Ladybandito

Complication rates are so misleading IMO.....depending on WHO does the "study", they can be all over the place. While the manufacturer might say they are in the 5% range, you could find one that says the rate may be upwards of 50%....depending again on who does the "study".
I've attended several support group meetings over the 5 years I've had my band ( and I have had no band caused complications ). There are always band, sleeve, RNY paitents there. Some have had wonderful success with each procedure, while some have not. I don't know if that'd be representive of anything other than the small number of people who choose to come to the meetings, but that's what I've seen.
One thing that always has made me happy with my decision to have the band is this, for the folks struggling with sleeve and bypass, all they are ever told is eat less/better choices and exercise more, nothing else to be done.....just a traditional diet plan.
For banded patients, we have another option......Adjustments!

I can't help you in terms of percentages of complications but what I can tell you is that your concerns about the unknown are very common. I was terrified pre-surgery. I couldn't imagine what my life was going to be like without the comfort of food. Well, turns out my life improved so much that overeating was something I didn't want to do even though I could have.
It took work, and it's still a temptation to eat poorly or eat too much but when you start to see the success, it gets a whole lot easier to be compliant. I went on a cruise in July and was so happy to be able to walk the ship comfortably and get off at all the ports and go on excursions that I was able to walk away from all that food pretty darn easily. I lost a pound that week. Who loses weight on a cruise? I do. And so will you once you find some success and see how the band works.
Good luck to you and keep us posted.

I'm approaching my third year banded, no issues or complications, down from 226 to 145, and my band has become a "way of life." I no longer have to wear a CPAP for sleep apnea, I can wear a size 6 comfortably and look great in a t-shirt and jeans, and am much more "alive" and "happy" than for many years pre-op. Being banded has freed up an incredible amount of mind-space that used to be spent on food -- and I am so appreciative of that!
As B-52 said, so many people (when they reach goal, and even before) move on from these boards and so we don't hear a very large number of the success stories out there. I know, personally, I get tired of replying to the "same-song, different-verse" again and again -- but I try to make it a point to post at least once a month, because God knows a lot of comments on here helped me with my 2 year research on WLS -- and still today, help keep me in the WLS community mindset.
And don't forget Alex, our forum founder... He's been banded for a decade! :-)

I'm approaching my third year banded, no issues or complications, down from 226 to 145, and my band has become a "way of life." I no longer have to wear a CPAP for sleep apnea, I can wear a size 6 comfortably and look great in a t-shirt and jeans, and am much more "alive" and "happy" than for many years pre-op. Being banded has freed up an incredible amount of mind-space that used to be spent on food -- and I am so appreciative of that!
As B-52 said, so many people (when they reach goal, and even before) move on from these boards and so we don't hear a very large number of the success stories out there. I know, personally, I get tired of replying to the "same-song, different-verse" again and again -- but I try to make it a point to post at least once a month, because God knows a lot of comments on here helped me with my 2 year research on WLS -- and still today, help keep me in the WLS community mindset.
And don't forget Alex, our forum founder... He's been banded for a decade! :-)

I'm approaching my third year banded, no issues or complications, down from 226 to 145, and my band has become a "way of life." I no longer have to wear a CPAP for sleep apnea, I can wear a size 6 comfortably and look great in a t-shirt and jeans, and am much more "alive" and "happy" than for many years pre-op. Being banded has freed up an incredible amount of mind-space that used to be spent on food -- and I am so appreciative of that!
As B-52 said, so many people (when they reach goal, and even before) move on from these boards and so we don't hear a very large number of the success stories out there. I know, personally, I get tired of replying to the "same-song, different-verse" again and again -- but I try to make it a point to post at least once a month, because God knows a lot of comments on here helped me with my 2 year research on WLS -- and still today, help keep me in the WLS community mindset.
And don't forget Alex, our forum founder... He's been banded for a decade! :-)

I'm approaching my third year banded, no issues or complications, down from 226 to 145, and my band has become a "way of life." I no longer have to wear a CPAP for sleep apnea, I can wear a size 6 comfortably and look great in a t-shirt and jeans, and am much more "alive" and "happy" than for many years pre-op. Being banded has freed up an incredible amount of mind-space that used to be spent on food -- and I am so appreciative of that!
As B-52 said, so many people (when they reach goal, and even before) move on from these boards and so we don't hear a very large number of the success stories out there. I know, personally, I get tired of replying to the "same-song, different-verse" again and again -- but I try to make it a point to post at least once a month, because God knows a lot of comments on here helped me with my 2 year research on WLS -- and still today, help keep me in the WLS community mindset.
And don't forget Alex, our forum founder... He's been banded for a decade! :-)

You make an appt at DMV to change the weight on your drivers license to what you truly, actually weigh!!

You make an appt at DMV to change the weight on your drivers license to what you truly, actually weigh!!

