What was your start weight & why lap-band?

[mrsto 2,925]

After being banded for a year and a half, I would choose this same surgery all over again. For me, knowing that it's 100% reversible was the deciding point. There are so many things that can go wrong with our health as we age, and I didn't want any permanent changes for which I could pay a high price for at a later date. I chose plication with the band, and all has worked out wonderfully. Sure, it would be great to have a surgery where there was little to no follow up care. But ultimately, that could bite me in the ass. I feel more in control of my destiny with the band/plication. I have zero regrets.

You are doing the right thing by reaching out and doing all of your research. Everyone is different, so you will make your decision based on what you feel is best....for you. As Sandy above mentions, you can eat around, and gain weight back with all of the surgeries. Whatever the surgery, the work still has to be done by us. Surgery is just a tool, and doesn't do anything for our addictive brains. I struggle more now that I did in the beginning. But thank goodness for this surgery, because the one thing that is different than pre-surgery, is that I have a fighting chance to maintain the weight that I have lost. Even on a bad day, there is no way on earth that I can eat as I did before surgery.

I wish you all the best......

[Bandista 7,466]

@@loser2014 congratulations on your surgery tomorrow! Very exciting. We have a lot of similarities -- I have shrunk a half an inch but was 5'7" most of my life -- and like you I was a very healthy eater, just way too much of it! Having my appetite dimmed has allowed me to not be a finisher, to be able to enjoy a small portion and be done. Kind of miraculous, really!

[gowalking 10,790]

I can only add to what others have said. I decided on the band because it wasn't permanent and could be removed if necessary. I'm fairly certain this is the reason why people choose the band over other WLS because the band is also alot of work for most. What I mean is that there are fills, and the 'green zone' can be very elusive at times.

But...if you are dedicated and compliant, the chances are very good that you will find the success you are looking for. I was morbidly obese at 267 lbs. on a 5'1" frame. My BMI was over 50. I am now 123 lbs. I used to wear a size 26 slacks and a 4X top. I'm now wearing 6/8 slacks and mostly medium tops. Oh...and I look terrific in dresses again and wear them quite often though I do need support garments because of the excess skin. I'm 56 and it is what it is. I'm healthy and that's more important than wrinkled skin.

I'm also vain again. I wear makeup every day, have shoes to match my outfits, and get my nails done every week. I take care of myself and it makes me feel great. My co-morbidities are under control. I no longer need a cane to walk around and I have the ability to move around in a way I wasn't able to for many years. I'm enjoying my life again.

Whichever surgery you get, my thoughts are with you and here's to wishing you a very successful journey to good health. Please keep us posted on how you're doing.

[mrsto 2,925]

@@loser2014 congratulations on your surgery tomorrow! Very exciting. We have a lot of similarities -- I have shrunk a half an inch but was 5'7" most of my life -- and like you I was a very healthy eater, just way too much of it! Having my appetite dimmed has allowed me to not be a finisher, to be able to enjoy a small portion and be done. Kind of miraculous, really!

Ugh.....shrinking I was 5'2" all my life, and now, as of my measurements at the doctor's yesterday, I'm 5'1.5". I put in my requisition with G-d; my next life I want to be 5'5" with long legs - LOL

[mrsto 2,925]

I can only add to what others have said. I decided on the band because it wasn't permanent and could be removed if necessary. I'm fairly certain this is the reason why people choose the band over other WLS because the band is also alot of work for most. What I mean is that there are fills, and the 'green zone' can be very elusive at times.

But...if you are dedicated and compliant, the chances are very good that you will find the success you are looking for. I was morbidly obese at 267 lbs. on a 5'1" frame. My BMI was over 50. I am now 123 lbs. I used to wear a size 26 slacks and a 4X top. I'm now wearing 6/8 slacks and mostly medium tops. Oh...and I look terrific in dresses again and wear them quite often though I do need support garments because of the excess skin. I'm 56 and it is what it is. I'm healthy and that's more important than wrinkled skin.

I'm also vain again. I wear makeup every day, have shoes to match my outfits, and get my nails done every week. I take care of myself and it makes me feel great. My co-morbidities are under control. I no longer need a cane to walk around and I have the ability to move around in a way I wasn't able to for many years. I'm enjoying my life again.

Whichever surgery you get, my thoughts are with you and here's to wishing you a very successful journey to good health. Please keep us posted on how you're doing.

Ditto...ditto and DITTO!

[labwalker 1,177]

I had the lap band, but I was also considering the sleeve... my doctor does both procedures; but after consultation he strongly suggested that I consider the band based on my health, age and weight. He gave an honest assessment of what I could expect from any of the three procedures he routinely performs, and pointed out that weight loss with the band would be slower, and slightly less than what might be expected the other two procedures.

When an experienced surgeon advises a procedure, based on my needs, I tend to listen. He also made it very clear that success with the band meant that I had to have follow up visits, on a schedule, and not when I felt like going back. In other words, success depended on my motivation and my willingness to make the band work. So far, they are calling me back every 3 mos. for evaluations, and I will note that Medicare is NOT paying them for those visits; since under that plan it is considered follow up care after surgery. The doctor is not making a dime. I see a lot of folks who have gone for years without follow up examinations. Unless you have the insurance, or willing to pay out of pocket for follow ups, I'd that you have a good discussion with the surgeon regarding whether the band is right for your needs.

I am almost two years out, and I am doing well with the band. My weight loss is moderate, but I feel much better and can do things I could not before. I don't miss appointments. You will see a lot folks who have been banded, without insurance, who don't do the requisite follow ups! That is a path to failure.

