I hate my band...

Thank you all for your replies... some really helpful info there.  I do feel like you have to be on a diet for the rest of your life.  I also feel that if I could do that, I would never have tried surgery.  I don't eat grilled chicken or the other things I listed... but I would like to be able to.  I have joined the failed lap band group and I had an unfill today with my doc.  He was really talking up the sleeve... so I'm going to consider... but I will tread carefully before I do anything.

I wanted to post here becuase I know a lot of folks look for information.

Again... thank you for your posts!

Im a little dissapointed with my band as well. I have lost 42 pounds in a little over a year. I will admit I havent eating the right things and havent really done exactly what I was suppose to be doing. But I did expect for the band to work as it was advetised which is eat less, feel full, and stay full long. For me that has yet to happen. Shouldnt that whole get full off less and stay full apply to whatever Im choosing to eat? I didnt think I had enough restriction and went in for a fill and he filled it and for two days I couldnt keep anything down! he had to take some out. He only took a little bit of what he put in out and now its like Im wide open again and can eat as much as I want ( to those of you who say it I know im not suppose to eat whatever and as much as I want but I thought the band wasnt suppose to allow you to eat as much as you want thats hows its advertised) anyways as of right now it seems like my two options with the band are I can have it filled and be able to eat anything or get another half of a cc in and not be able to eat ANYTHING! anyways all that being said I have been walking  3 miles a day now and this is the 3rd day so im proud of that. Im just going to depend on myself from now on and if they band has a few tight days I will just look at that as a bonus. If ever I have to have anything done with the band I will have them take it out.

I totally agree with you on the whole "( to those of you who say it I know im not suppose to eat whatever and as much as I want but I thought the band wasnt suppose to allow you to eat as much as you want thats hows its advertised)".  For some reason a lot of people are able to move into total diet phase... I am not one of those people.  I expected to be full after a few bites... not throw up after every bite.  When I wasn't throwing up... I didn't get full and I regained everything I lost pre op.  I think a labotomy is going to be my only option..hehe.  Being overweight sucks... spending $3K plus $100 every month to maintain and still being overweight REALLY SUCKS! 

Like you I have started walking more and trying to go a different direction.  3 Miles a day is awesome!!  You should be proud of that!

Mine is likely coming out too.  I go for xray today.

My experience with my band was very similar...I could either eat everything under the sun just like I was a pre-op or I would be so tight that everything got stuck and sometimes I couldn't even drink water. It didn't matter how little we put in and my surgeon even did my fills with fluoro so we could see as it happened.

Anyway...I know how you feel.

Lindsey

Hi,

I'm so sorry to hear about the issues you are having with the Band. I've been trying to decide which surgery will be good for me. Just reading the issues that many have had with the Band is kind of scary. On the other hand, I've heard of and seen great outcomes of those with the Band. I guess it's different for each individual. I pray that youget better soon, because you seem to be in a lot of pain.

One question...Insurance doesn't cover the fills? Let me know.

Thanks,
Trying to decide

The fills are only partially covered by insurance... and I have BCBS Fed (they pay better than most).  The fills are billed as an in office surgical procedure which costs a lot more than it should in my opinion. My copay ends up putting me at $100 per fill.  If you have no major reason to go with the band... I say go with the sleeve.  (There is no malobsorption and no maintenance)  It's super frustrating to pay $100 a visit and be failing.  At least with the visits associated with bandless options, you have the typical office visit copay. 

I was unfilled yesterday... so far so good...

The Band doesn't work for everyone, but it does work for some.  Even those who work very hard and eat the right things, they just never find their "green zone" -- it's is the hardest of all WLS -
  It worked for me and it saved my life.  At my highest I was close to 500lbs.  Today, I am a normal weighted person and living a life I could have never had if I hadn't gotten the band.  I haven't had one problem with the LapBand.  Not one unfill and not one issue.  I have been very fortunate.  I am very honest with my friends who want to get one.  I think it's important to know the good and the bad of any WLS.  Not one is perfect for everyone.  I have friends who have had RNY and they have suffered with numerous issues and have gained all the weight back in later years. This makes me sad for them.  We all suffered with obesity or we wouldn't be here.  We all deserve to be healthy and happy. 

Congratulations on your weight loss.

My BC/BS pays the entire thing. I was not expecting that so I am really thrilled. They left me with enough left over after surgery to pay so it is especially helpful.