Hi All. I'm new here. I met with Dr. Bertha yesterday regarding the Band. I thought that this was something that could offer me some hope in my battle with my weight. I have been lurking on this site, and similar sites, for a few months and was really impressed with everything I have read. Until my meeting with the doc yesterday, I was pretty sure that banding was right for me. The doc said that I could not expect to lose more than 30-50% of my excess weight. And that it would likely be closer the th 30%. NOT what I wanted to hear. He was painfully honest with me, and I do appreciate that, but it discouraged me horribly. I don't know what to do at this point. I do know that there is a support group at the doc's office at the end of the month and I plan to attend. Man, am I confused.

I believe the statistics are closer to 60-75% average loss of excess weight. There are a lot of things that go into this equation.

I lost 60% of my excess weight in 6 months, if it is figured by the insurance charts that say I should weigh 125. My goal is 145, since I never weighed under 140 in high school. So by that figure I have lost 72% toward my goal weight.

Even if I stayed right here, it would be well worth it. I have the ability with the band to lose more if I work at it. There is no window of opportunity. It's good that your doctor was very honest with you. I wonder if he does more bypass surgery than lapbands? My doctors prefer bypass (from what I can tell.)

I am very happy with my choice to have lapband surgery, but bypass was not one of my options. Keep looking at what goes into each process. Only you can decide what lifestyle you prefer. Good luck with your decision!

Donna,

What he is telling you is the conservative figures... however, what I have found is that most banders loose ALL of their weight and reach their goal. It is just slower, way slower, than the by-pass. And most that chose to be banded want it for the solid slow weight loss as there is less problems with saggy skin.

Don't let it discourage you. Remember each person is unique when it comes to this. I've lost 58 pounds in 5 months (only 57 more to go!). My weight loss is slower now, but it is coming off. And my sister, who was banded November 17th, lost initially 19 pounds and has gained almost all of it back... she is getting her first fill on Monday. She has had NO restriction after her first week. Whereas I have always had some restriction.

If you decide to do this know that you still need to do the critical things, like making wise choices in food (i.e. meat first, then veggies, then your carbs), exercising and using the band as the tool it is meant to be.

Let the band be your personal trainer with your eating habits. We have to listen to what it is telling us. It tells us when we are eating to fast (we pb!), or not chewing our food properly (again we pb or get a pain in the chest from it), and the same thing happens if we over eat. Only so much can go in. However, back to the choices. You can sabotage yourself with the band by sticking to liquids... such as milk shakes or sugared drinks (empty calories). Or by staying on a "mushie" stage. Where you are eating mashed potatoes, gravy etc. You can have everything. But it is in moderation AND you eat what is important first... the Protein.

I would suggest you go to a local support group meeting (if there is one where you live) and talk with others who have had the procedure. Find out there good and bad times. Continue reading this board and others. And I think your dr just doesn't you to think that to be banded is all it takes. You have to work with it.

Donna, I agree w/both of these gals! How much weight are you wanting to lose? I've been a slacker over the holidays and not losing. But not gaining either! It's my own fault-too many high carb, soft foods. But now it's back to work! If you work with your band, follow the Bandster rules (on food- types/amounts, exercise, water) - you are going to lose weight. I'm bull-headed enough that I'll try to prove any statistics wrong. I plan to beat those odds! Best of luck to you!

I'm not sure if there are any recent statistics regarding weight loss. When I got banded 16 months ago, my surgeon asked me how much I wanted to lose at our first meeting. I told him I wanted to lose it all. He turned around and was almost out of the room before I could stop him. He wanted to be very sure that I understood that 50% was average and that I could not reasonably expect to lose more than that. I've lost about 57% now and am still losing, but I respect my doctor for taking the approach that he did. I have to say that if I never lose another pound, I will be disappointed, but not heartbroken. I look and feel so, so much better with 57% of my excess weight off! And I know I wouldn't have gotten here without the band.

I think 30% is low. I think 50% or 60% may be closer to it. In all my time on two different boards, I only know of two people who have lost 100% of what they wanted to lose. Several others are pretty darn close! I think it is fine to hope for more, but I wouldn't get banded unless you can really tell yourself that you would be satisfied or almost satisfied with losing 50% and not regaining any of it. I don't know how much you have to lose, but for most of us, that 50% is a considerable amount of weight and will greatly improve our life expectancy.

