My Old Band

So I have a band currently without any fluid , Its been empty for a few years now due to financial reasons as well as I really hate the band. I am one who is either too tight and can only eat crap or too loose . Anyway at one point I was successful I got down to 150 , today I am 230 . I am going for a fill on Friday , I just don't feel good about it.I am mostly going out of desperation , I don't believe in this band . Its a torture device for me . Any comments/suggestions .

Ugh, if you have to get a fill, just get a teeny bit at a time.

At your appointment on Friday, start the inquiry into revision to a different surgery. The band was a torture device for me too... I am so happy with my RNY!

The main prob is good food is hard to get down , I asked about a revision last year and all the things they wanted me to do was overwhelming , because " theres nothing wrong with our band" except it doesn't work !

Get rid of band. They are not a success. My surgeon won't put in any. I'm banded but scheduled for revision to sleeve in three weeks. Insurance approval. It took 4 months to do everything to qualify. I'm so happy to get band removed. I wish I had done sleeve sooner. Good luck with your decision.

I had the revision of Band to sleeve done on August 28. I'm so glad my band is gone. I've lost more weight with the VSG now than I ever did with the band in the 7 years that I had it.

These bands can be very tricky to figure out. It has taken me years to figure mine out, I am nearly 11 years out and now I know how to eat with success I know what healthy options I can get down and how to chew them. Like a previous poster mention take it slow very slow at first. Pay close attention to how you feel in the morning, stress and temperature also change how my band functions. Just like any of the WLS tools there are some things that just are not going to work, for me it is Pork or anything layered, like a sandwich or hamburger, even a few bits will make me feel sick. But for the most part I can eat salads, eggs, beans, all those healthy things. But of course the easy stuff is crap food, cookies, cakes, chips. I have to just stay away. And like right now I am battling regain, so I wont even participate in social events, it is just too hard for me to stay on track so I am not doing much these days.

Once I get back in control of my eating I will give myself more options. Good luck

I can not tell you enough about how miserable the CRAP BAND made my life. I had an abdominal bleed and was horribly sick. I got it out and tried the sleeve did not work for me. Revision to RNY has saved my life.

If you have to have a fill I agree with JB. Go slow and small.

I have a band and was exactly like you

Its been in 6 years and for the past 3 I haven't used it, deflated entirely as before that I couldn't get the right restriction and I did enquire about removal but my surgeon wasn't keen and said it's there for life

unfortunately I have now developed a severe infection. My belly button is entirely red. I can't walk or sleep on my sides and I have a huge absess too. I am waiting for surgery next week to remove.

I can only share my experience

i didn't realise how unsuccessful bands were but the level of pain, constant medication etc has left me very very weak

i can't regret having had the band because I didn't know this would happen

but I do regret not going to another surgeon and getting this out before it did this much damage. Suspected band erosion and port infection.

It took me a long time to realize it wasn't me its the band , in my Drs office I would meet ladies having trouble too , but the Dr , kind of blew it off, I have since moved away from Ca, but I wonder if he's still doing these bands , because it is very rare to meet ANYONE , having true success , I understand most Dr are not using the band anymore, I am surprised there hasn't been some type of class action lawsuit , too many people , with too many complications !

there is a lawyer in Canada trying to start a class action...there is a reason there can't be one in the US. Something about how it was released indemnifies them from lawsuits. there was a post on it on the failed lap band page on facebook.