PLEASE RESPOND !Explain your Lap Band/AGB Experience

Are you currently on your Band journey?          
   yes

Have you reached your "sweet spot"?            
    I don't believe there is one

How long have you been banded?                         
2 years this month

How much have you lost?                                    
80 pounds

Can you eat a variety of healthy foods?               
yes any thing

Have you gone through fills & unfills never finding a happy medium?
I have had alot of fills and a few un fills but things change and every one is different so we all will have different number of fills

Do you PB?                                                  
  No

Keep your Band tight?                                
some might say it's tight but its where it needs to be for me again everyone is different

Have acid reflux?  
only when my band was to tight

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

Any other experience you'd like to tell us about?
I can run, ride a bike, walk, cross my legs, and enjoy life again

Would you recommend the Band? 
  Yes I would and I will tell people its not for everyone I think some people think about  getting the band  they want  a miracle cure for their  problem they want it to work with out effort they want it to make them PB when they cant control what they eat or the volume they eat those people I would tell them the band wont work for them they need to find another option I would tell them it comes with risks not everyone has problems , but just like any surgery it  can happen it can slip, it can errode  you can get reflux  you need to research and see what it right for you . Is the band a good choice  it was a great choice for me, It gave me back my life

Are you currently on your Band journey?  No, I am not.

Have you reached your "sweet spot"?  It was a moot point to try. My band was always too tight, even without saline added.

How long have you been banded?  I had my band a couple of years.

How much have you lost?  I lost a little over 100 pounds.

Can you eat a variety of healthy foods?  I couldn't eat ANY solid foods whatsoever. Only liquids and sometimes not even those would go down.

Have you gone through fills & unfills never finding a happy medium?  The fills I had were an attempt to relieve the pressure on my diaphragm, not actually achieve restriction. I had tremendous complications from the very beginning.

Do you PB?   I PBed pretty much nonstop if I tried to eat anything solid.

Keep your Band tight?  Never.

Have acid reflux?  YES.

Night cough? YES.

Has your Band slipped?  I don't know. I had to have it repositioned, but that might not be the same as a slip.

Have you had a dilation - specify stomach or esophagus?  I don't think so. Possibly while banded... I had so many other complications that dilation would have been the least of my worries.

Do you have pain?  I had chronic severe and debilitating left shoulder pain due to diaphragmatic damage; Twisted Stomach, kinked intestines, chronic constipation, left side-under ribcage pain.

Have you had your Band removed? If so any damage to any other organs?  I did have my band removed in 2005... I have a damaged diaphragm and still get pain occasionally from it.

Have you revised - to what surgery?   I am currently looking into a revision to the Sleeve.

Any other experience you'd like to tell us about?   I had an atrocious surgeon who did a bad job surgically and a worse job post operatively.  I was doomed from the very beginning due to improper surgical technique.  Thankfully, I found a more knowledgable surgeon who did his best to help me in any way he could.

Would you recommend the Band?   I would not. Not only because of my own hellish experience, but because of the many friends I've witnessed suffering with similar complications. I don't believe the lapband is a good option due to the enormous stress it places on the soft tissue of the stomach and other organs.

Are you currently on your Band journey? Yes
Have you reached your "sweet spot"? I did at one point but had to be unfilled temporarily so I've been trying to get back to that spot again.
How long have you been banded? 2 years
How much have you lost? 200 lbs and counting
Can you eat a variety of healthy foods? Yes, I can eat pretty much anything except bread.
Have you gone through fills & unfills never finding a happy medium? I have gone through fills/unfills but have always eventually found a happy medium
Do you PB? I have when my band was too tight
Keep your Band tight? No, I try to keep my band at a decent fill, currently have 5 ccs, I have decent restriction with this
Have acid reflux? Not currently but I have due to my band being too tight
Night cough? Not currently but I have due to my band being too tight
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

Any other experience you'd like to tell us about?
I've been very luck with the band thus far. My surgeon and other people didn't think I would have success with the band since I had 255 lbs to lose so they tried to talk me out of it all the time and to go with the gastric bypass instead. Due to everyone trying to talk me out getting the band that made me want it more so I could prove them all wrong..and so far I have. I went into surgery weighing 454 lbs I now weigh 254 so I have lost 200 lbs so far and I'm 25 months post op. I had to deal with the unfill/fill battle inorder to get where I needed to be restriction wise. I have experienced the stuck episodes, sliming, night cough, acid reflux, etc..all at it worse so it hasn't been an easy journey but WLS isn't supposed to be easy. Most of the issues I have had with the band was due to my poor eating habits and not following the band rules when it came to eating so I can't blame my band for that.
Would you recommend the Band?
I would recommend the band, and any other type of WLS. The band certainly isn't for everyone. Any WLS can fail and be unsucessful. I will say the upkeep on the band has been more expensive than I expected it to be, even with insurance, but its been well worth it. I really hope the band does end up being a long term solution for me but I won't know until I get there.