Nancy

Hi Donna,

For what it's worth, I think the doctors are right in trying to be sure you understand that the band is more work than the bypass. What isn't helpful, IMO, is any attempt to make predictions on any given person's results. It ALL depends on you, when all is said and done. If you have done your research and believe you are a good candidate for the band, then there is nothing holding you back from achieving all you want to achieve.

I've so far lost 100 lbs since deciding on banding, and I'm not done yet. By the percentages that's a good 60 - 75% of my excess weight (depending on what the "goal" number is), but losing a high percentage of my excess weight wasn't my only goal. Being banded has let me see a future as a normal, if heavy, person--not a morbidly obese individual whose life is severely limited and even endangered by weight. And that's all I ever asked of this surgery.

I'm an Abkin/Bertha patient, too, and I'll see you at the support group meeting later in the month if you go. I look forward to meeting you! ;)

I have had questions like that myself of not losing as much or as fast as the Bypass... what got me to want the bad so much is that you do lose the weight slower and they dont give you a intestine make over.. and that is it reversable. Im planning on having a baby after my weight loss and was told that i can even get unfilled and have a baby then get re-filled again, thats sooo sweet! hehehe its just the question of what you are really looking for. Good luck with your decision

This is the first of multiple times I have read to eat the meat first, then veggies, then carbs!....Maybe this is what I am doing wrong!!! But I asked my dietitian and she said it didn't matter....Can you tell me why your docs suggest to eat meat first????

Nancy

"making wise choices in food (i.e. meat first, then veggies, then your carbs), exercising and using the band as the tool it is meant to be."

To get your Protein in first. This way, if you run out of room and have to stop at least you haven't missed out on the all important protein which helps you to maintain muscle and lose fat.

Just FYI - I was informed on another board that veggies ARE carbs. These are really the only carbs encouraged with the band, which are good carbs vs 'bad' carbs/starch/sugar/etc.

I would have to dig up some old studies that I looked at when I was concidering the band, and I just moved so it's unlikely I'd find them quickly...but I know that the average is 75% after three years. The key is the three years part. A lot of surgeons try to compare the bypass and the band- in a year a bypass patient typically looses 75% of their excess weight. Bandsters do too- it just takes us three years instead. Don't be discouraged. You get out of the band what you put into it!

Megan

I was banded In Aug/2004 and the charts say I should be 190. So I have 140 pounds to lose to reach this mark. Like Becky I don't believe 190 is where I want to be and I want to reach 220 pounds.

If I go by medical charts I have already dropped 53% of my excess weight. If I look at where I want to be I have lost 68%. And I haven't even been banded 6 months yet.

Like others here have said If for some reason I didn't lose another pound I'd be satisfied with what I have done by being banded. For several reasons and here are a few:

#1- I haven't felt this good in many many years.

#2- My surgery was less invasive then RNY.

#3- My stomach is still accessable to the medical community in the event I develope ulcers/cancer. With other surgeries the stomach is closed and treatment for any ailments involves more surgery.

#4- I take, by my own choice, one vitiman a day and not numerous suppliments.

#4- My body uses its own system in the normal process of digestion and waste production.

I could go on and on...But the choice for you is personal and you have to make it.

One morbid note...Go to obesityhelp.com and look at thier memorial page and see how many deaths they have posted. Then read about the people and see what surgeries they had. No very many Lapbanders in there. That tells me right there I made the right choice.

Good Luck and God Bless

Wow! Thanks to you all for your replies! I have decided to go to the support group meeting at the end of the month at my surgeons office. I am bringing my mother with me so that I can get an outsider perspective on this as well. I read your replies to my husband and he is very supportive of my interest in this procedure. I guess I was just so shocked by Dr Bertha's "honesty (?)". I must admit, I am still quite put-off, but not so much that I am giving up on it.

One interesting thing to note is that although the studies for banded patients show American banded patients lost only 35 to 50% of excess weight, European patients on average lost 65% of their excess weight in three years.

Australians did even better than that. They decided one of the differences was in followup care. In Europe, patients had more followup visits with their doctors and more opportunities for support groups. This is starting to gain traction in the US, and I think you will see people doing better as more people get banded and they can find people like those here to support them.

Don't be discouraged! If it can be done, there's no reason why you can't be one of those who does it.

Hello there

My surgeon told me that there was no reason (with hard work), that I couldn't lose 100% of my excess weight... I was banded in August 26th, 2003 (16 1/2 months ago) and i've lost 77 % of my excess weight so far... It CAN be done !!!

Good luck with your choices !

Aud x