One of my best friends had Lap Band surgery roughly 3 yrs ago. She has had nothin but problems and we recently found out why....she is allergic to the band. All I can say is be careful :-)
i had my band placed one year ago and have had zero problems. actually that's not true...my only problem is finding money to keep buying clothes!! Everytime i turn around, the clothes i just bought are too big
the band is a great alternative to bypass--less complications, less risk--its simply a safter option, with the same results (if not better...just slower).
its true some people have problems, but the stats are around 1%.
its the best thing i ever did for myself-no regrets. the surgery itself is very easy-i was up and running around 3 days later. you do have to have patience--the band does need to be adjusted and that can take time....i didn't start losing steadily until after my 3rd adjustment, but if you get to goal in 9 months or 12...doesn't matter in the end.
good luck--keep researching!
I was banded on 12/19 - about 8 days ago. It's only been a few days..however, I'm happy I did it so far! I think my biggest issue was with portion and "eating healthy" controls. I'm hoping that this should do it..I was too chicken to get Gastric Bypass!
Are the risks as bad as with gastric bypass? Also, do you lose as much. I have heard lap band will only somewhat help-that it isn't as effective as GB,does anyone know?
i had my band placed one year ago and have had zero problems. actually that's not true...my only problem is finding money to keep buying clothes!! Everytime i turn around, the clothes i just bought are too big
the band is a great alternative to bypass--less complications, less risk--its simply a safter option, with the same results (if not better...just slower).
its true some people have problems, but the stats are around 1%.
its the best thing i ever did for myself-no regrets. the surgery itself is very easy-i was up and running around 3 days later. you do have to have patience--the band does need to be adjusted and that can take time....i didn't start losing steadily until after my 3rd adjustment, but if you get to goal in 9 months or 12...doesn't matter in the end.
good luck--keep researching!
Can you tell me about the "adjustment"? Is it painful? Is it done in a doctor's office or back at a surgical facility? Between being banded and that 3rd adjustment, how much time passed?
for me, the third ajustment came about 2 months after surgery.....but I had lost about 12 lbs the first 2 weeks, so even though i wasn't losing consistently until after that 3rd fill, it still averaged out in the end.
teh fills are no big deal--just like getting a shot--but really not even as bad as that, as you don't feel the burn of medicine/fluid/whatever going in your skin. because the needle enters the port, you simply feel that initial stick. (and believe me, I am a real needle phobe....and this doesn't bother me a bit).
Also, don't let the idea of so many fills sway you--you might not need a single one--or maybe just one or two..there is no way to know. and once you start losing you won't care
someone above asked about the effectiveness: the band and the bypass are as effective as you want them to be--its a tool nothing more. many people believe the bypass to be superior because you lose so much faster with it, but the numbers level out after a year or so. the problem with bypass is you have a window of opportunity--most bypassers lose their weight the first year, adn after that they are back to dieting. not so with the band--you adjust it and keep going, no matter if its 1 year out or 5. and for me, faster is not better. there just seems to be something so unhealthy about dropping 100lbs in a few months. it also gives your skin some time to catch up--when you lose fast your chances of excess skin are greater than if you lose slowly.
imho, unless you have to lose weight immediately (ie heart problem) then consider bypass, but if not, the band can accomplish the same thing, with much less risk and long term side-effects.
An ex-girlfriend of mine had the lap band done 4 years ago and she has not lost a lot of weight with it. She is in the health insurance business and as such was privy to the cost of the saline injections for the band. She was told each adjustment cost approximately $500 each! Now this was 4 years ago and prices may be lower and/or it just may have been the doctor she used but this is very expensive for someone without insurance.
WCPI
Pre-surgery prep for
Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RGB)
for me, the third ajustment came about 2 months after surgery.....but I had lost about 12 lbs the first 2 weeks, so even though i wasn't losing consistently until after that 3rd fill, it still averaged out in the end.
teh fills are no big deal--just like getting a shot--but really not even as bad as that, as you don't feel the burn of medicine/fluid/whatever going in your skin. because the needle enters the port, you simply feel that initial stick. (and believe me, I am a real needle phobe....and this doesn't bother me a bit).
