Lap Band.....

I have a few questions for those who are WLS graduates from lap band surgery... Have you experienced hair loss? Did you have to do the liquid diet pre-op? Are you happy with your results? I am getting big time jitters about surgery.  That is the part which I am doubting.  I know I am making the right decision and if iWL is slow, or I hit some bumps, then so be it.  But the surgery is scaring me.   

I know there are people who are happy with it, but I would not have that surgery. Too many people have problems with the band.  It can migrate, meaning it ends up in a different place than it's intended.  The fills, unfills, and all that sound like too much of a hassle.  And I do not want a hunk of plastic in there. It's only my opinion, but I think there are better options.

I had the lapband in Nov 05.  I only lost about 20 lbs total and have since gained it back plus 10 more.  I know a lot of people seem to do well with the lapband but it was just not for me.  I wanted to try the least invasive proceedure first and in my case it did nothing to help me with weightloss.  I have had many fills and unfills and have never been able to eat "normal" foods without pain and or vomiting.  This has been very disappointing to me to say the least.  I started researching wls again after about a year and I have decided my best chance for being successful is the DS.  I am so tired of not being able to eat without pain so of course I eat mainly soft foods and those are full of calories, but they go down.  I am in the process of preparing for a revision to a DS.  I hope to be on the surgeons schedule before the end of the year. I wish you luck in whichever wls you decide would be best for you.  Do lots and lots of research and go on all the messageboards frequently to hear what everybody has to say about their surgery.  

Hi I guess I am a lap-band graduate I had my surgery in Sept of 06 and am down 109 lbs fairly painlessly. It is a journey and there are rules to follow to become successfull as in any WLS.  No hair loss yes to the liquid diet if anyone can survive that you can do anything Yes to the happy with the results I have had it pretty easy I think. I have gotten my fills and stayed on track with the maintanence I have slowed down a bit but the Halloween candy and Bloody marys and beer don't help with the process. But I know I didn't get fat in a week so if it takes me another year so be it. I feel normal when eating, just eating way less. I still am addicted to food and I don't think any surgery will take that away.   good luck on your jouney  Becca

Have you experienced hair loss?  Minimal Did you have to do the liquid diet pre-op?  No, not back then.
Are you happy with your results?  Here's where you are going to (continue to) be sorry you asked this question.  I HATED life with the band.  Oh, the first six months were okay.  And I lost 50 pounds, give or take.  But then the reflux started and the non-stop adjustments and esophageal problems and eventually--because I couldn't eat much of anything--the regain. Three years after I ha the band put in, I weighed three pounds more than I did on surgery day.  I got a revision to the DS.  I've lost 100 pounds and am about 35 pounds overweight...a number I could FIX, but I seem to be able to live with. I would not advise ANYONE to get the band...the Gastric Sleeve will do the same thing, except you get a regular diet and no PB and no erosion and no slippage and no adjustments, etc.  And, if the restriction by itself isn't enough, the sleeve is the "first half" of the DS.  Visit  http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f79/ Sue

I'm six and a half years out. I didn't experience any hair loss... but to be honest, my hair is very thick so I probably wouldn't have noticed some minor hair loss. My doctor did not require a liquid pre-op diet.  Just NPO the night before. Six and a half years ago, it was the best choice for me.  It allowed me to lose 95 pounds... and to have three happy healthy babies with my Band unfilled.  However, it's a horrible quality of life in terms of what I can eat when filled... PBing...etc.  I would go for a VSG today, if I were choosing again.  No fills drama.  No food intolerances.  No PBing.  I can't eat salad with my Band.  I can't eat fruit with peels.  I can't eat bread of any kind.  I can't eat hot dogs, steak, chunks of meat, chicken breasts (unless moistened with a sauce), pasta, etc.  The big problem is that when you have all of these food intolerances... your body is still hungry.  So you eat the foods that the Band allows through... like cookies, crackers, ice cream, etc.  Having said all that, it's normal to ahve some doubts before surgery. :)