I'm set for march 6th and excited but mostly nervous about the long term effects. It's hard to find any info on people who have had their bands longer than 10 years and the stuff I find says 60% of patients needed to have their bands replaced because they (the bands) break down in the body......can ANYONE tell me something reassuring??????

To everyone who has been very nice, thank u. To everyone that has seemed kinda rude and ticked off by my fears, I was looking for support and someone to talk to. I'm sorry if u feel like I should "man up" or whatever you think. I was hoping to find friends on here. So, I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say, if u don't have something nice or supportive to say, than PLEASE, don't say anything at all

I'm very happy that u have never felt judged. That must mean you have a wonderful support group. I on the other hand, do not, and am being judged my my whole family

i apologize if you thought i was rude.

that was not my intent.

8 months ago, i was weighing 336 pounds

i not only judged myself but also was judged by the entire world..

by being an obese woman who couldnt walk and hardly wipe her ass

i had to pull myself up and support myself. just like you have to.

i am very compassionate about this and i dont coddle in my replies

so again, if i offended, i am sorry, i will stay off your posts.

best of luck.

We're "judged" by others about our weight, financial status, family status, if our clothes match, if our hair is perfect, what car we drive, what our education is, etc. For every decision we make, someone has an opinion. But that is just it--an opinion.

What it all comes down to is are you worth it? Do you love yourself enough to ignore what other people say and do this based on your own opinion?

Living the lapband lifestyle is not easy. After surgery you will have to make decisions every day regarding what you will put in your mouth. You will have to make decisions regarding exercise. When everyone around you is having a pizza or hot fudge sundae, you will have to make a decision of whether YOU will join in with them. When the family wants fried chicken, you will have to make a decision to eat something healthier. You will have to stand up for yourself every single day. If the people around you are so controlling, then perhaps you first need to learn how to be confident enough with yourself that their opinions don't crush you. In my opinion, until you can love yourself enough that it doesn't matter what people say, you aren't ready for the lapband.

Only you know what is right for you. You KNOW that your current health status is not good. Figure out what YOU need to do about it and then make it happen, regardless of what others think or say. That's just my 2 cents worth. I know the decision is hard, but love that kid (that you are holding in your picture) enough to make something positive happen. Good luck.

To everyone who has been very nice, thank u. To everyone that has seemed kinda rude and ticked off by my fears, I was looking for support and someone to talk to. I'm sorry if u feel like I should "man up" or whatever you think. I was hoping to find friends on here. So, I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say, if u don't have something nice or supportive to say, than PLEASE, don't say anything at all

I also dont mean to be rude or offend you in any way! You just seem like you might be making excuses for why NOT than why TO do it! You started with negatives about the band and kind of wishy washy about your decision. You listed all the negatives and said nothing about the positives. I don't mean to be judgmental, but if you get that upset and feel judged by your own family that they could sway your decision to have or not have the surgery, it could be a very tough road for you! I'm not speaking for anyone else, but if my immediate family was not supportive and they didnt have my back, no matter how many friends I would make on here wouldn't make a difference. It's not like you get the band and you automatically start losing weight! They will need to support you in eating healthier, exercise, and a new way of living your life. So their lives will also have to change. Some of us have full support and still find it hard to be successful! You may have complications, will they be there for you? Everyone doesn't have picture perfect results! I wish your family was more supportive of your decision! But, I'm not sure your confident about your decision. That's just my opinion from what I've read. I may be totally wrong! Maybe you should consider explaining to your family as you did to us in your last post.....IF THEY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING NICE OR SUPPORTIVE TO SAY, THAN PLEASE, DON'T SAY NOTHING AT ALL!