Now that I have my band out. I feel so great. I had started having probelms swallowing a few weeks ago because my band was pulling on my esophogus and now that is 100% gone. I just get so frustrated when I see all of these comercials about the band or I hear people saying they are getting lapband. I guess with the statistics I know at this point, it just seems so crazy that they are still being put into innocent people who have no clue of the pain they can cause or the long term damage. On the first day of my hospitalization, I even had a roommate who had a lapband. She must have freaked when she heard my doctor explaining all they had to do to get the broken pieces of my band out of me. I now have two extra scars because they had to search for all of the broken tubing. I was just curious how other revisioners felt. I guess it is time for me to just move on and enjoy my sleeve. Everyone has to make up their own mind about what type of weight loss surgery they will have. I just wish I had known about the sleeve and had it instead of the band, that's for sure!

I was originally looking at the band, my co-worker has one, but then found out about the sleeve. I was lucky with my timing because Kaiser had only just started doing the sleeve for about 6 months.

I am so glad I did not get a lapband. No fills, pb'n , no foreign object in my body. I have also lost way more then I think I would have with the band.

My co-worker has lost 80-85 lbs in over 2 years, she is happier but I know she would like to loose more. She is still about 80-100 lbs overweight.

I have lost 114 since I started my pre-op diet in May, surgery was June 22nd. I still wish I could have done it on my own, but I think the sleeve is the best choice out there for wls

I am disgusted at the LapBand. I had mine in for a mere 3 months. I had a full slip and endured 3 days of horrendous pain before they realized the band slipped. I couldn't even swallow my own saliva.

It was a year in October that I had the band removed and I am scheduled to have the sleeve surgery in 3 DAYS!!! I've been on an emotional rollercoaster because I actually experienced a "side effect" with the band but I know that I am in great hands and this is going to work out great. I want to be healthy and feel good about myself!

I surely do not hide my hatred for the band, and the makers of the band ploys and marketing tactics. I'll bash the band until my last dying breath. I have a close friend here that has the band and has only had it for 6 - 7 months. She's still in the honeymoon phase, and I'm glad she's happy with her band, and she knows my story. I don't bash it around her because I don't want to sound condemning, but she knows my story, and she knows what to watch for. She, like I, knew the complications going in, and we both have/had the mindset that maybe we can/could beat the odds. I wasn't lucky, thus far she has been.

I do tell everyone about the pros, cons, good and bad. I direct every person that asks me about my choice to this website, and obesityhelp.com I also copy/paste all my notes to them via email. I don't want my bad band experience to be the only thing they have to base their decision on. The stats don't lie, and I send them true research information.

I hate the band commercials as well. I hate going to support groups because I want to scream "DO NOT DO THE BAND", but that isn't "support" apparently. So, I'm pretty much a walking billboard for the VSG, and to avoid the band like the plague LOL.

I never had the band but I really don't think by reading all the negative things about it, it is for me..There seem to be more bad things about the band than good.. After 3 years there are a lot more complications by reading the lap band forum . I chose the sleeve.

LOL Tiffy!! You cracked me up with the "that's not supportive, apparently". Sometimes I feel like that too, but oh well! It is what it is. The truth shall set them free!

Here's how I sum up the Ex bandsters... kinda like an ex smoker. The smell of cigarette smokes make them gag, and they can be really uber "Stop Smoking!!!" advocates. Well, for me - even the mention of lap-band gives me the creeps, and when someone here asks what should they get... you better believe I tell them NOT THE BAND!!

I had some physical problems, not to mention I was able to gain all my weight back with it. I just don't see how that's even remotely possible with the sleeve. Not unless I've given a feeding tube with milkshake on permanent supply. Anyhow that would never work with me because I'm severly lactose intolerant since being sleeved... haaa!!! The VSG is EVERYTHING to me my band was promised to be but never was. Losing with the sleeve is FAR GREATER with ease than the band too. I would even go so far as to say, it is easier for me to lose weight alone than with the band. What kind of WLS is that? Why even get one if that's the case.

I just don't get the whole "its safer because its totally reversible". Well yeah, but that's only half right. Any bandster is STILL altering their body and WHEN it's removed (because it will be removed eventually - I hardly believe anyone will still have the same one band 30 years down the line) it WILL leave some scarring or damage. I wish they'd just say it's totally removable. Then again sometimes thats not even true! I seen a story where some gal had her and removed but they could never completely remove the port because it had molded itself into her stomach wall so badly... so folks seriously need to think of these things with ANY surgery they get. There is NOT ONE WLS that is totally and completely reversible.

None.

Anyway, good question Becca!! And welcome to the revision world!! You WILL be MUCH happier.

