I'm new and need advice

Hello everyone!

My name is Courtney and I am 24.  Today I had my first consultation with a surgeon for possible lap band.  The bad part is, my issuance will not cover this, so I will be self paying.  This is my first big investment, but I see it as a great one.

Will anyone give me some pointers or a real life look into the band.  I have heard so many mixed results!  Any advice will help. 

Also how do I get my picture on here, every time I try they say it is way too big???

Thank you

You will get differing p.o.v about the band! Even stats don't really hep all that much. I was talking to my own doc today and he says that the results from wls statistics are not consistent. Certainly consider any stats (which may be posted on here by a couple of very bitter ex-bandsters) which say that enormous number of bands will be removed in the first few years! But be aware that there are other studies showing a more postiive picture. Studies going back as far as 12 years show rates of re-ops ranging from just 2% to 24%!

I  love my band but you need to be aware that you need to work with it - hard! Loss will not be fast and you need on-going after care - expensive if you are self pay.

But for me, it was the only option I would ever consider and for me it has been an outstanding success.

Kate

The band is a lot of work.  It's not as fast or as easy to lose weight as other surgeries.  But I do think it will work if you put the work into it.  You MUST follow the band rules and You MUST exercise.

Here are my only warnings

The band only works as hard as you do.  It won't do the work for you.

You won't feel much restriction for about 3-5 fills (it took me 7-8 fills)...so you will be on your own till you do have restriction.  It will be like any other diet you have been on...it will be your own willpower keeping you from heaving a pile of fries into your mouth.  

Also I noticed that you are self pay.  After surgery with all of the doctor visits and fills (that you need to be successful in your journey) will cost money.  I'm not sure how many fills are covered with your surgery.  But I still go in to see my surgeon 2 years afterward and I have heard people say that fills cost any where from $150-$500...I have even heard some one say they paid $1000.  I just want to make sure you know expense this may entail.  I am so luck my insurance covers it all for me...I just pay the office co-pay.

Good luck in your journey

  

I am a self pay lapbander I had the surgery done this past Nov  and Im very pleased.

But please if you do get the lapband make sure you have back up plans incase something goes wrong.

I dont sit here and worry if something could happen to my band , but I did talk to my banker before I had the surgery to make sure if something would happen if I would be able to get the funds for the operation so make sure you have a back up plan just in case .

Also, your fills those are very important.  Most docs if you are self pay your first yr's worth of fills are included with the price they quote you .  Mine does.  Now , I have been skipping fills I have skipped my first two and they do not give you credit for later use.

Find out how much your fills are.!! I have heard some really high prices on here for fills but my doc only charges me 75 bucks for fills which is really cheap I think.  He gives me a discount because I am self pay.

Also my doc included if anything happens to the band or the port the first yr of my post op then he will redo the operation for free no charge to me so see if you doc has a plan like that also.

I dont regret getting the band at all,  I still eat my favorite foods, there is nothing I cant eat, and Im losing about 1-2 pounds per week and my band is empty  :o)

Hi Courtney and welcome!

It's true, you will hear lots of opinions on this forum about the band.  You'll hear horror stories from some and positive success stories from others.  The band is not for everyone.  There can be complications but so can there be with any WL surgery.   Do your research and weigh the pros and cons. of all the surgeries.

The weight loss can be slower but in saying that, there are many folks who have lost an incredible amt of weight in just a years time.  For others it can be much slower.  You need to work very hard with the band both for safety and for success.  You need to follow the band rules
which your surgeon should go over with you.  It is a major change and for a lifetime.  This is not a quick fix or magic.  I am only a couple months into my journey and I am so far very happy with my decision.  I made up my mind to go into this with a positive attitude, knowing fully well that things can go wrong.  If and when they do I will deal with them.  

Being self pay it makes this an even bigger decision for you.  As Kate said, you will need a lot of aftercare and you must be prepared to pay for it for a long time.  This is not to discourage you by any means, just be aware.

I wish you the best and keep posting and reading.

Lyn 

If you are self pay I would think long and hard about banding. It provides the least weight loss and the most mechanical complications. Any mechanical complications need to be repaired with a 2nd self pay surgery. So really do your homework here and make sure you can afford the aftercare.

 Hey Courtney
I have had a long journey with my lapband and that is because I haven't been doing my part but I am getting back on track and with the band it is easy to start over so here I go.
I posted on my blog a long time a ago a video about lapband and it is a great video. The site is 
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3190472028990485080&q=lap+band
You can also go to my blog and read in the 2007 postings 

 Why I picked lapband over other surgeries!

 

My blog is
www.theweightofamy.blogspot.com
I haven't been blogging there very much but I just updated it so you can read my story about how I haven't done my job there. 
Hope this info helps.

Hi Courtney,

If you are self pay, please do yourself a favor and research the Sleeve, as well. I wouldn't recommend the band, personally. I had the band done in 2003 and had nothing but complications with it. I watched almost everyone else I knew go through revisions, removals, etc. It just doesn't seem to be proving itself to be a good long term option. 

As for your avatar, here's a site that is helpful. Be sure to put 100 in for the size.

http://www.shrinkpictures.com/create-avatar/

This is what real life with the band has been like for me............I am self-pay also. I have had 15 fills in 15 months and have yet to reach restriction/sweet spot, nor do I ever expect to reach it at this point! I have since getting the band, had a lot of bandsters tell me they never got it either!

It has been a complete waste of time and MONEY! Had I known then what I know now I NEVER woule have gotten the band! I would NOT recommend the band to my worst enemy!

Please visit the revision forum and see how many bandsters are revising FROM the band! If the band was that great and worked the way it's advertised then we wouldn't have all those bandsters wanting it out and willing to put theirselves through the pain and expense of yet another WLS now would we???

Think twice, cut once!

Hi Courtney...
  I am a newbie but I love my band. I have been following the rules and so far so good! I heard alot of mixed reviews also but I did what I felt was the best option for me...To be honest money is just money to me...I mean do not get me wrong I DONT HAVE ALOT :) but my health and me being happy and feeling alive is so much more important to me than the money. Money can always be made in my eyes. Also, I knew what all the risks were when entering the OR room to get my band surgery. I do not worry about the future and what COULD happen....Shoot If I did that I would be a mess!!! I mean I could get cancer...I could get into a car and get into a major accident...I could walk across the street and get hit by a car....My band COULD fail or have complications! I will worry about those things when it happens and Im not going to live in fear everyday because of what people tell me what could happen! Im 27 and I have alot of life to live BANDED:) Do whats best for you girl...listen to the good and to the bad and go with your heart:) Good luck! Renee