Would you do it again or choose another option?

[OI812 0]

Almost 5 years for me, and its been a rewarding journey.

This TOOL has given me a second chance.

Love my band!

Leslie

10/17/2002

228/125 to thin/135 is better

[tonya66 13]

Let see, I'm 6 mos post op - down a total of 74 lbs, and for the first time in my life, I am no longer GAINING weight. Heck yes, i would do it again in a heart beat! This has been the best decision I have ever made. It is a tool to help me and I have used it as such. I don't rely on the band solely, but I do depend on the band to help know when to quit eating. I have to make the right food choices, but the band reminds me when I've had enough. So we are a great team together!

[JustCallMeKelly 0]

Carol, I LOVE your little saying at the bottom of your signature about smearing it on your ass....that is halarious. Just thought I'd share that it made me totally LOL!!! Thanks, I needed that Be well. Kelly

[tifferoni326 0]

I would do it over again..heck even if it was ten times harder than it was, Id do it over....

I love this band and Ilove what Ive been able to do when I use it and Ilove the person I am becoming!

[purplegirl1818 1]

perfect. period

[Carrot06 0]

One of the best decisions I have ever made!

[sweet_liberty 1]

I was just saying to my husband the other day, I am 7 weeks post-op and have dropped 40+ pounds. Even if I never lose another pound, I would do this again in a heartbeat. It has been SO worth it to feel better and conquer my co-morbidities (sleep apnea and joint pain).

-Libby :peace:

[NanaRenan 0]

I've lost 29 lbs since being banded August 14th. At times I think that is too slow and wonder if I should have gone with the bypass. But that's fleeting...I just need to get the MENTAL restrictions out of my head and let the BAND restriction do its job in my gut!

[Big Fred 0]

I was banded on 10-25-07 - since then I have lost 30lbs.

I would do it again in a heartbeat, the whole process was not that bad. Even if it was bad, I would do it again. Prior to surgery I lost 25lbs and since March of 07 a total of 55lbs. I'm off one blood pressure medication completly and almost off the CPAP machine. Down two pants sizes and one shirt size, feel better, have more energy and love the compliments.

All this in almost 6 weeks - what's not to love.....................

03-24-07 - 374 - Started Journey

10-25-07 - 349 - Band Date

12-04-07 - 319 - Current

[losingjusme 12]

in a heartbeat!!

[Daisalana 33]

I would do it again..

But I do have days when I wished I'd had RNY and I could have lost a lot more weight by now. I'm impatient, and when I'm plateauing, I get in a rut. Not all the time, and I know when it's time to have kids, or later down the road when I keep getting adjustments, I'm going to be thrilled that I did lap-band instead of RNY.

But those days do exist for me

[tonya66 13]

I'm totally grateful to have had the band but I've had a long, long, long journey to just get down to this point.:rolleyes

I love the band, love how it works, love the fact that it's not a permanent re-routing of my intestines - but then again, as slow as it's been - perhaps I could have used a teeny bit of malabsorption over time, maybe.

I've worked hard and been very patient.And I'm still overweight! :phanvan

(I know, I know, I'm getting there... but how much longer?)

So granted, what happened to me is hardly normal for most bandsters, but if I'd known it was going to take this long to get to a reasonably decent weight, I'd probably have just gone for the RnY Bypass (a very basic, very distal RnY). I got approved for one, but I thought the LapBand was really better for me.

I hope it will prove to be, ultimately.

So catch me when I get to goal and THEN maybe it will seem worth it.

Otherwise...the jury might still be out over here.

I was going back reading some of the post older post (this was 2006) and it is amazing how many were struggling and wondering if they would get to goal, but look at her now, she is PAST goal! in a year too! Her signature now says she has lost 150 lbs in 1 year. A size 6!

I hope she can see this post now and respond how differently she might feel now.

[tonya66 13]

PS - this post is on page 1 by NewSho. Posted in June of 2006.

