Reply #34: I'm trying to find a summary of the statistics and can't seem to right now.

[Longhorn]

From memory, I think it's about 50 to 60 percent of excess weight from fat over about two years. That's an average, however, so some people lose all of their excess weight and some lose none or very little. Success still depends a lot on the person getting the band. For someone who is committed to losing weight by making better food choices and exercise, it works great! For someone who refuses to follow the rules -- and let's face it, there are a lot of psychological reasons that people have issues with food -- the lap band may not work as well.

Tell your co-worker about www.lapbandsurgery.com. It's a message board for those who have had or are considering the surgery. You might warn her that there is an over-representation of complications on a board like this but I learned which posts to disregard and which to take seriously. I also learned a lot about what to expect and how it all works -- my surgeon was very impressed at our first meeting -- and I still go there for support.

Feel free to PM me for my email address to send to your co-worker. I'd be happy to talk to her about my experience! Or bring her questions here! :) :hi: