60 years old lap band 80 lbs goal

 Hello I am new here and like my subject says, I am a 60 yr old grandmother who needs to lose 80 lbs. I am looking into the lapband. I have tried everything like all of us. Diet pills have been slightly successful but I am bipolar so they make me go into mania. My obesity was caused by medications I had to take for depression. The depression condition is under control and much better and improfing greatly as I get older, but the food addiction the meds gave me is here to stay! Has anyone else had this experience?

I had the band 7 years with 2 years of success and 5 of "failure" converted to RNY
I am 58 also with about 80 to loose , I have lost about 45 so I am on my way.
I can't recommend the band , if you are looking for restrictive only I would go with the sleeve if you have a long history of weight regain I would choose RNY , I don't know much about DS
My doc is taking out more bands than he is putting in.
PLEASE do research and just don't look at 2 years out , look at 5-10 years out.
SOME people are very successful with the band

I so agree with Donna, the band used to be touted as a fairly safe surgery but we are finding out some very disturbing things about the surgery now. Had I known then what I know now I would NEVER have allowed anyone to put a band in me. It causes heart burn, vomiting, can erode into the stomach and other organs, not to mention that now the manufacturers say it will need to be removed at 5-10 yrs.! I would suggest checking out the sleeve(vertical sleeve gastrectomy) since it works like the band was supposed to but didn't. Also you won't have to worry about the malabsorbtion with the RNY which could be a concern with your meds.
However your biggest issue may be your weight, may not be high enough to get insurance approval. Most insurance companies want you to be at least 100 lbs overweight with a BMI of 40 with no comorbidities or BMI of 35 with 2 or more comorbidities. Your age shouldn't matter but the weight issue may force you to self pay which most of us can't. Don't let this deter you just check things out with your insurance and surgeon, good luck. You are never too old to get healthy!!!

Yep if I knew then what I know now!!!! they sure sold us a bill of goods what a waste of 7 years

The lap band has earned its reputation of being called the "crap band."  I say forget it.

I am 61 and had RNY at age 58 plus.  I have done extremely well with it.  Anything but the band and you will do just fine.  Just do your research and determine the one that best fits your needs.

You need to do some research on the different surgeries. The band has the worst of statistics. I personally have decided only a pylorus preserving surgery (sleeve or DS) to avoid problems in the future, but the band has the worst weight loss, worst maintenance, highest complication and re-operation rate. I don't know about you, but I'm as interested in successful weight loss as in not having extra surgeries. Think twice, cut once.

 I'm 62 and had a sleeve 3 years ago - doing well; maintaining about a hundred pound loss.  Research the downside of the band.  There seems to be some validity in what the above posters are saying. 

Attend a few support groups for wt loss surgery patients.  It's here you'll hear about issues with the band. You can compare wt loss information from a variety of patients of multiple surgeries. Too many have thought the band was "the least invasive", also meaning less potential issues. But, I've heard many issues at my support groups over the years.  Band slippage, problems with fills (likely costing your $$, as they are not covered by some insurance companies), problems with the fill ports, slow wt. loss, poor overall results, etc.  BTW, what every surgery you chose, they all require some behavior modifications.  "Food addictions" need to be resolved.  Some depressions are based on life changing traumas in years past.  If this is your issue, make sure you've got it under control.  Without behavior modification, any surgical results will not be maximized. The wt loss surgery is only a tool that allows the wt loss--long time results depend on behavior modification.  Support group attendance as a post op is very beneficial--the patients with the best wt loss resulst tend to be those who attend support groups. DAVE

 Hi, I am looking at the lap band because my wife is concerned about the other surgery (can't remember the name) where they cut a section of the stomach out of the loop.

I was in another bariatric program and "flunked out" becuae I could not keep weight off during 6 month trial period. I would lose and then gain back.

The new program I am in has a much more personal (friendly) approach and less "sterile" and scientific/research feel. The support group is great.

The previous program Doctor (another "Program of Excellence") said I had to have the stomach removal type (sorry - can't remember the name). He didn't say why, but I am 100+ lbs overweight, age 67 with High BP and sleep apnea, but OK otherwise. No diabetes (whew). I'm an expert at weight loss, having gained and lost LOTS over my life.

I may have a choice at this program of lap band or surgery and I am very interested in the experience of others. 

The current doctor said his study of his surgery vs lap band showed that over 5 years, the results were comparable. What I see you talking about is complications more than lap band not doing the best job.

First of all, the lap band IS surgery. So I don't know what you mean by "lap band or surgery"

I also wonder what you mean by "his surgery". Is he touting some new surgery type not approved by the ASMBS that is only as safe and effective as the lap band? Then RUN!

If he is talking about RnY or DS or VSG and saying at 5 years out the lapband has no more complications then I question that because no other surgeon or study has found that. Not one. 

"What I see you talking about is complications more than lap band not doing the best job"

The lapband is the LEAST EFFECTIVE WLS when it comes to weight loss. At 10 years out excess weight loss is around 40% with the lapband. It's higher with every other surgery, highest with the Duodenal Switch.

So, no, we aren't just talking about complications. We're talking about the lapband not doing the best job too. So it's has the most complications long term and it does the crappest job.