Jennet

You have to do what you think is right for you based on your research. Coming on here is a good place to get information. I had my lapband for 10 years and got it removed in January and wish I would have gotten it out 9 years ago. There is a reason some insurance companies won't pay to have them put in anymore and Allegan who was the biggest maker of them stopped doing so. The lapband requires a lot of post-op follow-up and your bariatric surgeon needs to know a lot about fills and realistic expectations of weight loss. Plus it is inevitable that you will experience a "stuck" episode which is very painful. I am not trying to scare you but am being honest and you asked for words of wisdom. My advice (wisdom) would be not to get it and instead get the sleeve (I didn't do a revision - just got it out). If you read the posts by those who switched from a band to the sleeve they say "this is what I thought the band would do (and didn't)". There are many who are happy with their band, though. But in the end it is your decision and I hope you are discussing your hesitations with your surgeon.

Before you begin looking for a doctor you need to find out if your insurance will pay for the lap band unless you are self-pay. Some will only pay for their removal but not placement. If they do pay for it you can probably call the nearest major hospital and inquire about their bariatric surgeons and contact them to find out if they place the band. I just had my band removed after 10 years and my bariatric surgeon said he hasn't done a band in 3 years. All that being said, if you have other medical problems these are best addressed by an experienced surgeon. And the band is promoted as only helping you to lose 50% of your excess weight. So, if you are say 150 lbs overweight then it would help you to lose about 75 lbs. And your surgeon has to be very adept with the fills as very small amounts put in can make a big difference (good or bad). Unlike other surgeries it requires more follow-up.

My advice would be to find a bariatric doctor who has done removals and get it removed and discuss revision surgery if that is what you want. Vomiting is a bad sign. I had my band removed a couple of weeks ago after having it for 10 years. Hated it every day. Should have gotten it removed sooner. Even if you have to travel find an experienced bariatric doctor. Look online and Google reviews. Good luck.

I had my lap band placed over 10 years (when I was 57) and had left shoulder pain immediately after surgery. My clueless surgeon didn't know why. I had all the fill removed a year later. I got the left shoulder pain when I was eating and knew it was my stop signal. I switched to another surgeon who said the band can irritate the phrentic nerve and that could be the cause so I thought getting it removed would solve that problem. I have always hated the band for a variety of issues but getting stuck was the biggest. So fast forward to 16 days ago when I got it removed. I woke up with left shoulder pain and they said it was gas, etc. and it did improve until about 6 days ago when it got worse and is more of less constant. My surgeon (different from the first two) doesn't know why and said I should see a gastro, orthopedic or PCP. I also have developed a burning, greasy feeling in my throat that I didn't have prior to the removal. I have been on Nexium for many years. My surgeon said everything looked fine, no erosion, no hiatal hernia, as he also did an endoscopy. Has anyone had either of these problems and if so how were they resolved, if they were? Thank you.

Cowgirl and KristeyK - I SOOO identify with everything you posted. First, I have to say I have been off this board for quite some time. I left the LBT forum completely in March. I found that those for whom the band works were too judgemental to those for whom it didn't and were often very harsh. I would come to the defense of the strugglers and it just became too much, so I left. Anyway, I am totally unfilled in my stupid 4cc band and since March I put on 10 lbs (I maintained for 15 months after being unfilled - well actually before then too as I wasn't losing with the band). The 10 lbs was because I actually got sick from going on NutriSystem foods. I thought I had the stomach flu but it was their food and I got terrible diarrhea and ended up at the doctors. I had to go on a liquid only diet for two days and I was so hungry that when I went off I overate some - not a lot but enough to put on 10 lbs over 3 months. Now I am on WW online trying unsuccessfully to take it off. The sensation of pain upon eating certain foods (or when I was overfilled) never translated into anything close to satiety - my bottom stomach still felt empty and hungry. It still does. I struggle with hunger every day. What a way to live. If I were losing weight it might be worth it for awhile, but I'm not. I just talked to a friend who got the band last fall. She's lost about 20 lbs, can eat anything she wants after 3-4 fills. She said she is hungry too. I think the band is misrepresented to people. I think those for whom it works keep theirs too tight at their own peril. These are the people who drink their Breakfast and lunch. For others for whom it works - well their eating has changed so drastically that they've lost a lot of weight. They were just eating so many calories and so much junk and fast food that just eating healthy caused them to be successful. I don't have any more room to go with my selection of food. Everything is healthy - low fat, fat free, low sugar, sugar free, lite, diet, low calorie. I have counted calories, done NutriSystem and now WW online. I am just so sick of it all. I haven't discussed the sleeve with my doctor because I don't think I can afford it and I don't know his experience with band to sleeve conversions and he is already my second doctor (I left the idiot doctor who did my surgery - that's another horror story) so I don't think another doctor would see me if he's not very experienced. So, while I'm sorry you guys have had the same problems that I have, I feel validated that I am not alone. Thanks for your posts. I

