WANT THE LAP BAND BUT SCARED

[OHsheila]

I attended a meeting to consider the lap band and the risks scared me. I would like to hear both negative and positive results from everyone and I hope there is more positive replies. I am actually afraid of dying during the surgery. I worry about my high blood pressure and my family's heart history. What about the chance of nicking the liver or spleen? Will I feel better after my consultation with a doctor? Are you awake during the surgery? I want to feel better and diets are not working for me. I am always out of breath, my back and knees hurt, I am tired all the time and I have never weighed this much in my life! I am only 5'6" and my weight is at 280. I have got to do something! Thanks for your input!

[WAgal]

Hello OHsheila... we were once where you are... do a search on posts here about the surgery and their experience. Do searches also on what you should be looking for in a lapband surgeon's qualification. You really do have to answer all your questions with reliable sources that you can count on with real bandster experts... There's tons of forums out there and this forum is mostly of Dr. Ortiz's patients. In any surgery there are risks and believe me we all want to minimize complications. I think you will conclude as we all have here that Dr. Ortiz is one of the best of the best in his field... lapband surgery... he has been performing and proctoring other doctors with the lapband for over a decade. Do your research... read up on this forum... get a feel of what we (bandsters) have to say about Dr. Ortiz and his staff. You will find that most of us are very pleased.

Best wishes to you!

WAgal/Hanna

[MamaMichelle]

In 5,000 surgeries I do not believe Dr. Ortiz has ever have anyone die on the table and if you google lap-band deaths you might find some national stats on it but again Dr. Ortiz is the best!