Edited October 7, 2014 by labwalker

[CarmenLeAn 99]

I'm 11 months out. Started out at 291lbs. Down to 174 as of now now. Stil want to lose 14 more.

I was looking into to bypass (didn't know about the sleeve). My husband and I discussed it and decided bypass was too extreme.

Went to a seminar with my doc about a month later and really researched the procedure. Decided it was a good fit for me. Did my 6 months of supervised weighs per insurance and had my surgery last Novemeber.

Best thing I have ever done for myself. I'm happy and healthy. Good Luck!

[Corridor72 518]

Increadible, Congratulations!! Regaining your health must feel amazing. How has your skin responded to your loss?

Umm, well...depends on who you ask! I can see the loose skin. I know it's there. However, it isn't as bad as I imagined it would be and quite frankly, people are always surprised when I tell them how much weight I've lost. I've gotten used to the jaw drop-moment of silence-"OMG! You are kidding?!" response which is always followed by comments about how good my skin looks. People always talk about how you can usually tell when someone has lost that much weight, especially in a short amount of time, but that you would never guess that by looking at me. My WLS surgeon even commented saying that, if he hadn't known me when I was fat, he would never guess by looking at me now that I've ever had a weight problem. I went in last week for a hysterectomy. When they transferred me from recovery into my room, there were about 6 nurses in the room to get me moved to the bed and help get me settled. As they were all working, they were asking questions regarding previous history and when I told them I'd had lap-band, the entire room fell silent. They all turned and stared at me with their jaws on the floor for a minute before one of them finally said "Honey, I don't think you need one of those! You're little enough as it is! You get any smaller and you'll be invisible." I LOL'd and then told them I have lost 135 lbs. They were stunned and went on to tell me they wouldn't have guessed it and told me how fantastic my skin looks. They really made me feel good about myself too because here I was, immediately post-op, no makeup, hair in a ponytail, not feeling the best, and the whole time I was there they kept telling me how beautiful I was Love those girls!

[lisacaron 5,075]

I can give you all my statistics and tell you about all my gains and losses and why "I" chose the band, but those things are not what is really going to help you.

Everyone can find success and failure with any WLS modality. For that matter people can find success with Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig or Medicinal intervention. For most of us our reasons for choosing Weight Loss Surgery was because we have exhausted all other other attempts to lose our weight, keep it off, get and stay at a healthy weight.

I can't tell you that your diabetes will go away because it may not. I can't tell you that you won't have high blood pressure because you may lose all your weight and still be hypertensive. I can't tell you that you won't get cancer, but I can tell you that losing weight will greatly reduce the statistics that these things will kill you.

The reason to choose one WLS over another is YOU and your medical team. You can have a Gastirc bypass lose all your weight only to gain it back 3 years later, the same can be said for the sleeve or the band.

You are the key here friend. YOU and only you can make this choice for yourself. What do YOU feel would be the most successful surgery for you? What do the doctors who have been taking care of you think? Do they agree with what you think? If not why not? These are some key questions to ask.

After doing exhausting research on the modalities of WLS, finding out the pro's and con's of each surgery, and let me tell you that the worst "con's" against any surgery are almost always people's negative experiences amplified and not so much "fact". For me I need the facts, and no matter which one you choose or how you spin it the worst is always death, and/or major complications. This would be true of any surgery, for any reason.

While some think this is an "elective" surgery for me that is not how I view it. For me it was a life saving surgery as much as if I needed open heart surgery and that's the idea I went into this with.

I chose the band based on my research and personal experiences meeting others who have had other surgeries, witnessing their experiences and knowing myself well enough to know what it would take for me to be compliant with all of these types of surgery.

I chose the band, because at this point in my life I am not ready to re-wire my entire digestive system. I do not want to have part of my stomach removed if it does not need to be. I knew I could and would be compliant with the band surgery and make it work for me and I loved the fact that I could alter it to fit my life and my life style.

I can add Fluid and remove Fluid. I have done so when I have gotten sick and then put more in when I was well. My husband who is also banded was able to loosen the band and take fluid out so that he could recover from hip replacement surgery smoothly, and then was able to put the fluid back in once he was off the medications he needed to take.

Most of all when you hear all the good the bad and the ugly, take the time to work out and understand the mechanics of all the surgery options. Read all you can and I always advocate @Alex Brecher books!

Decide what is best for YOU with the guidance of your doctors and medical team.

I wish you all the best on your journey!

[Debbie3sons 1,936]

My start weight was 326 or 320 can't remember after 2 years out , that was when I started thinking about it that was my weight then after my consult after the weigh in at the Surgeons office he gave me the pre op papers and instructions and after pre op right before and at time of surgery I weighed 276 , I chose the band because I knew it was revisable if anything happened , I also chose it because I needed help and I saw what happened with other wls on friends, family, and coworkers , I knew when my health started going down and I had to walk with a cane just to hold up my weight because my legs couldn't hold my weight now I can move and walk without a cane and have lost 110 lbs. so far I have 40 more to go to get to my goal of 135 & when I do it will be 150 lbs. I will have lost

[erika00000 27]

Thank you all for sharing your insights. It's very good to know that there is a resource like this that I can use throughout all phases of this process. I wish you all continued sucess!!

[MarieMarie 346]

I hadn't weighed myself in years. I was scared of any major stomach surgery. When I heard of the slimband, I knew it was for me. The weight loss is slow and steady. My pre op was 297 and I had probably lost some in the previous weeks