Are you currently on your Band journey? No - I jumped ship in 2008

Have you reached your "sweet spot"? Never did in 2 yrs

How long have you been banded? Was banded April 2006-April 2008

How much have you lost? 100lbs by the end, mostly from vomiting every meal

Can you eat a variety of healthy foods? Used to eat anything at the start. After 8 months I lived on soup and hot tea

Have you gone through fills & unfills never finding a happy medium? Yes

Do you PB? Often, with no discernable reason sometimes

Keep your Band tight? No, infact most of the time it was empty because even the minutest fill would have me PBing

Have acid reflux? Yes

Night cough? Yes

Has your Band slipped? According to 3 barium swallows it was in the "perfect" position

Have you had a dilation - specify stomach or esophagus? Nope

Do you have pain? I wouldn't say pain, just alot of discomfort

Have you had your Band removed? If so any damage to any other organs? Removed April 2008. RNY surgery October 18, 2010 - my surgeon said my stomach had scar tissue around where my band used to be

Have you revised - to what surgery?RNY surgery October 18, 2010

Any other experience you'd like to tell us about? Had gastritis 5 times with the band. Constantly being treated with PPI 's for the acid. Hospitalised once with dehydration for 2 days. The second year of the two I had it I would have gladly had it out earlier

Would you recommend the Band? Not on your Nellie, as we say in England!!  Never, nope, negatory ghost rider. I have a friend that keeps begging her surgeon to takes hers out and he just keeps suggesting fills/defills, she is so frustrated.  My current RNY surgeon says she believes Bands will phase out in the next couple of years with only Sleeves and RNY being performed. She doesn't like doing them anymore cos of the high problem rates. RESEARCH WISELY!!!!

Karren

Are you currently on your Band journey?
Yes
Have you reached your "sweet spot"?
Yes
How long have you been banded?
4 years and 8 months
How much have you lost?
109lbs, all my excess weight
Can you eat a variety of healthy foods?
yes - everything!

Have you gone through fills & unfills never finding a happy medium?
No
Do you PB?
Rarely, and alwys becasue of my own carelessness
Keep your Band tight?
tight enough to help me, not to cause problems
Have acid reflux?
very minor, about a year ago, had tiny unfill and it went
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

Any other experience you'd like to tell us about?
minor leak after 4 1/2 years, quick repair, refilled duing surgery. now fine

Would you recommend the Band?
100% BUT it is not for everyone. Any implnated device can cause problems. We need to work HARD to use our bands

Are you currently on your Band journey? Yes,
Have you reached your "sweet spot"? Yes
How long have you been banded? 9mo in
How much have you lost? 132lbs so far
Can you eat a variety of healthy foods? Yes. I have to be careful with heavy foods such as soft bread and raw vegtables
Have you gone through fills & unfills never finding a happy medium? No, pretty much great restriction at the first fill
Do you PB? I have a few times, ususally, my own fault.
Keep your Band tight? Right now it is a little tight, but getting better.
Have acid reflux?  No, none since surgery
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?  N/A
Have you revised - to what surgery? N/A

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

Would you recommend the Band?   I have around 300lbs that I wanted to lose from the outset, but I wasn't sure if I was up for the lifestyle modification before surgery, but was going to try my hardest.  I haven't found it to be too difficult.  If someone is willing to put in the effort and gets lucky with their level of satiety, it can work.  There is a lot of follow-up required, so if insurance is paying, it is worth it.  Self-pay have to be very confident in the choices they make.

" If someone is willing to put in the effort"

I know my DD as well as myself put in the damn effort and both our bands were too tight from day one. I am really offended by your reply here. The band is at best a piece of crap which did not allow many of us to eat healthy if at all.
There were times I would bounce up and down trying to get a sip of water down while being unfilled. So I'm guessing putting forth " The effort "  does not apply to EVERYONE right ?

Going on 6 years with my band and I am STILL VERY HAPPY!

 
Are you currently on your Band journey? Going on 6 years

Have you reached your "sweet spot"? Yes - I currently have the BEST long lasting restriction now

How long have you been banded? 5 years and 4 months

How much have you lost? 130 pounds - gained back 30 due to unfill for surgery, and previous surgeons office not filling me properly, changed surgeons 8 months ago and I have and recently lost 15 pounds of what I gained back.

Can you eat a variety of healthy foods? YES- I have always been able to eat normal foods, there is nothing I can't eat, thick bread will plug me tho, and I can't eat much of an apple I can't eat  do but a few bites, I never keep my band adjusted so tight that I can get down solids - it IS  a choice with us bandsters

Have you gone through fills & unfills never finding a happy medium? Yes, I went through this several times with my previous surgeons office, although I lost weight, during this yo-yo, I am 5currently at my sweet spot, I can't eat  currently eat no more than 4-5 oz of solid food at a time and I will feel stuffed.
 
