Meeting Requirements for Lap Band

hello, I have an information seminar about the lap band scheduled for august 4. i am female, 25 years old, 5'5" and a little over 240 lbs which puts me right around a bmi of 40. My question is, will they usually try other things first like doctor prescribed diets etc, or do they usually agree to surgery if I have made several attempts to lose weight on my own?

Igained 50 lbs from my pregnancy, my son is now 8 months old, and ever since gaining the weight I just can't get full and am constantly hungry. i have read some stuff about a hormone called glucagon misfiring in obese people causing a lack of satiety, i think thats whats going on with me. i have been trying to lose weight since my son was born but instead have gained 20 lbs. I am just so hungry all of the time and I have to eat so much to get full. i think the lap band will help but im afraid of potential surgery getting pushed back because of doctors wanting to try other options that wont work.

thanks for feedback

Have you thoroughly investigated the lap band because it has a significant failure rate.  Many hospitals and doctors are refusing to do the lap band because of the failure rate.  

I just had my lap band removed 2 days ago.  Have had it for 7 years and regained al the weight but I can't blame that on the band.  After 3 years of dealing with the band, I had gone thru some personal things and ended up giving up on it all.

You have to do what is right for you and there ARE many people who have been very happy with the band.  I, however, stopped bragging about it years ago.  Please research all of your options and start with your doctor.

PLEASE research all your other options before choosing the Band. Yes, there are some people who are very happy and successful with the Band, but there are also HUGE numbers of people who aren't. Also, the Band has a lifespan of about ten years---do you really want a temporary solution to a life-long problem?

Research the VSG/Sleeve, the RY/gastric bypass, and the DS/duodenal switch. All of them have higher long-term success rates than the Band.

I agree with MsBatt (as usual) please please do NOT get a lap band! I had one for 7 yrs and it was nothing but one problem after another after the first couple of years and I only lost 20 lbs even with following all the rules that go along with it. I finally HAD to have it removed (at my expense, still waiting for the final bill) because of the pain it caused. Now I have permanent damage to my stomach from it. This is not an isolated case it happens all the time to hundreds of other people.

The band is only good for maybe 10 yrs but usually only lasts about 3-5 before it starts building up so much scar tissue between the band and the stomach that it starts causing horrible pain even with an empty band. Then there is the erosion into the stomach and slippage that happens fairly often those usually require emergency removal. Even the Mayo Clinic will no longer put in lap bands! That is very telling that they won't even us them anymore. Doctors tho love them because they are a big money maker, some charge as much as $1000 for a fill! If you lose your insurance coverage like I did then YOU are stuck having to pay for the fills and unfills so of course the docs like them, easy money for a useless product. They are only effective in 50% of the patients and that just means they lost some (not all) of their weight.

If hunger is your problem like you say then the sleeve is what you want. It has been done for decades to treat cancer so it is well proven as effective. The sleeve removes the part of the stomach that produces grehlin the hormone that makes you hungry. Plus gives you a very small stomach so you can't eat as much. I have a BIL that had it done 20 yrs ago for cancer and he's doing great this far out.

I truely beg you to skip the band and go with any other surgery but the band. I would suggest the sleeve because that's what I wanted to revise to but can't because of lung issues. The sleeve does what we were told the band would but didn't. We were all lied to by the manufacturer of the band and it still continues. You would not believe the number of failed band people there are out there. Go to FB and see how many failed groups there are. I wouldn't wish a band on satan himself because they are so horrible!

As fo having any waiting time, many of the docs and most insurance companies require a 3-6 mo. dieting try to qualify for any weight loss surgery. It goes by pretty fast tho and is worth the wait. Good luck to you!

Some insurance companies want  you to go on a medically supervised diet. basically they wanted me to be in the program for six months before I was approved. I had to meet with the nutritionist a few times and try to eat healthy I lost about 10 pounds in six months. Then I had to do 2 week liquid diet per my doctor before surgery. Not all doctors have their patients do that.  Research all your options and talk with your doctor. You both will decide what will work best for you. FYI the band did not cure my hunger, it has been a lot of work to lose any weight. I had some up and downs and a lot of trial and error but it did work and has continued to work for me as long as I watch what I eat daily. Good luck to you. If you have any questions feel free to Pm me I will try to help if I can.

I know they refuse to place new band here because of issues and lack of success long term. 

Research all options. Make an informed decision. Hopefully you don't go to some place where they don't have a comprehensive program as the full package of dietitian and support is incredibly useful. 

Bands are an absolute nightmare,  to put it simply. They're the worst. 

The lap band does not have a very good long term success rate. I would discuss other options like the VSG or RNY. The band also has a lot of complications like slippage and you constantly have to go back to the doctor to get the band filled. Too much commitment and expense for me.