I started Atkins a year ago as my last effort at weight loss before surgery. I am so glad I did so. I have lost 90 pounds in the past year and I feel great. I work with a woman who had weight loss surgery, and while she lost weight more rapidly than I did, she feels like awful and looks awful. She continuously goes back and forth to the doctor for various ailments, while I go out at lunchtime and walk four miles. She weighs less than I do, but I wouldn't trade my life for her life for anything. There is more to life than a number on a scale.

I know that banding has fewer complications than by pass surgery (which is what the woman in my office had), but I still think you are better off avoiding it if you can. It is not an easy solution -- it has lifelong repercussions for your health. In my experience, low carbing is an easier solution than surgery.

There was an interesting article in the Washington Post health section (which runs every Tuesday) either last week or the week before discussing gastric bypass versus banding. While there are fewer complications with banding, apparently it often isn't all that successful. You might want to search the Washington Post website and read that article.

If you search through the Triple Digits Club, there have been several threads over the past year regarding weight loss surgery. Since everyone who posts in the Triple Digits Club started out with over 100 pounds to lose, many of us have seriously considered the surgery.

Edit: Here is a link to a thread I started in the Triple Digits Club a while ago discussing weight loss surgery. Most of us on the thread were discussing bypass, not gastric banding. The thread includes a link to what I think is a very informative website on the topic:

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=82526