Wondering about the Lap Band...

I will start by warning you I've had the band for over 4 years and would never ever urge anyone to get it for any reason. I only lost 40 lbs and gained back 20 by the 2nd year and since then haven't lost an ounce. I finally had mine emptied because I kept getting tighter even without fills, to the point where I couldn't eat or keep food down. Finally after months of screwing around with trying to eat different ways I had it totally emptied and thank God I can now eat normal healthy food again. The band continues to build up scar tissue as long as you have it, hence the tightening feeling. It has eroded into peoples stomach and liver causing irreversible damage. It is removeable but it will leave its mark on you. Just as soon as I can figure out a way I am getting mine out and having a VSG. I would rather have part of my stomach gone and live a normal life than be choked to death by this band. Even my own surgeons don't like to do the band anymore because it is so ineffective. I feel so strongly about this that I would never allow my own child to have this horrible surgery.

So before you jump into this reasearch, research, research and go to some seminars and not just ones by band only docs, go to ones by surgeone that do at least 3 of the 4 major surgeries. Don't go in blind like I did and don't believe what the band companies put out there, they are only imterested in the almighty buck!

Please, please do not get the band.  I selected it originally because I thought it was the least invasive.  After 5 years, and a total weight loss of 40 pounds, it slipped and I was within 3 days of dying,  YES DYING.  I had to have an emergency surgery to have it removed and then got a serious infection in the hospital.

I was recently revised to the RNY.  All in all so far, I've had 3 surgerys related to weight loss.....all due to what I thought would be the least invasive surgery. 

Many insurance companies are now including a one surgery per lifetime clause in plans so it is now especially important to choose correctly the first time.  I fought tooth and nail for 5 months to get approved for my RnY.

I also had a lot of endocrine issues which led to my weight gain......Cushings Disease, PCOS, thyroid nodules, adrenal gland masses.  Please see a good Endocrinologist and get tested for all of these things which can lead to weight gain and make it hard to loose weight.

I am SO much happier with the RnY.  The band is so fickle. You are so young....please choose wisely. 

you have to make your own choice but i will say i love my band and i have several friends that have one and many who went with bypass and all have different stories.

I recommend going to a bariatric seminar and support groups BEFORE you make your decision. A year ago I didn't even think bariatric surgery was for me. 6 months ago, I thought I wanted lap band, but after attending a seminar and support group, the band isn't for me. It doesn't fit my lifestyle and the complications and maintenance of it aren't what I am looking for. There are several different types of bariatric surgery. I chose to go with the gastric sleeve. I am getting "sleeved" on Feb. 2nd! Everyone is different in their preference, but be sure to RESEARCH every type of surgery available to you before you decide for sure. Being "cut and tore apart" is kind of a part in all of them. Including lap band. You aren't so much torn apart, but you are still cut and it is as much of a surgery as any.

I actually think the lap band for me wouldn't work as I would of thought it would. I think having that kick behind it from everyone that has said that they are happy or upset they have done it but yeah it can do more damage than good everyone is different.

I just think I'd stick with a surgery that has really no big nutrient problems with absorbing vitamins like the VSG which I looked into and watched about 10+ surgery videos and its really not to bad its a pretty cool operation. Kinda sucks because around LIMA OH there isn't anyone doing that or any type of gastric bypass Drs that I have seen in the Drs search on here and the hospital web pages. I have heard about Dayton(about 2hrs away)and Ft Wayne IN(Hour maybe a little more). Kinda all depends on which is better DRs and which insurance I get if any. And if any of them would work with St Ritas Hospital in Lima or any of the others close to me. Which I have heard they can do.

I am the type that just can't go to my mom and say HEY LISTEN TO ME!! .. I get more out by writing a letter to her than just talking to her about big things. I've really been feeling odd feels that I know the same I had when younger. I kinda have been trying to push them away on my own hoping they would pass. I cried myself to sleep last night because I feel so alone right now. Nobody in my family knows what it feels like to be over weight. To be in pain day to day because the pressure of my own body. I feel as if nothing I do is good enough for anyone. I've told my boyfriend/fiance about this and he is all behind me on this and wants to see me happy and wants to see me change for me not for him or anyone else. He wants me to be healthy live a normal life that i've tried so hard to do. We plan on getting married in 2014 and by then I want to be somewhat a normal size not in the 20 something sizes that i've been in since I was like 11yrs old. I just feel like giving up I dream to much about things that won't come true no matter how hard I try to make it. I think after thinking about this it broke down that wall of depressed feelings I have built up over the years. I never knew how much my weight did affect me by just my thinking and how much pain I've been put in over the years. I have to say I've been lucky for not having any serious problems at my age but who knows I could go to the Dr tomorrow and that could all change? I just don't want to give it that chance. My moms never really helped me stay with a diet how do you expect a kid to do the diet by her self? I couldn't I tried to but failed at it every time. I really think I should of had something done years ago about my weight but everytime I go in saying hey I am sick of this I get jumped for feeding my face? I really want to live my life get my license and a job for the first time. Reason behind not having them is from weight and depression I don't think my mom knows how much its affecting me. My big toes been killing me for 4 wks now comes and goes of sore stiff feeling like its stuck. She just thinks I'm being lazy and it froze because I'm not active well Its my foot i rolls in 8th grade that never healed because this weight.  She trys to find something to cover it up always pointing to my weight. I mean I love my mom but I don't think she knows that she could be seeing me die before she does if I can't get healthy.  My familys got a lot of strong genes and a lot of health problems. Youngest heart problems started to a cousin of her's when they were in their late 20's I don't want that but if I can't change I will have that. I just won't give up until I can't fight anymore.