Sticking my neck out.... Happy bandsters, please support me!

 N.M. I don't think that's altogether fair. A lot of us offer as much sympathy and support as we can. We don't, or rather, most of us don't, blame the bandster. In anycase, if someone has a functionning band but can't manage psychologically, they still need help just as much even if it is " their fault". 

Many vets and many newer bandsters offer support without blame. And I don't think anyone capable of rational thought wants nothing negative posted. We need to know for our own benefit and to support others. But what we don't need is people continually posting ( as some do) to say that disaster is virtually inevitable.

Several posts on this thread make this very point. Tell us the negative, share experiences, but don't prophecy total and unavoidable destruction.

Kate

I think it's honest what I've said. When someone posts with a real problem with their band, that thread sits, all alone, quite often.  People who NEED help the most don't really get it. It always makes me feel bad when I see how those in real need get ignored.

As I said, if you're happy with your choice, I am most happy for you. However, my experience with the band has caused me permanent and ongoing pain and suffering going on 10 years now. That is something I can't ignore and it happens with stunning regularity. I'm sorry people react as if I'm trying to "bash" the band by sharing my experience, but that's on them, not me.

I currently have a hiatal hernia, gastritis, ulcers, diverticulitis, diaphragmatic damage, esophageal problems... all directly caused by or linked to the lapband.  Every week I get referred left shoulder pain... and have had it for over 9 years now.  Did I have this BEFORE being banded? Absolutely not. Has it adversely affected my whole entire life? Yes, it has. Do I think this will happen to EVERY person who has a band? No, of course not. But, it DOES happen a LOT... and that is certainly cause for concern. Because I can't describe accurately what it feels like... but it's pretty damned horrific. I've encountered more subpar doctors in my lifetime than I can even tell you. Those same doctors have put me in harm's way and have exacerbated or even caused further problems. Nothing about the complications with a lapband are easily fixed. I know this firsthand.

All I want is for people to know BEFOREHAND what can and does happen. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't try to make people understand how much it can alter a life... and not in a good way. We all want to lose weight and gain good health... what happens to those of us who go in good faith to do just that... and end up feeling alone, in pain and at a loss? Do we just not say anything for fear of upsetting those who have good experiences?  I really don't think the people who haven't experienced horrible complications from lapbanding understand how bad it really is. Just as I can't imagine the band NOT causing pain, I suppose. Because it's all I've experienced and seen.

6+ years out, down 95 pounds, no problems and out living life. 

Can't be bothered with all the band bashing on the boards.  The anti-band crew are tone deaf.  Yes, pre-ops need to evaluate all their choices but could stop signing your messages with "and your band will soon fail too" *yawn*

 Almost 2 years out and still happy.  

Sure there are still days I struggle, but I'm still down 80+ lbs and have maintained that loss for over a year.  Something I have never been able to do before. I'd still like to lose the last 25-30 lbs, but is that my band's fault? no.  It's mine for being able to still enjoying food and probably eating a few too many carbs and not exercising enough.  I don't vomit, shart, or anything else ...I eat small amounts and get full. 

SO far...so good.

I have actually experienced the good and the bad.  Well not the really bad...In the beginning I was a struggling bandster. 

The first year was bad.  I didn't lose much weight and I was on the verge of giving up.  There were times when I did give in and I ate cookies and ice cream till I was full.  No surprise I didn't lose weight...that wasn't my band's fault.  I do blame the fact that it took me forever to feel any kind of restriction and to be able to eat 4-6 ounces of protein without restriction and feel satisfied wasn't going to happen.  I was hungry all of the time!!!  So no wonder after awhile of being on a "starvation" diet I would give in and splurge.  But I didn't give in and I kept going in and getting my fills.  Eventually after 18 months I started to feel it.  After 4-6 oz I would feel like I had enough and I wouldn't feel hungry. 

Then with the help of some great friends I started to work out and I started to lose weight.  I really got motivated.  I workout 90 minutes a day, 6 days a week and I lost 154 lbs, I went from a size 30 to a 16...now I have more to do but I am so happy with myself. 

Now here's what I will say about my band....I love my band (Wilard) he helps me when I want to eat too much.  But I feel like my exercise has been the driving force behind my weight loss.  I would never ever want to lose my band I feel it would be disasterous to my success. 

 I support you Kate! You have done (and continue to do) fabulous with your band! You are supportive and a wealth of good, honest bandster knowledge. My issues with the band are MY issues, I will continue to share my story because I think its important for both pre-ops and post-ops to know what to look for if they are having problems or complications. Once someone is banded they have my full support on the journey and I will do nothing by try to help and support them. 

At least I hope that's the way my posts come off, sometimes my fingers get away from me and things come out wrong, but I try to be supportive most of the time.

 
Tripmom, you are definitely NOT one of those gloom merchants ! You tell your story as it happened and that is really necessary! Thank you.

You have my support Kate, I am 2 days from my 3year Bandiverary and even tho I have Had some issues with getting tight and having the band deflated and gaining 20 pounds I would do it again.  I have been able to do so  much more after the band then I did before the band. It sure has not been an easy journey but its been one I would do again just to get to this point.

I think that pre op patients do not get the true story of how the lapband works and how to live with one eventhough we go through the six month suprivised diet. I am glad that I got my lapband. I was always up and down with my weight. The lapband helps you feel full faster but doesn't prevent what you put in your mouth and cake goes down like water. Recently I drank many cups of hot peppermint tea for two days and got bad pain behind my breastbone so I called my pa and she said the peppermint can cause irritation of the lower esophageal spincter. But after taking acid blocker for a few day I decided that I wanted to get and upper gi to check band placement and pouch size and for acid reflux and esophageal dilation all the things that I read on here but didn't fully realize prior to getting my lapband. I will admit that I was getting worried things could be going wrong with my band because I have read many times on this forum that things start going wrong at two or three years out. Luckily my pouch is fine and so is my esophagus but I was nervous during the upper gi because they kept looking at the monitor closely. The pa wanted to be sure that I didn't have a prolapse but the radiologist flipped me all around and said that everyone has different inner anatomy and that my stomach was fine. I have been stuck and pb'd and eaten to fast everyone has to learn how to eat with each fill. I would still recommend the lapband but it will not make you drop weight fast. Although the first few months I lost the most weight and then it definetly slows down. I have never been normal weight EVER!!! Last Wednesday I hit 157.4 and am finally in the green normal zone. I will mention that after two years of watching what I was eating I started eating butter and other not so healthy things and gained a few pounds. I then joined weigh****chers three months ago and have just started my first week of maintenance working toward being a lifetime member. Best of luck to everyone no matter what surgery you feel is right for you!!! I have lost around 95 pounds and went from a size 17 to a size 9 and a size XL to a size M. I spent time typing this to try to help the newbies make the right decision. I do agree research all the options. When I had surgery I really only new about the RNY and Lapband but for me I new that I didn't want rerouted not that anything is wrong with that. And I understand now that people have stated that the band and tubing can get stuck in other organs and that does scare the crap out of me.