Losing Weight Thanks to Laparoscopic LapBand Surgery
I had my Laparoscopic LapBand Surgery on the 16th...
I had my Laparoscopic LapBand Surgery on the 16th of Feb. 2010. I had a medical history of high blood pressure, edema, sleep apnea, arthritis, and 100lbs overweight. My BMI was 46. I was a ticking time bomb. So having this surgery hopefully has prolonged my life.
I consulted with the anethesiologist and my doctor before the surgery about the operation, how they were going to put me asleep, and pain medication. Sleep apnea complicates things when they have to put you asleep. You might not wake up or you could have a hard time waking up. You just have to weigh your options.
He explained to me how they were going to put a small camera attached to a tube, down my throat. That was how they were going to see where and how they were going to put the LapBand around my stomach. They also were going to cut small incisions in my abdominal area in order to enter through, to do the surgery.
Anyway, the day of the surgery, I came in and my vitals were taken, I was given something to relax me and was prepped for surgery. I think I was in surgery for 1 to 2 hours. When I woke up, I had a small incision in my navel area and 3 small incisions in my abdominal wall under my breast. I had a few stitches at the site of my incision. I had to have oxygen due to complications from my sleep apnea. My doctor was alert to my condition and I was handled with care. The hardest part for me was trying to open my eyes and overcome the effects of the anesthesia. It was like coming out of a deep sleep and not being able to talk right away. I fought this sensation off and let the doctor and his staff know I was having difficulties breathing, not getting enough air to expand my lungs. After that was taking care of, I was own my way to recovery.
I was put on a liquid diet immediately. At first, I could only hold down a half a cup of water. This graduallly increased as time went on. My stomach felt so full. Also I was given medication to combat a bad case of heartburn. That will subside as you heal.
I stayed in the hospital for 2 days(an extra 600.00 dollars). They made sure I had a bowel movement and no other complications before letting me go home. The average healthy person, with no health issues other then being overweight, would have probably went home the same day.
I am on a liquid diet for about six weeks. Mainly clear soups, lowfat milk, tea, real fruit juices, coffee, and water. I also get B-12 injections every other week and will be on vitamins soon. I was 247 lbs before the operation and I have lost 17 lbs now. I am more energetic now and I can walk without having to stop and catch my breath. The more exercise I get the more I lose. I am averaging about a pound and a half every 2 days.
I am sleeping laying down, with one pillow now. Before I slept almost sitting up with several pillows and woke up with bad headaches from the sleep apnea. I sleep much better now and love the ideal of waking up smaller the next day.
I went back to work on the 3rd day after my surgery.
Special note: You will still crave what you use to eat, and the temptation will still be there until you get use to your new situation, but you will have a rude awakening if you try to overeat or overdrink! You will most likely throw up or feel too full. My stomach is much smaller now and I can only hold a small cup or 1/2 cup of liquid and the LapBand can be adjusted to suit my need for more weight loss.
The Larparoscopic LapBand Surgery was affordable and worth it for me and I would recommend it and my doctor to anyone. Consider your health issues and the quality of life that you want with your family & friends and I am sure you will make the right decision for yourself.
Hello everyone, I just thought I would touch base...
