I am a 49 year old female with a BMI of 35, high blood pressure. For years I have been wanting a lapband but neither my insurance nor my husbands would cover it. Since the kids are now out of school my husband said if you really want this then do it. I talked with a surgeon in my city and then went to Houston to see one that my friend had used. I was all ready to get it scheduled and then when he heard that I wanted to lose 50-60 pounds he said, no I'm not going to do it because you will not lose that much weight and you will be wanting a revision in less than 5 years. He wanted me to do the sleeve and I said no and he still wouldn't do the lapband. Now I am a self pay and this is a real good surgeon. So after crying all the way home I started thinking why would he say this to me if its not true. I believe that you can search these forums and find the responses that you want to find, I always mostly read to good about lapband. I have to say that I can't find too much negative about the sleeve. My only problem is that I am so scared of complications since I am a selfpay. I don't want my family to have financial problems because of me. My husband says whatever I want to do he is behind me but added that he really doesn't think I am big enough to have the surgery, just exercise and follow my diet. Oh of course, I hadn't even thought about that. Anyway, I read these forums daily and just can't decide what to do, its not the money, its not having to deal with eating small portions, its just being scared of a leak. I just want to cry every morning when I get dressed cause I look so fat.

If a leak scares you, then think of erosion, losing additional stomach tissue (like I did with my revision), constant fills/unfills that you will face trying to find the ever-elusive "sweet spot", and the esophagus damage that you might face in the future from the band. I do not regret my band time, it taught me a lot about myself, I endured hellacious pain on a daily basis because of that thing, and I can tell you that the band has the most long term complications out of all of the WLS options.

This is a group on obesityhelp.com for some long time bandsters that have revised, or have failed bands, and can't revise because of the damage the band did.

http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/failed_lap_bands/discussion/

I admit I am biased, but with good reason. I would hug your surgeon and your husband. Keep researching.

oh, I know I'm not getting the lapband. After the surgeon refused to do it and I got over the rejection, I started really reading about it and decided not to do the band. I just need to decide if to do the sleeve, just scared of costly complications. You have done so good, I enjoy reading your post

"TO THY OWN SELF BE TRUE"

Only then can you find inner contentment and peace. You know what to do. You just haven't asked yourself the really hard questions yet--nor have you given yourself "permission" to answer those questions. You'll get there. You'll know what's right for you and when it will be right to proceed. Have faith in yourself.

Valentina

I am a 49 year old female with a BMI of 35, high blood pressure. For years I have been wanting a lapband but neither my insurance nor my husbands would cover it. Since the kids are now out of school my husband said if you really want this then do it. I talked with a surgeon in my city and then went to Houston to see one that my friend had used. I was all ready to get it scheduled and then when he heard that I wanted to lose 50-60 pounds he said, no I'm not going to do it because you will not lose that much weight and you will be wanting a revision in less than 5 years. He wanted me to do the sleeve and I said no and he still wouldn't do the lapband. Now I am a self pay and this is a real good surgeon. So after crying all the way home I started thinking why would he say this to me if its not true. I believe that you can search these forums and find the responses that you want to find, I always mostly read to good about lapband. I have to say that I can't find too much negative about the sleeve. My only problem is that I am so scared of complications since I am a selfpay. I don't want my family to have financial problems because of me. My husband says whatever I want to do he is behind me but added that he really doesn't think I am big enough to have the surgery, just exercise and follow my diet. Oh of course, I hadn't even thought about that. Anyway, I read these forums daily and just can't decide what to do, its not the money, its not having to deal with eating small portions, its just being scared of a leak. I just want to cry every morning when I get dressed cause I look so fat.