Last week, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie confirmed that he had lap band stomach surgery in February to lose weight.
Christie is not alone in his struggle to lose weight through diet and exercise.
So he, and many others, have turned to surgical options. The lap band is one of the fastest-growing weight-loss surgeries, in large part because it is one of the least invasive.
Lap band involves placing a plastic band around the upper part of the stomach to make it smaller, which both reduces appetite and limits the amount of food you can eat.
As with any medical procedure, patients should be aware of the risks associated with lap band surgery before getting on the operating table.
Lap Band Talk forum gives patients who have undergone the life-changing surgery a way to connect and share their stories.
A section devoted to before-and-after pictures allows men and women to post their progress. According to the manufacturer of LAP-BAND, after surgery patients can lose 1.5 to 2 pounds per week and drop about half of their excess weight within the first year.
Many forum users have lost more than 100 pounds in the years after surgery.
Weight lost: 135 pounds
Weight lost: 147
Weight lost: 92 pounds
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