# Lapband is installed (logish)



## dale (May 13, 2002)

Monday the 2 i had a lapband put in, now to be honest it is not an over night thing.
I started in the process in Aug. there was several steps i had to take.
1. set through a 3 hour seminar one evening to listen to the surgen explain the process and what a person could expect if they followed thru. he also showed where people didnt follow thru and gained there weight back.
2 met with a exercise consult to find out what exercises that would best work for me (i have an aritcial leg so alot of walking is out)
3 see a nutritionist to learn that a person with a lapband needs to consume the correct amounts of protien first then other foods so inorder to do this a person has to use protien powders or drinks and believe it or not there are some that are tasteless or even taste pretty good
4 had to see a phsycriastis (spelling ?) head shrink it seems some people cannot take having somthing like this in their bodies, and to find out why you over eat... stress...lonliness, out of bad habits. then he gave two tests one was 100 t or f questions the second was over 500 questions. then the second visit was for the results
5 all day behavior class. in this we learned many tricks for helping cope with being on a life change way of eating.
in this class they fed us lunch and they had a 3 cheese mancoti which i really dont care for so i asked for a half and the lady giving the class was real happy with me and i didnt have the heart to tell her i didnt like her food. but during the lunch break they had 3 people that had the lapband or bypass done that was at or near theregoal weight come and answer questions for us, they brought some before pictures. one fellow started at 825 pounds he was amazing now at 200 pounds. another was a school teacher that told her story and then told that when she parked her car in the garage she would have to go thru her kitchen so she stpped going thru the kitchen and would go in her front door just to keep out of the kitchen till time to eat. the 3rd person started in a new gym and looks slim and started at over 300 pounds

6 go back to surgeons office get surgery date 
7 2 weeks before surgery you start a mostly liquid diet.. week 1 you can eat 1 small meal like a chicken breast and vegatables and rest liquid week 2 nothing but liquid diet now this was the hardest part for me i will admit i was hungery however i did not cheat

then the surgery it is quick most people go home the same day,, it depends on your insurance, mine required me to stay over night 

what is interesting is i am not hungery at all matter of fact i have to know make myself to drink/eat that may change latter but thats the way it is for now

if anyone has questions please ask and if i can i will answer them and if i dont know ill tell you that


dale


----------



## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

Thanks for updating us. How are you feeling? Do you have to go back soon for a check-up?


----------



## dale (May 13, 2002)

i go back next thursday to get graduated to soft foods then up to regular foods then will have the band filled with fluid to make it tighter to restrict how fast food will go thru it
they when the last fill is done will take it to the size of a dime

dale


----------



## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

How are feeling mentally? Are you feeling hopeful and confident?


----------



## Karen (Apr 17, 2002)

I'm considering either gastric bypass or the lapband. I can understand counseling a person about a new way of life and explaining the procedure; but some of what is required is awful. Especially for those of us who live 3 hrs. (one way) from the only doctor/hospital that our insurance will cover. My husband has difficulty seeing after dark (everything is in the evenings) and I can't drive because of seizures. Plus, with our disabilities, driving for 6 hours is very very difficult; to say nothing of weather conditions, etc. Staying in a hotel is too expensive. 

It's not that I'm not motivated, I want this _really really _bad and am willing to do whatever I have to do; but much of the requirements are just too unnecessary. You need to lose weight due to health, yet they won't do anything for 6 months.

The type of stuff they require is something they should do when you need a hysterectomy. No one tells you all the life changes and mental difficulties when you have one of those. They schedule for major surgery and you just show up! Yet, to lose weight, you have to jump through a million hoops. :shrug: 

Oh, and I forgot to mention they charge for these classes, etc. I have to submit a _non-refundable _payment of $200 (whether you end up qualifying for the surgery or not) + play for each class etc. individually at the time I take them. I'm just whining because it's all so disappointing and greedy.


----------



## CountryDreams (Oct 10, 2005)

Karen, I can definately relate to what you are saying. That is why I chose to have my lap band surgery done in Mexico. It cost about a third of what it does here in the states and I didn't have all the hoops to jump through. The bad part is that you need to secure a follow up/fill doctor near you before you have the surgery and the other bad part is that you have to pay out of pocket, insurance will not cover surgery in Mexico. I am recently banded (less than a month) and I don't regret going to Mexico for it.


----------



## Karen (Apr 17, 2002)

I'm so glad to hear your doing so well and were able to get it done so quickly. 

I'm just terribly discouraged that they make it so difficult. I don't expect that I should just be able to get up one day and decide to check in; nor that there shouldn't be some sort of informational/consulting program, but they don't do this with any other type of surgery or even any other type of elective surgery.

I don't even think I would mind it if I had a place closer to go to for the "hoops". It just doesn't make sense for many 6 hour trips, in the dark, all stressed out from multiple handicap pain, for something that should be my decision alone. 

