Hi all,

I've been lurking for a while and wanted to finally de-lurk and ask for some help.

I've been banded nearly 3 years and have lost 25-35 kg /55-77 lbs(depends on several factors!). My surgeon wanted me to lose at least 50kg /110 lbs (ie, 2/3rds of my excess weight), so I am a way off.

The problem is that I've had some quite ghastly psychological problems which I think are related to the band. Facing a few situations over the last 18 months and not having food to fall back on resulted in me having a horrible depressive episode/nervous breakdown late in 2005. I've spent all of 2006 seeing a psychologist and my doctor regularly and I finally feel like I'm back on track.

And now I think I really want my band removed. I feel deprived, short-changed and generally annoyed. I haven't brought this up with my dr or psychologist yet (it's Summer here in Australia, everyone's on holiday, including me!) but I wanted to seek opinions from people who've been there done that.

I guess my biggest question is - if I get the band removed, can I revert to eating anything easily? Does the band area have scarring that essentially means I'll have restriction anyway?

It's not like I want to eat everything in sight. I want to have a salad sandwich for lunch, be able to have dinner with friends and not have to worry when nothing on the menu looks band-friendly, etc. And we all know that the junk slides down really easily!

I've written a heap here and it's only the tip of the iceberg, really, but I won't bore you all with that! I'm also going to be away from computer access for a few days (how will I survive??) so if you are kind enough to respond, please don't feel I'm ignoring you.

I look forward to any insights you have!

marrakesh.

Hi everyone,

Thanks again for the encouraging posts (and the nifty info about Sharon Osbourne!). I just came from an appointment with a surgeon (not the one who did my band, but another guy in the same practice). He was supportive of whatever I choose to do, but he did encourage me to keep the band and have a good think. I got him to take out the fill I had (about 1.5 cc) and I'm going to have a barium swallow test next week to rule out any physical problem with the band. I've just had dinner and it didn't exactly slide down so I think I have some restriction even with no fill.

I'm going to see him again in 3 weeks, and meanwhile have the barium test, see my doc and psych, and do some thinking. I guess that seeing as I have the band, it would be better to work with it rather than go all out to remove it... I dunno.

Anyway, thanks again and I'll try to post (and read!) more often.

Marrakesh,

Good luck to you on your path whatever you decide. I am glad you got the unfill so that you have some sense of less restriction while you are thinking.

Keep us all informed...

Ten year life span? The band is not a breast implant. Who ever posted this is getting there prosthetics confused. Sharon Osborne is having the band removed because she is bulemic. So I'm sure she has created a lot of problems because of this. You may have major psycholgical issues which I'm sure you are aware of. As far as your medical problems when they are eventually resolved you can truly enjoy the benefits of the band. Please use all the professional resources that are available to you. Good luck to you.

I have asked everyone surgeon in the world and even called the Bariatric Surgery Board. The band is intended to stay in forever unless you develop some complications.

One of the surgeons that I contacted regarding the surgery has advised that the band is intended to come out after ten years and that surgery would cost about $2000 less than the original surgery! I am encouraged by the last post though. Can anyone else confirm this?

Inamed is pretty clear about this. It is intended to be forever.

Sunseeker, can you tell me which surgeon told you that?

Has anyone here heard of the BIB balloon? I had my band removed and

cannot affor to go the band route agian, but just heard of the BIB Balloon and was wondering if anyone has heard anything about it being good or bad, works or not? Thanks, I appreciate the input!

I'm familiar with it. Usually they only use it when someone is malignantly obese and they use it to get their weight down to a reasonable number so they CAN do surgery. As soon as it is removed the person gains weight back. I can't remember exact numbers but I think they have to be replaced every six months or so.

There are other complications such as leaks and then it goes through your GI system.

Honestly, it's not a very good option.

What about VSG?

My surgeon said there is no reason to ever have my band removed, that as long as I want it, it is there for life.

