Obesity Help or Harm???

I believe the original intent of this site was to help people with the pros and cons of weight loss surgeries.  I think that it has gotten out of hand the bickering back and forth.  However, OH has put out warnings to stop the name calling, harrassment and so forth. 

People have started calling people band bashers because they want to warn people of the harm the band can do.  I do not consider myself a band  basher, however, the band has almost killed me.   I want everyone to be informed of what can happen to them.  I want people to understand that while the band HAS helped some people, it has also harmed some people.  Why does this make me a band basher?  I wish that people would have stepped up when I was searching for answers back in 2006.  I wish people would have told me that these things really could have happened to me.  That the complications were much more serious than what my doctor was telling me.  That the statistics would change.  That this was NOT a long term operation.  That it was NOT reversible as my doctor had stated.

Am I telling anyone NOT to get the band?  No.  Am I saying that I would get the band if I knew then what I know now?  No... I would run the other way.

So, with OH saying not to call names and such...  I agree... However, it goes BOTH ways.  Do not call me a band basher because my band failed.  Do NOT call me a LIAR because my band did not work the way yours might have.  If you want to tell your story, then fine.  However, if I tell my story, do NOT go onto MY post and call me a LIAR. 

This is not directed at one certain person, however, at everyone as a whole.  I do not believe that I have ever went against OH TOS, however, have had my posts removed because I have stood my ground and told someone not to call me a liar.  I think that EVERYONE should be able to tell their story.  I hope that everyone can get their story out there, whether it is a positive or negative response with the band.  I hope that everyone can take whatever they learn from other peoples experiences and make the right choices for themselves...

I still wish everyone luck in whichever choice they make for themselves.  Remember, this is YOUR journey, NO ONE elses!!!  YOU need to know the pros and cons of whichever surgery, if any, you decide....

Well said, SD.


The people who accuse us of lying only do so out of fear... or because they're so used to lying that they assume everyone else does. 

As time passes, there are more people coming out to speak of their experiences. I think at some point there will be a more honest representation and hopefully prospective WLS patients can hear more of the possible complications.

Anyone entering into any type of WLS REALLY needs to research to the point where they know the bad things... and if it scares them, that's normal. There should be some trepidation before going into a life altering surgery. The people who are really blindsided are the ones who think everything will be magical "on the other side." People HAVE to know the bad as well as the good. It's not supportive to lie.

I fully agree with you... the lapband is NOT long term for most people, it's NOT reversible and it's NOT as safe as the advertising makes it out to be. If I had known that I'd require subsequent surgeries, I most definitely would have taken a different route. But, what's done is done. Now I know to research and advocate for myself... and to NOT rely upon anyone else to do it for me.

Very well said,


I was banded in April of 2010 and as of right now, I am researching having it removed. I do NOT consider myself a band basher.  People are free to make their ow choices, however, I feel honest information from both sides is necessary in order to do that.  If I had known then what I know now, I (personally) would not have chosen this. It's unfair of anyone to delete posts that show the negative side.

I believe everyone should be informed I do not consider myself a band basher, cheerleader etc. I am someone who got the band to better my life and it went horribly wrong ! I am in worse shape now than before i got the band. EVERYONE should be informed of the good and the bad of any surgery .
July 2007 Lap Band Surgery
My surgery went well. I was losing weight on a regular basis after post op . My first fill I had restriction , I believe I had a second fill and started to not feel well and had to get a slight unfill .
6-10-08 First Total Unfill due to too much throwing up , not being able to keep food down etc.
I was getting fills about every 6 weeks but it seems like every fill I would need an unfill a week or 2 after , it was just too much .
August 2008 Down 109 pounds
10-08 Doc thinks I am "sensitive to Fills" after having to have many fills and unfills, he decided I needed to get smaller fills to see if that would help eliminate unfills.
3-09 Band slip. Not only had it slipped but i was about an hour away from having to have surgery ! I was severely dyhradated as well.
The doc after totally unfilling me told me to wait and we'll do another X ray . We did and the band had not "Un done " Its self. ( It was also flipped , you know when you look at the band in flouro you can see the outer rim ? MINE you could see the INSIDE part that your stomach goes through ) So he said to wait until he was done seeing patients , In the mean time he was calling the hospital to make arrangements for surgery . $4000 !! Is what it was going to cost me.
He saw the rest of his patients and we did another x ray and BAM my band moved on its own !!! NO SURGERY . My doc told me " You are VERY LUCKY " he was not happy with me for waiting to come in !!!
4-44-09 Slight fill after slip. I went to my doc appt last week and my band is fine. Its stayed in place and he even gave me a slight fill which I was not expecting. So as of today i am on mushies after nearly a month on liquids. things are going down fine, no issues. He actually gave me a larger fill than I have now and after waiting around the office i realized it was too much so i had him take some out.
So I am doing well. Another couple weeks I should need another fill. I have to get these 11 pounds off i gained in the nearly 3 weeks I had been totally unfilled.
Needless to say Dr R was not too happy about that weight gain !!!
7-29-09 Band Slipps Again:
I got SEVERE Stomach pain . At first ( sorry TMI) I thought it was constipation . It did not go away . Saturday same thing, stomach pains, cramping , aching. Just BAD. I was not really eating hardly anything or drinking anything cause it hurt too bad . So after everyone bugging me to go to the ER I decided I did not want to do that in CASE it was band related ( which I honestly did not think it was at all ) I did not want anyone but MY doc touching my band.
SO i called my doc on Sunday (I was starting to get nasueased ) and was afraid I would throw up . He called me in some phergan and it did not help . He said if i was not better to get to his office Monday .
So i did.
Get in there drink the barrium and he says " uhh ohh that's not good" It sitting there. NOTHING is moving through my band . Which was a little odd cause i COULD drink stuff but it seemed like once it hit my stomach it came back up .
SO he totally unfills my band. NOTHING. Its not moving.
So i wait a while , he comes back in and takes another X ray and the barium has gone though a LITTLE but not much at all. By now , however i can drink water fine.
So he thinks that either my band never completely healed on its own or i have what he calls a "Chronic" Slip. Either way , he does not think it will get better OR for that matter that it WILL Keep happening with out surgery . SO I have to go in on Monday to get checked and then decide about surgery . AT this point im prepared for it. However im TERRIFIED Of losing my band. People do not understand. They say " OH well you are at your goal weight ( Which BTW I lost 10 pounds in 3 days ) what do you have to worry about now , JUST eat Less " OK DUMB ASSES If it were that EASY I would not have needed the band to begin with . The THOUGHT Of losing 125 pounds and it slowly coming back on is almost more than i can bare ! So that's what's going on . ( Exerpt from my blog )
10-09 Check up on Slip , Getting stuck , Doc checks band looks fine.
8-11 Band useless. Cant be filled .
I went to get my fill today and doc went to fill my band . I had my barium swallow and when he filled it , the barium sat there ! Nothing , So he backed off , nothing sat there .. he backed it out to .01 NOTHING ! Sat there .... He took all of it out and the barium barely trickled through . He said I have scar tissue or something that has built up . I can either have it repositioned ( not recommend ) Or I can and probably need to have it revised to a sleeve. Nothing major is going on for me now , i am not having any problems BUT I could at any time, if i got sick or something because I do not have much " wiggle room" so to speak . The cost for the new surgery ????? $13,000 !!!!!! Its basically 2 surgeries, one to have the band removed , wait 3 months then have the sleeve done !!! SOOOOO I am going to have to do what I can on my own for now to lose the 50 count them 50 Damn pounds I have put back on !!

