So I just went to my pshyc. eval yesterday 9/8 and the Dr. ends it with "you know its 50% failure rate for rny and even more for lapband that you will fail within 2 yrs" Man what a buzz kill!!!! for all you bandsters 2+ yrs out whats up?? I mean I've already beaten the odds on how long my marriage would last so I hoping I have a good chance at how long I can keep my wieght off!!!!!

I'm a little over 2 years and have lost 115 lbs am aiming for 12 more lbs. I don't think the band will fail me and I sure as heck am not going to fail the band. One thing I do know is that you have to have a good bariatrics support team which I've got. I go once a week for a one on one and attended the monthly suport group meeting. I do know that not everyone has the support they need. If you are seriously thinking about having this surgery, go to a center that can give you the support like I have.

WHAT?

Read my blog...with all my stuff I never regained!!!!

I am thrilled you doctor told you that because in NY where I live and many many lapbanders and drs we do not have a 50 percent failure rate.

Go find a doctor and staff that can support you emotionally?

I have a surgeon that does NY and NJ and if you email me I will get yiu connected if you are from the area.

All major hospitals and psyc centers have Support Groups for Lapbanders and go ...

Also, I have a male friend (I am a married female) and he went for the LB surgery and has lost over 2 yrs 110 lbs and has plenty to go. AND AND HE IS HAPPY.... and eats but not as before

so find a doctor whose team will support your needs not their wallet

I am a month shy of 1 year and I have lost 95 lbs. You have to have some control also it is only a tool. Keep up the great work.

Failure isnt black or white either.

To what "failure" was he referring?

Many many people do not lose ALL their excess weight. Is that failure? Or is a realistic outcome for a set of people suffering from an illness that is as much mental as it is physical? How can a band around your stomach fix all the issues with obesity? It cant. But is losing enough weight to save your life, improve the quality of your life and get you independent and back into the world again a success, or is failing to end up looking like a supermodel failure?

The stats for people who dont lose any weight, lose and then regain or who have complications that end up with band removal are significant, but 50%? No way.

And for a good proportion of those who "fail" its all factors within your own control anyway. Stats say you lose about 60% of your excess weight with a band. Yep, that's what happens if you have the surgery and just kinda go along with it. Its not a bad outcome. But if you eat consistenly right, do the right kind of exercise and approach it with the determination that you are going to do all the work needed, you'll lose more than that.

I know that with a band and an hour long run every day, I would have to deliberately drip feed myself liquid mars bars by IV all day every day to gain weight. My weight never budges, I've kept it off for 2 years now and I never even have the slightest qualm that I cant continue to do so.

He was stating that any wieght loss surgery is basically a vehicle(tool) to lose an extreme amount of wieght in 2 yrs or less. After that time anyone's body will adapt and if you havent changed your eating habits fully, by then you will gain the wieght back.

Failure isnt black or white either.

I know that with a band and an hour long run every day, I would have to deliberately drip feed myself liquid mars bars by IV all day every day to gain weight. My weight never budges, I've kept it off for 2 years now and I never even have the slightest qualm that I cant continue to do so.

Please explain the parts that I have underlined

thanks

laura

He was stating that any wieght loss surgery is basically a vehicle(tool) to lose an extreme amount of wieght in 2 yrs or less. After that time anyone's body will adapt and if you havent changed your eating habits fully, by then you will gain the wieght back.

I think they might be thinking about major re-routing surgeries. RNY, Sleeve, DS. Those do adjust to the body after about 2 years. But the band does not adjust because every calorie you eat is absorb by the band. Where the others mentioned for the first 2 years don't.

That is one of the big reasons I choose this type of surgery. Is because so many that have had bypass etc have gained the weight back. I know there are plenty that are successful but with the band I have started talking with people that are 5 years out plus that still have kept the weight off.

I know lap band states you can except to lose 55% of your excess weight. But my surgeon said that if I am using the tool right and keep diligent on realizing when I am able to eat more and not feel full that I need a fill that you can have great success with this surgery and it will work for you for the rest of your life.

What sold me on the band was being told that every fill is like re-having surgery, where others if they start to fail all the dr can do is try to push you to get back on track.

I know if I was told what you were told I would be freaking out too.

Hope some of our comments help calm some of the nerves.

Please explain the parts that I have underlined

thanks

laura

Well, I would have to delibarately sabotage myself and eat around my band by eating chocolate all day long to gain weight.

I run nearly every day, burning about 800 calories at a time. I'm very busy and active and on my feet all day too. I'm 5ft 10. I need to eat about 1800 calories a day to maintain my 150 pounds. I cant FIT in any more food than that. I eat a good variety, it satisfies me, its a normal amount of food for perhaps a person with a small appetite.I have enough room in my calorie allowance for treats and such. So I dont go without anything. I'd have to decide, I want to gain weigth, how on earth am I going to do it and set out on a deliberate plan to do so.

Given that I eat what I want, according to my appetite, it takes no particular effort on my part to stick with that, so there's no reason why i cant continue doing it indefinitely. and I love running, I'm not going to give that up because it something I actually want to do.

I got told yesterday that I am officially a lapband success. Apparently the expectation is that you will lose between 50 - 60% of your excess weight. According to the fill Dr's calcs I have lost 90% so therefore I am a success.

I will consider myself a success when I have lost what I consider to be 100% of my excess weight and successfully maintain that loss. It was nice to be told that I am a success but it doesn't feel right when my BMI is still in the overweight range!

I did not go through this to settle for mediocrity.

I am only a month into this but I thought that I'd add my "opinion" and what I've learned. Basically you need to keep up on your fills, exercise daily, don't snack, and find a dr whose program doesn't just end with surgery.

I did tons of research before I settled on my surgeon. They have many support groups each month, cooking classes, clothing exchanges, and access to a personal trainer, psychologist, dietician, etc. You get to use any of their services for a year for free (minus the support groups and cooking classes which are free forever).

I have several friends that have gotten the band and some are successful and some aren't. The ones that are the ones that think the band will do all the work, which it won't. They basically graze on junk all day, don't exercise, and never get fills. To me, what is the point of getting the band.

Well, I would have to delibarately sabotage myself and eat around my band by eating chocolate all day long to gain weight.

I run nearly every day, burning about 800 calories at a time. I'm very busy and active and on my feet all day too. I'm 5ft 10. I need to eat about 1800 calories a day to maintain my 150 pounds. I cant FIT in any more food than that. I eat a good variety, it satisfies me, its a normal amount of food for perhaps a person with a small appetite.I have enough room in my calorie allowance for treats and such. So I dont go without anything. I'd have to decide, I want to gain weigth, how on earth am I going to do it and set out on a deliberate plan to do so.

Given that I eat what I want, according to my appetite, it takes no particular effort on my part to stick with that, so there's no reason why i cant continue doing it indefinitely. and I love running, I'm not going to give that up because it something I actually want to do.

I have still a lot of weight to go but I am still on 7 Protein groups and add anything else. So, I am curious what others do to gain such success :frown:

I still eat small portions because even though this lapband is a tool..I still want to be a loser to be a winner :thumbup:

Lol, well we eat a bit differently here in Australia. No low carbing and no focus on Protein. I eat fruit and vegeatables, Cereal, bread, Pasta, rice as well as protein foods, pretty much in that order.

My eating philosophy veers more towards organic and unprocessed than towards more or less of one food group. I eat stoneground, wholegrain breads, not white bread. I wont eat packaged, freezer meals, I cook from scratch etc.

At the end its really calories in v calories out.