Delightful Soul

Hello Becky, I applaud the lifestyle changes you are making. Eighty pounds off is a huge achievement! I'm very proud of you without even knowing you. Living with extra weight is a daily struggle and it doesn't get easier as you age. As for band removal, I'm in a similar position. I had the lapband surgery in June 2012 and never lost weight. I've been trying to get a removal date for the past year, but my clinic keeps putting me off -- first to have some tests -- now because the surgeon is too busy to see me. They say the band is fine but I experience vomiting, heart palpations, sweating and reflux on a regular basis when I eat (I take small bites and eat very slowly). I never experienced the "sweet spot" that successful banders reach. Like you, I feel the band is doing nothing, but I am not confused. I know the band has to come out. For one thing they degrade over time and can cause injury to the stomach area under the band. You may experience a small weight gain initially as you get used to life without a band, but if you keep your focus and stick to your healthly lifestyle, I think you will be successful without the band. I wish you all the best with your decision and your future health. Peace and love, Delightful Soul

I agree with 2muchfun. I was one of Yau's patients and met with a new surgeon there last month. Yau could simply be honouring some commitments he made awhile back. I don't think Slmiband is being deceitful.

Hi all -- I am a self pay and I looked at it as buying a (cheap) car. The payments are affordable even though I'm retired and not making much money. It was financed through Slimband and will take 5 yrs to pay off. Now here's the sad part of the story. I have not lost any weight since having the surgery two years ago. I'm thinking of having the band removed due to ongoing discomfort. Does anyone know what it costs to have the band removed?

Hi Galaxy, I just learned about this site today. I, too, had surgery two years ago and decided about six months ago that the band wasn't for me and I asked about having it removed. I was experiencing a lot of discomfort. After having some x-rays and having my fill reduced, it still wasn't working for me so today met again with the surgeon. He wants me to wait a month before making a final decision as he doesn't feel I got the support I should have had (dietician, support groups, etc.). Like you, I am a grazer and it took me a long time to figure out that the band doesn't work well for people like us. Also, I have an emotional eating issue that affects what, when and why I eat. I made the decision to be banded based on very little research and didn't talk to anyone except for the successful bandsters who were hired by the clinic to sell their services. I don't blame the company or even the procedure as clearly it works well for many people. I'm disappointed as I didn't lose a pound since the day I was banded and will be paying for it over the next three years. Consider yourself lucky if you can get a portion of the fees you paid back. As for the scars, mine are small and will fade but nobody promised I wouldn't have some scarring. I wish you better luck with your weight loss journey.