I just thought I would touch base and let you all know where I am now concerning my weight. I am battling with it everyday. It wasn't the surgery, it was me. I didn't use enough discipline and fell back into my old routine of eating all the wrong foods. I have gain some of the weight back and now I am considering having the Gastric Sleeve sugery. I found out that I could not digest certain foods anymore. I love steak but I have a hard time getting it to go down my throat, seems to get stuck in my chest area, and I was warned not to eat it. As a matter of fact, I was warned about several different foods, but I did not heed the warning. Some people want to blame the doctor, or the procedure, but if you are honest with yourself, you know it is probably you that was to blame. I know it was me. I felt that I could control the habit of eating what I want and failed. If you stick to the diet and excercise plan they give you, it will work. You have to learn self control, and I know it won't be easy. I am living proof it isn't. So stay tuned and I will let you know if and when I get this eating disorder under control. I am going to get one more refill and discuss other options with my doctor for losing weight. Yes, the surgery was worth it, because I am still not as big as I once was. Thanks for listening
Replies (14)
Yes, Dr. Monsaur is still at London Hospital. I was so very disappointed with him though. After having me spend 1000 dollars on tests and 2 appointments he tells me that the procedure is not being done at London Hospital any longer. They do not have the proper equipment to do it anymore and that it is being ordered by the hospital but he had no time frame of when the equipment would be in and set up. I was angry because he did not level with me that he could not perform the surgery at London Hospital up front. I then went to Dar Al Shiaf hospital in Hawally and to Dr. Khaled Ayyash, general and laparoscopic surgeon. He is an excellent surgeon and has performed over 1000 lap band procedures, I thought was a lot. He has been a surgeon for 30 years and his bed side manners were exceptional. The hospital is new and clean and the nursing staff are great. I had my surgery at 1030am and left that evening at 10pm. Best choice I could have made by going to Dr. Ayyash and Dar Al Shifa Hospital and having the procedure done. My surgery was on August 24, 2011 and as of September 09, 2011 I have lost 28 pounds by following the liquid and soft foods diet plan given by Dr. Ayyash. I had no pain after the surgery just minor discomfort and was up walking the halls of the hospital 3 hours after the surgery. I was sent home with a 7 day supply of antibiotics, Liquid Advil to use as needed for any pain and 10mg of Nexiumm to be taken with a cup of water 2 times a day. I was back at work 3 days after the surgery. No Regret was a big inspiration to me to go ahead with the procedure. I am seeing the results of my decision only 2 1/2 weeks after. My recommendation to you if you chose to go ahead with the surgery is start to walk as soon as you feel comfortable doing so, which for me was the day of the surgery. I have been going to the Avenues mall everyday after work for an hour to walk since it is way to hot still to walk outside, lots of people there doing the same thing I am, but as soon as it cools down a little I will continue to walk around my neighborhood in Mangaf. I feel better, I can see a noticeable difference in my appearance and my stamina and breathing is improving greatly. They tell you not to work out with weights until 1 month after the procedure, it will help with the weight loss and will help tighten up any lose skin you may have after the weight loss. So I will start that in a few weeks at a local health club near my home. Best of luck to you with your decision. I went through with it and so far have 28 reasons for not regretting my decision.
I'm going to cry. I was doing good on the liquid diet lost about 10 pounds since pr fp, weighed in atvsurgery and started to bing on my 9th day. According to the scale I am now back at the weight I started during surgery. I'm embarassed, unhappy, scared and humiliated I gave in
Hi Lorac, Welcome!
I'm sorry to hear you're hvaing some troubles after surgery. If you don't mind me asking, how long ago did you have surgery? Have you had your band filled yet?
The thing about WLS is that most of us need it because we have an unhealthy relationship with food. Surgery doesn't fix that, it just gives us the tools to better manage it. Sometimes we're going to make mistakes, get it wrong, or eat something we know we shouldn't. But that doesn't mean that you have to give up or feel ashamed.
Replies (16)
Hi,
Dr. Monsuar of London Hospital in Kuwait did my surgery. This is the info (# London Hospital Kuwait)
Street 101, Fintas
T: (965) 883883
F: (965) 3905538
I have had my Lapband filled twice and I am still having issues with weight gain. The first time I had it done, I was give an injection to numb the area, then the doctor felt around for the site to insert the needle. The needle is pretty big. I could feel a cooling sensation running thru me, so I guess that was the fluid running thru the band. I was told I would need several injections because that was my first time doing it in over 8 months. I immediately got heartburn the first time I tried to eat and had to chew my food completely to prevent it from getting stuck in my chest. I have to take prevacid daily now. I have gained some of my weight back, which oleaves me somewhat depressed but I am not as big as I once was but still I would like to lose more weight. If I cannot get the weight off then I will be talking to my doctor about possibly some other forms of weight loss surgery. I am still wearing a size 14 but they are tighter on me, so I have bought size 15s so I can be comfortable again. My diet needs to be curtailed. I am eating things I shouldn't be eating. So I am not going to blame my weight gain on the surgery. I think if I had an appetite supressant it would help me but they don't have the good ones here in Kuwait like they do in the states. So maybe on my next R&R back in the states I will try to get them. Anyway, wish me luck, I need it. Hope this helps anyone that might be headed my way via Lapband Surgery.
I will be in Kuwait and needed to know how to get a fill while I am there. Any info you can provide will be greatly appreciated!!!
Dr Mousa A R Khoursheed
Block 201-Fifth Ring Hwy.
Bldg. # 7-Flat # 102
Salmiya, Kuwait
Telephone 965-2562-0170
fax # 965-2562-0158
He was the cheapest I could find.
He charged between 20 & 30 KD
That is between 73.00 & 108.00 USD
If you have been here before then you know how to get around. If you have not, then email me and I will try to help you. Good luck with your procedure and be careful with your stay in Kuwait.