XPost To all ex-banded people or those who are "anti-band"

Those who know me will be aware that, while loving my band, I don't minimise potential complications. I have been talking to someone about banding and I said that I had been told (many, many times) on OH that Allergan now have on their site the information that the expected life of the band is 10 years. However, I can't find it! So many have "quoted" this that someone must have actually seen it! Lots are probably just quoting others!

But is there anyone out there who can point me to the actual Allergan statement? I am not usually someone who states the comments of others as fact without checking! But it looks as if this time I might have done so. Help! I can remember who several of the people are who have stated it as fact that Alletgan have written this so I can contact those posters individually but am hoping one of those people may see this and help me!

It may be that everyone is repeating the statement as fact based on an original incorrect statement!! I have actually asked one individual before to give me the link and she didn't reply!

Maybe someone who is a member of the failed bands group could ask there for me? It isn't an open group so I can't ask myself. I'm not trying to cast doubt on what people have said! On the contrary, I was trying to give the data to someone as a warning! But I am beginning to wonder if it is actually true that Allergan say this!

I have also e mailed Allergan to ask them and I have just found and read right through the instructions and cautions issued to bariatric professionals. Throughout it talks of the need to caution patients that this is for the rest of their lives, unless something goes wrong. It does say there is not a lifetime guarantee but that is nothing like saying it has a ten year lifespan.

I found where the FDA recalled the Realize lap-band from 2010-2011.

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfRes/res.cfm?ID=95099

No, that was a faulty batch. Thanks, but not what I was looking for.

http://www.thinnertimesforum.com/topic/55154-lifespan-and-pr oduct-failure-of-lap-band-and-adjustable-gastric-band/

Someone asks a lifespan question in this forum, and the doctor replies that "Adjustable gastric bands are designed to last for the rest of your life."

I have never seen any literature stating the band has a ten year life span. 

EDITED TO ADD ---

http://www.allergan.com/assets/pdf/L3691.pdf

On the very last page of this document from Allergan, there is a disclaimer that it is "...not a lifetime product and it may break or fail, in whole or in part, at any time after implantation and notwithstanding the absence of any defect." Just a normal disclaimer in my opinion. It is still just a piece of equipment.

Yes, that is exactiy what I found.  But time and time again, it is stated as fact by people advising against the band, that the manufacturer's web site gives the 10 year life span.

i think this is one of those apocryphal "facts" used by people with an axe to grind and requoted by people who have never actually looked! 

That is what it looks like... 

Kate, I asked the one surgeon in our group who still does bands, and he said he has never heard or read anything about the 10 year expectancy of the band.  

He said that a significant number of people do run into various kinds of trouble after 10 years, but that is different than the band only being expected to last 10 years.

Lora

Yes. That's what I thought!  It just became almost accepted as a statement of fact by some OH posters who use it to warn people "even the manufacturers themselves say....".  I asked on here simply because I saw it referred to so often I thought I must just be missing something!

Sorry, Lora - didn't say, thanks for asking!!