I am considering lap band! I weight around 193lbs. I'm 5"7 and could afford to loose about 50lbs. I'm kinda nervous about going to Mexico to have this done and then having to go to a Doctor in the U.S. I know how dr.'s can be they can be rude b/c you did not have this surgery through them. Anyone with some encouraging words please help. Is it worth paying almost $8K for 50lbs?

Hi and welcome, jonkimbe.

My band buddy Jane had hers done the same time as me in Mexico. I had a high BMI whereas hers was low and she had only about 50 pounds to lose.

She has been at her goal weight for over a year now and says it was the best money she ever spent and well worth it.

I think that if you have tried everything or have yo-yo'd you might as well go for it.

There used to be threads on this site for low BMI bandsters. I'm not sure where they are at the moment, things have changed around here lately. Take a look for them and I'm sure you'll get a lot more information from people like yourself.

Good luck with your decision.

Welcome. I would suggest searching this forum for others with low BMIs and also asking the question in the general discussion area where you'll get more suggestions.

Welcome to the forum. I may draw criticism for my response - but I assume you want a variety of viewpoints since you asked.

As far as your low BMI - you are pretty young and 50 lbs is a reasonable amount to lose through dieting. If you haven't tried a number of diet programs yet to see if any would work for you - you might go there first, just for the expense factor. (I once lost 35 on South Beach - wish I'd kept it off!) That said, if I had only lost 50 lbs with the band - I would still have done it again in a heartbeat.

Now - here's where I get controversial. I share your worry about having the surgery in Mexico and then having fills here in the US. Plenty of people do it and are happy with it. But I know for a fact that part of my success has been the team support of my local surgeon and his office staff. The same Dr. that did my consult did my surgery, does my fills, meets with me on a monthly basis, provides me a monthly weight loss support group, and answers all my questions. I don't have to worry that he will turn down adjustments because he wasn't my surgeon. That does happen - but I don't think it's because the doctor is rude - I think it is worrisome to do fills when you didn't place the band and you don't know the patient well.

I paid a few thousand extra to do it here instead, and I have never been sorry for a minute. But I was blessed to have that freedom and I know many save for years to have just enough to go over the border - so I don't judge that at all.

Either way - it's a great procedure and I hope all goes well on your journey!

Thank you everyone for responses...I think I have held off on the surgery for right now. I'm going to try and loose the 50lbs on my own. I'm just so unconfident in myself sometimes. I'm afraid of being turned down by dr.'s since they did not do the band themselves. So, in that case I'm going to check all my options as far as doing it in the U.S. and Mexico. Thanks to everyone who responded back to me. I am going to stay so keep in touch!

KIM