LAP BAND

Thinking about having a lap band surgery wanting to talk with some one who have had it done.

December, 2003. Did extremely well.

Does it work for everyone? No.

Then again, does ANYTHING work for everyone? No.

I had it 18 months ago and had problems on an off with it. You can email me if you need further information.

My experience with the lapband couldn't have been much worse than it was and therefore, I can't in good conscience recommend it to anyone else.

I have permanent referred left shoulder pain from the damage the band caused my Vagus nerves. It used to be debilitating and chronic and at least now it's less frequent and less intense. But it's been over 6 years since I had to have the band removed and I still have ill effects.

It's a common side effect, the referred left shoulder pain, so be aware of this before making your final decision. The bands location on the stomach is in direct contact with the diaphragm, where the Vagus nerves run. It should really be listed as one of the side effects at this point. A lot of doctors don't realize (or don't care to divulge) the amount of damage the lapbands cause the Vagus nerve system.

Do a LOT of research... read the Revisions forum here, Google: lapband + referred left shoulder pain; be aware of the possibility of reoperation down the line. Factor in the amount you'll have to spend on saline fills and unfills and the fact that a lot of insurance companies are implementing a "One Weight Loss Surgery per Lifetime" clause, whether they paid for your initial surgery or not. It's important to choose wisely the first time because it might be your one and only opportunity unless you wish to self pay.


Good luck to you. I hope you find all the information you need to help you make your decision,

Nicci

I have the band and would not recommend it to my worst enemy! There are plenty of ppl out there with failed bands. Long term.........most band outcomes are NOT good! :-(

 I love my band. 
It is an amazing tool. 
But you still have to have an eating and exercise plan.
It is not a solution. It is a tool. You have to work with it.

I have had the Lap Band for 4 years.
I love it!
It's not easy, but for me, it was doable!
I have not had one problem with my Band.  No unfills!
It saved my life - as you can see, I lost a Morbidly Obese Person!

I'd do it all over again!!!  No REGRETS!

Hate mine, had it for 4+ yrs. and still have problems with it even tho it's empty! I wouldn't suggest it to anyone!

 Had I read the revisions, failed surgery, and regrets boards here, I would have known better than to get a band. Mine is gone now, but I still have damage from it. Irreversible my ass.

Hello,

I am relatively new to having the band and I love it!  I have lost almost 40 pounds since being banded in December of 2011.  First and foremost you need to decide for yourself which option is best for you.  The big question that you will need to answer is are you really going to change your past eating/exercise habits?  If the answer is no then perhaps look into the DS or Reaux en Y (sp?).  If you are committed to changing your lifestyle and want to lose weight then both the band and sleeve have their plusses and minuses. 

My experience with the band has been awesome.  I have had no pain even after surgery.  I even went Christmas shopping the day after surgery!  I have not had any heartburn, pain or even discomfort at all.  The only exception is every once in a while I will sleep on my port and that feels like rolling over on the remote or something.  No pain just a bit uncomfortable and a little movement cures that problem!  I have stayed on the recommended diet and have not exercised much at this point.  I am not saying that I will not exercise or that I don't want to exercise, but rather I am losing a good deal of weight up until this point with out any major exercising that I am kind of holding it in reserve for when I hit a plateau.  I do tend to take lots of short walks during the day, for example when at work I will walk the long way around to the far bathroom instead of straight to the nearest bathroom etc.  The main thing is what you want to do and your mindset going into the surgery.

I have not had any fills so far and at this time I do not plan on having any unless the doctor and I decide to get a fill.  I have found my happy place and often times I am able to recognize my "soft stop" sign and am able to stop eating at that time.  I also take smaller portions and really chew my food a lot!  That has kept me on the correect path!

I am not a sleeve hater at all.  My ex-girlfriend (still my best friend and confidant) had the sleeve done about 6 months before my surgery and has not had any issues with it at all and she has done fantastic with the sleeve.  I was actually leaning towards getting the sleeve at the beginning of my journey.  I could not get over the fact that they would remove a large portion of my stomach and I felt that the options after that step were more limited if there were complications.  The techniques with the band have improved greatly since many of the band haters on this section of the board had their surgery.   Again the choice is up to you.  You should get input from your doctor and talk to your doctors patients who have had both types of surgeries and ask their opinions.  Most will be happy to discuss this with you because we have all been in your situation at one time and we remember looking for information ourselves. 

Good luck with your choice and do not let a few disgruntled people on this board discourage you from making the choice that you want.  I would also take into consideration  that many happy bandsters take time away or leave this board altogether because the constant bashing by the haters tends to be like hitting your head against a brick wall and the easiest option is to just leave the situation. 

Good luck with your decision and if you would like more information feel free to let me know.

Tyler.