Is The Band That Bad?

[SleeveandRNYchica 1,155]

So, a few years back I had a fleeting thought about getting the band. But it passed quickly. So did not research it the way I have the sleeve. However, I have a friend that is thinking about the band. I told her I wasn't quite sure about it and that I had read some negative things about it. I was wondering if you could give me the fast and dirty info re: lapband the pros and cons. My friend is still trying to decide if this something she wants to do.

[PJ_Sleeve 45]

I don't think the band is that bad. It worked for me until I had an incident. I lost about 130 lbs with the band in the first two years. However, I kept up with my monthly fills and followed very closely with my surgeons. Unfortunately, about 2.5 years into being banded, I had a terrible stomach virus or food poisoning episode (I still don't know). I was never the same with the band again. I kept going back and forth to the surgeon for fills and unfills. I just never felt comfort again. Now I have managed to gain back 115 lbs.

I think the band works, but you have to be committed to going for fills. Also, it isn't always pleasent either, but we must ask ourselves, what kind of WLS is perfect. I am sure the VSG has its issues also.

One other thing to consider, I believe the rate of revision from Band to another WLS rate is much higher than the other WLS surgeries. (Don't quote me on that, but it just seems that way.)

My tentative surgery date for a revision is September 17th. I choose this revision because I know that restriction works for me and I wanted to avoid the hassle of fills, etc.

[CowgirlJane 14,261]

You will get biased information here. Everyone of us had significant issues or we would still be banded.

My view - the band is absolutely terrible. It causes damage, scar tissue, reflux. Most/many people eventually have problems of some sort that requires Fluid to be removed or band removal. In my case, I often felt a strong desire to eat even though the pouch was full. I vomited more then I care to recall and it was often triggered by healthier foods like veggies and salads. Junk food, no problem.

It is said that only about 30% of the people are successful with it over the long term (ie more then 5 years out). I personally would be surprised to here it is that good. I was banded for 10 years and knew quite a few fellow bandsters from a decade ago. Only 2 are still banded and have remained trim. Like I said, the vast majority will need to have it unfilled (permanently) and like removed eventually.

It was a reasonable choice 10 years ago, since it was either it or the gastric bypass, but I have no idea why people are still getting it (unless there is a specific reason they cannot be sleeved). Many docs are shifting away from the band due to poor long term results.

Tell your friend to ask lots of questions about the 5-10 year + results.

The counter argument is that the sleeve doesn't have such a long track record - so taking a gamble. True, but with the band you KNOW the track record is very poor over the long run so in my mind it isn't so much a gamble as it is betting that your results will beat the known averages - seems to me an unwise bet.

[TracyLynn 30]

I was going to get the band, actually put down a $1,500 non refundable deposit. But then I learned about the sleeve, the weight loss success is better, there is less maintenance and the complications are fewer. food can get stuck with the band and then for those of us who have to pay cash, you have to get the band unfilled and refilled.

I had so many appointments scheduled when I was planning on the band. The sleeve is non reversable, but who would want to reverse it? It is easier to cheat with the band too, as if you do not get it filled or it is not full enough, you can eat like normal.

My biggest issue with the band was that my stomach could envelope the band and it was have to be removed from the inside of my stomach.

[SleeveandRNYchica 1,155]

Thank you for your replies. I guess my ignorant assumption with the band was you have it for a few years, learn how to eat and then get it removed. I had no idea that you could keep it for up to 10 years. I guess why I ditched the idea was the thought of a foreign object in my body. My friends aunts have had bypass so I assume she doesn't want to do something so "drastic." If that makes sense. I think they are all last ditched efforts, but I just hope she does all her research. She didn't seem to know to much about it.

Thanks again.

[O.T.R. sleever 3,386]

The counter argument is that the sleeve doesn't have such a long track record - so taking a gamble

The sleeve has actually been around much longer than the lap band.

It used at least as far back as the 1970's as a first step for RNY candidates that were too heavy to safely receive the full surgery. It's been done abroad as a stand alone surgery for quite some time.

Unfortunately it is only recently that the U.S. has chosen to recognize it as a stand alone surgery.

If you research early RNY you'll find several patients that after the first step(the sleeve) was so successful, they opted to not go through with the rest of the procedure.

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

the band is absolutely terrible.

Cowgirl

If the lapband was good, why would so my people convert to the sleeve

there is a board called Band to Gastric Sleeve Revision

check it out

good luck

kathy

[CowgirlJane 14,261]

I am confused - was this remark intended for me? I don't think the band is good and I in fact have revised to the sleeve. I frequently post on the revision board.

