Question:
Has anyone had bif problems with the lapband

Hi, my name is Tina and i am considering the Lapband. I am very scared of surgery and the long and short terms problems. I would really appreciate any feedback. I also hear that you lose very little weight . I recently read that surgery can affect your heart and lungs. I am so confused!    — konstance (posted on January 13, 2007)

January 13, 2007
Tina: I talked to my surgeon about the lap band before i had my surgery done. He explained the risks of the band.....i decided against that and went with the roug n y surgery. the band can break, can cause infections if your body doesn't agree with haveing something like that in there. like a rejection. You don't lose weight as fast or as much becasue you can eat more from the first day. I would talk to a surgeon about it and get their input. if you have alot to lose, i would go with the regular bypass surgery. just my opinion.
   — jan0859

January 13, 2007
Hi Tina...even though the choice is yours, my surgeon does both the RNY and Lap band. He admitted to liking the Lap band the very least.(For the same reasons as the first writer) I personally had Laproscopic RNY and couldn't be happier.Most people are getiing the WLS for health reasons and the sooner,the better. If you want faster results,I would look into the RNY instead. Best of luck to you.
   — purnellj

January 13, 2007
I just had the band put in literally. (I'm second day post op). So far so good, no major problems and surgery went without a hitch. I respond well to medication and I don't have much pain. I have to admit this is my first personal experience with surgery but I work in the medical field so this is what I have to say about the Lap Band. Do your homework. I personally chose a Lap Band because a. my age, b. there is less risk than with a bypass. A Lap Band if you really want to know is no more risky than having a cholescystectomy (gall bladder removal). Any type of surgery can affect your heart and lungs particularly if you don't follow instructions. You can have a lot of complications with either bypass or lap band surgery. With the lap band surgery, you can end up with bleeding, a perforated bowel, band slippage, etc. With a bypass you have other complications. The heavier you are the greater your risks. The older you are, the greater your risks, the more health problems you have the greater your risk. You get the idea. For me, I'm in my twenties, and I weigh 302 at 5'6" with no other comorbidities (health problems) outside of high cholesterol. If you'd like to read my experience with the band, I have a blog at http://ban-ned.spaces.live.com. I'm just going through my day to day experience with it. There's another woman who was two years out who also blogs about her band. http://www.kimswlsjourney.com/12940.html Good luck with your decisions. Ban-ned C.
   — reighne

January 13, 2007
I am 2 months post op and I have had zero problems with my band. Yes you do lose weight slower, but it is better for your body to adjust to the wieght loss that to have it drop off instantly. I have lost 36lbs so far, but I was also liviing a little too much over Christmas. I will be weighed again this Thursday. I have lost a size in pants and shirts, and feel great. I have zero vitmain deficiency, and process food like I should. The lap band is the best choice, in my opinion but like the other poster said, we did this for our lives, so it's whatever choice you feel is best for you. I respect anyone who has done any surgery, because we all did it to survive. Feel free to email me or view my page, if you have additional questions. Also, I had my surgery on a Monday, went home Tuesday and back to work on Thursday. Band slippage is not so much a factor if your surgeon knows what he is doing and uses the new generation of bands.
   — photomaker04

January 14, 2007
I had lap band and chose it because it seemed less invasive, less drastic and less of a change to my body. Once you have RNY there is no going back, nor is there any way to adjust it. I have lost 60 pounds since April, I'm averaging a tad over 6 pounds per month. I'm losing at a healthy rate, I'm down from a size 30 Womens pants to a 22 and almost down to the 20. I'm exercising (mostly swimming) and feeling great! So far I haven't plateaued, but I'm waiting for that. I process food naturally, I've had no hair loss or none of the other problems that can occur with RNY. I've learned to slow down my eating, take smaller bites and therefore eat much less. I have no idea how small I will eventually get. I started at about 305 and hope to get down to at least 180. If I go lower, great! My knees and hips were the reason I wanted to lose, I could hardly move around or go up and down steps. Already I feel like I'm 10 years younger! The choice is yours, but I'm 49 years old, have no other health problems so this is what I chose. So far I'm happy with my choice. Personally, I DID have about 3-4 days of being VERY sore after surgery, but once the soreness was over, I bounced back quickly. It's different for everyone. My Dr. is renowned throughout my state for this surgery AND the RNY so I could have gone either way. My only irritation is that sometimes when I exercise hard, I do feel a little soreness on the side where I have my port esp. when I do a lot of twisting or turning at the torso. It's a minor irritation, really, but it reminds me that I have a foriegn object in my body. Hopefully, it will continue to work for me and I will not develop any complications down the road. Good luck with whatever you choose.
   — Debra R.

January 14, 2007
Hi. I am 11 months out from a lap band. I have lost %57 of my excess body weight (62 lbs). I had zero complications, have been told my diabetes and hypertension and now sleep apnea are gone. And I feel great. Feel free to email me with any questions. I have never regreted the surgery and I had it at the Barix center and they were great.
   — phyllisE

January 14, 2007
Hi. I am 11 months out from a lap band. I have lost %57 of my excess body weight (62 lbs). I had zero complications, have been told my diabetes and hypertension and now sleep apnea are gone. And I feel great. Feel free to email me with any questions. I have never regreted the surgery and I had it at the Barix center and they were great.
   — phyllisE

January 15, 2007
dear Tina, both lap band and gastric bypass have pros and cons. The best thing you can do is speak with a specialist. I see Dr. Frantzides in Skokie Illinois and he has done over 1500 operations. In my case he recommended GBY but he does do do lap band as well. Check out the section on top called "Find a Bariatric doctor" and read the profiles. Take your time to make a decision and think about the type of behavior required of each. Good luck and keep checking in!
   — PrivateGal

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