Hi! I was banded in '06 and did fine for the first 5 months. After that time, I had too much restriction and would PB (which lasted for hours and hurt like heck). Sometimes I got to where I couldn't swallow spit and then I had to have the fluid removed from my band. Each time this happened (which was many) I had to pay $180 to have the band filled again. Last summer I had an endoscopy and discovered that I had a hiatal hernia. Once again the fluid was removed from my band, but I still had the PBing when the hernia would slide up inside the band. It has been great to have it removed and I'm loving my sleeve!

Hi! I was banded in '06 and did fine for the first 5 months. After that time, I had too much restriction and would PB (which lasted for hours and hurt like heck). Sometimes I got to where I couldn't swallow spit and then I had to have the Fluid removed from my band. Each time this happened (which was many) I had to pay $180 to have the band filled again. Last summer I had an endoscopy and discovered that I had a hiatal hernia. Once again the fluid was removed from my band, but I still had the PBing when the hernia would slide up inside the band. It has been great to have it removed and I'm loving my sleeve!

P.S. The hiatal hernia was repaired when the band was removed and the Sleeve performed. My doctor said the band is successful in only 1/3 of patients!

I never had a band but when I looked into WLS it's the first one I researched. My mom has it, and I just knew more people with it.

It wasn't until a comment from the Nut that I started to double think that decision.

I am SO glad I didn't it! My mom has so many issues. She's CONSTANTLY sick from it.

She was worried about me getting the sleeve because it was so invasive. But, she finally told me yesterday that she's SO glad I didn't get the band.

She gets sick from just a simple fill of half a CC!

I hope she gets that thing out SOON!

I've been dodging my surgeon's office's invites to their support group because they DO NOT want me there. I would have a hard time not dissing the band and telling anyone there with one that they have a ticking time bomb inside them. Bands are EVIL (in my opinion)!!!

TexasT- Good to see you posting, haven't seen you in a while.

I orginally thought about getting the band. I was on the band support site when I read something from one of you about the VSG and so I came over here. Now when I hear "Lap band" I cringe. Thank God (okay really one of you) that someone posted on the lapband site or I'd probably be going down that road.

I agree with all of you. The Lap Band is evil. I want to tell every one too, to stay far away from it. After 4 years of fills, unbearable pain, back to Dr. office for un-fills, er and hospital stay, and my surgeon quitting and leaving town, having to find a new Dr. to adopt me, finding out my band was leaking and eroding into my stomach, I would NEVER suggest anyone get the Lap Band. I am self pay, paid around $25000 for the Lap Band, fills, un-fills, ER, hospital and lost 32 lbs. Not worth it. I am so thankful my new surgeon was able to do revision to sleeve. It's been 3 months since my surgery and I feel wonderful, no problems at all, and I do not miss being jabbed in the stomach for fills. In fact, just saying "lap band" leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Jeri

I am another lap band failure, and until I found this site I thought I was the only one! I was banded dec. Of 2004. The most weight I lost was 35 lbs. I was constantly hungry, bad reflux, and I never could predict whether I could eat nothing or a whole meal. I couldn't eat the healthy foods or lean protein at all. But junk food was no problem. It seems to work the opposite of what it should. I finally had all the fluid removed in dec. 2010,and instant relief. On January 12, I had vsg, my pre surgery weight was more than pre band. I wish I had vsg years ago. I am also in support groups an I feel like telling people not to get the band, but not sure it's my place to say. I guess some people are successful with the band, I don't know how!

Anne

Vsg 1/12/11

I guess some people are successful with the band, I don't know how!

Anne

Vsg 1/12/11

Congratulations Anne!!! I know you are much happier because everything you feel, I feel too!!

I wanted to highlight your last sentence there because it cracked me up! I used to wonder that myself every single day and I still do. Some really do not feel hungry all the time and things just work good for them, but IMO its far fewer than do have a negative result from the band.

I believe that the band should probably really only be placed on about 5% of the folks that did get the band.

I do love my sleeve!!! I have honestly never said that about my band, and meant it.

I completely agree on all the posts. I hated my band!!! My 2 years of HELL, as I refer to them. I'm still paying off my physician bill for all the fills and un-fills. I never had a complete fill, because the minute they put fluid in my band I would hang up with everything I ate. except of course for the cookies. I could eat cookies and candy bars all day long, and not have pain, so that is what I lived on. Finally, after 2 years, my doc said "the band was a failure for you". Wow, it took 2 years to figure that out!! Anyway, I do love my surgeon, and she tried really hard to figure it all out before giving up. I Love my sleeve!! It has been the best experience, even with the issues the first 2 weeks.

Wow guys! I can't believe there are so many of us out there. I am banded and am looking into the Sleeve. All these posts are really helping...well, actually confusing me. I was on the OH site today and was pretty well raked over the coals for not being a Lap Bsnd success. They had me feeling that if I couldnt do it with my Bsnd, then I was doomed to failure with a sleeve. I would appreciate any and all of your thoughts! Barb

Ps. Please be honest! I can take it!!!