The band - tell me the best and the worst...

My story goes like this. I have spent a lot of time either hungry or being sick from an overfill. Even small fills (.1 or .2) pushed me over the edge from hunger to being too tight. Overall the band has not been the tool I hoped it would be. Other than overfills, I have had no problems with the band. Would I do it again? Probably not. I hadn't "dieted" in years before getting the band, I wish I had given it one more shot "on my own". All that being said, I have lost all my excess weight. I was self pay and the expense of the surgery was a huge motivator to stay on track.

The best part of my band was the first year when I lost about 65 lbs.

The worst part was when the random tightening started. I was constantly being unfilled, having to rush to the surgeon so I would stop vomiting on water.

The worst part was also not being able to tolerate healthy dense protein, but junk food goes down fine. It was also annoying to never know what the level of restriction would be...one day I could eat fine, the next day I couldn't drink water. No eating in the mornings...or if its too hot or too cold...or if I'm traveling via plane...anything could affect restriction. The worst part was having a tight day and vomiting...sometimes in public restrooms...sometimes in my car...

The worst part was when my stomach was as big as ever when I would get unfilled and then I would regain.

The worst part was needing another surgery less than 3 yrs out. Although this ended up being the best part bc I came through with a sleeve. I have lost more weight with the sleeve in the first 7 months than in the 3 yrs I had the band. I have never vomited with the sleeve.

The sleeve is newer, but we have several active members on the VSG board who are 2-5 yrs out. There is a VSG maintenance bored with over 500 numbers.

Good luck! Do your research!
Lindsey

Here is what I love about my band... it is working for me and it is working WELL.  But it also forcing me to be active in my success.  In order to lose weight, I still have to exercise and I still have to pay attention to what I eat and WHY I'm eating it.  I knew this would be the case going in and that is a big reason that I chose the band.  I knew that my weight problem wasn't going to be fully addresed with a malabsorptive surgery like an RNY or DS (which my surgeons don't even perform).  Sure, those surgeries would help me lose the weight but without learning new behaviors, would I really have accomplished anything?

For me, the weight loss was almost secondary.  I'm still young.  I want to be forced to learn new habits in order to be successful.  I WANT to have to exercise.  I WANT to have to cook healthier and eat less and make better choices.  But I KNOW myself.  And without a little help and added success from my band, I would have been too discouraged by slow results to have the discipline to stick to those lifestyle changes.

I've said it before but I'll say it again, for me, the band is probably 70% mental.  It's in there teaching me what it feels like to be full and teaching me what it feels like to not be hungry.

The restriction I have is great, I couldn't be happier but I do know that I'm one of the lucky ones.  There are people here who have had terrible times with their bands and their experiences are not to be discounted or ignored.  I also put some blame on doctors for that because I think that there are a lot of doctors who don't accurately represent the whole range of issues that the band can have nor do they really explain just how much work it is going to be.

I think that the sleeve also sounds like a great option and I considered it for a long time but in the end, I was just more comfortable with the band.  It was the right decision for me and I'm 100% thrilled with my band and the success it's helped me have.  I would choose it again in a heartbeat but I do think I probably would have been just as happy with the sleeve.

The "haters" as you call them really do have good intentions.  Most of them have had horrible experiences with their bands for any number of reasons.  I do believe that their intentions are good and that they are trying to keep others from going through what they did.  But there are also plenty of people on here who have had great success with their bands.  It's not the surgery for everyone, in fact I would even say its not the surgery for most people.  But it was the one for me and my only regret is that I didn't do it sooner.

Good luck in whatever you choose.

I feel like Painting Chef does she described my feelings also I could not have said it better :o)

The band is a teaching tool IMO and that is what I wanted  .

Everything that Painting Chef said about learning to do things is exactly how I feel. And I also agree with her that the band is 70% mental and to be honest that is one of the reasons why I have not gotten a fill since my surgery .   I have it so set in mind mentally that that band is around my stomach and that I dont need to eat that much and I do need to slow down.   

I still enjoy my bad girl foods like pizza, and french fries but I have learned how often to eat them foods, when to eat them foods , and most importantly that I dont need to sit down and eat half of a large pizza and sub for dinner. I can sit down and eat 2 slices of pizza and I'm happy with that.  That is what I wanted from the band and that is exactly what I'm getting from the band :o)

The way I look at it is the band is teaching me lessons right now and its my job to learn them. It's teaching me to watch my portions, its teaching me to cook healthier, its teaching me that exercise is fun,  its teaching me its OK to eat the bad foods but learn how often to eat them foods .  

It's just as important to learn these lessons as to losing weight.  If you dont learn these lessons along the way then you will not be successful in keeping the weight off and losing the weight .

This is my one and only WLS . I will not have another one done so its my job to learn these lessons because I could lose my band tomorrow  and I personally feel if I dont learn these lessons then this surgery was a complete waste of time and my husbands and parents money.

Do your research on each WLS. Keep in mind that it is your decision and its one that you will want to be sure that you are 110% prepared for it, good, bad and possible in between. Each person does different with WLS. There are many people that the band has not worked for them. I have had several issues since my journey started but I have also had amazing results. I have lost 10 pant sizes and am a new healthy, much happier person. Whatever decision you make, I wish you best of luck in your journey to a healthier and happier you!

