I met a woman today who told me she got banded 16 years ago. She has a non adjustable band, no port or anything. She lost 130 pounds and kept it off until a few years ago when she had a bad car accident and badly damaged both knees. She's currently recovering from her second knee replacement. She's heavy but not morbidly obese. She attributes her weight gain to lack of exercise due to her knees and her love of chocolate. She still pb's when she's not careful.

I didnt know that the band has been around that long. Did she say where she got the band? Thats amazing!

Thanks for sharing. Its nice to hear of someone being banded that long.

And did she say what planet she was from?

The Lap Band by Inamed hasn't been around that long, but I have heard of the old non-adjustable one. I haven't heard of one that's 16 years old, though! Cool!

I don't know if it the same woman or not, but I met a woman in September at the Richardson surgery center who had her band for a similar period of time. She had her surgery in France in 1991 and her band was non-adjustable and had no port.

She was at the surgery center with a friend who was having lapband surgery that day.

Sounds like the VBG (vertical banded gastrectomy?). That surgery had a lot of regain.

My surgeon said they were doing them in Sweden I believe in 1985 if I'm not mistaken.

Well that cool to hear. Isn't that band what they used when they stapled stomachs?

We are so lucky to have the modern band!

Lisa what is Fat Flush Liver Deter?

Sounds like the VBG (vertical banded gastrectomy?). That surgery had a lot of regain.

Exactly - anyone who was banded 16 years ago has nothing like our band. People often tell us 'Oh I had that same band surgery 20 years ago" - but it's a common mistake on their part.

The non-adjustable band isn't new or unique.

It's an older surgery, older procedure - and they are many of them around. Nor were they done Laproscopically very often back then. So the current LapBand (which has improved in technology & technique, since I got my LapBand 5 1/2 yrs ago) is light-years away from the non-adjustable one, which has significant complications & regain.

Like all technology, things improve - ten years from now maybe there will be something newer and hipper than the LapBand. For now, I'm keeping my fingers crossed....

I didn't say she had a lap band, just that she was banded, as it wasn't done laparoscopically back then. However she does indeed have a horizontal placement like the newer bands and her band rules (and problems) are the same. She underwent fluoroscopy a few months ago, while having reflux problems, and said she was pleased to see that it is still in it's proper place.

She had the procedure done in Vancouver.

I find it encouraging that the early version is still working for some people. She said that her life would be very different without it.

Devana -

Awesome story. Thanks for sharing. And yes, it is amazing that she was banded 16 years ago and that antiquated technology (smile) is still working for her.

Nathalie

I didnt know that the band has been around that long. Did she say where she got the band? Thats amazing!

It's probably the Vertical Banded Gastroplasty (VBG) -- part surgery; part band; no port. And, it's still being done: http://www.drchampion.com/vbg.php