Question:
Has anyone lost 150 lbs or more with gastric banding?

Have you lost 150 or more lbs with gastric banding and if so, how long did it take? Have you kept it off? This is the surgery that I'm considering. Thanx.    — Dorothy N. (posted on November 19, 2003)

November 19, 2003
Not very many long-term bandsters are on this site (it seems to attract RNY patients for the most part), so you may get more responses by signing up with the Bandster mailing list on Yahoo (the URL for that is http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/bandsters/ ). I know there are people on that list who have lost 150+ pounds. The typical weight loss with the lap-band is 10 pounds per month, so you could probably expect to lose 150 lbs. in about a year and a half. Personally, I am 6 months post-op with the lap-band and have lost about 55 pounds so far. I intend to stick around on this site keeping people updated on how it goes as I get to be a longer-term post-op, so stay tuned and I'll let you know when I've lost 150 pounds hopefully. :) Good luck on your decision. I am very happy with my lap-band.
   — K M.

November 20, 2003
There are many people who have lost well over 150 pounds. The majority of people that I see that need to lose that much weight lose about 100 pounds in a year, then they keep going. Check out the extraordinary bandsters in yahoo. They are a great group of people. Some of them have lost 200-300 pounds and have maintained for several years so far. Here is the website: <p> http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/ExtraordinaryBandsters/ <p>Sheryl - Lapband -72pounds and still going!
   — Sheryl W.

November 20, 2003
I hope you'll look into the DS. With that amount to lose, it's really the best option for losing it all AND keeping it off. You can research it at http://duodenalswitch.com/ I have no info on Dr Thomford, But Dr Maguire and Drs Hess in Ohio are excellent!
   — Chris T.

November 20, 2003
The DS is a great option, but I do not believe that it is the best option. We all think our surgeries are "the best option". The lapband is a great option for people with 150 lbs or more to lose, unless they have very serious health issues where they need to lose weight fast. It will take you longer than the other options, but you should reach your goal within 2 years. The average loss is about 10 lbs per month, so you should be down 150 pounds in 15 months. (That is just the average, some lose slower, some lose faster) I need to lose 160 pounds and I am almost half way there after 7 months.
   — Sheryl W.

November 21, 2003
You should also consider how effective a proceedure is at keeping the weight off, once it's lost. Many surgeons say that the DS is the most effective form of surgery for the heavier patient, because of long-term reasons.
   — MsBatt