My story--banded for 9.5 years.

[MeganA 35]

I am writing this post in the hopes that I help others really understand what life with the band is like.

I was part of the Swedish Adjustable Gastric Band clinical trial in October, 2003. I thought I was doing a great service for the medical community, as well as hoping that I might help others that have battled with their weight find an effective treatment.

From the get-go, the band was a major pain in the arse. My fills had to be done by the surgeon under floroscopy because of the study, so I got to see lots of images of my stomach. My port was very hard to find as it had flipped and tilted upwards. I had my port moved once, and after that, we decided we would just have to live with it that way.

I got to my "sweet-spot" once. I lost 70 pounds. I threw up almost several times a week, even though I followed doctors orders and all of the rules. While I was at my sweet spot, I wasn't hungry or thought about food at all. This was about six months of heaven.

Then, I developed GERD and could not sleep in a bed because I would throw up food in my sleep. I was sick to my stomach all the time. I missed work, social outings, etc. because I was constantly in pain. My surgeon unfilled my band and let it rest. And then I got fills, unfills, fills, unfills, etc. I never found the sweet spot again. In fact, I never fully recovered from GERD and had constant heartburn for a few years.

After about 8 years, I finally decided I couldn't take it anymore. I had gained back 50 pounds, and was miserable. My surgeon unfilled me for the last time. Not, I've spent a year working with an eating disorder clinic to help me find peace with food. Now, I am ready for phase two of my WLS surgery journey.

I have been fighting insurance for almost a year for a revision surgery from band to sleeve. I finally won my appeal and will have surgery on Sept. 17th...almost 10 years since my band was placed. I weigh the same today as I did the day I got my band.

If anyone has questions about long-term band issues, I'd be glad to answer them. In advance, I will ignore those that attack me for coming here and talking about complications. But like I said, I would be happy to talk to you about the band and any insurance issues you might have to revise to another surgery.

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

Your story is a great example of why the old 4cc band (and other old models) are no longer used in the United States. It makes me incredibly sad that so many people run off to Mexico to save a few bucks, end up with the 4cc band, and have the exact same issues you're having.

Thankfully, problems such as yours are rare with the new generation of bigger bands when the patient is compliant with the rules and their surgeon.

Good luck with your Sleeve revision.

[MeganA 35]

Mis73,

You and I have gone around and around before...so this is the only reply I will give to any of your posts in this thread.

I've been around long enough to know that people have complications from all bands...sizes, manufacturers, etc.

The mayo Clinic, the number one rated hospital in the world no longer will place any bands. My surgeon at a University hospital will no longer place bands.

If that isn't enough evidence that bands are not a great long-term solution then I'm not sure what is.

Megan

[☠carolinagirl☠ 18,722]

best of luck to you for better health..sorry this happened to you

sometimes the band just doesnt work for some.....thankfully though, it does for others (me for one)

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

best of luck to you for better health..sorry this happened to you

sometimes the band just doesnt work for some.....thankfully though, it does for others (me for one)

Mis73,

You and I have gone around and around before...so this is the only reply I will give to any of your posts in this thread.

I've been around long enough to know that people have complications from all bands...sizes, manufacturers, etc.

The mayo Clinic, the number one rated hospital in the world no longer will place any bands. My surgeon at a University hospital will no longer place bands.

If that isn't enough evidence that bands are not a great long-term solution then I'm not sure what is.

Megan

Sorry you feel that way, but I back my information on facts not hearsay or anecdotal evidence. It's also extremely important to point out your experience with a 10 year old band has very little to do with the experience someone banded today can expect.

As TMF aptly pointed out on a previous thread, it's like trying to compare an old brick mobile phone to the smart phones used today.

[Sharpie 3,306]

Good response.. for someone who didn't want to be attacked .you immediately went on the defensive when Missy makes a perfectly good statement . so what exactly is the purpose of your posts? Do you feel it necessary to "save the world" from the band? My surgeon has been doing bands for many years has a excellent success rate and stands by the band.. He will do sleeve's but believes the band is safer than the sleeve or RNY.. so, I think your point has been made and answered.. No One on here wants to see anyone else fail..I hope you are successful with your sleeve.

[Toddy 758]

I, too, hope you are successful with the sleeve. Just last week I discussed with my surgeon the fact that my daughter wants the sleeve rather than the band. He said that the sleeve is having just as many, if not more, complications with the stitches holding. I really feel like you're taking a chance with your health when you opt for wls... a gamble I was more than willing to take. All you can really do is be compliant and hope for the best!

[line-dancer 810]

so sorry this happened to you but thanks to you and folks like you I recieve a great band a year ago I lost 75 lbs and find np keeping it off sorry you gain it back that has to be so disappointing but best of like with the new selve....

