I'm new here & I can't wait for a new beginning!

Congrats on your upcoming band surgery! If there was ONE PERFECT surgery with no problems or complications, then I would chose that one, but that PERFECT surgery DOES NOT EXIST!

I chose the lap band 8 years ago because it was safer, reversible and adjustable. I am STILL happy with my band going on 8 years. Like ALL surgical types I had a hiccup with my journey, I had undiagnosed hiatal hernia that was not repaired during my first surgery and it got bigger over the years and from filling the band made it worse. So I had my hiatal hernia repaired and band replacement 7 weeks ago and I am STILL very happy with my band and I would not change a things.

My advice is to make sure your surgeon is very experienced, ideally have placed over 500 lap bands and BELIEVES in the band. Many surgeons don't believe in the band and will not offer you the best aftercare the band provides, which may result in more complications, bad fills, or poor weight loss. That is very important.

Also, you are aware that the band is ONLY A TOOL, and in order to work your tool for optimal success, it requires, focus, motivation, keeping the diet mainly proteins, and frequent exercise, same as the Bypass and Sleeve folks they have to do the same thing for success.

With a healthy band, it does not make you sick, cause dumping syndrome like the Sleeve or Bypass or prevent you from eating junk, in fact junk food will go down much easier than chicken. Most successful lap banders prepare their meals in advance and usually sip hot tea prior to a meal to make sure their food does not get stuck, and they make sure their meat is moist to prevent any stuck episodes or vomiting. It is very easy to prevent vomiting if you chew your food well, and sip something warm or eat moist food.

You will no longer be able to eat a Big thick burger and fries with a very restricted band, this will sure cause vomiting and could cause slippage or obstruction of the band. So choose your foods wisely to the the most of the band.

I've lived with a band in my body going on 8 years and I would not change a thing, I wish you much success with your journey!

Welcome! I got my band in May of 2010 and loved it! I lost the balance of 64 pounds in 5 months and thrilled with my new life and my tool. I even got restriction with my first fill. Who the heck ever does that? I had times when mine would tighten randomly and was quick to get some fluid out. I sometimes got off track and gained some but also was able to lose it. My band and I were a great team.

Unfortunately this past April I got very, very tight. I had a complete unfill and waited 8 weeks. I still was getting stuck on about everything and my surgeon told me my band had to go. I cried. I was heartbroken but I knew I could not maintain without a tool. I decided to revise to a sleeve and my surgery was in Aug. I still mourned my friend. My surgeon told me I had no scar tissue, adhesions, and the band was in perfect position. We think it was just my body trying to reject it. Had this not happened I would have stayed banded forever.

When I researched the band the statistics showed low complication rates. That has somewhat changed and many who were like me have had trouble. Do I regret getting my band? Not for a minute. Would I do it again? Probably. Many people have wonderful long term success. Only you can decide which surgery is the right one for you. As long as you know all the negatives, including the chance of needing to have another surgery then I say go for what you want. I knew there risks, too.  Iwill   support you, band, no band or no wls at all. Keep coming here.

Good luck,

Sue

Welcome  M.A.B

Hope all goes well with your choice to get the band. I am coming up on my Bandiversary 1/21 it will be 4 years for me. I have had my up's and down's with the band but still feel it was a good choice for me at the time. Let us know if you have any questions we would be happy to answer any of them you can post a thread or IM any of us.

Welcome MAB!  Advice that was given to me that I think was very useful and worth passing along was to start eating a LB food plan *now* so that you can get used it.  For example, I'm sure you already know to chew-chew-chew, eat slowly, and protein first.  I'm 5 years post out and have done very well.  Feel free to reach out if you think I can help.  Wishing you success!!