It would be less painful to stab myself in the eye...

Than it would be to read about one more person choosing to get banded. I'd start cussing here but OH would have to ban my lap band hating, potty mouth self ! 

Are you finding a lot of posts about that? I haven't seen any recently. I went to an IRL support group last week though and an older gentleman there was considering lap band. His reasoning was it would still allow him to eat a whole burger and fries and was removable if he wanted it taken out down the line. I just wanted to say, "honey, if you already think you might want to reverse it someday, you're not ready to commit to surgery, period!" There were two failed bandsters there though who I think changed his mind, or at least gave him some good info to think about.

one person deciding to get a lapband is one too many.

Pumpkin, it is good to see you back and I hope all is going well for you.

But, please, don't start all this up again. There really are almost no threads about people getting bands now; The hate has died down. When people ask about banding now, and it rarely happens, they get measured and helpful replies. Generally, as there aren't many banded people who come here now, they are encouraged to go to VSG or RNY. But the general tenor is no longer aggressive, it is informative. 

I'm not starting hate Kate. I'm not around here as much as you are so when I am still seeing people that have been banded as recently as 2014 then I'm going to say something. I'm glad you are here to help guide them but, that doesn't mean I'm going to stop being myself.

I'm not starting hate Kate. I'm not around here as much as you are so when I am still seeing people that have been banded as recently as 2014 then I'm going to say something. I'm glad you are here to help guide them but, that doesn't mean I'm going to stop being myself.

Ok people my daughter wants the band so what advice can you give her she is over a 40 bmi good and bad please.

Mara, The band will cause your daughter numerous complications. Is she on OH? If she is an OH member then have her click on my link to the failed bands forum. There is not much activity over there anymore however, there are numerous threads that contain personal struggles with the bands as well as excellent information on why she should NEVER consider getting banded.

I can give you one reason why nobody should ever consider getting banded and, that reason is. Insurance companies will approve the band but, it will take more then an act of congress to get them to remove it.

Please bear in mind that I am a very happy and very successful bandit now 9 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 quite 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.

Some doctors have stopped implanting bands as they found the removal rate was unacceptably high and it was too easy not to lose enough weight. Revision from band to sleeve is not uncommon! On this site you will read more bad stories than good.  This is partly because there simply have been a lot of people who had problems but it is also partly because about three years ago, it became a very unpleasant board for banded people and a lot left. I was called a liar for saying I have been successful; people who had just had their bands implanted were told they were stupid and would inevitably have serious issues. People with the smallest complication were told to revise before catastrophe struck.

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!

Having said all that, I love my band, I know many successful long term bandits in real life. My own experience has been good and so has that of almost all those I actually know and have met. I know IRL around 50 banded people; all over four years out, many over 8 years.  I admit I have lost touch with some but of all those I know about only two have lost their bands. One of these admits she abused her band deliberately, the other had a no -related medical condition. My own doctor tells me he has removed a very small number of bands. He didn't specify what that meant but, unlike US doctors he is salaried and has no financial incentive to perform band as opposed to other surgeries (which he also performs). He still believes banding is a good option.

No surgery is perfect.  I know two sleeved people whose lives are now truly miserable because of their sleeves and one bypass patient who very nearly died because of her operation and two years later is still severely affected by it.