lap band surgery

[lilysmom]

I have been approved and have appt with a surgeon for lap band surgery. has anyone else had this? I am sooo excited.

[kgm0612]

Congratulations.

I have a friend who opted for the lap band surgery (June 06) over the bypass and has done remarkably well. She's lost a ton of weight (over 100+ lbs) and looks & feels fantastic.

Karen

[fgummett]

Congratulation! I hope it all works out for you. I must admit to a certain level of jealousy... I have read everything I can get hold of on the subject and it really does hold out hope as a cure for Type 2 diabetes... not just as a result of weight loss... there are reports of folks coming off all diabetes meds. before they even leave the hospital.
For example: Improvement in diabetes a positive side effect of obesity surgery (http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2008/02/21/diabetes-obesity.html)
The frustration for me is the lack of availability here in Canada... again a relatively inexpensive surgery could save many times the health-care dollars down the road in dealing with complications.
I feel trapped in a vicious cycle... if I could just lose weight I would have more energy to go to the gym to help me lose weight... as of now I have to balance gym and work as I don't have energy for both and I need to pay the bills!

[Jan B]

Penny,

The husband of a good friend of mine had it done a few months ago, and he's doing great. He started at about 280, and he's down to 225 now I believe. Good luck and congratulations. The only thing my friend told me was that he can no longer eat asparagus, and if he overeats he throws up. He had that experience about 3 times before he learned to not push it!

[lilysmom]

Thanks Everyone
I am excited, but, I have been told it is a long process just to get thru the steps to get to the surgery. I have little patience, I want it all and I want it now, that is a very big fault of mine. I am trying to work on it. I hope that it all happens quick and I will keep you posted.

[kgm0612]

I forgot to mention in my post that it took my friend Kristen a good 10 months before the operation was performed. She had to attend some counseling and nutritional classes. I remember her having to drink liquids for awhile after the surgery, but I can't remember how long she did that for.

As is with Jan's friend's husband, Kristen has to avoid certain foods also, otherwise she gets sick. She can only eat very small portions.

Good Luck, Penny. I hope you're able to have the surgery soon.

Karen

[Dewey]

Frank, I completely understand how you feel about being trapped in a vicious cycle. It's difficult to lose weight when we lack the time (or even the energy from working our regular jobs or other things). It just seems there's no easy solution when it comes to weight loss. :(

Lily, I also understand how you feel about wanting to do the surgery now. Once a decision is made, it can be frustrating having to wait for the next steps - especially when you know you want something. Hang in there, and here's hoping things will work out as planned.

[centuryhouse]

Frank:

I just wanted to mention that on one of my recent doctor's appointments, my doctor mentioned the lap band surgery to me. I also live in Canada and due to the waiting list for this type of surgery, apparently patients are having the operation out of country and it is being covered under our provincial healthcare plan (OHIP).

I didn't really look into it as I have opted to try and reduce my weight the old fashioned way, at least for the time being. Maybe at a later date, it will something that I will be more receptive to. To me surgery is surgery. :eek:

I guess if this something that you would be interested in and you also live in Canada, maybe some further investigation would be order. Just my 2 cents.

[fgummett]

Thanks Lori... unfortunately you are in is Ontario... I live in Nova Scotia. As the CDA advocacy is working hard to let folks know... it matters where you live in Canada as to what is covered. We currently don't even have one surgeon performing this operation and while MSI will cover it out of province that would only be within Canada and I would have to join an already backed up waiting list in New Brunswick. Believe me I have tried the old fashioned way and if they would pay me to stay home and take care of myself I could probably make some headway but as it is I only have so much energy and I need to pay the bills so work takes precedence over health. The platitude of, "eat less and exercise more" has been spouted for 50 years or more and it is just not that simple. I'm convinced from what I have read the gastric bypass would give me the leg up I need to get healthy and possibly even cure my diabetes.

[inuit]

I called Dr. B.'s office this am to see where I was on the waiting list and lo and behold she gave me an appointment date. I had called on Aug 27 and was #27 on the waiting list then. I will see Dr. B. on Oct.31/08. I am so excited! I can hardly wait. It has been a long three years. I don't know if he or I choose if it will be lap band or bypass. Does anyone know how that works? Do you get the choice? I have just lost 40 pounds on my own so hopefully that will help.

