Well, it’s impossible to be sure whether a band will work for you and in clinic last week I saw a lady who was very concerned about this question. It’s perfectly natural as the investment in a band is a big one for anyone with what might be considered a normal income.This lady was unsure whether or not she could work with a gastric band. 

I always welcome this conversation because it means the person on the other side of the table is very serious about their success and want to maximise their chances of a good outcome. We spent a good 30 minutes or so talking about the things that are required for success, they are:

• Build your new diet based on the textures of the food you’ll eat (food texture is vital)
• Plan how to change your eating habits – decide how you will change meal times in a real and meaningful way
• Use tools such as a meal timer or a portion control plate
• See if you can plan to spend a little more time each day on your feet so as to increase the calories you use every day (another 50 or 100 calories used per day mounts up over a year).

The lady asked ‘Wouldn’t I be successful if I did these things anyway without having a band?’. The answer is probably not, because it’s the band that induces the early feeling of fullness on a smaller portion. That doesn’t happen without the band. I also explained that 85% of gastric band patients successfully lose weight and that all of those people were unable to manage their weight without a band.

So, we know that most people who have a band are able to make the diet and eating habit changes that are demanded for success.After suggesting she go away and think about it I was told by another member of the team that she had decided to go ahead. She was doing so with confidence as she had made a personal plan for life after the band. This is a smart way to approach things and one that all new patients would be well advised to consider.