i havent yet decided whether or not i want to have the lap band surgery done. i've talked with someone close to me who has had the surgery and she doesnt reccomend me getting it.so im unsure. she said she works with 10 people who have had the surgery done and they all havent had good luck with it. i dont know if its the hospital they went to to have it done or what. so i guess im lookin for opinions on what everyone thinks about their own surgery. successes and complications.

:cursing:

Hello. I had surgery in Sept. 08. So far I have lost more than 50 lb. I am still trying to lose about 23 more. Everyone is different. If you follow the rules and have proper post surgery care, you should be fine. You have to make decent food choices and get fills to get to a proper level of restriction. Like so many people have said before, it is a tool to help you, but you still have to do your part. Good luck!

Just wondering why she doesn't think you should get it done. Is it because she really thinks that you wouldn't be able to handle the lifestyle change or is it maybe a bit of jealousy? That she is happy with what she has done but maybe she doesn't want you to feel better and look good too.I think that although we may not admit it a lot of us do feel that way sometimes.

So check why she is advising against it and then do your own research. Visit your doc/ surgeon etc and make an informed decision based on their advice.

I love it. I finally have restriction (it took a while...my doc is conservative and my senior year of nursing school made it hard to get in for fills etc) and it is a freaking miracle. Seriously. It isn't for everyone...if you graze for example you can "eat around" the band, and you are still supposed to make healthy choices and exercise. If you're willing to do that, I can't imagine why it wouldn't "work" for you. It "works" for lots of people!

If I were you I'd go to a seminar (using a different doc from the one your friend and company use) and decide on my own.

I too was banded in September 2008. I lost 16 pounds on my 3 week pre-op diet and have lost 55 pounds since my surgery. I've had to change the way I eat and the way I think about food, but I love my band!!! I've had no complications - just some adjusting to having real restriction. I feel sooooo good!! If you added up everyone's 2 cents that they give you about your decision, you might have enough to pay for the surgery. Seriously.... do your research - you know what is best for you. Good luck!!! Becky

heniser2

The decision is yours to make - you don't need approval from anyone else.

#1 What is her reason for her not wanting you to be banded.

#2 10 pple she works with had it done and they haven't had much luck - it the hospitals fault???

Darling there is no luck involved in any weight lost surgery or diet period. No WLS is the magic cure all answer to our issues with food.

It's all about the work of changing your eating habits and exercising - the Band or any WLS for that fact is just a tool - a little helper - to make you feel full on a smaller portion of food. It doesn't make your food choices for you - it doesn't exercise for you and it doesn't do a darn thing about our head hunger which manifest itself into what we think is true hunger - the majority of our eating issues are mental not physical - and too - Food is our drug of choice - we are food addicts.

Losing weight is simple math - calories in vs calories burn - Eating healthy for the rest of your life - this is where the lifestyle change comes in - Our eating normal is what got us fat in the first place - we eat high fat - tons of sugar and starches... Eating healthy is low fat - low sugar - and limited carbs/starches

It all depends on how you use your tool - it depends on how bad you want it and for some no matter how bad they want it - they can not overcome their addiction to food - so they blame the band for not working (goes to haven't had much luck with it)

I was 52 when banded - I lost 105 lbs in 1 yr 1 week and now my body is at it's happy weight (total lost 112lbs)

I will tell you this - luck wasn't involved - it was me losing that weight - I did 75% of the work by changing my eating habits and adding exercise into my life - the band did the other 25% by providing restriction.

I was lucky to be at my sweet spot by my 2nd fill - For others it takes longer. But regardless, it just a tool - a little helper.

I could eat around my band if I choose to - candy Cookies ice cream - the band doesn't do a darn thing about stopping you from eating those foods. But try to eat 8 oz of steak - a big mac and fires - Heck no - it will stop you..

Keep on researching - keep reading pples post - talk to your surgeon and other bander's and you will come to you own decision if this is the right surgery for you..

Good luck on your journey.... I wish you the best...

I say explore all options, lap band, gastric sleeve ( mini bypass) and the gastric bypass. There are alot of things involved in all of them. With the lap band foods get stuck at times and at times you have alot of saliva coming back up. Those moments are unpleasant but most of the time its my own fault that something got stuck such as not chewing enough, talking to others while eating, just plain not concentrating. Now the new gastric sleeve Im sure has some complications as well, I do not have this nor did I have this option when I was looking at weight loss surgery, for me the gastric bypass is super invasive nor did i want that at all. I know that if the band has to come out I would choose the gastric sleeve, ( my surgeon had this done) this is done laproscopically as well ( just like the band) . So check all your options out first before you make your final decision.

sounds like you need to ask your friends if its because there food is getting stuck happens perhaps alot to them due to them doing something wrong. I have learned the foods I can eat and the foods I cannot eat with my band. The band is a tool and if you use it incorrectly then it wont work for you..

I am very happy with my decision and would do it again .... I am down 50 lbs thus far..

goodluck to you

You have to make the decision that you feel right with. I was banded 3 months ago, and have lost a total of 33 pounds (including pre-surgery loss)... it isn't as fast as I would like, but it is slow and steady and showing no signs of returning. Good to have different points of view, but if you follow the rules, and are committed to the process, you'll have success - however you define it! Good luck

Don't let her being a downer disuade you, bottom line, if she hasn't had success it cause she can't keep her piggy mouth shut. I was 503 before the band, down over 100 now. I picked food over my son, my wife, though that wasn't a tough decision, I would chose a colonoscopy over my wife, and even chose food over being mobile, I was more or less sedentary, couldn't walk more that 40 feet, couldn't stand longer than one minute.

Im still a fat bastard, last weigh in 397, but now im skipping around like a little fairy.

Bottom line, the band is a tool, you have to learn how to use it and want to use it, and if you do IT WILL WORK.

I quit after I got my band, just plain ol' said I was done. Finally got enough fills to where it started working the way it was supposed to, now it a whole new freaking ball game.

if you wnat to do it, do it, F^#*& everyone else. And tell you F#$* off too.

good luck

OMG LNDSHARK that was freeking hillarious!!! I agree totally, the only reason the band does not work is that the person is not working with it!!! My sister had her band done a year ago, has only had one fill and lost 45lbs, she could have lost double that an=mount easily by now. I had my band 2 months ago and have lost 25-30 lbs and I just had my 3rd fill today. This is JUST a tool, you still have to work. With that I mean making good food choices and getting your butt off the couch!! You will loose alot faster if you excersize and it will keep you more motivated if the weight comes off faster.

Bottom line...do what is best for you, do alot of research and follow your heart. I went to Tijuana to have the band all by myself and I thought that I would never hear the end of people saying OMG you will be killed down there. LOL Im still here and doin great!

Bernadette:cool2:

Wow Indshark your wife must be awful. Hope my DH doesn't tell people he would pick a colonoscopy over me!