BobLindemann

Hello all, I am in the early stages of considering and researching the Lap Band. I have some questions on how the Lap Band would work to help me lose weight. First, let me fill you in on a little about me and my weight issues. I am a 45 year old male who is approx 150lbs overweight at the moment. Since my twenties I have been up and down in weight from my ideal weight to 150 pounds overweight. I have many times lost a significant amount of weight in the past. Over the last 15 years I have lost all my excess weight 4 times over a 10-12 month period, but then over 2-3 years I put it all back on, plus a few more! I lose it through diet and exercise, and I put it back on with lack of diet or exercise! I also enjoy having a couple glasses of wine almost every night or a hard drink or two with friends on the weekends while BBQ-ing or watching the game. All this is culprit in not being able to keep the weight off. I know how to lose the weight and I am successful as long as I have a goal and have the excitement of watching the weight come off. After the weight is lost and the excitement is over, I have a hard time sticking with the diet regiment to keep the weight off. In addition, I eat even when I am full because I enjoy the taste. When I am at a buffet, I have a hard time stopping because it is all delicious! Many weight lose clinics will try to determine the subconscious reason for eating. I have never found any such thing, I just enjoy the taste! So my questions: 1. How will the Lap Band help me lose weight? 2. What kind of diet needs to be kept after the Lap Band is installed? 3. If I/We/anyone can’t maintain a diet regiment before the Lap Band, how can we expect that it would be any different after the Lap Band? 4. Are there medications or supplements that need to be taken after the Lap Band is installed? 5. If insurance covers the procedure (I am investigating that with my insurance right now), and there is a problem with the device such as a leaky port, who covers the expense of fixing it? 6. Are there other manufacturing defect problems that can occur with the Lap Band, and if so who absorbs the cost of repair? 7. I am noticing the number one side effect of the Lap Band is nausea and vomiting. Is that a temporary problem or an ongoing problem? 8. Is there any restriction on drinking alcohol when you have a Lap Band? Any insight that anyone can give me would be greatly appreciated, Regards, Bob

Thanks Bob for your reply, It looks like we do have alot in common! Before your surgery were you skeptical at all about the product? I am struggling with the fact that its still diet and portion control that is going to loss the weight, not the band. I fear that, as with many diets past, I will lose successfully and everything will be great for year or so until I start getting bored and I want more. I also fear that knowing I enjoy drinking wine and Jack Daniels (and even Guinness!) I know those are empty calories and I fear that if I want to drink I will automatically start putting on weight; but as Catherine said earlier in this thread, she cant drink as much now as before losing weight, so I guess that would be a good thing! Congratulations on your weight loss, 145lbs, WOW, that's great!!! If I am reading your numbers correctly, you lost 95 pounds before you ever had the band installed and another 60 in the last 7 months! Why the big drop before the surgery?

Thanks Catherine and Kim for your responses. I had to chuckle on the "Productive Burp" / "PB" terminology! Too funny! Congratulations to both of you on your weight loss, that's awesome! Since you are both very close to your goal weight, are you still losing regularly or are there ups and downs? Did either of you spend any length of time in the hospital when you had your Lap Band installed? I also see in Kim's signature a mention of '1st Fill' and '2nd fill', what is that? I have seen it mentioned in other posts too and was curious what that was. Also, Catherine mentions that she is in maintenance. Are there organized classes that you attend? Is that something that is available everywhere? Is that included in the cost of the surgery? How long do these classes go on? Lastly, do you in anyway feel the band inside you either in normal activity or more vigorous exercise or aerobics in which you may bend or twist? Thanks again, Bob