I just recently, within the last week, had my band removed and at the same time, had a gastric bypass done......The two doctors that I go to, and their practice is RANKED NUMBER ONE IN THE STATE, told me that only one or two IN TEN lose the desired weight after undergoing the lapband....I had it done a year ago and would never do it again....At the outset, and even months later, it is successful, but then there was a plateau where I slowly started to crave the foods that originally put it on....I read this a lot on here and it's true....I personally know of two women who had the 'band' done, lost about 70 percent of their weight goal, then put it ALLLLLLLLLLL back on within a year....And rem. that I WOULD ALWAYS EAT MY PROTEIN FIRST, and follow the rules, but the band lost it's effect, plus I had the maximum fill.....If, according to my Dr's, only one or two in ten reach their goal, and this is based on their own practice, plus being in touch with other Dr's and studying follow-ups all over, that' s good enough for me....Caution to you, and DO NOT, in desperation, reach out for something that will not be there in the long run....But, you could be one of the 10-20 percent that is succesful....BUT I WOULD NEVER TAKE THOSE ODDS!......My best, Carlos.....YES!!---My insurance paid for both, but they required that I wait 6 months to get each procedure and follow strict guidelines.....ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT "GOLD!"

Also, when something doesn't work for someone and they act as if it wont work for anyone. Let's just talk about whether it worked for you or not. WeightWatchers didn't work for me, but it is a great program and has worked for, and will continue to work for, millions of people. I wouldn't tell everybody that asked to stay away from it--I would just give my honest and truthful experience.

Maybe that is what we should all do here. Tell our experience and let others decide for themselves whether they think it will or wont work for them.

I do wish everyone the best and much success on whatever method they choose!!!

Great post!!!! I totally agree!

Also, when something doesn't work for someone and they act as if it wont work for anyone. Let's just talk about whether it worked for you or not. WeightWatchers didn't work for me, but it is a great program and has worked for, and will continue to work for, millions of people. I wouldn't tell everybody that asked to stay away from it--I would just give my honest and truthful experience.

Maybe that is what we should all do here. Tell our experience and let others decide for themselves whether they think it will or wont work for them.

I do wish everyone the best and much success on whatever method they choose!!!

I'm just curious if the band is not working for you than why are you still posting on this site? Is your purpose here to attack the band, encourage others to look for other options, of just vent. Don't get me wrong I'm not attacking you, I'm just curious.

Because this forum isn't just for success stories. And my experience is valid and to show that the band doesn't work for everyone so that others don't think that it's just them and they are alone in what they often call their failure when it isn't due to anything they did.

And where did I attack the band? I have told the truth about my experience about the band. If you think that's attacking the band, then that's your problem.

Ouchie, but well said, CM. Sometimes I want to reach in and smack some of these posters!!

Mimi

So would I. When someone posts that they hate their band, it isn't working or they have failed, even if they didn't follow the rules what they need is some sympathy, some good suggestions for getting back on track, some things we have tried that have worked, and just some good advice.

What they don't need are posts that start with: THE BAND IS JUST A TOOL. Or...I don't have any problems eating any food and I have lost 50 pounds the first month and 100 in the next three months and I just follow all the rules and am the best banster ever and everything is rainbows and butterflies ad infinitum, ad nauseum.

The OP doesn't need to know how great you are. If they ask for it they need some good advice and suggestions, not your success story. There is a separate thread for that.

Because this forum isn't just for success stories. And my experience is valid and to show that the band doesn't work for everyone so that others don't think that it's just them and they are alone in what they often call their failure when it isn't due to anything they did.

And where did I attack the band? I have told the truth about my experience about the band. If you think that's attacking the band, then that's your problem.

I don't recall saying that you attacked the band, I asked what your purpose was for still posting on the site and then asked if you were attacking the band. Just a thought you may want to read a little closer before getting defensive. Good Luck to you and your experiences/opinions are just as welcomed as everyone elses.

I'm all for hearing the truth….and weather good or bad everyone's story should be welcome. But telling others that their post is useless or we don't need the post because they have been successful and its sounds smug is childish IMO. If you can tell everyone the band failed you or you failed the band (whatever the case may be). Then allow other to say they have been a success and they have made it to their goal.

When the thread is about a problem with the band the OP doesn't need to hear your success story or that the OP failed the band because the band NEVER fails them - they need some sympathy, some good advice and suggestions.

That's why I called that post smug - because that's exactly what it suggested and I stand by what I said.

CM your posts really do come across quite harsh at times. I'm sure you don't mean it, but that's how they read

Now, I must also add how much I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU !!! Within just about every single post on this forum are a couple throwing around how much their T O O L is helping them -- so long as they are eating 800 calories/day, running a mile a day and and drinking 50 glasses of Water daily. LOL

Tool Synonyms: apparatus, appliance, contraption, contrivance,device, engine, gadget, gizmo, implement, job,machine, means, mechanism, utensil, weapon,whatchamacallit, accessory, accomplice, agent, auxiliary, chump,creature, dupe, easy mark, figurehead, flunky,go-between, greenhorn, hireling, idiot,intermediary, jackal, lackey, mark*, medium,messenger, minion, patsy, pawn, peon, puppet,stooge, stool pigeon, sucker

When the thread is about a problem with the band the OP doesn't need to hear your success story or that the OP failed the band because the band NEVER fails them - they need some sympathy, some good advice and suggestions.

That's why I called that post smug - because that's exactly what it suggested and I stand by what I said.

