When I first thought about WLS, I spoke to my PCP, who has been my internist for several years. He agreed that I needed WLS so he sent me to a surgeon who does both RNY and the lap-band. When I asked which procedure I should consider, the surgeon said the lap-band because it was the least invasive and the safest. I came out of the consult very confused. I saw the pros and cons of both surgeries, made a list and did some serious thinking.
 
I then found this site and read as much as I could. After reading the great stories, sad stories, good results, problems, etc., I sort of decided that I did not want WLS at all, maybeeeee, I might consider the lap-band but not the RNY. I did not want my pylorus bypassed and I don't want to refer to my stomach as a "pouch." I want my stomach to act as such.
 
I did not want the dumping syndrome, as that is not a "normal" way to learn to eat properly. I felt that if I was "forced" to give up certain foods for fear of dumping, mentally, down the line, this would bother me. Instant gratification is not what I want, long term healthy results, both mentally and physically are.
 
I wanted to learn how to be satisfied by eating smaller portions, rather than eliminating certain foods out of fear. Any time your mind set is to "diet" and your weight loss is successful, you feel indestructible. But, at some point, you come off your cloud and reality sets in. (At least that is what I experienced in the past).
 
I was also concerned about blockage, choking, chew, chew, chewing which I would have to be aware of for life with both the lap-band and RNY. (Strictures and such are not a life long concern)
 
Then I heard about the duodenal switch ("DS") and started researching that surgery. It sounded wonderful to me. The stomach is reduced, the pylorus is left functioning and I could have some intestines bypassed proximal rather than distal. Malnourishment was a big concern of mine. I wanted to absorb vitamins and minerals naturally through food, rather than through man made supplements and with the proximal, there would be less of a chance. 
 
With the DS, I could eat a small portion of any food in the world. Very cool. Excess fat would not be absorbed. Sounded like a dream. I would have to take only calcium and multivitamins. But, I may have unusual smelling gas! Hmmmmm.
 
There were no doctors in my medical group that perform the DS, so I had my PCP put in a request for an out of Plan surgeon. This was of course denied. I then wrote appeal letters and submitted them. A few days before the 30 day review period was over........I changed my mind.
 

I spent last weekend doing a lot of thinking about the lap-band and the duodenal switch procedures. Again, I am trying to think of WLS long, long term. Yes, I know, I can get hit by a car tomorrow, but that is not the point.  I am terribly afraid of malabsorption and malnourishment. I kept wondering about the long term effects of re-designing the intestines. Then two people on this board who have had the RNY and DS and are extremely thrilled and happy BOTH said that they have become interested in the lap-band and wished they had looked into it. I went WHOA, WHOA, let me do some more serious thinking about the lap-band.
 
1. Foreign object in body - hmmmmm, okay now, people have breast implants, pectoral implants, knee implants, hip replacements, etc. with no problems.
 
2. The band can slip, yes, but not a life-threatening problem.     3. A portal, YIKES!!!!! Okay, Jill, deal with it, it can be adjusted easily if need be. Hmmm, yeah, very true.
 
4. Don't have to worry about vitamins (which I tend to be very bad at remembering to take).
 
5. Chew, chew, chew or choke - Weeeelllll, I do eat fast, which allows me to take in more food. The average thin person chews well, eat slower, gets full faster. Okay, I can do that.
 
6. Weight loss not as effective and slower - I have always said that I prefer to lose my weight slower, rather than faster as I feel it is safer for the body. If I never reach goal, but get to 20 pounds from goal, at least I will be healthy and not malnourished. I really like this part.
7. If for some reason, I would need a revision from RNY or DS, well, it could be done, BUT if I needed the band removed, I would be just about back to normal, just a little scar tissue.
 
8. If some miracle pill or who knows what the future holds for obesity is discovered, no problem with the lap-band.
 
Last Monday, I called my insurance company and put a stop to my DS appeal. I then called my surgeon and said I wanted the lap-band. I am now waiting for approval and I feel so at peace with my decision.
 
Those were and are my thoughts. Hope this helps. Kymberlee, you need to do what you feel is best for you. Think about WLS as long term, not just instant gratification, mentally and physically.
 
