Is it really this bad??

I was reading some of the Lapband posts and it just seems so scary. Does everyone end up with complications with Lapband? Does anyone have long term success with Lapband?

I think you have to define both 'long-term' and 'success'.

I am almost 4 years post banding .  Reached my weight loss goal in the first 18 months with no plateaus, just slow, steady weight loss.

i maintain within 10 pounds of my original goal while eating and drinking normally and exercising regularly.

i live a happy, active life for a 55 year old, working woman .... Could probably stand to,lose 10-15 pounds, but am thrilled with my lifestyle as it is.

I am also 4 years out and have had no problems so far.  I have lost a total of 175lbs.  So I would say it has worked for me ok...but I had to work hard and dedicate myself to a healthy lifestyle....I didn't just sit back wait for the weight loss to happen.

Like the other poster said everyone's idea of long term and and success is different.  So I might not fit your criteria. 

It can be scary and some have had very life-altering complications.  Bariatric surgery is not a decision you should enter into lightly as all can have serious or even life-threatening complications.

As for me, this has been one of the best decisions of my life.  I am  almost 7 years out and down 110 pounds.  I'm very active now and have found that losing the weight has made dealing with my fibromyalgia that much easier.

I don't know what the future holds - none of us do - but we can each become very educated about whichever procedure we choose and then be our own best advocate.  It is a non-stop commitment to better health and not something you can just enter the O/R and then never worry again.   

I've read the boards since 2002 and have seen/read a lot.  It's a little eerie to peg some 'successes' and 'failures' that result of not adhering to rules or basic lifestyle changes.  Sometimes you can read the small clues that will let you know if someone is committed to becoming more healthy or just looking for a quick fix.

There is another segment of the population that have truly horrific outcomes due to no fault of their own.  These are truly heartbreaking as we all enter into this with high hopes of becoming healthier. 

Again, no crystal ball to see what the future holds but wishing you much peace in your journey and I hope you will take the time to read it all - good but especially the bad so that you have a realistic expectation of what could occur.

Good luck,

Kootenay

YES, it really is that bad. It is so not worth the gamble, and you will be gambling with your quality of life with this product. You will be at a much higher risk of having complications then having a zero risk of no complications.

It is just not worth it.

Hello Tiffany,

For me it WAS that bad. I came out of surgery with substantial damage. Leaving the band in exacerbated the damage. The problem is that the top portion of the stomach (and the band) is VERY close to the diaphragm. And the Vagus nerves run from the base of the skull down through the diaphragm and into the stomach. These nerves control a LOT of functions in the body and when they're disturbed, irritated or damaged, the consequences can range from annoying to debilitating. The problem is that you won't know how your body reacts until after surgery.

I lost over 100 pounds with the band. It was because I couldn't eat solid foods at all.  I had referred left shoulder pain from the minute I came out of the operating room and it was a chronic condition. This was 10 years ago that I had the band done... had it removed 8 years ago. And I still occasionally have left shoulder pain from the damage. And I regained every pound I lost. AND even with working out hardcore, I can't lose because I'm so screwed up from not being able to eat anything decent for two years. I developed anemia, was malnourished, and had the most miserable quality of life with the band. I went into it determined and ready to make changes. Unfortunately, it didn't work out that way. People can fool themselves into thinking that if they follow all the "rules" and do everything right that they won't become a statistic. But I've been watching the same story unfold for a decade now.  All band boards eventually become failed band boards.

The band IS scary. It's damaging and it's not a good long term solution, in my opinion.

There are some people who've kept their bands long term.  I know of one person with a 10 year old band, one with 8, one 7 and one 6.  I've had mine 3 years next month and its coming out due to esophageal damage.  I've lost 90 lb or 65% EW, but 30 lb is due to the inability to eat because of GI motility problems.  

I know that the band is sold as "low risk", but that is only in the immediate post op time frame.  Long term the band is fraught with complications, many of them permanent.  If I were choosing today, I would get VSG, despite the longer recovery, first 6 months of adjusting to eating and losing 85% of my stomach.  I know of a few bandsters who have lost parts of their stomach to damage from their bands and one who lost her entire stomach.  

Do your research, ask a lot of questions.

I can say I have had my band for 4 years and had a few up's  and  down's but I would do it again. I have seen complications from all surgeries, do your research.

Is it REALLY that bad?

If the lap band was THAT BAD and DANGEROUS, several Bariatric surgeons would not have the band themselves. I know of MANY Bariatric surgeons that have the band themselves and they perform the Sleeve, and RNY and other procedures, if the lap band was THAT BAD, you would think they would be the FIRST to get it removed, and revised to the Sleeve or RNY.