[inuit]

I have read and I have heard that weight loss surgery has been shown to cure type 2 diabetes. I want to relay my personal experience with type 2 diabetes. I June 08 I went on a 1000 to 1200 calorie diet because at 298 lbs I was starting to become immobile with increasing back pain. Within 1 week of this 1000/1200 calorie diet my sugar went back to normal. Prior to this I was taking 2 metformin daily and really struggling to keep my sugar below 7.5/8. I struggled for a long time and even watching what I ate, I was still staying up into the 7's. I was wondering if indeed it is the surgery or the decrease in calories that affects a change in sugar levels? It is now October and I am still dieting and my surgar is still normal. I have not taken a metformin since July. When you have surgery you must maintain a 1000/1200 calorie intake and I think that is what brings down the sugar levels and not the surgery itself.
I could be wrong but this is my personal experience. As of this am I weigh 249 lbs. This is hard but in the first few weeks the weight comes off so quickly it helps. I do take 1 day off from this diet a week and eat whatever I want. It has not affected by surgar levels. :)

[sleepy_hound]

Congrats! My boss had the lap band done a few weeks ago and she said she's getting used to the "smoosh" consistency of foods. She hasn't had her first saline fill yet. She also said she had to jump through a ton of hoops for insurance to approve it. I'm excited to hear about your experience, as I have thought about the lap band for a few years now...

[Molinomama]

I am scheduled for Lapband Surgery on Dec 18th. I currently take Byetta and Humolog twice a day for my Type II diabetes. It is my hope to come off all meds eventually. Anyone have experience with the lapband and their diabetes meds?

[dementia]

I have recently just got on insurance and have been diagnosed with type II since 2003. I love food and sweets and my a1c is over 8. I have been reading up on the lap-band and want to find out as much information as I can. I am going to make a doctors appointment to talk to my doctor about it. I am weighing in at 190 and my bmi isn't as high as the calculations say i am eligible to get the surgery. But I think that having a medical condition and being heavy may help me get my foot in the door. If anyone has any tips on what questions to ask and how I can proceed with my adventure gaining positive agreement let me know please. I am glad I found this forum by the way. :D

Dementia

[sable_032592]

i talked to my doctor in december and i asked about the bypass or lap-band and he said it was a good idea for me and gave me a list of doctors that perform one or the other or even both procedures...

being in quebec, the doctors are 98% french and so are the hospitals, so i was thrilled to find a doctor that does both, works in an english hospital, speaks english and has a great rating online... ratemds.com, you can check doctors in the US, Canada, UK, Australia/New Zealand and India...

[lapsedbander]

I could have waited 6 months for my insurance to make me jump through hoops to cover a portion of my surgery, but they would have been billed more. Instead, I paid cash - $11,900, and took out a loan to do it, too. There are other docs doing this for even less. For me that includes a year's worth of "fills." A friend had it done in Monterrey, Mexico, for $6,000 plus travel.

When the doctor, who was recommended to me by my own gyno who had gone to him, told me I wouldn't need my diabetes medicine after the surgery, I smiled ear to ear but didn't believe it. My dad and grandma had adult onset Type 2 diabetes and never kicked it.

The day of the surgery, between my anemia and my blood sugar, they almost postponed.

I'm glad they didn't. That was Thursday, this is Monday. Off medication, my blood sugar is at 156, and I expect it to go down more with my weight.

I feel like I saved my own life.

I'm drinking chicken broth and protein shakes, tea and water. i feel a little hungry sometimes.

But checking my blood sugar tonight has made me more resolute than ever.

I can't tell anyone else what to do. But I'm glad I did this. Oh, and yes, it is like any other surgery - it reminded me of the pain of a C-section, maybe less. I have four tiny inch-long or so incisions in my upper midriff. No problem.

[jdog]

Guys-

I've been thinking about weight loss surgery, too. I see my doctor in 2 days, and I think that I'll be moved to insulin. I've spent the past 1.5 months working on my diet and seeing how good I could get my numbers. I've got my fasting BS to about 110 and my night pre-meals to around 140.

I'd like to get any opinion on a newer procedure that is called the MGB (Mini Gastric Bypass). The plus on its side is that should complications arise, it can be reversed.

If anyone would mind looking at it and offering an opinion, it's at - The Mini Gastric Bypass (http://www.clos.net)

jdog