Jill
************************
April 28, 2002
Fatgirl
 

I had the Lap-Band installed last June. Two years prior, I had been scheduled for a lap-RNY, but I had backed out of it. I just couldn't get over the malabsorption fact...worrying not alone about the vitamins I knew that were being malabsorbed, but also all of the phytochemicals, etc. My gut feeling (sorry Carnie, probably owe you a royalty check) said that this surgery was not for me. So two years later, I decided on the Lap-Band. I really think that you need to make your own decision, though. Each surgery has its benefits and risks. I really highly recommend joining numerous support groups for the various types of surgery and just lurking... and then go with what your heart says, even if it is no surgery at all. If, in the meantime, you'd like to do something to help you prepare for surgery, try taking up an exercise program. You may not lose weight, but you'll be healthier at the time of surgery. An excellent program is called, "The Spark" by Glen Gaesser.
 
OK..here are some rambling thoughts on why I chose to have a Lap-Band...these are my own honest thought...and I'm sure I'll get slammed by some people for posting them...but...
 
1. Yes, one does have a foreign object inserted, but so does the RNY and DS. (Titanium staples.) The silicone band and port can easily be removed in a lap procedure in most cases...with no harm done to your stomach or intestines. The other WLS procedures are not as easily reversed, if need be. Having said that, the Band is not recommended for people with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Let's be honest here. Bypassing the duodenum is not natural either! It's there for a reason.
 
2. It is adjustable. No window of opportunity for weight loss. If I want to lose more weight in say five years, I can have my band tightened.
 
3. No vitamin issues. No dumping. You eat like a normal person...small amounts of regular foods, even sweets.
 
4. As somebody who has IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), I was told that an RNY or DS could make this even worse. That is not something I could risk. Amazingly enough, the Lap-Band has tremendously improved my IBS...to maybe one instance/month if that. That alone is worth the price of the surgery!
 
5. Less risk of operative death or complications. Sorry, but I've read of too many people dying after an RNY operation...or suffering serious medical problems 3-5 years out. I've only heard of one death with the Band...yes, there may be more...but with every RNY group I've belonged to, there's been at least one death per month... One death of one perfectly normal person with the same hopes and dreams as me. Not always the eldest nor the fattest person, either. Why is the Lap-Band less risky? Well, to me it sort of makes sense, as the operation is less complicated and less invasive... no cutting of your stomach or intestine...(cutting the intestine puts one at great risk of infection)...etc. Yes, you can die in any surgery, but if I can, I'm going to chose the less invasive one.
 

6. The slower rate of weight loss is healthier for me, both physically and mentally. Less deflated balloon appearance too.
 
7. Can have the band deflated in case of pregnancy or medical issues.8. I know too many people who have gained back weight after an RNY...some to more than they weighed before. Their only solution, they feel, is to have more intestine bypassed. Sorry, but I just couldn't deal with the fact of permanently altering my digestive system and not keeping the weight off. If with the Band, I need to lose more weight. I can get it tightened. If I decide that I need an RNY in the future, I can do that. Why go extreme in the first place?
 
9. Of the support groups I attended for RNY and DS patients (separate groups), some people...quite honestly...had quite a nasty BO. Can't even describe what it was...smelt like digestive fluids. Blech. Not something I'm willing to risk.  These are all my own opinions. But please make your own decision. Most people are biased to their own surgery. The best way to learn about the individual surgeries is at support groups for those surgeries. I also think that you need to look at your own lifestyle and BMI prior to surgery. Personally, I think that people with a BMI under 45 (or maybe 50) should look at the Lap-Band... 45-60 RNY... 55+ DS... or something like that. For some, having a DS with a BMI of only 40 seems a bit like overkill to me.
 
FFG
**********************
April 28, 2002
Coffeewench - Robin
 
Jill....
 
Wow did you climb in my head and sum up all of my conclusions! :-)
 
You have an amazing amount of research and knowledge backing your reasoning. I am extremely impressed. Especially for someone who doesn't have a band in yet! With your attitude and determination I can already tell you're going to have *no* problems succeeding with the band.
 

I agree with Jill and Fabfatgrl. I think that instant gratification is a really American trait which is why the RNY is *not* the gold standard in other countries. For people to presume (falsely) that they will be guaranteed they make it to goal with an RNY is kidding yourself. If I was pre-op and could use a crystal ball to show where I am now with the band and show me "closer" to goal with an RNY I'd still pick the band. That would be like someone 30 pounds overweight wanting an RNY--we'd all think they were nuts right? I'm happy and healthy even still 30 pounds from goal. Heck, even Carnie herself claims to still be frustrated at being 15 pounds from goal and that girl lives a charmed life where everything is handed to her from chefs to personal trainers. There is no magical solution. All the surgeries require compliance on the part of the patient.
 
