Is the band a waste of money?

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Well you need to know that the band is not a magic cure. You will still be able to eat candy ice cream, etc. You still have to use willpower and exercise.

If you get the right fills, you will have trouble eating bread, potatoes, noodles & pizza. The band works the best for volume eaters. If over eating is your problem, like you always go for seconds, and eat huge portions, the band will help with that.

I had no recovery to speak of. I would have never known I had surgery other than the little marks on my tummy. I was out walking 3 dogs the day after surgery.

I have thrown up, but it's because I didn't chew well enough or took too big of a bite. That comes after you have had fills. After you have fills, you do have to be careful to chew well so your food can go through the band.

I had a lower bmi too, and I paid $10,000.00 for my band and I would do it again tomorrow.

If I haven't answered your questions, feel free to ask some more.

[TerriDoodle 6]

When I saw the title of this post, I thought it was some kind of JOKE! I was self-pay too and I think this is the best $13,000 i ever spent! I'd drive an old jaloppy for 5 years if I had to...I'd never give up my band! (And I've had lots of PB's! It's not that big of a deal!)

Best of luck to you and here's some words of wisdom: Stay away from the Complications board!!!

[utep99 0]

I was banded on Aug 15. So I am new. I can honestly say I would do it over again last week I was 286 right now 8 days later I am 265.5 Alot depends on you. If you are low BMI I was at 40 and can do it on your own go for it any Bariatic Surgeon will tell u that. Since my surgery my meds have dropped significzntly from 13 pills a day to 6 of the 6 2 are decongestants and a Vitamin and a B12. Is it easy not always it is a learning process. But as the doctor put it to me you have a 7 year old daughter your 50/50 at seeing here graduate if u do nothing. after a week I am off my diabetis meds and blood sugar is never high. A great start to a new and longer life. Can u get off fast foods and white foods for good?? you possibly can do it alone but even considering a band tells me you have tried and possibly failed before. My heartfelt answer is have it done a year from now you will thank all of us for the advise. God Bles:car:

[Daisalana 33]

Terri's right.. Your doctor will let you know the risks, and while you shouldn't ignore them, I took it with a grain of salt. Of course there's risks, no need to dwell on them. Until I was post-op, I did not read any of the threads in complications here. I avoided any negative information, because I didn't want to scare myself out of it (I probably would have!).

And I'm very very thankful. Now if I could just get a good fill!

[Devana 0]

My buddy Jane and I were banded at the same time in Mexico a year ago. She had a low BMI and mine was high. She has been at her goal weight for a few months and is now concentrating on toning and fitness. She has told me on several occasions that it was the best $7000 she ever spent and doesn't regret it for one minute.

As for myself, my loss has been much slower, and I've been frustrated by a several month long plateau which I'm slowly coming off of. I believe this is totally my own doing, in that I've not been carefully following the "bandster rules". However, the interesting thing is, is that during this time I haven't gained, and in my past life if I wasn't actively dieting, I was gaining. So I, too, have no regrets. My weight loss so far has made a tremendous difference in my activities and ability to do things and I know that eventually I'll reach my goal.

All the best on your journey.

[Daisalana 33]

Another good point. I'm frustrated right now at my lack of restriction, but the plus side is I'm not gaining. And I know for a fact from past dieting, for every 1lb I could lose, I gained 5lb more. I gained nearly 80lbs in one year before I decided to do the band (after losing quite a bit from Atkins), and it was only getting worse. Even on my bad months, right now where I'm not restricted and losing, I'm not gaining. That's a bonus. My great g'ma was morbidly obese and bed ridden by age 30. She weighed around 500-600lbs and died by age 35 from diabetes. I felt like I was heading that way with my gross weight gain and predisposition in my family to be diabetic.

[Missy0224 6]

Tulips, I don't understand why you would have weight loss surgery to lose 40 lbs. If upsets me so much that these doctors do surgery for just about anyone as long as they get paid. I was 300 lbs and my goal is 150 lbs. For someone wanting to lose 100 pounds+ it is understandable. I just don't think it's worth all the trouble for 40 pounds. I'm not trying to sound rude by any means so please don't take it that way.

