I am in the same boat as you minus the children. I slowly have become overweight through out my 20's. Now into my 30's I've tried the last 5 years or so to really focus on exercise and diet and lose the weight with not much success. I was not interested in the lapband procedure until the last year or so, realizing my efforts just weren't working. My mom and a friend have had the procedure done with good results. I have been working with my doctor for the last two years trying different things to lose weight. She has now recommended the lapband procedure for me. I have went to one seminar last fall for the lapband. I decided that is what I wanted to do. I'm in the middle of doing the 6 month medically supervised diet with my doctor, which is required for my insurance to approve the procedure. I am actually attending another seminar tomorrow, this one is for the Realize band. From what I understand this band is similar to the lapband. I like to weigh my options. I will have the 6 month program completed in May, so I'll have to be making a decision soon on whether I want the realize band or lapband

Feel free to email me or add me, as I am looking for people for support and encouragement through this process.

Goodluck!

PLEASE DON'T DO THE LAP BAND. I had no insurance and paid for the lap band myself. I researched my head off and thought I was making the most healthy choice. I had to have mine converted to the sleeve. Love my sleeve, but it's till alot of work.

When I went for my consultation I was told it was a "tool", and they only ones that gained back thier weight where the ones that went back to ice cream and soda. I didn't eat ice cream as it was and soda had already been cut our of my life. I was excited.

I was doing great for the first 6 months or so, but because I didn't have insurance I only had one year of maintenance (band adjustments) so the dr got very agressive and tightened the band too much. Food and liquids were not able to get past my band and when I called the dr. he said just be patient and it would stretch a little, it was only temporary. At that point I couldn't even drink water. I ended up with esophogeal dialation. Everything was stopping above my stomach and then stretching my esophogus. I was usually throwing everything up. At night when I slept I had to sit straight up or I would have stomach acid come up and burn my lungs. I was in paid most of the time.

I had my band converted to a sleeve and love it. I am not anti surgery, but I am very anti band.

Lots of people have problems with the band. Have you looked into the sleeve? It permanently reduces the size of your stomach, but does not re-route your intestines. Please research all of your options.

I was set on the lapband until I went to a seminar. The surgeon said, people always say they want the band because it is not permanent, but you will never be "cured". Fighting obesity is a life-long battle. I decided then to research other options and went with the RNY.

Same here. I was leaning toward the band, same as most people, because it seems least invasive, and reversible. But there are far more issues long term, and even if successful, the band cannot help with issues like diabetes. I ended up going with RNY, and don't regret it for a minute.

I was banded 6 months ago. I have lost 50lbs. I never lost this much weight on my own. I must be honest, even though you may have a weight loss advantage with the band over the common dieter with out WLS. You STILL MUST diet and work out. Here is what I found so far, after 6 months post op living with the band.

Its is VERY inconsistant- somedays you will be tight and somedays it will be like you never even had surgey. This will change, day to day, meal to meal, you will never know how restricted you are until you eat. and somedays you will be too tight to where you can not eat at all, so it is important to still keep you calories at 1200 a day, which is very hard when the band is not forgiving.
You will slim alot. Even though the food goes down, it make go down too hard, you will slim like a babys drool and need to spit alot.
You will still need to watch what you eat, when you eat, how you eat. You will still need to do everything you would do if you did not have the band. The ONLY thing the band does it help with portions and like I said, it is not all the time and the days your band does not want to work, you will have to manage your self control to make sure you do not over eat.
Also, you will have to go to the docs ALOT in order to adjust your band,i.e, not tight enough, then your too tight, then your not tight enough. You will have to go back and fourth until you find a happy medium. Even once you find a happy medium, it may not last and you will have to go tweak it again and again. So in all, this is and will always be A LOT of work, frustration, learning, adjusting, money for co pays. Not to mention, if you like to go out to eat, dont bother. You may be hungrier than a horse and you go out with friends to eat, then you order food, you go to eat it, and boom!!, you find your band is too tight and you one get stuck or two, you get stuck, slim and you cant eat a thing , then you just waisted your money on dinner you cant even eat. The only pro the lap band has, it does work if you work it thr right way... but it will always be a struggle trying to figure it out.

Amber is right. I think why it doesn't work for most people is that you have to be willing and able to see your dr often. With the sleeve I don't have to see my dr. except for check ups. If you don't have insurance, lap band adjustments are $150 for most dr.

I love my sleeve. I still have to exercise, eat small portions, chew chew chew, but I don't have to try ang guess if it's just a day my band isn't accepting things or if I need to see the dr.

I had my lap band surgery on 1/10/13 and I LOVE it. I have lost 30 lbs so far. Before my surgery, I couldn't do what I have done in the past 10 weeks....I know, I have tried numerous times over the years. There are good things and bad things about all of the different types of WLS. You need to do what is best for you and what best fits your lifestyle. I have had very little trouble with my band, if any at all. The couple instances I did have, were my own fault. I ate too fast and food got caught so I slimmed and then threw it up. I realize everyone has different experiences, but trust me, I will definitely be more conscious of how quickly I eat and WHAT I eat from now on. It was very painful to have food stuck....lesson learned Do I regret my band because of something I did? Absolutely not. It's one of the best decisions I have made!

I had Lap Band surgery on 2/28/13, I have since lost 24 lbs. I have always said it is the best and hardest thing I have ever done for myself. It does take work, but so does anything that is worth while. I walk 3 miles a day and I can only get in 900 calories, but to be honest...it is not as hard as I expected it to be. I am hardly ever hungry anymore and that feels great. I wish you luck on which ever surgery you pick. I know the band was the right decision for me.