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Gastric band advice please

Posted , 6 users are following.

zfrank85
zfrank85

I’ve decided to go through with a gastric band. I have my first consultant appointment in a week to discuss things.  Before I go I want to get a better idea from “real peoples” experiences so I can ask the right questions. 

I’ve been struggling to lose weight for most of my life and seem to always be on a “diet”. I have an underactive thyroid too so that doesn’t help.  I have read a lot of horror stories about the band and it has got me thinking about if I should look into another procedure. 

Im also concerned about the tube being attached to my rib for the foreseeable future. Does it get in the way? Is it noticeable? I’m hoping some nice people who have experienced the good and bad can share there experiences with me before I go and see the consultant in a weeks time. 

Tia 

0 likes, 15 replies

15 Replies

  • DaveyE
    DaveyE zfrank85

    Posted

    Do you have much to lose? Have you thought about a sleeve? Read my story and see what you think. 
    • zfrank85
      zfrank85 DaveyE

      Posted

      I need to loose about 9 stone. I looked into the sleeve and thought it looked very invasive? What was the recovery time for you? 
    • stephie2
      stephie2 zfrank85

      Posted

      Looking at different sites on the web the band and the sleeve are both a similar surgery although a bit is chopped off for the sleeve.  You still get the incisions in the same place etc.
    • zfrank85
      zfrank85 stephie2

      Posted

      The sleeve is £10200 compared to a band which is £5850 at the clinic I will be going to. It would mean me waiting another year to save the money. 

    • Bandid
      Bandid stephie2

      Posted

      I disagree that the gastric band and sleeve are similar surgeries - the surgeries are totally different - they both work by restriction but there the similarity ends - the sleeve is much more invasive in as much as part of the stomach is removed and as such this is not reversible - the band works by placing a band around part of the stomach - nothing is removed and it is reversible if need be - and as to where the biggest incision is sited for a band will depend on where the port is situated - this could be on the breast bone or approx. level with belly button on the side - so to say incisions are in the same place is untrue and misleading as this will vary from surgeon to surgeon 
    • stephie2
      stephie2 Bandid

      Posted

      This was just what I was looking at on the net and it did look like they were making incisions in the same places from the pictures.  Apologies if wrong ...
  • Bandid
    Bandid zfrank85

    Posted

    HELLO ZFRANK - It is good that you are doing some research before you have your initial appt with the consultant and you def should look at all types of wgt loss surgery as the  band might not be the best option for you however the consultant would be able to advise you after considering your life style, eating habits and health status plus the amount of wgt you need to lose - all types of wgt loss surgery have their drawbacks but it is just a case of deciding which would be a disadvantage to you personally and what suits one person will not necessarily suit another - they are all just a tool to help you lose wgt and need a lot of commitment on your part - none of them are an easy option which the media would often have us believe - for every horror story you read though there are probs twice as many people just getting on with their lives and managing perfectly well with their chosen type of wgt loss surgery - often it is only when people have probs that they make it known and when things are going well they just get on with it and you never hear about it either online or elsewhere - I have a band some 8 yrs now and have no sensation of anything being attached to my ribs - I have a scar where my port is and another couple of smaller scars on my abdomen which are now barely noticeable - I do not have anything else that is noticeable and certainly cannot see any signs of tubing etc. 

    It might be that if you have 9 stones to lose that the band would not be the best option for you - you might need the double whammy of a surgery that also works by malabsorption and restriction such as RNY but these are all subjects that can be discussed at your appointment - in the mean time make a list of the questions you would like answered - look at success rates of all ops - ask your surgeon what his success rate is and if he has ever lost a patient during the op - ask what the various eating regimes will entail - ask about recovery times if this is important and you need to get back to work, ask if any co-morbidities which you may have such as underactive thryroid would make you unsuited to certain types of wgt loss surgery - the cheapest surgery might not necessarily be the best for you -

    If you do decide to go ahead and have a band you need to factor in the price of fills cos until you reach that ultimate level of restriction sometimes called the 'sweet spot' you will have little or no restriction - ask what the aftercare package includes - if you decide to have a band you need to know how many fills or for how long you can have fills or do you have to pay for these separately - ask if the fills are unlimited and for how long - they can cost around £100 a go if you have to fund them separately and you might need 6 or so small gradual fills to reach the 'sweet spot' - but if you go for another type of wgt loss surgery you also need to know about the level of after care included cos if there are any probs you need to know if you have to pay extra and for how long the aftercare cover lasts -

