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Congratulations on starting the steps to a healthier you. It sounds like you are putting a lot of thought into this decision which will help you as you move into your new life. I had Lapband 8 months ago and I haven't regretted it yet. I am down over a hundred pounds and feel so much better.
1) Does your port show thru your skin a lot? No. I have the low-profile port and although I can feel it, it doesn't show through at this point in my weight loss journey.
2) Does it hurt to get the fills? No. Just a small stick. The same as getting a vaccination.
3) Do you feel the band will continue to give you restriction for life as long as you eat healthy & exercise and get your fills? I think so. As long as you stay away from slippery foods your band will stop you from overeating.
4) How many fills do you usually need a year? I have only had 1 fill so far. I have 4 ccs in a 14cc band and have been in the green zone for 4 months.
5) Did most of you lose your hair? Did it come back? I didn't lose any hair, but I did pay careful attention to my Protein intake.
6) What are the worst side effects, things getting stuck, gas, etc???? I have only been stuck once and it was really not a good feeling. Immediately after surgery the worst side effect was watching others eat my favorite fatty and or slippery foods. Now that I am used to my new diet, it doesn't bother me to see others eat things that I used to crave.
Good luck to you as you make your decision. I too looked at other surgery options and decided lapband would be the best for me. I have several friends that had by-pass or sleeve and I saw the number of complications they had and decided for the least invasive option.

I have had so many NSVs in the last 3 months, but my favorite so far happened last weekend. I was working around the house and I noticed my shadow on the driveway and it had a visible waist! It has been years since my shadow was anything but a big blob with a head and legs. I was so excited.
Other NSVs I have had include:
Went down from 4X sweats to a 1X
I can wear heels all day at work and my feet don't hurt at the end of the day
I went shopping at the mall with my daughter for 3 hours and was not exhausted when we were done
I no longer crave sugary rich Desserts or high fat foods. Instead I crave cucumbers or turkey burgers.
I can now see the cleft in my chin,and I only have 1 chin to look at:)
I am no longer morbidly obese
The seat belt in my van will fit around me and still have extra length to spare.

I have had so many NSVs in the last 3 months, but my favorite so far happened last weekend. I was working around the house and I noticed my shadow on the driveway and it had a visible waist! It has been years since my shadow was anything but a big blob with a head and legs. I was so excited.
Other NSVs I have had include:
Went down from 4X sweats to a 1X
I can wear heels all day at work and my feet don't hurt at the end of the day
I went shopping at the mall with my daughter for 3 hours and was not exhausted when we were done
I no longer crave sugary rich Desserts or high fat foods. Instead I crave cucumbers or turkey burgers.
I can now see the cleft in my chin,and I only have 1 chin to look at:)
I am no longer morbidly obese
The seat belt in my van will fit around me and still have extra length to spare.

I have had pizza with no issues, but like several others I usually just eat the toppings if it is from a pizza place, My favorite pizza now is homemade using a Flatout bread for the crust, turkey pepperoni, some veggies and fat-free cheese. I get just as satisfied for about half the calories and a lot less fat.

I have had pizza with no issues, but like several others I usually just eat the toppings if it is from a pizza place, My favorite pizza now is homemade using a Flatout bread for the crust, turkey pepperoni, some veggies and fat-free cheese. I get just as satisfied for about half the calories and a lot less fat.

I have had so many NSVs in the last 3 months, but my favorite so far happened last weekend. I was working around the house and I noticed my shadow on the driveway and it had a visible waist! It has been years since my shadow was anything but a big blob with a head and legs. I was so excited.
Other NSVs I have had include:
Went down from 4X sweats to a 1X
I can wear heels all day at work and my feet don't hurt at the end of the day
I went shopping at the mall with my daughter for 3 hours and was not exhausted when we were done
I no longer crave sugary rich Desserts or high fat foods. Instead I crave cucumbers or turkey burgers.
I can now see the cleft in my chin,and I only have 1 chin to look at:)
I am no longer morbidly obese
The seat belt in my van will fit around me and still have extra length to spare.

One of the best advices I got pre-surgery was to buy smaller plates and utensils and start using them. They force you to reduce your portion sizes and the amount of food in each bite. I was able to get used to eating slower and I think that helped me get ready for the post-op way of eating. Other things I did was cut out carbonated beverages and coffee about 2 months before surgery and I stopped drinking with my meals as well. Good luck to you as you begin this journey.

I have had so many NSVs in the last 3 months, but my favorite so far happened last weekend. I was working around the house and I noticed my shadow on the driveway and it had a visible waist! It has been years since my shadow was anything but a big blob with a head and legs. I was so excited.
Other NSVs I have had include:
Went down from 4X sweats to a 1X
I can wear heels all day at work and my feet don't hurt at the end of the day
I went shopping at the mall with my daughter for 3 hours and was not exhausted when we were done
I no longer crave sugary rich Desserts or high fat foods. Instead I crave cucumbers or turkey burgers.
I can now see the cleft in my chin,and I only have 1 chin to look at:)
I am no longer morbidly obese
The seat belt in my van will fit around me and still have extra length to spare.

