Welcome to the Band Board!

[Lil Kim]

This is the board for bands... so if you have one, or you want one...you've come to the right place. Let the conversations begin!

[Michael A Todd, MD]

Hi Bandistas!  I will try to check this board on a daily basis to see how you all are doing.

[Darlene Lorentzson]

   Well I finally get my profile to update.  So either I grew a brain last night when I was sleeping or It has something to do with the 3rd moon of the 3rd moon. OK don't think I have lost it. It was a joke. Anyways I hope everyone has a great weekend.

[Michael A Todd, MD]

Thanks, Darlene.  Let us know if you have any other suggestions of problems with the board.

[Lisa Nelson]

Okay, I am a newbie.  I want a lapband!  I am just getting started at looking into this and am eager to find out all that I can.  I have tons of questions - mostly about qualifying to get this procedure done.  I will be back with questions a little later.  Got to go find some dinner since I am "starving" - see, I stay hungry!

Lisa

[Michael A Todd, MD]

Lisa, come to the LapBand lunch meeting at the office next Wednesday at noon.  You can meet us and talk with other patients.  It should be very helpful.

Mike Todd, MD

[Lisa Nelson]

I would love to come. However, I am a teacher on Kodiak Island.  I have been out at a workshop 3 days this week and my children are begging me to come back!  I will make arrangements to come to one in the near future.  I will check the calender.  Thanks and look forward to meeting you soon!

Lisa

[jennifer hb]

This is my first post, I live in Soldotna and have been looking into lap band surgery for some time. I need to get my doctor to do the referral letter.  I work for my doctor and don't want to be ask him to do the referral letter then be embarrassed if I am denied. I am afraid I won't qualify for the surgery based only on my BMI (36) I am 32 years old and do not have any co-morbidities (yet) My biggest fear is developing stomach cancer, my mother got this at age 45 did chemo, radiation, then had a relapse almost five years later and died at 51. My mother had been very heavy for as long as I can remember.

I wish the events calendar was updated much sooner for out of town travelers.

[Michael A Todd, MD]

Jennifer, I will get the office police on the Events Calendar folks.  It depends what insurance coverage you have. Some of them will approve patients with a BMI of 36.

[Sam Amato]

Bander'sBanders lets get some chat going. I know Doc Todd has done a few bands and I would love to hear about your experiences

[Michael A Todd, MD]

Well, so far the band have been pretty interesting.  We have some patients who have done as well as the gastric bypass patients.  Patients have to understand that the band is about as much work as the gastric bypass, just in a different way.  Success with the band takes commitment, but if you put a lot into it you can get a lot our of it....We will have a Band SGM at the office this Wednesday at noon.  Please come and help other patients and yourself get all you can out of your band.

[Rose J]

Dr. Todd I have a question. Have you as of yet had a pt who had the Gastric ask to have their band that they had tightened up yet? Just curious. Is that difficult to do?

[Michael A Todd, MD]

Rose, you mean the patients with an open RNY who have a suture band around their pouch?  I guess I have.  We have had a few patients ask us to revise their surgery. The question is, is the operation letting the patient down, or is the patient letting the operation down.  You have to figure that out before you talk about operating again...Off to bed.

[Colette Grower]

I am Colette Grower. I have been very pleased with the support of Dr. Todd and his staff. I think my lap band is great. It is a tough road to get used to it but it has been well worth it. I really appreciate the new board and the regular meetings. It all helps.

[Michael A Todd, MD]

Glad to have you with us, Collette.