1 Yr. Bandiversary Update

Happy mommy well said i agree with you

 
~~But coming to a board full of pre-band and new bandsters trying to make a life style change, and then hitting them up with such negative information, is not the best means of spreading your gospel.   Move on and let those new bandsters (like myself) come to these boards for inspiration, hope and answers to our quesitons. Thanks and good luck on your revision.~~

WHAT?  She should just sit down, shut the heck up as to not educate pre ops about the realities of banding?

The hell with that!  People who actually DO research want all the info, they don't want to be spoon fed a load of steaming garbage.

If you want to only hear the positives well... I don't know what to tell you.  Perhaps block everyone that has band issues?

I have news for you, Maria is banded.  She can post any damn thing she wishes.  If you want rainbows and puppy dogs shoved up your back side, again... block everyone with band issues and you can live your fantasy.

I post truth for newbies who are researching, I post from experience for those already banded having problems.

WASaBubbleButt, (love your name btw),

Sorry you are so venemous and your posts are ignored by many (including myself when I was pre-band) because it is so clear you are full of bitterness.  Your tone, attitude, and juvenile name calling make you lose all credibility quickly.  Nobody wants to read that.  Yes, many of us pre-ops want all of the information and read the boards to get it. The information isn't hidden and a quick google search leads you to many posts on the risks/failures of the band.  You can trust that I (as I stated in my post) read ALL (even a few of your posts) and still decided on the band.  I hope it works for me but it may  not.  That is a risk I was willing to take.  Even if it doesn't and I have to have a revision...you can trust that I will not have the negativity you seem to spew.  I would not attempt to sabatoge the new bandsters....instead I would move on, albeit disappointedly, and make the most of my situation.  I may post about my situation....but there are better places to post it.  If a prebandster asks about the band, however, I have no problem with honest answers because they are obviously doing the research (and should be told of the risks/failures, etc).

I am not telling Maria (or you of course) not to post.  I am a big believer in free speech. But please, let us bandsters have a place to come for some positive encouragement.  That is what helps us along.  We are sorry it didn't work for you, but we need somewhere we can go for encouragement, "rainbows and puppy dogs" and a board on the topic is the perfect place for that. 

 
Wow, you sure are bitter.  Apparently you didn't do your research and now you attack anyone who dares to disagree with you?  Sorry, that one is on you.

you are not demonstrating your research well at all when you post with the attitude that if the band doesn't work you'll just get a revision.  Had you done your research you would know that a revision to a staple line carries 3x the risk of bleeding, perforations, and leaks vs. working on a virgin stomach.  Your attitude screams of.... I'm going to get a band aid put on my gunshot wound and reallllly hope it works.  That does not show research, that shows fantasy.

if you want positive encouragement instead of truth, block me.  It's that simple.

~It seems to me that your hopes may not be achievable because you are looking for the magic potion.  ~


Really?! Is that right??? Please explain why it is u feel that I am "looking for the magic potion"! Lol!

~do you really think presenting such negative information to a bunch of hopeful bandsters is doing good?  Or is it just making you feel better at the expense of so many new (and hopeful) bandsters.

Hmmmm.........."presenting such negative information" ............well I am presenting honest information..........if that happens to b negative........so b it. I would think that most on here would want honest info. U dont???

Now why would this make me feel better??? That makes no sense at all, now does it?

"at the expense of new (and hopeful bandsters)"..............So u think they don't deserve to know what problems there are with the band??? Lol.

~ coming to a board full of pre-band and new bandsters trying to make a life style change, and then hitting them up with such negative information, is not the best means of spreading your gospel.~

Again...........I posted HONEST information! U seem to have a problem with that! So tell me, just why is it that others should b allowed to post on a public forum but NOT me??? Lol. I am not trying to sell a book. I have no reason to lie about my information. This is my story. I post here like thousands of other members. How many 1,2,3 yr. etc. updates have u seen on OH? And just why do u feel I shouldn't b allowed to post my update as others do???

~Move on and let those new bandsters (like myself) come to these boards for inspiration, hope and answers to our quesitons.~

No dear I will not move on. Unlike u most bandsters prefer HONEST information. Inspiration, hope and answer to questions is great. I am inspired by many on here. Many are inspired by me. I had sooooo much hope when I got the piece of crap. Now............well the hope is gone. As far as answers to question...........well one question newbies should have and should get an HONEST answer to is: How long will it take to get to restriction/"sweet spot"? So they need to know the answer.............Some ppl NEVER reach restriction!

