If you have had a band for 5 or more years...

where are you, weight-wise, related to your over-all goal?

What complications, if any, have you experienced?

What are the best things about the band?

What are the worst things?

And...(drumroll please)

would you do it again?

I've had a Band for six years.

Weight wise, I'm pregnant with my third Bandster baby and unfilled. The biggest issues I've had is in trying to refill the Band following pregnancies. It just hasn't worked the same. However, up until this pregnancy, I'd maintained 65 out of a 95 pound weight loss with no fills. So... not too shabby.

I haven't experienced any reflux, errosion, etc.

The biggest issues I've had are cost-related. It sucks to still have to pay for fills and unfills six years down the line. As a stay-at-home Mom now, it's a much bigger impact on me financially then when I was working in corporate America.

The Band was the right surgery for me at the time. I don't regret it at all... even though , at the time, it wasn't even FDA approved and I traveled to Mexico for surgery. I would not have been comfortable going through three pregnancies with any other WLS.

Having said that, if I were to look at surgery today (not wanting any more kids), I'd probably go for a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy. The fill-factor gets old... fast. It took me five or six fills to get good restriction the first time. I've had numerous fills and unfills... and each has cost me on average $350.

I'm going to try refilling again after this pregnancy (due any day now)... and see how it goes. If I still can't manage any restriction, I will probably have a revision.

95lbs isn't too shabby that's for sure. All weight loss gets old but without this help we wouldn't be here.

If you have to pay for fills wouldn't the surgery (vertical sleeve) be an awful lot of money and pain? You can buy a lot of fills and unfills for what that will cost.

My Dr. doesn't like the vertical sleeve and he does all types of WL surgery. I don't know why.

Good luck to you in your decision.

BTW..I have a friend that had the VS right before I had the lapband. She spits up most of the time and isn't living a *normal* life as I am with my weight loss surgery.

She's lost more weight but is having reflux and her Dr. has warned her that her pouch might stretch with all the food in and pbing out.

I've had my band 4.5 years and am feeling great. I have lost 80 lbs of my excess weight. I would like to lose 15 more lbs before I have PS. I would do again in a heartbeat and recommend it over the gastric bypass since I have had no complications other than reflux at night when I had a super tight fill. I had a slight unfill and have been doing great since.

The band helped me lose the first 40 lbs and the other 40 lbs have been lost due to exercise and watching how much I eat. I have had to pay for 4 fills and 1 slight unfill other than that no problems.

I am so happy I did this for myself.

Ana

If you have had a band for 5 or more years...

where are you, weight-wise, related to your over-all goal?

I'd had my band for 3.75 years when it was removed for slippage. I lost 130 lbs which got me closer to a "normal" weight than I'd ever thought possible. It was relatively easy maintaining this loss, and THAT was my goal. So I'd say I reached it, in spades.

What complications, if any, have you experienced?

I had occasional bouts of reflux and irritation, seemingly kicked off by allergic congestion. I also think my band was too small from the start, leading to chronic irritation in the fourth year.

What are the best things about the band?

The best thing was the control it gave me over food. The incredibly liberating feeling of having a half a sandwich for lunch and NOT BEING HUNGRY for hours was a complete miracle to me.

What are the worst things?

The hardest part of the whole thing for me was learning that a half-sandwich really is enough food. Learning how little my body needs to survive and thrive was quite difficult. And without my band, I'm finding it impossible to apply that knowledge because I'm hungry. The band gave me the ability to eat only what I need to live, and lose the compulsion to eat more than that.

would you do it again?

ABSO-FRICKIN'-LUTELY.

I am in the process of jumping through hoops to get a replacement band. Whatever it takes, I'm gonna do.

Alexandra, I am always inspired and look foward to reading your posts...thanks for all you do!

Amen Cyndi! For us "newbies" I love hearing encouraging words!!!! Thanks Alexandra.....!

As for me.....I've loving it so far! I feel for the first time in my life I might actually be able to control this hunger thing....and put food in its proper prospective!