Does anyone have anything good to say about Lap-Band?

My heart doctor wants me to have WLS. Reading the posts here though it sounds like those that had it are worse off than if they wouldn't have had it. Does anyone have any good stories about getting a Lap-Band?

NOPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have you researched all the WLS?  After you do talk about all your options with your surgeon.  The sleeve works like I thought the band would and didn't if you are looking at restriction only.

I've been banded 8 years.  I never reached my goal, I was close but I started having swallowing problems, figured I could work it out on my own, gained every pound back.  I went back for a fill and have lost 31lbs.  I won't say I hate the band, it really has kept me from weighing 400lbs.  I do not like being so limited on what I can eat.  I like to have an apple or strawberries now and then but I pretty much gag them down.  It's frustrating.  Eating out is tough because I'm afraid I'll not find something I can tolerate (soup is the safe bet for eating out) and I don't like the sliming that comes along with eating something that won't go down.  I've had more episodes than I can count.

I am considering revision at this time but everyone is different and the band may be perfect for you.

Good Luck.

Glad I did it, still glad I opted for it, still maintaining a 170-plus pound weight loss.

Is it right for everyone? Hell, no.

I am so glad for my band! But I am a cautious bander so it has worked for me. It's been 7 1/2 years and lost 175 pounds. My life had to completely change though, very little of my old life and ways still exist.

Cautious or not, there are issues inherent to banding that lead to eventual removal for at least 50% of those who are banded.  In addition the complications can make it impossible to revise to another procedure.

If you feel that a purely restrictive procedure is best for you, you have two options, gastric band or sleeve gastrectomy.  Lapband has low initial complications, but an extremely high risk of late complications.  Sleeve has about a 1.5% rate of early complications that are generally not serious, especially with a "virgin" stomach.  1.5% now or 50% later?

With Lapband there is 3% chance your band will be improperly placed, leading to feeling no satiety, but having difficulty swallowing.  When it's misplaced, it is generally placed too high, on or near the esophagus and can cause terrible damage that is permanent.

Here is the link to Allergan's physicians guide, it has lots of statistics, etc.

http://www.allergan.com/assets/pdf/lapband_dfu.pdf

You have to look at it this way NOT everyone who gets banded is on this site. I have no idea what the #'s are but lets say 10,000 people get banded per year you will only usually hear from a small percentage that hate it. The rest love it and it has done everything they expected it to do. even the members on this site a some love the band and some hate it. I am sure that if it was unsafe and didnt work for 97% of the people who get the band that the government would put a stop to its use. And I think the insurance companies would stop covering it since they would know it will cost them more money in the long run. What ever you decide dont let the people on this site make your decision for you. Do your research. Talk to your surgeon ask him all the questions about the band you can think of ask for nationaly statistics on how many bands are placed per year and what kinds of #'s have problems 6mo 1 year 5 years 10 years after surgery. This is just my opinion and like they say opinions are like ********

I agree with most of your post Tbone.  Especially where you point out that we should not form our opinions based on what is read here.....or anywhere else for that matter.

However, my surgeon will not even do the Lap Band because of it's issues.  And many more surgeons are refusing to do it or continue to do it. Because it has not turned out to be a good wls.  The risks and poor outcome are outweighing the benefits.  HOWEVER, this does not apply to everyone who has the band, many are very happy with it.

I still think it is only good as a short term thing, lose your weight in the first 2 years or forget it.  And it is a lot to go through for a short time frame. But, unlike my first year with it, I would never recommend it again.

A few of the surgeons I met with will not do the lap band either.  I only researched the band as part of my research in bariatric procedures overall and everything I found led me to conclude the sleeve was the right choice for me.  It was, 6 mo out and no complications, no regrets, and I can eat almost anything (that could be good or bad) but I have the restriction I was going for.  The restriction was exactly what I needed and although this journey is different for everyone, I think it was the perfect option.  Like I said I can eat almost anything, I just choose to make better choices.  However I could eat a cupcake at a bday party and have no dumping or anything like that.