PLEASE RESPOND !Explain your Lap Band/AGB Experience

I hope us newbies is welcome to post on this if not Zee I can delete it if you want just a certain time frame from when you got the band :o)

Are you currently on your Band journey?  yes

Have you reached your "sweet spot"? well, I am two months into my journey and skipped my first fill and going to be skipping my second fill on the 24th of Jan.  I can go anywhere from 3-5 hrs of not being hungry so if that is the sweet spot then yeap I have it :o)

How long have you been banded? 2 months

How much have you lost?  30 pounds and 16.5 inches

Can you eat a variety of healthy foods?  yes I can eat anything.  I have tried all the foods I have ate before and there is no problems with nothing.  The only thing I have stayed away from is pasta but that has been my choice not because of the band because of carbs

Have you gone through fills & unfills never finding a happy medium?  I have never had my first fill yet 

Do you PB?  no

Keep your Band tight? No I would  never keep my band tight I would rather have it a tad loose then tight just to save maybe future problems 

Have acid reflux? no

Night cough?  no

Has your Band slipped? no

Have you had a dilation - specify stomach or esophagus? no

Do you have pain ? no

Have you had your Band removed? If so any damage to any other organs?  no

Have you revised - to what surgery?  no the band will be the only surgery I ever have. If something would happen then that would be it . I would be on my own and hope for the best

Any other experience you'd like to tell us about?  I know I am new but I have been very pleased so far with the results. Even in just two months I have learned alot about myself and learning how to eat right .

Would you recommend the Band?  yes I would

Are you currently on your Band journey? No, but I was banded from 2000 to 2008 or 2009, can't remember when exactly it was taken out.
Have you reached your "sweet spot"? 
How long have you been banded? at least 8 years
How much have you lost? With the band, total of 15 pounds
Can you eat a variety of healthy foods? meat and bread were hard to eat with the band.

Have you gone through fills & unfills never finding a happy medium? between broken ports, kinked tubing from port to band, and unpleasant fills where I fainted, I never found the happy spot.  But I tried for 8 years!
Do you PB? PB sounds too dainty.  I gurgled, and burped and slimed food up and down and it was loud and unpleasant and disgusting.
Keep your Band tight?
Have acid reflux? I had severe GERD, distended esophagus.
Night cough? YES
Has your Band slipped? Yes, and had it removed
Have you had a dilation - specify stomach or esophagus? Surgeon referred to my films as "impressive" which is not a good adjective when descriving a distended esophagus.
Do you have pain? Yes
Have you had your Band removed? If so any damage to any other organs?  scaring  from several surgeries (port replaced, tubing replaced) as well as severe scaring on the stomach and esophagus found when band was removed.
Have you revised - to what surgery? RNY - wish I had done it sooner.  I was so loyal to my band, but my band was not so loyal to me

Any other experience you'd like to tell us about?

Would you recommend the Band?  Not sure.  I was banded so long ago, that I am sure the band itself has been modified and improved.  We are talking 11 years ago that I was banded.  I do not think it was right for me, but I was one of 'those' people that was so against malabsorption - little did I know that I ended up with more problems from chronic GERD and band slippage.  

I was always told that I failed my band.  Turns out I didn't.  I followed the band protocols, I followed up with my surgeon and aftercare. I was the model band patient and was so damn loyal to that stupid thing that I lived with a slipped band for over a year before I consented to have it taken out.  

Are you currently on your Band journey? I'm not sure what exactly that means. I journey thru life & my band is a part of my life.. we journey together as one (corny sounding I know LOL). 

Have you reached your "sweet spot"? I assume since I have the same fill level for 3+ yrs now.

How long have you been banded? 5 & 1/2 yrs.

How much have you lost? Counting pre surgery required weightloss, a total of 167lbs.

Can you eat a variety of healthy foods? yes

Have you gone through fills & unfills never finding a happy medium? Yes, though we know because of numerous fills & unfills what works for me, whats to tight, & what I can get by at.

Do you PB? The first 3 yrs a lot of times

Keep your Band tight? Nope, not really.

Have acid reflux? Before surgery had it bad. Haven't had an episode since being banded.

Night cough? Twice before I found out it was my body's sign of an esophagus dilation. 

Has your Band slipped? No 

Have you had a dilation - specify stomach or esophagus? Yes, esophagus. Happened twice.

Do you have pain? Occasionally, when I forget to chew my food correctly, or try to eat to big of a piece of soft breading or didn't chew lettuce down enough. 

