I've been doing a little research into Lapband surgery for the last couple days. Correct me if Im wrong...

What I've learned is that for Lapband to be successful you must use your own will power and restraint, when it comes to eating. And you should excersize.

Isnt that what Lapband is suppose to do? Eliminate the "will power" factor, the one thing that has prevented a good number of us from losing AND keeping weight off in the first place??

Correct me if I'm wrong guys, but if I cant lose weight by diet and excersize, why should I expect to lose weight with the lapband if Im expected to follow a strict diet and excersize?

I appreciate any input.

Thanks.

Nick

Everyone's made good points but just wanted to add my experience.

I always believed that my excess weight was a result of me not having the will power to control my eating. But the honest truth is, you can have will power to portion control without the band for maybe 2 months, maybe 2 years, but to eat the portion sizes I eat now for the rest of my life? I'm sorry but I don't think I would have ever had the will power to do that forever. That's where my band comes in.

What the band has done for me is this:

It stops me feeling hungry all the time. I actually sometimes forget to eat!

It won't let me eat too much. I can still overeat sometimes, but my 'over-eating' is still only a fraction of what my 'normal' meal was pre-band.

I don't count calories, so I still eat fried chicken and creamy pastas sometimes, so I don't really feel like I'm missing out on anything. But I don't crave them all the time like I used to, I only have a little bit when I do eat them. Mostly, though, the main benefit of the band is that I don't love food the way I used to.

I've lost ALL desire for carbonated drinks and ice cream and Cookies. My husband can't believe it. Hell, I can't believe it. But when I only have limited room in my stomache, I want savoury foods that will fill me, and not slider foods that sabotage me.

And I am able to exercise. It's a lot easier to exercise when you're not so heavy. I have always exercised, even pre-band, but having lost some weight initally after the op, I found I was able to exercise more intensely, and for longer, because I wasn't as heavy.

I went into the op half sceptical about whether it would work for me, but it's working all right, like no diet and exercise plan has ever worked before. I don't think I could have had the results I've had, or keep it off, if not for the band.

TQUAD & lellow,

Thanks. Thats the kind of promising information I need to hear.

The Lap Band has given me my life back, only better than ever. I no longer am hungry all the time. I no longer crave crap that I don't need. I no longer have to struggle to get into clothes, I no longer have to be ashamed.

I am almost 3 years out now and never have regretted a moment of it. I only regret I didn't do it sooner. I no longer have to yo-yo diet!

It has given me a peace of mind that nothing else ever has!

What you initially said, Nick, was exactly right. The band is a great tool, but in the end it is still completely up to us whether it works or not. No tool will do it for us.

If I eat ice cream, the band won't stop me. If I eat high fat foods, the band will let the fat right on through.

The band does control our portions and our appitite, but it does not control our minds. We make the choice whether it will work or not.

I actually sometimes forget to eat!

That is one thing I really love. It amazes me when I look at the clock and realize I just skipped lunch.

There are a lot of gastric bypass patients who are now getting a band too.

Sorry, but if you've ever seen diagrams of what the bypass is, thats just not possible. It BYPASSES the stomach, so putting a band on the stomach would do nothing

Sorry, but if you've ever seen diagrams of what the bypass is, thats just not possible. It BYPASSES the stomach, so putting a band on the stomach would do nothing

It IS possible and it is happening. I just saw a member in the intros say shes getting a band in January after having bypass in 2004.

I know it's possible too because my surgeon does them all the time. It does not by pass the stomach. It bypasses the intestines. My daughter has a bypass so I do know quite a bit about this surgery. There are people in my support group who had gastric bypass and stretched out their new tiny stomach and have been banded.

I know of at least two people over here in the uk who have had a band fitted after substantial regain with their RNY and several more who are hoping to be able to get it done. With the RNY there is a weight loss window of opportunity of a maximum of 2 years. The band is alaways adjustable so can help with the stretched pouches of the long term RNY patient.