Is Lap Band Surgery For You? A Giveaway Too!

Did you know that when I went to my weight loss surgery seminar in August of 2009 to learn about surgery, I had already made the firm decision to have gastric bypass?  I remember the staff passing around the Realize Bands and Lap Bands around the room for everyone to touch and feel.  I remember not even looking at them and handing them to the next person in the row of chairs.

I had researched gastric bypass on almost every webpage on the interwebs. I had already signed on the proverbial dotted line. I was getting gastric bypass.  The end.  Deal done.

At my first pre-op appointment with my surgeon, we talked all about the bypass.  But then my surgeon asked me "why don't you get a band instead?"  His main reason was it was cheaper.  Hah! I have always been a firm believer in the saying "you get what you pay for" so price was not a factor, especially when my health was involved...but there was about a $10k price difference....and being self-pay patient, it was worth a second look.

So off I went to scour every single bit of information on the interwebs again...this time it was researching all about the gastric band.  I even attended gastric bybass/band (mixed) support groups.  That is when I really made my decision to get the band.  I saw that the bypass patients would in the same breath talk about all the weight they were loosing and how great it was, but also say how they would "dump" or be sick sometimes and how they couldn't eat, this, that, or the other food. Yikes.  Is that the lifestyle that I wanted?  No way.  So that's how I knew the Lap Band was for me.

I am currently reading a great book by Sandi Henderson and Gloria Samuels called "Is Lap Band Surgery for Me?"  These ladies are veteran bandsters: they talk the talk and walk the walk.  The book is a great resource for anyone looking into having gastric banding surgery.  I wish that I had this book when I was researching weight loss surgery options.  You can check out more details HERE.

Are you or do you know someone who is researching getting the band and could use this book?  I will pass along my signed copy of the book in a giveaway.  Just post a comment below and I will use a random number generator to pick a winner.  Good luck!