Are you satisfied with your band?

Lap- banders, please take a moment and answer this survey.

A MO loved one is trying to decide on which surgery is right for him.
You can help him a great deal in making this decision:

On a scale of 1 - 10 How satisfied are/were you with your band? (1= not at all; 10= very satisfied)

Thank you!

You are very welcomne to read my profile. I had to hve my band removed in emergency surgery this past August. I had gastric bypass in September. On a scale of 1-10 I would give my band a 0! I should have done the RNY from the beginning...

I too am a failed bandster.  I lost 100lbs and have gained almost all of it back.  You can read the details in my profile.  Using your scale....when the band was working, I was a 10.  Since it failed, more like a -5. 

Your friend needs to consider why and what he overeats, and what might stand the best chance of success. We can't tell you that, we can only tell you our stories.

The band didnt work for me, but it has worked for my husband. He is better at dieting than me, and has more determination (as well as a faster, non-diabetic metabolism). You are still on a diet with the band, it can be beaten by poor food choices and sometimes sabotages itself - there are days when ice cream will go down but steak won't.

It also depends on how much he has to lose. The average weight loss for the band is 50% of what you need to lose. So if he 'only' has 100 to lose, 50 might be enough to keep him healthy. If he has 200 to lose then it won't.

The band and VSG (and normal RNY) mostly work on restriction - slowing down the amount you can get in, limiting your choices of food. DS and extended RNY go further and mean that you only take in a proportion of the calories from the food you eat. This allows you to eat more, make better choices (I can now eat meat without throwing it back up), and keep the weight off long term. There are downsides though - you have to take vitamins, get blood tests, and get enough protein food in, so you need some discipline. It isnt as hard as dieting though.

I hope he thinks hard about this one - revisions of all kinds are riskier, demoralising and expensive.

1... wish I did RNY to begin with.

"You are still on a diet with the band, it can be beaten by poor food choices and sometimes sabotages itself - there are days when ice cream will go down but steak won't." - quoted from PekinSal

I could not have said this better myself.  This is EXACTLY the reason I'm looking into a revision to the DS (or the RNY-not sure, yet).

A gallon of ice cream is very "doable" with the band - but obviously if you eat like this - you won't be successful in the weight loss.  However, I struggle to get my protein in every day.  I hate, hate, hate any kind of protein shakes and only on very good days can I keep meat down.

Tell your loved one that the lap-band requires the most effort of any of the WLS - and if they're up for that kind of challenge - go for it.  I, unfortunately, didn't realize the amount of effort I'd have to put in with the band.  If I were THAT good at dieting, I wouldn't have needed WLS in the first place.  Hindsight is 20/20!

Good luck!

 

 

 
 

Probably a 2.  I had a Band for seven years.  I would not recommend it to anybody other than a teenager. 

If your loved one is freaked out about rearranging his intestines, have him look into the Sleeve Gastrectomy.

If he's OK with the intestines, then I'd be sure to explore both the Duodenal Switch and RNY.  DS definitely if BMI over 50.

10!

I had a band for almost 10 years. I wouldn't recommend a band to a dog. Worst thing I ever did. Best was a revision to an RNY.

REMINDER: This is the revision board, no one is happy with their original surgery here - their weight loss surgery failed them, they failed their weight loss surgery or a combination of both. These are not happy consumers EXCEPT for their new improved WLS - their new surgery is now the best AND they wish they would have done their revision surgery first.  Hindsight is very clear BUT life has no guarantees only chances.  We have to let go and take chances.

I'm just a lovin' my Lap Band BUT it has NOT been easy.  I've had lots of ups and downs with not having restriction.  I wouldn't change my journey.  I lost my weight at the pace and time when I was ready.  Psychologically, to be "skinny" is heavy when you've always been fat - it is who you are, you're identity.  When that identity is removed you have to be ready to know yourself.  You have to be ready to give up the food.  Is your friend ready?

So 10, 10 that is how satisfied I am with my Band.  I love my band!!!

I must add that my band works for me in conjunction with Weigh****chers.  WW keeps me accountable.

I also would not recommend a restrictive only surgery to someone that is morbidly obese and not motivated to diet and exercise.  The very truth is that we have to diet and exercise with the band or vertical sleeve gastrectomy to lose and maintain.

Good luck to your friend,
L