I am just starting this journey. This site looks like it could be very helpful. I was looking for some of the not so good things that can happen with banding. The surgeons give you all the good stats about what can be achieve but not what goes wrong and how often real people experience it.I have seen the results of studies from the lap-ban manufacture. But I am looking for regular people experiences not filtered thought a lawer. Can you people help?? I want to make this work. which means avoiding any physical pit falls I can. So being prepare for the problems I think is the best recipe for success.

hey turf guy, I'm in pretty much the same boat. It's been over 1 YEAR since I started this process, and finally, FINALLY, I believe I'll have surgery late Jan. early Feb.

Now, on to "statistics". my best source are people I personally know that have a band. I know 4 of them; 2 men, 2 women. ages... late 40's mid 50's. I'm 52 myself.

Of the 4, 3 are doing absolutely wonderfully. 1, one of the guys, is not doing so well but he FREELY admits it's because he's having a very hard time adjusting all his habits. In spite of that, he's still lost 75 pounds.

All 4 of them have told me the same thing.... chew, chew, chew, and then chew some more. avoid carbonation unless you have really wierd fetishes about upchucking..

Me personally... always fought with wieght. maintained it pretty well throughout a naval career, but since retirement 14 years ago I've managed to gain 140 pounds. along the way I've lost 20 or 30 or 40, but gained it all back with a vengeance. it's not coming off, and the prescriptions to keep this load running keep piling up. I'm ready.

There is a complications forum here if you want to see the things that can go wrong. No weightloss surgery is perfect, so Lapband does have its flaws.

1. Slippage

2. Pouch dilaton

3. Erosion

4. Band just doesn't work for some people

Sometimes these just happen; sometimes it is doctor error, sometimes user error.

Reverie,XLSTAN

Thank you for the info. I will look at the forums you suggested.