To band or not to band

I have done all of the pre-op tests and am ready to get a surgery date for lapband.  As it gets closer and I read more and more from people who have had the surgery I get more and more anxious.  I am 36, weigh 274lbs and would like to get down to about 140.  My biggest fears are getting things "stuck" and always being nauseous.  For those of you who have had the surgery if you could go back and change your mind would you??   

I wouldn't wish the lapband on satan himself!! They are not what the manufacturers say they are. They are not a lifelong tool, they need to come out after 5-10 yrs. IF you can even keep them that long! Usually between 2-4 years the problems start and if you read down below you will see posts by Nana, she was the biggest band proponent around and slammed many  of us who have had problems with ours yet even she is now losing her band.

The problems with the band are many and some are life threatening, getting the band was THE biggest mistake I've made in my whole life! Right now I have an empty band because there is scar tissue building up under my band but I have no bariatic coverage so here I sit praying I can hold out until I can revise to another surgery. Please save yourself from the tortures of the band and get a different surgery, the band is not for anyone!

I had the band done in 2003 and it nearly killed me. There are much worse things than being fat... having chronic pain from the band is worse. Google -  Lapband and referred left shoulder pain. It's a common thing with banding because the Vagus nerves are affected by the band.

I am not exaggerating when I say that if someone said, "You have to choose between getting a lapband and jumping off a cliff," I'd take the cliff in a heartbeat. Seriously. I'd rather be dead than go through that pain again. It was ENORMOUS, chronic, neverending... and even now, 9 years after removal, I have lingering issues from the band... gastritis, ulcers, hiatal hernia, esophageal problems, nerve damage... and it's for life. So much for that "reversible" selling point.

I would advise you to research by reading the Revisions forum here on Obesity Help. You'll see all the revisions FROM the lapband.

Good luck to you.

i had Realize band done in january of 2011 so i've not had my band for very long.  do i regret having it done? no. i do get stuck on occasion and there are simply foods that i cannot eat any longer. french fries, most breads, etc, not that they had a lot of nutritional value to begin with. my biggest adjustment was getting myself to slow down and chew my food thoroughly. i bought a two-minute egg timer to help me severely halt the pace at which i consumed food which really helped the stuck issue. i rarely get nauseous. my in-laws have a belief of "the slow hand goes hungry." I shouldn't be surprised my father-in-law is close to 400 with that nonsense.

it's slower than other types of bariatric surgery so you need to be prepared for that. also make sure you understand how the restriction works. if you have a band that's too tight, you run into a lot of problems. it's not a gate to tell you that you've eaten too much. it can make you sick if you cross the threshhold and consume too much in one setting.

i cannot comment on the other types of bands that other people have had done and i haven't had mine for as long, but thus far i've not had any complications or issues arising from the type of banding that i had done. given the choice of banding and having my part of my stomach cut off and/or my intestines rearranged, i'd still chose Realize band. if it hadn't been available, i'd not have had the WLS. just my two cents based on personal experience.

I had my band placed about 3 1/2 years ago.

I lost 130 pounds in 18 months --- and have been maintaining within 5 pounds for the last 2 years.

By all accounts, I am a success story ---

Would I recommend a band for anyone else --- NO WAY -- too many complications, too much risk of a necessary second surgery, too much expensive follow up.

At 36 -- you are really guaranteed another surgery in your lifetime (say another 50 - 60 years) -- it is inconceivable that an implanted device will last that long.

If I had to choose again, I would have VSG.

I revised from the band to the sleeve four years to the day after I got the sleeve and over two years after it became problematic.  I wouldn't wish what I went through on my worst enemy.  The reported estimate of bandsters who have to have subsequent procedures to associated issues is about 30%.  I suspect the number is higher than that.  From what I see and hear, I suspect the band is on its way out as a preferred method of WLS. 

That said, there are plenty of happy bandsters.

If you have had all the pre-op work up, you can switch to another surgery fairly easily.  All the way up to the time they wheel you to the OR and put you under.  I would suggest you consider your options based upon valid considerations. 

I had the Realize Band a little over 3 1/2 years ago.  it was a slow and frustrating go at first but I have since lost a total of 170 lbs.  I still have more to lose and I am still working on it (I lost 6 lbs last month).  I have been gratefully problem free with my band.  I have no foods that I can't eat.  I have to watch my portions obviously.  I mean I can't down a super size fries anymore..I can have maybe 3-5 and I'm fine.  Which is good.  I can eat a full 3-5 oz of protein with no problems.  I also exercise 90 minutes a day.  So eating healthy and exercising is the key to my success and my band just keeps me feeling satisfied.  Sure there are problems with head hunger but that comes with any surgery.  I will always want cookies and ice cream and cheese burgers...I just have to keep my hands off!!!

I got my band May 4 2010 and lost my weight in 5 months. I maintained within 10 pounds or so of my goal at that time and loved that band. As you can see I had to revise to a vsg this summer. It wasn't my choice but my body had begun rejecting the band, which I understand is not uncommon after a few years.

Do I regret my band? Not even a little! However, I cannot recommend one for newbies. They are finding more problems now than they had when I researched mine. Second surgeries are becoming necessary at an alarming rate.

If you feel you need restriction only go with vsg. If you need restriction plus malabsorption go with a DS. It offers the stomach of the sleeve plus the malabsorption component without the dumping syndrome that goes with RNY or the eventual loss of the caloric malabsorption of RNY. DS also has the best statistics for maintained weight loss. The downside of malabsorption is the need for frequent blood work and many vitamins, for life. Bypass once was gold standard but is not anymore.

Please do some more research. At your age you owe it to yourself to get something you can live with for the rest of your life. Don't go with a surgery just because you can get it done quickly or your surgeon only does certain ones. Have patience, research well, get a new surgeon if needed (you can have your records of testing forwarded to the new practice). Just don't settle. 

Good luck with what ever you choose and please keep us posted.

Yes, I would choose the band again.

For me, stuck episodes could be avoided with careful eating (take tiny bites, chew very well, eating slowly, etc.), and I never felt nauseated except when I had a intestinal bug. The puking or PB's that can happen to a bandster are usually coming from the esophagus and upper stomach pouch, so they have very little bile in them and (again, for me) none of the nausea that's associated with ordinary vomiting.

Read this thread for some of the same and some different info too;

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/lapband/4582161/PLEASE-HELP-NEED-HELP-DECIDING-LAP-BAND/