I don't mean to sound so rebellious or obstinate, it's just _*so*_ discouraging. I'm ready and I can loose this weight, I just need this help. Since it's my body, it should be my decision - period. If I fail at losing weight after the surgery, then the failure falls on me. If I decide to put myself at risk, and something happens, then it is my life to choose whether the risk is worth it or not.

If it's all about eating properly, then they surely must think fat people are idiots. What fat person can't recite every diet in the world, the way they work, all the healthy choices, benefits of excersice, bla bla bla... and every other aspect about weight loss? It's like when you go to a doctor and they say, "You know, you really need to loose weight". I always want to look at them and so, "Oh my!! I'm overweight??? I'm shocked!!" Like you don't know your fat!


----------



## dale (May 13, 2002)

The reason for the classes is they have found that if a person takes these then according to satistics they loose weight but better then that they keep it off
Lapband is not a fail safe method it is a tool
In these classes they showed xrays of people that have stretched their pouch and gained all their weight plus some more

All the classes was in the day except for one

I know this sounds rude but if a person needs this real bad they will find away to do it
If not attending the classes to have it that way A person can do as CountyDreams and save and go to Mexico

dale


----------



## Ruby (May 10, 2002)

Karen, if you do have surgery, please go for the lap band. It's much safer than the by-pass. If for some reason it were to fail, it's fully reversible, where as the by-pass is not.

I know 4 people who have had the lap band. One had it about 4 years ago and the last time I saw her she was doing great, but that's been about 3 years ago. Two more had theirs about 2 years ago. One of those women has reached her goal and looks really great, the other one is having problems. She has reached a plateau in her weight loss. She's having some mdical problems but I don't know if they stem from the lap band or not. The last one just had hers on the 16th of Jan. and has already lost about 25 lbs. But part of that loss was the first two weeks of the liquid diet.

Dale, good luck on your life change, because that is what it is, a life change. Even when you loose all the weight you still have to stay with it or you will gain it all back.

I also knew someone back in the '80s who had the stomach staples. She died a few months after the surgery, from kidney failure. She was a heavy beer drinker, so I'm sure that had a lot to do with it. She did loose about 100 lbs, but I don't know if she quit drinking after the surgery or not. I was told the surgery was the cause of her death. Her cousin is a good friend of mine.


----------



## tallpaul (Sep 5, 2004)

Karen said:


> I'm considering either gastric bypass or the lapband. I can understand counseling a person about a new way of life and explaining the procedure; but some of what is required is awful. Especially for those of us who live 3 hrs. (one way) from the only doctor/hospital that our insurance will cover. My husband has difficulty seeing after dark (everything is in the evenings) and I can't drive because of seizures. Plus, with our disabilities, driving for 6 hours is very very difficult; to say nothing of weather conditions, etc. Staying in a hotel is too expensive.
> 
> It's not that I'm not motivated, I want this _really really _bad and am willing to do whatever I have to do; but much of the requirements are just too unnecessary. You need to lose weight due to health, yet they won't do anything for 6 months.
> 
> ...



First off maybe there is a local forum member that may be able to put ya guys up for a night here n there.... 

The biggest thing about any of these steps is to remember you are not alone- there is hope for all of us no matter what point we are in or whatever situatiuon we are in. 

As far as charging for classes etc... it costs to have a meeting place... utilities insurance etc and for the teachers- I am sure you or the husband would want paid for your work. 

I would also see if there was a local post op support group. There will be plateaus and obsticals and if ya try to go alone ya will likely fail. 

I know a bit about the band thing because a friend of mine- who lived with me for the last year n a half after his wife went a bit nutty- had the surgery done and he was involved and trained as a counselor for the procedure. 

Another thing and it may be hard to hear but ya seem to have issues with cost? None of us got to being overweight -whether a little bit or a lot because we were willing to work hard and follow through. It all costs and maybe if you invest in yourself you will be more likely to actually follow through this time. Lap band or bypass is NOT a majic pill by itself! As others state- its just another tool and is worthless if not used properly.


Oh and the comparisson to a hysterectomy is laughable- a historectomy will not regrow if you fail the aftercare... failure to maintain and work with a lapband or bypass and you will end up worse than ya were physically...


----------



## Karen (Apr 17, 2002)

Paul, as someone who has been very overweight their entire life (60 something years), I can tell you that I am _more_ than fully aware of what is entailed in all of this. I mean no disrespect, it's just a sore subject for me. We also have some unique issues. 

My comment about the hysterectomy is that it is a much more serious surgery and there isn't a thing you can do about it, nor even have a say in the issue. Men have absolutely no clue, whatsoever, the emotional and mental pain of that surgery. If there ever was a surgery that you need counseling and time to prepare for, that's the one. But that's another subject. 