My surgeon was a bit more conservative about life span of the band, he said that although it should be for life, it is an unknown quantity, and may need replacing somewhere down the line.

Tanya xx

I would like to meet the person who has had it for 10+ years!

If I returned to my pre-Band eating habits I would die. Period. Literally.

As it is, I'm quite satisfied trading those oink-fests and pasta-creamJumbocrispy~doubleglazedchocoChip~extrasauce&morecheese bag o'burgerheart~killers for these:

1) NO insulin shots!

2) Markedly less medications;

3) No CPAP;

4) No continuing bleeding retinas;

5) No high BP;

6) Being able to wear clothing that doesn't start with 'XXXX';

7) Becoming a 'non-invisible' person that clerks in stores will now deign to offer help;

8) Not being the largest person in the room every where I go;

9) Not being at the '84 times more likely to die' due to multiple co-morbidities all resulting from stuffing my face as a full-time hobby;

10) Entertaining notions I may even be capable of driving myself across the country to visit my grandchildren without a chaperone to ship my carcass back should I fall over in a lather at the VIP line at Bubba's Stuff It Shack;

When I get the munchies for my old favorite gutbombs, I go slip into the size 58 sweat shorts I saved for such an occassion....and somehow my fascination with greasePie with fudgeDelightsauce somehow slips away....

And those instances grow ever less frequent as I accumulate ever more reasons that demonstrate 'Life as a Normo' is a whole lot easier and a whole lot more fun, than as a BMI 47.5.......

good luck to us all on the Journey....

AMEN JACK!!!!!!!!!!!

I was just banded 3/07. I don't know what caught my eye to read this thread. It is very disheartening. Thank you Jack for putting me back to the correct frame of mind. I am just starting my journey to what I hope is better health. It took me a long time to make this decision and I feel it was a good one and a safe one. I needed a "tool" to help me with long term weightloss, I think I found it. I hope I am as successful as you. When I get down I am going to come back and read your post! Thanks again.

We must have been banded at the same time pretty much. I've had my Band for almost 6 years. I got it unfilled after 18 months due to pregnancy. In many ways, that was wonderful. I could EAT again. I didn't feel like I was starving myself. I didn't have to worry about PBing... things getting stuck...etc. (Well, pretty much... things still get stuck but it's rare... 3-4/x year.) Through two pregnancies, I maintained most of my weight loss, so that was great. I think the unfill is one of the great aspects of the Band. You can take a break. You can't do that with any other surgery.

As for Sharon Osbourne and the life of the Band... you don't know which Band she has. She's had her Band for 10 years.. so 1996-1997. I think the only Band in use back then was the Obtech Swedish Band. If Inamed had a Band out, it was a very early version. I don't think the Mid-Band was out either. So while the Lap-Band's lifespan may be unlimited, we really don't know about the Band that Sharon had.

I guess my biggest question is - if I get the band removed, can I revert to eating anything easily? Does the band area have scarring that essentially means I'll have restriction anyway?

I can only speak for myself. I had my band removed due to erosion on November 28 2005 after having it for 18 months and losing 104 lbs. You may have initial restriction after the band is removed due to scar tissue I did for a week or so, I think it was just from the sweliing of surgery. You will be able to eat anything and everything you want with no restriction.. I know I live it daily. I struggle, I battle this demon daily but proud to say I am winning this battle and beating the demon. It can be done but in my opinion it is definately a head thing. If you are not right in your head, not band, no diet, no bypass will work long term PERIOD! I am finally right in myhead after a 40 yr long fight. Since Nov 28 2005 I have gained 6-8 lbs. To me that is normal for any woman given any time of the month. If you are being true to yourself about finally understandig why you ate and the way you ate then maybe you will be successful in maintaining your weight loss like I have. You are the only one who can do it...band or no band. Just because we had the band we still had to do some of the work, the band did not do it all. Best of luck you on whatever you decide.