Anyone Had Experience with LAPBAND Surgery?

My husbadn had it a little over year ago and recovery was very simple. He pretty much was running around next day.
However you have to be careful if you have kids at least for the week.He had to make a lot of sacrifices but it is sooo worth it.
He dropped over 100lbs and laid off a lot of RX pills.
I would recommend it greatly.
Go to trueresults.com to research more.

Good luck

Hi D.,
Congratulations on becoming a mom and for making the decision to get help with your weight issues. After battling a serious weight problem most of my adult life (200-400 lbs.) Through the years I tried almost every diet with mixed results. Sometimes I would lose a lot, with other programs I would only lose a small to medium amount, but in the end I gained every pound back plus more. It was difficult to do even normal activities and I missed out on so much. I finally decided I wanted my life back so I could enjoy doing things with my kids and grandkids. After talking to my doctors and doing research for several months on all the available procedures, what each entailed, potential problems, long term success rates, and finding the best surgeon and program, I made the decision to have a gastric bypass because it offered the most benefits to me. This is a personal decision that I'm sure you have put a lot of thought into as well. You will certainly need to wean your baby before you have the surgery. Each person and situation is different but I can tell you that my surgery went so well that when I woke up in recovery in no pain I thought they hadn't been able to do the surgery! I had a laproscopic procedure with 5 very small incisions, virtually no surgical pain and went home from the hospital within 23 hours. I did have some shoulder discomfort for a couple of days but that was the extent of it. I didn't have small children at home so lifting was not an issue for me but your doctor will guide you as to what you can and cannot do and for how long. Surgery is definitely not an easy cure-all but it is of great help and gives you an opportunity to instill healthy eating habits. Three years out I am at a normal weight and healthier than I have been in 15 years. The most important considerations to me were the experience and success of the surgeon and ongoing support programs as this strongly determines your outcome. The absolute best surgeon in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area is Dr. Joseph Kuhn. He is a nationally respected surgeon, a leader in gastric procedures and was recommended to me by all my doctors including several other surgeons. Besides being an exceptional surgeon, Dr. Kuhn is kind, compassionate, and truly cares about his patients. I had my surgery at Baylor Hospital and I strongly urge you to contact the Baylor Weight Loss Surgery office. The phone number is ###-###-#### and they also have a website which is www.wlsdocs.com. I truly wish you well and hope to see you at a support group meeting in the future!

I've had two friends do lapband. One was very successful and is living a happy, well-adjusted life and watches what she eats. She is in her late 40's. The other is 28, completely and totally obsessed with what she looks like and is addicted to plastic surgery. Her Dr. should have NEVER done lapband on her...she probably only needed to lose 20-30 lbs. She has had nothing but trouble. She won't eat right, doesn't exercise, and doesn't "get it" that it was a step in the right direction, not a miracle. I pray for her because she is consumed with herself and her looks. It seems to me, like anything new you learn...you must work the plan! Good luck! I'd love to have it done, but I'm chicken.

Before doing something this radical might I suggest you check out Tru Chocolate? Call 1-###-###-#### and press 1. Then contact me at ____@____.com if you want to learn more.

Congrats on the precious little baby girls!

D.,
You will be giving you and your family the greatest gift if you do this for yourself. I did not have the lap band but I did have gastric bypass in 1991. It changed my life. My sons were 21 months and 4 years at the time. It is about a 6 week recovery time. It is rough and you will need help. I have 2 friends that have had lap band. One was very successful and one didn't do so well. You must be committed to make it work for you. It is only a tool, not a miracle cure. You will always have to work at it. I highly recommend the gastric bypass. They can do it laproscopic now days. It has been 18 years since my surgery and I am a healthy 47 year old mom who has enjoyed snow skiing, water skiing, etc. with my kids. I know that it would have not been possible if I had not had the surgery. Check Medical City in Dallas. They used to have a monthly free seminar with great info on the surgery. Good Luck.

