Any Lap Banded men here?

I am a little over a year out and down 104. This a tool and if you don't use it correct then it will not work.   Just like they guy you know that had RNY.  You might lose slower with the band than RNY, but in the end it will be the same if you exercise.   Either surgery will work so it is up to you.  My biggest reason for band was being able to adust the band even after I lost all the weight.  If I start to gain some back I can go back and get a fill to help get it off again.

For me the fills have been the most important part.  If you don't get them when needed then you will eat more than you want.  I can get full on some foods really quick and some foods I could eat a bunch.  The amount is different for each person.  Ice cream goes right through so if you have a problem with ice cream the band might be tough. Some have problems with diet soda.  I drink Dt Mt Dew all the time. My surgeon doesn't worry about it as long as it is diet.  Once you learn to use the band it will work really well. 

Good Luck!
Shane

These are really great posts.
I thought little of the band since it seems to be a "womanly" device (heavily marketed to women) and I want it off FAST FAST FAST. But, I am also a big chicken and the band does seem to be a safer option tha RNY.
When I see all these people I work with gaining it back I have to say "what are they thinking?" Man, If I can get down to where I can do more than just exist there will be no stopping me. I will be on the go from dawn till dusk riding my bike up every mountain in Tennessee and paddling down every river in North Carolina. I cannot fathom how anyone can feel as bad as I do now getting rid of that 200lb ball and chain and EVER letting it creep back on.
I quit smoking after 18 years the first time I tried and have never taken another puff, once I am free of this weight I shall never return to my old ways.

Like Padre's said... it is only a tool. Any tool will only work when used properly. If you grab a hammer to use as a pipe wrench you will probably not be too happy with the results. I was 'banded in January 2007 and have lost in excess of 160#. I started at 389# and am at 231.6# this morning. I go in for band adjustments every 1-2 months because as I lose weight, my esophagus also shrinks. This shrinkage requires more 'fill' in the band to maintain the same restriction. This restriction is what permits your intake to 'tickle the Vargas Nerve' as Padre was describing. For me, the band was the best possible choice because it put the emphasis on ME modifying my behavior. For others it was RNY, DS, etc... Bottom line, there is no 'Right Choice'. Only the right choice for you. Good luck on your journey, and looking forward to seeing you on the Losers Bench!