Went for my consult today and he advised against the band and that I should go with the sleeve. He said with my other medical conditions and the amount if weight I have to lose it would be more beneficial. I've got a bad surgery and have had a 3 level spinal fusion and my bmi is 43. He doesn't see me doing well, long term, with the band. So now I do more research. Scratching my head now because all my questions were about the band and I have never thought about the sleeve.

Thoughts?

Did he tell you why he thinks you won't do well long term with the band?

I would really ask him to be more specific as to why he thinks you won't do well, and I would speak to a Surgeon who specialists in lapband and ask their opinion about it.

While your in the process ask the questions you have of the lapband doctors, get some information and research the other surgeries out there. Doing your due diligence will help you, and will pay off in the long run no matter what you choose to do.

Best of luck to you!

Did he tell you why he thinks you won't do well long term with the band?

I would really ask him to be more specific as to why he thinks you won't do well' date=' and I would speak to a Surgeon who specialists in lapband and ask their opinion about it.

While your in the process ask the questions you have of the lapband doctors, get some information and research the other surgeries out there. Doing your due diligence will help you, and will pay off in the long run no matter what you choose to do.

Best of luck to you![/quote']

He said bc I have so much to lose and the band takes more exercise and with my orthopedic issues I may not do well. If I lose the 40% that is typical I will still be heavily over weight. Lots to think about.

Went for my consult today and he advised against the band and that I should go with the sleeve. He said with my other medical conditions and the amount if weight I have to lose it would be more beneficial. I've got a bad surgery and have had a 3 level spinal fusion and my bmi is 43. He doesn't see me doing well, long term, with the band. So now I do more research. Scratching my head now because all my questions were about the band and I have never thought about the sleeve.

Thoughts?

Personally I would get a second opinion. When i saw my surgeon I was willing to hear what she had to say, I had been told that she was anti banding, but she felt with the good nutrition and workout habits I have I would be very successful with the band. I had lost 176 pound prior to getting my band. Bottom line is it's your body and you should be able to decide what you want to do. The sleeve and by pass work by malabortion I have a friend who got a sleeve done a year and a half ago, yes she lost the weight however it has really aged her, she is 15 years younger than I am and she looks older! I have no regrets getting banded not at all. Good luck.

The first time I went to a consult for Lapband I had done tons of research and I get to the orientation and he completely talked down on the band and praised the sleeve. It made me so uncomfortable.

I went to another doctor 7 months later and she not only things ill do great with the band but she SUPPORTS me.

You want a doctor who will support you

He said bc I have so much to lose and the band takes more exercise and with my orthopedic issues I may not do well. If I lose the 40% that is typical I will still be heavily over weight. Lots to think about.

I call bullsh*t on that. I have severe arthritis in both knees and hips. The only exercise I do is swim or dogpaddle in the pool along with some strengthening exercises. It's nothing compared to many of the other posters on this forum. And you can see by my ticker that since January, I've dropped 86 lbs. And I started with a higher BMI than you. Look at my tag...if you are compliant, you will succeed. Those who do not lose optimally, do not follow the rules. Find a lapband doctor. You do not want to remove most of your stomach without knowing exactly what you are getting into. The lapband can be reversed. A sleeve is forever.

I had a 12 level spinal fusion (T2 to L3) 3 years ago, and got the band just over 2 weeks ago. I walk at least 60 minutes every day and have lost 19.5 lbs so far. I'm encouraged to exercise because it helps manage my back pain - the stronger your muscles are, the less they hurt in my experience. I'd get a second opinion if you feel the band is right for you.

The 40% typical success rate is because many patients start to relax on the rules and start to become "sugar drinkers" eating ice cream and milkshakes for meals because they go down easily and they don't cause restriction effects. You have a low BMI in my opinion for this procedure (minimum is around 40 to qualify, 35 with co-morbidities). Statistically, maybe it doesn't seem to be your best option, but only you can make that decision. Good luck =)

How much do you have to lose? How old are you? How long have you been overweight?

I have 130 pounds to lose, 38 years old and have been overweight for 9 years.