I am still in the decision phase of this all...I have talked things over with my husband and I have made up in my mind that I want to go through with the "lapband" surgery instead of the "bypass"

My biggest question(s) are:

With the weight loss being slower and more consistent...how does your body feel/adapt?

Will I come out looking like some "bypass" post ops? I have two friends and they look entirely different one looks healthy and the other sickly.....

WHERE DOES THE SALINE GO....ONCE INJECTED INTO THE BAND??????? I ALSO HEARD THAT IT'S NOT SALINE, IT'S SILICONE????????????? DOES THE LIQUID ABSORB INTO OUR BODIES AFTER SOO LONG???????

Can anyone out there help me....answer these questions?:cool:

Hi PrettyLady

Yep you need some more information. I don't even think you have enough to make an informed decision on the LapBand over the ByPass (or any WLS). Im not coming down on you. I just want you to have the correct information on all your surgical choices. Over at Obesity Help .com (Weight Loss Surgery ) they have good information all the surgical options.

For information on the Bands go over to: Official Site: the LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding System for weight loss surgery or Home - REALIZEBand.com These are the 2 makers of the bands.

You can find technical information there on how the bands work and what they are made of.

Generally the band are made of solid silicone(apposed to the gel in breast implants), are hollow(like an inner tube) and when you need more restriction they are filled with saline.

Don't get me wrong I think the Band is great. I can't think of living without it now. I just think you need to be well informed before you have any surgery.

Also anyone who has had any of these surgeries will tell you it's not the surgery that "does the work" it is you. You have to wrap your mind around a lifestyle change. Food, exercise and accepting yourself in all phases of your life.

Poke around on the LBT forums. Most any question you have has already been asked and answered a few times. :thumbup:

Good luck on your journey

Amanda

Ok- here goes. I think lapband will be good for you, expeciallly if you dont have any co-morbidity issues, like diabetes, or high blood pressure. I was banded on Oct 16th and have lsot 20 lbs so far. When you get banded, your surgeon may or may not fill your band with a little saline. Saline is simply a salt water solution. Dont listen to any assholes telling you it silicone. It is definitely not- ask your doctor and he will tell you also. Your band is around your stomach, has a thin tube on it that has what is called a port at the end. The port is implanted under your skin. After about six weks after surgery, your surgeon will find the port under your skin, stick a thin needle in(you only feel a little prick), and injects SALINE into it and that travels down into your band to tighten it so you get full faster. If you need to eat more or if your band is too tight, they do the same thing, only they daw out the saline so it becomes looser. Please dont let anyone discourage you with their nonsense and crap that they know nothing about. I was scared for nothing. I feel great, my pants get looser everyday, and my self-esteem has gone thru the roof. I'm sure you have friends and family that are concerned, but you have to make sure who is concerned, and who just wants you to stay fat and remain their eating partner. Find a support system and steer clear of any negative influences. This is for you, no one else. You go for it, Girl! You will be glad you did!

Thank you to Amanda and lipstix64 for responding to my blog...first I would like to address Amanda, I have definately done my research and honestly I'm still in research mode because I want to make sure that any surgery I select.....is the right surgery for me.....the questions in my blog were just some random on my mind questions....I'm not coming down on your comment at all but I had to let it be known that I am educating myself on this entire ordeal becaue it is a lifetime change and I have to be sure that it turns out for the best....I have 6 kids and a husband that I love and want to be around for, for a very long time.

lipstix64, thanks for your comment....sounds like you are well on your way and I'm proud for you....one day in the near future I hope to be able to blog and support my blog with before and after pictures of my surgery....

I have made step one (again) I contacted a different surgeon to get the process started again...I didn't like that the first surgeon was not selective enough, majority of his patients get approved for the surgery and it seems as though no-one is denied and he also doesn't offer laproscopic procedures.....but anyway, I have found another surgeon who works with you from beginning to end....

okay this blog is getting longer than I anticipated but just know that until I get a date, I will still be researching the lap band procedure and helping myself now....so that once I have been banded, I will make a good transition.

Thanks to everyone who responded....