D.,

God bless you! What a wonderful story you tell, about being first time parents, etc! I'm so happy for you! I, too, have a weight problem and I've been considering the Lapband surgery. I don't have small children at home, so that's not an issue for me - the money is my problem! At any rate, I've had several friends who have had the surgery with mixed results. One friend lost a lot of weight, but didn't change her feelings about food (sort of like Mindy's Mom), so she is currently battling it again. She regained quite a bit of her weight and slipped into depression over it - which, of course, made it harder for her to stick with it. I really think you have to be in a positive place when you make the decision in order for it to be truly successful. I mean, it will HELP you lose the weight, but if your head isn't in the right place, then you'll probably struggle. Another woman I used to work with had the surgery, dropped the weight at a fairly reasonable rate (faster than if she'd done it alone, but not as fast as the bypass), but she exercised and really ate healthy. She's at her perfect weight now and very happy! So, if you use it as a tool and you really have your mind set to lose the weight, I think it's a wonderful plan. I'm afraid I'd be like Mindy's Mom - I'd lose some weight, but then my love for sugar would rear it's ugly head and I'd be sitting in a chair eating candy again! Anyway, best of wishes to you and to your wonderful family. You're an inspiration to others who think 40 is too late for kiddos! God bless! S.

I had it 3 yrs ago when my daughter was 8 months old. We were done breastfeeding so I did not have that issue. I used Dr Carter in Arlington. www.carterlapband.com I have since had another baby and there wasn't any issues with me breastfeeding her for a year.I had someone here to help me with the baby for the first week. After that I managed by myself and I am a SAHM. Dr Carters office is very knowlegable and can answer your questions as well as they hold meetings every few weeks for informative reasons. Please feel free to message me if you have any other questions. I did it for the same reason as you...just wanted to be more active with my kids and have them growing up making better food choices and eating healthy. Now remember that the band is just a tool and you can 'ruin' your weightloss if you are not disciplined. I highly advise going to a meeting to learn the scope of things. Good luck in your decision. I know its a hard one. Another momma mentioned getting your workup and seeing if it is a hormone issue or something like that. I say go that route and make sure. I think it would be easier to fix your ailment then surgery and it not working as well. But I do recommend lapband once you are truly informed 100% and ready to make that lifelong commitment.

Hello D.,

I too have had the LapBand surgery in Aug. I have lost around 50 pds and have probably another 50 pds to lose. I wish I had done it sooner. I had so many pains in my knees, back exc from carrying the extra weight around. I have a total of five surgery marks on my stomach from surgery but I see them as my start to a healthy future. My surgery lasted 30 to 45 mins and I was in and out of the hospital within 3 hours. I was a little sick from the anesthesia but everybody bodies reacts different to anesthesia. They do give you pain meds and I choose not to take them. My surgery was proformed on a Friday and I was back to work on a Monday. I did have to have a EKG done and bloodwork. I didn't have to go through my insurance because I knew in advance my insurance would not pay for the surgery. But if you do it is a long process. And I didn't have a nut I had to go to because one again I didn't have to go through insurance. I have a little problem with acid relux and the doctor put me on acid reflux meds for 3 months and it now is gone and I have stopped the meds. On this type of procedure you will be on a high protein diet. You will need to take in at least 80 mgs of protein a day. And remember to chew chew chew your food with tiny bites. Their are free classes at Medical City that you can learn more about the surgery and what to expect. And their is a website called ObesityHelp that has been a great tool for me. Go to www.obesityhelp.com and click on forums and then click on LapBand and then click on message boards. Lots of luck. I only regret was that I didn't do it sooner. It is a life saver.

A.

My friend had it done and it was a disaster. She had had stomach trouble before - a lot of heartburn, etc. - and it got much worse. She couldn't eat ANY solid food without severe pain. She lost 100 pounds, but her stomach got so bad that she had to have it undone a year ago and now she's gained all that weight back.

