I was banded 8/05 and I still regret the day it was done. I have been miserable the entire time. I wanted this to work, but for me, it hasn't. I lost about 60 lbs and haved gained about 10 lbs back. I can't stand to have a fill because it causes me so much agony. I have to have my fill drained. I vomit continuously from eating broth and Jello and I don't think this is right. I think that I may just be a person that is not a good candidate. I understand that this is a life altering thing, but I eat more junk now than before because I can't get the good stuff to go down. I'm tired of hurting.

I am happy for all of the success stories, but it makes me sad that my entire experience with the band has been horrible. I don't think that it is right to have to hurt everytime you try to eat something or have to run to the restroom to vomit after every bite. This is not healthy!! Also, I'm not particularly in love with my doctor because he tries to make me feel like I am the enemy instead of trying to understand why I feel the way I do. I have had the fluoroscope twice, but nothing really shows up. Regardless of what they say, I think something is wrong. I am waiting now to get approval from my insurance company. They paid 100% to have it done and now I hope they will do the same to have the reversal. I have been successful in the past with weight loss. After this reversal, I am looking forward to doing what I should have done at first - exercise, drink water and three healthy squares a day. If anyone else feels this way, please respond!

Unfortunately not everyone can tolerate the band so don't feel like you're a failure. Are you being converted to another type of weight loss surgery?

Dr. C

Cincinnati, Ohio

www.TheBandDoctor.com 877.442.BAND

DISCLAIMER: I am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

I was banded 8/05 and I still regret the day it was done. I have been miserable the entire time. I wanted this to work, but for me, it hasn't. I lost about 60 lbs and haved gained about 10 lbs back. I can't stand to have a fill because it causes me so much agony. I have to have my fill drained. I vomit continuously from eating broth and Jello and I don't think this is right. I think that I may just be a person that is not a good candidate. I understand that this is a life altering thing, but I eat more junk now than before because I can't get the good stuff to go down. I'm tired of hurting.

I am happy for all of the success stories, but it makes me sad that my entire experience with the band has been horrible. I don't think that it is right to have to hurt everytime you try to eat something or have to run to the restroom to vomit after every bite. This is not healthy!! Also, I'm not particularly in love with my doctor because he tries to make me feel like I am the enemy instead of trying to understand why I feel the way I do. I have had the fluoroscope twice, but nothing really shows up. Regardless of what they say, I think something is wrong. I am waiting now to get approval from my insurance company. They paid 100% to have it done and now I hope they will do the same to have the reversal. I have been successful in the past with weight loss. After this reversal, I am looking forward to doing what I should have done at first - exercise, drink water and three healthy squares a day. If anyone else feels this way, please respond!

Googoo, one of the beautiful things about the band IS that it's removable if for whatever reason it's not working out. You have to do what's right for you, and I hope your insurance company sees that and makes it possible for you to have this corrected.

Good luck with your surgery and I hope you return to full health and comfort soon!

No way would I ever convert to any other type of weight loss surgery. I plan on exercising and eating right. I believe this is the right kind of pain. Maybe if I had been told this in the beginning, I would not have proceeded with this operation. My doctor never once mentioned anything about pain when you eat. I know that a lot of the process is psychological. Boy was I in for a rude, rude awakening! Thanks for your post Dr C. I wish you were my doc.

Thanks Alexandra, for your words of encouragement. I hope that I can put this all behind me soon. I am looking forward to eating the right foods and the right combinations. I think this lapband has taught me a valuable lesson -- that I can do lose weight and get healthy the natural way - without the pain that I have endured from the surgery.

My doctor never once mentioned anything about pain when you eat.

That's likely becauase pain when you eat is a rare situation. Most bandsters don't have this problem (I don't). It sounds like it wasn't a good choice for your system and unfortunately there was no way to know that ahead of time.

I wish you the best of luck! Hope you get to feeling "right" soon.

googoo, was anything ever done to see if your band was placed correctly?

GooGoo I am so sorry about your band experience. I agree it probably was not a fit for you and your system. It is bad that this cannot be detected in advance. And I wish your Dr. was more supportive so this experience could be easier. Be encouraged and know that you can sustain your weight loss. The band was just a tool it was you who lost the weight and you can do it again. I wish a healthy painfree future!

God Bless :-)

I know EXACTLY what you are talking about!!!! I was banded Dec05 and right now have no fill in because when I do get just a tiny fill, I get first bit pain...no matter how small the bite or how much I chew....it's HORRIBLE if you have never experienced it. I also feel like a failure and keep asking everyone what I have done wrong???? My original surgion said that my problems indicate that I am just not a band candidate and pushed to do a gastric bypass. I have switched surgeons and he feels that he can go in and readjust the band making a larger pouch and doing a vagautomy (sp?) and he feel that will "fix" my problems. I am currenly trying to figure which is best...to try the band again or just do the gb....hard decisions to make but I know that if I was unable to do this on my own at 40 yrs old...for me, chances are that I will not be able to loose without some type of assistance. Just wanted you to know that you were not alone!

Good luck!