an appt. :) good luck and research it. you can look up True Results or Fort Worth Lap Band, Dr. Smith has some pod casts that you can listen to.
  • baldwingeri
    baldwingeri Posts: 3 Member
    Hi I was banded on July 22, 2011 so I am pretty new to this! I believe this was the best decision for me and am determined to make it work for me. I know I still need to concentrate on eating healthy and excercising and that is why i joined my fitness pal. So far I am doing well, I am hungry but am trying to stick to what the doctor has told me to do (not without failure) but I think I am doing ok. I started my journey at 276 lbs and as of today I am at 252 lbs, I realize it won't always come off that fast due to the fact that I have been basically on liquid for three weeks.
  • So its been a while since anyone has posted on here. What is your progress or decission with the band. I was banded 2 mts ago, and I feel like it was the right decission for me. I have lost 20 lbs so far. I get up every morning and exercise, I make better decissions about my food, and I feel great. For me it is an accountability tool. I work with the band and it keeps me in check so I stay on track. Let s know youe status. Good luck with your journey.
  • FelizMi
    FelizMi Posts: 79 Member
    I am 36, I was banded December 2009. In June 2006, my mother just so happend to win a free 2 month membership to Curves for two and I went with her. When I got on the scale, I was in shock! I was almost 390lbs!!! I had no idea I had gotten so big. I've always been overweight, since I was about 5, maybe before that even. In high school I was around 250 and a size 24. I had my daughter when I was 19 and got on birth control shots and I knew I gained about 50lbs after that. When I gave birth to myy son at 29, I was about 325. I remember going shopping and getting bigger and bigger clothes... 4x, 5x, 6x, then 7x or size 40, but even then my size did not click. It didn't hit me until I was on a scale and saw the number.

    So anyway, I started working out at Curves and had trouble losing weight at first, but was dropping inches. After about 2 years, I think I had only lost 30 lbs and hit a plateau. The Curves workout was getting too easy for me I thought. So I joined another gym. I ended up getting down to 310 and hit another plateau. Then I think I gave up and ended up gaining 30lbs back. I tried to get back to working out and eating better and nothing was working so I started researching weight loss surgeries. I chose lapband because it was cheaper, I had to pay for it out of pocket because my insurance wouldn't cover it.

    I was 340 when I started seeing my lap band doctor. Did the prediet for 3 months and lost 12lbs. I lost another 11lbs on my 2 weeks supposed to be liquid diet (I snuck in food), so my surgery weight was 317. I didn't have a whole lot of success in the beginining, 4 or 5 lbs a month. But one month I had a period for 2 1/2 weeks, and that month I lost 11lbs, and then I started losing about 8 lbs a month. Then I started back on birth control and didn't really have periods anymore, I don't know if that had something to do with it, but my weight loss started slowing down.

    I think the beginning of this year I got down to 348. My last visit to my fill doctor was in February and he actually took a tiny bit of fluid out because I was havnig so much trouble in the morning even getting down liquids. Then I went on spring break with my kids the end of March, and pigged out and over the next 2 months gained 10lbs. And I was mad at myself!!! I didn't go back to my fill doctor cause I didn't want to drive all the way to Chicago (a 3 1/2 hr drive) knowing that it was purely my fault for gaining, so I decided to try to cut back on my own and been struggling every since. I've been losing inches, but only a few pounds. I started a new job at the end of July so I won't have insurance until December and can't see my doctor until then.

    But all in all, I would say having the band has been a good experince. About 67lbs lost since being banded. I could have had a fill doctor that filled me all the way up and felt sick all the time like some do, but lost a lot quickly. And I know there are people who have lost way more way faster just with diet and exercise, but my fear is gaining it back, and my band has helped keep me in check with that. But I'm kinda glad too that I am losing more slowly because I feel like I am learning my lessons, how to still enjoy food without going overboard and balance it out with exercise, like we are supposed to do. And losing more slowly I think my skin has a better chance of recovery, although right now it looks bad because I can tell I have a lot fat hanging with muscle underneath. So, I keep trucking!!!

    That's my long story. Any fellow bandsters, feel free to add me. I need all the help I can get!
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