She didn't learn to eat differently because her diet was so screwed up (only liquids) during the time she had the lap band. And so when she got the lap band removed, and was able to tolerate real food again, she slowly slipped back into the old routine of using food to comfort herself and to deal with stress and to deal with the lack of time (fast food). (Her stress level sky-rocketed as the economy and her husband's health went down)

Don't know if this will help - not trying to discourage you - but thought you would want to know: if you have some kind of condition or pattern ahead of time, you'll still have it afterward. I've heard that Weight Watchers is very effective because of the emotional support it provides.

I just want to encourage you to be careful and have a full workup with a internist before you go the surgery route. Have you ever had your cortisol checked? How's your blood sugar? Make certain that there isn't a simple hormonal reason for a life time of overweight before you resort to surgery. The clue is a lifetime which seems to say there is a cause for it besides your eating habits. When I finally got tested, they found all sorts of things wrong with me and gave me a couple of pills that helped me lose weight. Of course, I walked (very slowly at first) and watched what I ate, but I had been doing that all my life while I gained weight. Two little pills made that routine finally work for me.

D. Kimbriel
Grandma to 2 beautiful boys

If you have emotional eating issues, surgery won't fix them. You need to deal with the issues then the weight loss. A healthier solution would be a supportive program like Weight Watchers to help you get your eating under control before surgery. WW has helped me realize when I am hungry and when I just need comfort or am bored. I wish you the best.

D.,
I have not had the surgery, however, I have been over-weight all my life too. If I was you, I would really consider waiting until your youngest is a few months older, I think breastfeeding is the best thing you can give your child. If you have the surgery, you are going to be under, then you won't eat as much because your stomach has been cut in half more or less, so if you milk supply decrease, you might increase your food take which defeats the whole purpose.
I've seen a lot of people who have had this done and do great at first but fall back into their old habits. You have to change your way of life, just as you did with your fist child. I'm not going to preach to you on eating better and exercise, I know I need to do that in order to be healthy. One thing I did hear, is that after the surgery because you will lose weight at a much faster rate than if you just changed your habits, eat healthy and exercise regular, you will have excessive skin.
I read your bio- and what a blessing and testimony you have about being a mom now, God just knew when was the right time for you to be a mom!
God Bless!

D.,

Children are such great gifts from God! I don't have any experience in this area, but I wish you the best of luck in your journey. I would do a lot of research before doing it while I was still breastfeeding.

Ged bless!

I work with a girl who had it done a couple of years ago and she is TINY now! However, one of the main reasons she did it was b/c she's having fertility issues. She still has not been able to conceive. I know that's not your issue, but losing a lot of weight can certainly jack with your hormones, which can also jack with your milk supply. Is there any way you can put the surgery off until after you've weaned your baby? I just wouldn't think that you would be able to eat enough to provide nutrition for yourself AND your baby. Good luck!

My mom had it about 1.5 yrs ago. You have to stick to the rules is all I can say for her. She convinced herself that she could drink milk shakes instead of the protein drinks. Needless to say, she hasn't lost much weight. I think recently she has been gaining again. But she sits in her chair and eats miniature candy bars. I'm not sure why she went through it all to sabatage herself. I've seen others have fantastic results, just stick to the plan.

M.

