I have been looking at the Sleeve & the Band. it seems more people are happy w/ the sleeve than the band! I fell like the band could help you be more in control!!

PLEASE HELP!!

It is all what you put into it after the first year. The first year is pretty easy because it does a lot of work for you and you are excited about it and then when you see results it is easier to fall off the wagon but the band keeps you from misbehaving too much.

I have been 150% happy with my band and I even fell off for a bit and maintained the initial weight loss.

It's not the procedure that makes the difference, it's you. If you make the commitment to change any one of the procedures will work well for you.

Yes there are positive and negatives for each procedure. You and your doctor are the ones that need to make the choice. I am very positive about my lap-band experience and I would say that I am 100+ percent satisfied as well.

My one year anniversary was Jan 3^rd 2012. I have lost 153 pounds (without a fill). I have lost 42% of my starting weight. By the time I am done I will be half the man I used to be, I have about 30 more to go. Any procedure is just a tool. You need to make the commitment to change your life. The procedure will just help you along the way. You will be getting a lot of training along the way. It may seem like a lot of stuff to take in but it is worth it.

The improvement in my health is remarkable.

Love my band!!

1000 PERCENT HAPPY WITH MY BAND!!!!! 88 pounds in just over 6 months. This NEVER would have happened without the band - not even close. Best decision I ever made!

I'm 100 % happy with the band and 100% successful.

Cheri

I've had a few problems (a band slip cured by an unfill, and a port flip cured by outpatient surgery), but I still love my band.

You may have already made your surgery choice by the time you read this, but you should be aware that generally speaking, success with the band takes more work than with other bariatric procedures. To me, it's all been worth it. I was ready to make some big lifestyle changes, and that's certainly paid off for me!

What can I do to increase my weight loss?

That's really a question for your bariatric surgeon and/or nutritionist, but here are some things to consider. Are you exercising? Keeping a food log? Making good food choices? Getting plenty of sleep and drinking lots of Water? How long do your meals keep you satisfied (that is, in terms of physical hunger)? Do you feel like you might need another fill?

Hate to be the cliche but the band is an instrument, success depends on you- I am happy with my decision and happy with the results. Any difficulty I've had has been due to myself, eating the wrong thing usually. We're all going to make mistakes and binge on something we're not supposed to have;-( It's the overall decisions you make EVERY single day to eat right and exercise that determines success. My band is just the kick in the ass I need. Good luck to all and congrats on everyones positive progress.

I am 3 weeks post op today!! I had lap band with plication on Jan. 27, 2012. My weight the day of surgery was 230 and today i am 206...job well done...if you compare your success to others, you may not be losing as they are and this becomes depressing. Follow your guidelines, eat right, exercise and stay motivated...I walk 4 days per week for 45 mins and ride the exercise bike for 30 mins 2 days per week...good luck on your journey...i am happy so far!

I was banded on August 12,2009. It's was the best decision i've ever made. I weighed 242 lbs and today im at 155 lbs. Im very happy with my success and my lapband. It works.

I was banded in Oct 2010 and I can say without hesitation that it was the right move for me. I have lost almost 110 lbs and feel amazing! I have had challenges with navigating the band and figuring out what works and what doesn't. Slider foods are the largest temptation with the band and if you choose those types of foods often your weight loss can stall. I try to eat meat often to give me that full feeling with little actual calorie intake. I do eat things like ice cream as well but in moderation. I am probably eating about 1200-1300 calories a day right now and it is working. I didn't exercise as much as I should until recently. Now I am trying to tone up the flab that remains. Good luck in your journey!

I hated my lapband, I went VSL and now I can actually feel full with no hungar, I eat anything I like and not the obstructed feeling I had with lapband. I also have the benefit of no foreign objects in me that will eventually need to be removed. I am now truly motivated to lose weight and exercise. Lapband was a curse and expensive. VSL gave me hope and I feel wonderful.

I'm almost 4 years out, and absolutely love my band. It hasn't been perfect, and I can say that after almost 4 years, you relax a little and allow yourself some treats that you didn't when you first had the surgery, but it is definitely about a lifestyle change forever. I don't have a ton of restriction, and never really did. I def had restriction, just not quite as much as some others have had. I've always had a slightly loose band, even now, and I'm pretty much at max capacity. But.. if you eat your protein like you should, you def will have more restriction. The slider foods DO NOT keep you full. I have a sweet tooth and tend to indulge now and again. I run 30-40 miles per week, so I think because of that I tell myself I'm allowed. Def not the thing to do. But.. like I said, I think you relax a little after having it this long. It's a constant struggle to keep the band diet, and a constant battle keeping the weight off. I have done it for 3 years, so I def consider myself successful. If you are willing to fight the battle your whole life, you will win. You can not go back to eating the way you did before your surgery, even when your band relaxes a little. You have to make the right food choices, and you MUST exercise. I firmly believe that is what keeps my weight off now. Good luck to all the new "bandsters" out there. It's a great tool. I love my band, and don't know what I would do without it. It's the best thing I ever did for ME!

and to the poster above me. The band is NOT made for you to eat Whatever you would like. Maybe that's why you didn't like it. It's made to restrict when you eat the solid protein and make you feel fuller when eating the right foods. Eating whatever you like defeats the purpose doncha think?

I've heard some people mention band with plication. What is that???