I am about to get my lapband removed after 12 years and I'm worried about the amount of scar tissue, etc. What has been the experience of people getting the band out after ten or more years?

Hi - I just had my band removed on Tuesday after 10 years. It's been a difficult week. There weren't any issues with scar tissue.

After almost 12 years of being banded, 3 weeks ago I had my lap band removed and I'm still having issues. During surgery the Dr accidentally nicked my spleen and had trouble getting it to clot. . I now have pain in my left shoulder and neck and can find nothing that relieves it. I feel nauseated often. When I talk I have to struggle to speak. My throat doesn't hurt and I can swallow but I have to really push the air out to talk. I called the surgeon and his answer was shoulder could be gas still from surgery and he didn't have an answer about the voice. I go back in a couple days for a post op exam. After seeing some comments here in really wondering if it's from my vagus nerve. I plan on bringing this up at my next appointment. Not sure how he will respond since he seems to be a little arrogant. He's not my regular Dr. If I feel he's not listening to me I will demand to see my regular Dr. I want some answers. This is frustrating after 3 weeks I should feel better then this and able to go back to work.

I forgot to add that there was a lot of scar tissue which made it more difficult to remove. An hour surgery turned into four hours.

@banded2004 hello, I just found this post. I have had my band for almost 14 years. I am looking to convert to a sleeve and I am terrified that I have had my band this long. Just wanted to check in and see how your removal had gone.

I've had my band 8yrs and just got approved for sleeve revision today. Is there anything I should look out for? Looking to get it done in early August.

RIP Lap Band 8/14/09 - 10/31/14

I miss my friend and constant reminder that I have cured my high blood pressure, sleep apnea and I was an insulin taking diabetic who was in control of my diabetes with diet alone. I am a nurse who got hurt at work. When I found out that my injury ended my nursing career, I had a nervous break down I vomited projectile for days and fainted from 3 panic attacks a day. The vomiting made my band eat into my cardia and it was like being knifed . Hospital stay of 10 days and almost lost my life for bleeding. I was left with an open wound and two JP drains the opening never closed I was left like tat for 3 months then in Dec I had another emergency surgery to remove what was left in. A piece of mesh the my first doctor put over the port that was not detected. I had asked the place that put in my lap band to give me their surgery noted and they never sent them. If they had I would not have had the surgery for the infected port area. I was left with 2 open wounds that had to be closed from the inside out it took 2 months and I look like I have been mutilated. What a horrible experience!!! I had no complications up to this point. As far as immune disorders i don't have any. I just want everyone out there to get their surgery notes and keep them in case of an emergency. I wouldn't want anyone to go through what I did!!! The place that put my band in was in Beverly

Hills and I thought they had the most experience. Boy was I wrong!!! They were a Lap Band Mill!!! Now I can never have another!!! I am looking into the sleeve I have gained over half my weight back, on a Low gluten, Paleo diet. It's like I never had my wonderful bandie. I have tried everything!!! I keep packing on the weight and I'm not over eating!!! Want to get the sleeve soon cause my diabetes is back and so is my high blood pressure. I am a nurse metabolically my body just can lose it got used to eating with my band small amounts more frequently. Even though I do that now I still am putting on the pounds. I don't really understand why??? Is anyone else having this problem, after getting de banded???

When I got my band removed I had the shoulder pain. The doctor is telling you the truth. As far as the voice stuff if you were in surgery for 4 hours the it could be from being inter bated during surgery. Hang in there, and get rid of the arrogant doctor!!! They never listen!!!

Please... everyone out there that is getting a removal or a revision to sleeve!!! Make sure you get all surgery notes from your original lap band surgery doctor. Read them and give them to the doctor removing your band. Different doctors do different things. A piece of mesh was left in my port area and I got a horrible infection!!! Some doctors do that, if the skin where the port is, is thin, then they put it in for stability. Get your notes, look for this, and make sure your surgeon knows!!! The Mesh melds into you skin and it is hard to detect if it is there!!!

Edited July 22, 201511 yr by mindunlmtd@gmail.com

My band is working great in terms of weight loss.

I have almost constant mild reflux and the incidence of gushing big amounts of phlegm has increased (perhaps I am eating too fast). I am concerned about the effect of the reflux.

I have lost over 110 pounds, have about 50 to go. I am considering asking my surgeon to remove the band next year and going for a gastric sleeve. He offered to do this some time ago when we had problems getting the band in the sweet spot (no longer an issue). At least the same surgeon that put the band in will be taking it out (and he is a great surgeon with a great reputation).

Any advice on this course of action?

Thanks!

Omg I am just shattered now after finding this post. Ive had my band for over 20 years and 4 months ago I had reflux problems so I had the fluid taken out of my band to help relieve my problem.

But now I've got pain and bloating even without eating. I've come to the point that can't sleep anymore because of the discomfort.

After reading some of these post I now know my problem. I'm a 51year old male and I haven't cried emotionally before till now.

I'm crying as I write this knowing I have to go and see my band doctor and I know he will say its time to take out the band due to issues its causing me.

I really don't want these problems at my age.. Surgery etc etc.

I'm emotionaly broken...

Gastric band - been there, done that. Stopped working and I never felt full. So last year after my weight went back up I decided to have the revision and get the sleeve bit due to the build up of scar tissue (surgery was May 2010), surgeon ran out of time to do the VSG safely. So had to wait until 11/30/20 and finally all was completed. I was told he might have to do the bypass and I prayed so hard that didn't happen. I'm 65 and glad I did it.

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