What purpose does lapband serve?

Hello, i am seriously considering getting the lapband and i noticed some people state that you still need to diet and excercise on the lapband, and i dont mean this in an offensive way but if you still need to "diet" then why get lapband at all....i was under the impression that because you couldn't eat alot that your calories would be restricted either way, not saying that i think someone should eat fast food and candy on the lapband, but regular food, like pasta and chicken. can someone please explain this to me a little better, because i want to know how much the person is doing and what benefits that lapband has, if any? Thank you in advance.

Good question. I think my DH even asked the same question of me in the beginning.
I've never had any problem with dieting...i could always lose the weight but it always came back after the diet was over. The band has reduced my appetite by 60-70%. It acts like a early warning system for me and makes me take smaller bites and eat slower. Seems like I was always in a rush before with only 10-15 minutes to eat....now i ENJOY my meals and take my time.

I am not following a diet plan other than to make sure I get enough protein every day and eat small meals when I am hungry..stopping after I am full...which doesn't take long. Maybe that's why I am a slow loser - I don't exercise enough (bad knee) and I don't make any food "bad". The other day at a buffet, there was a broken sliver of pecan pie that the hostess was about to clear way with a new pie when I told her, nope..I want THAT piece. It was only 2 bitefuls but it was enough to content me. And I am still losing inches and ounces *G*

I can eat most pasta and chicken. Some pasta is thicker than others- Ive only gotten stuck on a few pastas and chicken. I can eat chicken just fine as long as it's not reheated. Some will say if my band was tight enough, I couldn't eat those foods but I sure as hell didn't get the band and expect to cross out these foods forever . There are no bad foods, IMO. I don't dump so I can enjoy any type of desserts....its just instead of eating 1/2 the pie or a whole pizza. I just have a slice...once in a while when the taste for it arises.

I used to be a compulsive eater but sought counselling for it for years before even considering WLS. Dunno if you can say i am "cured" but I definitely don't turn to food for comfort anymore...and treat it as fuel for my body. That's one reason I didn't choose Rny because I did not want to risk losing the joy and pleasures of food. I don't want to cross certain foods off nor did I want to have to remind myself to eat...and have meals become only just fuel. This is just me. I'm not knocking anyone elses WLS.

Lastly, I would not be able to maintain this weight loss without the band. I was a size 22-24 about 18 months ago. I'm now wearing 14-16's without gaining, pb'ng or any other band issues.

All this being said, I don't tell anyone they should get a band because of all the issues I have seen here. It's a crap shoot because some people's anatomies just cant tolerate the thing. I'm just lucky that its working for me ( beside having a trusted and skilled surgeon in the first place).

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but just about everyone who has weight loss surgery regardless of the type has to eat differently (I didn't say exercise because some people can lose without it).......there are some people that are exceptions to the rule but most have to make some serious life changes after weight loss surgery if not then any weight loss most likely will come back on eventually.

Now the band works best for volume eaters and is meant to work best with solid protein......and with the proper restriction level (not everyone reaches it) it does cut down on the volume of food that you take in and therefore does restrict your caloric level.

For me it greatly reduced my hunger and worked well when I followed my Surgeons rules of solid protein first, then some veggies and only then carbs. I followed that along with no drinking within 30 min. of eating and not within 60 after, eating small bites and chewing my food real good and taking my time to eat.

I lost 80 pounds in the first year, 10more the months after for 90 total and maintained that loss until this past November. I have since gained back 27 pounds from my lowest. I could blame the fact that I had a unfill on the gain but it was me that put the wrong foods into my mouth and didn'****ch my volume....now I didn't have the band to restrict the volume and that was not my fault......

It did make me realize how much having that restriction meant to me in having success with weight loss.... so the band does in fact work, but it takes work for most.......

It might be easier with malabsorption type surgeries but to the best of my knowledge there is still a lifestyle change that must take place.

I hope this explains it a little better, I tried to get it in without writing a 5 page essay LOL.....

Michele

My thoughts...nothing! Go with weigh****chers or go more extreme aka gastric bi-pass. I know that there are people on here who will tell you that the band was the best thing ever, but I'm not one of them. I wish that I hadn't done it at all, total disappointment.

