If there was to be a Class Action lawsuit against lap band and related companies, would you join it? My surgeon really believes its going to be yanked off for the market because as a medical device its failure rate is extremly high with high rate of complications that are way outside the margin of accepted standards for the FDA. I'm not sure I would though. I'm not the suing type.

With the hell that I went through?! You betcha! Where can I sign up?!?!

I'm sure its only a matter of time. The vag mesh commericials only had a 20% failure rate. The band is much much higher than that. Add to that all the misinformation these fly by night clinics give you. We will wait and see....

my US fill Dr had told me back in February of this year that the lapband has a 50% success rate for people who lose HALF of what they want to lose before it fails.

Sign me up as well.

I have spent a small fortune on the lapband, fills, unfills, upper GIs, fluoroscopies and finally removal. I could have paid for the sleeve 4x

No doubt about the high residual costs in maintaining a band. What most people don't realize is that the band was never designed to be permanent. Yep you heard me right. Were you told this? Me neither. Such a high failure rate. Imagine the backlash if pace makers failed at the same rate???????

preach I was almost put In the nursing home I had this wound had nurses come out to my HOUSE five days a week 2xs a Day for two month I was On a wound vac the lap Band had me in a great depression stage

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I was mess up it had sat up all type of infection In my body

I would join. I had 8 miserable years with Pandora (my band). She was named that because I never knew what I would be able to eat or not.

No. I knew I was taking a chance just as with any surgery, there are NO guarantees, I took a risk and I feel both my doctor and Allergan had informed me to the best of their knowledge what could possibly happen as a result of my decision at that time. We know a lot more now than we did six years ago obviously but how can they be responsible for information that developed over the years since lap band had been initially implemented?

I was not informed. Infact I was grossly misled to believe that this device stayed in forever. Also they are responsible for device failure just like the tobacco industry and smoking. Add to it the complete deserting by this fly by night surgery center after my operation.

I'm sorry you were misinformed Nursebarbie, however when the band first came out, it WAS believed that it should and would stay in forever, the fact that that may no longer be the case is new information that has come from studies now available because obviously with time comes knowledge and more experience. As for tobacco industries, I would hope to God you are not suggesting that they should be held responsible for the health effects of someone making a CHOICE to use their products, and since this is a weight loss surgery forum, I will stick to the topic.

We will have to choose to agree to disagree. You might also not ever sue any one who rear ends you on the freeway either because of course, you did understand that an accident may occur while operating a car before you got in.

I also just pulled out my consents for the lap band and no where does it describe anything other than the standard post op disclaimers. But anyhow, there is no argument. Just don't participate if there is a lawsuit. Simple. It was just a poll asking opinions. Frankly your two posts sound like someone who works for one of these lap band companies. For me, I hate the band, its coming out, and I'm getting the sleeve. I have no intention of sueing anyone but as a nurse I know there are plenty of medical devices that do cause harm and companies are found at fault. Vaginal mesh has a 15% failure rate. That was enough for a recall and successful class action lawsuits. With the high failure rate and subsequent complications I can only imagine what's going to have next.

Yes agree to disagree. And no worries I won't be suing anyone who rear ends me or anyone who produces hot coffee which I spill on myself, or any store who fails to clean their ice covered side walk, or even anyone who exercises their right to free speech even if it offends me. Again I'm sorry you were misinformed but perhaps that fault is with your surgeon and their staff or perhaps again maybe they did not have the information themselves to pass on to you. And no, i am not an allergan employee, im just a lap band patient who takes full responsiblilty for my choices and did so knowing there were no guarantees and as with anything in life the possibility for complications. I realize you were simply asking for opinions and I'm sorry you did not like mine. Best of luck to you.

I asked the questions about long term results, and my surgeon (one of the major docs on the FDA trial studies) stated that it had been in use in Europe for a long time, and it was permanent. He went over the possible complications, but also reassured me they were very rare, and the longer out the lower the complication rate. Now I'm seeing more and more people that are 5+ years out and having serious issues. I was also not told that having an empty band (several surgeries in a 2 year period) could lead to more severe slippage. Since I tend to get the dry-heaves from pain meds and being put under.

I use to love my band and probably still do. But I have gone through a lot with it. I suppose we failed each other, but it failed me first. I only lost 45 lbs in 4 years and I really tried. After all of the pain,stomach bloat, and reflux that was horrible I went through....sign me up too. I cried all the way home from the Dr. yesterday because it's not working any more and I've known that for a while now, but just to hear it again and the fact that my insurance may not cover the sleeve but will cover the bypass really saddened me.