Thank you, Tomander and B-52. I still have a while before my appointment, so I have some time ... And will ... Do the liquids for a while to see how that goes. I feel like I am "just under" the sweet spot I have known and loved, so that may do it. The reason I am hesitant for any more fill is because when I get stressed or angry, my band seems to tighten right to that sweet spot --and I'm afraid that if I was already there again, and got upset at all, it would be too tight. I'll discuss it with the doc at the appt, and in the meantime, I'll try the liquids. Thank you for sharing your experiences, it's not just the newbies that have questions, sometimes! :-)

Thank you, Tomander and B-52. I still have a while before my appointment, so I have some time ... And will ... Do the liquids for a while to see how that goes. I feel like I am "just under" the sweet spot I have known and loved, so that may do it. The reason I am hesitant for any more fill is because when I get stressed or angry, my band seems to tighten right to that sweet spot --and I'm afraid that if I was already there again, and got upset at all, it would be too tight. I'll discuss it with the doc at the appt, and in the meantime, I'll try the liquids. Thank you for sharing your experiences, it's not just the newbies that have questions, sometimes! :-)

Same here countrysweet. My sister got annoyed with me because I kept asking for pictures to be taken from our weekend in Florida and my SIL told her that if I wanted to take pictures, I deserved to because of how hard I worked and how good I looked. That's a nice thing to say, but it's not why I have my picture taken these days. I do it because I need to start to recognize the smaller me. I also see the fat girl in my head though I am finally starting to recognize the new me. It's not been easy though and I see a therapist to help with my body image issues.
It's understandable when one has lost half their pre-band weight. There are some pics of me at my heaviest. I look at them and then look at current pictures to try to get comfortable with my new body. It's still a work in progress but I'm hoping sooner or later, I accept my new reality.
If you have trouble with this, don't hesitate to discuss it with a professional. Even if you can't find before pics, put up current pics so we can see how beautiful you are. Congrats on your success!

I saw my surgeon today for a routine visit & weigh-in. I went in expecting to still be above my goal but, much to my surprise, I weighed in at 154 lbs! My goal when I started this journey was to reach 155 lbs, putting me at a normal weight for my height and a normal BMI. I was shocked to realize that I met that goal TODAY!!! Needless to say, I'm ecstatic! Now that I'm there, I've decided I still have a little bit more that I want to lose(not much, maybe 5 or 10 lbs) but I'm still celebrating this HUGE milestone in my journey as I can now say that I am no longer overweight, much less morbidly obese!!! Wow!!!! I thought this day would NEVER come and now, 8 months post-op, here I am!

My last fill was over 3 years ago...been at that "Magic" sweet spot ever since...no hunger, appetite - food portions totally under control....lost all possible weight with a fat% very low (athletic)
This last summer I asked for 1/2cc to be taken out, (against my Dr.'s advice because there was no reason to), and sure enough, it tipped the apple cart...my hunger-cravings returned, and my food portion sizes began to increase.
I went back and got that 1/2cc put back in ASAP.....(to my Dr.'s "I told you so" remarks)
Throughout the last few years, whenever I feel I can eat more and easier than usual, I do not consider another fill. Everything was fine till then, why another fill? So I will go all liquids for a few days...that seems to "tighten" everything back up..gives everything a rest, and put things back to where they should be....
(some call that the 5 day pouch test...I do not)

I've had fills in total... no defills. My last fill was almost 8 years ago.
I still have great "restriction" and have had no issues at all.
Tom, Toronto
Banded July 6 06
Wt. Loss: 160 lbs

Thank you, Jack! Over-fill has always been one of my fears, so I've been very conservative. I've got something like 3.6 or 3.8 in a 10cc, can't remember which. I know the last one was .2 and made a big difference at that time. Thank you for the reply; I always read your posts, and enjoy them! :-)

Hi All long-termers... I will be going in for my 3 year checkup in a few months. I've done well, maintaining my loss without problem, and no issues or complaints.
My question is ... Did any of you get touch-up fills after being at goal for two or more years, and if so, what led you to request one? I'm asking because I feel hungry a bit sooner than I used to after a meal, and I am thinking more about food again. When I actually diary what I am eating, it is still quite good (funny what seems like 'alot' after a few band years, lol).
I will talk it over with the office when I get there, but I'm wondering about others' vet experience. Do you 'touch-up' or have you stayed the same fill from the day you met goal originally? Thank you in advance for your sharings.

Thank you, Jack! Over-fill has always been one of my fears, so I've been very conservative. I've got something like 3.6 or 3.8 in a 10cc, can't remember which. I know the last one was .2 and made a big difference at that time. Thank you for the reply; I always read your posts, and enjoy them! :-)

Thank you, RKImom! Haven't been on here in a while, so I just saw this... But that answered exactly what I was asking!

I'm a long timer -was banded July 2010, and yes, I still get fills. As a matter of fact, I had one two weeks ago and am experiencing my first "sweet spot" in years.
You and I are in the same situation-I cannot tolerate a too tight band. I am usually around 4.2-4.5 max in a 10cc band.
I got a fill for the same reasons you mention. I was hungry quicker and could eat more at a meal.
Best of luck with your appointment!

Ok, I'm almost three years out and at goal ... Last week I walked into a dept store and bought 3 pairs of size 6 capris -- off the rack -- and they all fit!! One pair was tight, and when I looked at the tag, they are a size 4 that I picked up by mistake. Now, I have not lost any pounds on the scale in quite some time, but with my continued exercise and weight lifting, my body shape continues to get smaller. Whoo-hee! I feel so darned "normal!" Lol. Stick with it, everyone, there are many NSVs as the years go on!!

You make an appt at DMV to change the weight on your drivers license to what you truly, actually weigh!!

You make an appt at DMV to change the weight on your drivers license to what you truly, actually weigh!!

You make an appt at DMV to change the weight on your drivers license to what you truly, actually weigh!!

You make an appt at DMV to change the weight on your drivers license to what you truly, actually weigh!!

You make an appt at DMV to change the weight on your drivers license to what you truly, actually weigh!!