i've completed my labwork and now my mental health eval. they've told me i should be getting my band in early july. i'm really excited but having doubts creep up now. i am on military insurance and know that i can get sleeve IF i have it done on post (which i'm not wild about) and it wouldnt be until probably oct/nov. with the band i get to use my hospital of choice and get it in a matter of about 7 weeks. i truly can not decide what to do. i have wanted lapband for the last 3 years or so. it was honestly my first choice until i started hearing all the results of people getting the sleeve and dropping all their weight in 6-9mo. i dont know if i should really step back and figure out what i want to do or if this is just a normal case of cold feet or what. how much doubt is "normal"? did anyone here not having any second thoughts at all? my husband is encouraging me to go forward with the band but i know this is a decision only i can make. i hope this doesnt offend anyone...i think lapband is a great choice i'm just really confused and not sure what to do. advice please...?

No offense taken. My choice to have the lap band was because I did not want to alter my internal organs, meaning I did not want the gastric bypass because I did not want to by pass my stomach and I did not want the sleeve because I did not want to loss 2/3 of my stomach. That being said, my MD wanted me to have the sleeve because I had bad knees due to joint issues with my weight and he was afraid I would not be able to exercise. I wanted the band and there was no talking me out of it, I told my MD, you give me the tool and I will be successful. I was not able to exercise during my first 60lb loss and I have injured myself at about the one year mark and had to have knee surgery. I do not regret my choice it has been the right choice for me. I have lost 103 lbs and have only 17 left to loss. My results are not typical and the web sites will tell you that surgeons consider you successful if you loss 60% of the weight. That number was not good enough for me, I want to lose 90% or more of my weight. As you see I am very determined and have remained focused during this past 19 months. It is a personal choice and you and only you can make the decision. Look at all the pros and cons of all the surgery's and know with lap band you are going to lose the weight slower than with gastric bypass. I am 19 months post op and not at goal yet and I did sit at 175 lbs from July last summer until I had a fill this Jan 2012 and started losing again. Good luck in which ever choice you make.

I decided on the lap band because I wanted a more slower natural weight loss. I wasnt ready to let everyone know i had lapband surgery and once you have the bypass or sleeve the weight comes off faster then the band. Plus the idea of having my stomach cut, stapled and moved around made me feel uneasy. I have had my band since July of 2009 and i love my band!! it has been the best tool to use. I will admitt that i havwnt used it to its full potential as i have had a baby and gained weight but the beauty of the band is that theres no real failure if you fall off the wagon in terms of not loosing weight you can just restart it at any time! Hope this made sense to you.Please feel free to inbox me any questions you might have.

My thoughts are similar to those of lovetheneme and deblockzprbabii. The thought of 2/3 of my stomach being thrown in the trash scared the beejeezees out of me!!!!there would be no going back!!. At 40 I just couldn't figure out the "exit" plan if 10,15,20 years from now something went wrong and I kept having this voice run through my head sayiing "well if only she had a stomach" maybe things would be different" haha....So I guess I was good with adding something that could be taken out---in the worst case sererio....but not so good with the idea of "what do I do now"....but that me....I'm not a very adventurous person and usually tend to play it safe.

I also was fine with the idea a slow weight loss. I had about 70 pounds to loose so at just a pound a week I would be at goal in a year and a half and at 2 pounds a week I would be there in just 8 months!! In reality I started this process in January was banded may 19 (2months ago) and I'm already half way to my goal. I figure I should be very close by the end of summer.

But you are right....the band isn't for everyone. Its important to educate yourself and make sure you are able to embrace the band lifestyle. Knowledge is EVERYTHING!!!!

Someone put a video in these forums somewhere by a doctor that really loved the sleeve. He showed how insulin levels were much more controlled on it. I remember he called the lapband, "a diet with a seatbelt," he thought gastric bypass wasn't the best, and he loved the sleeve. He had me convinced but of course I already have the lapband and like everyone else on this forum, I want to keep all my body parts intact even if it is harder and takes me longer. By the same token, I feel that I get to take credit for my weight loss because the lapband only works if I put in effort.

My husband mentioned to me after my first three months of the Lapband with no weight loss that I should have had another surgery because it would have been easier. It would have been but I wasn't look for easy, I was looking for healthy. I think the Lapband is the healthiest option.

Lovex- check out the banded plication procedure. That's what I'm having and it might be what you'll like.

I think something you should consider is long term follow up with either procedure. If you are having it done on base (sleeve) or in a civilian hospital (band) and are stationed elsewhere and need follow up care which will be easier to obtain. And which are you most likely to have support with in terms of groups and/or docs familiar with the procedure. It is a decision only you can make. I love my band so far (5 weeks post op). Keep in mind 3-4 months waiting for another procedure - if it is what is best for you - is a small amount of time in the big picture of getting healthy. No matter what your decision is you can start eating healthier now!

Good Luck with whatever procedure is right for you!

I think something you should consider is long term follow up with either procedure. If you are having it done on base (sleeve) or in a civilian hospital (band) and are stationed elsewhere and need follow up care which will be easier to obtain. And which are you most likely to have support with in terms of groups and/or docs familiar with the procedure. It is a decision only you can make. I love my band so far (5 weeks post op). Keep in mind 3-4 months waiting for another procedure - if it is what is best for you - is a small amount of time in the big picture of getting healthy. No matter what your decision is you can start eating healthier now!

Good Luck with whatever procedure is right for you!

Thats a good point to make about follow up care. As a military family myself, you never know where you might end up. Or if you will remain on a base with a hospital or end up in a town somewhere no where near a base hospital. And not everywhere has direct access to a skilled band surgeon to do your fills and follow ups. Something to consider if you are likely to be moving around. The band does require follow up visits pretty regularly for the first year or so.

I had no doubts about the band once I did my research. Didn't like the idea of a physical alteration of my digestive system and my surgeon said that while he had done some gastric bypasses during training he did not do them in his practice because he didn't like the results and possible complications of a permanent change.

It has taken me two years to lose 85 pounds. I don't regret not losing it all in six months. I've lost weight fast before only to have it come back on fast. I also don't look sick and gaunt-faced now like I did after fast weight loss. I didn't like the plateaus but sooner or later they all ended and I think I hit plateaus to allow my body to adjust to changes as I lost weight. Patience is important.

I have never regretted my choice to do the band. I like a lot of people do not want my organs chopped or rerouted. Also if something were to go wrong the band is reversible!!! That was huge for me! I like the adjustability and flexibility of the band. I am able to control how tight I am and how much I can eat... The sleeve and bypass are far to permenant for me.