I've had my lapband for 5 years. It has never worked for me. I lost 24 pounds on the liquid diet and I have managed to keep about 20 of that off. But, I never lost any weight with the band. I've had 13 fills and they kept saying, "Oh they put a large band in you". They finally sent me to the nutritionist who was a 90 pound vegetarian (not sure why she felt the need to tell me that) who was more interested in her phone than me. Her big suggestion after glancing at my diet sheet was to tell me if I get hungry in the afternoon, to have tuna on cucumber slices. Really? $16,000 and that's the advice I get? I left that day feelling like this whole thing was a mistake and I never went back. Now, five years later, I'm having pain around the port. I guess I'll have to go back, but I'm not looking forward to that. My advice would be to really do your research before you spend this kind of money. I would not do it again and I would have to advise other people to really think about it before they did it.

Pam Stevens

Hello ppl, I'm just reading this post and It appears to me that a lot of you are thinking that the strugglers are the ones that have failed the band. Well, in a way you're right and in a way your wrong and being judgmental. No one wants to hear that this is all their fault "just sayin". I failed with the band only because it failed me. After changing my habits, eating right, exercising and being filled and unfilled several times and only losing 45 lbs in four years that I gave up. So if you still say that everyone that's struggling to make it with the band is all because it's their own fault, then pat yourself on the back. Please don't put others down, you just happen to be one of the few ppl out of thousands that is a little more blessed. Empathize with us and pray that we can find what you have. LOVE

I too am so confused. I had acid reflux and some vomiting so I had a upper gi done after 3 yrs the band has slipped partially the dr left 4 cc in and had me come back it was awful. He said it was swollen now he wasn't going to touch it till a month I asked about a new lap band he said no that it really never worked for me since I only lost 30 lbs. I said it did cause now I am not diabetic. He said I should have a gastric sleeve done and I wi be perfect. But I don't have a high enough bmi so if I gain weight in an

Month then my bmi will qualify and I can have the other sergery what a disappointing dr help some please I can't do it on my own and I can't be diabetic afain

Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

This may be over-simplifying things, but if the band isn't working, it's probably for one of the following reasons:

1- there's a leak

2- it's not positioned correctly or has slipped

3- it's not tight enough

4- you're deliberately sabotaging your weight loss by eating around the band.

I personally believe the vast majority of us actually DO want to lose weight, so my bet's on reasons 1-3.

My suggestion is to find another surgeon and get a consultation.

My advice would be to really do your research

BTW, this is great advice. Finding a surgical practice with a strong aftercare program is critical to success.

To those who suggest that the band works as long as you do? Not always true and not entirely fair to those who experience the struggles. I have had the band for 8 years. Not only has the band caused significant issues (hiatal hernia, herniated disc x 2, etc.) but for the first 3 years, I threw up meals at least 3x daily and could only consume small portions of mashed potato. Recently doctors have identified that the original procedure was mishandled, there is slippage and some erosion. My removal procedure is scheduled for tomorrow! WooHoo! Get this out of me. I lost ZERO pounds with the band but have been successful on my own (50 and counting) and quite in spite of the having the band. Continued exercise and completely changing my nutritional habits cutting out totally - wheat, corn, soy, dairy, caffeine and sugar. Life changing and glad this chapter will be closed tomorrow. Agreed that deciding on the band takes a certain amount of willpower and dedication but my surgeon explains that he has removed more bands than he has installed. Go figure...good luck in your efforts moving forward.

It's true, sometimes the patient has nothing to do with band failure. We see this when a band slips due to vomiting during illness, or there is a medical condition at play, or even because the patient has the old 4cc band and like so many others are now having tons of problems. There are most definitely people who have complications by no fault of their own.

But they are the minority. Only 5% of serious complications are no fault of the patient. The rest are because the patient messed up and have no one to blame but themselves.

If you are compliant with your doctor and follow the rules, statistically the odds are very good.

To those who suggest that the band works as long as you do? Not always true and not entirely fair to those who experience the struggles. I have had the band for 8 years. Not only has the band caused significant issues (hiatal hernia, herniated disc x 2, etc.) but for the first 3 years, I threw up meals at least 3x daily and could only consume small portions of mashed potato. Recently doctors have identified that the original procedure was mishandled, there is slippage and some erosion. My removal procedure is scheduled for tomorrow! WooHoo! Get this out of me. I lost ZERO pounds with the band but have been successful on my own (50 and counting) and quite in spite of the having the band. Continued exercise and completely changing my nutritional habits cutting out totally - wheat, corn, soy, dairy, caffeine and sugar. Life changing and glad this chapter will be closed tomorrow. Agreed that deciding on the band takes a certain amount of willpower and dedication but my surgeon explains that he has removed more bands than he has installed. Go figure...good luck in your efforts moving forward.

