Considering lab band surgery... lots of questions......

~Can I count on success?  Can I count on it lasting and being permanent?~

With the band probably not! It is rare for a bandster to make it with the band 5 years. It is extremely rare for a bandster to make it 5 years and be successful and not have complications.

I would not recommend the band to my worst enemy!

"With the band probably not! It is rare for a bandster to make it with the band 5 years. It is extremely rare for a bandster to make it 5 years and be successful and not have complications."

That is factually incorrect


"I would not recommend the band to my worst enemy!"

That is factually correct

Yeah will I can almost guarantee you will feel completely different in 5 years!

If you are looking for a guaranteed weight loss surgery there is none, they can all fail and fairly easily. The whole point of any WLS is you MUST change your current habits of eating if you don't no surgery will help. All the surgeries require a high protein diet so it can be expensive. I would never urge anyone to get the band it often doesn't work and really only works if you are a volume eater. I lost a grand total of 40 lbs and regret daily that I listened to my surgeon who said it would work even tho I've never been a volume eater. If you want a chance at a successful surgery look at the VSG, RNY or DS they are all more successful than the band. There are some successful bandsters but they are very dedicated and worked very hard to lose what they did, but they are the exception rather than the rule. Please thoroughly study all the surgeries so you can make an educated choice!

Thanks for all of your advice.  I will consider other surgeries.... but they all seem to involve a higher level of risk than the band.  I am not saying that I have not followed eating programs and tried to eat healthy along with the exercise.  I have and tried plenty of different things over and over some of the same ones for a lonnnng lonnng time... with no real success... That is why I am no longer doing them... I was working so hard and not getting any results.  Over that long of a period it was very frustrating to work so hard and not have results... I did combine proper eating with exercise, but it wasn't successful.  I could have always done better at the eating but I wasn't terrible at it... but no matter what I have done nothing has worked.  All I really wanted to know was if this tool really worked well at helping you to be able to eat better or not.... and if it really helped you with weight loss very much.... I'm not sure how but somehow I've confused you to thinking that I didn't try to change my eating habits... I did.  But I was saying that I can't understand why I am gaining and gaining.... when I am working out like a mad woman..... and eating habits not changed as in not in a bad way as in not any more than I used to but working out more and more.... and STILL not having success... I do not understand it at all.  So I was thinking that it would be better if I did have some type of tool to help me so that then maybe when I combined it with eating right and exercise... maybe then it will work.  But don't know if I'm willing to take such a risk as surgery only to SEE if that would work.... seems like alot of risk.... without knowing for sure that it would help me.  I know it's not a miracle worker and that I have to do my part.  I have two friends who have had the lap band done and each has lost a considerable amount of weight... but both want to lose more.  I know it not going to be without hard work and discipline and self control on my part.  I thought I said that.  But if I am going to take a risk for something I'd like to at least know that I can count on it to be an effective tool to help me lose weight... a tool... not a miracle working weight loss solution where I do nothing and it does all the work... I just wanted to know if it was the right tool for me..... and if it would help you to stick to the eating any better because I need help with the eating area....I just wanted to know what others thought of it.... which I guess I do now. 

And I do beg to differ that fresh produce and healthy breads and other health foods for a family of 4 costs a considerble bit more than items such as beans, potatoes, frozen pizzas. and spaghetti.  Especially when you are trying to feed everyone in your household on under 200 dollars or less at times for two weeks.  That doesn't go very far when you have to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner at home every day of the week.  Pizzas cost about 1.00 where I get them and a pack of pinto beans about the same and get the potatoes from my mom.... and spaghetti and spaghetti sauce is extremely cheap... by the time you buy other things to have such as oatmeal, cereal, bread, milk, eggs and some cheap items for lunch as well as pet food and litter.... cleaning supplies, toiletries... etc.... it does add up over two weeks for a family of four... and yes it is alot cheaper... and there have been more than enough times that we have had alot less than 200 bucks and had to eat ramen noodles and pizzas alot because they are reallllly cheap... like 10 cents a pack and pizzas 1 dollar each... so um yeah that is alot cheaper.... and no not ideal.... but you have to feed your family the best way you can .... plus still get gas and prescriptions too...... No it's not what I want.... but it's what I can do sometimes... there are times every once in a while where we have more and can get stuff for veggie soup which goes a long way and for salad fixings.  But just not able to afford to buy the food the way I need to most of the time.  And I am wondering if it is expensive to eat the after surgery diet.....  if so that's gonna be tough for me.  I do hope you all have a great night/day. 

