i don't know how similar this is to the old style stomach stapling so i'll preface this by saying what mum had was stapling. i really don't know if they removed any of her stomache or not (i think they did but i don't know). as i've mentioned in other threads, she didnt stick to eating recommendations or make the right lifestyle changes (like increased exercise etc) so she is a failed staple/lapband/bypass (yes, all of them) person

the things i've observed - no matter what you do, you have to make the changes. from what i can gather from mum - the stapling worked fantastically at the start. she lots heaps. she was doing really well, but started to relax her eating habits. the stomach material will still stretch and it eventually stretched to being similar capacity to pre surgery. it took a while, but she just kept increasing portion sizes. the banding doesn't allow this to happen so much (unless you're like my dad and eat mash potato and gravy that is pureed so that it slips through - sigh, my folks are shockingly BAD examples of trying to take the easy way out)

i guess the thing to keep in mind is finding out how reversible the surgery is if something goes wrong. mum ended up nearly dying from her staples coming adrift and having holes in her stomach. yes, it was her own fault, but i have heard it may increase the chances of ulceration at the surgical point. as much as the band isn't perfect, if it's really not working, it can be opened up completely with no need for surgical reversal kwim?

sorry, not trying to talk you out of anything just speaking from what happened with my olds. they really aren't good examples of what SHOULD happen. they are worst case scenario. they chose these options as the easy way out. Sushee did it the way it should be - she has used it as a stepping board to boost the efforts she was already making (and she looks damn fine as a result)

whatever you decide to do, i hope it all works for you! good luck - it's a big decision to make