Keitou

Hi, I'm Kate, I'm 22, weight: 16.7 stone, height: 5'2, BMI: 42.8, exercising and dieting for 6 years, I became regularly active on this site 3 months ago, I love this site and plan to continue to use this, maintaining a healthy diet and exercise routine, but I was wanting to know if anyone like me has been referred to have a gastric band before by their GP on the NHS, and if they have what happens once your GP has sent off a referral to the closest place that takes in referrals and makes decisions based on evidence and severity? I would love any information any one can give me, decision wait, procedures if you're accepted, time scale to wait, anything.

crazypuss

I'm on my second band. My first one flipped over. I lost about 40 pounds with the first one I had. That is the average weight lose for the bands. My second band hasn't really helped me much. At this time I have no fill because I'm having a lot of trouble getting my food to go down. It seems the foods that I shouldn't be eating are the ones that go down the best. I still have the band, but I've been thinking about having it removed because I'm having a really hard time getting my protein down. The band is just a tool for you to use....not a magic band. I hope this helps you.

Good Luck
Crazy puss

Keitou

I know it's not a miracle band, I don't want it honestly but it's my last option as traditional weight loss doesn't seem to work, I've been dieting and exercising for 6 years, 10 hours a week cardio and strength and 1500 calories a day maximum. The information I want to know is what happens once you are referred to the decision maker for the band.

crazypuss

I don't know what else I can tell you to help you make up your mind on what you should do...other then maybe it would help you if you went on the web site lapbandtalk.com. There they...( people with bans talk about how they are doing and ask each other questions. That may give you more of an insight on the ban. I have found that fitday has been very helpful for me personally because you have to be totally honest with ones self on what you eat. I know when I have eaten to much or even not enough in order to lose my weight. I use it also to make sure I'm getting enough protein each day. I have lost hair in the past from not getting enough protein in my diet. Once it started coming out it took almost a year for it to come back in.

Hope this helps you some,
Crazypuss

baridirects

Once you have been referred to a bariatric surgeon, what happens next depends a great deal on his or her pre-surgical requirements. I had my band placed in February 2010...originally, I lost about 75 pounds, and felt absolutely great. Unfortunately, I developed a complication with my esophagus, requiring the band to be unfilled...and I've definitely had some weight regain since then. Right now, I am battling breast cancer, and my surgeon has deferred refilling my band until after I finish active treatment.

My presurgical journey took about a year. My insurance company required 6 months of medically-monitored dieting prior to approving the surgery, and my surgeon required a host of other tests: Sleep studies (to evaluate for sleep apnea), upper GI, colonoscopy, full cardiology workup, full pulmonary workup, nutritional counseling, and a psychological evaluation. Not all surgeons ask for all that. It would be preferable, if at all possible, for you to find a hospital or facility that is designated as a Bariatric Center of Excellence.

Someone else said that a band is only a tool, and they are quite right. It is a very difficult journey, challenging both physically and emotionally. If you don't address what is in your psychological makeup that led you to being chronically obese in the first place, you have a high probability of failure, even with the band.

All that being said, I wish you all the best -

Christine

daviss477

My sister is looking at weight loss surgery and we went to a seminar where a surgeon went over the different options. He said they go by a "1/3, 1/3, 1/3" rule with the band: 1/3 lose a good amount of weight, 1/3 lose some weight, 1/3 don't lose any at all. The surgeon leading said that he hates doing that surgery because of costs vs the benefits. The seminar had roughly 15 people in it and one was there because her band had eroded and was looking at other options. There are so many risks with it that aren't associated with other surgeries and honestly, if you look at the medical safety records, it is the least safe of the three main options (banding, bypass and sleeve). If I were you, I'd do a ton of research and soul searching before you made your decision. Talk to unbiased doctors and make the decision that is right for you. If your insurance or budget allows, I would look into the sleeve. A family member of mine did it and there were fewer complications and GREAT results (280lbs down to 130lbs in less than a year!). But ya, research, research, research and do what is right for you Good luck!