Surgery is next week.I seeing all these people having problems with the band.I feel so bad for them and it has me very worried.

This is my one chance with the insurance company.I hope I have made the right choice picking the band over the gastric.Who has had the band the longest????

My husband's ex still has her old Melina band.Is this band better for us or does it just make the doctors more money? There seems to be alot of kinks to work out. Remember my daughter is having it done in January.

Honestly, I'm a bit sick about the bad news floating around. Here I sit with my sweet little band and can't get it all out of my head...the dark cloud looms. I keep thinking, I am down 50 pounds from my high weight, 30 of that has been since I was banded in April, so that's 10K for 30 pounds. That's about 335 bucks per pound. If I lose my band and haven't lost another ounce, that's prety pricey. BUT, add to that the cost of removal for me and the prices increase to an even heftier sum. SIGH. Shoulda just signed up for Nutrisystems. Right?

On the other hand, if I can get another 30 pounds off it might be worth it, even if I lose my band. 160 is a dream to me. I just don't know.

It's hard for me, at this place in time, to encourage you and be excited for you. You do, however, have insurance coverage so you will get the good follow-along. I am looking at 2 days away from my family and $6-700 buck in plane fare for a $250 endoscopy and if my band is eroded, thousands more for removal. Thank the good Lord everyday for your insurance benefits and don't look back with regret for one second that you took the energy to fight fight fight.

I don't regret my band surgery, not for a second, but worst case scenario, it's a pretty expensive chance to take. I took it. I don't regret it. But it's a dark cloud and I understand how you feel.

You have insurance. Move forward with confidence that no matter what happens, it won't put you in the poor house up to your ears in debt. Or with empty bank accounts. Do it. Not everyone erodes or slips. You just never know.

Yeah I self-paid and was banded on the 18th and am worried too...but Carolyn had some good words of wisdom last night when I was freaking out. I'll look for them and edit in a minute. I guess I have to think "whatever will be will be" (cannot translate into latin with a decent enough spelling to try it.

Even though I haven't lost that much weight thus far, I would do it again in a heartbeat. A longer life is priceless. I want to live a long happy/healthy life, not crippled by diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and who knows what else lurks below those fat folds. No thank you. I will keep my band, even though I have a rough road ahead and lots of hard work to achieve my goals. I say go for it, what have you got to lose?

I have no regrets, though, I do worry about losing my band a lot. $$ per pound it was quite expensive, but I still would do it again at this point.

ladysplenda,

What I told Jini last night and what I will continue to say is that you make the best choice possible for you. People with Gastric Bypass have issues, people with lapband have issues. Likewise people with Gastric Bypass wouldn't trade what they did for anything in the world and the same goes for those with lapband. Both surgeries have their risk. You and only can look at all the info and make the best choice for you. After that, quite worrying. Don't worry about whether it was the right choice, but instead follow the program given and thank God for all the positives that come out of it and ask for help for the hard times. If you worry, you're wasting your life waiting for something that may never happen. And then what do you have to show for it. Enjoy life and if something happens, then deal with it.

I'm lucky. I was banded on the 10th of November and have had nothing but great success. I've already lost almost 20 pounds to date. My surgery lasted 30 minutes. I was home in four hours. I've not been hungry during the liquid stage. I'm just now starting on the soft food stage and I'm finding that I'm not hungry after a few bites. Will it always be this great. I doubt it. I'll have issues and when I do I will take the steps I need to, to get through those issues. But I'm not going to worry about what the issues are going to be, how I'm going to handle them or anything else until it happens and then I will deal with it. For now, I'm going to enjoy the changes and thank God that I am having an easy time with it. My prayers to you to find the best solution for you and then to let go.

Same here. Even though I'd be a self pay to have to have anything done at this point (even have to pay $375 for first fill that is yet to happen), I'd still do it again in a heartbeat.

My body wouldn't budge below 310 without the band. Now, I'm in the 200s.

I thank God for my band!

My husband's ex still has her old Melina band.Is this band better for us or does it just make the doctors more money?

Ive thought about this one too. Didnt seem as if this older band had so many problems... leaks, slips, port flips, and the big one - eroding!

I would be interested in hearing from the surgeons who implanted the older band. One of the main reasons so many were turned onto this newer band is because its adjustable. But with this new feature, other problems became unavoidable.

Im like Kathy. I cant encourage this decision at this time. A 1-3% rate of problems - thats roughly 3 people out of 100. Not a big gap.

The band may be the healthiest WLS - its also the most costly!

Good luck with this tough decision.