Also, don't let the idea of so many fills sway you--you might not need a single one--or maybe just one or two..there is no way to know. and once you start losing you won't care
someone above asked about the effectiveness: the band and the bypass are as effective as you want them to be--its a tool nothing more. many people believe the bypass to be superior because you lose so much faster with it, but the numbers level out after a year or so. the problem with bypass is you have a window of opportunity--most bypassers lose their weight the first year, adn after that they are back to dieting. not so with the band--you adjust it and keep going, no matter if its 1 year out or 5. and for me, faster is not better. there just seems to be something so unhealthy about dropping 100lbs in a few months. it also gives your skin some time to catch up--when you lose fast your chances of excess skin are greater than if you lose slowly.
imho, unless you have to lose weight immediately (ie heart problem) then consider bypass, but if not, the band can accomplish the same thing, with much less risk and long term side-effects.
jess:
Thanks for the information. The most interesting comment is the 1 year or 5.
The main thing I hear as a negative about the banding is that the band almost always deteriorates and will need to be either just removed or replaced. One woman's web page I read said that at 18 months the fills were no longer doing anything and they were telling her the band was already deteriorated to where it was going to need replaced. I think that would be awful.
Did they discuss those odds with you?
I've already lost from 365 to 230 without surgery. But I'd gotten to 204 about 3 years ago...now gaining back from there. I just don't think I can go hungry the rest of my life and whether people want to believe it or not, I have to stay hungry to keep this off. Lap band seems like the option for me. I know about 8 people who have had GBP. But I know no one who has gone the LapBand route.
Keep us posted. I am also looking into this. I had breast lift, tummy tuck and liposuction a few months ago and even though I have gone down in size, my weight is still an issue. having the lipo done taught me that the fat that is around my tummy is visceral (sp?) which means it's behind the muscles and the most dangerous kind. My mother had her first heart attack at 42 and now I am 35......starting to get freaked out. I exercise 5-6 days a week and basicly eat right, but my problem is portion control. I also have metabolic syndrome which slows me from losing weight. I'm hoping this is the answer for me.
I would say this is the best thing I have done for myself,I researched the Diff/between Gastic bypass//Lapband..for over a year before talking And meeting w/the Doctor who preform's both operation's . It was suggested to me after meeting w/my Personal Doctor & The Weightloss Doctor to get the Lap-Band.
I am now 6 days after surgery and down between 15-20 Lbs I would guess
Wow, that is ALOT of weight. My BMI is a little less than 35 so I'm going to have to fight my insurance co. to get this done, but have three Doctors backing me up, so hopefully I can get it doen soon. Please, will you keep in touch with me and let me know how you're doing? I'd love to know if you have any negatives from it. I've heard so many good things and so many bad things.
Tell me what are the negatives you have heard,And was this information from people who where Lap-Banded.or is it I heard this from a friend at work.
As with your Insurance company .They can pay now for prevention or I am sure there bean counter's can see what the long cost of Heart Diease,Stroke,& Diabetic problem's Due to Obesity.Explain to the Insurance company this is a tool that will help you live an happy and healthy 20-30 years obese free...Good luck...
I Think its more like 15-30 K in the USA,as for Mexico do you really wanna go outside the country for a medical procedure like that,because people wanna save a buck,cheaper is not alway's best....
I've heard deterioration, allergic reactions, not working very well. I have to be very careful also becuase during my previous surgeries I've had alot of problems with allergic reactions to foreign objects. This would most definitely benefit me over GB because if it doesn't work out, they can just take it out.
Dear Miper in your statement "I've heard deterioration, allergic reactions, not working very well."
I would only believe it from someone who actually Had a case of deterioration,As for allergic reactions,the device is not made or packaged using latex.And the not working very well...This is only a tool...You still have to watch what and amount of food you take in. exercise,And the biggest thing to deal with is "YOU" the patient .You have to change your lifestyle so that this new "TOOL"will do it's best job..
Good Luck
Are you saying she had a 3 year allergic reaction ??? The device is not even made of "LATEX" material's...Did she lose the weight she expected ???...When did she have it removed...
Lap band surgery 
Has anyone had the lap band surgery, and what effect did it have on you. What was the recovery like? 
Now this was 4 years ago and prices may be lower and/or it just may have been the doctor she used but this is very expensive for someone without insurance.
