Isn't there anyone?

You are doing great!  Keep it up!

I am 7 years out and love my band.  No problems at all.  70 pounds lost and still going. 

I am happy with my Band..

I have been banded 11 months and no problems and have lost 124 pounds.

I have had my band almost two years now and have been very successful with it! You have to work at weight loss no mater which surgery you choose. Work it !  I have lost 96 pounds so far!

Hi Mary!  You are looking so good!  Good to see you and your progress.

Hi, I love my band. I feel so much better since I was banded. The best part is being able to keep the weight off. It is harder to maintain your weight than it is to lose. You have to make healthy food choices. Mona

I'm just going to reply with my band history.  I now have achalasia, gastroparesis and general GI tract motility issues due to my band.  I had extensive pre op testing but no esophageal manometry, which might have led me to a different surgery choice or different Hiatal Hernia repair procedure.

May 2010 Realize Band implanted, hiatal hernia repair, uneventful recovery
Aug 2010 fill 3 cc
March 2011 fill .5 cc
Summer 2011 began to have epigastric pain at night.
Sept 2011 stomach virus
Sept 2011 pain upper right quadrant, duration 2-5 hours increasing, then subside quickly
Oct 2011 barium swallow, band fine, slow esophageal emptying
Oct 2011 upper abdominal ultrasound positive for gallstones
Oct 2011 gallbladder removal
Feb-May 2012 increasing GERD symptoms, nighttime epigastric pain radiating to shoulder, neck, jaw, back.  Palpitations gradually increasing in frequency
May 2012 had cardiac work up, stress test, echocardiogram, negative for heart disease.  BP was elevated, so new drug Rx, resolved palpitations/hypertension.  Epigastric pain persisted.
June 2012 upper GI with barium shows stoma at band is nearly closed.  Barium drips through, but no stream.  Barium is backed up into esophagus.  PA removes all saline (3.5 cc confirmed, clear, no sign of infection).  Under flouro, barium is still in esophagus, emptying slowly.  PA and Radiologist are concerned, but decide after I drink 8 oz water to schedule me for follow up 5 @ weeks.
July 2012 follow up, lost 4 lb.  still having problems eating anything fibrous, but able to eat, at least.  Barium swallow shows smaller than expected stream thru band, but also shows slow esophogeal motility, but not so slow as to require follow up.  PA states that since I'm tolerating food, losing and have a bit of a motility issue, she won't fill me, but cautions me to stay on the band diet and if I'm able to eat everything and quantity increases over 1 cup, to come in for another evaluation.
Oct-Dec 2012 In early October, became very intolerant to most foods and started having nighttime pain again, GERD symptoms.  Symptoms subsided for two weeks, then returned.  Taking PPIs for GERD, probiotics and experiencing extreme constipation. BMs only every 8-10 days.  Bloated miserable, having pain, feeling like food is stuck.  November, saw GI doctor and he ordered EGD, soft low fiber diet.  December EGD negative for Hpylori, celiac, erosion, Barrett's.  Prescribed Amitiza for constipation.  Antispasmodic for GI spasms.
Symptoms improved.
Feb symptoms (intolerance of meals, feeling stuck, etc) returned.  Consult with GI doc, schedules GES.  Results normal gastric emptying times, but abnormal esophageal retention.  GI doctor follow up in 2 weeks.  Dx mild gastroparesis.
March 2013: barium swallow:Dx achalasia, severe esophageal dilation due to LES failure to open in response to swallowing.  Discussed options for removal/revision and further testing.
April 2013:  esophageal manometry test to determine if achalasia is primary or secondary.  If secondary, band IS the problem and it will have to come out.  If primary, surgery may exacerbate the condition.
Update: GI doctor has done all he can for me.  I'm scheduled in late May for evaluation with one of the top esophageal surgeons in the nation to discuss band removal, redoing my HH repair and looking to see if my vagus nerve has been damaged.  Achalasia Dx confirmed as "end stage".May 2013:  Appts to consult with esophageal surgeon at University of Washington May 17 and 30th, schedule band removal and exploratory lap to determine underlying disease, surgical error or if it is just the band irritating the vagus nerve.  People in the nonbanded population with end stage achalasia usually are scheduled to have an esophectomy where the esophagus is removed and replaced using colon or gastric pull up. 

High weight 290 lb
Surgery weight 281.5
Band emptying weight 225
Current weight 195
Goal weight 170

At all times my PCP, Gastroenterologist, Cardiologist and Bariatric Surgeon were in communication.  Procedures, records and test findings were shared.

Preexisting IBSd. Hypertension, hyperlipidemia, sleep apnea, GERD.
Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction/Spinal Stenosis
Left knee osteoarthritis-replacement recommended

Still taking all medications I was taking pre-band + amitiza, antispasmodic and additional hypertensive drug

 

The doc that banded me said he would never ever band anybody with IBS neither D nor C, GERD was another one he wouldn't touch.

That's interesting.  One of the things that is becoming more common is the recurrence of GERD symptoms 6-12 months post op.  That's a problem since it indicates that a band is too tight, or there is irritation causing increased stomach acid and is usually one of the first signs of a more serious issue down the road.

My reflux symptoms returned about 12 months post op, but I didn't recognize them as such, because they were very different than pre-op.