Ok. Need to put a huge disclaimer here...

The questions I am about to ask could be construed in a light that makes it seem I am blaming problems with the lap band on the owner. I AM NOT IN ANYWAY DOING THIS!!! I am trying to look at the psychology of things, and ask for some statistics. This is similar to the 25% failure rate thread. That thread made me wonder. So please do not take what I am asking as an attack to anyone. It is not.

So I am wanting the following questions answered by anyone willing to take this survey...

--Are you self pay, partial insurance covereage, or full/most insurance covered?

--How long have you been banded? (in number of months)

--What is your AVERAGE weight loss since banding? (total weight loss divided by number of months banded)

--Have you had any complications? If so, what?

--Have you had your band removed?

--What country was your band placed in?

--What is your age? (I know...touchy. LOL But it does go along with the question.)

I will post the results. This survey and main question is based on the curiosity of how people do on the lapband, and to see if the level of financial investment has had any baring on the success rate. Again...I am not wanting a fight to break out over this. It is touchy, and I understand that. This is purely a scientific curiosity. Lets all remain friends on this.

--Are you self pay, partial insurance covereage, or full/most insurance covered? Self pay

--How long have you been banded? (in number of months) 11

--What is your AVERAGE weight loss since banding? (total weight loss divided by number of months banded) 5 lbs per month

--Have you had any complications? None

--Have you had your band removed? No

--What country was your band placed in? Mexico

--What is your age? (I know...touchy. LOL But it does go along with the question.) 31 at time of banding.

Self pay

How long have you been banded? 2 1/2 months

What is your AVERAGE weight loss since banding – 9Lbs. Total since 12/22

Have you had any complications? - No

Have you had your band removed?-No

What country was your band placed in? - US

What is your age? 38

--Are you self pay, partial insurance covereage, or full/most insurance covered? SELF PAY

--How long have you been banded? (in number of months) 2

--What is your AVERAGE weight loss since banding? (total weight loss divided by number of months banded) 8 LBS PER MONTH

--Have you had any complications? NONE

--Have you had your band removed? NO

--What country was your band placed in? USA (HOUSTON TX)

--What is your age? (I know...touchy. LOL But it does go along with the question.) 59

<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

Are you self pay, partial insurance covereage, or full/most insurance covered? SELF PAY

--How long have you been banded? (in number of months) 1 MONTH

--What is your AVERAGE weight loss since banding? (total weight loss divided by number of months banded) 25

--Have you had any complications? If so, what? NO

--Have you had your band removed? NO

--What country was your band placed in? MEXICO

--What is your age? (I know...touchy. LOL But it does go along with the question.) 48

--Are you self pay, partial insurance covereage, or full/most insurance covered? Full insurance coverage

--How long have you been banded? (in number of months) 3 months

--What is your AVERAGE weight loss since banding? (total weight loss divided by number of months banded) 14.3 lbs per month

--Have you had any complications? If so, what? NOPE

--Have you had your band removed? NOPE

--What country was your band placed in? USA

--What is your age? (I know...touchy. LOL But it does go along with the question.) 24

--Are you self pay, partial insurance covereage, or full/most insurance covered? self-pay

--How long have you been banded? (in number of months) almost 5 months

--What is your AVERAGE weight loss since banding? (total weight loss divided by number of months banded) 10.8 lbs./month

--Have you had any complications? If so, what? no complications

--Have you had your band removed? no

--What country was your band placed in? U.S.A.

--What is your age? (I know...touchy. LOL But it does go along with the question.) 34

Do you think there is a correlation between sucess and failure and self-pay vs. insurance? I'm not judging or inferring anything of the sort. But if that is what you are examining, I think it is an interesting topic.

Thanks all. I appreciate the responses so far. I am going to let this go over the weekend and compile the figures to post on monday. I'll let the post go for as long as possible, but the first set of figures will be on monday. The more people respond, the stronger the figures.

--Are you self pay, partial insurance covereage, or full/most insurance covered? Partial insurance coverage; I paid about $4500

--How long have you been banded? (in number of months) 3 3/4 months (17 weeks)

--What is your AVERAGE weight loss since banding? (total weight loss divided by number of months banded) 1/2 a lb a week, total 9 lbs.

--Have you had any complications? If so, what? First bite syndrome, lots of sliming, some Pbs. All since my last fill in January.

--Have you had your band removed? NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

--What country was your band placed in? USA

--What is your age? 30

Do you think there is a correlation between sucess and failure and self-pay vs. insurance? I'm not judging or inferring anything of the sort. But if that is what you are examining, I think it is an interesting topic.

My pcp said there was a corolation, so I am just curious. We were talking about fastness and ease of weight loss being effected by the financial sacrifice made by self pays. Her exp is that those who pay lose more steadily, and have less complications. I told her that by being on the board I have met people who did everything right and still had failures and set backs. She said there are exceptions to every rules, but on the whole a person who pays for it themselves rather than someone else paying for it takes better care of it, and makes it work harder, better. I see the logic, but I do not wholy agree. So I thought I would come to the place I know I can get real experiences from...Here. Rather than just going by what my PCP says as gold. hehehe. Sort of my second opinion.

-Are you self pay, partial insurance covereage, or full/most insurance covered? Full insurance coverage

--How long have you been banded? (in number of months): 6.5 months

--What is your AVERAGE weight loss since banding? (total weight loss divided by number of months banded) 9 lbs/month

--Have you had any complications? If so, what? Reflux (resolved now)

--Have you had your band removed? No

--What country was your band placed in? US

--What is your age? (I know...touchy. LOL But it does go along with the question.) 32

For me, factors other than the money issues affect my weight loss. I have PCOS and insulin resistance and found it nearly impossible to lose weight before banding. I am working hard at this and losing slowly but I am losing...so I consider this a success and well worth every single penny. I dont care if it takes 6 weeks or 6 months to drop 20 MORE lbs, as long as it comes off.

Self Pay

banded 3.5 months

Losing average of 1.3 to 1.5 lbs a week

No complications

Banded in Mexico

age 39

Self pay

--How long have you been banded? (in number of months)2 1/2 months

--What is your AVERAGE weight loss since banding? (total weight loss divided by number of months banded) about 16 lbs a month

--Have you had any complications? If so, what? no

--Have you had your band removed? no

--What country was your band placed in? usa

--What is your age? (I know...touchy. LOL But it does go along with the question.) 42