I was very confident in my decision to get lap band surgery after reading the thousands of interesting posts here. I was unconsciously or deliberately not reading the 'Difficulties with Lap BAnd" sections however.

I finally did and what I'm seeing are problems down the road after being banded for say 6-10years due to slippage and/or errosion and other problems. I felt then like I had been getting too caught up in the hype/hope to think long term. Anyone else think this way or has anyone had this band for over 5 years and how are you doing? I know the Lap Band has only been in existence for 11 years even in Europe.

Check out this thread, which is a few below yours in the same forum:

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f15/ten-years-lap-band-38936/

Realize that when any medical procedure is new, there is uncharted territory. Things will be improved over time, tweaks to surgical technique will be made as instruments are improved and technology improves. If I am destined to lose weight and keep it off for only five or ten years, then so be it. It would give me five or ten years that I will be healthier that I wouldn't have had without the band. In ten years, who's to say that there won't be a pill that we can take, or perhaps they will have perfected some genetic manipulation that will turn off the "fat gene." I'll take a few years if that's what has to be, over none.

Faith, thanks for responding, and when I think of it that way you are right. Technology at this rate is probably going to peak in 10 years and I'm sure the problem of obesity will be cured with something even better. Thanks for helping me look to the future. If I can get 10 years I'd be tickled also, but I don't want to have problems in 5 years as I am reading on these posts. But then again at my age the monopausal years are the big weight gain years and after 60 weight tends to decline. My goal is to live at least to 85 so I can see my 10 year old daughter fully an adult. I was doubting that would happen if I entered my 60 obese...even entering 50s obese is asking for a road of possible weight related complications, ie. adult onset diabetes, hypertension, etc. I know you know Faith...sometimes I'm writing to solidify things in my own mind.

My thought is that I lose my weight and maintain and then IF NEEDED later on down the line I will be HAPPY to get a new and improved model of band!