Thinking of getting banded ...any thoughts???

I am thinking of getting the band, i would love to hear the positive and negative thoughts from other experiences.  I was super excited till I read some bad reviews and now I am a little nervous.  Thanks for any advice you could give me!

Please help me understand, I just saw a post of yours on the main forum that you got the VSG about 3 years ago and now you are seeking a lap band over your Sleeve stomach? Did your stomach stretch back out?

From my understanding once you remove most of your stomach it will be nearly impossible to get the lap band over it, since the band is fitted around the stomach. I believe your only choice is the DS since the VSG is the first stage to the DS, but I can understand your concerns from not wanting the DS since it is much more complicated and require an extensive vitamin and lab regimen for life and that is not attractive for many people.

You will have to consult with a revision specialist to see if it is possible, but from what I hear once you remove most of the stomach nothing can be done revision wise unless you opt for the bypass or DS.

To answer your question about negatives with the band, there will always be negatives with people who don't follow up with their surgeon and keep their band too tight and ultimately are forced to get it removed from complications. But those who are responsible and adapt to a lifestyle change and follow up with their surgeon as needed, have great things to say about the band.

I am going on 7 years and still happy and still have good restriction and can get it tighter or looser any time I want.

There you go spreading misinformation again in a gigantic font.

I had regular follow ups with my surgeon for over FOUR YEARS. Was compliant with the pre, and post op diets. The band failed, caused damage, slipped.

You can't keep blaming the patient Nana. It's not always the patient's fault. The band DOES fail the patient. It's not realistic to tell people they will be fine as long as they follow all the rules because it is simply untrue.

Please STOP spreading this drivel you seem to think is the truth.

You are correct Urbergirl.....some band slippages are caused by the surgeon not suturing it properly, that has happened a lot of in the past, but nowadays most surgeons used the Pars Flaccida approach to minimize band slippage.  Causes of band slippage is widely known now -- aka eating too much on a too tight band, frequent vomiting, etc., just google...lol

But if the surgeon installed it correctly and the patient allowed it to heal properly post op...band slippage is usually in the patients hands....

Again with the misinformation. you initially didn't mention slippage, you said "Complications" in a general sense. Let me refresh your memory:

there will always be negatives with people who don't follow up with their surgeon and keep their band too tight and ultimately are forced to get it removed from complications.

There are many more complications that can happen than slippage. That's what I'm trying to point out.  You can do everything right, including having a world renowned surgeon place your band pars flaccida and get a slip or any other number of complications.  Some complications just happen- massive scar tissue, port problems, etc.  Please stop making people think they will be "just fine" if they follow all the rules. It's a lie. Many people do just fine, and many people do not. 50/50 odds are not so good when your health is at stake.

Yes I am aware of other complications that can happen with band  at no fault of the patient-- but our focus here was band slippage, but other complications are rare, such as tubing issues, leaks, band migration, port infections. etc,

The OP asked for any negatives or positives with respect to the band. Personally I think it's important for them to get the whole picture.  The other complications are not nearly as rare as you think. Check out the class action lawsuits against Allergan, there are several.

Anyway I'm done.  To the OP please do lots of research.  I'm tired of talking to a brick wall.

Two words Ubergrll: BRICK WALL! Lol. "Nana" has been spouting her nonsense on here (under various different s/n's)  for many years. She doesn't listen to facts. Even after she admitted she never kept restricion for over 5 years she still continues to come on here and try to B.S. pre-ops into thinking the band is wonderful.

She will never think that it is actually the band that fails until hers finally makes her so sick that she has to have HERS removed! She's been LUCKY so far.....I'll give it another year or 2. We'll never hear about it though, b/c she'll quit posting then instead of admitting the truth and trying to help ppl out! :-(

Thank you for all the info!

I am aware of her and her antics. She is one of the reasons I left the boards years ago about 6 mo. after my band surgery. Just got sick of it all.

I just want people to know there are real risks and while some people are successful yes, you have to weigh the odds and decide how you wanna go.

I think with the band it's just a matter of time. I was lied when I was told it could be in there forever, that just seems so implausible now seeing what it does to people in short periods of time.

One side note, I have noticed that most of the long-timers I see who are successful have the older 4cc bands. I wonder if there is any correlation. Maybe the bigger bands are not "all that". I have the 10cc and it was supposed to be all awesome.  Just interesting IMO.