Your band caused 2 herniated discs? Discs in your spine? Which of your doctors suggested that your band was the cause of that?

Your band caused 2 herniated discs? Discs in your spine? Which of your doctors suggested that your band was the cause of that?

i am not anything but a simple country girl from the south

and not for a second do i believe a lap band (a 3 in plastic necklace that is sewn onto the upper part of one's stomach) can cause 2 herniated disc's...if that happened, we need to alert geraldo on fox news.

I sometimes think people are not taught enough about 'reading' their band and knowing what can tighten and loosen it almost daily. One post in here talked about how one day they could eat anything and the next almost nothing and there was nothing wrong with their band. This is very common and can be caused by many things such as exercise, dehydration, stress, TOM, etc.

Let me give you an example. Two days ago I felt like I could eat almost anything. I could go grab a supreme burrito from taco bell and a meximelt and eat it just fine and maybe even be hungry only a couple of hours later. However, I also went on a 5k walk that night when it was 90 degrees and close to 100% humidity and when I weighed the next day I was down 2lbs. Basically what I realized was that I had lost a TON of Water weight. Now some of you may think that's a good thing but it's really not because what it ultimately did was dehydrate me. Knowing my band like I do I knew this would probably happen so I made an extra effort to take in extra liquids that night and the next day but when I went to try and eat lunch I could barely eat it. Today I'm doing much better as far as being able to eat regularly but it's only because I've been hydrating like crazy and I knew this was going to happen. This is another reason I try to warn people against getting too tight trying to chase the elusive green zone. Just because you're not in the green zone for one or two days that does not mean you need a fill. Loose days can just as easily swing around and turn into tight days so be warned.

Rewind two years ago and I didn't know as much about my band as I do now. I went on a 5k run in 90 degree heat and played basketball afterwards. I failed to hydrate properly before, during, and after my exercising, got too tight, and ended up not being able to swallow my own spit.

I'm not saying the band doesn't work or that people failed the band or anything like that. What I am saying is that as bandsters we need to constantly be educating ourselves and learning as much about our band as we can. This is why I also don't advocate this surgery as a set it and forget it type of solution. The band takes attention and fine tuning. If you just want to 'eat less and lose weight' then definitely go for bypass or sleeve.

Does the band fail for some people out of no fault of their own? Sure it does. Those people should not be blamed or looked down on. Weight loss is tough for everyone and we all need to support ourselves through victories and failures alike no matter whether the failure was on the part of the band or the person.

I've noticed the people who are "unsupportive" on this thread are so in just about any other thread on LBT, I hope Alex or any of the other moderators take notice before more people stop visiting the site. I've had my band since 08, lost 120 lbs, reached goal within 10 months until it slipped at 2 years post op after a bad stomach bug

It turns out every time I get near the green zone my band would slip. Since my BAND FAILED me, I'm in the works to have a revision

Best of luck to all who are having problems, I suggest you visit other sites also, if you feel harassed on LBT. I was very active on this site a few years ago and you would actually get SUPPORT from other users. SMH

I've noticed the people who are "unsupportive" on this thread are so in just about any other thread on LBT' date=' I hope Alex or any of the other moderators take notice before more people stop visiting the site. I've had my band since 08, lost 120 lbs, reached goal within 10 months until it slipped at 2 years post op after a bad stomach bug

It turns out every time I get near the green zone my band would slip. Since my BAND FAILED me, I'm in the works to have a revision

Best of luck to all who are having problems, I suggest you visit other sites also, if you feel harassed on LBT. I was very active on this site a few years ago and you would actually get SUPPORT from other users. SMH[/quote']

Hey, I'm very supportive of this site. It has been a lifesaver for me because my own PCP is against the band.' He used the words "miserable failure" about the band. Those words were very biting so I come on this site as it inspires me.

I wish you nothing but the best with your revision.

Thank you so much, dawalsh and I didn't mean to generalize, not everyone is a bully on LBT but if you compare this site to how it was 5 years ago, you'd probably see what I'm talking about. Glad to know you're supportive and good luck in your WLS journey