Are you a LapBander 10 years out?

I'd love to hear from anyone that has a Lapband and is 10 years out.. I'd love to hear that you didn't experience ANY complications, Didn't need to have a line or port or  even your band replaced.  

You might be luckier fishing for coelacanth.

Positive thoughts, please.....

I'm thrilled that my band was removed in June. I had it for 157 weeks and lost 70 lb in 15 months then started having difficulty swallowing, recurrent GERD, esophageal spasms, regurgitating completely chewed food. The band interferes with the nerve signals that tell the lower esophageal sphincter to open in response to swallowing. I was getting "stuck" on liquids in the end. Interestingly, my symptoms became worse after removing my 3.5 ccs of fill from my 11 cc band. In the end I'd lost another 30 lbs because I was subsisting on ice cream, puréed soups and poached eggs.

This phenomenon of band induced achalasia is very common. How often do we hear of the "fickle band" or "random tightness" or someone long after their last fill "choking on acid" in their sleep? Often the banded person is told to eat slower, chew more, eat better/different foods to avoid this problem....they are blamed, when it it the band interfering with signals from the vagus nerve.

It's interesting, that after my band and "an enormous amount of scar tissue" were removed in a 3+ hour surgery, I could swallow water and lie down without choking in it. I still have an occasional "stuck" episode, but I'm still healing. My esophagus was severely dilated, it takes time to heal, but the damage is permanent.

I cannot revise to ANY WLS because of the damage to my esophagus, LES and the top of my stomach....

I'm positive I will avoid massive weight regain because I suffered too much the last two years to let it all be for nothing.

I'm 6 1/2 years out.  I have gerd, but had it pre op, too.  Its controlled with ppi. No other complications. Had 100 lb weight loss. Maintained 60 of those lbs. Working on getting back to goal...but its not easy.

Why oh why did I log back on here today..

I am getting very close to 10 years post op. I will be 8 years post op in next month Sept, 30. However, you know my story, I had my old band replaced last year.

Prior to that I had all original parts for 7 years, so I've had a lap band inside my body for almost 8 years and I can say I still love it!

Did my old band have to come out? NO, it was my choice, also I had been living with a dilated pouch since 2006 with my old band, it was very manageable, I continued to lose weight and kept my weight down for 6 solid years WITH a dilated pouch. How did my pouch get dilated with my old band? My surgeon filled it too tight, had NOTHING to do with the lap band, it was surgeon's error, and I traveled and my body swells and it caused my band pouch to dilate.

Did my dilated pouch cause hospitalization? NO

Have I had any repeated hospitalizations in 8 years? I've had NONE, other than to remove the old band and replace it with a new one.

Have I had any horrible complications with my band? Nope, not yet at almost 8 years.

What were my complications with my band? Hmm...let's see, last year I was eating too much salsa on a very restricted band, and caused gastritis and esophageal irritation, I continued to have burning and back pain, on a scale 1-10, the pain was about a 4, not serious, but enough to be annoying.

Why did I decide to replace my band? Well, because I'd had a dilated pouch for over 7 years and if I really wanted my band to work AGAIN, WITH restriction I thought it would be best for me to get it replaced since every time I would get my old band filled, I would get reflux (due to the dilation and hernia) and burning and irritation, NOTHING LIKE A SERIOUS COMPLICATION, but annoying since I have very low pain tolerance.

In almost 8 years have I had problems with vomiting and reflux? Nope, I rarely vomited with my old band, but I've sure had a good ole fashion band whipping and got food stuck so bad I threw up for hours, but these isolated incidents happened only about 2-3 times in 7 years and only when I tried to eat too much or ate chicken and foods that would cause me to get stuck. However, I did get reflux with my old band, if I tried to tighten it optimally, but that was caused by a hiatal hernia and the pouch dilation.

Why did I decide to do the band again and not the Bypass or Sleeve? Well, I was successful with my old band, and it worked for me even when my first surgeon did not repair an existing hernia, so I can't complain about the old band too much, also I am not good at taking vitamins, only if I am forced to do it, and I really don't like the idea of dumping, I like to be free and eat what I want, just in small amounts with no side effects and the band has always allowed me to eat small amounts of healthy foods, (I've never had food intolerances with my band, even my old band, it apparently fits my body).

I did not get the Sleeve because EVERYONE I KNOW has LESS restriction than with the band at least greater than 3-4 yrs post op, and I also I did not want to risk a life time of reflux, and I need something to hit me in the face if I eat too much, I hate vomiting, and I if I pu**** the band it will make me vomit, so I like the behavior modification that the band puts upon me.

How is the new band working? I feel a lot better with the new band, no reflux at all, no vomiting, or Pbing in almost 9 months that I've had my new band, I can eat normal meals with my husband and family, no one would know I have a band if I did not tell them, I just pick at my food and eat like a bird, I can eat anything, chicken, steak, tuna, fish, fruit, salads, etc, but if I eat any bread, like wheat bread, I will toast it, thick bread and rice will still give me the slimeys....

How long did it take me to get restriction with my new band? That was a pain! It took almost 5 months before I felt hardly any restriction. I am at a good spot right now and pretty happy, I don't have gut wrenching restriction to cause misery or horrible side effect, in fact I have NO side effects with my new band, unless I eat thick bread and I will know my band is there.

Would I get the band again if this second band fail? I don't know, I will say this tho, if I keep it for another 10-15 years and something happens, I will probably be to old to care and just get it removed and live the rest of my golden years eating at diners with hubby, probably chubby.....

What has my lap band done for me over the years? Well, it helped me lose over 130 pounds, and go from a size 26 and my lowest was a size 8/10, and the band has helped keep most of it off, and I still wear a size 12 clothes, and still eat what I want most of the times and still enjoy life.

I would do the band over and over again, as long as I keep having good results and no life threatening complications.

Peace out,  I am retiring from posting so much, I will pop back here, every so often, my life is full so I just don't have time.

 

 

Annie-

Does a dilated pouch and band replacement count as ANY type of complication?  BWAHAHAHAHA

Hi Annie, I am over 11 years out with my band. I still have the original 4 cc band. I have the same port. I did have a band slip in 2003. Once it was fixed I havent had any problems. Mona

What happened to my post on this thread? 

 

 

As it turns out, it was indeed another vet posing as a newbie band cheerleader and OH deleted her account and her posts.  ;o)