lap-band

hi everyone :) my name jamayra. just wanted to share a little about me. I always been the bigger  girl in my family now that im going into my 30's I have gain so much weight. I try different ways to lose weight. but wasn't successful :(  my primary doctor and my gastro doctor suggested I check out the bariatric care so I did my study online and contacted in my area the local bariatric group there amazing people very helpful. im very interested in the LAP-BAND I was wondering if anyone did the lap-band and how do you feel about it ? I wont lie I am nervous I heard stories such as losing your hair ? but I rather hear inputs on someone or anyone who has done the lapband .

My understanding is that the lap-band a) has tons of complications and b) isn't actually a permanent device and only has a lifespan of around 10 years.  All the lap-banders I know in real life have had to have revisions to another surgery due to complications from the band (which are serious and permanent) or still have the band and throw up when they eat anything that isn't liquid.  This is definitely not the way I'd want to live my life!  

I would suggest looking into the VSG if you're interested in a restriction only procedure and the RNY or DS if you'd like malabsorption as well.  

Thank you so much for the information you provide . I'm thinking I should look more into what the best move for me 

Researching all of the surgery options that exist seems like a very good idea!  

IMO - throw all thoughts about Lapband out the window.  You want to learn all you can about the VSG, RNY and DS.  Each of these attacks obesity a little differently.  Think about your weight history.  Does dieting work for you, or does your body fight you tooth and nail to lose weight?  Do you never feel full?  Do you have GERD?  Type 2 Diabetes?  Is eating less all you need to do to lose weight?

VSG, like the lapband, is a restriction-only procedure.  It simply controls how much food you can eat at once.  You will still 'diet' but it will feel much easier than you experience now.

RNY and DS, on the other hand, have restriction with an added benefit of malabsorption to give a metabolic boost.  

Learn everything you can about each procedure.  Go to the surgery-specific pages and see what kinds of questions and complaints they have.  Compare what you learn to what you know about yourself, and then you can select a surgeon (most do a couple, but not all procedures)

Pletase bear in mind that I am a very happy and very successful bandit now 8 years post-op.i do not regret my band, would do it all over again and if I ever have to have it removed, I would hope to have a replacement.

When I was banded in 2006, it was a miracle surgery. And for some people, who accept that they will still have to work hard, it is just that. It was and still is for me. But over the years it has become clear that serious complications necessitating further surgery are much more common than originally thought, some of these are avoidable by careful eating and by not keeping the band tight; unfortunately others are beyond our control.

We used to be warned about band slips, leaks and about ( very rare) erosion into the stomach tissue but it turns out that a build up of scar tissue round the band (causing it to tighten) is common. It can be very difficult to get the right level of restriction and some people are tempted to keep it tight enough to physically limit food, in fact it was once thought this was how it should be. But this causes food to back up into the oesophagus and that risks problems such as oesophageal dysmotility which may be irreversible. It can also damage the vagus nerve.

We still need lots of will power. The band makes it easier by dimming hunger, but it does nothing for head hunger and, contrary to popular opinion, it does not and should not physically stop us eating. If it does it is too tight!

One thing which doesn't usually happen is the hair loss you ask about! That is more likely with other weight loss surgeries!

Having said all that, I love my band, I know many successful long term bandits in real life.

As far as I'm concerned the band is a horrid sick joke! I only lost 20 lbs, never had the "full" feeling they promised and now 7 yrs later after having my band removed I have permanent damage to my stomach! Nope save yourself a whole lot of pain and need for another surgery and just forget the lapband, it is useless and dangerous. You shouldn't worry about losing your hair, you should worry about losing  your stomach! I know 2 people who have lost their entire stomachs due to band damage. Not to mention hundreds if not thousands who have permanent damage to the vagus nerve because of the band. They are also terribly ineffective as far as weight loss goes most of us, even the ones who totally follow the rules end up with very poor weight loss. They just don't work for the vast majority of people.

Thank you for being honest. Wow I'm sorry to here you have damage.. praying you to  heal sorry you went thru that. Looks like I won't be doing the lap band 

Valerie's information seems on point. Wish I would have had this community during the time I had my lap band surgery.

Please, do not take offense at my words, because I am not a band basher, and it is not my intention to offend, but here is my band story:

I had the Lapland in 2005 with Dr. Sunil Bhoyrul.  I did not experience much hair loss or vitamin deficiencies. My weight loss was substantial, and although I experienced some problems with the Lap band (minor reflux, sliming, waking up out of my sleep choking on food/saliva, tightness, etc.), I was so happy to finally be successful at losing weight that I honestly never complained or questioned it. I thought this was normal and simply part of what I had to go through with the lap band to be successful in my weight loss . 

About close to 3 years after my surgery, I started to notice that after each adjustment, my satiety level would last less time (started lasting for a few days then got as low as lasting an hour) and I was no longer losing weight. I had not reached goal and was concerned that something was wrong with my band. I explained these concerns to my surgeon. Rather than having my band checked, I was repeatedly offered an increase on my fill. I would leave his office unable to even swallow my saliva (no exaggeration). This would last for several weeks in the beginning but after a few years, would miraculously be gone the next afternoon and eventually In a matter of hours. He refused to fill me anymore for fear of band erosion, which I totally understood. I would be in tears during my appointments because I was gaining weight and was afraid of it getting too out of control. 

