anyone had lapband surgery?

Question

my dad is overweight and my mom and I are trying to talk him into getting the surgery. i want to know if anyone or you know anyone who has got the surgery and how it went. did they lose the weight. are there alot of risks involved? any advice from people who know what they are talking about is greatly appreciated. thanks

Answer 1

I did it. It's definitely a big decision and has to personally work with you and your lifestyle. It's not as invasive as gastric bypass and it's day surgery. I would say the risks depend on the person. If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, heart problems etc...your risks might be different than someone else. Anytime you go under anesthesia, there is always a risk.

The cost is around $15,000 unelss you have medical insurance that will cover it 100%. I wasn't that lucky but you can get financing. Your doctors office should be able to give you a list of companies that offer financing. However, it has almost been a year and I have lost 5 sizes (from a 20-12) in clothing. I was not an extreme case. People who are bigger lose a lot more weight faster.

I just saw myself heading down a road of no return. I kept dieting and gaining it back plus more. It was a horrible cycle for 20 years. I wasn't an overweight person when I was younger. After I had kids, it kicked it into high gear.

I recommend you attend a seminar to get better informed about Lap Band surgery. They will be able to answer all your questions.

I would be leary about going to other countries to get it done. But, that's just me. I have heard sucess stories but I would do my research thouroughly before taking that route. It's less expensive but there is always a danger regardless.

Here is how I found mine: http://www.trueresults.com/seminars.php#...

or

http://www.lapband.com/lapband/patientse...

Answer 2

My step-dad just had this surgery and he is very happy with it. He is a quadriplegic and exercise is pretty much out of the question. Only telling you that because he is on more than a couple of meds and he did just fine with the surgery. He can walk, so the weight made it harder to get around. Now, he has lost quite a bit of weight and followed all the dietary orders. The band is adjustable and not a permanent thing like the bypass surgery. It's much less risky and a LOT less invasive.
If your Dad really loves to eat, he will have to be psychologically ready for this. He must be prepared for the food restrictions and stick with them. When my step-dad got a little brave and varied, he would be sick for hours. I guess that's how we learn!
Good luck to him.

Answer 3

Lap Band Surgery is a weight-loss procedure where a permanent, prosthetic band is placed around the upper stomach, creating a small pouch that limits the amount of food the patient desires to eat. The procedure is a desirable in desperate situations and is performed with laproscopic instruments, meaning the surgery is minimally invasive with relatively insigificant recovery times.

Answer 4

My mom is considering this so we have been doing a lot of reading.

http://www.lap-band.com/lapband/portal.do

http://www.obesitylapbandsurgery.com/index.html

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/LapBand/

Answer 5

yes ,they get loss of weight .but you should remember that there is big risk on his live ,like pulmonary embolism,gets overwiegt after 7-8 months of surgery

Answer 6

How overweight? I really would only use it as a very last resort. It's so unnatural.