Just got the band done and I also know a lot of successful people with a band, why the drastic change? Does the band stop working after so many years, even if you stay on top of your fills?! Just curious.

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Edited October 8, 20169 yr by futureskinnybtch

Lots of issues with the band. My surgeon doesn't even do them anymore.

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I can't respond for everyone, but here's my story. I started at 283 in July 2009 with the band. I got down to 218 and maintained between 223-228 until I got pregnant in 2012. Although I was still very overweight, I was happy with my band and much healthier. I would've been satisfied and would've had the band again just for that weightloss. During my pregnancy, I didn't gain much. I got up to 244 thanks to preeclampsia. I had hyperemesis during my pregnancy, and I had to have a complete unfil. My daughter came early, so she was in NICU for 58 days. I stayed with her the entire time. Between being hospitalized before her birth until she came home, I lived at the hospital for over 2 months. By the time we came home, I was back to my prepregnancy weight. I tried to get fills again and could only tolerate 1/2 of the fill I was at before I got pregnant. (I had 5ccs in a 10cc band; now I have 2.5ccs) Ever since the fills started again, I have not been able to get to a good spot. I still can't get food down until the late afternoon 3-4 days a week. My thyroid has also taken a crap. I gained back up to 270. My thyroid levels are not stable. I am constantly having to increase my meds. I am bordering close to diabetes, and I've been back on the diet rollercoaster (but with little success losing, so not much to gain back) and my endo says enough is enough, and I need surgery. I had not been to my surgeon in over 2 years because I didn't see the point since I wasn't needing a fill. Come to find out, my band may have slipped while it was unfilled, so that could very well have been causing my issues. In any case, I'm now on the road to revision to RNY. My surgeon feels it's a safer revision due to the location of the band and where these two surgeries require staple lines. So..that's my very long story as to why I will be having a revision...

Mine doesn't either. His patients have not been as successful with the Band as with the sleeve and RNY.

Lots of issues with the band. My surgeon doesn't even do them anymore.

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My surgeon is phasing out doing the band as well. He feels that many people "abuse the band" and then blame the band.

Here is my theory, with the band you still have that big hungry stomach under there, growling to be fed. Just like any other diet it will work for a while when you are super motivated, but after you get tired of being hungry you figure out ways to eat around the band. I have heard of people drinking milk shakes, etc.

While I understand that ANY WLS is just a tool and we still have to work at it, the restrictions or the other surgeries seem to help more people long term (not all of course, you can always gain back if you aren't careful)

I didn't like the idea of the band when I first heard or it. I understand people like the fact that it is reversible but I don't like the idea of that object being in my all the time. Now many people are having slippage, corrosion, etc of the band.

Some people are successful with it but lots of surgeons are not happy with the stats.

My surgeon stopped doing the band about four years ago.

Ps. Not everyone. Some of us long term bandsters are a bit quieter. I'm coming up on 10 years.

Our esteemed founder, Alex is headed for 11 or 12.

There are people with band problems.

Best of luck. Keep working the program and have faith!

Ps. Not everyone. Some of us long term bandsters are a bit quieter. I'm coming up on 10 years.

Our esteemed founder, Alex is headed for 11 or 12.

There are people with band problems.

Best of luck. Keep working the program and have faith!

Absolutely! The band is an excellent option for many.

I had band to sleeve due to some significant complications.

Very long story short, my band started to erode my stomach. I struggled with severe reflux unresolved with a number of medications and couldn't sleep lying done due to regurgitation at night and I would often choke in my sleep sleeping upright.

My only choice was to get it removed, I required some stomach reconstruction also while I was being sleeved

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I had a lot of issues with the band and I hated it. My surgeon that removed it, does not even do them anymore. When I saw my stomach after my sleeve (photos) he showed me all the scar tissue the band had caused.

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Edited October 8, 20169 yr by Spectra13

My surgeon is phasing out doing the band as well. He feels that many people "abuse the band" and then blame the band.

