Why I chose the band

I chose the lapband back in 2006 because I did not want a mal-absorption  surgery.  My surgeon thought rny would be better for me, but I really had a problem with a surgery that would cause nutrients that I ate  to just be pooped out.  It just seemed like a bad and wasteful idea to me.  The band sounded so much more logical.  Eat only what you need and no more.   I am a research scientist and it made perfect sense to me.

I had surgery in January of 2007.  I did great for the first two to three years.  I lost slowly, but consistently.  Then things began to change.  I had not had a fill in well over a year but the band began to feel tighter with time.  The noise it made was getting worse with time as well.   Yes, when you eat, the band makes noise, sometimes a lot of noise, and it’s embarrassing.   The smallest things would make me vomit; like a small bite of salsa with skin on the tomatoes in it.  Pretty soon vomiting was a daily thing.  I felt really uncomfortable eating with collogues at work. I would only eat soup when I absolutely had to eat with others and tried to sit away from people because of the stomach noise.   Then I developed a productive cough.  It was just in the morning at first, then it lasted all day.  One morning my neighbor suggested I quit smoking.  He was joking, I am a cancer researcher and do not smoke.  Finally it got so bad I went back to my doctor and told him that I wanted a revision to the sleeve.  He was great, made it happen, and did a fantastic job on my revision.  I have been doing so much better with the sleeve.  I have not vomited once since surgery, and have lost more in 8 months with the sleeve than I did in 5 years with the band.  As soon as I was approved for a normal diet I ate a few sections of an orange and a tomato with the skin on it from the farmers market.  My first orange in 5 years.  It is so nice to be able to eat healthy food again.  I made a mistake by choosing the band.  I’m not bashing, and I don’t think others who have made a mistake by choosing the band are bashing either.  We just want to keep folks from stepping in the same pile of dung that we did. 

At 2 years out my friend B saw how good I was doing with the band and she had band surgery too.  Different hospital and doctor.   She just had her band removed a few months ago.  Her esophagus was damaged so much by the band that they needed to do esophageal manometry.  At her first appointment for that they had to cancel the procedure because of swelling.  I feel terrible that she has gone through this because of the band.  She is SMO and should have had a better WLS.  I didn’t suggest she get the band, but I supported her through her decision and surgery.   Unfortunately she is still SMO, and I’m afraid she is turned off from WLS for good at this point.  Really sad because she is still living with several co-morbidities.   

If my story can convince one pre-op person to look beyond the band, or one person who is suffering and struggling with the band to seek revision, that would be a good thing.   If you have the band and are doing great, I am truly happy for you.  Kate and Bette have both done wonderfully with the band.  Bette was an inspiration to me back when I was preop.  Good on both of them and everyone else who has been successful with the band.  I am truly happy for them.  But I really believe they are in the minority. 

The point I really want to make is, if you are pre-op, please look at other options.   If you are having problems with your band seek help as soon as possible.  We are not “band bashers”, we are not stupid, we are not liars.  We really just want to save some folks from going through what we have.   Peace. 

Well said Susan! Congrats on revising to a surgery that works for you.

Thank you and congrats on your success!

So very well put Susan I applaud you!!! My story is similar except that I haven't been able to get a revision because if insurance exclusions. I did have my band emptied a couple of years ago and so far so good but I feel like I have a time bomb sitting in my stomach because you never know when things will get worse. I am hoping to get it removed in a couple of years when I qualify for Medicare and not sure if I will revise to the sleeve or just go it without surgery. I'm kind of burnt out on the idea of surgery and hubby is NOT supportive of the sleeve so will just have to see when the time comes.

I know the only reason I stay here at all is that after 6 years of being here I find it hard to leave and not warn the new folks of the very real dangers of the band. I am also friends with Bette and Kate and am thrilled that their bands are working so well for them and any others that have had success, however I completely agree with you that they are the exception rather than the rule. I know far more people who have had problems than successful people. I know my only motive is to try to save folks from the dangers of the band. Some are so damaged that their lives are forever changed for the worse and I wouldn't want anyone to go thru what some have. So like you all I ask is that pre ops read and research ALL the surgery types and then choose the one they think they can live with.

Have you considered having the band removed and working the revision as a separate issue, possibly a self-pay for that portion of the revision surgery?  Most insurance companies will cover the band removal.

You give so much support to so many!  I am really glad that you have chosen to stick around here.  I hope that you are able to get the band removed and find something that will work for you.   Maybe your hubby will change his mind about the sleeve with more info.  Good luck and please keep posting! 

Thanks for posting your experience.  I too chose banding because I'm not a candidate for malabsorption.  Sleeve wasn't covered by my insurance at the time.  Now I have end stage achalasia.  So much for no rerouting.

Thanks Caramel I haven't really asked about removal because my insurance has a bariatric exclusion and since my band is empty I'm not really having any problems that would qualify for removal, thank goodness. I guess I should at least ask.

I too had no choice but the band because of a clotting disorder my surgeon wouldn't do the RNY (which I didn't really want anyway) and since they were supposedly the same at 5 yrs out I figured no problem I'll just take a little longer. Oh yeah lost 20 lbs the first year and that was it. I'd lost that much just by dieting the year before. So the band didn't do anything for me that I didn't already do for myself and I've maintained or lost a bit since then so obviously it didn't give me any advantage over non banded people.

So here I sit with an empty band waiting for my golden years to get anything done. If nothing else I will get the band out and then take it from there.