hey there, my mother is seriously overweight about 235 on her 5'4" frame. I'm very concerned of her health, and she's seriously considering getting a procedure called the "lap band." Does anyone has useful information reguarding it, personal stories experiences, ect. Thanks

Hi there was hoping to find all kinds of imput on surgical weight loss. I am working through the process of getting a lap band which takes 4-6 months in my area......would like to talk to others who have had it good and bad lol and people who have had other bariatic procedures

heres to finding new friends
amy

Just curious--what does a lap band do?? I have never heard of this???

It's got some groovy pictures to go with it too..

Adjustable gastric band - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Adjustable gastric banding is a form of restrictive weight loss surgery (bariatrics) designed for obesity patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or greater - or between 35 – 40 with those who have co-morbidities that are known to improve with weight loss. The gastric band is an inflatable silicone prosthetic device which is placed around the top portion of the stomach via keyhole surgery laparoscopic surgery.

Theory of gastric banding
The placement of the band creates a small pouch at the top of the stomach which holds approximately 50mls. This pouch 'fills' with food quickly and the passage of food from the top to the bottom of the stomach is slowed. As the upper part of the stomach believes it is ‘full’ the message to the brain is that the stomach is full and this sensation helps the person to eat smaller portions, eat less and therefore lose weight over time.

The band is inflated /adjusted via a small access port placed just under the skin subcutaneously. Radio opaque isotonic solution or saline is introduced into the band via the port. A specialized needle is used to avoid damage to the port membrane. There are many port designs and they may be placed in varying positions based on the surgeon’s preference. The port may be sutured in place. When fluid is introduced the band expands placing pressure around the outside of the stomach. This decreases the size of the passage in the stomach and restricts the movement of food.

Over a period of time, restriction is increased until patients feel they have reached a “sweet spot” where optimal weight loss can be reached with the minimal fluid required. This is an individual experience and timing cannot be predicted. There are approximately 7 - 8 adjustable bands on the market. The amount of fluid required and total content is varied.

If considering pregnancy, ideally the patient should be in optimum nutritional status prior to conception and deflation of the band may be required prior to planned conception. This is also to be considered should morning sickness be present. The band may remain deflated during pregnancy and once breast feeding (or if bottle feeding 6/52 approx) is completed the band may be gradually re-inflated to aid post partum weight loss if needed. [citation needed]

from what i've read of it- its very similar to stomach stapling that was big in the 70s - and it's got a bunch of risks - is the risk worth the reward? that i dont know...

when a person is banded -they basically have to change their entire lifestyle -something that if they were able to do before - they wouldnt need to be banded t begin with... so unless a person is reeducated on nutrition I think it's a tough thing to put them thru..

Thank you for the info!! Very informative!

I have had the lap band surgery. I am still on this site, trying to stay motivated to lose. If anyone wants to know more about my experience, please let me know. I'm happy to share.

Hi Magic8 I would like to know more

I am 23 and I HAVE exhausted every option possible. I go to the gym every second day, I eat well but I am always hungry and tired. I weigh 120 kgs and have gotten there by yo yo-ing and trying a whole bunch of different things such as pills, milkshakes, even Cohen's lifestyle and dietitians and I always lose 10-15 kgs then plateau, loose motivation, then seem to balloon again. I have an appointment with a surgeon on Thursday after being recommended by my GP. Money is not an issue, I just want to know what preparation you had to do, if it hurt, how long you were away from work/life for and also why you think it didn't work for you and if you think it could work for some one else. Did it mean you got full really quick, or was it still possible to over eat? and what could you eat or couldn't eat? also did they give you a diet plan to follow even roughly while you had it? and do you still have it now or have you had it taken out? so many questions I know, but they don't tell you much on the websites... any info you could give me in terms of your experience would be really appreciated.

I know I am taking a big step by considering this but I just want to feel 23 not 53!

I strongly doubt that...