Now, not that lap banning is not serious and I wasn't negating the physical end of it, but whether or not a person regains weight after it, it really up to the person. It's very obvious that someone who is overweight enough to need lapband/bypass surgery could probably tell the teachers all about eating right, health issues, etc. Trust me, fat people know all of that. We just need a little extra help. Can you even comprehend how desperate and how much a fat person wants to loose weight and get healthy if they are willing to subject themselves to serious surgery? You don't just wake up one day and decide to have surgery for weight loss.

As far as investing in myself, well I would do that if I had the money to do. When it's taking all we have to keep a roof over our heads and pay our bills, it simply isn't an option to "invest in yourself". Our insurance will cover the surgery; it's the pre-monetary things I just can't afford. We have a 12 yr. old and I just want to be around to raise him. I just feel that those charges should be paid through the insurance company, since they are a requirement by both the insurance company and the doctor/medical facility.

Regarding stay with someone else, both my husband and I are handicap. I'm in a wheelchair. I cannot get in and out of most homes if they have any stairs at all, nor can I maneuver around most homes or get through most doorways with my motorized chair. It's a Hoverround and it's a monster! I wish I had gotten a smaller one; but hindsight. I never went wheelchair shopping before and my doctor recommended them. Sure wish they let you drive one around for a couple days; I'd have made another choice for sure!

Another thing is that I also have seizures (usually in the evenings when I'm getting tired out or am stressed) that can be pretty embarrassing if in someone else's home, if it's a bad one. In fact, I usually don't go out at all in the evenings nor visit others homes. My husband is also a diabetic and on insulin. So all in all, we do much better on our own. Some for vanity reasons; some for physical limitations. 

But I do understand what you meant and appreciate and value your opinion and advice. I didn't mean to sound like you didn't have some very valid and good points; because you certainly did.


----------



## tallpaul (Sep 5, 2004)

Karen- there may be someone close to the facility that can help. You don't know unless you ask. 

As far as being embarrassed... that is temporary and I don't think someone from here would be pointing fingers and laughing. Truly what is more embarressing- doing nothing because of some inconvienience/embarressment or staying at the levels you are at or higher because of fear,shame and or pride? 

There may be help in the form of some non profits and or a church. Call health and human services for you county there may be help available there. Don't be embaressed to ask... there again a little embaressment and pride can keep you back. They may even be able to help ya stay at a hotel as you need to.... heck they may even have the ability to transport you.

It boils down to do you want it bad enough- you said its as much to be around for your child as for yourself. Talk of embaressing - ever see how bad we look in a casket?


----------



## marvella (Oct 12, 2003)

the OP outlined the process. it seems to me much of it can be done at home. liquid diet, high protein before anything else, exercise as tolerated and a supportive listener that knows what you are going through. if it is followed, there's no real need for the surgery.

almost everyone i know that has had either surgery done has gained back at least part of the weight. people find ways to cheat. my sister in particular who found that she can now eat candy all day long, as long as she eats a little every 15 minutes.


----------



## arkansastwist (Nov 18, 2008)

I had the roun-y bypass in 2002. I went from 260 lbs to a nice 135  You really do have to change everything about the way you eat in order for this to continue to work for you. And the bypass almost always leads to some kind of vitamin deficiency. I currently am having to take 2 over the counter iron tablets, 3 b-12 tablets a day. I'm so anemic the Red Cross made me go to the hospital the last time I tried to give blood. They put me on their permanat ban system here. I'm not allowed near a blood bank LOL But saying all that, i'm glad i went with the bypass, most people will not lose the entire amount they want to lose, even more so with the lap ban, people tend to lose less with that method. In 2004 i had my daughter my lovey bundle of joy packed 50 lbs on me and I just can't seem to lose it. I have my annual doctors visit coming up. They are thinking about a revision. Personally I'm happy with myself now, I wouldn't change a thing. With diabetes running rampent in my family I have to keep on top of the weight. And as marvella pointed out, you must want to lose the weight, cheating is just cheating yourself, this is a tool to lose the weight, you must learn to use that tool, and not to abuse it  If anyone has any questions about the surgery I am more than happy to answer them, Just throw me a PM.


----------



## dale (May 13, 2002)

Well so far i have lost 55 pounds.
Go tomorrow to get my first band fill.
Cant wait.
Never get hungry with the band in place.
My Nurse Pract. had it done 2 years ago said only once and a while she will fill some hunger but rarely
Another friend said she got hungry first thing in the morning but after that had to remember to eat.
Yesterday I got busy and only got lunch down forgot about breakfast (usually just a slimfast) dinner didnt even think about it.
I got to watch that.
My doc said for the vitimans to chew 2 flinstone vit. per day.
And 1 cal. chew or pill.
Monday came off of 2 different Highblood pressure pills.
got one to go.
down to one blood sugar pills from 7 per day.
I would do it again in a heartbeat.
dale


----------

