looking to here from long term banders

Hi all,

It's me again with the questions about band surgery. I'm still deciding on getting the surgery, but I feel a lot what's stopping me is my fears of unknown. I understand even when I post questions and you answer at the end of the day every body's body is different and what one person experienced whether it be good or bad the other may not. I would like insight on how people are doing with the band after a year and so on.

I'm looking for the ones who've had the band for years and how they feel now since their surgery. Is it a regret? Is it the best thing that happened to ya? Any medical problems occured that may not have been there? Any medical problems that were there that aren't now because of the weight loss ? In other the words the pros's and con's to the surgery and how the body is responding to the band years later. If there are any people out there who had this for type if WLS and it's been years ago please give me your insight.
 
I know there are a few like Tom, and Bette B (hi Bette-smile-love ya), but if there are anymore please let me know. I've been checking on you-tube as well (a lot of good info on there if anyone is researching like me). 
 the pose

Go on the lapband board, you hear from many more banded people there. Many bandsters avoid this board.

Let me start by saying that there are, as there are with any wls, potential problems! But I am very sure that some people are going to come on here and tell you all those, so I will stick to the positive.

I have been banded almost 5 years. I lost all my excess weight in just over 15 months and have maintained, with one blip, for 3 1/2 years. I personally know (i.e have met) about 14 banded people and all bar 2 have been extremely successful. I have had just one issue, a leak at about 4 1/2 years. It was repaired in a minor op and is now fine.

If I were to lose my band tomorrow, i hope I could have it replaced. But if I couldn't i would not regret having it put in for one second.

Check these out:-
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/lapband/4305451/Cant-belie ve-this-band/

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/LapBand/4320969/Then-I-now -I/#35621661 

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/lapband/4318120/Any-lapban der-lost-100-lbs-in-1-year/

thanks Kate you look awesome. I'll remove this question to the lap section i didn't know banders stay away from this site. That's crazy we are supposed to support one another no matter what our choice in surgery is or was or will be. I mean the moral of the story is we are overweight and we want to lose it right?


the pose

A lot of people on the main board here are totally supportive of all surgery types and there is a lot of positive feedback across the surgery types. Unfortunately, every now and then, a surgery war blows up, usually fuelled by a very small number of people. Do keep looking on here! You need to hear all types of experiences before making your mind up!

But the overall effect is that a lot of bandsters stay "at home"!

Kate

 I guess it all depends on who you talk to. I personally know 6 banders and none have ever been at goal, three slips, one port infection, one removed after her slip. All over 2 years out.

I was banded in 2002.  Luckily, I had the lousy thing yanked out three years later.  What a waste of ten grand and three years.

(You WERE looking for the truth, right?)

Yes and still am. Why did you yank it? What weight did you start at? Did you have complications or did you just decide this isn't what it's cracked up to be? 3 years you had it, so why not yank it in 6 months, one year or 1 1/2 years etc.? Ms. Cal Culator you never gave me the truth you just gave me the outcome.What made you so disgusted with it?

thepose

 I have many friends who have bands.   One lost 100 pounds which was 60 pounds short of her goal.  Two lost about 40 pounds and are still obese.  One lost 100 pounds and he is still trying to lose the other 100.  One lost 30 pounds and has regained all of it.  All except the one who gained everything back have problems with the band being too tight to eat in the morning.  Several vomit often.  The people that had RNY were much more likely to meet their goal weight.   I have one friend who is very happy with her band.  She is still pretty heavy, but her life has been greatly improved by the weight that she did lose.

The band requires much more discipline than other surgeries.  There is no dumping or malabsorption, so it is truly dependant on the person eating the right foods in the right amounts.  

"The band requires much more discipline than other surgeries. "


What kind of discipline corrects esophogeal dysmotility...or slipped bands or port infections that are the result of erosions?

Thanks for getting back to me with the reasons. I know there are risks involved and i know some things that happen are not that person;s fault. That's just the way it is. i don't want to go through that, but you can't avoid everything that happens in life. Ms. Cal Culator i wish things would have been different for you, but I thank you for the time you took to write me back and inform me of some of the complications that could happen with the band. God Bless

The pose