I am 5’3" and 190 lbs. I am hoping to have the lap band procedure.

Sounds like you have been struggling over the years. I would consider a procedure with a hormonal component such as the sleeve gastrectomy. The lap band is a restrictive procedure. You must be willing to make major changes in eating habits and lifestyle to be successful with the band. Gastric sleeve surgery is a popular weight loss solution because it is designed to help you to feel fuller, thus eliminating your desire to eat as much or as often.

Sustained weight loss with dieting occurs in only approximately 5% of individuals.
With regards to gastric banding, international data suggests it is falling out of favour, for various reasons. In contrast, the gastric sleeve has gained increased acceptance. I suggest do your own research and discuss the options with your surgeon, in order for you to make the correct decision and an informed consent.

The gastric band is a restrictive procedure, which can be effective for very disciplined people and have the opportunity to be in direct contact with your doctor, particularly the band is a foreign mechanism that will be in your body and eventually in the long term can produce unwanted effects such as reflux, erosion of the band, slippage and eventually cause the need to remove it and then convert it into another type of surgery, the advantage of this surgery is that it has the less complications in the first days of surgery .

Personally, I would consider gastric sleeve because of its greater effectiveness compared to the gastric band since gastric sleeve reduces the desire or anxiety to eat and has fewer long-term complications although it is slightly riskier than the gastric band.

Lap band is great. It’s efficaceous, and it’s FDA approved as a PERMANENT solution. The key with the band is the same as any other weight loss surgery, namely follow up. There’s lots of tools to help with weight loss, the lap band is one great option