I have had so many NSVs in the last 3 months, but my favorite so far happened last weekend. I was working around the house and I noticed my shadow on the driveway and it had a visible waist! It has been years since my shadow was anything but a big blob with a head and legs. I was so excited.
Other NSVs I have had include:
Went down from 4X sweats to a 1X
I can wear heels all day at work and my feet don't hurt at the end of the day
I went shopping at the mall with my daughter for 3 hours and was not exhausted when we were done
I no longer crave sugary rich Desserts or high fat foods. Instead I crave cucumbers or turkey burgers.
I can now see the cleft in my chin,and I only have 1 chin to look at:)
I am no longer morbidly obese
The seat belt in my van will fit around me and still have extra length to spare.

I have been creeping around LBT since November of 2011 and have never posted because I didn't think I had anything to add. A little back story on me... I never struggled with my weight until my mid 20's. Even when I gained 50 pounds in college I was able to lose it with no problem. After having 3 kids in 3 years in my late 20's I gained 150 pounds and had tried everything to lose the weight with no success. After several years of trying to lose the weight I gave up and told myself that my weight gain was genetic and there was nothing I could do about it. Then in November of last year I lost a very close uncle at the age of 53 due to complications related to Type II diabetes. I made up my mind then that I would not leave my husband and kids at such an early age because of weight related issues.
In November I weighed 325 lbs and I am 5'7". I rejoined Weight Watchers and was able to loose only 8 pounds before I finally considered WLS. I went to a surgery seminar with a friend of mine in December and saw the surgeon for my consultation in January. I was banded on March 16th and have not looked back. Today I weigh 273 lbs. I have lost 52lbs since November and I feel great. I am able to eat healthy and I can honestly say that I don't miss the high fat, high-sugar food that I used to eat. I also used to be a caffeine junkie drinking a pot of coffee and 3-20oz Diet Cokes a day. Now I drink 8-10 glasses of Water a day and I may have 1 tea.
For those of you considering surgery or those that are worried about how you will do I am here to say that if you believe in your heart that this is the only way you can lose the weight and you are ready to give up your old habits, then you can do it. It will save your life. I know it has mine.

I have been creeping around LBT since November of 2011 and have never posted because I didn't think I had anything to add. A little back story on me... I never struggled with my weight until my mid 20's. Even when I gained 50 pounds in college I was able to lose it with no problem. After having 3 kids in 3 years in my late 20's I gained 150 pounds and had tried everything to lose the weight with no success. After several years of trying to lose the weight I gave up and told myself that my weight gain was genetic and there was nothing I could do about it. Then in November of last year I lost a very close uncle at the age of 53 due to complications related to Type II diabetes. I made up my mind then that I would not leave my husband and kids at such an early age because of weight related issues.
In November I weighed 325 lbs and I am 5'7". I rejoined Weight Watchers and was able to loose only 8 pounds before I finally considered WLS. I went to a surgery seminar with a friend of mine in December and saw the surgeon for my consultation in January. I was banded on March 16th and have not looked back. Today I weigh 273 lbs. I have lost 52lbs since November and I feel great. I am able to eat healthy and I can honestly say that I don't miss the high fat, high-sugar food that I used to eat. I also used to be a caffeine junkie drinking a pot of coffee and 3-20oz Diet Cokes a day. Now I drink 8-10 glasses of Water a day and I may have 1 tea.
For those of you considering surgery or those that are worried about how you will do I am here to say that if you believe in your heart that this is the only way you can lose the weight and you are ready to give up your old habits, then you can do it. It will save your life. I know it has mine.

I have been creeping around LBT since November of 2011 and have never posted because I didn't think I had anything to add. A little back story on me... I never struggled with my weight until my mid 20's. Even when I gained 50 pounds in college I was able to lose it with no problem. After having 3 kids in 3 years in my late 20's I gained 150 pounds and had tried everything to lose the weight with no success. After several years of trying to lose the weight I gave up and told myself that my weight gain was genetic and there was nothing I could do about it. Then in November of last year I lost a very close uncle at the age of 53 due to complications related to Type II diabetes. I made up my mind then that I would not leave my husband and kids at such an early age because of weight related issues.
In November I weighed 325 lbs and I am 5'7". I rejoined Weight Watchers and was able to loose only 8 pounds before I finally considered WLS. I went to a surgery seminar with a friend of mine in December and saw the surgeon for my consultation in January. I was banded on March 16th and have not looked back. Today I weigh 273 lbs. I have lost 52lbs since November and I feel great. I am able to eat healthy and I can honestly say that I don't miss the high fat, high-sugar food that I used to eat. I also used to be a caffeine junkie drinking a pot of coffee and 3-20oz Diet Cokes a day. Now I drink 8-10 glasses of Water a day and I may have 1 tea.
For those of you considering surgery or those that are worried about how you will do I am here to say that if you believe in your heart that this is the only way you can lose the weight and you are ready to give up your old habits, then you can do it. It will save your life. I know it has mine.

Great stand tall and pround you have arrived