having a revision but no band bashing

Honestly, I have been very successful with the band. I am three lbs from losing 100% of my excess body weight. I think band expectations are 30-50% of excess body weight, so if your say an average 250 lbs with an ideal body weight of 130, you have 120 lbs excess body weight, meaning on average you will lose 36-60 lbs.

I am a 7 yr post op, it has been mostly life style change that has got me to where I am. Every day though I fear I will have a complication bc after knowing so many bandsters it is not a matter of if, it is a matter of when. Back when I had surgery all I knew of was RNY and Band, I am still glad I had band over RNY, but if I was to do it today i'd get the sleeve.

If you notice I don't even have a surgery type listed, I wouldn't want to be anyones motivation to get banded so I stay pretty anonymous to my surgery type.

I have two friends who had the band done as a result of my success, neither have been successful which makes me feel bad and partially responsible.

Keep doing your research, definitely look into the sleeve.

Good Luck to you.

ok,  you have been successful... and I know you said you would go with the sleeve if you had to do it over again. Can I ask how much you weighted at first and what you have actually lost now... All the other surgerys seem so drastic to me besides the lap band but if I could have the restriction the lap band can give and exercise i think I would do well... Im just worried about the complications with the lap band and if it would really be a good choice me.

Thanks jennifer

My weight is very private to me, so I apologize but I don't share that with anyone but my surgeon. I can tell you I have lost 113.4 lbs so far. I was a 2x tops and 22/24 pants, I am now a size 6 pants and size small top.

Had I known then what I know now I NEVER would have gotten the band. I would not recommend it to my worst enemy.

The pros:

It does work for a FEW people long term.

The cons:

It does NOT work for MOST people long term. Notice how few long term bandsters you see on this forum? Well there is a reason for that!

Most Drs. will not tell patients on advance that some people NEVER reach restriction! I have spoke to I don't know how many bandsters that never got restriction. Only one had her Dr. tell her prior to surgery that this was possible.  personally got 16 fills in less than 15 months and never reached restriction.

Start following this forum and you will see people posting here about everyday with a slip/leak/port problem/erosion/esophageal dysmotility............the list goes on and on.

Suggestion:

Go to the VSG, DS and RNY forum and ask about the band compared to their surgery type. You will find most of them are quite happy with their WLS years out as opposed to bandsters. Also Many of them can give you a realistic comparison of the band to their WLS since so many bandsters have to revise and end up with one of those WLS's after their band fails!

Good luck............

 Good luck with your revision! I don't regret the time I had with my band, but if I had it all to do over I would have gone with the VSG from the start. My band gave me several good years, with good results, but I am pretty bitter over how it ended. 

I am glad that you don't have to go though those feelings, b/c they aren't very pretty or fun.