Quite frankly I find it sad that people *want* to dump. Yes, we're all a bunch of fat morons who can't resist anything with sugar. We need to be punished for being so weak. (I'm being theatrical here, not trying to be insulting, but it's how I perceive it). Personally I had more self-confidence then that. Yes, my eating was out of control, but could I diet in the past? Yes. What was my failing point? Falling off the wagon and being incapable of recovering. Does that still happen now? Yes but I recover w/out any gain and sometimes with loss even. And it's after that I become even stronger because I am left with the knowledge that eating poorly occasionally is normal and it won't make me fat overnight. And that eliminates the guilt and from that comes a peace with food. I have no forbidden foods. I don't take vitamins, I get my vitamins from food. I don't drink protein shakes, I get my protein from food. And I probably eat less calories than are in a protein shake. When I get older and I need to start taking calcium as is now recommended over age 50 it will all be absorbed. Should I ever get pregnant again I won't give a 2nd thought, I can revel in the miracle and feel good about it 100%, no second guessing. When I was pregnant with my twins pre-op I ended up with 7 cavities in my teeth. My dentist said it was because the babies had leeched as much calcium as they could from my body (this was from someone who'd only had 2 small cavities up until age 27). If my babies were leeching that much calcium from my body while I was eating a robust diet with prenatal vitamins what could they be missing out on if I got pregnant after an RNY? It blows my mind how little thought people give the whole pregnancy issue. They hear of a few "safe" pregnancies and use that as proof? What about when those babies turn 20 and things come up that weren't know about. Maybe nothing will. But I wasn't willing to risk it. If you take me out of childbearing age I would have looked at the RNY more closely.
 
I know a lot of you had the RNY, are happy with it, want to have kids, feel secure that all will be okay, and I have no judgement about that. Everyone's life and choices are different. I'm happy for you that you lost the weight and have reclaimed your life.  But since Kymberlee asked for opinions that is mine. No intention to flame at all. Those were just the issues that kept me up at night when I was preop and researching and couldn't sleep.
 
Take care,
Robin
***********************
April 28, 2002
jllyn275
 
I posted a message with a few reason why I have chosen to go with the lap band, but feel the need to add to this post.
 

First of all - Jill...I loved your reply and I have to say that your thought process is very similar to mine. I made my decision by asking myself the same questions you did. So I am going to say "ditto" on Jill's reply.
 
I feel the main reason people choose bypass surgeries over the lap band is 
 
1) Long term success. I have researched and researched and have found that it is not proven to be any more successful long term than the lap band (as long as you do what you are suppose to, including getting fills)...no different than bypass surgery. People can fail at either, so this all comes down to you - how well you can work with your tool. I believe that every single person with a weight problem has a carb addiction of some sort, to me it's not a mental thing...it's physical. You eat carbs, you crave carbs. With any surgery you HAVE to eat protein first...HAVE TO and after you eat that you are well on your way to full and will eat less carbs, if any at all....therefore want them less and need them less...eat them less.
 
2) Instant gratification! People want to lose it all now now now and this is not important to me what-so-ever. I have always known that losing weight slower is the healthier way to go (in my opinion) There is a reason your hair falls out and a reason you may have body odor when you lose weight quickly....your body is in shock. I know this is only temporary and may not cause any long term problems, but the slow weight loss is only temporary as well. In the end we all end up in the same place (hopefully)...happy, healthier and thinner. I choose to get to that place with no icky side effects.
 
Just my thoughts!
 
Jen
**************************
April 28, 2002
SFCynthia
 
I am one of those people who had the DS, but kinda wishes I had the Lapband. However I do really enjoy the fact I can eat almost normally, and anything I want. I wish I did not have the lower intestine bypassed. The gas/BM smell is really bad and hard to deal with. I can buy a product called Darvom, and I plan to for the weekends when I eat more high carb and dairy foods. I was slightly Lactose Intolerant before the surgery now I am much more so. Milk = bad gas!
 
I am really recommending the Lapband and I second everything Jill said! Right on the nose. IT would great to have some medicine that could do it. Then you could have the band removed and everything would be the same as before.
 

