I started out at 325 on June 6, 2006. Today I am very proud to say I am down to 125. It has been 5 years and I was told by my dr that is long enough to have the lapband in so now I am trying to find out how to have it removed any suggestion. My orginal surgeon was in MX and right now I can afford to go back there. I am self paying

[i haven't had a fill for over 3 years.

You still probably have Fluid though. Your weight loss is so great. I am in no way trying take away from that. It is so great you are cofindent you don't need lap band to help you control your wieght.

I hope I never have to take mine out. I know I will gain weight if I do.

Unless my band was causing me physical harm there is no way I'd get it removed. I'm not sure how much it is helping then just giving me motivation, but I'd rather die than even risk going back to where I was. I know it sounds awful, but it's true. I had been in a very bad place for so long. So I would not want to take the chance

Wow! Congrats on such a great loss!! You should see if you can get a consultation with a surgeon and see what they say. I personally would keep mine, but you need to do what is right for you and if that means having your band removed, then that is your choice. It won't hurt to talk to a surgeon, the worst that could happen is they say no. Maybe they would recommend someone else for you to see. Good luck and again congrats on your incredible loss!

What a tough decision for you! Congratulations on all your success. I think personally the most I would ever go, is maybe I would unfill it all the way, but I don't think I would ever get it taken out unless there was a real problem. Then again, I'm still so new that I don't have the perspective of time or even fills yet to really be able to give any good advice; but this is a really interesting thread.

that is a thought... I do my protein shake in the morning I have at 125 for 2 years now. I guess the thought in the back of my head is having this foreign object inside of me. It has done what it was intended to do. I feel sorry for some of these people who think they will gain their weight back when they have it removed. I have learned to have such a confidence in myself. I love how I look...even with the wings for arms and the droopy dog ears for breast. My body looks like the shepai dog ....and it is ok. I walk across the beach like I own it now. I have the inner beauty that I never had before. That came because I accomplished the major feat.

What a tough decision for you! Congratulations on all your success. I think personally the most I would ever go, is maybe I would unfill it all the way, but I don't think I would ever get it taken out unless there was a real problem. Then again, I'm still so new that I don't have the perspective of time or even fills yet to really be able to give any good advice; but this is a really interesting thread.

you will be a totally different person when the weight is off. If you are not in a relationship now I would suggest waiting until about after you make goal. Remember it is not just your body that is experiencing change but also your attitude about yourself, and respecting your self. keep me posted...if I can be of any encouragement let me know. It is all so worth it

that is a thought... I do my protein shake in the morning I have at 125 for 2 years now. I guess the thought in the back of my head is having this foreign object inside of me. It has done what it was intended to do. I feel sorry for some of these people who think they will gain their weight back when they have it removed. I have learned to have such a confidence in myself. I love how I look...even with the wings for arms and the droopy dog ears for breast. My body looks like the shepai dog ....and it is ok. I walk across the beach like I own it now. I have the inner beauty that I never had before. That came because I accomplished the major feat.

I don't feel sorry for me... I just know without the help lap band gives me my old slow metabolism and eating will land be back on the fat side of life!

I am a 54 yr old grandmother raising four grand children and one is just 22 months old.....maybe if I had no other responsibilies and had lost the weight then I would be more confident that I could get in the exercise I need and eat the way a skinny person does...

I don't feel sorry for me either! I know I could do it but what is the point in removing something that is meant to be in me for life and why go through another surgery if I don't have to. I have lost this much weight before on my own but life sometimes gets in the way and then I couldn't dedicate all my time to dieting. My lap band allows me to enjoy life, I have had it for 13 months and I never exercise, if I didn't have the band I would have to exercise every day for 2 hours too keep it off. My body works better with this thing inside me. Get it out if u feel u need to, but I really don't think the weight will stay off as effortlessly as you think. I am guessing you have been a yoyo dieter like most of us so I don't understand where u think u won't gain anything back this time.

I don't feel sorry for me... I just know without the help lap band gives me my old slow metabolism and eating will land be back on the fat side of life!

I am a 54 yr old grandmother raising four grand children and one is just 22 months old.....maybe if I had no other responsibilies and had lost the weight then I would be more confident that I could get in the exercise I need and eat the way a skinny person does...

I am sorry you took what I said wrong. What I meant is that some of response I have gotten were saying I would gain the weight back if I had it removed...i was just stating my whole life has changed.

