This is what ****** me off...

When someone new comes to this board and inquire about the lap band PLEASE TELL THEM YOUR OWN MISERABLE/ OR GOOD EXPERIENCE...AND NOT GENERALIZE ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE'S JOURNEY....and TELL A BOLD FACE LIE ABOUT THE LAP BAND ....

IF YOU ARE SEEKING A ONE TIME SURGERY AND NEVER WANT TO FOLLOW UP TO CHECK THE HEALTH OF YOUR LAP BAND -- YOU CHOSE THE WRONG TYPE OF SURGERY....ALSO AS A MATTER OF FACT IF YOU CHOOSE RNY, SLEEVE OR DS  YOU MUST FOLLOW UP WITH WITH SOME PHYSICIAN FOREVER TO MAKE SURE YOUR LABS ARE GOOD AND THIS REQUIRES VITAMINS FOR LIFE WHICH CAN GET VERY COSTLY.....SO PICK YOUR VICE.

CASE IN POINT....someone just told a young girl that the lap band is not meant to last forever and it will have be removed at some point in time.....CAN SOMEONE PLEASE CLARIFY THIS INFORMATION WITH CASE STUDIES PLEASE?

Based on the the manufacturer website and my own surgeons office - THERE IS NO TIME STAMP ON THE LONGEVITY OF THE LAP BAND - IT IS A LONG TERM PERMANENT DEVICE-- THAT MEANS --- IT IS MEANT TO LAST A LIFE TIME --
 
HOWEVER-- IF YOU KEEP IT ADJUSTED SO TIGHT and NEVER FOLLOW UP WITH YOUR SURGEON ONCE YOU START EXPERIENCING ADVERSE SYMPTOMS TO DAMAGE YOUR ESOPHAGUS OR OTHER ORGANS....OR IF GOD FORBID YOUR BODY REJECTS IT -- IT CAN BE REMOVED...IT'S JUST THAT SIMPLE.....

Also this is the original document from the FDA APPROVAL BACK IN 2001 - WHICH LISTS ALL THE WARNINGS AND CONTRADICTIONS OF THE LAP BAND....AND IT CLEARLY STATES THE LAP BAND IS MEANT TO BE A LONG TERM PERMANENT IMPLANT..BUT IT COMES WITH MANY SAFETY PRECAUTIONS...WHICH MANY SURGICAL PRACTICES /PATIENTS HAVE NOT FOLLOWED OVER THE YEARS -- ...SO IN OTHER WORDS FOR MOST PEOPLE THE LONGEVITY OF THE BAND GREATLY DEPENDS ON THE PATIENT.....

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:zWiPLzOImj0J:www. accessdata.fda.gov/cdrh_docs/pdf/P000008b.pdf+IS+THE+LAP+BAN D+A+LIFE+LONG+IMPLANT&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShY6Hf5y NK7IgLv6q0mVH1JBCNqCeHs9hTCb9yizG8v5Jc4FDDuLqq8lEsIYE7TUO44F nFEivh1LhLQKZi9jzRAFYJ-v45PWBsxwZC_2tF9WeICA23t1ucDoVL6R6hkn 1JZ9axK&sig=AHIEtbT1KyEYrXgJHCGNRVAjQ31nxp4Gkg


The LAP-BAND System is a long-term implant and the
System or a component may need to be either explanted or replaced. In addition, medical management of adverse events may necessitate reoperation to revise or explant the device. As with any revision procedure, the possibility of complications such as erosion and infection are increased.

Based on these Q&A questions about the longevitiy of the lap band answered from SURGEONS


http://www.realself.com/question/lap-band-removed-after-fill s-years
 

 

The Lap Band is meant to theoretically stay in your body for a long time, the amount of time has not been clearly defined as it has only been FDA approved since 2001.  With proper follow up and adequate proper nutritional intake, you should experience long term success with the lap band. If issues arise with the lap band, it can be removed but this usually means considering other surgical options.

The lap band is intended to be a lifelong tool to control hunger a patients hunger. If any complications arise the lap band sometimes has to be removed. It is important to go for adjustments until the “green zone" has been reached. The “green zone" is when the right amount of fluid is in lap band therefore the patient can control their hunger, use portion control, is not hungry between meals, and has achieved satisfaction.

