Seeking lap band stories

Thank you all for your responses.  I am going to keep studying and look at the differences in Lap-Band vs Realize and the changes in them over the years and also the By-pass.  I don't want to do the wrong thing and then live with that forever.  But again I need to choose because I have been overweight all my life and now I have no engery which my dr. contibutes to my body having to carry around so much extra weight, I also never thought I would have to rock to get up and not be pregnant.  I am embarrassed, depressed and know that there is no "simple" way to lose weight.  I just need help and tool to get me going.  Again thanks for all your information. 

While you're looking, look at the other 2 surgeries as well: VSG and DS. You want to know all your options so you make the best decision possible.

While all WLS requires lifestyle changes on your part to be successful, there ARE simpler ways than others. You may as well pick the road most likely to get you to goal while providing you the most normal quality of life as possible.

There are major differences between a pouch and a stomach. Look into the pyloric valve...it is pretty important and you may not want to bypass it with the band or RNY.

You deserve to be a normal weight...pick the road that will get you there.

Best,
Lindsey

I love my band. I lost all my weight in about 5 months (not typical), and have kept it off for 14 more months. Previously I had a very difficult time losing weight and had never been able to keep it off for more than a very few months. It has changed my life. It doesn't work as well for everyone.

I researched all the wls very heavily before I made my decision. You should, too, use independent research rather than what proponents of any particular surgery, (even lap band), say. I made my decision based on the best fit for me and my health issues and insurance restrictions. You should do the same. No one surgery is right for every bariatric patient.

One helpful resource I just found in my saved research files was a post here on the main OH board on June 24, 2011. It was titled "Does the patient fail the procedure or does the procedure fail the patient", originally posted by levit-town loser. I found it to be quite balanced, over all.

This is just a starting place. Find out what it takes to succeed with each procedure, and what people are doing that struggle. That happens with almost all of the surgeries, except DS, and I have even seen a few of them who have not been able to lose 100% of their weight. Keeping it off is a big consideration, too. The article I mentioned has some interesting things to say about that, too. Another suggestion, ask your surgeon what his/her statistics are. My surgeons, considering the band, are about what Kate said her docs are, even though my surgeon more commonly performs the other procedures.

I have other saved resear*****luding some pro lap band and others con lap band. If you want it just send me a message. Otherwise just see where you get to with your own research. I preferred medical studies for mine, you don't have to.

Good luck with what ever you decide.
Sue

 I'm almost 2 yrs out and doing well.  I am down 80+ lbs and am off all medications for high b/p and reflux.  I like my band because it's a tool.  The only foods I really cannot eat are bread, soft tortillas, and broccoli and cauliflower (unless it's cooked to dead).  I recently went out with an old friend who knew I had had surgery and she even remarked "wow you can eat like a normal person just much less" and yep...I can.  Every WLS surgery has their pros and cons.  Do your research, be honest with yourself and pick what's right for you and your life.  Good luck

I wouldn't consider myself an expert since I had the surgery back in July but I can give you just a small piece of advice. Lap band surgery has been great for me it is a slower weight loss so you have to be patient. I so far have lost around sixty pounds which is average since your supposed to loose on average 10 pounds a month. After surgery though I know you have heard this but ensure you get your water in. I know this because i got dehydrated after surgery because I had so much restriction I didn't want to eat or drink and I got sick. Also just a tip bread is something that will never be easy to eat it gets stuck in the pouch and trust me YOU WILL GET SICK. Now their are some that can eat bread but small amounts and you really need to watch how much. Another thing make sure you eat very slow I still catch myself not eatting slow enough then I get sick and so on. All and all though Lap band surgery is very helpful and compared to some of the other surgeries it has less issues with it. Start taking vitamins now, start a small amount of a protein shake a day these will help you transition after surgery. They had me on them and protein shakes is something that is helpful when your on step one diet which is pureed foods it helps replace those nutrients. My dietician had me start some protein before I even had surgery so I could find the right one that I wanted to stay on. The atkins advantage is the best the one some of  them taste really bad but this one is rather good. Also exercise now don't wait start putting a half hour aside now make it a habit everyday. That way you can already have that set aside. Well I didn't mean to sound like I am preaching I only trying to help you not make the same mistakes I did after surgery. Take care and hope all goes well for you Merry Christmas

p.s. invest in a good set of measuring cups and food scales it helps when you transition back to normal foods.

