Product Description

This book has been written for two groups of people. Firstly, it is a guide to those who are obese on the extent of the problem, the benefits of weight loss, the options for achieving weight loss, the LAP-BANDâ„¢ as one of those options and an analysis of whether it is your best option. Secondly, it is written for you if you have made the decision to proceed with the LAP-BANDâ„¢ procedure and need to know what will happen at the time of surgery, what are the guidelines for eating, exercise and lifestyle, and how you can contribute to achieving an optimal outcome.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #535946 in Books
• Published on: 2007-03-20
• Original language: English
• Binding: Perfect Paperback
• 235 pages

About the Author
Paul O Brien is a world leader in the LAP-BAND procedure. He was involved in its design in the early 1990s and was one of the first to introduce the procedure into clinical practice. He is Head of the Centre for Bariatric Surgery in Melbourne, Australia where the team of surgeons, physicians and other health professionals has treated more than 3,500 patients with the LAP-BANDTM . He is also Emeritus Professor of Surgery at Monash University and is the Director of the Centre for Obesity Research and Education (CORE), a major research center within Monash University in Melbourne. This center leads the world in research publications on the LAP-BAND . He is also the National Medical Director of the American Institute of Gastric Banding, based in Dallas, Texas. This is the most active and experienced clinical group in the United States for providing the LAP-BAND in an outpatient setting and more than 7,500 patients have been treated.

Customer Reviews

Some fundamental problems with Dr. O'Brien's book
I'm a 47-year-old male who's been banded over five years and at goal for four. I strongly disagree with several fundamental points Dr. O'Brien makes. For example, he writes that "you will wake up in the morning, having not eaten for more than 12 hours, and not feel hungry" (news to my stomach ...), and that we must only eat 3 meals of just 1/2 cup each per day with NO FOOD between meals. "No snacks, no biscuits with your coffee, no fruit, nothing. All food must be restricted to mealtimes." I have two small snacks daily, plus a bunch of low cal popsicles, and maintain my weight just fine, thanks. My band surgeon now suggests 5 small meals a day spaced 3 hours apart. I would starve with three half-cup meals daily! My meals average 1 1/2 to 2 cups each (not that I dole them out of a measuring cup.)

Even this low intake of 1.5 cups of food daily isn't enough for Dr. O'Brien, however: he states that he doesn't mind if you have LESS than 3 meals a day! I don't think the goal of banding is starvation, just weight loss and maintenance.

He also repeatedly says it's okay to drink low-calorie soft drinks "if you let the bubbles settle". I think it's irresponsible to go directly against the stated position of the band manufacturers themselves (and against common sense).

There are MUCH better band books available, such as "Weight Loss Surgery with the Adjustable Gastric Band" by Dr. Robert W. Sewell and Linda Rohrbough.

No scientific evidence to back up false theories...
This book does a good job at describing the different types of bariatric surgeries. The author goes into great details of processes pre and post surgeries. The whole purpose of a Lap-Band is to help patients lose weight- it is a tool. The author states that the only way to lose weight is to eat less. What about exercise? He is not encouraging a good life style changes for anyone who reads this book. He also said that eating breakfast is not important because people back in the stone ages did not eat breakfast. Quoting from the book, "what you eat is less important than how much you eat." This is untrue. Both are equally important. In a sense, he is telling people "it is better to eat half a donut than one big banana." He also criticizes the RDA and RDI, saying that for the Lap-Band population, there is no such thing. There is no minimum requirement to be eaten. The aurthor clearly emphasizes that the lap-band will help people eat three or less small meals a day and no snacks in between. This is essentially starvation. This book has no scientific evidence to back up his theories on foods, or weight loss.

DO IT!
If you have had LapBand or are thinking about LapBand, then this book is for you. It gives you every detail about the procedure, from initial visit, to weight loss, and everything in between. It explains everything in plain, understandable English.