I'm scheduled for surgery on 1/9, and I'm trying to get a handle on what kinds of complications people have been seeing. I know for the most part everyone is happy with their results even if they've had complications; I'm just wondering what minor and major issues are potentially on the horizon -- and if, in the long run, virtually everyone has some issues. Those of you who have had the band for years, please post too!

Thanks much :eek:

I had mine on 11/7/05. Except for the pain from the gas they pump into your body it's been good. Once you get to foods stay away from dry meat and bread for a while. Those still give me a hard time. Soups are really good and potatoes. The hardest thing for me to get use to was it took 4-6 weeks to be able to bend over without feeling like I was shoving the port into my rib cage. Good luck. Feel free to chat anytime.

Thanks for the info. I had not heard about port sensitivity issues much, so that helps me know what to expect. What are your stats? How are you doing now?

For me it was one fill that was too tight. Now I have great restriction but do not eat alot of things for fear of pb (bread, dry meat, eggs)

I'm eroded and need my band removed.

Gas issues right after banding. It went mostly away in about a day or two. No complications. Shawn

I was banded on 9/16/05 and, other than a minor incision infection, I've had no complications.

My first band slipped about a year out. I had it removed and replaced on the same day. I had to have gallbladder surgery 6 weeks to the day after the 2nd surgery = 3 surgeries in less than 2 yrs. I now am having recurrent nighttime reflux again. Current barium swallow shows no big problems, EGD scheduled Jan 6 to check closer for erosion, esophageal problems. Am I glad I have my band?? You bet... Would I do it again? Yes... but only if my insurance took care of everything.

Your biggest complication might be the complication I am currently facing......ALL MY CLOTHES ARE TOO BIG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good Luck, speedy recovery and happy weight loss!!!!!

Thanks so much for the responses. DeLarla, could you give me some more info about you? When you were banded, etc.?

I've heard somewhere that there were more erosion issues with older bands, and that the manufacturer made some changes that make erosion less likely. Anyone else know anything about this?

Elisa, I was banded May 2004 but my port site never healed due to infection. They removed my first port a month after banding, then replaced it 8 months later. However, Dr. Lopez should never have replaced it throught the same "dirty wound" according to another surgeon because the 2nd port became infected and was surgically removed (along with too much very painful inflammatory tissue) on January 29, 2005. Yesterday I was diagnosed with erosion. I'm probably driving you crazy by being so vague with names and details because I don't want to start a war! I can only speak from personal experience, and two Mexican surgeons did me wrong. One of them screwed me up twice. Both in Tijuana. Feel free to read my old posts where there's novels more, or PM me and we can talk privately.

In 19 months with my band I had esophagitis, complete bowel obstruction and erosion but I lost over 100 lbs, it was worth it in my book!

LaMadam, was there any connection between your bowel obstruction and being banded? (Have I asked you this already? Sorry, if so.)

In the 2.5 years I've been banded I've had only the minor "complications" that are involved in the learning curve of eating as a bandster. PBing, sliming, occasional pains that feel like heart attacks are all things that were symptoms of eating too fast or swallowing bites that were too big. Nothing like that has happened to me for months now.

There's also occasional reflux, usually easily controlled by behavioral changes. The worst and most prolonged episode of this was after several days of really bad behavior (eating past the point of fullness, eating things that had to be regurgitated and not resting after each episode of this) which resulted in what I'm sure was esophageal and stoma inflammation. I had a major unfill which resolved the situation immediately, and was able to have a re-fill several weeks later. Since then I've had absolutely no band-related problems.

And I've learned that my behavior is MORE important now, since after so much time my body has become accustomed to the new sensations. The feeling of restriction lessens, even if there's no less actual restriction than before. I think it's because the nerves at the lower end of our esophagus become deadened through overstimulation, which is why people can "pouch-pack" more easily as time goes by.

I've had maybe 8 adjustments and all of the fills were under fluoroscopy. For my money, this is key to preventing overfilling, and thus to helping prevent the complications that can go with that.

The only complication I had was severe swelling after surgery. My stoma (my little stomach opening) swole completely shut for 2 days. It took rounds of anti-inflamatory shots, but after 2 days I was fine and was able to get enough liquids down to get off the I.V. and go home. It was more of a pain in the A$$ than actually painful. However, I am a very happy camper now and have felt great since about the 5th day post op. I didnt even have much gas pain.

No complications thus far for me!

No complications here so far either, but I've only been banded since 8/31/05.

Keep in mind that those who have had the band for years and have had no complications are very unlikely to be still hanging around on the boards or Yahoo groups -- they are out living their lives as thin people (or at least "thinner" than they once were)