I am a 50 yr old grandmother of 2, nursing student first year. I tell you nothing is impossible...hard yes but not impossible

I don't feel sorry for me either! I know I could do it but what is the point in removing something that is meant to be in me for life and why go through another surgery if I don't have to. I have lost this much weight before on my own but life sometimes gets in the way and then I couldn't dedicate all my time to dieting. My lap band allows me to enjoy life, I have had it for 13 months and I never exercise, if I didn't have the band I would have to exercise every day for 2 hours too keep it off. My body works better with this thing inside me. Get it out if u feel u need to, but I really don't think the weight will stay off as effortlessly as you think. I am guessing you have been a yoyo dieter like most of us so I don't understand where u think u won't gain anything back this time.

good luck...you said something about a yoyo dieter...no I was just a binge eater...at 325 lbs there is not a lot of dieting going on. I have changed body mind and spirit. Hope it works out for you. Let me know if 5 years what you are doing

Good Luck with whatever you do. It is your body, your band and only you know what is right for you. : )

I am done with this thread. U are somewhat arrogant and seem to think u r better than others because u feel u can keep the weight off without the band. Why get it in the first place? Why didn't you change mind body and spirit before without it. I happen to be proud of myself and others on here who have also succeeded and continue to encourage eachother. And I will let u know in 5 years that I will still have my band and I will still be this weight and wearing this size because I will be doing what I have all along. And if u were a binge eater before and have learned to eat better now I am pretty sure your band had something to do with that too, it controls hunger for a lot of people even if it has no saline because it is around a nerve. What happens if u are one of those people and u find out after they remove it that all along it put your hunger at bay and now you become hungry and binge eat again. But do whatever u need to, hopefully u will be the 1 out of all the people that have lost their bands due to complications and not gain weight back. Most people end up getting another wls even though they too have changed and learned the skills.

I don't think the original poster was being arrogant. I understand what she was saying and my take on the intent of the post is way different than yours.

I think what the original poster was saying is that we can retrain ourselves when it comes to our eating habits and exercise routine. I have done that and work hard at it everyday. It can be done. If you chose not to, that's your choice but I personally feel that eating healthy and exercising daily will really help change how I feel about myself. I'd rather take that route than rely on my band to have a lot of control over how I feel. It's a personal choice for sure and either is fine.

I just don't see arrogance in the original poster's comments.

I am done with this thread. U are somewhat arrogant and seem to think u r better than others because u feel u can keep the weight off without the band. Why get it in the first place? Why didn't you change mind body and spirit before without it. I happen to be proud of myself and others on here who have also succeeded and continue to encourage eachother. And I will let u know in 5 years that I will still have my band and I will still be this weight and wearing this size because I will be doing what I have all along. And if u were a binge eater before and have learned to eat better now I am pretty sure your band had something to do with that too, it controls hunger for a lot of people even if it has no saline because it is around a nerve. What happens if u are one of those people and u find out after they remove it that all along it put your hunger at bay and now you become hungry and binge eat again. But do whatever u need to, hopefully u will be the 1 out of all the people that have lost their bands due to complications and not gain weight back. Most people end up getting another wls even though they too have changed and learned the skills.

Checkyes, I never said once that I completely rely on my band. Obviously I have 2 be eating healthy to have lost 115 in 11 months, I have been maintaining for 2 with less.saline. I have changed my habits and food I order or buy and I only eat 1 cup.of food 3 xs.a.day

My band doesn't do that. I know I.could.do these things without the band but hunger would come back and that is a big factor for alot of banded people. I was.a binge eater too like the original poster. Yes, I have had therapy and have worked through my issues with food, but what I dont understand is her going into surgery for a permanent fix 2 a.very serious disease of obesity but expecting to only cure it temporarily. I dont understand what the need was for,.obviously the band helped her somehow lose that weight or she would still be over weight right now. All I was trying to get across is taking it out and still expecting to keep the weight off might not be possible, I have seen it more times than not. And the comment about where will I be in 5.years was arrogant.

actually my dr had a very lengthy consult with me the day before the surgery. He recommended only keeping it in for 5 years, having a foreign item in your body he said was not such a good plan as our body will grow over the band. He also after 5 years I should have changed eating habits. and gotten my psyche under control where I don't lose it.

I all ready know I will not get up to 325 again. I love being who I am now. My husband loves who I am. It is a wonderful old/new world (I was little in high school and in my 20's