My surgeon finally had my band checked and we were told everything looked good. I was so desperate to not regain all the weight I had suffered to lose and began taking diet pills. I also could no longer afford to pay out of pocket and I truly felt the need to get a second opinion so I left my surgeon and tried to find one covered by my insurance. I'm not sure if things have changed, but at that time, once a surgeon had performed your surgery, no other surgeon would dare touch you, ESPECIALLY if there were complications or problems, so I literally had to fight for close to 2 years to keep getting referrals to see different bariatric surgeons, because once I explained my issue along with who had performed my surgery, each surgeon would refuse to treat me. It took forever before I found a surgeon who finally offered me an adjustment. 

By this time, the diet pills had long lost their magic and I had no restriction. I had gained a substantial amount of weight. I decided to try a fill since so much time had passed. I prayed a miracle had somehow taken place and my band would hopefully hold a fill. However, no such miracle had occurred.  Since the surgeons refused to listen to me when I told them something was wrong with my band, I started doing research on my own. Although I came across others with similar issues with the band in communities such as this one, i was unable to find any information regarding band recalls. 

Finally in 2010, I found some info online and contacted the company. Turned out there had been a recall on my band/the needles used for adjustments. Apparently, the needles used had caused leaks to develop in the bands so rather than describe the bands as faulty (because that would be more costly), the needles were blamed for causing slow leaks that were not detectable under fluoroscopy. I literally cried tears of relief upon discovering this information! I contacted the company and spoke with someone regarding my case. The woman I spoke with did some research and called me back to explain that my surgeon had been informed about the recall and had been told to contact all patients who had that particular band and who'd had the procedure during the time I'd had my surgery. The company had also issued him a letter to give to us. Mind you, this had all transpired during the time I was going to him in tears complaining about my fills not lasting and adamantly trying to explain that something was wrong with my band. I felt so let down. I had paid him out of pocket for so long and had shared my concerns with him, yet he had never shared this vital information with me. I was devastated and contacted him via email regarding this. I received no response and re-sent the exact same email about a month later to which he responded that the lap band had not been successful for me and I would need to contact a surgeon for a different type of wls. Again, I was utterly devastated!! This man had seemed so supportive and kind prior to my band issues. I had been told that weight loss surgeons supported you as long as you were a success story, but the moment you were no longer, they wanted nothing to do with you. I refused to believe it prior to my wls issues, but after my experience, I changed my mind. The woman I spoke to sent me a copy of the letter to take to my current surgeon. I was just so happy to have proof that something was wrong. Although I had continued to follow the eating plan with my band, I had gained weight and felt like such a failure, as if I had failed the band, but now I had proof that the band had actually failed me due to a malfunction. Unfortunately, I was told that I would need to have it replaced, and while it would be covered by the company, I would have to pay upfront for the surgery and then receive a refund afterward. As you can imagine, my world came crashing down because there was NO way I could afford to pay for that surgery! I spoke to my current weight loss surgery about replacing my band, but he refused and explained that he did not find the band to be a good choice of wls for anyone seeking wls. 

Along with all the surgeons I had seen over the years, he was shocked that my OG surgeon had recommended the lap band surgery for me after reviewing my medical history and seeing that I had suffered from insulin resistance syndrome AND PCOS. Of course I had no idea that this should have determined which wls was best for me. I honestly thought wls is wls and wanted the least dangerous one. I trusted my surgeon when he told me the lap band would be the best option for me. Looking back, the sleeve wasn't popular at that time and I didn't qualify for the rny due to my weight, so that may have had something to do with his choice. 

I was diagnosed with thyroid disorder in the summer of 2009, and this only made things worse. Treatment caused me to quickly gain a whopping 50 pounds!! Despite all this and the anxiety, depression and hopelessness that gradually crept back in (and worsens each day), for the most part, I continue to eat healthy the majority of the time, and try to exercise but it is difficult and frustrating because I am right back where I was 10 years ago. 

My current surgeon wants to remove my band and perform vsg surgery. About a year ago, insurance approved band removal with a vsg for a later date, but I get severe anxiety just thinking about having that surgery or any type of wls again. I remember all the suffering I experienced with the band, and I don't think I could go through that again. The restriction and not being able to get even a Tbsp of water down let alone a bite of a soft scrambled egg!  It just all freaks me out. Majorly! 

While i do not regret wls, I DO regret having lap band surgery. If I had it to do again, there's NO WAY I would have this surgery, even if it meant holding out and waiting for a different type of wls. 

Do as much research as you can and gather as much information as possible. We are encouraged to go with what our doctor recommends for us, but like us, they are only human and make mistakes too. Of course, listen to your surgeon, as he's the professional, but don't blindly go with what he recommends. Before making your decision, also read up on things for yourself and listen to your gut as well as people on this site. This is where you will find a plethora of useful information. 

Best,

KattattaK

Thank you so much for sharing your story.