BeachBish

Hi,
This is my personal experience and I still have a band. Literally HATE IT! Looking into revision now.

Nope nope nope! Don't do it. The average weight loss is 60#. I lost the 60# and it stopped totally; I've now gained around 20 back and I'm MISERABLE!
No, it's not permanent but it is a SURGERY process...which means recovery, losing hair galore and eating A LOT of Protein which causes you to be constipated.
The majority of the time when you loose weight is the first year. When you go in for monthly or bi-monthly fills are are unable to eat for 3 days. First day is liquids, second day is mashed foods and third is back to soft foods.

When you eat, you must chew chew CHEW 30 bites each; if you swallow too fast your screwed and stuck before you know it.
YOU MUST drink at least a gallon of Water a day.
You must NOT drink carbonated beverages. Yes...you can have a few sips after you are totally healed.
You MUST not drink out of a straw. This causes gas in the stomach and esophagus area.
Many pills (antibiotics) must be cut in half as they will not go down.
If you eat warmed up chicken and it get stuck you will slime - (Spit up) a LARGE red solo cup of slime, spit, your eyes water, and nose runs. I thought I was literally dying my first stick. The slime causes tooth decay.

True, if the band is too tight it cause food too get stuck. However, if it's not tight enough your able to eat a little more & want loose weight. So find the SWEET SPOT they say... Okay today we find the sweet spot and it works well. Then you decide to travel 3 hours and the band then changes, so it's a viscous cycle.
EVERYTHING effects the band...
Weather, mood, stress, climate change, traveling, stress, sweating, flying, boating.

When you eat it is VERY little and everything must be chopped tiny tiny. Your stomach continues to make HORRIBLY loud gurgling sounds screaming for food. You are FULL but it's not the the tummy full feeling...it's indigestion filling of being full. You will become SICK of Protein Drink after a couple of years because you live on them.
In researching I was hard headed and thought I could get thru anything and would be different form the 5 people that kept screaming - - - NO No no...I sure wish I had listened.

If your serious about the weight loss why not do something permanent and one time instead of like me...NOW looking to have a revision. Which means TWO surgery - one to remove the band then waiting 6 months before a sleeve or MGB.

Think long and hard - the media doesn't tell you all the good and bad regarding the band.

Yes, I was asking.
I'm at the same point with my band. So they take out all of the Fluid first? I have an appt. next month so I'm just counting down the days until then to find out more info.
Thanks so much.

I had a similar experience. The band had embedded and the surgeon had difficulty removing it. He said there was so much scar tissue and adhesions he was afraid of a perforation. I have big scars on my abdomen from this and the surgeon used clips as he said there was a high risk of infection which luckily didn’t happen.
If you are considering bariatric surgery the Sleeve or Bypass is better and probably safer. Good luck anyway.

Yes, I was asking.
I'm at the same point with my band. So they take out all of the Fluid first? I have an appt. next month so I'm just counting down the days until then to find out more info.
Thanks so much.

I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOUR POST!
Have you checked into revision yet?
Will you have two different surgeries?
Lap band removal then bypass?

Hi,
This is my personal experience and I still have a band. Literally HATE IT! Looking into revision now.

Nope nope nope! Don't do it. The average weight loss is 60#. I lost the 60# and it stopped totally; I've now gained around 20 back and I'm MISERABLE!
No, it's not permanent but it is a SURGERY process...which means recovery, losing hair galore and eating A LOT of Protein which causes you to be constipated.
The majority of the time when you loose weight is the first year. When you go in for monthly or bi-monthly fills are are unable to eat for 3 days. First day is liquids, second day is mashed foods and third is back to soft foods.

When you eat, you must chew chew CHEW 30 bites each; if you swallow too fast your screwed and stuck before you know it.
YOU MUST drink at least a gallon of Water a day.
You must NOT drink carbonated beverages. Yes...you can have a few sips after you are totally healed.
You MUST not drink out of a straw. This causes gas in the stomach and esophagus area.
Many pills (antibiotics) must be cut in half as they will not go down.
If you eat warmed up chicken and it get stuck you will slime - (Spit up) a LARGE red solo cup of slime, spit, your eyes water, and nose runs. I thought I was literally dying my first stick. The slime causes tooth decay.

