Newbie w/ questions

Hey guys! 

I'm new to the board and have kind of been lurking... I'm trying to get as much info about WLS as possible! I've been interested in the lap band for years, and am finally going thru the final approval processes for WLS. So, since I'm close to making this a reality, I started getting serious about my research. 

I thought the lap band was the way to go. From what I knew it wasn't "permanent" (could be replaced or reversed if needed) and someday when I want to get pregnant they could unfill my band during the pregnancy, etc... But after all my research now I'm SCARED about lap band, and really considering the sleeve. I've read about a lot of problems with slippage (and not to mention your port sticking out under your skin!), and I've also noticed that there is a lot of band to sleeve revisions.

I guess, I just wanted to know YOUR reason for doing the lap band. How did you decide on it, versus the sleeve or even RNY. I'm waiting for my referral to see a surgeon, I know when I see him he'll give me his opinion on what I need to do, I just want to be well informed when I go in there! 

BTW... My BMI is about 36.5 (w/ 2 comorbidities). I'm 5'8, 240 and 27 years old.  =)

Thanks!!!

If your insurance will dictate how often you can see your surgeon, I would NOT recommend the band, the band requires seeing your surgeon FREQUENTLY the first year, ideally every 4-6 weeks and may require a few unfills before you reach a good fill level, the band is not an exact science so you must be willing and able to deal with getting saline removed if you get too tight.

If you have limited income and have a HMO that dictates when you see any type of specialist, the band can be a potential nightmare and you may want to look at the Sleeve as a viable option.

The band can be a very good option for people that have GREAT insurance, a very EXPERIENCED SURGEON "ideally a surgeon that is part of a "Center of Excellence" and not from a billboard, and you follow up frequently to get needed fills and your will surgeon follow your journey, and you follow their post op diet and exercise plan and your chances of a great outcome will be greater, but if you are not willing or able to do those things the band can be a nightmare as you can see.

I had a PPO meaning, I could go to my surgeon ANY time that I wanted, hence I was able to escape a potential problem with my band a few years ago and every since then, my banded life has been great for me.

I wanted the band because I did not want my insides rearranged or stomach removed, it is not about weight loss for some people, it is a piece of mind, I can sleep at night at 6 years post op, if god forbid my band slips or need to be removed, I can go back to normal or almost normal, if there ever comes a safer weight loss option that does not involve removing or arranging body parts the band will give me that option since it's removal.

My sister had her stomach stapled similar to the Sleeve back in the 1980's when she was 25 years old and she lost a lot of weight for the first few years and kept her weight off for about 5 years, but she eventually gained all her weight back..hence the stomach eventually stretched back out, and she suffers from stomach issues and pain every single day and vomits frequently and this is why I WOULD NEVER get my stomach stapled or removed from what I've seen my sister suffer with.

Edited to Add: As you read the Regrets Forum, Failed Weight loss and Revision forum you will find EVERY SINGLE SURGERY TYPE has issues, complications and failures, so please do not be naive and think the band comes with many complications, what many people fail to say is that the band has a potential to come with MANY MINOR aggravating issues if you don't have money to quickly take care of them or can't afford aftercare. But if you read the complications from RNY and other surgeries THEY ARE MUCH MORE SEVERE and harder to treat and chronic and can be debilitating that requires repeated hospitalizations, if you suffer band problems you have two options to fix it or remove it.



Good luck

 
No wls is perfect or risk free. The band is the slowest weight loss, the hardest to "work". Many have very minor complications, some have major ones.

So why do I not regret my decision for one minute?

Well, I have been lucky in my banded life. Added to that luck, I have done everything in my power to minimise risks.

For me the main thing was the fact that I did not want bits of me removed or rerouted. I am not naive, I know the band can cause harm, i know it cannot just be whipped out with ease! But. if I ever lose mine, I will not get any other wls.

 When I was considering WLS 3 to 4 years ago, I was given the choice between RnY (aka bypass) and Banding.  My surgeon wasn't doing sleeves at that time and honestly I did not know about them.

I chose the band because of many reasons.  I didn't want my intestines cut.  RnY patients can have issues with bone loss down the road.  With me being over 50 and my mother having a history of osteoporosis, I didn't think RnY was a wise choice for me.

My port doesn't stick out.. but, it is somewhat noticeable when I'm lying down, but this is ONLY after losing 200+ lbs.  When I was first banded, it was hard to find.  The port can be relocated if need be.  I don't think it's a major operation.  I believe that many times once the patient loses enough to want/need a tummy tuck, the port can be moved at that time.

I've yet to have my band slip in 2.75 years.  I am careful to follow my doctor's guidelines, I get an UGI yearly to check band placement and I don't keep my band overly tight.  Not saying it might not slip tomorrow.. but so far so good.

