trying to decide if i should have the lap band, need help

I am a female over the road truck driver, we drive team, so we are always moving. I don't have a lot of time to excerise and my doctor is suggesting that i have the lap band done. I really need to lose the weight, which now I am at 325, 5'6 and 47 years old. I can not take a lot of time off to have surgery that's why I am looking at lap band. I have read alot of good and bad on here, i am wondering if there are any truckers out there that can tell me how they deal with this. any help would be greatly appreciated! thanks

I don't drive a truck

any help is appreciated

I would like to recommend to you the VSG. It is a purely restrictive only surgery just like the lap band . It does not malabsorb like the RNY and because you are out on the road so much. I keep thinking that if you were to become stuck then you might find it hard to get into a surgeon who can do an unfill on your band.

High altitudes can cause your band to tighten ( This has actually happened to me ) and if you will be driving your truck through any mountain passes this could be a very painful problem for you to deal with.

Here are some links for more information on the sleeve.

www.obesityhelp.com/forums/VSG/

• About Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy 
• Advantages and Disadvantages 
• Frequently Asked Questions

My husband is a truck driver we have our own semi so I know what you are going through I dont dont drive with him  , but I do go on many many trips with him :o)

If you all are like my husband he eats out alot and let me tell you we both know that truck stop food is not the healthiest food out there .

Is there way you can start fixing meals in your truck ?  Do  you have a fridge ? I am assuming you do since you guys team :o)

With any WLS out there you will need to avoid the truck stop food as much as possible .  Get a George Forman grill and fix your protein on that and so forth.

With the lap band you wouldn't miss that much work  the first week ,maybe two  BUT and let me stress my hubby is a flatbed driver so he works with tarps and such things like that . You CANNOT be lifting anything heavy for at least 6 weeks and that will be with any surgery you go with and other surgery's you will probably be out longer because they are actually cutting parts out of you or stapling parts .

With the lap band you will need to come back home once a month for a fill that is usually every four to six weeks if you need them .  Then I would probably stay home for a few days to make sure everything is okay .

With you being out on the road I would take the fills as small as you can so you dont get over filled and have problems out on the road .  Also ask your doctor for a list of fill centers around the United States.  I dont know the name of them but I think they are called Fill Centers of America or something like that. Make sure you know where them fill centers are incase you do have problems out on the road :o)

As far as exercise you all can take the time to walk around the truck stop, get a dog so you have to walk him :o) .  Parking further away from the Truck Stops and walking to get your showers , or getting something to eat is better then nothing that is what my hubby does :o)

Just remember the lap band does take maintenance for it , you do need to see your doctor every month for the first yr or at least till you feel like you are that point where you dont need to see him and you are in the green zone .

Just a suggestion have you looked into the Sleeve ? That might be a better option for you since it dont require maintenance after the surgery, I think the downtime is a bit longer though because they are actually cutting part of your stomach out .

If cutting out part of your insides bother you then the lap band will work , it will take alot more dedication on your part, because I know how hard living on the road is and trying to eat healthy been there done that .  

Like I said it will take more maintenance though and you must get in to see your doctor at least every month for a good six months to a yr :o)


Good Luck !!!!  

" Just a suggestion have you looked into the Sleeve ? That might be a better option for you since it don't require maintenance after the surgery, I think the downtime is a bit longer though because they are actually cutting part of your stomach out . "

Just out of pure curiosity, why do you believe the downtime with the sleeve is a bit longer because they remove the remnant part of the stomach ?

Between my two lap band surgeries and my revision to sleeve. I have found that the sleeve was by far the easiest one to heal from. Removing the remnant part of the stomach would cause less pain and irritation then having a hard piece of plastic placed around the soft tissue of your stomach.

I am going to check out the sleeve, i don't know if there is a physician in my area that does it. that's why I was looking at lapband.

thanks for your help. I see you had surgery, which one did you have? I do cook in my truck, my husband was just diagnoised with type 2 diabeties. I do park away from the building, have a dog, and we try to walk when we can. thanks

Not being able to take a lot of time off for surgery is not a good reason to have the lapband.
Look into the sleeve. This seems to be the new gold wls.
Good luck

In my experience there is no additional time required for the sleeve. The recovery time is the same. The only difference would be that you might get an extra day in the hospital with the sleeve, but the recovery time as a whole would be EXACTLY the same period of time as the band.