Newbe here, and preop.

I have been reading and reading and looking at all your successes. I am so impressed by the results from your hard work. I have read many positive things but am curious to know all the negatives.

What are the negatives you have experienced since surgery?

Does anyone regret getting banded? especially those who experienced erosion and had the band removed.

Thanks in advance.

Welcome to the club! My negatives are I cannot eat bread anymore and no sodas. Other than that all is well! I am on no medications. I was on high blood pressure meds, diabetes oral meds and had to wear a cpap for sleep apnea. They are all gone now! Best of luck to you on your journey!

Hello Paulax,

I'm a special case, since I've been diagnosed with Cushing's, a metabolic disorder. If I'd not been banded, my Cushing's would have never been caught, so yay for that.

My only heartbreak with the band is that I don't weight.

Welcome to the club! My negatives are I cannot eat bread anymore and no sodas. Other than that all is well! I am on no medications. I was on high blood pressure meds, diabetes oral meds and had to wear a cpap for sleep apnea. They are all gone now! Best of luck to you on your journey!

Thanks for your honesty. I too love bread and sodas. I can start practising not drinking or eating bread now. I have lowcarbed in the past and as soon as I get that junk out of my system I no longer crave them. Super good that you no longer have to take meds for bp and diabetes. That must be a huge positive.

I'm a special case, since I've been diagnosed with Cushing's, a metabolic disorder. If I'd not been banded, my Cushing's would have never been caught, so yay for that.

My only heartbreak with the band is that I don't weight.

Did you have the band removed vinesqueen? How is your Cushing's disease treated?

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I've had to buy new clothes several times over as the weight falls off. Though I love buying ever smaller clothes, this costs $$. Some things I barely wear before they are passed on, sometimes I have nothing to wear because nothing is small enough.

Holidays/celebrations are harder because we Celebrate with food, and usually since I host most of our family's holidays, I'm a bit stressed over all the work, expense and time, so my band gets tight, and after all I put into it, I can barely eat.

I think the most common complaint people have post-op are "productive burps", often referred to as PBs.

It happens to most bandsters at some point, when there's food which disagrees with the consumer, or is not chewed properly.

It is usually avoidable, but is an unpleasant experience.

Other problems such as "band slippage" and "erosion" affect a small minority of bandsters, although it is the source of much discussion within the group (as I'm sure you've noticed).

Best of luck with your WLS (that's weight loss surgury, apparently).

I've had to buy new clothes several times over as the weight falls off. Though I love buying ever smaller clothes, this costs $$. Some things I barely wear before they are passed on, sometimes I have nothing to wear because nothing is small enough.

Oh Pammy and her luxury problems. I hope to truly feel your pain in a few months :biggrin1:

............... :Cry: ................ :hurt

I can't take it anymore....Pam has to buy NEEEEEEEEW CLOOOOOOOOOTHES too OFTEEEEEEEEEN.......hehehe

(ain't it great?)

Oh honey.....you don't have to practice not eating bread. The band will make that decision for you when it's time. Trust me on that!

I miss my carbs!!!!! (Bread, Pasta,rice) Other than that, no regrets.

The major down side for me is that my family also celebrates over food. Ever since I was a teenager, I realized that my family bonds over the dinner table. I just dont enjoy eating like they do now, so when I'm done I get up from the table (so I won't tempt myself with more food) and miss out on the conversation.

I knew that giving up soda wouldn't be a problem for me because I had done that several times pre-band and would lose a few pounds. I just knew for sure that I would miss bread. It only took one time after being banded for me to try bread and realize that I don't need it because it hurt like hell going down. Then the light bulb came on: it's not good for me so my body is telling me so. Breads = simple carbs = metabolizes into sugar. No thanks anymore!

I was banded 12/14/05 and have lost 30 pounds so far. I had a minor set back when I went for my first fill. My surgeon told me that my port had flipped and would have to be surgically corrected. I had surgery again last Friday, along with my first fill, and I am getting back on track. I was really upset about having surgery again because I can't figure out how my port flipped and will it flip again. Still, I have no regrets and just bought new pants 2 sizes smaller!!

I love my band. Love it, love it, love it. I had surgery on 1/9/06 and have lost 15 pounds.

However, I have rheumatoid arthritis and migraines. I take a cocktail of about 20 pills a day. Crushing my pills and taking them is awful. I have switched some to liquids. **shiver** liquid prednisone is just awful.

Other than that, no regrets. Reading about slippage and erosion does give me nightmares, I'll admit. However, I keep my fingers crossed, say a prayer, knock on wood, and eat cottage cheese. So far, so good.

First off Welcome aboard!!

As far as for me...negatives...non that i can remeber...the only thing that sticks out for me was I got a little sick the first night I went home from the anesthesia (dont know how to spell!) you know the stuff they put you to sleep with....it only lasted a couple of hours and then i was fine.I didnt even have to take pain medicine..I felt a little swollen the next couple of days, but overall felt fine. I got to stay overnight, so I didnt go home till day 3....Im happy, so far no complications and very thankful. it was different adjusting, and most of my problems was dealing with the mental part of the adjustment...

Goodluck with everything and keep us posted.

The band experience seems to be different for each person. I am happy I did it and I have lost 80 lbs so far, The first 40 I lost getting ready to be banded. The thing that I find challenging is that losing weight is still hard work and although I know I am resposnisble for my own weight loss I was kind of hoping it would be a litle easier.

I am not even close to maintenance program but I know that when I get there it will be tough. The band will be a helpfull tool but it will ultimately be up to me.

I wouldn't change a thing. I like being banded. I wish fills were a "standard" and you didn't have to try for fit to get the right amount to work for you. Even though my fill isn't quite "there", something about the band being there -- even if not quite so effectively, reminds me to STOP eating so much!

Since I'm a chronic overeater, if I can just learn to do on my own what the band is reminding me to do, I'm in business! That is *my goal* for my band.

So far no regrets for me!

Welcome to the board Paula!

Hi and welcome to the board.

I sincerely think that being banded is a mental process you have to go through. I was a bored eater and addicted to food. Food controlled my life.

I by no means am an expert on mental health or Lap Band, but you have to mourn food to some extent. You will learn to eat a different way and it takes time to understand when you are full and when a meal is over. It took me a couple months to figure that out. I am 6 months out and 70+lbs down. I can eat a bite of just about anything to satisfy a craving, but I know not to drink with bread or anything that will expand. Buffets are frustrating so I don't go to them.

I did regret my decision to get banded the first week or two and again at about 2 months post-op. I have a history of depression. I do know that when you drastically cut back on calories it is very common to go through depression, so be prepared especially if you have a history of depression.

This board is a wonderful resource. :mad:

Best of luck to ya!