Linda, listen there are risks and complications with every surgery as I'm sure you are aware of...it is the chance we take. Please do not let what has happened to me deter you from your decision. The band was the best thing I haveever done for myself. I had great success..it did it's job. Where else could I have lost 104 lbs in 19 months and still enjoy food? $$ per pound I feel it was successful....we have no control over our bands eroding, the only thing we have control eith is using this band as a tool the best we can while we have it...had I only lost 30 -60 lbs in 19 months, Hell Yes I would be bummed and sad and pissed..but I worked with my band and did not rely on it to do all of the work. and $$ per pound it would not of been worth it.

You have a decision to make no doubt...I knew of the risks and the complications too going in but it was a risk I was willing to take. I was ready to lose this weight. I wish you the best on your decision.

It's interesting your pointing out all of the horror stories you have been reading on here lately. Please remember this is a support group for people, those of us without any problems aren't posting here. There's no need for them to come here and read, unless they just want to be supportive of others, which is sometimes the case.

I have had my band since 2/2002 and never had the first minutes trouble. My problems are psychological in nature, rather than a problem with the band itself, thank God. I also enjoy being supportive of others.

Is there a risk, of course, but you knew that already. But you're a week away and the scardy cats are setting in, no big surprise, but recognize it for what it is, pre surgery jitters. I don't think you would be that frightened right now if it weren't that your surgery is so close.

Call me if you want to talk more, I'm here for you, as you have been for me.

(((Hugs)))

Cindy

Okay, this is what I wrote in a different thread, one asking what the risks of the surgery are. Do not let the recent few bits of bad news color your decision. There are many many people who never have a bit of trouble with their band. Don't forget, Dear Lady, that you are on a support board. We generally come here because we have troubles of one sort or another. Those who are doing great move on and have no need to post here. (of course, there are many of us here because we are lbt junkies )

RISKS OF BEING BANDED.... okay, besides the usual risks that we are all painfully aware of here are some that you might not have considered.

Oh, and while not specific to banding, your hair could catch on fire.... Super Train could crash into the hospital... Or The Atomic Train could crash into your hospital... a meteor strike could take out your town, an alien invation could be scheduled while you are in the OR, a masive EMP strike could nock out all power to everything in a 5 mile radius causing 3 jumbo jets to simultainiously crash into the hospital while shutting down every piece of equipement in the hospital, or a weird power surge could cause all the electrical equipment to suddenly come to life and hold the entire hospital staff hostage until their demands to be moved to the desert are met....

Just a million things could go wrong. Better not even leave the house. Heck, better not even get out of bed. Just grab your snorkle and hunker down in your blanket fort...

And watch out for skylab.

The USA is an enormous country and the sheer number of people here mean that these stories do appear often. On Australian boards, where there's way less people and way less bandsters among the general public, you barely hear these stories. It really is a very low risk operation.

ladysplenda -

The reason why we choose the band is because it is reversable. If (God forbid) something goes wrong they can reverse it and try to put you back to normal.

I would not get too excited about the bad reports....it is good to know these things - but don't let them overshadow the good reports.

Take care and try not to worry. Let us know how you are.

Nancy

I have to agree with the above.For many of us whom do not visit this site as often as we would like is because at long last we are no longer consumed with weight and band issues.Why is this ? because it works.We are having no trouble with the band and losing weight.Which is the whole idea.If you are prepared to do the right things stick to the general rules you shouldn't have too many problems....you will go where life takes you and not another on again off again diet.Good luck and this is a great choice My Mum is going to have this done in the near future and she is in her 60's and looking forward to a thin her.

Thank's everyone.

I am out just a month now with the band and just yesterday I had one of the best NSV's I have felt in YEARS !!!!!!

We went to a diner and I got ravioli's for dinner. The plate had about 10 fairly large ravioli's on it. I ate a few bites of my salad, 3 ravioli's and walked out of that diner carrying the rest of them to take home.

Your probably saying so??????

Well it hit me that finally, FINALLY I had control and that this band is WONDERFUL!!! I walked out of that place with tears in my eyes because for the first time I felt like I can do this, with my band, I can finally do this, there is hope. I told my dh that it felt good not to have cleaned the table off and walk out feeling disgusted in myself AND gaining another 5 lbs. What an awesome feeling to be able to taste life instead of inhaling it.

Don't let the bad news get you down, just think about it as more information to be aware of, IMHO its better to know than not to know.

I am loving each day and I am so Thankful to GOD that He!!! gave me this chance with the band.

Your gonna be just fine....ok!!

Leave your worries to the Lord