The band is going to fail you eventually!

I have had the band for 2.5 years, it stopped working for me after 7 months.   I have tried and tried to work it after 7 months. The crapband  quit being effective for no reason.  I revised to bypass and I am very happy I had it done.  My surgeon said there was nothing wrong with my band, it was positioned good, and that it just didn't work for me like it doesn't work for most people.   I wish I had gotten bypass in the first place.

I would like to add something.  I do wonder if the tool failure and complications of the band are same thing or different thing.  Both can result in removal and revision to other WLS surgery.    I have had alot of complications with the band, I could not eat without throwing up, too many random tightness, etc.  I had a complete unfill 2 months before my revision and I still got random tightness here and there.    Now with the bypass, I am soooo happy to be able to eat now without throwing up everyday.  I was worried that co workers might think I was being bulmic.  My weight loss quit after 7 months, also.  Now I lost 40 lbs and have 44 more to go!!!

I lost 95lbs with my band and have been keeping it off easily for over a year, which I foresee continuing indefinitely. And if something does go wrong with my band and I have to get it removed, I'll revise to another surgery, or maybe not.

But PLEASE tell me how this is different (or worse) than all the people I know who had RNY who 5 years afterwards have gained back most of what they lost or sometimes even more? We all get these surgeries to help us and none of them are gauranteed to work for life.

I spoke with a very well known surgeon last week. He said, "If the band only works for a patient for 5 years and then needs to be removed, it simply didn't work." And that makes sense to me. If it's not a long term solution, then why bother in the first place?  The risks of permanent damage to your organs to have a few years of being "normal weight" is not worth it. I speak from experience as I sit in pain AGAIN today from gastritis, ulcers, and a hiatal hernia... all reminders of the time I spent banded. Oh, and I'm fat again, too.

I don't take any particular comfort in other people going through complications, though. What WOULD make me feel better is if the medical professionals would start speaking up about the dangers of the lapband to counteract the commercial enterprise it's become.

People can say that all WLS's have good and bad points, but the truth is, the band is the least successful and it's very damaging, to boot. Moreso than what is divulged. And that's dangerous to NOT know.

I usually don't answer these type of post but this one really hit a never.
I don't know and NEITHER do you know if the band will fail someone so why come out with a statement like that???

I am not the most pro-band person, I have done well with my band for the last 6+ years but given a choice now I might have chosen something else but like someone else said "Why borrow trouble"? We don't even know how long we will live, will your pacemaker eventually fail, will your fillings in your teeth eventually fall out, will the pins in your knees or arms fail???? I could go on and on but the point being no one knows, take it one day at a time and be happy for every day that your band does work and don't worry about the future, the future will take care of itself.

I know Nikki, Pumpkin, Denise and lot of other people have had problems due to nothing that was their fault, but they don't doom people who already have the band, they do try to get people to see the big picture and research their options and to chose a procedure that will work for you long term.

No one can make a blanket statement like that on anything in life!!!!!

Really??? Well since you know everything you must also know that anything can fail, why scare the crap out of the newbies with such a blanket statement....

Breast implants are only supposed to look good for and last for 10 years then need a redo does that stop people from getting them? ...Heart stents, pacemakers, artificial hips, face lifts, organ transplants......all might fail or need revision eventually, does it stop anyone from getting them???

My Brother in law knew that having gastric bypass could lead to death.....did it stop him?? No and he did in fact die from complications of gastric bypass.....
 
Did I get my band knowing that it might not last forever or that I would have complications? I did but I got it anyway..

Life is too short for what ifs and a chicken little mentality.......everyday I live thinner, and healthier is worth it.........if my band does fail one day, I will deal with it, revise and move on.....because that is what those that love life and live each day as if it was the last do!!!!! 

Michele

Would you please point me to the post where the condescending comments from people 3 years out are. I have been on here for over three years and have seen alot of ******g matches and heard a few people say Success bandsters blame them for their band failing. I myself have yet to see these post. I must be blind. I dont want to see post where people "say "others blame them.  I want to see post where people say "its your fault your band failed". Please help me out....show me. I am so F****** tired of just hearing it.

just yesterday someone replied to one of my postsby blamin me for the net weight gain acheived due to having to eat only soft foods for three years with my band, getting a hiatal hernia and getting the lowere portion of my esophogas ruined due to the band.  People are not compassionate on this forum and quite self righteous imho.

Thanks for pointing that out. I went back and read it and I am sorry there are people that don't have a clue what someone with a BAND PROBLEM can and can't eat. 
Its obvious by this statement he made (You did not adjust your lifestyle to use the tool that you originally requested). I think it's  plain ignorant to assume  some one did not adjust there life style. How do you know that? It's obvious he had no clue  how frustrating it is when you are having  band problems.  I know in order for your tool to work you have to be able to eat solid protein and veggies that's the purpose of the band to make you feel full on a smaller amount of low calorie  food. If you have to resort to mushies and liquids due to band problems (been there )it is almost impossible to feel full(my experience)and you tend to find things that will work with your band (been there). It is impossible to work a band that does not work . There are so many different problems slip, fluctuation of tightness that can result in not being able to follow the band rules  I am sorry someone  with a band for three months did not show more compassion. Glad you were able to revise hope all goes a lot better for you. There are a lot of compassionate people on here hope you stick around.

Of course the band - OR ANY OTHER WLS PROCEDURE - can fail anybody anytime, because WLS is NOT a cure for obesity. Obesity is a chronic and incurable disease. Right now, bariatric surgery (of any type) is the only effective long-term treatment for obesity, but any surgeon or medical device manufacturer who tells you that bariatric surgery is guaranteed to succeed and will never fail, disappoint, or cause side effects and complications is a liar.