I am a pre-bander and I'm posting here because I'm reading and reading about all these issues everyone has and I'm really wondering if it is worth it? I know this is a tool and not a miracle, but I also know my personality and if I don't see something coming off that scale, I'm going to freak. I know the "rules" of how the band is to work and I know there are success stories but I'm questioning...(1) do I do bariatric surgery at all or (2) should I go with gastric as it is more effective at teaching you how and how not to eat?

Also, the whole port sticking out thing is creeping me out. I know the weight loss would be so much more beneficial than to worry about a stupid port but it freaks me a little. How/what is the process/procedure to get a smaller port? Is this something that you can request or is this something that is only done if you have a tummy tuck done? Also, can you really never sleep on your stomach again....I'll never sleep.

Would you do it again? Was it worth it? Stories/sharing......

I can only tell you what my own experience has been and here it is:

YES! I would do it again in a heartbeat! I sleep on my stomach every night. My port does not stick out. I lost 100 pounds in the first year with very little effort on my part. I know all the "tool" talk, but think it's hogwash.......remember this is my own experience. This band has been like magic to me..... my own experience. I have not done much "work" at all. The band does stop me from overeating. It stops me in my tracks. If I even eat one bite too much I feel discomfort, so I stop eating. It does stop me from eating fried food. It does stop me from eating fast food (except Wendys chili....yum)

Oh yes, I would do it again.

I'm not sure how gastric bypass teaches you to eat better than Lapband or any other type of WLS. Can you explain that? Because really it's not the tool that teaches you how to eat, you teach yourself. Having part of your stomach cut and rerouted isn't going to trigger a switch in your head that tells you how and what to eat, nor is a band around your stomach. That all comes down to you. There's no surgery in the world that will teach you how to eat, just my opinion.

I would get banded again in a heartbeat. I'm 9 months out, 108lbs down, and I couldn't be happier. I've had no problems at all. Keep in mind that all weightloss surgeries can and do fail. It's up to you to work with what you've got. Yes bypass promises quick weightloss in the beginning but there also comes a time when you need to maintain. Also keep in mind the bypass doesn't mean you're gonna lose all of your weight overnight.

I sleep on my stomach just fine and nowadays doctors usually put in low-profile ports automatically which usually don't poke out.

I say explore your options. Maybe talk to a surgeon who offers all types of WLS and sit down and consider which one will be best for you. Take some time to read over forums. You'll find Lapband success stories and you'll find Lapband failures. You'll also find the same for gastric bypass and any other WLS.

Good luck!

Thank you, but just to clarify so you didn't think I was being stupid...when I said about "teaching"...I know the lap band is a tool and I know the rules on how to use it, what I was referring to is that the bypass has that awful dumping syndrome which I think if I experienced it once or twice, would totally "teach" me quickly what to do and what not to do again. I guess the same things could happen with the lap band...getting stuck and this thing I'm reading about called sliming...gross. Anyhow. I totally agree that it is up to me and it is my actions that will determine whether I'm successful or not. I know it is going to be difficult but my main point was to see if some people wish they went with bypass vs. band. The reason I have chosen the band is because I'm afraid to lose quickly ....I've seen it really age people, and the idea of the doctors reworking my insides, freaks me out.

I'm guess I'm just getting really scared because it is getting so close and I've started and stopped this process before and now "I"m here" and it is right around the corner and I'm saying "I'm really going to do this." Yeah, maybe I'm just getting a little scared about this life changing decision. Scared of what I'm going to experience and not experience. I have high hopes for myself but I've failed so many times at "diets" that I'm putting a lot of hope into this tool to help me. I know it isn't going to be easy. I also think that the band is better in the long run because you are keeping that restriction where the bypass, I've heard that people can really learn to eat around. Thank you again and I hope that I clarified myself...maybe not because sometimes I just babble....

I was also glad to hear about the low profile port, I'm going to ask the nurse about that today.

First thing to know about this board, is everyone comes on to complain or worry, most of it is pointless things and random hysteria, like I ate 2 days after surgery am I going to die? hahah, not as much to talk about the good stuff. So be careful with what you read. A lot of it is just different than you expect.. but now that I'm on a regular diet I feel fine, I have no problems, nothing gets stuck, I'm not hungry and I'm losing weight. Everyone is different, but for me I feel completely normal, I don't feel deprived and the weight is coming off.

The port doesn't stick out, it's under the skin, I can feel mine if i press down on it, but it doesn't stick out at all. I can't imagine it will when I lose all my weight either. I sleep on my stomach, it's fine, yes, for the first few weeks you can't because of the pain. The first week the pain is pretty bad, it's hard to move in general so I couldn't lay on my side or my stomach, but after that I could.

Overall I'm happy. I got banded about 10 weeks ago, I've lost 35 pounds. The only thing I would tell you is the band won't stop you from eating. It controls your hunger. Which is great, I'm never hungry, I can go 5 hours between a meal and not eat. But it's up to me what I put in my body. I still have to watch calories and diet and exercise. Keep that in mind. But I can still eat when I'm not hungry, it's a mental battle with food addiction. There will never be a point you physically can't eat the wrong foods. That is why people fail, they get filled and filled and it isn't stopping them from eating junk food and they freak out because they can still eat. Or they get their bands so full they just puke all the time and nothing goes down. Just eat a sensible diet, and exercise and the weight will come off easily, but if you can't comit to giving up junk food and expect the band to do the work you will be in for a surprise.

AWESOME...thank you thank you thank you. I needed this! Really needed this response to my question. With these words I have more faith in myself that I can be successful. I'm not a junk food junkie (Cookies, cakes, ice cream, chips etc) so I don't think that is going to be my problem, my issue will probably be really cutting out fast food because it is so easy and accessible at work. But I've done much better and I think that I've already become pretty good at limiting my food and making really good choices. If I'm hungry I've learned to drink something or munch on peppers, celery, or other veggies. I've lost 18 pounds on the six month medically supervised diet so I'm doing well without the band. I just now hope the band will help me continue my success thus far! Now if I could just get myself to kick the exercise into gear.....ugh, I hate doing it but I'm going to get a Wii for home and I think that doing something "FUN" will get me motivated vs. spending 45 minutes on a treadmill, eliptical or lifting weights. Thank you again....losing 35 pounds in 10 weeks is so much motivation. That has always been my problem. I would be starving myself and lose weight for about a month and then it would stop....why even bother and bam, I'd be right back where I was started or worse. If I see progress, I can do it...I know how my mind works and as long as I'm seeing something I can stay motivated. I've lost the 18 pounds and honestly before I was determined to get the band, the 18 pound weight loss in 6 months would not have kept me going....but now that I know I'm going to get this tool to help keep me "losing"...I'm doing well. I feel better, thanks. If I'm NOT hungry....I'm good with not eating.

I have had my band since October 2009 and it hasn't gone all that well. I've never been able to progress out of the mushy phase and even today, oatmeal is not going to sit. Nevertheless, I am glad I got my band as I wanted to exhaust the less invasive methods before I do something that can't be easily reversed. I'm now on the wait list to have another surgery, but even then, I'm kind of hoping they can work around my band and I'll get to keep it in the end, just in case I may still need it down the road.

So the band hasn't been the best thing I've ever done, but it's not really the worst either.