God Bless...

Very interesting how many of you like the other surgical options better.  Hmm.mm.... thanks for advicing me to research the others futher.  I will.  but I am not sure I am wiling to go that risky.... lap band felt risky enough to  me....

I totally agree to check out every WLS available.
And don't discount the LapBand solely on what you read here.  IF I only knew LapBanders here on OH, I would have never gotten one.  I know many very successful banders in real life and I attend a support group with many who are at goal and living happily.  They are not members of OH and have never been.  Many successful banders do not come here.  But many with problems do.  They come here seeking help and support and that is what we are here to do.  But I think many times it gives us the idea that ALL LapBanders are unhappy and living with complications.  I have had my LapBand now for almost 4  years.  I am almost to my goal, I am healthy, happy and have not had any issues at all.  Not one!  I'm an individual and this is my story only.  But for me the LapBand was the right and only decision!  It's been a miracle.

Do what is right for you.  Not one WLS fits every obese person.  Check and see what each requires as a new lifestyle - Changing your lifestyle to fit the lifestyle of your specific WLS is vital.  Some require multiple lab tests and vitamins and minerals on a regular basis.  Is that something you can do?  Personally, malabsorption wasn't something I wanted to deal with.  That was me and my choice.  Make your choice and I wish you good luck with whatever WLS you decide.  We are all in this together - we all have the common desire to be healthy and happy!!

Thank you!  Great advice.  I do have to friends that are 'lapbanders' ha!  And they both have said even though they are still working hard to get to goal.... that they would both do it all over again... and they don't even know each other or live anywhere near each other.  Two totally different cases, both still working on getting to goal, both still happy they did it.  But I know that no WLS is one size fits all.....Nor would any of them not require a healthy life style change.  I am fully willing to commit... I just want to make sure the surgery I choose is going to work and not be a waste of time or money.  If I'm going to take a risk I want to know that it will be the tool I need it to be to aid in my weightloss journey.  I have committed to healthier eating and exercise for years... for health reasons right now exercise isn't going too well... and have currently fallen off my eating healthy routine... and am feeling pretty bummed and wanting to end this cycle once and for all.  So hard to understand that even though I haven't been eating any more than I used to but have been working out more (before I got too sick too) I have only gained weight and lots of fluid and lots of health problems to boot!  I am so tired of this and want and need help... I am hopeful that there is something out there that will help..... not do it all but... help me if Istick to my part....and I will begin more research on the other surgeries.... I am sure they work... I am just not really into taking the more riskier route... Thanks again for your post... It is so positive... I appreciate that.  =)  And congrats on all of your success!  Happy Banding!  =)  

I know this is going to sound kind of *****y and I'm sorry. But this statement clearly shows you have not yet done enough research.  VSG is the lowest risk and (very good results but DS is probably best long-term) option of ALL the 4 WLS. Despite cutting off part of your stomach. Ironically making your stomach smaller is "less damaging" than what the band has done to me and many others.  

The lap band is NOT less risky. You need to get on the revisions/complications boards and (better yet) start reading the medical journal articles. The statistics out there now are astounding at the failure rate, lack of weight loss, damage to the internal organs the band causes. Had this info been out 4 years ago, there's no way in hell I would have gotten it.

Read, read, and read some more. Talk to people who have had it ( with success or not). Don't let anyone cut you until you are 100% sure which way you want to go.

Bandiing is not for everyone, RNY is not for everyone, VSG is not for everyone, DS is not for everyone -----

I will say that if you struggle (as you claim) to purchase healthy groceries, that you should be very careful to consider the 'hidden costs' of every type of surgery.

Banding requires consistent medical follow up to be successful -- and fills and doctors appointments can be expensive (even if your doctor says that fill are included NOW, that does not mean that they will always be included).  Even if your insurance pays for things today, that does not mean that they will pay for things next year.

RNY and DS require a significant amount of vitamin supplementation -- and those can cost 50.00 or much more per month -- out of pocket.

I don't know what VSG requires as on-going maintenance --- but please be sure you understand all of that before you go into surgery.

We see alot of people here who have problems with their bands because they cannot afford the maintenance that is required.