However, the lap band CAN BE THAT BAD, if:

1. You don't follow up for needed fills

2. Don't follow the eating/chewing rules, remember the band is restrictive and once the band is filled optimally, you can no longer chug food down your throat, like a burger, or fries, thick bread, sticky rice,  this will cause intense pain, and vomiting, but believe or not (some still do), and this will sure cause complications, if done frequently. (the lap band guide has foods to avoid)

3. Keep the band extremely too tight for long periods of time, (this is the number one cause of complications) which causes frequent vomiting, I've read this board over 8 years and been to luncheons with other bandsters and seen how lap banders eat that were too tight, and some people who's band is too tight cannot eat any solid food, only teaspoons of liquids, broth, yogurt, protein drinks, I've SEEN MANY lose their bands over the years because they did not realize or care if bands were too tight until, it liked to killed them.

4. A damage/slipped lap band can be ugly, it can cause frothing at the mouth, reflux and vomiting in your sleep, chest pains, horrendous heart burn and burning in the stomach that acid reducers can barely manage. Left shoulder pain, throbbing band pouch, frequent vomiting after eating regardless of how small the bites. I've seen/heard cases where many band patients that had slipped bands vomiting foam/liquid/ in a cup because nothing would go down and dehydration and had to hospitilized, so band slippage/damage CAN get ugly and cause misery and poor quality of life, if the band is not removed promptly once its damaged.

Can all this be avoided? Yes, by simply following up with your surgeon when you experience any adverse symptoms, or if you get a fill adjustment and find that you can't eat any solid food without vomiting, if you ignore being too tight, IT CAN GET THAT BAD. When I got my band placed over 8 years ago surgeons did not have that much clinical experience with the band than they do today, and now they have charts to alert patients when they are properly restricted, also eating too much food on a very tight band can cause band damage as well.

There are some people that suffer complications with no fault of their own, some people develop hernias, some people develop infections in their bodies or get bad fills, have poor aftercare, some people bodies may reject the band, some people have tubing complications, some people have auto immune diseases which can cause band complications (these are all contradictions on the lap band website). Some people develop esophageal motility issues after living with the band for years, they have problems with pushing food from their esophagus with a restricted band.

But you know what? I've been too tight before, and experienced adverse issues, burning, reflux, etc, but I think this DOES NOT COMPARE to , complications with other surgeries, like TPNS (feeding tubes), frequent bowel obstructions, horrible dumping syndrome, nutritional deficiencies, hypoglecemia, horrible acid reflux/bile, and the list goes on with adverse symptoms with RNY and the Sleeve. So there is no weight loss surgery without some type of issues, including the lap band. 

With a properly adjusted band (not too tight) most people eat a small amount of food and get satisfied and if you chew properly, the food gently moves down the esophagus slowly and if you eat dense proteins, you will get a full feeling quickly, that is how the band works for most people, that don't have complications.

With a properly restricted band, you should chew your food thoroughly and measure out about 4oz of food per meal, chew slowly and most lap banders get soft stops to stop eating like a burp, hiccup, sigh, sneeze, running nose. Even when properly restricted the band will never stop you from eating, it helps you stop, this is why measuring the food is important for long term success, which equals about a pixie cup of food per meal.

You have to ask yourself the question, why do you want the lap band? If I was OK, with removing most of my stomach, I would  NOT consider the band at all, I would get the Sleeve done. I did not get the band because it was the perfect weight loss solution, I got the band because it was an alternative to NOT removing/rearranging my body parts and I could remove it if something happened, so that means that I will have to follow the band rules, exercise and get fills/unfills as needed in order to keep it long term.

Does anyone have Long Term Success with the lap band? There are long term successes and failures WITH ALL WEIGHT LOSS SURGERIES, There ARE NO WEIGHT LOSS SURGERIES,( including the lap band, Sleeve, or RNY) that have long term success without the patient, having a FREQUENT exercise routine, keeping the portions small, eating a high protein, low carb diet, the lap band just helps with portions, nothing else, if you eat junk food and don't exercise you will not lose 1 pound with the band, also you can't keep the band adjusted so tight to only allow liquids like protein drinks,  it's not designed to be that tight,  without issues.

I've had my band over 8 years, got a replacement recently due to hiatal hernia, I've never had to hospitilized with the band other than replacing it with newer one, it works for ME, the band does not work for everyone, and that's OK, it's OK to get a procedure that will work for YOU.

I lost over 130 pounds with my band, and kept that weight down for about 6 years, I gained back over 40 pounds at 7 years out due to undiagnosed hiatal hernia that was preventing me from getting adequate restriction, I am slowly losing that weight now, but I am happy and healthy and don't have to be on medications at 8 years post op, and I can still wear most of my small clothes, I am just living a happy and healthy life now, not really concerned about being a size 8 or 10, I maintained a size 10/12 with my band over 6 years until I got married and lazy...

Good luck

Despite the fact that I completely disagree with you Nana, I'm still glad that you are posting here as a source of support to those that are not experiencing any issues with their bands and those that are seeking help, tips, and ideas on how to work with their WLS tool.

Lisa