I can eat everything and up to 8 to 12 ounces per meal. So that is a big plus for the DS. They say you can eat everything with the Lapband too. You just have to chew and chew. I wonder if a high protein/low carb diet is OK with the lapband. But you don't suffer from bad gas. I wish I had looked at this more closely. It is a pain to live with. Especially out in public.
 
I have no problem taking my vitamins and have done so all my life. With all three WLS you have to drink lots of water. So that is the same. But with the DS you can eat and drink at the same time. Not so with the RNY or Lapband. I still try not to eat and drink at the same time at this early stage. Sometimes things feel stuck.
 
But I really agree with Jill's well written statement. I am really encouraging people to consider the Lapband over the RNY. I have seem people as big as 379 get the Lapband, and yesterday I spoke with one woman who only had to lose 62 pounds total. I was pretty surprised by that. But with the Lapband that is not so outrageous. And it will keep her from growing to an even bigger size.
 
Cynthia
**********************
May 1, 2002
Fabfatgrl
 
Regarding the Band tightening, in general, it takes a fill (Band adjustment done with saline) to tighten the Band. Some people end up with too tight of a fill, and need to have some fluid removed. In general, they know within a day or two of a fill, and the procedure itself is quite easy. I've yet to hear of anybody's Band automatically tightening to the point of causing damage. I can think of one medical journal article on the permeability of the Band membrane, and how they found a mixture of saline and contrast solution to be a better fill mixture, but that's about it. In general, you lose fill solution, not gain it. You will, however, notice that you have different restrictions at different times of day. Most people are very restricted in the morning, and not as restricted at night.
 
When a Band slips, usually it does not cause much damage. Some slippages can be fixed by removing all of the fluid, which allows the Band to slip back into place. Others involve repositioning or replacing the Band. I have only heard of two instances where the Band could not be replaced at that time. Wayne's is one of those instances. I have not heard of anybody having any permanent damage to their stomach wall from the Band, though. I think that for good Band maintenance, you should plan on having a yearly fluoroscope to check on Band placement and maintenance. In the beginning, it's easy to get your fills done under fluoroscopy..but once you hit goal, I'd also plan on a yearly fluoro to check things out. But hey, that's just me and I'm a radiologist's daughter.
 
I seriously considered the Lap-RNY (had a surgery appointment), Mini-MGB, and DS. In the end, I was concerned about my age (32 at surgery) and vitamins and phytochemicals...so I went for the Lap-Band. I only wish I had done it sooner!
 

Karlawww.geocities.com/karlak68/
292/230-something/222 (mini-goal)
***********************
May 13, 2002
Coffeewench - Robin
 
I've found that it's not as hard as we think. Especially if you're eating mostly good stuff.
 
I had birthday cake yesterday in celebration of both mothers day and my birthday (which is today) and I ate about 2 bites (mostly frosting, I confess) and it was so ooey gooey sweet I literally couldn't eat anymore of it. Normally I would have been STRESSING over making sure I got a corner piece, would it be big enough, could I sneak another piece without being obvious, etc. It would have caused me serious anxiety. It was funny--I ate a couple bites of the cake and was like "ugh, too much sugar" and suddenly my mouth was watering for a bite of beef from the BBQ! LOL Yesterday at our family BBQ I ate a couple thin slices of beef, a little bit of salmon, a piece of garlic bread and then that bit of caked. I was so stuffed I thought I was going to burst!
 
Things change postop. I still have a milkshake every so often, but it makes me painfully full even after 1/4 of it. Theocratically it shouldn't be filling me up, but I'm no longer used to such heavy food all at once anymore.
 
Robin
**********************
May 16, 2002
This Original Thread was posted by Jerry entitled ASomething to discuss and research about the lap-band@ It was regarding the attorneys website.
Response by Coffeewench - Robin follows
****
May 16, 2002
Coffeewench
 
Jill,
 
I=ll go bump my post "statistics lie and stuff" for you.
 
But here's my general take...
 
I'm not worried about those lawyers or their assertion that the FDA Trial reflected poor results.
 
Because let's be honest. The FDA Trial data *did* suck. I can't refute that.
 

But I can point out the reasons for it because I was entrenched in it. Both with my doctors and with Bioenterics, the manufacturer.
 
