Anyone had lapband surgery at Maples Surgical Center?

Hi there,
      I am new to this site and just looking for any info/advice/support regarding the lap band. I almost went through with the surgery 2 years ago, but backed down at the last minute. Two years later...and 20 lbs heavier...I regret that decision and am going ahead with this this time, as long as everything goes as planned. I'm meeting with the surgeon at the clinic on tuesday and aiming for a surgery date in February. Just wondering if anyone can share their stories, which dr they dealt with, the good bad and ugly, etc. I have a max of 120 lbs to lose and really think the lap band is the best option for me. Thanks!!! Hope to hear from someone, anyone, soon! lol. Also, is there a support group at all for people banded in Winnipeg???

Amanda

Ooops....forgot to mention I am dealing with Lucienne from Maples Surgical center. Sound familiar to anyone??? She's been great so far

One more thing, when I spoke to Lucienne, she told me I could get the procedure done as early as 3 weeks. She even asked me if I was interested in a Dec.20 date. I saw a few people on the forum saying there is a long waiting list for the procedure so I'm really confused.

 hi there , you will find that most of the ladies on this site have had or are waiting for either the sleeve or the gastric bypass. i was originally looking at the lapband which all i knew was the least invasive, since joining this site i have learned a great deal, not to mention videos on youtube and all the books i've bought. i have now decided on the rny gastric bypass. most of the girls have gone thru st boniface clinic and have their surgery done at the vic hospital. it is covered by mb health as it is a pilot program. there is strick criteria, which i did not meet, and they only do the rny or sleeve. so my dr refered me to the weight wise program in edmonton, and am currently going thru the hoops there. check out my blog if you are interested. i know that edmonton does lapband ,rny and sleeve. but for both programs there is at least a 1 year waiting list, but at least its covered.. im curious to hear about your weight loss journey and look forward to hearing how you do with the lapband and your experience at maples surgical center. it will be all new info on this site. we have all choosen wls on this site, and everyone is very supportive whether its sleeve rny or even lapband. we can all relate. if you are interested in hearing more lapband stories there is a lapband forum on here, but its mostly american. and actually tends to be kind of anti-lapband, so be forewarned.
best of lluck, hope you can find the answers you are looking for.
niki

Thank you for that. Yes I did go on the lap band forum but it seemed to be more of a battle between the members. I did not like it at all!! I will keep you posted. Surgery is planned for february as of now, but not set in stone. Still have not given the final YES

 Hi Amanda 

I have heard a number of very bad stories of complications about people who have had the lap band. It is also horrendously expensive. I checked into it this summer & it was about $18,000 at the Maples at that time.  I plan to go to a facility in Mexico for vertical sleeve gastrectomy in February. The surgery is only $7000 (which is middle-of-the road price-wise) at a Bariatric Centre of Excellence. Of course that doesn't include the flight, but I have enough Air Miles. Even if I had to pay, I think it was under $1000 when I looked. The band is also very follow-up intensive with fills, which is another reason I decided not to go with it. You also still have the part of the stomach that creates the hunger hormone (ghrelin), yet another reason I decided not to consider it once I found out about the VSG. The amount of weight loss is also much less than with VSG. I also need to lose about 120-130 lb. In my opinion, the lapband is not the best option. You will see on many of the forums that people lose weight much more slowly and less in total with the lapband than with VSG.

I agree you won't find much info on this particular part of the forum.  Obviously this is a decision you have to make, but I'd encourage you to check some more. The place I'm considering comes very highly recommended (I've bugged people for their opinions!). It's called Obesity Control Centre, in Tijuana, Mexico. 

Good luck whatever decision you make. 

Thanks Dianne. Was it a long process for you to get a surgery date? I really don't think I want gastric bypass. The thought of my stomach being cut, etc is just something I don't want to go through.

Amanda

Hi Amanda 

No, there was no long process to get a surgery date.  I am only waiting until February because my sister-in-law has offered to come to Mexico with me and she can't get away until then due to her work. I decided to have the surgery in October and could have had it done within three to four weeks of making the decision.

I must admit I'm also a little leery about having part of my stomach cut out. However, as I've seen mentioned many times, if you don't intend for it to be permanent, then why do it!  I've decided I just have to get over it and go ahead.

Gastric bypass, which you mentioned, and vertical sleeve gastrectomy are different procedures, but both do involve the stomach being cut.  From all I've been able to find, people who have the VSG has the fewest complications with eating afterwards (although everyone is different, of course).

If only found out about the vertical sleeve gastrectomy when I stumbled across an ad on Facebook, but I'm glad I did and glad I got information on both.

Good luck with whatever choice you make. 

With the RNY you do not get any part of your stomach taken out. I have a friend who got the lapband a few years ago. She has been sucessful in loosing weight but not really changing her eating habits. She looses a lot when she gets fills, only drinking coffee and smoking, but by the time she is needing another one she is eating cheesies and crap like that. Not saying that you will do that BUT she has lost well over 150lbs but it has taken her over 3 years.

Best of luck in your decision. No matter what option you choose will be the best one for you

Thank you for your response!!! Did your friend have the lap band done in Winnipeg?