Did anyone like the band better?

[kaninag 35]

HATED my band. Caused me so many issues. I am 1 month out from my revision to sleeve and I love it. It does everything for me that the band didn't. 3-5bites and Im done. I never had that with the band. It just made me throw up all the time.

[VSGmary 418]

I was banded back in 2010, had complications where i formed a pouch above the band, so i was essentially growing another stomach and ended up gaining almost all the weight i had lost over the 4 years! The band was removed in 2014 and i was revised to a sleeve.

I am now 6 months out and i have GERD, i cannot eat meat unless its in Jerky form, i don't have that constant one day feeling stuck and next i can almost eat a horse type if feelings i had with the band. Yes its not perfect, but compared to my life with the band i'm a 100% advocate for VSG surgery! I actually have a life now, i can go out for Breakfast, lunch or dinner and not feel terrified to eat.

I absolutely love love love my sleeve!

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

I think we need to go by the information in the U.S. since the band was approved 14 years ago, in 2001, and that is that it is to be permanent.

http://www.obesityaction.org/educational-resources/resource-articles-2/weight-loss-surgery/lap-band-faqs-questions-most-commonly-asked-by-patients

I'm not sure who would go through a difficult procedure like this after being told it was only temporary and would have to be removed at some point putting you back to square one. I don't think anyone getting the band in the U.S. is told that. Sure, it is reversible but that doesn't mean it isn't meant to be permanent.

Uh, sorry ... the lap band was not and is not meant to be permanent.

Here's what Allergan, the largest US lap band manufacturer, says about this on its Web site:

"Special Notice The manufacturer of the LAP-BAND AP™ Adjustable Gastric Banding System has designed, tested and manufactured it to be reasonably fit for its intended use. However, the LAPBAND AP™ System is not a lifetime product and it may break or fail, in whole or in part, at any time after implantation and notwithstanding the absence of any defect. Causes of partial or complete failure include, without limitation, expected or unexpected bodily reactions to the presence and position of the implanted device, rare or atypical medical complications, component failure and normal wear and tear. In addition, the LAP-BAND AP™ System may be easily damaged by improper handling or use. Please refer to the adverse events section in this document and to the Information for Patients booklet for a presentation of the warnings, precautions, and the possible adverse events associated with the use of the LAP-BAND AP™ Adjustable Gastric Banding System."

At http://www.allergan.com/assets/pdf/HM0661_L012-05_lapband_dfu.pdf

[Swampdoggie 477]

I was banded in 2008. Was NOT successful. I love my sleeve. It feels much more "normal" to me. I feel much more normal with it.

When I was banded, I was told it was expected to be permanent. Since then, research has documented that many people suffer issues with the band and require removal. There's more caution now about stating a projected lifetime for the product. As an aside, a bariatric surgeon I know told me that she had a number of band patients who now suffer from autoimmune problems. She wasn't certain whether it was causal or correlative. However, she feels her patients have been more successful with the sleeve over the longer term.

All that said, I do know a number of people who have been successful with the band and who have not had issues. Personally, I had no medical problems with my band. I just could never figure out how to correctly work with it.

[Cleo's Mom 257]

I think we need to go by the information in the U.S. since the band was approved 14 years ago, in 2001, and that is that it is to be permanent.

http://www.obesityaction.org/educational-resources/resource-articles-2/weight-loss-surgery/lap-band-faqs-questions-most-commonly-asked-by-patients

I'm not sure who would go through a difficult procedure like this after being told it was only temporary and would have to be removed at some point putting you back to square one. I don't think anyone getting the band in the U.S. is told that. Sure, it is reversible but that doesn't mean it isn't meant to be permanent.

Uh, sorry ... the lap band was not and is not meant to be permanent.

Here's what Allergan, the largest US lap band manufacturer, says about this on its Web site:

"Special Notice The manufacturer of the LAP-BAND AP™ Adjustable Gastric Banding System has designed, tested and manufactured it to be reasonably fit for its intended use. However, the LAPBAND AP™ System is not a lifetime product and it may break or fail, in whole or in part, at any time after implantation and notwithstanding the absence of any defect. Causes of partial or complete failure include, without limitation, expected or unexpected bodily reactions to the presence and position of the implanted device, rare or atypical medical complications, component failure and normal wear and tear. In addition, the LAP-BAND AP™ System may be easily damaged by improper handling or use. Please refer to the adverse events section in this document and to the Information for Patients booklet for a presentation of the warnings, precautions, and the possible adverse events associated with the use of the LAP-BAND AP™ Adjustable Gastric Banding System."

At http://www.allergan.com/assets/pdf/HM0661_L012-05_lapband_dfu.pdf

I think what Allergan is saying is that it is a solid device and therefore can break just like any other device if not handled properly or that some people can have an allergic or adverse reaction to the band. But I think that when they put it in people absent any of these factors - it is meant to be permanent.

