The Gastric Banding, or Lap Band, was covered first. The surgeon said it is always recommended first because it is by far the least invasive surgery. The recovery time is usually much quicker and there are less risks of complications. But the surgeon also said right out of the gate that this is not a good choice if you're a bad snacker or have a sweet tooth because there is no malobsortive part in this procedure, and you can eat whatever "types" of food you want, good or bad. He said a good portion of their patients who receive the Lap Band will get a Gastric Bypass done within a few years because the Lap Band has not given them the results they would like. The Lap Band runs $12,980 and is an outpatient procedure. Adjustments need to be made to the band every 6-8 weeks, which are covered in the first 12 months and cost $300 each thereafter.
The Gastric Bypass, although a much more complicated surgery, quickly won me over though. Complications are fairly common, but still less likely than actually getting an ACL repaired, which surprised me. The Gastric Bypass runs a hefty price of $20,000. This particular center has a contract with St. Mark's Hospital where that amount will cover any additional complications up to $100,000. This procedure requires an overnight stay in the hospital and 2-3 weeks to make a full recovery. There are several reasons why the Gastric Bypass appealed to me. Weight loss is much quicker with the GB than with the LB. It lowers blood sugar levels and physically prevents you from overeating, or eating poorly. It forces you to eat small portions (your stomach is the size of an egg) and it takes away the feeling of being hungry. Downside? A lifetime of having to take supplements - iron, calcium, and vitamin B, but at the same time, shouldn't everybody be taking a multi-vitamin everyday anyway? :)
One concern I had was the ability and effect of the procedure on pregnancy as I still want to have another child. Good news is that being overweight is not good for pregnancy, so loosing any amount of weight is great. Also, there haven't been any problems with the fetus getting the correct amount of nutrition. It is recommended that you wait at least a year to get pregnant after the surgery, but the surgeon said he's actually had women deliver children nine months after the surgery without any complications. Another concern of mine was gall bladder infections. I have had people who have had the GB tell me that they had to have their gall bladder removed after the surgery. Dr. Smith said that he gives all his patients medication that brings the percentage of getting gall bladder disease down to 15%. He said that the gall bladder does serve a purpose so he doesn't want to remove it if it isn't necessary.
There was also a women there with her sister who had Gastric Bypass done four years ago (I don't think she was planted...) She had a leak after her procedure and had to spend a week in the hospital, but she said she wouldn't have changed her experience for the world. Of course, this office also works with insurances. Unfortunately, my insurance doesn't cover any portion of WLS, so I won't be going into that part because I don't know anything about it. I do know that using insurance can put your surgery date out several months at least, but I would also say it would be worth it to save some money! After this seminar I have two more classes I have to attend before I can schedule my surgery date. It is required that all patients meet with a Registered Dietitian and a Social Worker, which at first I was kind of bummed about, but then I realized that I would need all the help I can get! I would also recommend that your significant other, or your support system at home, go with you to this seminar. WLS has a huge impact not only on you, but your family as well. I would guess your success rate goes way down if your family isn't on board and backing you 110% through your journey! I am looking forward to my next class, and can't wait to get started! Sorry if this post is a little scatter-brained. It's 2 AM and I have to start work... :P
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