For me, this is not a decision about staying obese v. not. It's a decision about the best way to deal with it. The fact is many people have many complications, from moderate to severe, short-term and long-term, with Lapband surgery. And many, many people who have bariatric surgery regain the weight because they did not deal with the underlying issues of why they gain weight. In all of my pre-op classes, the surgery team talked about "doing the work." Well, you have to "do the work" whether you you have surgery or not. Part of "doing the work" means understanding what your triggers are and what foods contribute to weight gain. Through my classes, I have finally figured this out, and I am confident that I can address weight loss without needing surgery. For me, the risk of experiencing the plethora of short and long-term complications of having the Lapband is simply not worth it. I'd rather lose my weight in a less invasive way.