Thanks everyone for your replies, advice and suggestions. I have one of the older 4cc bands and from what I've read on LBT they tend to cause more problems. I have been unfilled since Dec. 2009 after a severe stuck episode took me to the ER and an overnight stay. Being shot could not have been more painful. I couldn't talk. The upper GI the next day showed everything was normal. Something tells me that although my surgeon does the sleeve he probably doesn't do many band to sleeve revisions because I don't think he has a lot of band patients (probably under 200). Most of his patients are RNY. He is my second surgeon and I like him. I left my original surgeon because he was an idiot. He told me I had a 10cc band which is why I could't figure out why a 3cc fill would cause so many problems. That's when I got copies of all my tests and operative report, including a CD of my upper GI's and took it to my current doctor for a second opinion. He's the one who told me I had a 4cc band and that they have to be filled with finesse. My former surgeon just did 2cc's then 1cc. Slam bam. He had only done 23 bands before me. Of course in hindsight it was a big mistake to go to him. He also lacked knowledge about how the band works and had unrealistic expectations. So, if I find my current surgeon hasn't done many band to sleeve revisions what are the chances of a third, more experienced surgeon taking me on? And BTW, how many revisions make him experienced?

When you say the band didn't work - how do you mean? For me it means that at no fill level did it ever reduce my hunger. When I was overfilled it might physically make it difficult for me to eat but that sure didn't translate into satiety or reduced or eliminated hunger. Good luck with your surgery tomorrow.

Thanks, Duane for your reply. You certainly have done great. Congratulations. At this point in my weight loss journey I am not looking to lose more weight but rather control my hunger that the band has never done and keep from gaining weight. I mean I can only depend on willpower so long. If I thought the sleeve would do that for me I would be so happy - just get rid of my pesky stomach and all its grehlin and hunger hormones. Wow, $45,000. That's a lot and I don't have anyone to help me if I go to Mexico. So that's probably not an option for me. But I will discuss it with my doctor. He does do the sleeve but I don't know if he does band to sleeve revisions.

I am sorry about your struggles with the band - it sounds really terrible. Did you ever post this on LBT because the band defenders would have told you the band is just a tool and you failed the band not the other way around? And then they would proceed to tell you how great they have done and you just didn't try as hard as they did. I am pretty sure my doctor does the sleeve. He told me awhile ago that the band was falling out of favor. Thanks for your suggestions. I am glad you found something that works for you. I wish you continued good luck.

Did you mean to say Tiffikins also had the band and it failed? I was a little confused. Another concern of mine about the band (not for me since I'm unfilled) are those who require that it be tighter and tighter to control their eating and putting up with reflux, heartburn, and vomiting. And they seem willing to put up with it to lose weight. They do it at their own peril and I suspect that 20 years down the road we are going to see more cases of esophageal cancer from all of this. As to educating myself about the sleeve - that will take awhile. I have a lot of research to do. But my one big question is: Does it take away the hunger? If it does that for me then I will take care of everything else on my part and follow all the rules. Thanks for your help.

Thanks everyone for your thoughtful replies. I remember when I got the band that there was some talk of there being an upper age limit. I think it was 59. I don't think that is true anymore, but I just thought I'd bring it up. During my struggles with the band I came on here once in awhile and I remember reading a post by someone who had had the band and got the sleeve and she said the sleeve was everything she had hoped the band would be - no hunger, no being stuck, no relux or heartburn, and she didn't need to do the whole fill thing. I remember thinking - wow, her experience with the sleeve is everything I thought my band experience would be. I did have an upper GI after the stuck episode and everything was okay. No slippage. I will discuss this with my new surgeon. I left my former surgeon for many reasons, not the least of which was that he told me I had a different size band than I did and then blamed me when he overfilled me. I think my current surgeon does the sleeve, so I will discuss it with him. Can anyone tell me what self pay costs? I don't want to go to Mexico. If you go there for the surgery,who do you see if you have problems? Thanks again for all your suggestions and help.

