Who are we fooling here?

Yes, you know all, Naomi. 

Of course, there are people on this forum right this very minute who ARE suffering the same complications I had 10 years ago. 

I am sure they are if there bands slipped....and have other damage from a too tight band ...

Or if their bands are implanted in their bodies. 

Bands have a membrane that is osmotic - thus, even though a band is emptied, you often can go back and find fluid in them. I precisely measure fluid in bands often - and find a patient will magically get a half cc in a band - usually after stress - either from illness - this time of year it is allergies- or emotional stress (like mother-in-law coming for a few week visit). This, more than anything, is why some bands "tighten."

Then, when bands are tight, or after something gets stuck- the stomach can become inflammed - and then one thing after another will get stuck.

Scar tissue forms around the band on the stomach in bands that are slipped- probably because the band is just too tight in that place. But funny thing- the only way to tell if someone has a slip is surgery - you cannot tell by an x-ray, as it is a two dimensional view. Endoscopy can be helpful

Dr Simpson,

Funny you mentioned that bands that have slipped can't really be confirmed until the patient is in surgery, I had two Upper GI's and none found my pouch dilation, but I KNEW that I had a concentric pouch dilation because my first surgeon compared my pouch size when he calibrated it during my orginal band placement in 2005 and when my band was filled too tight a year later.

But when I change surgeons and had subsequent Upper GI's none showed pouch dilation, my new surgeon found my pouch to be dilated when I had my revision surgery 5 months ago.

 The band being in my body caused inflammation. My band wasn't too tight. The band didn't "tighten" on its own... my body went nuts from it being there. . People like to say that the "band tightened on its own"  because they don't like the thought that their bodies are freaking out and being damaged. But that's what is happening. My stomach was inflamed, for sure. 

 Why all the promotion of the Lap-Band? It's obviously going the way of the dinosaur. Anyone with halfway decent reading skills can ascertain this from researching for just a few hours. Of course, there are the people who blindly believe the literature handed out at the seminars and don't bother to further research. I tend to think that makes up the bulk of Lap-Banding patients at this point. 

I don't think there is no promotion of the lap band, people just want a normal forum where they can discuss REAL HONEST issues/ scale victories/ ideas, etc...yanno a forum like the Sleeve forum?

"I don't think there is no promotion" really adds to the credibility of the words written.  

And, for the record, I agree. I don't think there is NO promotion of the Lap-Band, either. 

I don't see anyone preventing anyone from sharing REAL HONEST issues. In fact, those of us who share our "negative" experiences are doing just that.  If a person wants to post about their victories, ideas, etc., go for it. Those people who think that it should be only sunshine and rainbows on this forum can simply ignore all the people in pain and suffering. 

It seems this osmotic property of the band is just drawback number 23734 of the band then.

Must be hard to manage how much fluid stays in that.

My scar tissue formed without a slip.  My surgeon when he removed the band said it had NOT slipped and my pouch was not enlarged.  The scar tissue can form without a slip.