Hello, I'm new to the website, but have an important question that I'm hoping someone can give some advice/personal experience. I'm about two months away from lapband surgery and went to a support group meeting last night at the hospital. I had my mind set on one particular surgeon and was told by a nurse that the surgeon has been shying away from lapband procedures lately due to issues with patients. She said that the surgeon has been concerned with patients who (a year after surgery) are requesting to have it removed -- not effective, etc. Has anyone had similar experiences? I was so excited about this and now seem a bit hesitant/confused. Thank you for your thoughts...

Just like anything, this is a tool. You don't understand the whole concept of it being a "tool" until you get banded. A lot of people go in to the surgery thinking the band is going to solve all their problems. This is DEFINITELY not the case. It takes hard work and extreme dedication. I'm not saying the other patients didn't have that, but I truly believe the band works if you are willing to do "the work". And its hard. Its a mind struggle a lot of the time and its frustrating at times. Dedication is the key!

I've had mine for 3 years and have had no problems. I've lost 145 pounds. My BBF (best banded friend) has had hers for 8 years and lost 150 pounds without problems. It's going to work as well as you work it. I think, for the most part, the people who it doesn't work for expected a magic bullet and didn't do what they needed to do.

As the previous post says, the lapband is a tool. If yo don't do the work, diet and exercise, it won't work. It is like one leg of a three legged stool. Without the other two legs, diet an exercise yo put into it, it will just fail. A lot of people think "this going to fix me". You have to eat right and exercise.

One question I was asked while being interviewed for surgery was whether I was willing to commit to exercising daily. At the time, being around 320 pounds and grossly obese, I said, "Well, um, yeah... I guess so." When they presented me with the option of RNY surgery, the mere thought of cutting up my insides left me feeling sick to my ample stomach. So I looked at the lap band in a better light, and decided that was where I would go, even if it did "force" me to get off my lazy butt and get to the gym. I initially wanted the surgery to do all the work while I laid around and di nothing to assist.

Now, only eight months after surgery, and 114 pounds lighter, I look forward to going to the gym four or five days a week. I'm working my no-longer-lazy butt off for this process, and the band, for me, has been absolutely AWESOME! I have ZERO regrets, and there is no way I'm going to ask to have it removed. It works if you make it work. if you don't, then it won't work. There's kind of a corollary there.

If your surgeon is for real backing away from band surgeries because of issues his patients are having, I'd immediately quesiton how good he is at his job. Certainly i'd want to know about the quality of after care his band patients receive. Surgeons make a lot of money doing band surgeries, so it seems highly suspect that one would suddenly get the moral compass to decide not to do the surgery for the reason you're being told.

And if it's true, then find another surgeon.

Good luck!

Dave

All of the above statements are true. A lot of people fail on the lap band. I think sometimes (especially with all the advertising of the lap band recently) that the band is a magical cure for being overweight. NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH!!

It pisses me off to no end to hear people complain that the band isn't working for them when they are not exercising and still eating crap. Surgery should be life changing and if you aren't ready to change your lifestyle and behaviors then all the surgery in the world isn't going to help you.

If you are dedicated to your health and ready for change, then this can work for you. Good luck on whatever you decide to do.

Thank you everyone for your replies, I appreciate your thoughts/suggestions and makes me feel more empowered about what I want to do. I feel as though I'm making an educated decision about my weight loss and to then hear news like that, it was almost a "failure feeling" before starting. I really WANT this and feel committed to making it work, knowing that in the end, it's up to me. Once again, thank you!

Here is a good article that explains the lap band perfectly:

http://drsimpson.net/fills/Lap-band-eating/lap-band-not-restriction/lap-band-and-restriction.html

Here is a good article that explains the lap band perfectly:

http://drsimpson.net...estriction.html

great article!

Just like everyone else has said, the band will work if you work it! It is a wonderful tool that really helps to curb your appetite, but the rest is up to you. I regained some weight over the summer because I ate around my band...ie: I ate a lot of CRAP. I indulged in cookies and cakes and chips galore, ate a lot of unhealthy slider foods, and went out to eat several times a week. It doesn't matter if you can only eat a small amount of junk foods...if you indulge in them for long enough you'll gain weight! You must be committed to change and if you use your lap band tool the way it is supposed to be used, you will see incredible results!

I'm newly banded as of 8/18/2011... What are "slider foods"?? I am sooo ready for this journey and to put my tool and butt to work.. As soon as I get clearance from my dr of course.