 

Other than that...enjoy your holiday weekend -- I am off to the beach



 

It's funny because last week when I went up for another follow up and adjustment, I had mentioned to him about the negative information about the band.  This is what he said:

If you take 100  band patients, 67% will have no serious complications and will have long term success.  33% will have complications and very little or no success.

He then focused in on the 33%.

He said of the 33 people, 30 will have have complications and little or no success because they didn't come in for followup visits (every 6-8 weeks as recommended for at least the 1st year) and/or they were not following the food & eating guidelines set forth. 

Then he said of the 3 remaining patients, the band simply didn't  work.  The patient feels no restriction or they were unable to lose weight, etc. for no and objective  reason.

Slippage seems to be the biggest issue with the band, but he said the main cause for slippage is the patient is eating too much at one time for too long.  Followed by a band that is too tight or placed (attached) incorrectly--which would clearly be the surgeons fault. 

Now, I'm not Dr....don't claim to be, I'm just repeating what my surgeon told me.

C_Cube...your surgeon was RIGHT ON.....and that is the absolute truth behind the lap band issues.....THE NUMBER ONE REASON FOR BAND COMPLICATIONS IS BAND SLIPPAGE WHICH IS CAUSED BY...EATING TOO MUCH ON A TOO TIGHT BAND WHICH CAUSES FREQUENT VOMITING.

I talked to my surgeon this week also about people "on this board" putting out lies and rumors about the lap band being "RECALLED" and he laughed out loud....in his practice they have banded over 2500 people and only had 3 LAP BAND SLIPS...WHICH WAS CAUSED BY THE PATIENT NEVER COMING BACK IN WHEN THEY STARTED HAVING FREQUENT VOMITING AND REFLUX...THEIR BANDS COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED...

MY LAP BAND ALMOST SLIPPED 5 YEARS AGO ALSO...WHEN I was filled too tight and drove to Florida and when I finally got home to see my surgeon I was frothing at the mouth with frequent vomiting-- he emptied my band and gave me medication and slowly refilled my band again...and I have not had any issues since....but my previous surgeon was new at filling the band and it took trial and error to get my band adjustments just right..also some surgeons that DON'T BELIEVE IN THE BAND DON'T FILL PATIENTS PROPERLY....AND REALLY DON'T CARE IF THEY HAVE TO EVENTUALLY REMOVE IT...MORE MONEY FOR REVISIONS......

THIS is why I tell newbies to make sure they go to a center of excellence or a practice that has a long track record of a low revision rate and have a surgical practice that will believe in their patients......but your surgeon said the same thing my surgeon said -- MANY PATIENTS NEVER FOLLOW UP LIKE THEY AR SUPPOSE TO DO....and remember surgeons STILL GET PAID FOR REVISIONS OR WHETHER OR NOT THE PATIENT IS COMPLIANT OR NOT....SO IT IS REALLY UP TO THE PATIENT TO FOLLOW SAFETY GUIDELINES IF THE BAND WAS PLACE CORRECT.

I honestly don't believe some surgical practices followed those FDA guidelines that I attached....

Edited to add: Many of those used to be honest about their lap band complications -- MANY reported that they did not have money for followups and lived too far...some live as far as 8 hours away from their surgeons, so they never had money for adequate aftercare. And oh I've heard so so many horror stories about those who went to Mexico and NO US SURGEON WOULD TOUCH THEM WHEN THEY HAD COMPLICATIONS --I;VE HEARD OF STORIES WHERE PEOPLE USED SPIT CUPS ON AN AIRPLANE AND HAD TO CRAWL BACK TO MEXICO WITH A SLIPPED BAND BECAUSE NO US SURGEON WOULD REMOVE IT...AND I'VE HEARD SO MANY HORRIBLE STORIES ABOUT INFECTIONS FROM NON STERILE ENVIORNMENTS IN MEXICO -- ONE GIRL REPORTED THAT WHEN SHE HAD HER SURGERY IN MEXICO THE OPERATING ROOM WAS WARM AND A FLY WAS ON THE WALL --HOW GROSS-- THIS IS WHY THE LAP BAND COMPLICATION RATE IS SO HIGH AND MOST OF THESE ISSUES CAN BE AVOIDED..

 
World wide stats or national stats do not defend that at all.  Not even close.  50% have their band removed by 6 years, that doesn't even include esophageal spasms, port infections, disconnected tubing, re-ops, etc.

