surgical intervention

I wouldn't go for it even if they offered it. If you've got a BMI high enough to get it on the NHS, there are a number of increased risks from the operation itself.

It does work in many cases - there is a girl in one of our local supermarkets who is, almost literally, half her former self. But I wouldn't want it for me.

As far as I can work out, you eat very small quantities of food, so it seems to me to be a mechanical means of sticking to a low calorie, reduced carb diet. I'd be interested to learn more about the diet that goes with the gastric band, if anyone knows.

Viv 8)

I'd have it in a heart beat.

I would have it as well, but nobody is offering it. The doc. said "forget it, your not fat enough" so I am trying to build myself up so I can get it on the NHS.

(Joke)

H

Bright spark here thought it would be a great idea. I spoke to my Doctor who informed me that gastric bypass is better for diabetics. I have severe mobility problems so exercise is not an option, however it seems neither is a gastric band, or bypass. You have to have a certain BMI which is different in each area to qualify, and I don't. I also learned that gastric bypass is a lot more risky than gastric band, and also has a much longer healing time. Added to which there is no reversal if complications set in as there is for a band. So as much as I would have liked to have had a gastric band, it's not an option for me.

I know this is an old thread, but it's an interesting subject I think

As a type 1 thats been obese my entire life and cannot seem to get out of the deadly food-insulin-hunger-food-insulin cycle, I can see the attraction but I would never have it after seeing the consequences a close relative of mine has endured.

She had a gastric band fitted, supposedly the safest option for bariatric surgery, for the first few years she could barely keep down things like baby food and now, almost ten years on can still not eat solids, even though she had the band removed 2 years ago.

Also, allthough surgery is designed to limit your food intake it cannot limit what I call hidden cals or carbs such as alcohol, calorific drinks and sloppy fatty foods like ice cream, and trust me when you have so little energy from such little food, you will be reaching for these products in no time, and then what was the point in the surgery!?!?!?!

You cant go wrong with simply cutting out the cals and exercising more, its physically impossible to eat less cals then your burning off and put on weight