I had Lap Band on te 10th. If you are going through your insurance it is not a fast process. There are lots of requirements you will have to meet including spending anywhere from 4-6 months with a nutritionist monitoring your diet. You will also have to have a psych eval and depending on the doc, tests such as a sleep study or an Upper GI. I have been on a liquid diet since March 3rd and after I go back for my 2 week check up I will be able to start soft solids again. I had a huge family crisis come up the day after surgery and had to have to help from my mom and sis. I have a 2 and 4 yr old and the lifting weight limit is 15 pounds. You will feel like you have been doing sit ups for hours on end but for me the pain was not unbearable. I took pain meds the first couple days but after that I was fine. I have 5 incisions - 3 "poke holes" around my upper abdomen where they did the band and a 1 1/2" incision where the fill port is located. The 5th incision was where they fixed a hernia and it right next to my belly button. I recommend you go to www.realizeband.com and go completely through the website. You can read several people's accounts of their experiences and get detailed information about the procedure. I have lost 15 pounds since march 3rd and am really happy with it so far. It is definitely about changing your entire lifestyle when it comes to food. I had mine done at Baylor - here is a link to their weightloss surgery seminars - it would be beneficial for you to attend something like this so you can learn more also - and theirs are free!! http://www.baylorhealth.com/About/ClassesEvents/Pages/Def...
from here you can pick the city and in the drop down list choose weightloss seminar. GOOD LUCK!!! Feel free (you or anyone else who has questions) to email me if you have any further questions or want to know about my progress elsewise. ____@____.com

Where do you live? There is a bariatric doctor here in Wichita Falls who has support meetings here and in Lawton. If you don't live near either of those two places maybe there are support groups in your area. This doctor even has meetings for people who are considering the surgery. If you want to call them to ask, call Dr. Kenneth Warnock ###-###-####. Their website is www.bariatricsoftexas.com. Good luck!

I knew someone who had it done and it was not a good experience. Additionally, she failed to lose much weight. I think you should thoroughly research the pros and cons, as it is not a miracle cure for obseity. You need to understand why you're overweight. Is it your diet or could something else be involved? If you have been eating correctly (with reduced portion size) and working out daily and still see no change, then you need to see a doctor. Also, I agree with the recommendation to finish breast-feeding. The anesthesia and pain killers will translate through to your milk. Obviously your baby girls are your first priority and certainly deserve and need all of you. I suggest you do look into all of this before continuing on with this surgery.

Maybe you can wait until after you are done breastfeeding?

D.,

I would love to share information that has worked for many without going through the Lapband surgery. I know some people do go through difficulty of keeping food down and other issues. Please take other alternative before you go for surgery.

Do let me know and I will share a very effecive way of shading the unwanted fat without side effects or limitation.

Blessings!

I doubt if you could still nurse. Congratulations on your two wonderful babies. Before you go into surgery, try not A(dieting) I think it messes up metabulism, and makes it harder to lose, but do try this. Eat more vegetables and fruit before you eat the rest of your meal, try to have a smaller plate, so the portions can be smaller. Try to not have as many sweets or junk food. Have a small snack no bigger than the palm of your hand mid morning and mid afternoon. Walnuts, left-over little peice of chicken etc. is an example, and you won't be so starved for the next meal. And if you live where you can stroll your babies, go for a walk with them in the storller every day, the fresh air will be great for them, and that exercise will be great for you, and it may take a year for weight to come down, but what is a year that will then be the start of the new you, and the surgery would take time also, and this way you wouldn't of had to undergo surgery. If you do exercise, don't over do, work up to it or it will be discouraging and you would be temped to just quit. I'm sure God will help you too if you ask. YOu have a wonderful husband and two beautiful babies to not have to use food for comfort now, as I know that can be used as comfort. I wish you the best on your decision.

I am set to go in on Monday on the 23rd! I will message you back and let you know how it goes. Check out my blog at ajourneytoachange.blogspot.com it has info on it.

D.,

The Wise County Messenger has a reporter, Robert Morgan, that has done an entire series on his recent weight loss surgery and his struggles with that. It is definitely worth the read and might give you some encouragement. You can find it online at www.wcmessenger.com. Ultimately, the choice in which direction you choose for your weight loss needs to be a personal decision that fits you and your family.

I just had to write to you. I am a 40-year-old mom with an almost-three year old, Emma Grace (03/24/06), and am due to deliver our much-anticipated Abigail Claire just any day now. I think you have picked wonderful names for your girls! My husband and I were married in August 2004 (4 1/2 years ago). The similarities were just hilarious to me!

Good luck and God bless! I wish you the best,
L.