[Daisalana 33]

I think it depends on the situation. I hear they do lap-band for preventative now.. which I think is a great idea! And whether it's 40lbs or 150lbs, if you can't lose it, you can't lose it. And at any overweight you can have problems due to it. And 40lbs can turn into 80lbs, and so on.

So, I don't necessarily agree with that.

[tulips 0]

Tulips, I don't understand why you would have weight loss surgery to lose 40 lbs. If upsets me so much that these doctors do surgery for just about anyone as long as they get paid. I was 300 lbs and my goal is 150 lbs. For someone wanting to lose 100 pounds+ it is understandable. I just don't think it's worth all the trouble for 40 pounds. I'm not trying to sound rude by any means so please don't take it that way.

I totally understand your question and am not insulted in the least. First of all, I have decided against doing it -- for now anyway.

You have understand that I have been fighting my weight all of my adult (and late teen) years. I have never been technically "obese" until recently. Still, it seems like I always need to lose anywhere from 25 to 60 lbs. In the past, as soon as the weight came off, I would gain back plus some. After have 2 kids I weighed 175 for quite awhile. I decided to diet and get the weight off. I did. I got down to 142 and even though I was still technically slightly overweight or the bigger end of the "normal" range, I was happy with that weight. I maintained the weight for a few months, but over the next 1 1/2 year or so I gained it all back plus 20 more. I sat at 194 and a bmi of 35.

That's when I started researching the band. The constant up and down is not good for me and I hate the yo-yo thing. You should see my closet. I have an assortment of clothes sizes ranging from a size 6 to a 16. Anyway, as far as the doc being willing to do it-- there has been quite a bit of research showing lots of great success for banding people with bmi's b/w 30-35. The doc I went to asked me lots of pointed questions and I asked many back to her. She told me I did not "technically" meet the requirements for the band, but given that I was not going into this lightly, my family history (lots of obesity and early deaths from obesity related illnesses -- my dad died at 69), and my 15+ years of yo-yo dieting she would be willing to perform the surgery.

[Missy0224 6]

I noticed that you've lost 12 lbs already. That's great. I can't count how many times I tried dieting and would lose nothing. To me, the yo yo dieting is pointless and I chose Lapband because I will never see myself gaining back the 60 lbs that I've lost. I wish you the best of luck with everything and thanks for being understanding.

[green 6]

I got the surgery in order to lose 40 lbs and happily I have lost almost 50! I am post-menopausal and I had watched my weight gradually creeping up over the years. This seemed to be a one-way road going in the wrong direction and so I wanted the band for both for weight loss and for prevention of weight gain. I did try the exercise route but that only resulted in firmer fat and I sure didn't want to get into the diet yo-yo thing. The weight losses and subsequent gains which we go through when we diet are hard on our bodies and hard on us emotionally, too.

[losingjusme 12]

it was completely worth it for me. i have lost 125 pounds in almost 11 months (very high BMI to start). it has truly changed my life. i skipped with my daughter this morning. it was so much fun!!! i am living my life now.

whatever your decision, i wish you the best of luck.

[pj robinson 0]

hi all,

please remember, your band is a tool, not a cure all. it is up to you how you use it as to how sucessful you will be at losing the wt. with that being said, i would do it all over again. i had medical insur to pay for my surgery. i would have paid cash if i had no insur. it has definetly been the best wt loss method for myself. this is also a very big life style changing experience, not just another failed diet plan.

best of luck to all of you & much success on your journey.

god bless, p.j. robinson

[green 6]

Yup, I paid cash, 16,000 Canadian dollars for the band and a lifetime of aftercare. This was income tax deductible which was a pleasant benefit for me. The fact that the clinic where I had the work done is almost within walking distance is also very nice. Pj is right, the band is a tool, a fabulous tool, but there are rules for the tool.

[mbeckett1 0]

I would have given anything to have the band available when I was only 40lbs overweight. I would never have gone through sleep apnea, swollen feet & the other complications most of us have exerienced. I am glad they are using the band for preventative measures now. 40lbs becomes 60 & then 80 so fast! I am living proof. If it helps to get down to an ideal / healthy weight why not?? I am not one to say that some people whether thinner or younger should or shouldn't get the band...I just don't know enough about everyone's situation. Best of luck if you decide to go through with the procedure!