I am going on 7 years post op, I am still very pleased with my choice, I lost 130 pounds with my and kept my weight down for at least 5 years, I got married and had some hormonal issues and gained a few pounds back, but I lost the weight by getting back on track with fills. I consider my band a "built-in weight loss tool" I can turn it off by getting saline removed, if I want to eat more, or turn it back on and get my band adjusted tighter when I need more help for weight loss.

Many happy lap banders probably don't post as often since they are not having trouble, I only come back when I can to support newbies and try to stay on track, being almost 7 years post op sometimes you get complacent and forget the rules so I try to pop in here when I can to give back.

As you can see you will get a balanced perspective on life with the band, it works great for some and some it has been a nightmare. There are very important rules to follow with the band to stay complication free and successful with weight loss.

I am not here to persuade you either way, I have no interest in telling you to get the band, because which ever weight loss surgery you pick you will have to deal with the possible side effects forever. I chose the band because I was willing to take the risk of a possible erosion or band slippage, but I was not willing to take the risk of removing my stomach or rearranging my insides or dumping, that's just me.

The lap band can be a very finicky tool, fills are not an exact science and sometimes it takes going back and forth to tweak it to get to a good fill level, and if it gets filled too tightly the patient must be honest and let the surgeon know the band is not comfortable and the patient may experience very bad side effects such as frequent vomiting, heartburn and reflux and tightness in the throat, but often times many people refuse to go back and get saline removed since they may think the tighter the band the more weight loss can occur, but it will only cause problems and permanent damage and or band removal if problems are left untreated for a long time.

But if the patient works closely with their surgeon this can be avoided and it takes a team effort to get the band adjusted properly. Once the band is adjusted properly, you should not experience any adverse side effects, just a smooth sensation of food slowly funneling down your throat if you chew well and follow the basic band rules.

I would not trade my good health and banded life for nothing and I still have my original lap band and I hope to go to my grave with it.

Please take time to fully research the band and ideally if you can, find a surgeon that has done over 500 lap bands and is dedicated ONLY to BAND patients, but if you can't, and can only find a surgeon that does both RNY, Sleeve and the Band make sure they have excellent aftercare and highly available and is part of the "Center of Excellence". This will greater your chance of a good outcome.

It's OK to know upfront the successes and failures of the band, this way you will go into this with your eyes open Knowing it is a Tool and understand fully the pitfalls of the band, and if your surgeon is highly skilled with a low revision rate your chances will be greater, NO weight loss surgery comes without risk, most people choose the risk that they are able to live with.

If you are interested in how the band works the link below will give you an accurate account of how the band works and how to be successful with it.

Good luck

Link to How the Lap band works
http://www.laplose.com/Media/Forms/LapBandDietGuideNew.pdf

 My band almost killed me, I am a VSG revision and love it. You can do a quick search of my screen name for my story or PM me. I am too lazy to write it all out again right now (or even go looking to copy and paste). Others have given you good advice, so I will just say that if I had it to do over again I would have gone with the VSG from the start. 

I would not recommend the band to my worst enemy. I have had my band 2 yrs. I got 16 fills in 15 months and never got restriction. COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!

 I've been banded 2.75 years (since March of 09), and have lost 220lbs (+/-, depending on the day) and have yet to have any major complications.

I do the work, I pay attention to what I eat, I move my body daily, I go in as needed for band fills (or unfills.. only once) and I get an UGI yearly to check band placement (my requirement.. not my surgeons).  I'm also vigilant on taking my vitamins & supplements daily.

I too was given the choice between band and RnY.  I was afraid of RnY.. even though the weight loss would've been faster and perhaps easier, I was afraid of dumping, I was afraid of reactive hypoglycemia.  I've since learned that RnY'ers are more prone to bone loss and with Osteoporosis being a familial factor, it turns out RnY was not a good choice for me.  I had also just recovered from a major surgery involving organ removal and just could not face another one that would alter my body to the degree that RnY does.  And due to insurance rules, I had only a certain time limit to get either banded or bypassed.  

I had more than one doctor tell me I would only lose 50 lbs with the band.  I lost 100 in 7 months (results not typical) with walking as my only exercise.  I so enjoy seeing those doctors now and their look of amazement.

If you chose the band, make sure that your doctor is fully supportive of this surgery.  Find out what their fill protocol is and their dietary rules/suggestions.  I've talked to some other bandsters whose doctors are really "out there".. (like making their patients lose weight to "earn" a fill.. that's just not right.. ) make sure yours has guidelines that you can live with.  

Congratulations on taking steps to improve your health.  And no matter which surgery you chose, you will most likely improve.  I've been where you are with no energy..   much much better now.  :)

I believe there is an entire forum dedicated to lap band failures.  I suggest you read that forum as well.