WOULD YOU DO IT AGAIN?

 I had a huge hiatal hernia to be repaired when my band was placed.  From May to Sept, it was perfect.  Then he filled me an extra cc and esphogeal problems started.  I have had 4 fills and 4 unfills in the year since.   All end up the same, esphogus dilates and fails to push food through, so I vomit.  After a while, I vomit until I vomit acid.  Seriously, the last access hurt so bad even  with lidiocaine, I am thinking of having the thing removed.  I was told I was not a candidate for Vertical Sleeve, but that is the only other option I would consider.

Did they say why you would not be a candidate for the sleeve ?

 My understanding was due to GERD and the Hiatial Hernia at the time.  Of course, my insurance just started covering it.

The hernia can be repaired during surgery which should help resolve the GERD issues. I have to take Prilosec every night and that keeps the GERD away for me. My GERD was terrible with my band and taking Prilosec didn't help it at all.

 My hiatal hernia was repaired with my band.  

Yes! I was ready to take on a new lifesytle and it's working for me. It is not easy and you will have to work at it regardless of what you do to change your life, but it is worth the fight.
Best wishes!

yes i would choose the band again i am only 3 1/2 months out from surgery and i have lost 50 pounds......

NO!
I am having revision surgery to the sleeve in just a few hours. I have had my band for a little over 2 years. In that time I have lost about 90#. I got down to 1# from goal. Right now, I'm up about 15# because I've been unfilled.
The problem I have with the band is that I could never find the "sweet spot"
I am either too tight and can't even keep down liquids with terrible acid reflux and puking on a daily basis or I'm too loose and can eat a horse.
A fill or unfill of 0.2 can mean the difference between night and day. I have had so many fills and unfills in the last 2 years that I've stopped keeping track.
My doctor has been talking to me about revising to the sleeve for about a year. I have been doing all my research and decided it is the best choice for me.
I totally understand that wls is different for everyone. The band works great for some. However, in my research, I have found an alarming number of people revising from the band to another wls. My insurance didn't cover the sleeve when I had surgery the 1st time. Hopefully, the 2nd surgery is the charm! My doctor told me that he strongly advises against the sleeve now. He has seen too many complications.
My suggestion to anyone deciding on wls. Do your research! READ these boards. Read other boards, go to support groups to talk to other people with wls,and ask questions. No one surgery is a fit for everyone. I just found out that the band isn't my fit.
Shelli

Shelli I have the same problem. NO restriction/sweet spot! Either too loose or too tight. NO happy medium!!! Within 15 months I had 16 fills and 4 partial unfills. Nothing worked! I finally got tired of throwing even more money away on a POS Lap-Band that was never going to work!

This seems to be a VERY common problem. I have seen a couple of bandsters post recently that their Dr. told them about 20% of patients don't get restriction. Would have been kind of nice if they told us that BEFORE surgery! :-(

Also several have mentioned lately that they told them they do more band removals than band placements. Hmmmmmmmm! I wonder why?! lol

Please continue to tell your story on the Lap-Band forum! I ***** about this all the time, but there are some of the band cheerleaders that try to act as though I am the only one with that problem, and that the band works so well for most ppl. What a bunch of B.S.! Pay it forward and continue to tell your band experience, b/c it may prevent a pre-op from getting the CRAP-BAND and going through the same thing we have gone through!

Absolutely!!!  No doubt! 
I love my LapBand!  It saved my life!! 
I have seen too many friends suffer with Gastric bypass only to regain most if not all of their weight back after 3 years.