Looking for Long Term Success Stories

2 1/4 years out, lost all my excess weight in 9 months (90 pounds). Am now BMI 20.4 and wear a size 4.  No problems.

Phyllis

I am going on 7 years post op, I still have my original 4cc 10ml lap band and it is still working. I lost 130 pounds with my band and 100 pounds in the the first year and 30 more by 18 months post op. Over the years, I gained a few pounds and lost them, no weight loss surgery does not guarantee you will not regain weight, even the DS, it is up to the patient to use their tools wisely. There are MANY long term bandsters, they just no longer post here as often.

You will find various outcomes with the band, band success greatly depends on your commitment, lifestyle change and access to your surgeon.

Although the band can cause complications they are not as serious or life threatening compared to complications that can happen with the RNY, Sleeve or the DS. There are various reasons why people fail with the band or suffer complications, they are as follows:

1. Never allowing their band to heal post op, eating solids prior to 6 weeks.

2. Getting fills too often, ideally fills should be every 4-6 weeks

3. There have been cases where the surgeons did not fit the band properly on the patient, or used the wrong band size for that patients anatomy or did not stitch the band properly using the Pars Flaccida approach which caused band slippage, you can google that, but most surgeons nowadays are using that approach in the US.

4. Some patients have hiatal hernias that must be removed during band placement this can interfere with successfully filling the band properly, but most surgeons nowadays are repairing hernias while placing the band in surgery.

5. Never reaching the sweet spot, many surgeons who are not committed to the band never fill patients properly, some people suffer unnecessary complications, like slippage from being too tight too long.

6. Eating disorders, some people have eating disorders that was never disclosed, vomiting frequently and the lap band will cause it to slip and it takes a whole lot of vomiting for the band to slip, not just occasionally getting food stuck or having a rare stomach bug, band slippage from vomiting usually happen if the patient repeatedly vomits several times daily for months or years.

7. And of course, some people are just not candidates for the band, some people bodies may reject a foreign object, some people are diabetics and are more prone to infections, some people have esophagus issues that should be addressed and checked prior to banding, some people slip through the cracks and self pay and never get through testing.

8. Some people go out of the country to get the band, this actually caused a surge in band complications and removals in the last few years, many people got banded in Mexico, and could not get the proper aftercare that the band requires. Due to legal issues most surgeons in the US will not touch a person that was banded in Mexico, also many surgeons will not take on new patients in general. If the patient can't be seen immediately if they get too tight, it can cause misery and complications if not seen by a surgeon to unfill the band immediately, the band is not exact science it needs to be tweaked especially when reaching the sweet spot to lose weight.

9. Don't get me wrong, since living with the band almost 7 years, it can be tricky, if you do find the sweet spot, there will be days where you will be tighter than others, the band is filled with saline, and there will always be an ebb flow with restriction, in fact ALL restrictive surgeries will have days where your restriction is tighter or looser than other days, you will have to learn to adapt with this and modify your food accordingly. And sometimes the band can tighten up without notice and even on water or liquids and which can cause slimming, so you have to always be aware of what you put in your mouth forever with the band as long as you have restriction. But the good thing with the band is that if you just can't deal with tighter restriction you can always get some saline removed.

10. Some people never lose weight with the band, the band does NOT cause weight loss, the only thing the band does is restrict your food to about 1 cup of solid food when filled properly. It is up to the patient to have a diet and exercise plan in place. If the patient expect the band to do all the work, they will be waiting a long time and if the patient assumes getting a very tight fill adjustment will speed up weight loss or somehow magically make the scale move they are setting themselves up for complications or removal.

All that said, the band is a great tool, if you have great aftercare and surgical team, and you are willing and able to stick with a diet plan and incorporate some type of exercise such as walking, swimming, running, using the treadmill, or bike into your lifestyle, the band is just a tool to help make dieting easier, to help limit your overall intake, it is not a cure all, or help in rapid weight loss like malabsorptive surgeries like RNY.

I am grateful for my health with my band, I never feel my port or even know I have a band inside of me unless I goof and try to gulp fluids or eat too fast and my band reminds me that it's still there, it has done every thing I expected it to do for me. I also have that option that if something goes wrong, I can get it removed, the adjustability and not permanently altering my insides keeps me at peace.

Nana B--

What a great post! Thank you!  I'm printing this one out.

Betsey

Although the band can cause complications they are not as serious or life threatening compared to complications that can happen with the RNY, Sleeve or the DS.

You are kidding right? My band almost killed me, if I had not gone to the hospital when I did I could have LOST MY LIFE and left my children without a mother. The band CAN have complications that are life threatening. It might not be common, but it CAN happen. 

Thank you for those who have responded. As a new "bandster," it always gives me great hope to read about other's success stories.
Rachael

I'm 3 years post op and lost 74% of my excess weight in the first year and have maintained it within 10 lbs for the last 2 years.

I have had no major complications and am really happy with my experience.

The only 2 challenges I find with the band is the maintinence involved, (you have to get fills and sometimes unfills to keep your band at an ideal restriction level), and the fact that restriction can change suddenly based on a number of situations, i.e. water retention, stress, weight loss, etc. 

Because of these 2 things I would probably research the Sleeve if I had it to do over again, but 3 years ago my insurance didn't cover the Sleeve.  The end result is very similar (it's also a strictly restrictive proceedure), but it's permanent and requires no adjustments.

Check out all of your options and pick the one that best suits you.  It's a hard decision, but no matter which surgery you choose it will change your life!

Best~
Lisa O.

I am four plus years out, have not had any major complicaitons, one minor bout with reflux relieved with an unfill.

Have lost 70 pounds and kept them off, although I did regain 15 with unfill.  I still hope to lose another 40-50 pounds and then have cosmetic surgery.  Seeing surgeon this week to get back on track with fills after goofing off for too long.

I was banded over 6 years ago in Mexico. At the time, my blood pressure was out of control, I absolutely could not control my eating, I was depressed and rapidly approaching 300lbs. Possible more upsetting was my daughter was following in my footsteps. I had just enough money to pay for the surgery. I lost 130lbs within 18 mths of the surgery and reached my goal of 155lbs. I think I have had a total of 4 fills with the latest being a week ago. I have not had any complications.

I must admit, I have gained 20lbs in the last year. I was promoted to a high pace, pressure postion and lost my balance. I realize I stopped doing many of the things that contributed to my success. 

I know without a doubt my weight would have continued to escalate especially looking back on the life changing events that have occurred in my life in the past 5 years. Sometimes I forget what life was like for me until I run across an old picture or someone who has not seen me in several years. It still astounds me when I run across people that don't recognize me.

If the band does not work for someone, I would advise them to continue looking for a tool that works for them. I have talked to people that hated the band or that lost very little weight. The band saved my life. If I lost it, I would immediately have it replaced.

Best Wishes