I am new to this site and posted yesterday but can't remember which thread I was on (I know I posted on band to sleeve revision) but I can't find my other post. Oh, well. For those who have been in my shoes, maybe you can offer some help. I got the band more than 2 years ago. I got it because it was promoted as causing satiety and keeping hunger at bay. It has never caused me either at any fill level. I am now unfilled due to a severe stuck episode and plan to stay this way. I have followed all the rules and the 75 lbs I have lost was largely due to what I did, not the band. All the pre and post op dieting, especially the 2 week pre and post op liquid only diet (I was starving) plus a measly 15 pounds post band and that's it. Nothing since then. I am tired of struggling with hunger and thinking about food and feeling guilty about food. I got this so that I wouldn't have to struggle anymore. I eat healthy, exercise everyday but am hungry all the time. It is not head hunger. Anyway, at my age (60) I am not sure I could get the sleeve. Plus I know my insurance wouldn't pay for a revision. The way they would look at it is I lost 75 lbs. with the band. But I just know if I could get rid of that pesky lower stomach it would help. I can physically feel it asking for food to get to a point of satiety. When I was overfilled I physically could not eat much - eating caused pain, pressure, reflux and heartburn. But I was still hungry. Any insights or suggestion for where I can go from here. Thanks so much. Oh, and BTW, struggling bandsters get bashed by the defenders of the band regularly on LBT and when I come to their defense, I get criticized, too. So, I decided to come here and see how this forum was to strugglers.

I remember seeing your posts on LBT. I am glad you found something that works. I waited so long for the band to be covered by insurance and got mine in Sept. 2008 but it is a nightmare. Has never stopped my hunger and is now unfilled due to a bad stuck episode. I would love to get the sleeve because it seems like my stomach below the band is always calling out for food to fill it. It most of it could be removed I think it would help. But I think I'm too old. Plus I have never bought all that stuff about the band pressing on the vagus nerve causing you feel full. Congratulations to you on your new success. Best of luck to you.

Wow, Little Miss Diva. This post of yours really spoke to me. I could have written most of it. Hunger has always been my biggest problem and when I was young and thin I used to eat a lot to feel satisfed but I didn't gain weight and I didn't think about food. Hungry? Eat until not hungry then don't think about food. But that all changed as I started to put on a few pounds. Went to my first WW meeting weighing 136 pounds at 5'6". And when I started dieting I put on over 120 lbs the next 30 years. I am currently banded and it has never worked for me. I have been banded for 2 1/2 years. I have a 4cc band. At no fill level from zero to 3cc did it ever stop me from being hungry. At 3cc's I had pain, pressure, reflux and heartburn and my former surgeon blamed me. But an upper GI showed I was too tight. I got all my information and went for a second opinion to my current doctor who told me I had a 4cc band (my former surgeon told me it was a 10cc). Like you, any weight I lost was through the 6 month pre-op and the 2 week liquid only diet both pre and post op. I was starving. All of this resulted in a loss of 60 lbs. and I only lost 15 pounds since then. So, 75 lbs and most of it was from starving and willpower. I exercise every day and eat healthy but I am always hungry. I am totally unfilled now due to a very bad stuck episode a year ago that resulted in a trip to the ER and overnight stay. It hurt so bad I couldn't speak and felt like I was shot. I am 60 years old and I think I am too old to get a revision but when I read the experience of those who went from band to sleeve it sounds like everything I thought the band would be but isn't. I thought it would control my hunger and I could just eat small quantities of healthy food and exercise and I would lose weight and not have to think about food all the time and struggle. I fear putting on weight and am so tired of being hungry. I don't know what to do since insurance doesn't pay for the sleeve and I can't afford it as of yet. I don't think they'd do it on someone my age, anyway. Would they? I am getting criticized and insulted on LBT because I don't like it when people post harsh comments to struggling posters. Or tell them that they failed the band not the other way around. Or tell the truth about my band experience. Did you get that? I'm not sure what to do at this point. Any suggestions?