I had to go in to the Drs office today because I was really active this weekend and basically hurt by port area. While I waiting to be seen there was a lady in the Drs office who had had gastric bypass surgery and she had gone from 228 to 123 pounds in 14 months. She was having problems not being able to eat enough, and was losing too much weight. She said if she had to do it all over again, she wouldn't have. That's scary stuff! I know that there is a risk in any surgery, but that just made me thankful I went with the lapband and not the gastric bypass.

One of my best friends had bypass and she is doing great and looks great with clothes on due to scars from skin removal. She went from 270 to 135, however she has friends who had it that does have problems all the time with eating. Of course Im using her doctor for my lapband!! Like you said, people are different and can have different problems with both.

RNY patients sometimes get strictures which can make it difficult to get food in but endoscopies tend to remedy the situation.

Okay, I'm sorry, but am I the only one that thinks it's odd that she got surgery when she was only 228 pounds to begin with? I thought your bmi had to be a certain number to even qualify for the surgery? Or maybe they do surgery on you at any weight if you're self-pay? I have no idea...just find it kind of odd, that's all.

Okay, I'm sorry, but am I the only one that thinks it's odd that she got surgery when she was only 228 pounds to begin with? I thought your bmi had to be a certain number to even qualify for the surgery? Or maybe they do surgery on you at any weight if you're self-pay? I have no idea...just find it kind of odd, that's all.

Nope. Depends on how tall she was and if she had co-morbidities too.

I am getting my band on September 16! Yeah! My top weight is 236 and I want to lose about 80 pounds. I have sleep apnea and sleep with a CPAP, acid reflux, hypertension and pre-diabetes. My BMI is 36, so I was a candidate and got approved pretty quickly (in 8 days) from the time my doctor sent in my paperwork. I also sent letters from my primary care, GYN and Endocrinologist who stated all my co-morbidities and said Lap Band would be good for me. When I was 170 pounds, I did not have any of the co-morbids that I have now. I want to get to around 155. I am 5'7" tall and I will not be skinny by any means. I chose lap-band as opposed to bypass because of the amount of weight I need to lose and wanted it to be minimally invasive. When I went for my pre-op testing, the woman who did my EKG asked me if I was having a revision surgery because she said I didn't "look" large enough to be having bariatric surgery. I went to a support group and most of the people there were having bypass, so I was one of the "small ones". I have tried exercise and changing my eating habits but I am unable to tune into that full feeling. That is why banding is going to work for me.

Speaking for us folks with BMI of 36 to 40 who may not look like we need surgery--we need help too! It will be just as difficult for me to lose 80 pounds as it is for someone to lose 180. I have been unable to lose more than 5 pounds and keep it off. I am so thankful for this surgery which helps people like us who really want to be healthier but can't do it alone. I have tried Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, LA Weight Loss, SlimFast. You name it and I have tried it.

I will be glad for the time when we will not be stigmatized for using surgery to help us to get to a healthy weight. Until then, I will hold my head up high, knowing that I am doing what I need to do to be healthy!

Okay, I'm sorry, but am I the only one that thinks it's odd that she got surgery when she was only 228 pounds to begin with? I thought your bmi had to be a certain number to even qualify for the surgery? Or maybe they do surgery on you at any weight if you're self-pay? I have no idea...just find it kind of odd, that's all.

With my insurance my BMI would need to be 40 or more or 35 with medical conditions and at 37-38 BMI I sure do. I'm 5' 4" and weigh 226 and if I do not get approved for lapband I'm know I will be 40 soon. My weight is all over from head to toe, not just mid area. I have done every diet and even with Weight Watcher's it took me almost a year to lose 37 pounds and now have gained back most of that. I have a hard time walking, so I don't think it is odd at her weight to get surgery. My doctor said lapband, not bypass though so that might be why too.

I have tried exercise and changing my eating habits but I am unable to tune into that full feeling. That is why banding is going to work for me.

I have the same problem, of not being able to tell when to stop when eating. In my case (this may not be the same for you), but the band does NOT help me in this aspect. All it does is get you there with less food so you can't overeat.

Eating slowly will help you with this. I had lots of trouble (and still do somewhat) with regurgitating after my first really restrictive fill for that reason. It takes the same amount of time for your stomach to tell your brain to stop.

I've had to adjust the way I eat to help with this, and it's not something that changes the moment the band goes on, there will be some learning.