True, if the band is too tight it cause food too get stuck. However, if it's not tight enough your able to eat a little more & want loose weight. So find the SWEET SPOT they say... Okay today we find the sweet spot and it works well. Then you decide to travel 3 hours and the band then changes, so it's a viscous cycle.
EVERYTHING effects the band...
Weather, mood, stress, climate change, traveling, stress, sweating, flying, boating.

When you eat it is VERY little and everything must be chopped tiny tiny. Your stomach continues to make HORRIBLY loud gurgling sounds screaming for food. You are FULL but it's not the the tummy full feeling...it's indigestion filling of being full. You will become SICK of Protein Drink after a couple of years because you live on them.
In researching I was hard headed and thought I could get thru anything and would be different form the 5 people that kept screaming - - - NO No no...I sure wish I had listened.

If your serious about the weight loss why not do something permanent and one time instead of like me...NOW looking to have a revision. Which means TWO surgery - one to remove the band then waiting 6 months before a sleeve or MGB.

Think long and hard - the media doesn't tell you all the good and bad regarding the band.

I had so many problems with the lab band. Placed 5 years ago, after about 1 year I had a second surgery because the first bad had a leak. I was never at a place where i could eat comfortably. I was vomiting at every meal so I lost very little weight. One night all all of a sudden I couldn't swallow my own spit! I was miserable so I went to the emergency room. They had a very difficult time accessing my port, I was stuck about 20 times before they found the correct place to aspirate the Fluid. After all the fluid was aspirated I just never had it filled again. I didn't want to go through all that pain ever again. Even with all the fluid out I still had some restriction, But now I feel like MY band is overfilled and I know thats not possible. HELP!

Well, if you have a lap band, you can always have revision surgery in the future, IF needed.
80% of the failed lap bands are due to folks not following correct eating habits, or not doing follow up visits. I personally know two folks who had revisions because they were not losing weight, and they are still failing after having a sleeve. I work hard to ensure my band works like the tool it was intended to be.
At my age, the doctor felt the band was the best solution for me. And, they have be go back for follow ups at least once every six months to make sure there are no problems. If you don't have insurance, that can be costly. Few doctors want to deal with past patients, and that is another reason they avoid the band. I'd opt for a sleeve today, but I am happy with the band.

Run! Just got rid of mine. Had the nasty puke band for 13 years. If you are a food addict as most of us are, you will soon figure out that refined carbs go down really well and good Protein ( meat, chicken) comes up and out really well. RNY with lap band removal June 11

The Band has to be removed after about 10 years.. I had mine done at 14 yrs and my surgeon had extreme difficulty removing the embedded band and adhesions. Cosmetically the scars left are ugly.
With the Sleeve and Band you get chronic acidosis and long term there is a risk of Osophogeal cancer.. The Bypass causes a clinical pernicious anaemia bypassing the jejunum and you are on B12 shots for the rest of your life. All this should be borne in mind when making decisions. Further I was told that after two years surgery of any sort starts to fail. For the super obese bariatric surgery may be the only option but this whole raft of treatment is desperate measures. Think carefully this is serious stuff.

Hi,
This is my personal experience and I still have a band. Literally HATE IT! Looking into revision now.

Nope nope nope! Don't do it. The average weight loss is 60#. I lost the 60# and it stopped totally; I've now gained around 20 back and I'm MISERABLE!
No, it's not permanent but it is a SURGERY process...which means recovery, losing hair galore and eating A LOT of Protein which causes you to be constipated.
The majority of the time when you loose weight is the first year. When you go in for monthly or bi-monthly fills are are unable to eat for 3 days. First day is liquids, second day is mashed foods and third is back to soft foods.

When you eat, you must chew chew CHEW 30 bites each; if you swallow too fast your screwed and stuck before you know it.
YOU MUST drink at least a gallon of Water a day.
You must NOT drink carbonated beverages. Yes...you can have a few sips after you are totally healed.
You MUST not drink out of a straw. This causes gas in the stomach and esophagus area.
Many pills (antibiotics) must be cut in half as they will not go down.
If you eat warmed up chicken and it get stuck you will slime - (Spit up) a LARGE red solo cup of slime, spit, your eyes water, and nose runs. I thought I was literally dying my first stick. The slime causes tooth decay.