I was patient number 14 or 15, I don't remember now. Close to that. Before me there had already been 2 reversals to RNYS. From what I was told it was due to "poor results".
 
Now let's evaluate that statement. The trials had only been in place for 2 years at that point. These people had been banded almost a year prior to my banding. Bioenterics has stated over and over again that if you have around 100 pounds to lose it's a TWO YEAR process to get to goal. If you have 200+ pounds to lose it's a 3+ year process to get to goal. Studies in Europe showed that Bandsters continued to lose weight for up to FIVE years post op.
 
Okay, now that we have that background...my doctor was an RNY surgeon. He liked the RNY. Looking back I get the feeling he thought us fat people needed the extra dumping feature. He called an "idiot-proof" surgery and warned me the band would not be. He said that the band would require great cooperation on my part because I would not dump or have malabsorption. Like an obedient puppy dog I nodded and panted and even offered my paw to be shaken just to close the deal!
 
Well when I was about 3 months postop he decided to give me a fill. (The standard is 4 weeks postop, this was his conservative preference). I had only lost 6 lbs. He was upset with me. Told me I wasn't following the rules. Said that I should have lost at least 40 or so pounds by now (like an RNY patient) and he then told me that I'd just lost 3 months of my window of opportunity and that it was closing fast (there *is* no window of opportunity with a band). Then he barely put any fluid in my band. So I was still unrestricted. When I called his office they were mad at me. I remember phrases such as "failure" being thrown around and "noncompliant".
 
Well the difference between myself and the average FDA Trial participant was that I was on a list with 100s of very successful Lapband patients from all over the world who kept on telling me, "what do they expect, you just need a decent fill!" And I believed them out of a blind faith in the fact that most of them were at goal or well towards goal. I called them and told them I was going to go down to Mexico for a fill since they wouldn't work with me. They told me I would be kicked out of trial. It was a hard decision for me, but I went to Mexico and got a really good fill. The weight started DROPPING off. I was just as compliant as before but now the tool was finally properly equipped to work!
 

Also in the first part of the trial they weren't stitching the band to the stomach and it was slipping. They've solved this problem worldwide with a posterior stitch and in some countries they even fold part of the stomach over the band and stitch *that* down. It reduced the slippage rate to 2%. And most slippage is solved by removing fluid and letting the band fall back into place and letting the stomach heal. In rare situations the band is removed.
 
I also remember the surgeons themselves saying that the complication rate is significantly reduced after doing 50 bands. So again, being that the published data was the from the first set of patients, the majority complications were pretty much guaranteed to occur. This is a surgery with a fairly steep learning curve.
 
One last note...one of the categories of removing the band was due to "psychological intolerance". Some people couldn't handle having a foreign object in them and some didn't want to have to give up eating as much as they were.
 
Besides, it's not like you aren't made to sign a bazillion consents as to the risks and that you are knowingly taking said risks. It irks me really bad when people sign and know all the risks and when something happens they feel justified in suing!!
 
Robin
**********************
May 16, 2002
*Jill*
 
Not the ususal questions this time, which I bet you are happy about!  Heehee.  Darn, I forgot to ask how long a hospital stay I can expect. I am having my hiatal hernia fixed as the same time I think. The nurse said that sometimes the hernia gets better just from losing weight, but I thought I HAD to have the repair. Anyway, do you know the time frame of lap-band procedures?  What kind of pain shall I expect? How long should I schedule myself off of work? How long until I can lift stuff again (reasonable weight)? Are their drainage tubes that stay in for a few days like the RNY and DS? Anything else that I need to know?
 
Thanks.  Jill Pre-op lap-band June 24, 2002 - Dr. Khalili at Cedars Sinai
*************
May 16, 2002
Wednesday
 