[GoingforGoal 1,734]

This is an extremely biased post based on personal experience. Although I can empathize with your situation, your experience should not be the litmus test for others decisions. I too can post a story about myself and I how I never suffered a complication and reached goal. But I am not presumptive enough to believe that my story will be the same for everyone. The band is like every other medical intervention...look at some who take XYZ med..works for some, and gives others additional symptoms. Or perhaps other surgeries, 1,000 safe cases and than a death. But to imply that sleeves and gastric bypass are the better, safer, more reliable procedure is just as naive. I have a friend who's daughter died from complications with GBypass. We are all responsible for doing our research and making an informed decision as to what will best serve us. You are the unfortunate bandster who suffered complications but your post offends the likes of me by implying the decision I made for myself was useless, unsafe and will ultimately fail me in some capacity.

Side comment Mis73 is spot on for calling out the details you failed to include in your sermon. Research is constantly improving upon itself. Old bands, old techniques vs the new is incomparable.

This post is in effort to encourage newbies to please understand that one experience does not dictate everyone's outcomes. Please do your research. ALL surgeries have possible complications. It's a matter of which ones seem less invasive, less probable and less permanent.

[MeganA 35]

I was like some of you a year or two out from getting my band. Nobody could tell me that it wasn't the best thing I ever did for myself.

I just want to be clear: I am here to voice my story and my opinions about what the band did to me and to lots and lots of people I know. I had a great group of "bandsisters" when I was first banded right on this forum. NONE of them have their bands anymore. I am the last one.

Please do not be in denial about the damage that the band can do. Be vigilant with your complications and please, please know that if you are out a few years and you are gaining weight back, this is the biggest complication yet. Do not blame yourself or feel shame that "you failed" again. Private message me so that you are not attacked by people that are still in the glory days of their bands. I will help you in any way I can.

I wish someone would have posted something like this when I first started to have complications because I felt very much alone. This is why I am here.

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

I'm sorry, but once again you are comparing your experience with a 10 year old band that is known for it's complications and no longer used because of it to the bands used today. There is no comparison.

Furthermore, the language you use sounds like more scare tactics, not genuine concern.

None of us here are in denial. We just don't want newcomers unnecessarily scared by completely irrelevant and bogus comparisons.

[MeganA 35]

You just keep telling yourself that Mis73.

Newbies, like you, should be vigilant, not afraid. I'm pretty sure I said that already.

Megan

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

I'm not telling myself anything but the facts. Comparing your 10 year old outdated and no longer used band to those used today is ridiculous.

What bothers me is the fact you seem way too smart not to realize it yet you continue your scare tactics anyway. Very, very sad.

[n2win 123]

Wow... didn't those 4cc / ten year old bands pave the way for our "new" & "modern" bands!

Shouldn't we be slightly interested in any & all complications for "future reference" and education?

Note to self.... never ever ever ever ever ever ever post anything about a bad experience on this forum... geez!!

-I just felt like I witnessed a slaughter-

I'm a newbie and reading these brutal replies to someones post is the only scary experience I have had thus far! WOW

[lellow 1,713]

Hi Megan,

I suppose at 5 years post banding, I am not what you would call someone in the 'first flush' of the glory days of my band. Nor am I by any means a newbie, and as time goes on I am more interested than ever in posts that discuss the longevity of the band, especially with regards to symptoms experienced, in the hopes that I can in fact be vigilant of possible complications.

First let me qualify that I'm Australian, and Australian surgeons have been placing bands for a lot longer than American doctors. My surgeon has well over a decade's worth of experience and to this day, still thinks the band is the most effective wls there is. I just wanted to make that clear so you understand where I stand on this.

I recently had band replacement surgery as a result of a leaky band. I had the option of revising to a sleeve but both my surgeon and myself agreed that the band was a better choice. I have lost 100% of my excess weight, I have not experienced pain, reflux, nothing at all that has caused me concern, and even when my band was leaking for 15 months, I only gained 35lbs of which I then lost 40% of without the band's help before my replacement.

All the recent posts I have read regarding complications experienced by banders who have had the band for 5 years or more have the same theme to it: pain, reflux, weight gain, discomfort, damage etc. I have experienced none of these. I maintain my weight easily when my band is working. I live with my band very easily. I have had a multitude of tests as a result of my leak and I have no physical issues or damage caused by the band. I have no reason to believe that will change, either, seeing as it hasn't happened yet, and if it was going to, I'd expect it to have happened before now.

I also have a good lot of bandster friends on FB who have been quietly living their lives with the bands without complications, who have had their bands as long or longer than me, who just don't talk about it that much any more, unlike when they were first banded.

So just to provide some balance, I do believe people have complications, and in many cases, serious ones too. And I do believe you have and it's always a wake-up call to see it talked about. But I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that everyone will, or that it will even be as common as some people make it out to be. Nothing you've said about your personal experience or anything I've seen posted about complications just recently has convinced me of that at all, especially since I see so few similarities with my own experiences with the band.

So I'm piping in, I guess, to give a different view of what long-term life with the band is like so anyone reading understands that there is more than just one point of view to everything. And I personally have nearly nothing bad to say about my experience with the band.