Hi folks,

I am very new to this site and to the world of the "Lapband!" Seen commercials for "Slimband," so I checked it out. With the package they sent me, I now have an understanding of how it all works. HOWEVER, I am apprehensive to do this procedure because of all the negative comments I have found on the web. I get that there is going to be people that have struggled with their weightless and others that have had success. I am hoping to connect with people that can share a little of their experience. What are some do's and dont's that you have discovered that were not mentioned to you? I'm sure many people have made the same forum before, but I thought I would try to see if any one is willing to share their experience! Thanks for your time!!!

GQChick

Hi there. You're taking an important step by investigating a procedure that could improve your health. All weight loss surgeries have risks (during and after surgery), and none have 100% success rates. Any surgery available today could fail. Something important I learned is that all hospitals have their own record of complications. At my hospital there is a 1-3% chance of having a serious complication with the lap band. This may be lower than the national average (different studies report different outcomes), but I feel really confident that 97% of patients at the clinic I go to are fine. So asking around is important. I'm newly banded and something to keep in mind is that the band doesn't start working immediately after surgery. It take months of fine tuning to adjust the band just-right. It's frustrating, but a part of the process. But many banders like the fact that it's adjustable, there's no one size fits all, you find the adjustment that's right for you.

Good luck with your search!

I think that the band slip rate is much higher than the doctors tell you. I have connected with many bandsters via YouTube and FaceBook, and way too many of us have had lap band slips and needed revision surgery. I had a slip that required revision surgery, and I am pretty good at following the rules. However, I kept my band after the slip (and simply had it repositioned) because I love my lap band. The one thing that has helped tremendously is having a doctor that does fills under fluroscopy - that way you have a better chance of not being too tight (band filled too much), which can lead to a slip. My doctor got a fluro machine after my first slip, and I no longer get fills without fluro. Good luck!