reverie

Too tight. You need an unfill or you're gonna do some damage to your esophagus.

I think being aware is one thing, knowing what could happen is another, and believing it will happen to you is different as well. YES being banded comes with plenty of chances of failure, complications, slips, flips, erosions, and so on. Any WLS surgery comes with complications. Are your chances of developing complications highly decreased if you work with an experienced and well educated bariatric surgeon? Yep. Are they decreased if you follow the rules? Of course.

It comes down to how much risk you're willing to take. Are you willing to risk trying to diet and exercise on your own? Is having WLS a risk you want to take?

I was young when I got banded, 18, and while I knew about all the risks, I also knew I couldn't do it on my own. While I was never a huge yo-yo dieter or someone who spent ages and ages trying to lose lots of weight, and the fact is that I did not WANT to become a yo-yo dieter or someone who went into my late 20s still morbidly obese. Being fat had changed my life for the bad and I was tired of it. My main problem was portion control and the band was advertised to do such. Has it? Definitely. I'm down 112lbs in 9 months. But along with success stories comes even more failures.

My advice to you is to weigh the pros and cons of surgery. Whether it's the band or the sleeve, sit down and really think. If you decide to wait, why don't you try to do diets that bandsters or those who are sleeved follow? Maybe put yourself on a cup of food a meal diet along with exercise. Will it be harder without WLS? Surely. But you could at least relate to us who have had WLS and can come for support.

Good luck with whatever you decide Do what is best for you.