Brief Hello and a Request for Info

[Judy2rep]

Hi, all. I am scheduled for a lap band in Mexico with Dr Almanza on 11/3/2014. Both my husband and I are having it done on the same time. Yeah!! We live in the Atlanta area, but are having trouble locating anyone in Atlanta or Chattanooga that will take on refill patients who have had surgery outside the U.S. Needless to say, we cannot travel to Mexico each time we need an adjustment! Could anyone in the Atlanta area let me know if they have had a similar situation and whether there is a bariatric physician here who will do refills for lapbands performed outside the U.S.?

Thanks so much!

[natex14]

I don't think you will get much support on here for a lapband. Many people on here, including me, started off wanting one and then found out that many people have bad experience with them. They do work for some people, but a lot of surgeons have stopped doing them.

Good luck though, I wish you all the best.

[chula]

Honeslty why would you get the lapband when you can get the sleeve and be done. Lapband was highly maintenance now the fills on average are $250. And if your too tight you have to have an unfill, too lose eating too much you need a fill and yep another $250. It gets expensive. What are your reasons for the lapband can i ask you that. Not that I am trying to change your mind just from experience it was 10 times as more expensive.

[Judy2rep]

Thanks for the support.

[Judy2rep]

Chula - totally understand your question. I had a gastric bypass in 1999 and have gained most of my weight back. With the lapband, I figure that I can't stretch it totally back out, but can always have refills keep me in check. Does that make sense? Thanks!

[kleb42]

Im not trying to change your mind, but about 90% of surgeons in my area (Boston) are not offering the lap band anymore. I have a good friend that had it and and didn't lose hardly any weight and now is doing the sleeve. I would definitely do more research, it may be harder and harder to find someone to fill the port.

[Tifflw86]

I had a Lap Band for 2 years and only lost about 30 pounds. Only from throwing up my food. I would NEVER reccommend it to a single soul. It was an awful experience. The adjusting of the band is quite uncomfortable, and it takes AT LEAST one pretty large needle stick every time to get into the port. There were times it took more than one try. NO NO NO. I would never do it again, and I cannot say a good word about it. Good luck to you.

[chula]

You kinda figured wrong lol with the lapband you get stuck ALOT and I mean ALOT and it's very painful. You end up throwing up alot and not getting food to your stomach after all. Then with that, (throwing up) you take a chance at you slipping your band meaning it comes up over your stomach then trouble starts. I agree with the previous poster I thought they were not placing them anymore. Plus you have to worry about eroding mine was attaching to my liver so I had a small complication when it was being removed. Not trying to scare you just trying to give you as much info as I can of the "it CAN happen" not that it will but alot of it happens to most. Placing the band is not a good idea but at the same time i totally respect your decision and am here for you whenever!! Good luck to you an dkeep us posted we will support you, you can count on that

[chula]

I had a Lap Band for 2 years and only lost about 30 pounds. Only from throwing up my food. I would NEVER reccommend it to a single soul. It was an awful experience. The adjusting of the band is quite uncomfortable, and it takes AT LEAST one pretty large needle stick every time to get into the port. There were times it took more than one try. NO NO NO. I would never do it again, and I cannot say a good word about it. Good luck to you.

LOL I don't miss that crap! I had a stupid nurse that thought she was a pro and was doing the unfill blind meaning without Fluro and stuck me like 12 times to hit the port finally I said you need to STOP NOW. She did finally do it under fluro but that was the last time I allowed her to do a fill actually I think that was the last time I had one cuz I got pregnant. She was mad cuz I was getting an unfill because I was pregnant. Had my baby in August and was in mexico in Feb getting the sleeve. NO REGRETS for this woman!

[Toopie2Seater]

Welcome and good luck to you and your husband. I live in Georgia and like others have expressed, fewer doctors are even willing to perform a Lap Band. Also, I'm in the medical field and there is a lot of behind the scenes talk about Lab Bands being recalled. =( When I go to work tomorrow I'll ask our bariatric surgeons if they can recommend someone for you and I'll let you know. Best wishes and please stay in touch. =)

[Metread]

As stated earlier, most US doctors have stopped doing the band. it is my understanding that it will be phased out completely, due to unreliability and complications.

As for care in the US, I have seen many people post on here that they cannot find doctors for after care for any surgeries done outside of the US, including sleeve, bypass and plastics. They simply do not want the liability.

Good luck

[Judy2rep]

Unfortunately, I do not have the choice of going to the sleeve after having had a gastric bypass. I can only have a lapband performed at this point.

[chula]

Unfortunately, I do not have the choice of going to the sleeve after having had a gastric bypass. I can only have a lapband performed at this point.

Oh wow, well good luck! Can i ask what failed with the gastric bypass..did you have complicatons?

[Judy2rep]

Actually, I was able to keep the weight off from about 1999 until about 2006. Then, I began emotionally eating again and overtime, I stretched my stomach back out. I am still about 40 pounds less than when I had my gastric bypass, so I am trying to get myself under control with a lapband. I'm at 219 now and hoping to get down to about 170 with a lapband. It's not the 150 I got down to with a bypass, but I'll be healthy again!

[zmdh39]

Unfortunately, I do not have the choice of going to the sleeve after having had a gastric bypass. I can only have a lapband performed at this point.

Out of curiosity, if you don't mind me asking, what ruled your out from having a revision surgery other than the lapband? Did you have a barium swallow that ruled those possibilities out? I have known a few different people that have had bypass surgery, that opted to have revisions. In any case, I do know there is a doctor in Atlanta that will take on patients that had surgery outside of the US, an old dentist of mine had the lapband done years ago in Mexico, and used to talk to me about how he drove from TN to GA to get his fills and unfills done...or at least the Dr. used to. Like most of the other posters have mentioned a lot of people have stopped providing the lapband altogether.