IBS & Lap Band Surgery (intro too)

Hi everyone -

I'm new to this forum and had a question for everyone!

I'm Jess, I have diabetes, am obese (not sure how close to morbidly, but i'm sure it's quite close), have high blood pressure, depression & horrible IBS.

One of my main reasons for having Lap Band surgery is for the IBS.  I have suffered with out of control IBS-D for more than 25 years now and I can't take much more.  I have no trigger.  I could eat the same meal every day for a month and after every meal, my experience would be different.  No medications have worked for me and I spend a LOT of time hungry (for example, we're having a meeting today at work at 3 - so i can't have lunch, because i can't exactly excuse myself from the meeting for 20 minutes to use the bathroom).

A close friend of mine just had the lap band surgery & she had similar problems as mine (diabetic & ibs, though not as bad as me) and she's quite happy.  She has said her 'urge to go' is gone and she's much happier.

I wanted to get a little more feedback - has anyone else had this procedure done & had great success - or even, no change, or did it make it worse?

I have a consultation with my friends' doctor on Monday and i'll be asking him - but I would really like to get 'real people' opinions before I make my final decision.

Sorry for the long post - this is a very big decision and I want to be sure I make the right one.

Jess

No advice on the Lap-Band,  but my mom had the same problem and had RNY about 1.5 years ago. At first the problem seemed to still be there just as bad as before but about a year in, for no reason the anyone could tell, it just started getting a lot better. She still has occasional bouts, but on the whole she is much, much, much better! Though there is no discernable reason for it getting better, she does think that the surgery helped a whole lot.
Good luck!

 
With IBS a sleeve is also a great option.  Sleeves are the safest surgery type long term.  The actual surgery is safest with a band, there is about less than 1% increased surgical risk with a sleeve but the sleeve is safest long term.

I had a band and had to have it removed after 18 months, 4 of those being on liquids only.  I think if you check out the sleeve board you'll find at least 25% of those people are band to sleeve revision.  If insurance is paying for this most ins co's are changing to a 'once in a lifetime' only surgery.  If you get a band and have to have it removed, you are self pay for anything after that.  So make sure your decision is the right one.

As I wrote, I had a band and now I have forever esophageal damage.  I have horrific reflux from this and I have to think and focus when I swallow or I choke.  If you look at the Allergan website it shows banded people stand an 88% chance of complications.

Think long and hard about this, it's a big decision.

 I had chronic IBS with diarrhea for years prior to my surgery. Not ONE incident with it postop! 

Hi.  I also had terrible IBS for about 10 years.  None of the medications helped for me.  I had lap band done just over a year ago.  I can honestly say I have no problems anymore from the IBS.  Not one time since I got the lap band has IBS reared its ugly head.  Good Luck with whatever ou choose to do.

Hi Jess, I also suffered from diabetes, HBP, sleep apnea and IBS.  I had my gastric band done almost 2 years ago and my IBS is much better, though not entirely gone.  My gastroenterologist thinks that the smaller meal sizes and better diet have contributed to the improvement and the band has facilitated that, so is inderectly responsible for the improvement.  My episodes are much fewer and farther between than before my surgery.  It is probably safe to say that your IBS will improve with improved dietary decisions and smaller portions even without a band or other WLS...
Good Luck!
Stephanie

thank you all so much!  i really appreciate each & every reply!

I am going to the doctor tonight for a consultation and will not leave until i feel that my questions have been answered.