Cleo's mom: I think your posts are very well articulated and represent all the different things that can happen with the band, not JUST the success stories. It is the holier than thou listen to me and other "the band is a tool" posters and let us set you straight that irks me to the bone. If you are on this site and had to have undergone surgery to get your weight under control, please dismount off your high horse immediately. I'm all for asking/receiving suggestions but this whole "let ME be the one to offer your needed tough love" is so ridiculous. And CM: I thought the list you posted about the four kinds of posters not only made for a good chuckle but was so true too!

Love it!!! Let the dismounting commence.......

Cleo's mom: I think your posts are very well articulated and represent all the different things that can happen with the band, not JUST the success stories. It is the holier than thou listen to me and other "the band is a tool" posters and let us set you straight that irks me to the bone. If you are on this site and had to have undergone surgery to get your weight under control, please dismount off your high horse immediately. I'm all for asking/receiving suggestions but this whole "let ME be the one to offer your needed tough love" is so ridiculous. And CM: I thought the list you posted about the four kinds of posters not only made for a good chuckle but was so true too!

Failed Bandster here! Lol, I am getting a band to sleeve revision done in April. My port flipped and while the dr was digging around trying to find my port, he punctured my port tube. So I have no fill, no restriction. I decided to have this awful thing removed instead of having it replaced. I am excited to not have to deal with any more sliming, vomiting, or running to the bathroom to throw up in the middle of a business dinner. I lost 80lbs, got pregnant and regained 25 lbs. I know I will get crucified for this post but hellfire it's MY experience, so why can't I post it?

To the OP: I would get off this forum and go to the forum of the WLS you are revising to. They are much more supportive of revisioners. I am a member of verticalsleevetalk.com and they are super supportive of the decision to revision. I was SOOO surprised to see that about 50% of the people on there have had the band in the past!!!! The band was a great fad for a while, but I think that since some long term results are starting to come out that aren't singing Lap-Band praises, that you will see less people being banded. I bet the band goes the way of the VCR and 8-track tapes in the next decade! LMAO

Oh but Caley, don't you know the band is just a TOOL??? (Sarcastic)!

Failed Bandster here! Lol, I am getting a band to sleeve revision done in April. My port flipped and while the dr was digging around trying to find my port, he punctured my port tube. So I have no fill, no restriction. I decided to have this awful thing removed instead of having it replaced. I am excited to not have to deal with any more sliming, vomiting, or running to the bathroom to throw up in the middle of a business dinner. I lost 80lbs, got pregnant and regained 25 lbs. I know I will get crucified for this post but hellfire it's MY experience, so why can't I post it?

CM your posts really do come across quite harsh at times. I'm sure you don't mean it, but that's how they read

I am NEVER harsh to those who are struggling. I just get so irritated with people who are so quick to post their success with the band and how they followed all the rules and they lost so much weight, eat most foods and just love their band as a reply to a struggler. It's okay to love your band but a person struggling doesn't want to hear that. It's like a person who is depressed hearing from a person - "I wake up everyday happy because I make up my mind to be happy and you can be happy too, if you just put your mind to it."And then they go on to judge those who are struggling blaming them for the failure because it could NEVER be the band. It can't be the band, it has to be you.Even if the person's struggles are their fault and they have fallen off the wagon - what they need are suggestions. Things to try that work. Small things like using small plate, shrimp fork and baby spoon, to big things like checking with your doctor and nutritionist or keeping a food journal.It's just the whole - I did it so you should be able to do it and if you can't then you're a failure post - that I can do without.Just look at how many people say they are afraid to say anything negative about the band because they will be blasted and are leaving, etc..Obviously there are just too many judgmental posters.

Wow, I read this thread awhile ago and see it has taken a few twists and turns along the way. When I first read the OP I felt sorry for the poster. What a let down. It's like having that feeling of another failed diet, but this one comes with a much higher price tag for some. I think she said insurance paid for both the band and the bypass, but geezz, 2 major surgeries. For now I'm a "band lover", but I do feel for the OP. I don't think it helps her much to tell her to "work the tool" because it's gone. I don't think it helps her much to tell her how bad RNY is because it's already done. It doesn't help to tell her you have a cousin that gained back all the weight after RNY. ........................the point of my post? heck, I don't know, maybe just to have some sympathy for the OP's situation I guess. I wish her well and hope the RNY works well for her.

I completely agree with you. You have no idea. I completely get it that eating healthy, exercising, portion control, drinking Water, is all going to make a difference. DUH!!! But it shouldn't determine whether the band works or not works because if so, then guess what? The band isn't the reason you're losing weight!!

When the band makes you have no desire to eat more than one slice of pizza instead of 3, then 'Id say it's working. If you have to force yourself to stop after 1 piece, then sorry, the band isn't working--you are.

By you I mean bandsters, not you personally

CM your posts really do come across quite harsh at times. I'm sure you don't mean it, but that's how they read

I am NEVER harsh to those who are struggling. I just get so irritated with people who are so quick to post their success with the band and how they followed all the rules and they lost so much weight, eat most foods and just love their band as a reply to a struggler. It's okay to love your band but a person struggling doesn't want to hear that. It's like a person who is depressed hearing from a person - "I wake up everyday happy because I make up my mind to be happy and you can be happy too, if you just put your mind to it."And then they go on to judge those who are struggling blaming them for the failure because it could NEVER be the band. It can't be the band, it has to be you.Even if the person's struggles are their fault and they have fallen off the wagon - what they need are suggestions. Things to try that work. Small things like using small plate, shrimp fork and baby spoon, to big things like checking with your doctor and nutritionist or keeping a food journal.It's just the whole - I did it so you should be able to do it and if you can't then you're a failure post - that I can do without.Just look at how many people say they are afraid to say anything negative about the band because they will be blasted and are leaving, etc..Obviously there are just too many judgmental posters.