Lap Band surgery (overweight, patients, doctors, weight loss)

[omigawd]

I'm sure there have been many discussions on this so I'm sorry if I'm repeating something.

Has anyone here had LapBand surgery or know anyone who has? What was the experience like? Pros? Cons?

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

go to obesityhelp.com to read various blogs and get info from patients.

[rd2007]

There's several threads in this forum and a good one in the diabetes forum http://www.city-data.com/forum/diabe...diabetics.html. You'll find most (myself included) recommending against the band and going with the RnY instead. I'm 15 months and a day (who's counting? ) post surgery and can answer any questions you have. Feel free to post them here or send me a DM.

BTW, the band makes it much easier to cheat and the RnY is Much less forgiving. You'll appreciate that once you get used to it, trust me.. and they call it the gold standard for a very good reason.

[mslashondapjohnson]

Originally Posted by omigawd

I'm sure there have been many discussions on this so I'm sorry if I'm repeating something.

Has anyone here had LapBand surgery or know anyone who has? What was the experience like? Pros? Cons?

Hello I had the lapband. I was kind of worried about if it did actually work. I had issues with not being at the desired weight loss goal. One thing, I can say if there are any health problems or you are currently @ risk for any go for this. I don't have any regrets . Overall, it does have pros and cons--


Cons-
Slow process for weight loss
Not as fast as the gastric
Frequent regurgitating (spell check)

Pros--
No death associated with surgery
Fast recovery
Easy adjustment

[skel1977]

Girl at work had it done a few months ago. She continuall stuffs her face with chips and cake and then runs to the bathroom and pukes. She does not look like she has lost any weight to me. I think she has other problems than just being overweight though. She got written up last week for stealing someones peanut butter and then throwing the empty container in someone elses trash so it would look like they stole it.

[Luckyd609]

I think before anyone considers these types of surgeries they need to understand completely that they will have to change the way they eat forever. They will have to be healthy, eat smaller portions and yes, exercise! Otherwise they will fall back into the same old habits and gain the weight back.

[nancy thereader]

One of my closest friends just had this done last week and she says that she has already lost twenty pounds. She seems to have made a fast recovery (we were all so worried) and is already out & about.

[rd2007]

First off, your experience may and probably will vary.. For mine, there was very little pain and I was beyond ready to leave the hospital by the third day. By the fifth day, I was pretty much back to normal and could've easily gone back to work. I took two weeks off, though, just because I didn't want to go back. I did screw up several times and that pain is pure hell (dumping syndrome). After following most directions and exercising my butt off, I literally cut my weight in half. It's not easy, just an amazing and awesome tool. But you have to work and follow the rules. I didn't always, but part of that was because my tastes literally went berserk. I suddenly hated things I loved before such as burgers, steak, hot dogs, and my most hated of all is turkey. I can't even smell it or I get sick and I used to love it. I now eat hardly any meat, love Asian food, hate almost anything fried, don't tolerate carbonated anything, have almost completely eliminated alcohol, and still love and easily tolerate sweets. Anyone that has had the surgery probably can disagree with several of those .
My only real issue is I kinda became addicted to the weight loss and had issues stopping. Then after I did stop trying, my body didn't stop losing. From what the doctors say, we don't have much control over where or when it will stops; your body just does what it wants. I finally stopped around 174 (from about 350), but have recently and mysteriously lost 6 pounds. Doesn't sound like much, but 175 was the normal for my height and most think it looks too thin on me, so this 6 pounds really shows. I hope my body doesn't want to stay here, but I'm not supposed to adjust my diet to gain or lose. No mater what, though, I wouldn't change a thing. How many people are slimmer than when they were 18 and how many have an I weigh too little issue? A billion times better than diabetes, high cholesterol, sweating all the time, breathing heavy, and not being able to keep up with a baby. That's for sure!

[claud605]

Originally Posted by rd2007

First off, your experience may and probably will vary.. For mine, there was very little pain and I was beyond ready to leave the hospital by the third day. By the fifth day, I was pretty much back to normal and could've easily gone back to work. I took two weeks off, though, just because I didn't want to go back. I did screw up several times and that pain is pure hell (dumping syndrome). After following most directions and exercising my butt off, I literally cut my weight in half. It's not easy, just an amazing and awesome tool. But you have to work and follow the rules. I didn't always, but part of that was because my tastes literally went berserk. I suddenly hated things I loved before such as burgers, steak, hot dogs, and my most hated of all is turkey. I can't even smell it or I get sick and I used to love it. I now eat hardly any meat, love Asian food, hate almost anything fried, don't tolerate carbonated anything, have almost completely eliminated alcohol, and still love and easily tolerate sweets. Anyone that has had the surgery probably can disagree with several of those .
My only real issue is I kinda became addicted to the weight loss and had issues stopping. Then after I did stop trying, my body didn't stop losing. From what the doctors say, we don't have much control over where or when it will stops; your body just does what it wants. I finally stopped around 174 (from about 350), but have recently and mysteriously lost 6 pounds. Doesn't sound like much, but 175 was the normal for my height and most think it looks too thin on me, so this 6 pounds really shows. I hope my body doesn't want to stay here, but I'm not supposed to adjust my diet to gain or lose. No mater what, though, I wouldn't change a thing. How many people are slimmer than when they were 18 and how many have an I weigh too little issue? A billion times better than diabetes, high cholesterol, sweating all the time, breathing heavy, and not being able to keep up with a baby. That's for sure!

hoping you are still reading this thread...wondering how it's been going after a year and a half for you. Thinking of having this done but worried about failure.

[glass_of_merlot]

I know two people who had this surgery and it failed for both of them. You have to really put some effort into it and not think that you can eat whatever and still loose weight. Also, make sure you are going to a good doctor with good reputation.