is taking a long coarse of antibiotics (6 months or more) harmful to the band like antiinflamitory meds are?

My doctor said nothing you put in your stomach is bad for the band because the band is on the OUTSIDE of your stomach. The real issue is the lining of your stomach. Anti-inflammation drugs and some antibiotics can cause stomach irritation, upset and in some cases, ulcers. You should talk to your surgeon once you have specific information about the course of treatment, including the name of the drug. I recently had a short course of antibiotics and very specifically asked my doctor about cutting them into small pieces or if they were available as a liquid. Turned out they were not time release, so breaking them into bits worked for me and, taking them with a bit of food prevented stomach upset. Definitely need to ask your surgeon though.