Hello to my fellow Louisianians, I'm back for round 2...

I had to get another band put in. By the time I was able to afford another band, I gained my weight back. Oh well, here we go again. It will be good to see some familiar faces, and to meet some new ones as well. JT

Band Buddy JT!

My band go bye-bye too. Hope to join you soon on path to success.

We will NOT be denied.

Hey Frances, How have you been? What happened to your band??? You were doing so good... I wish you lots of luck. JT

Thanks, JT.

My band and I went through a lot with 8 abdominal surgeries (unrelated) from start to removal. I had a lot of adhedsion and adbmonal swelling issues that made life with the band uncomfortable. It didn't fail or slip -- it just became uncompatible with me.

I have a lof of scarring at the site of the band so another band isn't a good idea and intestinal scar tissue and adhedsion would make a RNY difficult. I'm trying to revise to the Sleeve at the end of the month.

Pleasant Journey!
Frances

My band was replace with VSG  it's working much better than the band.....and no pain

This is all new to me and I am hoping to get it right the first time.....I can't even imagine having to do this twice?  Any info on the different options (procedures) and pros and cons for each would be great!  I prefer to hear personal experience rather than just medical facts from books.  After all the reading I've done, I am so confused and have NO idea which procedure I want to have done......Not to mention, I am not sure which procedures will even be offered to me as my primary is Medicare......secondary is Blue Cross Fed Employees program.

CHRISTY:  I highly recommend that you consider the Sleeve, the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy (VSG).  Check out the Sleeve forum for more info.   I live in Destrehan, LA and I went to Dr. Lavin in Covington, he did my surgery in Slidell, only one night stay.  There are other experienced Sleeve doctors in LA.   Also, to let you know:  I am a federal employee with Blue Cross Federal Employees insurance, and they approved my Sleeve surgery with no problem.  I am 51, had BMI of 47 and no co-morbidities.  In the 2 months since, I've lost 39 lbs, had no complications, only missed one week of work.   I am very pleased with the Sleeve.  Best of luck to you.

NANCY

Hi, I had the VSG done back in March in Mexico. I am amazed!!! Plain and simple. I have lost 36 lbs since the surgery. I thought this to be my best option because (and this is just my opinion) the lap band puts a foreign body in you that your body may reject, not to mention all the fills and such that you have to mess with. The bypass is alot more complicated surgery and the dumping syndrome associated with it makes me run the other way. Hope this helps, like I said it is only my opinion and I am biased being I had the VSG but I would not change it. Just be very prepared to change the whole way you think and react when food is concerned. Best of luck.
Pam