Thinking about the band

I also have the lap band in 2007 and thought I would choose that option because it was reversible. One year after getting fills and not feeling a thing, the doctor finally took me back into surgery for a port revision because all the saline they kept "filling" me with was not going into the actual band. After that I did lose about 50-60 pounds but with a lot of vomiting during that time. I have since gained back all of the weight and back at my heaviest. I am now considering getting a revision to the bypass surgery. I would never recommend the band to anyone. I paid $10000 for it and it cost me two surgeries and no successful weight loss. My goal this time is to find a good surgeon and only move forward if I really feel comfortable about the surgeon/surgery.

Hi AMCZ82 -

I was banded on June of 2006 - almost 10 years ago - and have lost about 110 pounds and still keeping it off.  It was the best thing I have ever done for myself but LapBand is not for most people.  The only way I can describe it  - I think it requires a certain personality type to deal with the peculiarities of the lapband.  Also - I don't think it works for many people's anatomy.  I don't know why it works well for some and not for others.

Now - having said all that - my daughter had the sleeve two years ago and has done very well.  She is constantly pleased with the improvement in her overall health, fitness and mindset.

Do your research and good luck!

Kootenay

06/06/2006   SW:  225   CW:  117

I have been banded since 08 and not experienced any problems starting weight 285 current weight 175 Its been the best decision i have made for myself 

I had lap band in 2005.  I had it removed in 2007 by emergency surgery as it was infected.  I had pus coming out of my port incision! I knew something was wrong for months but couldn't figure out what.  I am not looking into another surgery as I am tired of being overweight! I know only a handful of people who have been successful with the band.  I wish I would have had a revision when it was offered back in 2007 but I thought I could do it on my own! Good luck in whatever you decide.

I received the lapband in March of 2005. My port leaked so they were never able to stabalize the band.  The port was surgically removed and replaced and I went from330 to 214. My problem is that every time I get close to my target weight the band locks, I get sick, have the band emptied and promptly gain to 257 where I stay(which admittedly is much better than 330 or the 360-400 I would weigh if I hadn't done it****il I get the band filled and start over again.  I am at 217 now, the band prohibits even a swallow of water to go down.  I don't want to empty the band and start over. Any suggestions? Otherwise I am a happy camper! I was taking prescriptions for high blood pressure, pre diabetics, and others. Since the initial weight loss no prescriptions. So, except for the issues referred to above, I am absolutely delighted!

I had my Lap Band in June of 06. In March of 2015 I would have echoed the happy banders who have responded. I am now trying to get a revision as my band is causing much distress. I lost 132 pounds w/my band. Not many doctors are placing bands these days. Out of the 10 people who I have personally known who had a band only 2 of us were happy!

The banders I know who have revised to the sleeve are thrilled and don't have any issues. I hear all the time this is what the band was supposed to be.

I to was able eat and be satisfied......out of the blue my band slipped. No reason! Now I am just having issues and gaining weight, not overeating, stomach is bloated, pain, etc. If you talk to the doctors who have been banding they will all tell it is about 10 years and peoples bands  just fail!

I wish you luck in whatever your decision is!

I have had the sleeve surgery and absolutely love it.  I know of two people that had lap band surgery.  Both are having revisions, one after 8 year.  The one long term will have to have the RYN because the band has damaged her esophagus and her surgeon told her this was the only surgery he could do because of the damage.  I decided to go with the sleeve because I didn't want a foreign object inside my body and the risks were low.  I recommend the sleeve completely.

PLEASE read my story in my profile. 

From my surgoen: "With the band, 1/3 of the people do really well, 1/3 of the people lose a little weight but aren't satisfied, and 1/3 lose nothing." Ugh...I didn't like those odds.

That being said, even people who love it and are successful have a high chance of having a complication at some point and having to have it removed. A woman in my support group just had to have her's removed with emergency surgery and she had done very well with it and kept it off.

It is a scary prospect to have surgery. The fear of the unknown is real. I think leaving a foreign object in your body is scarier - your body knows how to heal from stitches and our bodies are very adaptive and learn to function with the new anatomy. I had my gall bladder removed years ago yet somehow my body adapted to life without it.

Good Luck. It is OK to not be ready.

Hi! I have had my band for 9 years now, I have had some complications but 2 babies later I have kept off over 100lbs with ups and downs of course.

Honestly I think some peoples bodies do not do well with foreign objects inside them, and for some people their bodies just fight like hell against it. There are some people who never learn their band and how finicky it can be, it really is trial and error, and I have tons of tricks that I use but that dont work for everyone.  For me it is about learning my body, learning how my body deals with the band under different situations from morning, to cold, to heat, to stress etc... It sucks I still fight it every day some days are better than others but overall I love my band and I am thankful for it. 

With that the worst part is you do not know how your body is going to react to it until it is in, and because of that it sucks!  I consider myself lucky and love my band, would I recommend it? Probably not, mostly because if you over eat and push your limits you will do permanent serious harm to your organs, really dangerous stuff. And honestly if we could control ourselves we would not have this battle at all right? And because there are other surgeries out there like the sleeve that basically give you the same thing but there are no objects inside you, and if you over eat (outside the healing process) you will stretch your sleeve, gain weight, but that is it.  YOu will not suffer with damage like some of the other people have, some that will never recover.

Good luck to you on your journey.