Someone isn't being honest.

This is not true.  I had complications, and I went in for follow ups every three months for two years, including two emergency unfills right after a fill then became tight.  It was rather expensive with copays. 

What is not true?

Mine slipped within the first 3 months....because I got the stomach flu, NOT because 'I' did anything wrong. And ever since that first slip, nothing was the same...even the Dr staff couldnt explain it. The Dr still treated me like crap regardless. With children, I am constantly bring exposed to stomach bugs...and like many, I get the flu so it was nothing I did.  There was no reason for him to tell me it was my fault or to ignore me when I would seek guidance. I followed the food guides to a tee, but still fluids would pool and relfux would leave me in tears. If it wasnt for the nursing staff trying to help figure out what was wrong with the band, unfilling me and trying back slowly, I would have been a horrible emotional mess. This experince left me, my marriage and my life in a horrible state of stasis and depression...not to mention16K down the drain...happy to revise to something that wont slip when I get sick.

My experience....also, never ever speak in absolutes. ever.

There are always exceptions to every rule and I don't think for one second that my surgeon was talking in absolutes either.

You're right---if you vomit often, that can cause your band to slip and when your vomiting, courtesy of a stomach bug, that is definitely not your fault!  It sucks that your Dr. didn't validate your symptoms!  What a quack!  

But you know, there are people who vomit on a daily basis because their band is too tight and/or because they eat way too much.  Over a period of several weeks or months THAT will cause a slip. 

I consider myself to be a model patient, but it really is very easy to over eat.  You get distracted---or wait too long between meals and your famished--or you can't  stop eating because its so darn tasty!!  Been there.  Done that.  Luckily though, those moments are very few and far between :)

I have a little one and a teenager and those two are always bringing bugs home :(  I hear ya!  Sorry to hear of your problems. 

I think that was probably the worst part of the whole band experince for me...the doctor's attitude.  For the first time, I develop distrust in my medical care and knew that this doctor was in it for the money. In Canada, it is rare to see this (IMO) since most are part of the national health care system but he was an independant.  When he FINALLY called me back (and it took his nursing staff to convince him to) I had never been spoken to in such a patronizing fashion and he actually scolded me for allowing myself to catch the flu in the first place. He kept reiterating that its not hard to eat properly and i should know that I should eat protein first at such and such a protein.....! I was in SHOCK! Of course I knew that! I had been a model patient experiencing some (albeit slow) weightloss in the beginning, until the slip.  All I could do was cry. He made me feel like an idiot, a fat idiot...and once I told him (via his nursing staff) I was going to revise due to the ongoing issues post-slip, he never even called me, which I was told he would want to have a discussion prior.

sorry...i think i may have just started crying again. it was a very dark time for me and unfortunately that experience has forever tainted the band for me. The idiocy that the medical institutions have created regarding the financial benefits that some surgeons can reap by messing with peoples innards in their attempt to get healthy makes me furious....I think I need to write an editorial on it! :)

Sugan,

'I am sorry to hear about your slippage, there have been people reported their bands slipped due to stomach flu....there are precautions to take if you are prone to vomiting ...some even consider those who are prone to vomiting not good candidates for the lap band, since vomiting every single day can eventually cause it to slip for some people.

Now that being said, I either got food poisoned or a stomach bug about 2 years ago, and I was sick for 4 days, I was so sick that I lost 15 pounds in 4 days..

I threw up and had diarrhea and I vomited several times at least 10 times in 4 days which is a lot and my band did not slip nor did I need an unfill.

Why? I don't know but I DO NOT VOMIT OFTEN also I think since my lap band was well healed and suture properly it could withstand vomiting every now and then.

Just to let you know lap bands ARE NOT EASILY TO SLIP...if your surgeon suture your band properly a lap band can take some abuse...TRUST ME...I've had MANY MANY STUCK episodes over 7 years I've had my band in place...but I do NOT keep my band too tight for long periods of time and I DO NOT VOMITING OFTEN...not saying that has saved my band but research shows that band slippage is CAUSED BY FREQUENT VOMITING, whether it from being drunk or alcohol abuse, eating disorders or other illnesses....

This is why I make sure my food is clean and I follow proper hygiene to avoid catching stomach bugs often..but I can understand having small kids you can easily catch germs from them.

I wish you well with your revision and an uneventful journey.