Cowgirl

If the lapband was good, why would so my people convert to the sleeve

there is a board called Band to Gastric Sleeve Revision

check it out

good luck

kathy

[CowgirlJane 14,261]

True, but I have never been able to find a published study that shows excess weight loss maintained over 5-10+ years for the sleeve only - not as step 1 of the 2 step procedure. Would be really curious if you have. The sleeve stats really begin the last 3-5 years when it became common as a stand alone procedure.

I do feel pretty confident about the long term "safety" of the sleeve. It was used as you say. Also, it is a different procedure, but partial or full gastrectomy (stomach removal) has been done for cancer and ulcer treatment for decades and people live long lives after the procedure.

The lapband device is interesting because it was used outside of the USA before it was approved here. My surgery was done in Europe in March 2001, a few months before it was approved in the USA. They had a few years on us, and were already disclosing that it was a "tempory" device. Also, there were other band like devices - really, all sorts of weight loss surgeries were "experimented" with decades past. Every once in a while we get someone posting who is revising from some sort of "band" that is not the adjustable gastric band.

The sleeve has actually been around much longer than the lap band.

It used at least as far back as the 1970's as a first step for RNY candidates that were too heavy to safely receive the full surgery. It's been done abroad as a stand alone surgery for quite some time.

Unfortunately it is only recently that the U.S. has chosen to recognize it as a stand alone surgery.

If you research early RNY you'll find several patients that after the first step(the sleeve) was so successful, they opted to not go through with the rest of the procedure.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

It's just a matter of time until the band will be taken off the market. I heard on TV that the makers of the band are being sued for the erosion of the stomach that it causes.

I go to a local support group, and it's heartbreaking to hear of so many people who are still self paying for the band, only to have it slip.

I am so glad I had mine removed as soon as I started throwing up in my sleep, with no fill. I knew it had to be damaging my stomach.

[timetobefree 74]

I would STRONGLY caution against anyone getting the band. I too was very successful - in just over 2 years, I lost 198 lbs. I was diligent with everything, followed doctor's orders, exercised, blah blah blah.

But the success came either because I was hungry all the time (the band does nothing to control the sensation of hunger), or because I was teetering on too tight and just couldn't eat. I would randomly get too tight months and months after a fill. In fact, my last fill before getting completely unfilled due to a slip was 17 months prior. I wasn't fill happy, I wasn't trying to be too tight, it just happened as I lost weight.

While banded, I blogged with a LARGE group of banded folks (300+), and it is downright scary how many people are experiencing issues 2 and 3 years out. I'd say at least 40%, if not more. And now that I've had my band removed and found out how much damage it caused, I would REALLY caution against it. While I didn't want to permanently change my guts with sleeve or RNY, I basically did permanently change my guts by getting the band because of the scarring it caused.

I wouldn't necessarily try to talk someone out of it (I know someone who just got banded this week), but I am sharing my story as a caution to make sure they know ALL the facts.

[PJ_Sleeve 45]

Last night I really thought about my original reply and I think I have to be more honest with myself and with others.

How I really feel. I did feel hungry with the band all of the time. I also have to agree with TimetobeFree, " I was teetering on too tight and just couldn't eat. I would randomly get too tight months and months after a fill."

Maybe it is a denial thing for me. I don't know what the sleeve feels like yet. (I am getting sleeved on September 17th.) However, I can tell you this after I really reflected last night on why I decided on revisioning to the sleeve...I am tired of the issues that I have experienced with it. I am tired of people looking at me like I failed at the weight loss surgery. I am tired of knowing that I have this thing inside of me that is damaging me everyday. I am tired of feeling my port and being uncomfortable, if i slept the wrong way. I am tired of going in for fills and being poked a bunch of times because my port is not easy to find. I am tired of running back to the surgeon's office the next morning after a fill because I couldn't swallow my own saliva. I am tired of the band.

So, while I try not to steer anyone away from being banded, because this has to be a personal decision that is right for that person, for me...THE BAND IS THAT BAD!

Sorry for the delayed moment of clarity from my original post. I think the denial stage is over and I am just outright angry about what I have put myself through for the past 5 years. I am just hoping that live with the sleeve will be easier.

[CowgirlJane 14,261]

PJ, I think one of the powers of posting to these forums is the "Self discovery" as you write. I had no idea how complex my feelings about the band were until I was .... overwhelmed with fear and doubt about the decision to revise.