The best about the band for ME is that I lost 70 of my weight the first year.  No complications.

The worst really has nothing to do with the band.  I didn't know enough information just thought I did regarding after care in the long run.  Otherwise I would have chosen a different surgeon and/or a different type surgery.  In honesty my surgeon did want me to do the sleeve.  I didn't know enough about it and didn't know anyone that had it.  Because of my right now attitude I would have loved it but not appreciated it.

Moral of my story - the band has made me work hard for every pound loss and helped me to help myself. Not that any other surgery would not have but. . . I love my band and would do it again.
Z

The best part of the band for me was the day I had it removed and revised to the sleeve.

The worst part was the day I had the band put in thinking I was going to be one of the lucky ones...not.

Well my story is I didn't lose but 20 lbs with the band and then it started tightening for no apparent reason and I kept having to get partial unfills. However I have to pay a couple hundred for each so finally decided that I'd have it unfilled a couple of months ago. I have set myself a 5 lb. limit that is I get there then it's time to go back to logging food and get the 5 lbs off before it gets to be 10. I haven't had it as bad as many others but it was still very uncomfortable and annoying. I would go for the sleeve in a heartbeat if I had coverage and NO it isn't a new surgery it is just somewhat new for weight loss. Actually it has been done for years (like 60 or more) for stomach  cancer. From what I've read on the sleeve forum the vast majority are very happy with their sleeves and don't have near the problems bandsters do. So I would for sure vote sleeve!

PaintingChef expressed my feelings exactly. I love my band and it has worked out vvery well for me. I have not only lost all my weight and improved my health but I have gained a new sense of self respect from succeeding with it. It is hard work but I knew that, there are chances of complications, but I knew that.

I was not eligible to have the sleeve due to a bmi that was barely enough to have wls, period. I would have gotten it if I had been eligible. What people don't like to admit is that it is possible to regain after having the sleeve. My grandmother had the exact surgery for cancer years ago. She not only regained her weight and more, but her pouch stretched and she could really eat a lot. Statistics showing this when used for wls are beginning to appear.

I could not have RNY due to my osteoporosis, but I don't think I would have gone that route, anyway. I have seen a ton of people gain all their weight back after the malabsorption component leaves.

What I want you to know is that no wls is the total answer. It is only a tool. It is possible to do very well with any of them and it is possible to do very poorly. There are risks with each. Your job is to learn all you can and find your best fit. You are the only one who can decide what will work with your lifestyle. I could have gone self pay for a sleeve, I could have gotten the RNY and done super calcium supplementation, or I could have done nothing. The latter was not an option because I could not do it alone. My band helps me out just enough to make the difference. All I wanted out of it was a fighting chance and it has surely done that. I could have lost weight on my own (maybe) but I would never have been able to keep it off. I have been doing that for nine months now and see that unless I give up I will be able to continue. In case you didn't know it, even though my band and I sometimes have a love/hate relationship, over all I love, love, love it. And I love my new life.

You do your homework and be happy with what you choose. Good luck,

Sue

I was banded in 2007.  I'd like to say that I love my band, but I can't.  I DID love it for the first 9 months or so.  Then the severe acid reflux started.  We're talking sleeping almost completely upright (12" wedge pillow + a regular pillow), taking a prescribed PPI, and STILL waking up multiple times a night because I was inhaling stomach acid and my chest/esophagus aching 24/7 because of it.  That caused me to get a partial unfill, so now I still have moderate acid reflux AND almost no restriction AND have regained more than half of what I lost.  Yet I still slime and PB on certain things, especially in the morning (lattes are especially bad). 

You see, I was successful with the band.  And people are right, it is only a tool.  I reached goal, had plastics done, the whole yards.  But sometimes, no matter how much you try or how much you want it, that tool doesn't work like it should and there isn't anything you can do to change it.  No matter how much you try, you're back at the beginning, only with a few more problems because of the "tool" you chose.  And you won't know whether you are one of the lucky ones or not until you've had the surgery, and likely won't know until a few years down the road.

And that would be why I am hoping to revise to the sleeve.  I'm sick of living like this.  I recently started Prevacid OTC for the reflux I still have, and I almost cried the morning after the first day I took it.  For the first time in more than two years, I had gotten an uninterupted night's sleep.  No waking up to chew tums, no coughing my lungs up because I'd inhaled stomach acid, just sleep. 

To be honest, even if I was living a perfect life with the band, I don't know if I would still choose it if I had to choose today.  I'd probably be happy to keep living with it, but I don't know if I'd do it again.  When I was banded, I didn't have the choice of the sleeve.  It was either RNY (which still scares me) or the band.  You still get restriction with the sleeve, but you don't have to worry about the band malfunctioning, slipping, leaking, eroding, etc., and you don't have to worry about needing to vomit.  Let's face it, we're all going to need to puke at one time or another in the future.  Take it from me, you don't want to try to vomit with the band.  I mean really vomit, not just PBing.  It isn't a pleasant experience. 

With the band, you'll always have this thing inside of you that can malfunction or cause complications at any time.  You could have a major slip or erosion YEARS after your initial surgery.  With the sleeve, you're pretty much set once you get past the healing stage.  Your stomach is just a stomach, only much, much smaller.  If you get the flu, you can puke your guts up without worrying that you'll cause a massive slip or be so swollen you can't eat or drink.