I had my band removed on Friday after 6 years.

I feel so sorry for all that you have gone through with your band. I have a love/hate relationship with mine. I know I would never have lost the amount of weight that I did (90lbs) without it and I love that, I hate that social settings can be a drag with people asking why I am not eating much, sit down dinner dates with family & friends are truly uncomfortable. I do not make a secret of my procedure but very few really understand it and have no idea what it is like to live with restriction.
Bottom line is that I would hate to have to have removal some day because I am not so sure that I would be able to maintain my weight loss. I feel so alive and truly enjoy living life at my current size and I would hate to go back to where I was.
You sound sincere and not at all like a "band basher" unfortunately, the band is not for every one and for the ones that it isn't, they seem to go thru a lot of pain.
I wish you the best and hope you will continue posting with updates

I too am so sorry to hear about your trials with the band! I understand as do many others. So far I haven't had any pain since I had mine emptied but it feels like a ticking time bomb, just waiting for the next stage. I'm with Nic I'm still over weight and I'll gladly stay that way, no way would I ever have gotten a band if I had known what life with it was really going to be like. Enjoy your new freedom and life!

I hope you can live pain free and happy, Becks.  Sure sounds like you made the right decision.

Geez....well, at least you don't have any reason to follow-up with that doctor anymore! Let's hope you never need another form of WLS, but if you do, I hope you can take your body (and your money) elsewhere.

How are you recovering? Have the stomach pains resolved now that the band is gone?

I'm sorry you had such trouble with your band. Here's wishing you a speedy recovery and no more stomach pain!!!

Best,

Lindsey

Becks,

I am so sorry that you have had to go through all of this. You deserve (((HUGS)))! Further, you are not a band basher. I would like to personally kick your (former I hope) surgeons butt!

There is no excuse for what he put you through. I absolutely loved my band, lost all my weight, etc. But when it really got tight and stayed that way after an unfill and a wait of 8 weeks my surgeon told me it had to come out in spite of the UGI's showing it as being fine. As It turned out I was a case of my body trying to reject the band and it had not caused a single problem. No scar tissue, slip, erosion, adhesions, nothing. If my surgeon could act quickly there shouldn't be any surgeon that would have a problem with his/her patient getting theirs removed.

I hope this corrects all your symptoms and that you are able to maintain your weight loss. Sue