Sharon Osbourne is telling everyone that you can't have your band more than ten years - eventually it has to come out. Has anyone heard this? And if so, does that mean you have to have it replaced every ten years, or that it has to be completely removed? I'm going to ask my doc when I see him on Wed, but I'm curious to know if other people's doctors have said anything about this.

If it is true, I think I'd more likely to convert to a bypass when the time comes to remove the band, rather than have the surgery every ten years for the rest of my life!

There seems to be some debate about this, and the band's website doesn't say, but I don't think the 10 year thing is valid.

From what I've read, the band is made out of the same materials they use for replacement joints, and I know people who have had their hips or knees for more then 10 years. Yes, they do sometimes wear out, but the band doesn't get the stress and wear a joint would.

Let us know what your doctor has to say.

This is from Inamed's website:

Is there a chance the device will need to be removed?

The LAP-BAND® System is a long-term implant, but it may have to be removed or replaced at any time. For instance, the device may need to be removed to manage any adverse reactions you might have. The device may also need to be removed, repositioned or replaced if you arent losing as much weight as you and your doctor feel you should be losing.

http://www.lapband.com/lapband/riskinformation.do

and this:

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 502px; HEIGHT: 126px"><TBODY><TR><TD class=content-bold>Can the band be removed? </TD></TR><TR><TD class=content>Although the LAP-BAND® System is not meant to be removed, it can be. Surgeons report that the stomach generally returns to its original shape once the band is removed. After the removal, though, you may soon go back up to your original weight. You may also gain more.

http://www.lapband.com/lapband/lapbandfaqs.do

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Sounds to me like this is intended to be a permanent device. I don't know what the deal is with Sharon Osbourne.

My doctor said it was for life.

My doc told me that I would have it forever.....barring complications of course.

Considering other factors in Ms. Osborne's hectic lifestyle, I'm not sure how much confidence I would place in any particular statement she may make relating to health care....

I tend to agree. I think she's using that as an excuse to have it taken out.

*snort*. ah, yes, consider the source.

It is supposed to be for life. However, I havent ruled out the fact that I may be having replacement surgery at some time down the track. There's not enough data to know. Plenty of people around in Australia though who have had theirs for periods of time approaching ten years.

Because it doesnt reroute your insides, if the band itself "wears out" then they'd just be able to replace it.

My doc told me that I would have it forever.....barring complications of course.

Mine said the same.

He said the band will outlive me. What it is made out of will last for years and years and unlike replacement joints, it isn't subjected to repetive stress/motion.

It's intended to last forever.

I think a lot of folks who have it taken out (recently) were the ones (like Osbourne) who had it done early before they got a lot smarter about 1) how to place it and 2) how to secure it. I think a lot of early adopters got erosion which led to it being taken out. Now they are smarter about how they stitch it in place.

So it's a crazy and wrong misconception that it has to come out after ten years. Ms. Osbourne is doing a grave disservice to the lap band industry, IMHO.

Sharon Osbourne is telling everyone that you can't have your band more than ten years - eventually it has to come out. Has anyone heard this? And if so, does that mean you have to have it replaced every ten years, or that it has to be completely removed? I'm going to ask my doc when I see him on Wed, but I'm curious to know if other people's doctors have said anything about this.

If it is true, I think I'd more likely to convert to a bypass when the time comes to remove the band, rather than have the surgery every ten years for the rest of my life!

The Dietition I saw in the hsopital mumbled something about it having a 7 year life span. I'm seeing my dr (surgeon) today, for my first follow up appointment since surgery 6 weeks ago.I will ask him. Hopefully I will get my first fill/restriction also. I'm struggling a bit this last week with being hungry. I guess everything has a life span I certainly would not want to have the surgery every 10 years. Mind you in 10 years, they will have something new and wonderful I am sure. Another question is? Will the Health Insurances pay for a removal & or replacement? Especially if we have our weight down. I'll ask these questions today at my appointment. Wish me luck

Didn't she have gastric bypass? Plus she had colon cancer, so I'm sure that would be an issue at some point.

I haven't been my goal weight since I was in my 20's (45 now) and it's taken that long to get to this weight. So if I have to have it removed in 10 years and gain it all back in 20+ more, then I'll be happy with that

Sorry guys. If I was firing on all four cylinders today, it would've occurred to me that Sharon Osbourne is a less than reliable source. I think she's full of hooey anyway. She said she's having it taken out because she wants to eat more and because she wants to work on her issues through therapy rather than medical intervention. I'm skeptical about that, but hey, more power to her.

On the creepy/morbid side of things, I'm glad the band will last. I am addicted to all of those true life forensics shows on A&E and court TV. It's nice to know that if anyone ever did something heinous to me and dumped my body somewhere, the investigators would find the band and have a pretty easy time figuring out who I am.

Okay, I just re-read that, and it does sound waaaaay creepy. LOL I should start watching some other channels. Nickelodeon maybe.

On the creepy/morbid side of things, I'm glad the band will last. I am addicted to all of those true life forensics shows on A&E and court TV. It's nice to know that if anyone ever did something heinous to me and dumped my body somewhere, the investigators would find the band and have a pretty easy time figuring out who I am.

Okay, I just re-read that, and it does sound waaaaay creepy. LOL I should start watching some other channels. Nickelodeon maybe.

LOL - and my first thought on reading that was "Cool - I wonder if they can track us by a serial number on the band?" :faint: :heh:

I was told it was a commitment for life- barring some unforseen situation....As far as sharon osborne goes, I "heard" that she has battle bulimia for years and therefore she has messed up her band and needs to have it removed.

i think one of the scary things about the band is the fact that nobody really has a concrete idea of how long it will last. it's not like it's been around for 50years... but i'm willing to take that risk. the alternative is far too unpleasant!

On the creepy/morbid side of things, I'm glad the band will last.

LOL, I wasn't going to say it but....my very morbid surgeon said that with the popularity of the band, one day archiologists will dig up our remains someday and find all these silicone bands as they will last for a VERY long time....

I got a kick out of some guy digging along and finding a bunch of little white bands. It makes me giggle. Then makes me wonder about myself.....

hee!

Uhm... do you think the people 10,000 years from now will think we are weird-o's for wearing a band around our tummy? They will probably think it is like the tribes wearing plates in their lips... some trendy decoration or something. I can see it now.

"Yes, in the North American culture it was obviously considered desireable to wear such adornments as a plastic inflateable ring around the top portion of the stomach. Although how one would display this jewelry has not yet been discovered."

I read that the band would probably have a life span like breast implants. So I figure once I get skinny and get breast implants, I will just need replacement parts every 10 years or 30,000 miles... Like a car. It is a better alternative to dying in 10 years from co-morbidities.