Blog Posts

Success story spotlight: Nina

March 20, 2020

Lap-Band® can be a successful tool for many people. Nina was one of those individuals who found success with the procedure. There are numerous benefits to the procedure that make it a great choice for many individuals.

Weight loss

Nina Brown was 360 pounds when she decided it was time to make a change. She learned about the Lap-Band and decided to take control of her health. “I can’t believe I looked like that and treated my body like that,” she says. “That’s not me now, not at all.”

Nina lost 220 pounds with the Lap-Band and has kept it off for 6 years now. “I got to a point where I had to make myself happy, not because of what I looked like, but because of what I felt like. I had to address what I felt like inside and outside,” she says.

Less invasive

The Lap-Band is a minimally invasive procedure. It is also customizable and reversible, unlike other bariatric surgeries. This means there is less time spent in the hospital after the procedure, and there’s less recovery time. Those factors appeal to many individuals, including Nina. “Lap-Band is the least invasive of the weight-loss surgeries, which is the number one reason I chose it,” Nina says.

Improves health conditions and lifestyle

The Lap-Band has the power to help individuals change their lifestyle for the better. Not only will you learn from your team about the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle, but you’ll be able to achieve that lifestyle. You may notice that weight-related conditions and diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes, improve. “After my surgery, maybe a couple months out, I was able to get off blood pressure medication. My achy joints were cured and I was healthier,” Nina says. She now enjoys swimming and running. She can play at the park all day with her son, and simple things have become easier, like breathing while she walks. “I never lived life before the Lap-Band surgery,” she says. 

Nina never thought she’d do so well with the Lap-Band and get such great results, but the motivation from her support team—especially those at LapBand of Louisville—kept her going, and she is grateful she took the opportunity Lap-Band offered her.

*Results and patient’s experiences may vary.

The Latest

Important Lap-Band® System Safety Information

The ReShape Lap-Band Systems are approved for adults with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or higher, or a BMI of at least 30 with health conditions related to obesity, who have not seen success with other weight loss methods, like supervised diet, exercise, and behavior modification programs. Choosing this surgery means committing to changes in eating habits for the long term.

The Lap-Band procedure is not approved for individuals under 18 yo, those with conditions that may make them poor surgical candidates or lead to poor results, such as inflammatory or cardiopulmonary diseases, problems with the stomach and digestion, symptoms or family history of autoimmune disease, scarring of the liver, individuals unable or unwilling to follow the necessary dietary restrictions, individuals with alcohol or drug addictions, or those currently pregnant. Individuals who become pregnant after band placement may require deflation of their bands.

The ReShape Lap-Band Systems, a long-term tool, may need to be adjusted if you get pregnant, sick, or malnourished. Be careful with anti-inflammatory drugs as they could make the band wear away. Like any surgery, placement of the Lap-Band may have complications such as risks from drugs and methods used, general surgery risks, how well your body handles a foreign object, or in rare cases, risk of death.

As with any surgical procedure, there are risks associated with metabolic and bariatric surgery that you and your doctor should discuss. Potential risks associated with the Lap-Band include nausea, vomiting, heartburn, stomach blockage, constipation, swallowing difficulty, diarrhea, abnormal stools, abdominal pain, weakness, incision pain, infection, fever, hernia, chest pain, band movement, stomach pouch expansion, unusual healing, pain at the port site, port movement, and/or hair loss. Additional surgery might be needed. Losing weight quickly could lead to complications requiring more surgery. 

Talk to your doctor, and/or visit our website at www.lapband.com/safety/ for more information on its benefits and risks.

 CAUTION: Rx Only