Lap-Band

Hi everyone,    My name is Marcy and i just found this web site today! I was wondering if anyone  here or around phoenix has had the lap-band and could tell me the pros and cons...i  am 23 yrs old and 199 pounds. I have my band surgery scheduled for june 27th and  am very scared but also excited. I am having the surgery with Dr. Terry Simpson. I  have looked up so much stuff on the band but i know actually talking to someone  that has had the band would be so much more helpful. Any info good or bad would  be helpful. Also i dont want to think about it too much but does anyone know what  usually causes death in these kind of surgeries (is it the actual surgery or after, and  why?) Thank you so much for whatever information anyone has Marcy

Hey Marcy -  I sent you a personal info EM, GOod luck and people on this board are great!!  You chose the BEST DOC TOO!!!!  Stay in touch - Candi

Hi Marcy, Welcome. You are in very good hands with Dr. S. He is an excellent surgeon, and he is very dedicated and accessible to his patients.  I guess for me the pros are: I have lost 63 pounds without feeling deprived. For me, I eat anything I want, but just less of it. I do eat healthy things 90% of the time and monitor my calories and protein, but I still eat desserts, popcorn at the movies, and some fast food. I don't eat that stuff as much as I did before surgery, and I don't eat the portion sizes I did before surgery. For example- before surgery, I would go to Taco Bell and get 2 bean burritos, a Nacho Supreme, a Soft Taco Supreme. I would eat it all, and then eat a dessert. Now, after surgery, I get on crunchy taco. That's it!! I consistently lose an average of 8 pounds a month. Diets never worked for me. The band does.  The cons: you still have to battle head hunger--eating when you're not physically hungry. The band doesn't like you to try to stuff food in when it's already full. It can feel painful in your chest when the food gets stuck there. It can't go down, so it usually comes back up. Everyone has a few episodes with this. It just takes a while to train your brain to eat differently.  Now about death: the lap-band surgery has an extremely low death rate. I only recall reading about 2 deaths related directly to the band. One was in the U.S. right when they first started doing the band. The other was a man in Japan last year. They were both rare events. The things that usually cause mortality during or within a week after lap band surgery are the same as with any similar surgery like gall bladder or appendix. It's possible to get a blood clot that breaks loose and travels to the lungs. This is called pulmonary embolism. These are rare. You will get a shot of a blood thinner right before surgery to help prevent clots, and you will wear some cool "motorized" boots during surgery to keep your circulation going. Some people die from bad reactions to the anesthesia. This is also rare. Some people die from complications of conditions they already had due to obesity like heart or pulmonary conditions. I'm not trying to sound morbid. I'm just honestly answering your question as someone who works in the medical profession. I will always be honest wth you, and give you both sides of the story- the good and the bad. You are young and healthy, and you will do fine.  And you will just LOVE the band.

Thank you so much for writing me back. I am very excited for the band. I really appreciate you telling me the reasons that might cause death and that makes me feel a lot better about the surgery. I really like this web site, everyone has been very helpful.It seems most people say the only cons are when food gets stuck, if that is the worst then im ready for surgery. thanks again Marcy

Marcy I am 26 and just got my lap band WLS on May 2nd. The recovery was the most difficult the first week after I felt like crap, but since It has been great. I am down 25 pounds total and about 12 about pounds down since surgury. My doctor was Dr. Podkameni from Banner Mesa hospital. I really like him and there whole program. I was at a 42 BMI when I started and now am at 38, It's not that much of a change but I feel great!!! I hope everything goes well on your journey