Please re-read this post that u have made in a yr. I am very interested to know how u will feel about your statements then if u have no luck with your band!

Have a nice day!

So, you suggest that those of us with years of expeirence with the band take a hike (and take our problems with us) so that those of you who in the scheme of things know ZERO about the band, its ups, downs and complications pass on misinformation to the next generation?

Sorry, that is exactly why where here, to make sure that every person looking into a band know exactly what they are getting into - its not our fault that you either A. didn't do enough research or B. decided that a 1 in 4 reoperation rate and 30% total weight loss was acceptable. Facts and personal experience arent scary -

Studies

 

Adjustable gastric band to sleeve conversions/revisions 

September 18th, 2010 Posted in Bariatric surgery, LapBand, Realize Band, Vertical gastrectomy, Weight loss surgery results, surgical weight loss, weight loss plan, weight loss surgery  As the popularity of adjustable gastric banding has increased in the United States, so have the problems associated with this approach to weight loss. Issues with band slips, erosions and most commonly inadequate weight loss surgery results or weight regain have become an increasing problem which weight loss surgery physicians must now address. Long-term data on the success of the adjustable gastric band (LapBand® and Realize® Band ) has shown consistent results with regards to surgical weight loss. Published studies in bariatric laparoscopic surgery report average percentage excess weight loss (%EWL) of 30%-60%, but vary widely.   The most accurate reports appear to indicate a range of 40%-55% EWL in patients who have been followed for more than 5 years. Perhaps a more important issue (and more neglected) is the long-term complication and failure rate of these devices. Some reports in the literature looking at results in patients 8-10 years after surgery report up to a 25% explantation (removal) rate, 6-10% rate of reoperation to address complications and 40% failure rate. With more than 400,000 adjustable gastric bands implanted worldwide, this stands to become a sizable problem.   Because of these issues, forward-thinking bariatric surgeons have implemented strategies and algorithms to deal with failures and complications of these devices. Dr. Paul Cirangle, a pioneer of and one of the world’s experts on the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy (VSG), deals with conversions from the adjustable gastric band (AGB) to the Sleeve Gastrectomy on a frequent basis. He has recently reviewed his extensive bariatric surgery experience with these conversions and has found some very interesting findings. The incidence of patients complaining of “troubled eating" (pain with swallowing, regurgitation, heartburn or reflux) was extremely high (>60%), even in individuals who were successful in losing weight with the band. Among those who were not successful in losing an adequate amount of weight, many stated that dense foods were so uncomfortable to consume. This results in gravitating towards softer foods such as mashed potatoes and pasta, making it essentially impossible for them to reach their surgical weight loss goals.  In the time period between July 2005 and July 2010, 69 adjustable gastric bands have been revised to a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy. The results in terms of %EWL, reduction of appetite and overall sense of satiety have been excellent – essentially the same as in patients undergoing a sleeve gastrectomy as a primary procedure.   When asked about the subjective difference, all patients concurred that the VSG produced little or no episodes of “troubled eating" and was universally superior in regards to satiety and suppression of appetite in comparison to the AGB.

27 June 2010

ASMBS: Gastric Banding Gets Low Marks

ASMBS:  Gastric Banding Gets Low Marks, for your patients," said Aarts, of Rijnstate Hospital, Amhem, The Netherlands.
  Reviewing the history of adjustable gastric banding, Aarts noted that initial results were encouraging when the procedure was introduced in the early 1990s. Gastric banding achieved good results with respect to excess weight loss and was associated with a low risk of morbidity and mortality.
  The five-year results have been mixed, as some studies showed durable weight loss and others deterioration of initial benefits. Because of the procedure's relatively recent introduction, little information has accumulated regarding the long-term results with adjusted gastric banding, Aarts said.
  Rijnstate Hospital has the most active bariatric surgery program in The Netherlands, he continued. Surgeons perform more than 800 procedures annually, and more than 3,000 patients have undergone laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding. Aarts and colleagues evaluated results in 201 patients who had laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding procedures during 1995 to 2003. All the patients had rigorous follow-up at three-month intervals during the first year and then annually thereafter. As a result, 99% of the patients had complete follow-up data, which spanned an average of 9.6 years.
  The patients had a mean baseline age of 37, and women accounted for three fourths of the cohort. Baseline body mass index averaged 46 kg/m², and 20% of the patients met the definition of super obese. Excess body weight averaged 83 kg. Using excess weight loss >25% to define treatment success, Aarts and colleagues found that adjustable gastric banding was successful in about 80% of patients during the first three years, followed thereafter by a steady decline to 64% at 5 years and 31% at 10 years.
  When treatment success was defined as band in place and excess weight loss >40%, the success rate was 70% at one year, 64% at three years, 50% at five years, and 20% at 10 years. A third of patients had undergone reoperation after five years, increasing to 53% at 10 years. The incidence of band removal increased from 0.5% at one year to 11% at five years and 35% at 10 years. Conversion to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass accounted for half of all reoperations. Control of diabetes, hypertension, and gastroesophageal reflux disease all deteriorated significantly (P<0.01) over time. In particular, the incidence of new-onset diabetes and hypertension increased during follow-up, as did the proportion of patients requiring acid-suppression therapy.   On the basis of the results, surgeons at the Dutch center have begun to re-evaluate their use of adjustable gastric banding for treatment of obesity. What role, if any, the procedure will play in the future has yet to be determined, said Aarts.
  Primary source: American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
Source reference:
Aarts E et al. "Disappointing results in the long run after gastric banding." ASMBS 10. Abstract PL-118.

