Question:
Has anyone had the Lap Band procedure?

I recently attended a Gastric Bypass Surgery orientation. The surgeon only does the Lap Band procedure. The surgeon's name is Dr. Nicholas Bertha. If you have any info, please share. I am in the process of considering surgery. Thanks    — wadeeha J. (posted on July 10, 2003)

July 9, 2003
I'm kind of confused as to why a lap band doctor is giving a gastric bypass surgery orientation? As the words "gastric bypass" indicate it would involve bypassing your intestine. The lap band is a restrictive procedure only - a band placed around the stomach to creat a small pouch at the top in order to limit the amount of food you can eat at one time. The band is just that, no bypassing involved. Have you tried looking your doctor up here and seeing what other patients have used him and for what surgery exactly?
   — Shelly S.

July 9, 2003
There are a lot of comments from patients of Dr. Bertha. Click on "Find a Doc" at the top of this page, choose option 2, click on New Jersey and then scroll down until you find his name. Then click on "view". That will bring up a page on him. Scroll down and you will see patient comments.
   — garw

July 9, 2003
I would recommend a couple of different boards if you want to talk to people who actually live with the band. I personally think it's a great form of weight loss surgery and am happy I chose it. <BR> www.spotlighthealth.com (click on Morbid Obesity, then Support Groups, then Lap Band Support)<BR> SmartBandsters on Yahoo is located here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SmartBandsters/?yguid=6535337<BR> And the regular Bandsters on Yahoo is here:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Bandsters/?yguid=6535337<BR> Good luck with your research and feel free to email me if you have any questions.
   — TMF

July 10, 2003
I am 9 days post op Lap Band feel free to email me with any specific questions about the procedure although I can not provide any info about that particular Dr.
   — Lisa F.