Hi Jill,  I know you posted this to Robin, but I can give you my stats so you will have an idea of what to expect.  I had my surgery on a Friday at 1:00pm. I was released the next day, Saturday, at 2:00pm. I was back to work that Wednesday for a total of 3 days off of work and working out again in exactly one week post- op. My surgery lasted for 45 minutes. I was in recovery for 2 hours because I vomited from anesthesia and had to be given anti- nauseous meds. I don't remember a lot of this 2 hours. I was kinda gorked out.    The worst of the pain will be the first 24 hours after surgery. They kept me medicated with Demerol every 4 hours. It felt like when you do to many situps, like a sore feeling. The surgeon prescribed me Tylenol w/codeine (liquid) for my home use. I still have some of it! The gas that they use during surgery is the worst to recover from! I had severe gas pains for about a week after surgery. I had to get up every 2 hours at night and walk outside to relieve the gas. The pain lessens gradually over the first week. I had 5 small incisions total which have healed very well. They look like freckles. The port site was sore for about 4- 6 weeks after surgery. Other then that I was perfectly fine in a week.    There are no drainage tubes associated with the band. I think it's because there is no internal cutting being done, but I am not 100% on that. 
One of the things that I had a problem with was going to the restroom. They don't give you a catheter for the lapband. I think it was around 5pm and I had just gotten to my room when I had to go tinkle so bad! It's the IV fluids they keep pumping into you. Made me have to go every 2 hours. My surgeon had left orders that I was not to try to walk until 6 hours out of surgery, which put me at 7:00pm. I couldn't hold it. So the nurse was kind enough to help me us a bed pan. It was like Laurel and Hardy! Very comical! I swore I would hold it until I was able to go on my own! I finally got out of bed at 7:30 and I didn't want to lay back down! It felt so good to get up off my back and walk around! Make sure you have a pair of slippers with soles, not socks! You will be doing a lot of walking on cold, linoleum floors. Everything else I brought just didn't get used. Who is worried about make- up at a time like this?    I don't know what else to tell you. If I remember anything I will post again. I hope some of this will be useful for you!
 
Wednesday  264/170/140
*************************
May 16, 2002
*Jill*
 
Hi Wednesday.   Thank you so much for the detailed response. That helped a lot. I scheduled one week off from work, so I guess I will keep it like that because of the gas stuff. How severe is the gas? Why does walking relieve it?   Only one day in the hospital, wow that is incredible. Will I be able to care for myself or will I need help?   What about the time frame for a hiatial hernia?
 
Jill
**************
May 16, 2002
Coffeewench - Robin
 
Jill
 
Wednesday really spelled it out well.   I was admitted on a Thurs morning, went home Saturday morning. I took Thurs & Fri off work, recuperated over the weekend and went back to work Mon. I was minimally sore. I really only noticed it if I moved wrong. They give you Lortab, the liquid vicodin and it's lovely-- that liquid hits the blood stream fast!

My surgery took 45 minutes. I woke up uncomfortable (you know that horrible first sharp breath you take in) but it quickly subsided as I settled in. I was up and around walking hours after surgery, in fact I liked walking around, I got to meet people. They let me take a shower the next morning (wrapped me in saran wrap-- sexy) so I felt even more human. I gained like 6 lbs before I left the hospital from that darn IV drip but I quickly peed it away. I had NO drainage tubes or any kind of tube in me upon awakening. I was just like-- damn it hurts to breath! But then the pain meds kicked in and I found my happy place.    I think that moving releases the gases from your body from the Lap gas they use to puff you up during surgery. I have to say I've never experienced a single gas pain from both lap surgeries I've had (gallbladder and Lapband) however I think I'm one of the lucky ones.    I've also had a history of "doing surgery well". I'm usually quick to bounce right back both right after surgery and when I get home and get on with life. But suffer me a paper cut...whew...I'm a whiney baby for days...   Oh and I LOVE those leg compression things they put on you after surgery...it's like getting a leg massage...so soothing. The heparin shots every few hours were a scary prospect, but believe it or not, I couldn't even feel them. The needle is SO thin (like an insulin needle) it's painless. And they did mine right in the belly-- ugh.   Bring a good book and wear comfortable clothing there that you can go home in. And slip on shoes. The least amount of bending you can the better. The sorest spot will be the port area and you don't want anything really binding. The less you pack the better.    Okay, and Wednesday, I did require the use of my lipstick tube ;- ).   I wish I could answer the question about the hernia Jill. My good friend had a hernia repaired during surgery but it was abdominal and she was in more pain than I was postop because they had to put some netting material to hold it in and it was pretty tender.    As for time off work I would say a week just to be conservative. It's always better to ask for too much then too little. My port area was sore for several weeks. Noticeably better at 2 weeks postop, but not really "normal" (as in I could lie on my left side comfortably) until about 4 weeks. I'm a left side sleeper so it was hard!  
Robin :- )
*******************
May 16, 2002
*Jill*
 
Thanks so much. I think I am ready now. I am concerned about the gas. I mean, does everyone know when it is released? I cannot do that!
 
