How many of us have had to/need to be revised from the "Band"?

Please, put your hand up!!!  Let those who are considering having their first WLS know that we believed in this procedure wholeheartedly. We did not have the advantage of seeing all the failure that is put before their very eyes today.

Let the pre-ops considering the Band know that we tried the Band with every fiber of our being and it DISAPPOINTED. Even while we embraced the band and denied ourselves the right of the device having failed us.  We blamed us for having failed once again.  What a horrific burden to carry.

My surgeon says the thing about the band is "it's easy to sell".  That makes me weep inside because everything I had in me believed the band  would change my life.  It did, then just like a rug pulled from underneath with no warning, you go crashing losing everything you thought you gained - landing on ground so broken and shattered that you may feel reluctant to trust that solidity exist again.

My surgeon also said now your quality of life will be so much better with the sleeve - the Band is a hard life.  Every single day as I heal and get stronger, I know this is true.  There is hope for us that go crashing and feel as if we lost it all. My hope for you is that you avoid the crashing by not being lured into what is easy to sell.

3/30/05 Banded

8/10/05 New port, the first one never worked

12/20/10 Band removed - Esophageal Dilation with no resolve -   NO, I didn't stuff my pouch, my esophagus stopped working effectively due to the high pressure the band creates.

6/6/11 Sleeved! 

With love,
Laylah

Reply here:  http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/amos/4424289/How-many-of-u s-have-had-to-need-to-be-revised-from-the/

Yes me too, with the band I was always getting random tightening, to the point I couldnt get anything down. Then the unfils = weight gain for me. I nearly put back all the weight I'd taken off. My doctor had recommended the RNY is the first place but the band seemed right, and for many people it is. I am three weeks out of RNY (the only other WLS my insurance would pay for). We'll see how it goes.

Tammy I wish you all the luck in the world.  You can and will do well with your gastric bypass.

All the best hun .

I received my ban in 2001.  I lost about fifty pounds and never lost again.  the fills never really worked very well and they were soo expensive, i couldn't afford them.  I had set money aside for fills but my darling husband at the time basicly stole $3000.00 from me.  Very long story.  Got pg year later and had a son.  Split from hubby right when my son was born because  found out about several affairs he had.  So had to move back to my home town two weeks after giving birth to son .  Again no money and two small children to care for and 100 miles away from my Dr.  I have felt like such a failure over the years.  I am now, finally,  getting back on track  and have a consult coming up in Aug.    Did I fail my band????  Yes, I did.  Did my band fail me?  Again yes.  It was not the right tool for me to obtain my weight loss but I was a self-pay and was desperate.  I still feel like a failure as most over weight people do at times but I am not desperate because two amazing children that love me no matter what.   I am ver excited to start this process.  I knoe it is a long and difficult process but each step takes me one step closer to living a health life with not as many restrictions placed on me byboth society and myself.

Sorry it is sooo long but this is my first post and I wanted to tell at least a little bit of my story.  Believe me there is more..

Thanks for listening       

Your thread is exactly why I am going in for a VSG consulation with my surgeon!!! I had the LapBand consulation...thought about it....thought about it....researched....read....thought about it....read some more...and I'm now trully realizing VSG is the way for me! It will now take me a few weeks longer to get my surgery because I need the new consult...BUT I am more relaxed knowing I'm making the right decision. Thanks Laylah!!! Sheryl

Wow honey,  I am teary eyed.  I thought you were dead set on the band and no one could convince you otherwise.

I am afraid to say that "my sleeve" is all that, but honest it is!  OMG, it feels so "normal".  I don't feel like I've been adjusted in any way.  I can't promise you my experience, everyone is different.  I do feel so blessed that I overcame my fear enough to have another chance at this and it is amazing.  I feel so free and I am so thankful.

Many blessings Sheryl

(((BIG HUGS)))
Layla

A girl can change her mind can't she? Hahahahaha

Seriously, I was never dead set on the band...just that's where I started. I've been going to group supports thru my hospital and I was even considering RNY. But since I've been doing more and more research and because I have one of the best surgeon's in MI...why not have him give me the VSG consult. His nurse even brought up VSG to me in my LapBand consultation so I've been really considering it. So when I called her the other day to scedule the new consultation she was super cool about it. Hey.....I see how happy, sad, crabby, opinionated people are on this site and seriously...they are sooooo happy in the VSG forum. There's got to be something to that.

I'll keep you posted. Thanks again!! S

My band slipped, broke apart, and leaked.  I was in severe pain.  I would either have so much restriction everything would come back u***** restriction at all.  (Usually it was not restriction at all).  I now have the sleeve and I am so happy.  I have restriction and I feel great.

Had the LB in Arpil 2008 -  Lost 17 lbs and gained 14 lbs.  I was told by my doctor that I failed the band.  That I had to tell myself  I am not hungry.  How could I do that when I was friken hungry???  The fills did not matter, too tight would cause barfing, or too lose would cause overeating.   I  had no comfortable restriction.   

I went to get revised to a Sleeve in May 2009, however, I messed up right at the beginning.  By eating really early out the first week a few white carbs (3 french fries) here and a few white carbs ( 1/4 a slice of pizza)  there.  There were some VSG forum ladies that basically jumped on me for doing that and said that I needed pysicatric help.  I know they were right, but some of them seemed to enjoy telling me and talking about me to each other that I was nothing but a failure.  Well guess what?  They were right.....  I'm seeing a Therapist now to work out my emotional eating habits.  If  I don't get well I don't know what I will do.  , I'm going to just give up on everything.  

SO MY ADVICE TO THOSE WHO ARE 1ST CONSIDERING WLS.  If you are an emotional eater best get some help BEFORE your SURGERY.  YOU DON'T WANT TO SCREW UP LIKE I DID!!!




 

Laylah I would love to talk to you about your revision to gastric sleeve. I have been considering this for a while now.
Thanks!
Julia Daniel