How many people are happy with the LapBand?

Hi,

I am planning a revision and the Lap Band is an option. Can I get some honest feedback on the pros and cons of the band?

Thank you

I see that you had RNY. Is it not working for you? I have a lapband, and I am a little heavier now than when I got it in 2008. I had severe reflux for years and had to get some fill removed 3 times. I can't get any fill put back in because I still have reflux and tightening the band would only make it worse. I was considering VSG but have been informed that it, too, causes reflux. I have been thinking about RNY, but I'm terrified because my mother-in-law had it done and she died in the hospital after having the surgery. A girl with whom I went to school had RNY, and she was near death several months ago. Last I heard she is out of the hospital, so I assume she is getting better. Do you mind sharing your experience with RNY? It would be greatly appreciated!

Hi Amy,

I can honestly say I don't regret a day of having gastric.. I failed gastric not gastric failed me. I would do it all over again. I was never sickly and yes I have heard horror stories too. I think it is the "other" health issues that cause the serious issues....I will say that I lost alot of weight and looked and felt amazing...but my head got the best of me and I took to many "just one more bites". If I had it to do all over again and I will soon I will never let my head talk me into over eating.

I hope this helps.

Hello,

I am generally happy with my LapBand. I lost 90lbs with the band and then started gaining weight. Not because anything was wrong with the band, but because I learned how to cheat. Cookies, Ice cream, chips....all go down without a hitch. I started overeating and ended up having a dilated esophagus and upper stomach.

I then had my band deflated, waited and month for the dilation to resolve and then got a partial fill.

I can feel the restriction again!

It is a tool, not a magic bullet. I am very happy with my band.

To me the advantages of the band include

less invasive surgery. The stomach is not being cut, so there is no risk of having leakage of stomach contents into your abdominal cavity.

No malabsorption . I am not going to have vitamin B deficiency, or anemia.

So, a week after the fill I am back on track and lost 4 lbs.

I do recommend the LapBand, but you have to work the system. It is the safest alternative. When I got the LapBand 14 years ago I thought there would be a medical (pill) to treat obesity by now. I am still hopeful for that, but for now I am happy with the tool of the lapBand.

Best wishes

Kim

Hopefully you did your research and did not move forward with a band. They have the highest complication and removal rate (up to 70%) and only a 20-15% success rate. That is what the studies show. You are basically much more likely to be maimed by it, than successful with it.

I got my band in 2007 and recall my surgeon saying, I'm giving you a tool to help you lose weight. You'll still need to do all the things it takes. So true.

When I got my band I did well until I healed and found I could eat soft foods. Problem. I was eating past my band. I chose the band so I could not overeat. I could consume large amounts of food and wanted to stop that one thing so I could look at food normally. *That's a consideration*, what do you think is the biggest problem you struggle with and which treatment seems like the better option.

Today, I still have weight to go, but I've lost 100+. Reflux can happen by too much high acid foods, coffee, orange juice, eating too late at night (pressure can allow stomach acids to creep up) once Zi learned this I rarely have a problem with reflux.

Best of luck.

If you're having revision surgery, consider the sleeve. It has fewer complications and higher success rates. My LAP-BAND WL is considered atypical (I have lost 100+ pounds). But I had to cut out all forms of sugar for almost 3 years and nine years later, I'm starting to experience weight rebound. I have no had the scary complications like erosion, but I have been hospitalized twice due to complications from excessive vomiting (once for pneumonia from aspirating vomit into my lungs, once for potassium that was so low I almost triggered a heart attack) and I have developed pretty nasty dysplasia. The LAP-BAND really is tool, not a crutch, as my surgeon told me. The expectation is only 35-45% loss of the extra weight. And if if you want to lose it all, you have to make major behavior changes to diet and physical activity.

Pros? The weight loss is slow and WLS can be your secret. You'll be able to tell people you lost the weight with portion control (because you kind of did), cutting sugar and physical activity. And you're compliant patient and follow your surgeon's postoperative instructions -- no doughy, dry or rubbery foods, don't eat then immediately drink, no carbonated beverages, no straws and you're cool with knowing where the bathroom is in every restaurant ****ep a running list of the most expensive places I vomited - when you vomit enough to almost trigger a heart attack, you have to a sense of humor about it) -- you probably won't trigger a cardiac incident by disregulating your Na-K+ pump with critical low potassium levels (K+).

It's also a safer surgery. Especially if your weight puts you at greater risk for going under general anesthesia.

It has to be your choice though. Because successful WL with a lap-band and living without complications (like vomiting at the best restaurants in NYC - sometimes right into your hands or a near by plant if there's a line and you're not going to make it to the door leading outside) - is possible, but it's a lot of work.

My advice, if you can access a research database through your work or alma matter, get on it and do some research about the efficacy of the different surgeries. If you don't have access to a database, just get on PubMed and read the abstract. Make an informed decision with your surgeon and with information from academic journals with empirical research. Especially if you're exploring your options.