I spent about a year in complete turmoil. AT some point, I started posting here and another sleeve forum and began to understand those feelings. There were a couple of regular posters here who very much inspired me (Tiffikins among others) to realize that I didn't just fail with the band, the band failed me.

I lost 70# in the first year with the band. I exercised, I dieted, I suffered reflux that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. I suffered embarrasment of needing to throw up in the middle of a business lunch. I was hungry but couldn't eat. I felt horrible about myself even as I was losing weight. And you know what, I blamed myself for all that. Then, when I thought I would die from the reflux and had all the Fluid removed, that huge rebound in weight was further evidence that "I failed".

But, my new perspective is this - I did better losing weight on weight watchers with zero fill in the band then I EVER did following the "band" protocol. Fills were uncomfortable and miserable. It was stupid to have a device that I would hurl after one bite of salad so slider foods where the only thing that felt comfortable. I had horrid aftercare, nobody told me how to properly manage the reflux etc etc. I no longer feel embarrassed about my failure. If anything I am more pissed off about what i went through.

This experience really did influence me in choosing a surgeon and choosing how I am approaching the sleeve though. After care means the world to me because I didn't have it before and I need it (not saying everybody does, but i do) so I stayed in the USA and went to a local surgeon. I set aside any pride and go to a nutritionalist, even though i am already fairly self educated. She turned out to be an amazing cheerleader and resource for me - but I needed to be open to that. I can go on and on about what i am doing different this time, but bottom line, the sleeve is a better tool by a long shot and your ODDS of success are just much better with a heck of a lot less suffering. I hope i have learned from my mistakes too and just bring a different point of view to the table now.

[samomom 19]

You will get biased information here. Everyone of us had significant issues or we would still be banded.

My view - the band is absolutely terrible. It causes damage, scar tissue, reflux. Most/many people eventually have problems of some sort that requires Fluid to be removed or band removal. In my case, I often felt a strong desire to eat even though the pouch was full. I vomited more then I care to recall and it was often triggered by healthier foods like veggies and salads. Junk food, no problem.

It is said that only about 30% of the people are successful with it over the long term (ie more then 5 years out). I personally would be surprised to here it is that good. I was banded for 10 years and knew quite a few fellow bandsters from a decade ago. Only 2 are still banded and have remained trim. Like I said, the vast majority will need to have it unfilled (permanently) and like removed eventually.

It was a reasonable choice 10 years ago, since it was either it or the gastric bypass, but I have no idea why people are still getting it (unless there is a specific reason they cannot be sleeved). Many docs are shifting away from the band due to poor long term results.

Tell your friend to ask lots of questions about the 5-10 year + results.

The counter argument is that the sleeve doesn't have such a long track record - so taking a gamble. True, but with the band you KNOW the track record is very poor over the long run so in my mind it isn't so much a gamble as it is betting that your results will beat the known averages - seems to me an unwise bet.

You totally hit the nail on the head with everthing you posted. I feel the same way. The band is a temporary procedure. Don't let any doctor tell you different. There was a thread on the lapband forum where a man posted after my comment that his sister wored for Allergan, maker or Lapband, and he was privy to studies stating that it was meant to be left in for life. Bullsh!t. There is no way that they can prove that until they have 30-40 years of following patients. I read a NIH(National Institute of Health) report that was very negative about the long term success of banding.

I mistakenly allowed that piece of crap in my body and had it removed 4 1/2 weeks ago after about 19 months of hell. I can't ever suggest anyone do it. My husband had hernia surgery last week with my sleeve surgeon and in the recovery room was a patient of his who after 7 years had to have hers removed due to the port breaking off. I overheard him say that he had to send the whole band back to Allergan for research.

You can find success stories with the band, but my question is how long will they last. I am happy for those who have found happiness with the band, but the complications far outweigh the risks in my opinion. My bets are that banding of any type will slowly disappear over the next 5-10 years.

I will never look back on all the sliming, pain, misery and vomiting and have happy thoughts. Since the sleeve last month, I haven't had one issue with swallowing or feeling like I was going to throw up. I will never miss those fill/unfill games that I played, nor the ER visits for dehydration due to being too tight.

Lapband proceedures are cash cows (no pun intended) for doctors. They are making obscene amounts of money so of course they will continute to do them despite the longterm results.

[sleevetalker 3]

After three years on the band and 80 lbs I started to get bad reflux. That's why I had revision to vsg.

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