Would I get the sleeve now if making the choice?  I don't know, I'm glad I don't have to make that decision.  As others have said, all WLS have their good and bad points, you have to decide which ones you can deal with.

Best of luck to you.

Wow! Thank you so much for all of your replies. I really appreciate you taking the time to respond. I have a lot to think about, and a lot to discuss with the surgeon. Luckily he is a center of excellence surgeon, and I have read a lot of good things about him.

One thing I did not think of, is that I do have a HMO and I don't know how the whole process works with check ups. I definetly do not want to have to pay out of pocket for fills / check ups, so that is something I will have to look into.

I know all WLS have risks, and pros and cons, so that is why I am trying to do as much research as possible. I appreciate these boards more than you know, such an amazing tool.

I sure do have a lot to think about! 

I also have HMO insurance and had to pay out of pocket for every fill (which added up to quite a bit of money after 8+ fills/unfills). I don't know how your insurance works, but I also had to have referrals for the fills, as well. Even the ones done under fluoro in the hospital (the surgeon still bills for his services, so I still needed a specialist referral).

Unfortunately, even though I was initially able to lose 60 lbs. just because I hit a certain point where I coudln't really eat anymore, I eventually realized I was never going to find "my sweet spot" and had a complete unfill so the acid reflux I was getting wouldn't cause any permanent damage. I'm now having revision to RNY in February. A very big part of me wishes I had had the RNY in the first place as it would have saved 4 years of expensive doctor visits and that awful "stuck" feeling, but at least now I know I'm going to appreciate the RNY even more. I know everyone is different and the Lap-Band works great for some, but out of 4 of us who had Lap-Band surgery in 2007 and went to support group meetings together, 3 of us have either had revisions or are on our way to revisions. And even the successful bandster in our group is having reflux issues because of the band tightness she needs to maintain her weight loss. Just keep researching and think very carefully about the maintenance your Lap-Band is going to need. When I went in for my first revision consultation, my surgeon said they've been doing quite a few Lap-Band revisions over the past year or so and are starting to suggest the sleeve might be a better option for people who don't want any malabsorption. And yes, my surgeon and his group belong to a "Center of Excellence" and have very high success rates. Except for with the Lap-Band.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

I had a RNY in April 08 and lost about 100 lb in about 8 months then it all stop and I maintained my weight for about 2 years then it start to rise again.  Had my bypass banded in Oct 11 and just had my 2nd fill but haven't lost anything since op.  All surgeries work different for different people and also depends how hard your work with it.

Best of luck

Gaynor

All surgeries have their risks it's true, but the Lap Band & the RNY seem to have the most. Why are you choosing a surgery with so many post op complications associated with it ?  You do understand that the band is removable, but many of the injuries it causes are not reversible ?

Are you aware that your insurance company will not allow your " easily removed/reversed band " to be removed no matter how much pain you are in ?

There are so many of us that were denied a "simple reversal/remoaval" based on the insurance companies decision ( not Allergans jurisdiction here ) to deny the requested service based on
" Lack Of Mechanical Failure "

Good luck on your quest for WLS and a healthier life!

I've been banded since 2009.  I chose the band because it was the least invasive, adjustable and removable.  But mostly because the sleeve wasn't covered by my insurance at the time.  That's what I really wanted.

I was afraid of the RNY because of reactive hypoglycemia.  My endocrinologist's dietician said that if you have diabetes before surgery, the odds of RH increases after RNY.  She also said that it's mostly caused by food choices, though I've read otherwise here at OH.

If I had to do it again, I'd have waited for the sleeve to be covered (it is now on my plan).

My complications include adhesions and scar tissue (I can feel it pulling), never getting to the green zone (either too loose or too tight and vomiting) and my port has flipped.  It doesn't stick out at all, but I can feel it and it's annoying when I'm carrying stuff that presses against it, like big bags of dog food.  Bending over and doing yard work also bugs it.

From what I've heard from those with band to sleeve revisions, the sleeve feels like what we expected from the band that some of us never got.  No need for adjustments!

For me personally, the band has been nothing more than a diet.  I was/am a volume eater and I thought the band would help with that but it hasn't.  But that's just my experience.  Your mileage may vary.

I still have all my co-morbidities.  At about 6 months out I had lost close to 30 pounds, but have regained that.  I have a 10cc AP Lap-Band from Allergan and it's completely empty after I got gastritis in May and it clamped shut.  Couldn't swallow my own saliva.  So for now, I'm just leaving it empty until I get my ducks in a row for removal/revision.

Just keep researching and learn as much as you can about the various surgeries before you decide.  No matter what option, be sure to work closely with your bariatric clinic and ob/gyn regarding nutrition and vitamin supplementation when you decide to get pregnant.  Lots of women have babies after WLS, so it can be done!

Good luck!
Denise