Kim - both my parents have had this done at different times - i don't want to be negative, so i'll give you the one piece of advice they didn't take - change your lifestyle FIRST.

the lapband is only a foot up for you - it won't do it for you - so you need to start getting ready well in advance. Sushee is a success story because she made the lifestyle changes first. if you want it to work, it has to be the last resort to cut down food intake when you've done the rest first (it has to be habit to exercise, or the recovery will be a hell of a lot harder cos not only are you eating less, you have to try to overcome the hurdle of not exercising already - if you're already exercising, it's habit that you get back into kwim)

my dad had his lap band a few years ago now - he was in hospital a couple of nights only, and used some heavy duty pain meds at the time (but he has severe arthritis too) - he didn't make the required lifestyle changes, so for him, there have been complications - his weight yoyo's so badly, he swaps from eating small serves of normal food (which you should be able to do after a while - very small admittedly, but it's real food) to a complete liquid diet cos he sees the scales going up. he gets nasty hiccups and throws up a lot - but i think that's more about his eating than the band. i know others have gotten something caught and needed to be sick sometimes but dad is really regular with this one

his band is "filled" with saline solution - basically if he's eating too much, they add more to close the hole that food goes through - or open it up if he's sick too much.

cost - dad was a while back, and mostly covered by PHI so i can't comment - i think in some cases (like dads) it is covered more by medicare and PHI cos of the problems with arthritis etc - it was seen as a medical neccessity, not optional surgery

ok - the last thing on your question "is it worth it" - the ONLY way i can see it as being worth it is if, like sushee, you have the motivation and drive to make the changes, but just need that little bit of help to get over the hurdle. don't do it as an easy way out (it's not by any means! - read sushees blog about the next bout of surgery she needs!) - the only way it will work is if you change your lifestyle and then use the lapband as a last resort if all else fails to work (as an ADDITIONAL measure, not an instead of measure)

i hope that all makes sense hun

BG