True, if the band is too tight it cause food too get stuck. However, if it's not tight enough your able to eat a little more & want loose weight. So find the SWEET SPOT they say... Okay today we find the sweet spot and it works well. Then you decide to travel 3 hours and the band then changes, so it's a viscous cycle.
EVERYTHING effects the band...
Weather, mood, stress, climate change, traveling, stress, sweating, flying, boating.

When you eat it is VERY little and everything must be chopped tiny tiny. Your stomach continues to make HORRIBLY loud gurgling sounds screaming for food. You are FULL but it's not the the tummy full feeling...it's indigestion filling of being full. You will become SICK of Protein Drink after a couple of years because you live on them.
In researching I was hard headed and thought I could get thru anything and would be different form the 5 people that kept screaming - - - NO No no...I sure wish I had listened.

If your serious about the weight loss why not do something permanent and one time instead of like me...NOW looking to have a revision. Which means TWO surgery - one to remove the band then waiting 6 months before a sleeve or MGB.

Think long and hard - the media doesn't tell you all the good and bad regarding the band.

Good for you!
I have my first appt. on 3/24 to start the investigation process... so we will see.

I am on this journey from lap band to sleeve/sips surgery and I am still going through all of the hoops to get approved by insurance...just want to have the revision already!! I am ready to get this band out and start losing weight!

Hi,
This is my personal experience and I still have a band. Literally HATE IT! Looking into revision now.

Nope nope nope! Don't do it. The average weight loss is 60#. I lost the 60# and it stopped totally; I've now gained around 20 back and I'm MISERABLE!
No, it's not permanent but it is a SURGERY process...which means recovery, losing hair galore and eating A LOT of Protein which causes you to be constipated.
The majority of the time when you loose weight is the first year. When you go in for monthly or bi-monthly fills are are unable to eat for 3 days. First day is liquids, second day is mashed foods and third is back to soft foods.

When you eat, you must chew chew CHEW 30 bites each; if you swallow too fast your screwed and stuck before you know it.
YOU MUST drink at least a gallon of Water a day.
You must NOT drink carbonated beverages. Yes...you can have a few sips after you are totally healed.
You MUST not drink out of a straw. This causes gas in the stomach and esophagus area.
Many pills (antibiotics) must be cut in half as they will not go down.
If you eat warmed up chicken and it get stuck you will slime - (Spit up) a LARGE red solo cup of slime, spit, your eyes water, and nose runs. I thought I was literally dying my first stick. The slime causes tooth decay.

True, if the band is too tight it cause food too get stuck. However, if it's not tight enough your able to eat a little more & want loose weight. So find the SWEET SPOT they say... Okay today we find the sweet spot and it works well. Then you decide to travel 3 hours and the band then changes, so it's a viscous cycle.
EVERYTHING effects the band...
Weather, mood, stress, climate change, traveling, stress, sweating, flying, boating.

When you eat it is VERY little and everything must be chopped tiny tiny. Your stomach continues to make HORRIBLY loud gurgling sounds screaming for food. You are FULL but it's not the the tummy full feeling...it's indigestion filling of being full. You will become SICK of Protein Drink after a couple of years because you live on them.
In researching I was hard headed and thought I could get thru anything and would be different form the 5 people that kept screaming - - - NO No no...I sure wish I had listened.

If your serious about the weight loss why not do something permanent and one time instead of like me...NOW looking to have a revision. Which means TWO surgery - one to remove the band then waiting 6 months before a sleeve or MGB.

Think long and hard - the media doesn't tell you all the good and bad regarding the band.

Hi
i had a gastric band 10 years ago and it was fantastic for 5 years. Mine broke then (the fill port) and got repaired (New port under local) but we never got it to work again.
When they work, they work great. But surgeons seem to be finding too high a percentage have problems, so many are stopping the band. One point - cause cancer? I seriously doubt there is any reputable research showing that! They can slip, get complications - mostly, though, people who have trouble can’t get them adjusted just right so they work. I did the first 5 years, but just couldn’t in the second 5! I knew what the ‘sweet spot’ felt like - but couldn’t get there.
I chose the band cos it was reversible. Psychologically I needed that - I am in my 50s so life long wasn’t such a concern - but I think the research is getting pretty clear than bands do not last 40, 50 years. After 10 the percentage still working well is pretty low... sorry.

Have you investigated the endoscopic sleeve? I just heard of it myself but that may be better with someone with your bmi. Just do a search and you'll find some info.

