Okay, so I tried doing the dieting thing, figuring if I could just stay on that for a bit...

Yeah, didn't work. Adding Protein shakes to my diet (I tried substituting meals with Protein Shakes, but I just couldn't not EAT), I gained weight. All my sweatshirts are tight. And I know I didn't shrink them all in the wash.

So, I'm sucking it up. I'm going to pursue getting banded. I don't want to leave it in long term though, so I'm wondering if the insurance will pay for band removal once I'm at my goal weight.

I've heard that there are some nasty long-term complications and some doctors are now refusing to band people. And that has me worried. I don't know what the long term complications are, but is it really feasible to get it removed when you don't need it anymore?

Or is that an option for the super-rich only? And what are these mysterious problems people keep alluding to, anyway?

Hey Sophrosyne -

I don't know how serious you are about this but I would suggest that regardless of your opinions right now, pro and con, you should consider pursuing the "band path" to see where it will take you - it does involve some serious "why - why nots" and some required education/talking/meeting with dieticians and therapists........it may all sound daunting but it puts the entire process in a real light. At age 47 there was one thing for sure, I have mastered dieting....but not keeping it off. I did a ton of my own research and decided that the marginal rate of complications with the band (the majority of which are easy to fix) were worth the risk to me (as opposed to the HUGE number of risks with the gastric bypass). I was banded in November and have lost 35 in 6 weeks. If you are serious, do your own investigation - you may decide it's not the right tool for you.

Good luck.

Hi Soph

I am not sure why you wouldn't want to keep the band in once you have it.

I understand why you might not want to keep tight restriction forever, but seriously - you can just get an unfill when you get to goal...

Then if, for any reason, you gained weight - like pregnancy, or accident that keeps you from exercising - you could just get a fill and lose the weight. Is there any particular reason you would go through a painful surgery to have your useful tool removed, when you could just get an unfill?

The band is the coolest thing. I can eat any food that I want - just not as much as before. I ate pizza today. Now, the deep dish with the super thick bread-dough crust was just too much trouble to eat, but a normal crust or a thin crust works just fine. If you tell your doctor your concerns and ask him to put in a Vanguard band (the biggest one) then if you are unfilled, you won't even know it's there.

I know that my case is not the same as everyone elses... some folks have restriction even unfilled, some folks can't eat certain foods - but the chances are good that you will be able to eat most everything, and you won't have complications.

IF you are one of the unlucky 3-5% then you might HAVE to have your band removed.... in which case it would be medically necessary and your insurance should pay.

I know that the longer you have your band, the higher the risk of complications becomes - but it is STILL pretty low. Try to keep in mind that the numbers seem magnified here because people who are living normal lives at goal just don't need the support they did during the dieting process... they don't come here much anymore - so you don't hear from them.

People having complications do need information and support, so you see them here all the time.

I recommend researching all the different options before making a final decision. There are some other options to investigate, although most of them are more invasive, lots of people have done well with them. Most of them don't leave any implants inside, so that might appeal to you, more.

This particular surgery requires you to do all the work - it just helps you to eat more slowly, and to eat less. If you are not prepared to choose chicken over chocolate then the band won't work. Some of the other options force you to be compliant because you will be violently ill if you cheat...

I feel that the band is the right choice for me, and probably for everybody - but until YOU feel that way, you should keep on researching. If you decide on the band, I hope you embrace it for life... I plan to keep mine until they pry it from my cold dead corpse.

Hugs!!

I am not sure what the mysterious problems people alluded to are---there are occasional problems, there are with most things.

I am confident that the possible problems I may encounter could not be any worse than the heart disease, and diabetes I was encountering with the morbid obesity.

If you learn new eating habits, it may be possible to maintain without the band, I personally hope to never have to find that out! I have developed new habits, both eating wise, and exercise wise---it is much easier to exercise, and enjoy it without the added 80 pounds!

I think if someone is having a true problem, then they would be more than happy to share what that problem is, not just allude to it, and hide it! I would question the source. There is with this surgery and gastric bypass, rNy, a battle so to speak---each one thinking their way is best. Lap banders belittle the bypass, and bypass patients belittle the banders. It might be worthwhile to look and see if that battle is skewing the information you are getting.

The different surgeries both have their place, and neither one is right for everyone....it is something you truly need to research, and be comfortable with, not just for now, but for long term.

Do a little independent research and you will find the actual complications are a very low percentage. They do however vary with each Dr....so researching the surgeon is of equal importance.

Good luck in your decision.

Kat

For me the decision to have the band or not was based on the answer to one question........do I want to look back ten years from now and wish I'd done it? I have already battled excess weight for 10 years or more, and I'm ready for a healthy weight and lifestyle. I've chosen the band as my tool to get there, as I didn't want my God-given body chopped out and thrown away as in other methods. Right now I'm waiting to see if insurance will approve.

If lapband surgery was for the super rich I sure wouldn't have had it!! It does help of course to have insurance...I could never have afforded it otherwise. As to having it out...this baby and me are friends for life. I wouln't trust myself to do something so extreme as to remove it...thats just asking for trouble...I suspect the pounds would start creeping up again in no time at all.

Welcome to lapband talk best wishes in your research and life changing decision. Keep us posted we are always her for support, encouragement, advise or if you just want to vent!

becky