curiosity about banding problems

I realize not everyone with a lapband is on online forums so I can only go by the survey and questions I ask here. I have informed myself as well as possible on the prospective issues pertaining the lapband. My questions are as follows: how long has the longest bandster on here have had their band? How many suffered from erosion and what did they do about it? (I'm pretty sure my insurance wouldn't cover a revision surgery if I'm not overweight anymore), what other issues have cropped up with the band?

I just found out that some of the meds I take can cause nausea, which I have had and combat with a prescription anti-nausea medication I have. I've only slimed once and had somewhat of a vomiting [only a small part of my food actually came up after a ton of sliming] episode that was completely my fault for not chewing properly and taking too large a bite.  One thing I wasn't told that taking an antacid nightly can help with neutralizing any acid problems, which I've never had. Should I take an antacid just to be on the safe side?

If I could hear from long-time bandsters and folks that needed revisions due to erosion or slippage, I'd really appreciate the feedback. And please don't attack me for being "uninformed" I read all I could about this procedure for about a year before I decided on it, but for some reason missed asking these questions.

Thanks,
Nicole

ok, so attack was the wrong choice of wording.. I'm sorry.. I'm working on 3 hours of sleep. Please forgive me

I've had a band since June of '07.  I'm on my second band and I've had this one since this July.  The first surgeon took out my gallbladder in Oct. '07 and '10 was going to correct a slipped port.  When he went in to fix it, though, it had not flipped - it had shifted.  Could have saved me $2K (I'm self-pay) had he checked it out on fluoro first. 

Last year after much nausea, vomiting and inability to eat anything except junk and "slider" foods, I went back to the same doc and he said my band had slipped and it had to come out. 

Not wanting to lose the band, despite the problems I'd had with it, I searched for a second opinion.  The new doc said I had a hiatal hernia that needed to be repaired.  He fixed it for me and insurance covered it.  It was massive - my stomach was nearly halfway into my chest.  While he was in there, he replaced my band - he said it had constricted my stomach (?) I'm not really sure what that means - isn't that what it's supposed to do?  He put in a new band - a larger one, I think - and did a plication.  To prevent future slips, he said. 

Now, after two fills to my new band, I'm doing great.  I can eat small meals and - so far- I can eat anything - just not too much.  I don't have that painful fullness in my chest anymore - just a normal fullness in my stomach.   I hope it continues this way. 

So, that's my story.  I hear of a lot of problems with the band on here.  My surgeon tells me every time I see him about some new patient of his that is having problems with the band, but it is always blamed on the other surgeon that put the band in.  Maybe it's the band, huh? 

Thank you so much for your thorough reply. I suffer from an anxiety disorder and all in a sudden started questioning everything. I'm wondering if we hear so many problems with the band on here because people that are satisfied aren't on these boards looking for anwers... I don't know. My surgeon is one of the best in Kentucky and I trust him and his staff/nurses completely so far.

I came to this board before I got the band, too.  I heard the good and the bad, but I looked at the studies that had been done with the band.  Some of them were long term studies from Europe. 

Then I took the leap and got one.  I figured that people with problems with their bands would frequent these kinds of boards, because if everything is going fine, you really wouldn't have much need to post.  You'd be too busy out there enjoying your life - not on here talking about your band.  When my band is working for me, I really don't think about it much and hardly ever show up on here. 

I have been banded since December, 2003, so I am one of the "old-timers."

I lost a lot of weight very, very fast and developed a hiatal hernia because of it. The hiatal hernia caused continual vomiting - and I fought against having any tests done because I was afraid of losing my band.

When I finally had an upper GI, it showed a huge HH and a band slip from the vomiting. The HH required surgery for repair and while I was having that done, my surgeon replaced my circa-2003 band with a "new and improved" band. This was in 2008.

There was nothing actually wrong with the first band, but the later-edition band was larger and generally better tolerated. The slip was not caused by any actual band problems, but by ME refusing to address the issue of the HH-induced vomiting due to my own fears.

You're newly banded and probably don't need to be reading about these things. Don't go borrowing trouble and just enjoy your band and your weight loss. If you should have problems in the future then I promise you that there are many of us who would be willing to help you find the solution to your problem(s).