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.

I am African American as well. And I know where you're coming from. I think this is probably the best decision I've made (to get the band out). I have no other foreign objects/materials in my body now!

I think the blame is being misplaced here. I think the majority of the blame is with the doctors not properly informing their patients and patients (us) not taking the time to educate ourselves. I have an excellent doctor that I trust. He did both my band and sleeve surgeries. He was named one of the top 15 bariatric surgeons in the country by Newsweek and he told me in 2009 when I had my surgery that he could not tell me how long it would work for me. He said that the band was fairly new in terms of the fact that no one has had the opportunity to even determine if it could be a lifetime tool since it had not been on the market long enough. He said that there was nothing to say at 50 years old I would have to get it replaced.

I had tons of trouble with my band and made many trips to the ER because of it. Do I regret getting it? Nope. I made the choice based on the information I researched and what was given to me by my doctor. I knew my eating habits would change drastically, I knew there was a chance of it slipping, I knew it may not be forever, and I knew it may not work. I took the chance and lost close to 100 lbs. It saved my life. Did it eventually fail? Yes. Would I be where I am now without it? Nope.

I think as a country we are a little too sue happy. I took the risk of attaching a foreign object to my body, a body that is unique from everyone else's in this world. I knew that my band might not work like the person's next to me. I knew that it might not work the way I wanted it to at all. I was altering my digestive system with a plastic ring. I dunno. Call me crazy, but I have no regrets. I would do it all over again if it meant getting me to the place I am now.

I never got the band i have the sleeve but my surgeon group only really advertises the band. They tried to convince me that the band really had no side effects and every time I brought up a lot of the chronic issues i read about they just looked at me like I was crazy. They also sold the sleeve as more dangerous and the band as less drastic. The sleeve was never brought up as an option until I mentioned it. So yes there are surgery centers in 2014 that will sell you the "banddream". If i believed them and got the band I would def sue. But luckily with my experience with doctors I know to take everything they say with a grain of salt and do my own research. A lot of people expect Dr.s to be truthful tho and to have more info than them. Which is a realistic expectation.

I would certainly be interested in a class action lawsuit against the band company. I had mine removed on 8/25/2014 due to failure--I was extremely ill and could not eat nor drink anything... Keep me in the loop

I am not a person who believes in suing everyone all the time BUT I would join into a lawsuit against all lapband companies !! I know from my surgeon and he is a teaching professor at a university too that the companies totally misinformed them and used manipulated and incomplete studies to promote and advertise their bands to the surgeons.

So I feel like my surgeon informed me about the band as best as he could 10 years back.

And they (companies) still aggressively try to sell this thing that does more damage then any good.

I never got the band i have the sleeve but my surgeon group only really advertises the band. They tried to convince me that the band really had no side effects and every time I brought up a lot of the chronic issues i read about they just looked at me like I was crazy. They also sold the sleeve as more dangerous and the band as less drastic. The sleeve was never brought up as an option until I mentioned it. So yes there are surgery centers in 2014 that will sell you the "banddream". If i believed them and got the band I would def sue. But luckily with my experience with doctors I know to take everything they say with a grain of salt and do my own research. A lot of people expect Dr.s to be truthful tho and to have more info than them. Which is a realistic expectation.

Guess why that might be that some surgeons close an eye to the now known reality of the danger of the band ??? Because the band companies pay tons of money for a "better" sales-pitch through surgeons . Money can buy everything !!!

I have had 3 different types of bands Innamed original stiff 4cc band, J&J flexible 9 CC band, J&J flexible 9 cc band. (all in Canada)

I would join a class action lawsuit with all of the complications I had, I think some were the Drs and how they placed the band and some were the companies and the way they told Dr's to place the band and how to sell it.

It was sold to me as a permanent option not temporary.

I went through the following

Jan 02 band in innamed

March 02 band disconnect at this time it was an undocumented complication and unknown by the company (cost me two flights and a week of work to fix it)

Sept 02 band slipped (flight home to document)

Dec 02 Band fixed (flight home to fix)

May 03 band slipped (flight home to document the slip)

June 03 band out for 6 months (flight home to fix and 3 days off work)

Oct 03 J&J band in (flight home to put it in and a week off work)

Dec 03 Plastic surgery and my port moved because it was tilted so badly

all was good until (flight home for surgery)

June 05 port moved again (again flight home for surgery and 2 days off work)

August 2011 band slipped and replaced!! for the 3rd time with the J&J (flight home for surgery and a week off work)

Placed too high on the stomach to form a proper pouch so I did not get restriction.

Sept 2014 revised to sleeve

Some of the problems are the band, some of the problems are the Drs and some are the way the docs are trained. I would join in a class action because of the band, the promises the companies made and the way the docs are trained.