[NewSho 20]

I was going back reading some of the post older post (this was 2006) and it is amazing how many were struggling and wondering if they would get to goal, but look at her now, she is PAST goal! in a year too! Her signature now says she has lost 150 lbs in 1 year. A size 6!

I hope she can see this post now and respond how differently she might feel now.

Oh My Goodness - No No No! Let me clarify.

I am past goal but it's my friend Rachael who lost 150 lbs in One Year with her band. Not me!

No, I was the slowest LapBander ever - so I lost most of my weight in the first 20 months but didn't get at/near goal til my 2nd "Band-iversary."

I'm so glad I saw this post because I was reading some of the old ones and thought - Gee I need to update my original 2006 answer. It's the same answer but as we approach 2008 - I have so much more to say. Here's my story (sorry for length):

Trying to be proactive with my health - I thought I should get surgery before my weight issue got worse. (I recommend this to anyone who has ever struggled with their weight over a long time and is considering surgery. Don't wait til you gain more - if you want surgery do it sooner!)

My Goal: I wanted to lose 75-80 lbs overall. I consulted 7 weight loss surgeons.

Doctors' Goals: I was told with the Bypass I'd lose 80-85 lbs and with the band I'd probably lose 70-75 lbs. (I got full insurance approval for both procedures. Like I said, I was serious about getting a Weight Loss Surgery!)

Time Period Estimate: The docs said I'd lose the weight in 12 months with the bypass and it would take about 18 months with the band.

Finally after soul-searching I decided that the bypass was a whole lot more intense to just lose 10-15 extra pounds over the band. Plus I didn't care a whit about pounds lost - only about CLOTHES sizes lost. So I nixed the idea of the bypass, and got LapBanded.

But keep this in mind:

I was not going to exercise or seriously work out. Period. No need of lying to myself or my surgeon. I have a slight medical condition anyway so there is no benefit to me dieting & working out together - my body lets me do one or the other. Due to the fact that I wouldn't be working out, my doctor said it would take me at least 6 months longer without any exercise. So that's 18 months + 6 months? That's 24 months to get to my goal weight.

OK, no problem, I thought.

But when the bypass folks I knew lost their weight in one year, I was feeling really sorry for myself. And I even had people tell me "Oh you should have had the bypass - that band isn't working, is it?" :mad: I started called myself the "Remedial Bandster" and "The World's Slowest Bandster Ever." :phanvan

But I stuck with it and over time, my weight loss caught up, sped up, and after 19 months I was near my goal. After 24 months (just like my surgeon said) I was at goal and dang near past it. I even lost 90-95 lbs total - past my goal, my doctors' goal and past what I should have lost with the bypass. That doesn't sound like much to some folks but coming from a Plus Size 2X and going down to a regular size Medium (sometimes a Small) is a big deal.

And guess what? Basically, my bypass surgery pals LOOK like they've lost a lot of weight quickly. And I don't. Not one bit. I lost slowly but steadily so my body eventually caught up. People *refuse* to believe I've ever been overweight ( I wish I had photos to show them) and they argue me down that I'm not banded. I don't look like I was ever fat (and that's what I was - make no mistake about it). I haven't had an ounce of Lipo and other than some Thickish Thighs (I sound like a turkey) I don't look like I was fat and lost a lot of weight. So take that Bypass. I lost all my weight and never missed a Happy Hour. I don't count calories or carbs now - and if my weight ebbs and flows a bit here or there I try not to sweat it. I'm so at peace and eat like a regular skinny person. No diet plates or special foods, just Band friendly mini meals.

My friends who said "You should have gotten the bypass" have had to all apologize now. In fact two of them are now banded since I got mine - Ha!

So I'm delighted that I was banded and I speak to pre-banded folks at doctors' seminars and support groups all over my area. Your mileage may vary but if the 'world's slowest bander' can do it, I anyone can.

It may change tomorrow or my band may go 'kaput' or anything odd might happen. But ask me today - and this is the best thing I ever did for myself!

[xenagate 0]

I am newly banded- still in pain and I would do it again because I know this tool is going to work for me. I wont let it fail!