on top of all the band issues i have had, I also now have some kind of auto immune disorder going on that the docs cant figure out ? what does this have to do with the band  ? WELL nothing i thought at first. Until i started talking to other bandsters and found out they too have gotten sick , physicaly sick after they got their bands, conincedence ? I dont think so .
I wont bore you with the details however the whole ordeal is on my blog .
http://tryingtostayskinnyintexas.blogspot.com/search/label/Auto%20Immune

Everyone should know exactly what they are getting into . Now i sit here with a crap band in my system , No way to geti t out , no money , no insurance , I am in pain nearly every day of every meal I eat. How long am I suppose to live like this ? 

Did you ever find out why or what might have been the cause for your band to slip initially??

 There isn't always a reason. My surgeon could only speculate, and he was of course biased to come up with reasons that would somehow be my fault. 

 my bad slipped the first time from throwing up. and let me say i.followed every band rule to the t. my doc.was even suprised my band slipped. but a couple things happened. i got sick and threw up and tje other thing , u hear ppl talk aboiy the productive burping they get with the band , well that is.throwing up. that can cause u to slip ur band . and i prob did that a fww times a wk. i kbow ppl who say they do it way more . eventually that wi slip ur band . the prob is its almost unavoidable and once u slip ur band once its much easier to do it again.

I think you're right.  Once it slips, it loses it's "integrity" and probably is more prone to slipping in the future.

Thanks for sharing!

(THIS IS ONLY MY EXPERIENCE) 
I have been banded since Feb 4th 2009.  I am not very happy with my band.  I have not lost ANY
weight.  Grant it I also have not gained any more weight either and for that I am greatful to my band BUT...

I am not able to eat meat  even if I chew it into a unrecognizable paste.
I an not able to eat raw or semi raw vegetables for the same reason.  The skins get stuck.
I would love to be able to eat healthy.  I am so sick of junk food that I could scream but I am sick
of throwing up at every meal.
I have resorted to junk food because it does go down with out getting stuck and I am able to
satisfy my hunger.

Before anyone starts with I am too tight...I have had several fills/unfills.  I have been up to 8cc and down to below 5cc.  I have no sweet spot.  It did not matter how much was in my band.  It never worked FOR ME.

I am not trying change everyones opinion of the band.  If that is the way you really want to go then great.  I hope with all my heart it works for you.  Follow the rules as best you can and good luck.
It has worked for some people and I am glad but I wish someone had told me this side before I
had my surgery.  Yes, it would have changed my mind.  I am looking into a revision to a VSG.
Please keep in mind that IF it does not work it is not the end of the world or beat yourself up over
it because it may not be you or anything you have done.  Just seek more help.

That is exactly where I am now but only after losing 125 pounds and gaining it back .
My doc did tell me once you slip your band it most likely will slip again.
Mine Slipped with in weeks .
What cant I eat ? Anything healthy and most solid proteins.
Shrimp, Red meat, Pork, cant eat any of it, IF I do try i am in pain for hours or end up throwing up .
eating is a chore, one I do not like to do . WHy am I still fat then ? Well you eat what goes down which is crap ! 
saying how hunky dorey it was, no one said bad experiences, or i NEVER would have gone through this .
I