Obes Surg. 2006 Jul;16(7):829-35.
  A 10-year experience with laparoscopic gastric banding for morbid obesity: high long-term complication and failure rates. Suter M, Calmes JM, Paroz A, Giusti V. Department of Surgery, Hôpital du Chablais, Aigle-Monthey, Switzerland.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Since its introduction about 10 years ago, and because of its encouraging early results regarding weight loss and morbidity, laparoscopic gastric banding (LGB) has been considered by many as the treatment of choice for morbid obesity. Few long-term studies have been published. We present our results after up to 8 years (mean 74 months) of follow-up.
  METHODS: Prospective data of patients who had LGB have been collected since 1995, with exclusion of the first 30 patients (learning curve). Major late complications are defined as those requiring band removal (major reoperation), with or without conversion to another procedure. Failure is defined as an excess weight loss (EWL) of <25%, or major reoperation.
  RESULTS: Between June 1997 and June 2003, LGB was performed in 317 patients, 43 men and 274 women. Mean age was 38 years (19-69), mean weight was 119 kg (79-179), and mean BMI was 43.5 kg/m(2) (34-78). 97.8% of the patients were available for follow-up after 3 years, 88.2% after 5 years, and 81.5% after 7 years. Overall, 105 (33.1%) of the patients developed late complications, including band erosion in 9.5%, pouch dilatation/slippage in 6.3%, and catheter- or port-related problems in 7.6%. Major reoperation was required in 21.7% of the patients. The mean EWL at 5 years was 58.5% in patients with the band still in place. The failure rate increased from 13.2% after 18 months to 23.8% at 3, 31.5% at 5, and 36.9% at 7 years.
  CONCLUSIONS: LGB appeared promising during the first few years after its introduction, but results worsen over time, despite improvements in the operative technique and material. Only about 60% of the patients without major complication maintain an acceptable EWL in the long term. Each year adds 3-4% to the major complication rate, which contributes to the total failure rate. With a nearly 40% 5-year failure rate, and a 43% 7-year success rate (EWL >50%), LGB should no longer be considered as the procedure of choice for obesity. Until reliable selection criteria for patients at low risk for long-term complications are developed, other longer lasting procedures should be used.
  PMID: 16839478 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Free Article
  Outcomes after laparoscopic adjustable gastric band repositioning for slippage or pouch dilation

 AACE/TOS/ASMBS Guidelines
Study of Gastric Bypass vs. Banding Has Mixed Results
Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding in 1,791 Consecutive Obese Patients: 12-Year Results