    It could be that you would get a better selection of replies to your questions on a site or forum dedicated to wgt loss surgery or even a support group if there is one at your chosen hospital or in your area - you could try somewhere like WLSinfo for support groups and online forum - you do not have much time before your appointment next wk but you can learn a lot in a wk -

    Another thing I would say is to be wary of anyone pushing their type of wgt loss surgery onto you cos many people are passionate about the type of surgery they have had and that is great but what works for one person does not necessarily work the  best for another - what was a negative for one person might be a positive for you and just cos somebody had a 'horror' story' it does not mean that you will experience the same - good luck and just shout up if there are any more questions you wish to ask - will do my best to help   

  • sian78607
    sian78607 zfrank85

    Posted

    Hi I just wanted to say that I was like you at the beginning...I was unsure whether to go with the band or not and I  have been dieting for over 30 years ... I have tried every diet pill and potion on the market but never kept weight off or lost more than a stone. I finally decided to go ahead and had my surgery on 28th October last year. I am not going to lie it does take a bit of getting used to and as soon as you learn how to eat by the 20 20 20 rule then it gets much easier. I have lost three and a half stone in three months and I have another three and a half stone to loose. I am glad that I had the band and I would never have lost this much weight without it's help. Perhaps I am one of the lucky ones as I know the band is not right for everyone, but I personally would recommend it, and I have no regrets on having the surgery. my incisions have all healed and there are just four little incisions with one slightly larger one where the port is situated these are my scars to freedom as every time I look at them I remember how unhappy I was before the surgery and I think they are a small price to pay for where I want to be and how good I am feeling at the moment. Hope this helps and good luck with your decision.

    Sian

     

    • zfrank85
      zfrank85 sian78607

      Posted

      thanks Sian. How are you getting on with the port area? I think this is the only thing putting me off the band. 
  • sian78607
    sian78607 zfrank85

    Posted

    Hi Zfrank  The port area did feel a little weird at first, I remember the first time I felt it I was worried incase something had gone wrong as all I could feel was this little lump in the side of my abdomen, it felt like something out of an alien movie and I expected it to burst out at any moment but I was assured it was normal. When I went for my first fill it became apparent why the port is there. It is a little sore at the beginning and I noticed that when I wore a belt that sometimes it would press against it, but apart from that I hardly notice it anymore.

    Regards Sian

  • Bandid
    Bandid zfrank85

    Posted

    not all ports are situated so low down though - for example mine is on my beast bone and the scar is just below where my bra line ends - I have never felt anything with regards to it's existence - I have a fine silver line where the scar is and obviously at first the scar was more noticeable but the actual port is inside me so I don't even think about it - it doesn't rub against anything, there is no lump as described in the previous post, it is not noticeable or gets in the way - it is just like it doesn't exist other than for this silver line on my skin and you really have to look hard to see that  - it is simply nothing at all - I don't know what you have been told to be 'put off' cos like I say it really isn't a problem of any kind

     

    • Bandid
      Bandid

      Posted

      also just to add - I know we are all different but I was totally unaware of anything like an alien being inside me or ready to burst out - obviously it is there so that your band can be filled or unfilled but then and only then have do I give it any consideration whatsoever  - I am at the opposite end of the spectrum obviously to the bandsters that are conscious of it's existence - but  like I say we are all different  

  • zfrank85
    zfrank85

    Posted

    Hi everyone. I went to my consultant appointment and had a very long discussion about all my options. The consultant stated he is now removing more bands than putting them in now. This along with other things put me off the band and I am now booked in for a sleeve. Thanks for all your advice and sharing your personal experiences and stories 
  • Bandid
    Bandid zfrank85

    Posted

    glad you come to a decision and are happy to move forward with this one  - good luck
  • niharika_123
    niharika_123 zfrank85

    Posted

    Hello 

    Since you are looking for some real life experience, thought should share this story here which might help you a bit 

    However I would like to reiterate here that everyone's journey is different from others and that our bodies are different and react differently to treatments however if you follow proper advice and post care tips there shouldn't be much to worry about! Wish you the best of health and speedy recovery

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