Eight years of absolute misery. lapband finally removed.

[buzzp 1]

Most of you won't like this, but imho, the lapband ought to be outlawed.

My surgery was done in Denver, in 2006.

From surgery time, I had to sleep sitting up. I took daily antacids to keep the

burning down. Eventually, I lived on tums, more than 10 a day sometimes.

I had an upper G.I. in 09. Docs don't see anything unusual, except for a

small antacid pill stuck in the band area. All meds then had to be crushed (yuck) or

liquid (expensive or nonexistant).

My lapband doc retired a few years after I had it put in. The doc office is

8 hours away from me, so it was very difficult to just go see the old or the new

doc.

Fills started at $15 each. The doc did them first. Later, an assistant took that over.

I had trouble with it due to air in the thing, and living at altitude. Don't let them tell you

it makes no difference. It DOES.

I could not find a doc in my own STATE, let alone town. And any new docs wanted $500+

just for the first appointment.

Fills went to $150 each. yes, a 10x increase.

More and more problems. Vomiting, pain, odd pains going up my neck, - I had all the fill removed

and it did not help, and I started putting on weight...

I had a barium swallow, everything looks "ok".

Well, it was NOT ok.

Most doctors know next to nothing about this device. They look at Xrays and tests

and say it looks ok to them.

When I finally got to my lapband doc, he found it was twisted, even though other docs said it

"looked fine to them". I had it removed in May of 2014, and I had immediate relief. I cound

finally sleep again!

BUT .. the body went berserk. From May to Oct, 25 pounds on.

Yes, I had lost 40 the first 2 years, but it crept back up over the rest of the time.

Now I'm back over my install surgery date weight.

I have been told that the permanent surgery is a better idea. But at this point,

I'm scared to death to look into it. I'm in my 50s now, and not in the great shape I used to

be in. But I'm SICK of being fat. Our family genetics have myself and my sisters all being

fat. Especially in older age.

I know people will go ahead with the lapband, no matter what. No one wants to hear the

bad part of it, but don't do it.

Studies show that after 5 years, the lapband is useless anyway. That is what I'm told.

So there it my story. Take it or leave it.

(yes, I am a woman)

[labwalker 1,177]

Folks who don't live near an office for their follow care should never have a lap band. That's my opinion.... I've read too many similar horror stories, and most of them have the same theme.

Lap bands do not work on autopilot.

[Jack 855]

Good to hear you've managed to find a way to solve your problem.

If my own Band office were 8 hours away, it would be more trouble than it is now at 5+ round trip plus whatever in-office time there is.

And yes, the fill-charges have gone up tremendously.

However, in my own case, 10 years postOp, I'm in better shape now than I was preOp. If fact, it is very likely I would have died from one of my own co-morbidities if my health hadn't improved from the effects of the Band.

Sorry you had such troubles. I'm not going to rush out and have mine removed just yet though. The worst day I've had postOp is still better than the best day I had in the 5 years preOp.

Good luck.

[B-52 7,113]

I go day to day and don't even notice or think about the band all that much....

The lifestyle I now live, was brought about by the band. But has now become a normal for me....

No side effects or problems. All that was in the first year. And that was because I had to adjust and change to get along with what the band was doing....

After that...it all settled down, myself especially, and it all became harmonious. Never better.

I'm sorry that everyday was nothing but trouble for you...it is not the first time I had heard people say they and the band never could got along...

But when I do read posts like these, I feel I have to chime in and simply say, that there are people, like myself, who do complete the journey and get along just fine day to day...like someone previously said, it's like being on auto-pilot....

Edited October 31, 2014 by B-52

[parisshel 1,892]

I'm sorry you have only troubles with your lapband.

It really stresses the importance of deeply researching one's WLS choice, as well as deeply researching one's WLS surgeon. So much of a succesful band is in the placement and expertise of the surgeon. As you said, many surgeons may not know or have a vast experience with the lapband and optimal placement. If it is not placed correctly, if it is placed too low or too high or not at the correct angle, this will affect one's health (and weight loss).

If I had had no choice but to go to a surgeon whose expertise I could not confirm, I would have not chosen to have WLS. I do this with all my doctors--be it an eye doctor, a dentist or a physical therapist.

That said, in looking at your losses in your signature, you lost well and seemed to have lost rapidly. So something was working at some point!

I must take issue with your statement that the band stops working after five years. That doesn't make sense. It doesn't have an expiration date. Most of the magic a band does is actually done by the banded person, complying with the band rules. Keep on respecting the band rules, and a band is for life (with the exception of a mechanical failure.) I do not expect to wake up on March 20th, 2018 and suddenly have a need to have the band removed.

[Lapbandster 496]

The bright side is that you had immediate relief after surgery! That does not seem to always be the case.

And yes, why fills are $150 is beyond my comprehension. Really does seem excessive