If this information is given to surgeons, why aren't they telling lap band patients that it will need to be removed in the future? Because they aren't telling them that. Who would get it done with that information?

No one knows what they will be saying about the VSG sometime in the future - more GERD, more Barrett's, more esophageal cancer? No one predicted all the problems with the lap band when it was popular.

[Cleo's Mom 257]

As an aside, a bariatric surgeon I know told me that she had a number of band patients who now suffer from autoimmune problems. She wasn't certain whether it was causal or correlative.

And how many people develop an autoimmune disease that didn't have the lap band? There would have to be research and studies on this topic to show a cause and effect - comparing those in the general population without WLS in the vulnerable age groups for these autoimmune diseases against the same group who have had the band. Then the differences would have to be statistically significant to conclude a cause and effect excluding other factors such as genetics, etc.

I am no fan of the band, that is for sure, but if you go to the lap band forum you will see many who are, just like you see all those who just love the sleeve on here.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

I've understood, like @@CowgirlJane said earlier, that the manufacturers of the band have always said that the band was not meant to be a permanent fixture in human bodies.

But sites like the one @@Cleo's Mom quoted (that are created by surgeons and companies that market for WLS surgeons) don't quote what the manufacturers actually say about the lap band.

Were lap band patients misled? Yes, I think some were misled and that some are still being misled.

The thing that creeps me out so much about the lap band is that it seems so difficult to discover through imaging technology whether the lap band is doing any damage to your body. You have to take the damn thing out to find out what's really going on down there.

[Tkrk0325 15]

I was wondering about Barrett's and esophageal cancer too after VSG....does anyone know the risks?

[Cleo's Mom 257]

I've understood, like @@CowgirlJane said earlier, that the manufacturers of the band have always said that the band was not meant to be a permanent fixture in human bodies.

But sites like the one @@Cleo's Mom quoted (that are created by surgeons and companies that market for WLS surgeons) don't quote what the manufacturers actually say about the lap band.

Were lap band patients misled? Yes, I think some were misled and that some are still being misled.

The thing that creeps me out so much about the lap band is that it seems so difficult to discover through imaging technology whether the lap band is doing any damage to your body. You have to take the damn thing out to find out what's really going on down there.

I posted the question about whether the lap band was presented as being a permanent fixture in the lap band forum and no one has said they were told anything other than it was permanent but reversible.

If what you are saying is true then EVERY lap band patient has been not only misled but lied to. Why hasn't there been some huge class action lawsuit especially in light of the problems many band patients face? Why would anyone go through all of the difficult and painful WLS journey to get something that was only temporary and therefore would put you back at square one sometime in the future?

I've had the band for almost 7 years, have had several endoscopies and upper GI's. They all looked normal, except for small hiatal hernia. I would think that endoscopies, in particular, can evaluate any damage or problems with the band.

[Cleo's Mom 257]

I was wondering about Barrett's and esophageal cancer too after VSG....does anyone know the risks?

I think anything that increases your risk of GERD could increase your risk of Barrett's and therefore esophageal cancer, even though the risk is small.

My husband (no WLS) had GERD, then Barrett's and was receiving yearly endoscopies. He went from one year of NO dysplasia to esophageal cancer then next. The "wait and see" approach for monitoring the Barrett's didn't work. My husband died 2 years later.

That is why I get so concerned when someone who has Barrett's is considering the sleeve.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I am very pleased you are finding success... I want that for all. When I get home I am happy to scan the page from the brochure and letter from my surgeon stating the band was most likely to be removed. That was 2001, have no idea what was represented after that timeframe. I had the band for 10 years and pretty much everyone I knew from that era of banding no longer has it. Things may have changed and I have no interest in others bariatric choices except to be informed of my story so they can ask the right questions. People should be fully informed on sleeve too...and I do wonder about that at times too...do they know whether are signing up for?

I've understood, like @@CowgirlJane said earlier, that the manufacturers of the band have always said that the band was not meant to be a permanent fixture in human bodies.

But sites like the one @@Cleo's Mom quoted (that are created by surgeons and companies that market for WLS surgeons) don't quote what the manufacturers actually say about the lap band.

Were lap band patients misled? Yes, I think some were misled and that some are still being misled.

The thing that creeps me out so much about the lap band is that it seems so difficult to discover through imaging technology whether the lap band is doing any damage to your body. You have to take the damn thing out to find out what's really going on down there.

I posted the question about whether the lap band was presented as being a permanent fixture in the lap band forum and no one has said they were told anything other than it was permanent but reversible.

If what you are saying is true then EVERY lap band patient has been not only misled but lied to. Why hasn't there been some huge class action lawsuit especially in light of the problems many band patients face? Why would anyone go through all of the difficult and painful WLS journey to get something that was only temporary and therefore would put you back at square one sometime in the future?

