Strongly Regret Lap-Band

hi I am new to this and just in the research process. I desire to hear from others who have had the surgery. The good the bad and the ugly.  Can this be removed?

wow I was just shocked to hear that people actually got "filled" with Lap band .  Before I got all my info I did not really understand Lap Band that well.  The idea of fills TOTALLY freaked me out but when I read some of this I am confirmed in my choice for RNY.  I cannot image paying 300 dollars to be UNfilled ....I had never heard of that....much less could I afford ANYTHING after self paying 22k that I am actually about to drop on RNY. I feel awful that you experienced all this and not being able to eat right or get desired results.  Best WIshes!

Dear Michelle, After reading your profile, I see why you are so defensive. You are experiencing similar post op weight gain just like the rest of us "suckers" who were sold that bag of goods. You were so oppositional to me because you are experiencing comlications. No these complications are not exactly like mine but the outcome is similar you are currently gaining weight. Look the light of truth will be shown upon Inamed and Lap-Band will in the future go the way of Phen-fen and Vioxx. I can already see it coming and I can hear the class action attorney frothing at the bit. Hope these words are inspiring for you. Your fellow bandster.......... Vanessa

Vanessa, For the first three months you loved your lap band. And then, nearly a year and a half later you hate it. What changed starting in October 2003? My fear for you is that without being able to analyze what and why things in your life changed, you may have trouble with the RNY also. I personally know the two extremes of RNY, an associate of mine may die because she lost so much and can't stabilize enough for them to do a corrective surgery; another friend lost over 100 lbs. and has now gained it all back. These same stories are possible with any WLS, including lap band. The important issue is to figure out WHY yours failed. Good luck, Donna

Dear Donna, I could not agree with you more. I have posted on the Lap-Band forum detailing my journey. It provides clarification on some details that may help you to understand why the sudden change in going from good to bad. You are so right about the change to RNY though. It can be just as unsuccessful. Dr. Fromm had suggested to me that I may benefit from DS but he made it clear that malnutrician can occur with DS. I don't know. I just need some type of intervention. My blood pressure has really been up recently. Thank you for posting...... Vanessa

Just to add some thought here. Maybe the band they put in you was too small in the first place and should have been a larger one that way it does not irritate your stomach. I know that in men they tend to put a larger one in because we carry most of our weight in our gut and there is extra fat tissue around our stomachs. Did you ever ask the doctor what size of band did he/she put in? Another thing I am having to do is journal what I eat every day and put it into something like fitday.com to show how much is going in and to understand where I am blowing my calories. I have also chosen to go to a counselor because most of my issues are head issues. The demons that I have not dealt with enough to get me through this. I have realized these demons would be an issue regardless of what type of surgery I could have had. Sure if you have the RNY it is more painful (dumping) to try to eat sweets, but over time I think people who do not deal with their own demons will find other ways to eat the wrong stuff and gain the weight back. I don't know if this is any help at all, but these are just some of my thoughts. Yes, the LapBand is not the perfect solution, but if there was a perfect solution we would not need this or any type of surgery. Thanks for listening, Wade Beasley Shelbyville, KY

"Dr. Fromm had suggested to me that I may benefit from DS..." Donna, You lucky girl!! For a surgeon to RECOMMEND the DS, well, it just gives me the shivers!! I believe, along with my forum of buds, that everyone can BENEFIT from the DS. (I don't push pills or cigarettes to minors but I am A DS PUSHER!!!!) Yes, he is right, there IS a Risk of Malnutrition! BUT, PLEASE don't discount current and More Updated Reseaerch/Data that PROVES the Distal RNY poses MORE of a Malnutrition issue than the DS. Why you ask???? I would be happy to explain! Because with the DS, at about 1 year post op, when our REAL tummies have GROWN back (not completely, but enough to give us NORMAL meals!!) we can take in MORE food which will deliver MORE nutrients and vitamins that we need! With the RNY, however, the pouch RESTRICTS the amount of food you can comsure thereby LIMITING the amount of vitamins and nutrients that you can get from it. SUPPLIMENTATION is KEY for each surgery, BUT, distal RNY post-op and DS post-op vitamin regimine are NOT the same! There is much for you to think about now that I have filled you with the good news. I'm really not a nut case, just happy to share what I've been taught. I read in another post of your (or maybe it was this one, its a biggun) that you believed the RNY to be the "gold standard", I have to Disagree. I believe the DS is the QUALITY surgery. One thing more I want to point out. You said before that you went into the Lap-band process not knowing all there was to know. PLEASE don't do that again! Know Your Options And if you have a surgeon that believes you will BENEFIT from the DS, the least you can do is research it. Come to the DS forum, we get revisions over there all the time. We would LOVE TO HELP. We will give you the information and support you are looking for! God Bless LeeAnn

Good for Dr. Fromm! Before you make a decision as to which if any surgery to have your Band revised to, PLEASE go to Nashville and attend Dr. John Husted's surgical seminar. It's free, it's given several times a month, and it's incredibly informative. Dr. Husted and his partner, Dr. Al Spaw, perform the LapBand, the DS, and a version of the RNY called the Vertically Banded Gastric Bypass/Fobi Pouch. (Don't confuse this with the Vertically Banded Gastrectomy/VBG---it's a regular RNY, with a silastic ring planed around the stoma to prevent stretching.) Malnutrition CAN occur with any form of WLS, even the LapBand. But the DS has what's often called 'selective malabsorption', and actually prevents less risk than a distal RNY. Any form of bypass requires life-long vitamin and mineral supplementation, but the DS allows you to eat most of your nutrients naturally (no protein shakes for most folks!). Come on over to the DS board and check it out for yourself! http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/surgtype-forums/DS

Dear Ms. Batt: I attended Dr. Husted's seminar on Wednesday this past week. As you can tell I am very serious about trying to get healthy. My insurance may even pay for revision surgery due to the fact I have a different insurance now. I thought the seminar was very informative and should provide me with some direction as to what the next step will be. Thank you for sharing your information with me. Vanessa

Hey Vanessa, First I just love the name! 2nd sorry to hear about your lap band dilemna and then to share this website with you and others: It is: www.gr-ds.com - once there go to comparison type of surgeries and you will be PO to think that you weren't told about what top surgeons think about it. Lyric