I would definetly enter into the lawsuit. My band actually broke...well the tubing did, not "misplacement of the band by the doctor" or "not eating/maintaining my band correctly" the damned tubing completly disconnected from the band and is currently (yes today) "poking" my diaphram/spleen...not a complication that is noted ANYWHERE in the literature. Also, apparently, not the emergency I believe it to be. I guess if I actually puncture my diaphram or spleen and get rushed into the ER, then I can get this thing out timely. I have been researching and I cant find any lawyers willing to take the band companies on, Alleron just redirects the lawsuits to the doctors who place/advertise the bands and they say its their faults...then you have to fight a malpractice lawsuit instead of injurious medical equipment lawsuit...If you find a lawer...I'm in!!!

I'm in! I had the band procedure in March of 13, and now, Nov. of 15, my band is filled to capacity, and not working. The surgeon doesn't know why, and only exploratory surgery will tell. I private paid for my procedure, and my insurance refuses to pay for the "complication". Since I don't have another $15 grand to throw after the last 15, I sit here with a band that doesn't work. I can eat anything I want, in any portion size. I'm back to basic dieting which has never worked for me, which is why I paid for the lap band. I'm pushing two years of frustration, hours of missed work and lost production, and thousands of dollars in office calls. Very frustrating!

I will glady put my name in the hat! I can't wait for the day that the Class Action Lawsuit commercial runs on tv about lap band. I will be calling that number as soon as I see it!

Sign me up too! Got the band 2013 scheduled for sleeve Dec 29 2015. I have been in the worst pain for the last year. I was also told, " it could stay in forever" thank god this isn't permanent! It has a mind of its own. I never know when the pain is coming. Totally messes all events and vacation up. I will be glad when it is out!

I went through hell with my band, and the worst part is that my surgeon seemed to be in denial. I mean, I don't want to assume that the lap band, like other products, pays them so that they will recommend the product. My husband was LIVID when after slippage, the doctor said that he would take it out but it could be back in in another 3 months!

I believe that contrary to the studies, the failure rate is much higher than what they indicate. And worst of all, the way that it cripples people who have had the lap band from being able to move on to another surgery is definitely a reason why they should be held accountable.

I am not the suing type, but it just really seems like they are not disclosing the whole story, and I am perplexed as to why this thing is still on the market.

I would be intrested as my current insurance says one weight loss surgery per lifetime even though they didn't pay for the first!!! So I have a screwed up divise in me that can't get tighted, has prolapsed and is slipping around and the port has turned almost sideways.

I would definitely be interested. I had the lapband back in 2003. I have had other surgeries due to slippage and to put in a new band. I just got it taken out on the 19th of December due to dilated esophagus in which they expected to get better when they took the saline back in February. I got the lapband done in Colorado where they have since closed the clinic. Which I don't understand since they had at least 900 patients. I was 281 down to 140 and now back to 220. My insurance denied a revision to the sleeve. I will be working with primary and surgeon who took it out to hopefully get a sleeve. Kinda stupid that got denies since I am headed to the same place I was before. I have invested so much time and money in the lapband. I live in New Mexico and the many trips to Colorado due to problems and other surgeries such as tummy tuck and arms done due to that insurance doesn't cover. I have paid out AT LEAST $40,000. out of pocket for me. I AM DEFINITELY INTERESTED. And still wondering about the Doctors where the clinic closed.

I'd join in too! My husband got the band I believe 2010-11 turned out the first was defective and had to be replaced about a year or so later. He now pukes almost every time he eats. He passed out twice. I am certain due to things getting stuck. First time he had taken meds and I found him passing out while on the toilet. He lost bowel control and had what looked like a seizure. He was pale,jerky movements, and his body was forcefully puking afterwards he was like zombie lethargic and weak When we called his doctor he said it was probably unrelated and a spell of some sort. Second time I had made grilled cheeses. Not the best choice but he had a bite stuck and did the whole pained puking slimming regurgitating thing. Then he got scared said he was going started yelling help as he again passed out, had what looked to me as a for real seizure foamed, jerked again puked. This time was insanely scary bc had I not been there he would have choked on his own vomit and died. I am certain of it. He again had lost bowel control and was zombified after. At this point we couldn't contact his dr. Bc they had moved. I looked up all this online and found a few cases explaining that blockages can cause esophageal spasms which can slow your heart rate down to the point of seizure and unconciousness. Anyone else go through this??? In addition he can't lay down most nights because he ends up regurgitating saliva and burping causing him to choke on his spit. We have to keep a cup next to the bed he can puke into. Half the nights he has to sleep sitting up due to it. He used to just wake up and puke except one night too much regurgitated saliva ended up in hia lungs and he got pneumonia.searched that online and once again it's happened to someone else. So he has finally agreed he's going to get it removed this year.his dr. Is a nice guy and dosent ever seem to agree with our argumeets but it's no longer up for discussion. Would love to hear if anyone had similar complications. How the heck is this a safe option anymore. Oh fyi allergan is his band.

I never had seizures but the reflux and stuck episodes are familiar to me.

I hope his surgeon removed fill as step 1. Also don't eat before bed, take an antacid, elevate the head of the bed. Also if food get stuck ...let it rest for the day ... don't try eating again even if you are hungry.

I had the same symptoms minus the seizures. I just had my band removed. I was also looking into a class action lawsuit so let me know if it goes anywhere on your end.