Consistencny and patience are what takes the weight off... Having yourself cut open at your age is not the option...

I was hoping for information and experiences, not doubt...

and you don't know me...

you are entitled to your opinion however that comment certainly wasn't helpful

It was the best piece of advice you EVER could have hoped for. Some of the most prolific stuff comes across as malice on subjects like this. You have blinders on and are allowing it cloud your judgment.

I too made excuses... I told myself (and other people) that I wore XXL shirts because of my broad shoulders. I too claimed a good diet and proper exercise... but you know what? I was wrong. I didn't know what a correct portion was, I didn't know that calories mattered. I didn't know a lot of things... ESPECIALLY at 23.

A lap band is (or any surgery) for weight loss is the absolute last resort. I think your overall issue is that you see these as DIETS and not changes of life. Once you accept that you have to eat healthy to stay healthy (yeah, genetic make up sometimes BLOWS in life). Maybe you should reread what Mal wrote and realize she is on your side.

This is exactly what I mean. I am trying to research by asking people (Magic8 in particular) who have had this surgery done and I am being accused of being naive and looking for a quick fix. Everyone who has replied so far has been very presumptuous and clearly I am in the wrong forum. I am looking for people who have HAD the surgery done with GOOD and BAD experiences, I am not looking for people who think they know better than me to point the finger and assume that I know nothing and I haven't tried. I am not the one who's judgement is clouded.

as I said, clearly I am in the wrong place. Forgive me for thinking this was a SUPPORT forum for weight loss surgery.

ps just for the record I DO appreciate advice but not when it is condescending and presumptuous and worded in such a way that it frames the attitude "you know nothing"

This is forum dedicted to weight loss - the preferred method is thru healthy lifestyle changes and exercise.. the surgical portion of this website gets little activity...

If you're contemplating the surgery -i'd strongly suggest attending one of those informational seminars that the hospitals that perform the various surgeries will have... You will get the facts - and the good and the bad stuff...

Everyone is going to have a different experience with it... the questions you've got are good ones and should be answered by a professional...

Ok, do you want advice? Here it is... I've known 3 people who have had this surgery. One was 2 months ago... she is currently in the hospital due to complications (her 3rd visit). The other person lost 225 LBS! Looks great... but is still overweight by about 100 lbs and has been that way for about 3 years now. The last person lost 150 lbs and then gained back 200 lbs.

You see, without proper nutrition, you get no where. And don't be all BOO-HOOEY on us. At age 23, this is NOT a last hope... in the United States, you need to have SERIOUS psycho evaluations before you can have this type of surgery. And then training... most people fail in the evaluation and training periods because they aren't good candidates.

If you don't have the willpower to stop eating the wrong things or the ability to change your eating habits, the effects of the lap band are temporary. They only act as a stop gap... you loose quite a bit... then gain it back because you don't know the value of a good and healthy meal. Your body adapts to the band and you can basically overcome the side effects of overeating (stretching the band itself).

You obviously are not mature enough to even be having this conversation if you can't take helpful criticism. BTW, it is a forum for these types of procedures... doesn't exactly say SUPPORT forum though. And I never thought you knew nothing... but at age 23 you certainly don't know everything.

The last time Magic8 posted was nearly 6 months ago, so I wouldn't hold my breath there. What you're doing isn't research. Research is something you do with the results of scientific studies. What you're doing is collecting anecdotes, and the plural of anecdote isn't data.

I know one person with a lapband. She's still very overweight, having never managed to lose a significant amount. I know another person who is planning WLS, and has chosen to go with RNY, rather than lapband, despite her doctor's preference for lapband, because her research led her to conclude that she wasn't going to be able to lose with the lapband.

I quick glance through PubMed turned up something I personally was unaware of. At least one study considered WLS to be "very effective" if it resulted in a loss of 50% of excess weight in a 2-year period. So if you're 100 pounds overweight, you'd be considered a success if, 2 years after surgery, you had lost 50 of those pounds.