The purpose the lapband was supposed to serve was help control portion size and make me feel full longer. What purpose it actually DID serve was to keep me from being able to eat solid foods at all and be in chronic pain for years.  

Can you imagine the damage putting a live pack of weasels in an abdominal cavity would do?  That's what the lapband did to my organs.

If a person is looking for an effective way to incur permanent, painful damage, the lapband is the best way to go.

If I had to do it all over again I would have gastric bypass.  I had the lapband surgery a year ago and have only lost about 35 lbs.  I was a self pay and I really wish I had all that money back!!!!

I suggest you do a lot of research outside of reading people's opinions on this board. Research ALL the weight loss surgeries that you may be interested in. There are pros and cons to all of them.
In my opinion the Lap Band was for me. I loved that it was reversible and I plan on God willing having more kids, so while I researched I found that the Band was the best fit for me.(there were many more reasons why i chose it)...
I was banded on 2/2/12 and have not had any issues. I have no saline in my band and I already feel restriction. It aids in keeping your portions small and helps you eat a lot slower. I have lost over 20 lbs since being banded. I think part of finding success with a band is following the directions of your medical team and participating in after care (group sessions, visits w/your nutritionist etc).
Like other people on this board, I must say that I had no problem dieting, the weight would come off and then come on just as quickly the minute i stopped counting points, or indulged in something i shouldnt have eaten. Its a big compromise and the Band just like any other WLS is a "tool" you have to use it to your advantage. You need to work your tool, i wish you and all others on the board luck with their WLS and for those that have not found success with the Band, I can only imagine how frustrating that must be! God willing they will find another path that can aid them!
Good luck with your research!

Brii59 - Everyone experience is different. The best way to explain is the lap band is a tool. You will still watch what you eat and exercise. You will have diet changes with whichever surgery you chose. You will be asked to exercise with whichever surgery you chose. I chose the lap band because I wanted to lose the weight slowly and hopefully avoid plastic surgery. My weight is coming off slow but I was restricted by my podiatrist for 3 months from weight bearing exercise.

The main thing to remember is chose a good doctor. Compare the surgeries, risks and life style changes. Ask yourself the hard questions. There may be foods you love that you will have to avoid after surgery. Lastly, no matter with either surgery you can still stretch the pouch out if you continue to overeat. I can tell you with the lap band this not something you want to do. It is very painful.

Good luck on your decision and good luck on your weight loss.

 I'm happy I was able to have any type of WLS, but the band was not for me.  It does help some, but I never was able to get the right restriction.  I'd either be too loose or too tight.  I did mange to get about 65 pounds off.  I had  a flare with my disease and had to go back on high doses of prednisone which helped me gain 25 pounds.  I'm still working on getting those 25 off and another 100.  I was not able to have any other type of surgery due to my illness.  If I could have I would have gone for the DS.  Too many people I know are getting sick from gastric bypass.  I think your surgeon plays a HUGE role in your success or failure as well.

Was the band a failure?  No, I lost weight, but not like I was told I would.  I workout 4x a week now, my band is not tight because it would never allow me to eat when it has more than this amount of fluid in it.  I'm still trying to lose, but it's all on my own.

Was I a failure?  No, I was given a tool and did what I was told to do.  I lost, but not like I was promised.  The band and I do not do well together.  Oh well.

I now find that because my calories were so restricted after lapband that I cannot eat more than 1000 calories now or I will not lose any weight or I gain weight.  :(  Sadly, this has pissed me off the most.  But I'm alive and trying to make each day count.

You were certainly NOT a failure! You did the best you could to work with a "tool" that didn't work. Unfortunately the band doesn't work for many of us. Most surgeons do NOT tell patients BEFORE they get the band that many patients do not ever reach restriction/sweet spot/green zone. I don't think any of us would have gotten it if we knew that were a possibility.

In addition, you had more working against you than most of us do. Trying to lose weight on Prednisone is extremely difficult! :-(

You have so many challenges you have been through and are going through, and I really wish the band had worked for you! Hugs!