Weight loss (kg, BMI, %EWL) for the entire series is shown in Table 3 and in Figures 2, 3 and 4.
At 10 years, the average weight was 101.4 ± 27.1 kg (loss of 26.3 kg), the BMI 37.7 ± 9.1 (loss of 8.5
points) and the %EWL was 38.5 ± 27.9.
Results of morbidly obese (BMI ≤49) and superobese (BMI ≥50) were separated into two groups for evaluation/comparison and weight loss in terms of kg and BMI is reported in Table 4 and shown in Figures 5 and 6. At 10 years the weight of the morbidly obese group was 94.6 ± 18.0 kg of the superobese group and was 123.2 ± 38.5 kg, indicating weight losses of 23.8 kg and 29.6 kg, respectively.
At 10 years, the BMI in the morbidly obese group was 35.2 ± 5.4 and in the super-obese group was 44.9
± 13.9, down 7.4 and 11.3 points, respectively. The %EWL in the morbidly and super-obese groups is reported in Table 5 and shown in Figure 7. At 10 years, %EWL was 40.3 ± 27.6 and 36.0 ± 30.2, respectively.
Table 3. Weight loss (kg, BMI, %EWL) of the entire series
Time      Weight                             BMI                                                  %EWL*
0            127.7±24.3                     46.2±7.7                                                ---
1 y         103.7±21.6                     37.7±7.1                                            40.3±19.7
2 y         101.5±23.3                     36.8±7.6                                            43.7±21.7
3 y         102.5±22.5                     37.2±7.2                                            41.2±23.2
4 y         104.1±23.5                     37.8±7.5                                            38.6±24.4
5 y         105.0±23.6                     38.1±7.6                                            37.3±25.3
6 y         105.3±24.6                     38.1±8.1                                            37.4±28.2
7 y         106.8±24.3                     38.5±7.9                                            35.9±26.7
8 y         105.0±24.0                     37.8±7.9                                            37.7±26.7
9 y         103.3±26.2                     37.5±8.5                                            38.5±27.9
10 y       101.4±27.1                     37.7±9.1                                            35.4±29.6
11 y       101.2±31.9                     38.1±11.5                                          38.4±32.8
12 y         84.0±27.5                     31.6±8.5                                            49.2±49.5
Values are mean ± SD. *Based on Metropolitan tables (to put this in perspective my BMI is 38 right now, I'm 5'4" and 220 lbs)

Lap Band Complications (this information was at one time on Allegan's web site but has since been removed nope - found it  http://www.lapband.com/en/learn_about_lapband/safety_information//)
Patients can experience complications after surgery. Most complications are not serious but some may require hospitalization and/or re-operation. In the United States clinical study, with 3-year follow-up reported, 88% of the 299 patients had one or more adverse events, ranging from mild, moderate, to severe. Nausea and vomiting (51%), gastroesophageal reflux (regurgitation) (34%), band slippage/pouch dilatation (24%) and stoma obstruction (stomach-band outlet blockage) (14%) were the most common post-operative complications. In the study, 25% of the patients had their gastric banding systems removed, two-thirds of which were following adverse events. Esophageal dilatation or dysmotility (poor esophageal function****urred in 11% of patients, the long-term effects of which are currently unknown. Constipation, diarrhea and dysphagia (difficulty swallowing****urred in 9% of the patients. In 9% of the patients, a second surgery was needed to fix a problem with the band or initial surgery. In 9% of the patients, there was an additional procedure to fix a leaking or twisted access port. The access port design has been improved. Four out of 299 patients (1.3%) had their bands erode into their stomachs. These bands needed to be removed in a second operation. Surgical techniques have evolved to reduce slippage. Surgeons with more laparoscopic experience and more experience with these procedures report fewer complications.
  Adverse events that were considered to be non-serious, and which occurred in less than 1% of the patients, included: esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus), gastritis (inflammation of the stomach), hiatal hernia (some stomach above the diaphragm), pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), abdominal pain, hernia, incisional hernia, infection, redundant skin, dehydration, diarrhea (frequent semi-solid bowel movements), abnormal stools, constipation, flatulence (gas), dyspepsia (upset stomach), eructation (belching), cardiospasm (an obstruction of passage of food through the bottom of the esophagus), hematemsis (vomiting of blood), asthenia (fatigue), fever, chest pain, incision pain, contact dermatitis (rash), abnormal healing, edema (swelling), paresthesia (abnormal sensation of burning, *****ly, or tingling), dysmenorrhea (difficult periods), hypochromic anemia (low oxygen carrying part of blood), band system leak, cholecystitis (gall stones), esophageal ulcer (sore), port displacement, port site pain, spleen injury, and wound infection. Be sure to ask your surgeon about these possible complications and any of these medical terms that you don't understand.

But Lynn! U DON'T understand! She wants this forum to b a place for "positive encouragement"! U know.........like the kind she gave me! :-) Lmao!

Hi there, been looking for some of the peeps who had surgery in 2010 and a lot have fallen off the board...how is it going for you???

For goodness sakes, if I wanted to read rude posts I'd go to etiquettehell.com or mothering.com !  Just please stop being mean to one another and calling names!