Jill
 
************
May 16, 2002
Wednesday
 

Jill,   The gas that I had was really just like burping. It wasn't loud. It just felt like I had a trapped air bubble. As soon as I did a few very unladylike belches I was fine for a few more hours. A lot of people don't even experience this! This is just something that I was so lucky to experience. Hear the sarcasm? Oh, and it was usually only at night that I had this happen. I think it was when I became sedentary that the gases would settle and that is when I would have my problems. The walking for me would work the gas back up. It is late and I am tired so I hope that I am making sense.    Robin, leg compression unit was cool except that I couldn't reach down to remove them when I had to go to the bathroom so I was always calling the poor nurse to help me! I would try to time it with my medication so I could take my meds, get up and walk around relatively pain free and go tinkle.    Jill, One thing that I wished I had taken was my own pillow. I am a big pillow person and I dreamed about my own down pillow all alone at home! Other then that I didn't miss anything.
 
Wednesday

Some Lap Band patients own home pages:
 
http://www.waynesmith.net/lapband/
http://www.geocities.com/karlak68/
http://slamflat.homestead.com/home.html
http://home.pacbell.net/rob-trib/lapband.html
http://www.geocities.com/snorkylowe/links.html
http://www.geocities.com/robinh26/lapband.html
http://www.crosswinds.net/~bandsters/Art%20of%20Band.htm
http://hometown.aol.com/ptchedtke/myhomepage/index.html
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/mali/18/fatcontent.html
http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/supergramemr/
http://www.employees.org/~kirsten/
http://www.trisha422t.com
http://www.myagb.homestead.com
http://www.jcg.com/lapband
 
Some Doctor Sites
http://www.lapbandsurgery.com
http://www.lapband.com/english.htm
http://www.drrossfox.com/home.html
http://www.daltonsurgical.com/ponce.html
http://www.hamiltonhealth.org/weight/lapband.asp#weblinks
http://server3.grupored.com.mx/obesity/index.htm
http://www.obesitydocs.com/
http://www.nomoreobesity.com/
http://www.louisvilleweightloss.com
http://www.drclaywellborn.com
http:/www.lstomachbypass.com
http://www.obesity-online.com/Pat_and_docs_info/index.html
 
The AGB Manufacturers:
http://www.bioenterics.com/intl/index.html
http://www.obtechmedical.com/indexie2.html
 
All insurance questions:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BandstersInsurance
Three Bandster Bash 2001 videos
www.obgyn.net/weight/weight.asp
 
Surgery video:http://www.obgyn.net/english/pubs/features/roberta-surg.htm
 
Bandsters e-mail support group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Bandsters/join

Adjustment (fill) info:
http://www.obesitylapbandsurgery.com/adjmain.html
http://www.waynesmith.net/lapband/faq/fills.htm
 
Related Bandster Groups:
Australian:  http://www.ozband.com
European site:  http://www.euroband.org
 
Pouch management:
http://www.shelby.net/wizards/larger.htm
http://gastricbypass.netfirms.com/understandingsmallgastricpouch.htm
 
National Institute of Health:
http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health/nutrit/pubs/gastsurg.htm
 
 
Language for Medical Alert Bracelet
Gastroplasty with Lapband
Caution With NG Tube
Use Endoscopy
 
What To Bring To The Hospital
As an experienced hospital guest :) :) I would suggest that you become a minimalist.  I don't go anywhere without make‑up, but I left it all home.
 
Here is the list I suggest:
 
1.  Pillow - only if you need a cervical special one.
2.  Toothbrush/paste
3.  Cottonelle wipes -  They make you pee pee in a container in the toilet to measure the amount.  In case you have back splash, all ya gotta do is wipe.
4.  Hair Brush.
5.  P.J.s if you are staying more than one day. I haven't used a hospital gown since coming back.  I brought one long set (flannel) and one short set (cotton).
6.  Robe if p.j.s are sheer, otherwise really not necessary.
7.  Booties or loose socks.
8.  Slip on shoes to troll the halls.
 
They have soap and stuff.  I have showered every morning and am quite comfortable.
 
Finally, wear loose clothes to the hospital, which you can wear upon being released.
 
Hope this helps.