Have you had your Band removed? No

If so any damage to any other organs? N/A

Have you revised - to what surgery? N/A

Any other experience you'd like to tell us about? I've been lucky enough that my band & I have been able to work together in my weightloss & maintaining my health. When I first got the band I was on blood pressure meds, diabetic meds, multiple medications for RSD & Fibro, was told I'd be in a wheelchair by the time I was 40, & was a wreck emotionally. In the 5 & 1/2 yrs I've had my band I've lost 167 lbs, maintained my loss, jog, learned I was worth it, got rid of over half of my medications, had a baby, & got thru cervical cancer (as well as a host of other medical issues I now have caused by the damage from the radiation & chemo).  As soon as I had my band I started to participate in a 12 step addiction program. I'm addicted to food. How it tastes. How much of it I can eat. How I can avoid it. Punish myself w/it. Award myself w/it. I learned my 3 yr, that my emotional over eating created esophageal dilation. I had two months of food PACKED in my esophagus & it created asthmatic like conditions. Three months unfilled fixed that problem. Unfortunately, I'm a slow learner & did it one more time. Haven't done it since. I also got a side effect from the surgery I wasn't prepared to have because EVERYONE (including my surgeon) said it couldn't happen to a bander, however I have dumping syndrome. Yep. Sure do! Natural fruit juices, drinks, etc.... sit to long in my tummy waiting to go down & irritate my stomach & I'll get feverish, feel light headed, & really want to throw it up to make it all stop. 

Would you recommend the Band? I recommend all WLS options. People that want to consider WLS must inform themselves of all the options, all the pros, all the cons... and decide from all the good & bad where & what is best for them. It really annoys me people that will say they're having WLS & have no idea what WLS option they're having, what it involves, or just go with whatever the doctor suggests. Com`on people.... we are in an era were we have so many opportunities to educate ourselves so we have better outcomes when we make important decisions like this. Don't waste it. Don't let ignorance be your base of excuses for failing. There are so many WLS options because not one specific option works for everyone. 

Are you currently on your Band journey?  No, I jumped ship
Have you reached your "sweet spot"? Never
How long have you been banded? Was banded for 3 years
How much have you lost? none, lost almost 50 and gained it all back
Can you eat a variety of healthy foods? slider foods

Have you gone through fills & unfills never finding a happy medium? yep
Do you PB? yes
Keep your Band tight? couldnt, would not be able to swallow my own spit
Have acid reflux? omg yes
Night cough? no
Has your Band slipped? yes
Have you had a dilation - specify stomach or esophagus? none known
Do you have pain? not since removal
Have you had your Band removed? If so any damage to any other organs? yes, and it did leave me with some major scar tissue.  was not able to have revision done right away.
Have you revised - to what surgery? yes rny

Would you recommend the Band? no, I don't feel it is a good "long term" tool.  I feel if people are going to put themselves through the pain and spend all the money they should get a surgery that will help them long term.  Just my opinion!

Are you currently on your Band journey? Yes
Have you reached your "sweet spot"?Not sure this exists -- I eat 1,000 - 1,200 calories a day in 3 meals and a snack or 2 without excessive hungry or thoughts of food
How long have you been banded?19 months How much have you lost? 130 pounds
Can you eat a variety of healthy foods? yes
Have you gone through fills & unfills never finding a happy medium? No
Do you PB?  Very rarely
Keep your Band tight? I don't think so
Have acid reflux? never
Night cough? never
Has your Band slipped? No
Have you had a dilation - specify stomach or esophagus? NO
Do you have pain? No
Have you had your Band removed? If so any damage to any other organs? No
Have you revised - to what surgery? No

Would you recommend the Band? It depends on the person.  Truthfully, it has been a very good tool for me -- but I was highly motivated with no co-morbidities and with the resources to self-pay and continue to pay for follow up  (and be able to afford removal and revision, if heaven forbid, it becomes necessary)

If I knew then what I know now, I probably would have had VSG instead of a band. 
So far I am one of the lucky ones (how much of that is luck and how much is total compliance and surgical skill, I don't know) --- but given the rate of failure/issues, I think that the VSG is a safer option overall.

 Hello KathKeb, I have to ask you what makes you think the Sleeve is safer than the Band? I think you meant to say since the band is a mechanical tool, and it can have a failure rate SO does the Sleeve and OTHER SURGERIES, none are completely perfect, not sure why people expect so much of the band, remember it's the least invasive, until the medical community change the band from being the safest wls, I will continue to agree with it, they see more complications in weight loss patients than a few bitter people on this board.

I am going on 6 years and don't have any long term illness or vitamin deficiencies and I don't take vitamins regularly and I never been hospitalized with it TO DATE, (knock on wood), but I cannot say this to my other friends who had other surgeries at 6 years post op, just keeping it real. 

Nana,

Do you mean "invasive?"  Evasive means hides, escapes or avoids.


I wouldn't want a potential banding patient to see the word "evasive" and wonder what it meant.

 If you KNEW what it meant, why bother asking? For those that are simply minded, when I get time, I will go back and edit my original post and make necessary corrections -- I always type without editing on message boards, since I am being paid big money to post here and it may affect my next pay raise...~~ rolling eyes with sarcasm~~

 You posted incorrect information and I thought it best if potential banding patients had the CORRECT information.  You should be more careful about that, if possible. 

Hello Naomi long time no fight,

 I would like to address this comment of yours,
"not sure why people expect so much of the band, remember it's the least invasive, until the medical community change the band from being the safest wls, I will continue to agree with it,"

I'm guessing people who are self pay would expect their very expensive tool to do what it is promised to do.
Those people would.... " expect so much from their band "

I'm guessing people whose ins plan only pays for one WLS per members lifetime  would expect a band that does what it is promised to do. 
Those people would..... " expect so much from their band "