I've had the band for almost 7 years, have had several endoscopies and upper GI's. They all looked normal, except for small hiatal hernia. I would think that endoscopies, in particular, can evaluate any damage or problems with the band.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

I've understood, like @@CowgirlJane said earlier, that the manufacturers of the band have always said that the band was not meant to be a permanent fixture in human bodies.

But sites like the one @@Cleo's Mom quoted (that are created by surgeons and companies that market for WLS surgeons) don't quote what the manufacturers actually say about the lap band.

Were lap band patients misled? Yes, I think some were misled and that some are still being misled.

The thing that creeps me out so much about the lap band is that it seems so difficult to discover through imaging technology whether the lap band is doing any damage to your body. You have to take the damn thing out to find out what's really going on down there.

I posted the question about whether the lap band was presented as being a permanent fixture in the lap band forum and no one has said they were told anything other than it was permanent but reversible.

If what you are saying is true then EVERY lap band patient has been not only misled but lied to. Why hasn't there been some huge class action lawsuit especially in light of the problems many band patients face? Why would anyone go through all of the difficult and painful WLS journey to get something that was only temporary and therefore would put you back at square one sometime in the future?

I've had the band for almost 7 years, have had several endoscopies and upper GI's. They all looked normal, except for small hiatal hernia. I would think that endoscopies, in particular, can evaluate any damage or problems with the band.

If you google "lap band litigation" or "lap band lawsuits" or "lap band class action" you'll find helpful information. I'm not aware of any class action suit that's been permitted beyond the filing of a complaint (requirements for a class action lawsuit are different than those for individual tort actions). But individual lawsuits have been filed.

There was also a thread here not long ago about litigation related to lap bands, which I didn't read (because I'm not a lap band patient). See http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/255413-if-there-was-a-class-action-lawsuit-against-the-band/

Allergan (the largest US lap band manufacturer) has been sued by patients and surgical clinics. In 2012, Allergan was subpoenaed by the FDA investigating the company's lap band system. See http://www.ocbj.com/news/2012/may/09/government-subpoenas-allergan-lap-band/

In 2013, Allergan sold its lap band unit to Apollo Endosurgery. The reason given was declining revenue from lap band sales (from $300 million in 2008 to $160 million in 2012). See http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303471004579165961441181356

[Tkrk0325 15]

@-Cleo's Mom. I agree with the increase in GERD being a risk factor. My dad died a month ago of esophageal cancer. It was awful and I'm so very sorry for the loss of your husband. One of my best friends also died from this horrible disease and he was only 41. Both my dad and friend suffered from GERD. They didn't have WLS, but the GERD was there. I had lap band and when I learned of all of this, I have been diligent about getting Fluid removed if I've experienced any GERD whatsoever. I'm having revision to sleeve next month and surgeon said they don't perform band or sleeve on anyone with Barrett's. That's reassuring. What I keep in mind is if I don't get this weight off, I'm probably at higher risk for early death from all the other bad things that go along with being fat. Again...so sorry for the loss of your husband. I feel like I've become a spokesperson for not ignoring heartburn!

Edited April 10, 2015 by Tkrk0325

[Cleo's Mom 257]

@@Tkrk0325

I am very sorry for the loss of your father, too. Esophageal cancer is a very difficult cancer to treat. My husband's was caught early and they removed his esophagus and pulled up his stomach to create a new one. No lymph node involvement. We all thought he had dodged the bullet. But eleven months later it had spread to his liver. It was terminal.

There are some on here who have Barrett's who are getting the sleeve and the surgeon is willing to do it. I think that is a mistake, even if the chances of getting esophageal cancer are slim, if you are the one who gets it, the odds are little comfort.

Thanks for your reply and good luck with your sleeve and weight loss.

@@VSGAnn2014

Thank you for all the information and links. I am aware of all the complications the band can produce and the reasons for removal. However, I still don't think it has been promoted as temporary in and of itself - barring any of those complications. But as any device, it can break and need to be replaced or removed. The tubing can dislodge, the port can flip, etc. And in that respect THAT particular band would be temporary, but I don't think in general it was manufactured, or sold or promoted as being a temporary weight loss device with the need for removal/replacement in everyone in X number of years.

[Saxinj31 5]

I loved my band, while it worked. I had it in June 2006, and until February of 2013 it was effective. I lost 85 lbs, and maintained it. I started to have heartburn and acid reflux in 2013. I also started to regain weight, a total of 55 lbs. back. When I couldn't take it any longer, my surgeon recommended the sleeve. I had the sleeve done in July 2014, and I absolutely hate it. It has been a struggle to lose weight. I have only lost 12 lbs., and the heartburn never went away, and now the acid reflux is getting really bad again. I am constantly hungry. The sleeve has been so stressful, and I feel like such a failure. My surgeon is now recommending the bypass, as that will permanently relive the reflux and heartburn. I don't know what to do, as I am very uncomfortable with the idea of rerouting my insides, no longer absorbing nutrients, and dumping syndrome. I know that you asked one question, and while answering it, I am thinking - has anyone had a similar experience to mine?