Anyone still come here for support?

Glad to hear you're doing well...I was banded a couple of months after you, but I had to have it removed a year ago.  

Good to see you again! I also pop in but not as much due to the lack of support in here. Hope all is good with you.

Hi, good to see you. I'm 8 years banded and still going strong as are most of the people I know in real life. I am totally prepared to accept there are many band issues and many revisions, but I only know about them from on here. On my UK board and in real life, I know many happily banded people. 

Good to see you too Kate! I'm glad your experience with people IRL has shown some successful bands out there. I really don't know many people with bands. The only 2 people I know IRL are both at least as heavy as when they got banded, seems they gave up or had complications (I don't really know their cir****tances). But the new clinic I go to for adjustments says they just removed the last band they ever placed and will not be placing any more. 

It sounds to me like there was a wave of bands in the US placed by doctors who didn't really know that they were doing and just started placing them left and right due to demand. My doctor was luckily not one of those and my own problems were not due to anything with the placement or the band itself. Now that I have been unfilled for a year and got a little bit back, it's working wonderfully. 

I am still here, too.

Celebrated my 5 year bandiversary last week with a week long vacation, hiking in the mountains.

I am maintaining 110 pounds of my 125 pound loss .... And working to get those pesky 15 off.

I see my surgeon once a year for a check in and checkup, and all is well with my band.

I had an endoscopy earlier this year, and my band continues to be 'perfectly placed and working as designed' according to my gastroenterologist.

I don't recommend the band to others because of the rate of complications, but I am happy with my choice, thrilled with my results and grateful for the life the band has given me.

That is so awesome, Kath!! 

I have maintained 50lbs lost of my original 90lb loss. 4+ years out, I feel that is pretty good. Also considering I had my band unfilled for an entire year because I was getting some esophagul dilation and tired of playing that "fill in - fill out" game. 

I don't recommend the band to new people either but it has served me well and when it's working I love it. 

I pop in from time to time although I very rarely post, if at all.  I'm doing well, no complaints, no issues w/ my Band, maintaining a 120+ weight loss, met then exceeded my WL goal.  No it wasn't always easy.  I changed my eating habits *drastically* and have become a Vegetarian by choice.  I've dabbled w/ Veganism  but that's proven to be too restrictive for me right now. I've never really "partnered" w/ anyone bc I found they mostly wanted to complain abt what they couldn't eat/have so I did me and no looking back!!  I do however try and log on every now and then and "check on" my hero's (Kate/Bette/Jean).  They just don't know they're my hero's.... 

I was banded in Germany in 2004 and still maintaining my 80+ weight loss. Just recently, within the last 6 months, had a TT and thigh lift. No problems with the band so far and do not regret the decision one bit. Glad to hear there are others on here that are doing well too. I was starting to feel like I should have problems or at least be on the lookout for them because of all the other band bashing. Congrats to all of you for your accomplishments.

Tracy