Hi, I'm getting a sleeve tomorrow. Will keep you posted.
Thanks

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Hi, I m having my conversion on Monday. I'm having one surgery. My band malfunction so I didn't have to jump through any hoops to get my approval. I 'll keep you posted.

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I had band done in 2011, got pregnant a few month later with an empty band. Fast forward to finally getting 2 small fills. Vomiting almost daily and thought I was just doing something wrong. I finally realize that stress, my period, time of day and so many other factors actually affected my band. I had an unfill last week and started the process of having it removed and getting bypass. It was normal to vomit or go days without keeping anything down. IT'S NOT NORMAL! but I kept blaming myself or making excuses.
I cannot wait for revision. It'll take 6 months of insurance hoops but I can't Wait!
Just remember everybody and Every Body is different.
I did band because I felt like it was less invasive and the success was still up to me. Live and learn. It wasn't right for me and the more research you do, the more confusing it can be. What are you comfortable with? How much of a fight are you willing to give?
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For those that have had the lap band and had it removed and got the sleeve or gastric bypass..... how is it working out? How different was it from the band in terms of your eating and when you know you’re full?

Hello
I am almost 1 yr post op.
Sleeved March 10 2017
Best thing I have done.
Start 223lbs and now Weigh 115lbs. I am 5'2".
I eat every 2-3 hrs. I do not eat potatoes or Pasta or breads.
I eat substitutes instead.
I get my 80 g Protein in everyday which is priority to me and my Water intake which is mixture of water/ Vitamin water/ crystal light/decaf tea/decaf coffee/ sugar free Popsicles.
I have no problems except Constipation which is norm from so much protein.
I just take Stool softener at times
If I eat a salad than I go without needing stool softner.< br>I go to gym 2_3 X a week. I use to go 4-5 X a week.
I am no longer on meds for B/P,
Cholesterol nor diabetes. Everything is normal now.
I don't need a knee replacement now either. My knees feel good.
I just Thank God for this Blessing
For my health.
So you just do everything you suppose to do and everything will be fine.

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Hi everyone,
I just received my insurance approval for the sleeve on Friday. I am really struggling with the decision to go forward or not. I have a good friend and her and I decided to do this journey together so we could support each other. She had a lap band years ago that failed so she was doing a revision to the sleeve. Her insurance approved hers sooner than me (different surgeon too) so she wound up going in on Oct 16 to have hers done. Well, I am sorry to report that the poor thing is STILL in the hospital, almost 1 month later! She was in the ICU for 2 weeks of that time and nearly died. She had a bowel perforation, 2 esphoghus tears, leaks, ICU delirium, and massive infections. The doctors have said that when she is able to be released she is going to require extensive physical therapy due to the weakness from being bedridden. Sitting here watching this unfold has been terrifying and needless to say, has me thinking "hell no". I am so confused 😔

Hello Everyone,
In 2009 I underwent Lap Band surgery with a starting weight of 252lbs. I slowly lost over the course of 3 years weighing in at 149lbs (103lbs lost). I literally had never felt so good in my entire life! Around this time I started noticing that some things felt “off” with my band. However, my focus was then on my struggle with infertility so the band was put on the back burner. Fast forward 4 years later and 2 rounds of IVF I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy!
Now that my son is a year old I’ve been focusing on my health a bit more. During my struggle with infertility I gained around 50lbs back and am pretty upset about it! I actually just got a letter from my hospital about revision from the band to the sleeve. The letter stated that greater than 50% of their lap band patients were having complications and undergoing revision surgery.
My consultation is this Friday 9/15/17! I’ll be back to update you on how it goes!

How long does it take for you to eat?? I just had a hotdog and chewed about 30 times till it was mushy and I feel like I am filled to my eye balls and it has been sitting there for 10 minutes. But I am happy I found something I can eat other than cottage cheese, chicken salad, tuna salad, and Soup, lol. Any other ideas are very welcome!!!!

I like the ideas that you got.. I to have a hard time finding what I want to eat. I get tired of the same old thing (yogurt, cheese sticks, soups). I have started eating refried Beans, warmed up with a little cheese and salsa on it. Lower in calories and I get the spice that I like. I have a hard time eating meats. They alway seem to get stuck,, not to a point of vomiting, but I have discomfort.
Thanks for the ideas! And best of luck to both of you on this journey!!