Do you PB? PB or vomiting is very rare with me, I don't like being stuck so I chew my food properly, although if I am very hungry and eat too fast, I will get stuck and I will have to stop and wait until the food funnel down, the lap band is designed to slow food going, down, so as long as I FEEL this every time I eat, this let me know my tool is still working perfectly going on 6 years.

Keep your Band tight? I believe I am currently adjusted TIGHT and properly, I believe I am at ideal restriction, but safely tight, meaning I can eat solid foods without frequent vomiting and I don't feel pain when I eat or have reflux, I just get full quick on about 5 oz of solid food.

Have acid reflux? NO

Night cough? NO, I keep my pouch cleared out, but chewing papaya enzymes every night since the band restricts solids and the food dumps down very slowly these help move the food through.

Has your Band slipped? NO

Have you had a dilation - specify stomach or esophagus? I had a mild pouch dilation In 2007, after a recent adjustment with my previous surgeons office, I made a mistake and drove from Washington DC to Atlanta and then to Florida, my band got very tight, and by the time I got back home I was frothing at the mouth and I was experiencing very very bad burning, it was SO bad -- it felt like something was broke in my body, I had a BRIEF experience of what a possible band slip might have felt like, , I would not wish that pain and burning on my worst enemy, my pouch was slightly dilated from being too tight and traveling which caused further swelling, but my surgeon took immediate action and removed all the saline from my band and put me on Carafe, protonix and Raglan, I was on this medication for about 6 weeks while my pouch was healing. My pouch shrunk back down in 2 weeks, and I was SPARED  and barely escaped a band slip, I am very thankful and lucky since I took immediation action to save my band. It also took about 8 months before my band felt right again, but I am thankful that I healed.

Do you have pain? No, I don't know I have a band inside my body unless I try to shove food down my throat, I don't have port pain, I would not know if I have a port if I did not press down in my abdomen to feel it.

Have you had your Band removed? If so any damage to any other organs? NO, my band is in perfect position.

Have you revised - to what surgery? NO

Any other experience you'd like to tell us about? Yes, when I got my band back in 2005, I was well informed and researched and educated on how the band works. The band DOES NOTHING for weight loss, NOTHING and I KNEW THIS going in. What it does do is limit your portions and reduce hunger WHEN properly restricted, it was up to ME, to eat lean proteins, and do my DAILY walks every morning and drink water to lose my weight, the band is ONLY A TOOL that helped me DIET, now that I am over 5 years post op it is VERY EASY to maintain my weight loss since I can eat much, and very easy to lose weight.

Would you recommend the Band? YES, but only to certain people, my niece ask me about the band, but I said NO, she is a smoker, and drinks alcohol frequently, and she don't have the funds to keep up the maintenance and she is not a motivated type person and she would not exercise daily, so this type of person I would NOT recommend the band too. Now I have a girlfriend that is heavy about 90 pounds overweight, she is a professional and very responsible and she is a motivated type person and would be responsible for her fills and maintenance and she has a stable life, and she has good insurance and she does not have a past eating disorder so I would recommend the band to these type of people.

Are you currently on your Band journey? Yes, and I hope to always be. I'm 5 1/2 years out and doing fine.
Have you reached your "sweet spot"? At times, yes, but that was more towards the beginning.
How long have you been banded? 5 1/2 years.
How much have you lost? I lost 92 pounds, then got pregnant with my son (on purpose) and had to have the saline removed from my band while pregnant. I gained a lot of weight and have been working on losing it since. I've got about 20 pounds left.
Can you eat a variety of healthy foods? I can eat absolutely anything and everything. I have no trouble with anything as long as I chew properly.

Have you gone through fills & unfills never finding a happy medium? The first time around I got a fill every 3 months or so and everything hummed along perfectly. I did have a bit of a fill / unfill cycle after my son was born, but it's not been a problem.
Do you PB? I did at the beginning but I don't anymore, mostly because I learned how to eat in a way so that won't happen.
Keep your Band tight? As tight as I can.
Have acid reflux? Nope.
Night cough? Nope.
Has your Band slipped? Yes, twice. Both times it was solved by having all the saline removed for abotu 1 month. My doctor does all his adjustments under flouro so we were able to catch both of them really fast and there were no complications.
Have you had a dilation - specify stomach or esophagus? Nope.
Do you have pain? If I eat too much it's uncomfortable, but I've never had pain.
Have you had your Band removed? If so any damage to any other organs? Nope.
Have you revised - to what surgery? Nope.

Any other experience you'd like to tell us about? It was much easier at the beginning, but I've had to live with the saline all removed at times and I know the band is always there helping me.

Would you recommend the Band? Yes. Although it's not magic and you have to work at it.

 Wow, you and I sound exactly alike (right down to being from NJ LOL). I also lost about 90 lbs, then got pregnant (although I didn't do it on purpous), now that little man is weaned I am back on track and have about 20 lbs to lose to get back to my pre-preg weight.