Here is my theory, with the band you still have that big hungry stomach under there, growling to be fed. Just like any other diet it will work for a while when you are super motivated, but after you get tired of being hungry you figure out ways to eat around the band. I have heard of people drinking milk shakes, etc.

While I understand that ANY WLS is just a tool and we still have to work at it, the restrictions or the other surgeries seem to help more people long term (not all of course, you can always gain back if you aren't careful)

I didn't like the idea of the band when I first heard or it. I understand people like the fact that it is reversible but I don't like the idea of that object being in my all the time. Now many people are having slippage, corrosion, etc of the band.

Some people are successful with it but lots of surgeons are not happy with the stats.

I'm revising from band to sleeve in two weeks.

If you didn't have the band, please don't make broad statements about why I need this revision.

I didn't "abuse the band". It injured me and continues to do so.

I had my band for more than six years- I thought it would be in place forever. Unfortunately, my body has decided that enough is enough. My esophagus is worn out from working hard to get food through the restriction. It has nothing to do with eating around the band or drinking milkshakes. I did what was asked-I continued care with my surgeon, I saw the dietitian and exercise physiologist, and ate as required for six years. I lost a lot of weight but once things started going bad, none of that mattered. I did my due diligence and researched before I was banded in 2010.

I resent your implication that I did this to myself. You have your theories about why the band doesn't work, but you need to be careful when you make blanket statements.

Yes, it's dropped in usage but it isn't just because everyone abused it or ate around it-the problem is with the device itself.

OP-I'm revising because I can no longer eat food and have it go through without sitting in the back of my throat. My last upper GI showed that the barium didn't clear the band for almost five minutes. My band now sits empty, ready for revision.

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Just had my band out Thursday. Converting to the sleeve. Swollen from having the band removed. Can't move my bowels yet.

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My surgeon is phasing out doing the band as well. He feels that many people "abuse the band" and then blame the band.

Here is my theory, with the band you still have that big hungry stomach under there, growling to be fed. Just like any other diet it will work for a while when you are super motivated, but after you get tired of being hungry you figure out ways to eat around the band. I have heard of people drinking milk shakes, etc.

While I understand that ANY WLS is just a tool and we still have to work at it, the restrictions or the other surgeries seem to help more people long term (not all of course, you can always gain back if you aren't careful)

I didn't like the idea of the band when I first heard or it. I understand people like the fact that it is reversible but I don't like the idea of that object being in my all the time. Now many people are having slippage, corrosion, etc of the band.

Some people are successful with it but lots of surgeons are not happy with the stats.

I'm revising from band to sleeve in two weeks.

If you didn't have the band, please don't make broad statements about why I need this revision.

I didn't "abuse the band". It injured me and continues to do so.

I had my band for more than six years- I thought it would be in place forever. Unfortunately, my body has decided that enough is enough. My esophagus is worn out from working hard to get food through the restriction. It has nothing to do with eating around the band or drinking milkshakes. I did what was asked-I continued care with my surgeon, I saw the dietitian and exercise physiologist, and ate as required for six years. I lost a lot of weight but once things started going bad, none of that mattered. I did my due diligence and researched before I was banded in 2010.

I resent your implication that I did this to myself. You have your theories about why the band doesn't work, but you need to be careful when you make blanket statements.

Yes, it's dropped in usage but it isn't just because everyone abused it or ate around it-the problem is with the device itself.

OP-I'm revising because I can no longer eat food and have it go through without sitting in the back of my throat. My last upper GI showed that the barium didn't clear the band for almost five minutes. My band now sits empty, ready for revision.

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I don't think she meant any offense. Never did she say all band patients were like that. I think what she said is true for a number of people, but she didn't say it was for everyone. I think she was offering her input as you are. No two people have the same story. Your experience is yours. The OP asked a question, she gave her response as what she had been told, not to attack or offend any of us with bands. Easy now.

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My surgeon no longer does them due to the complication rates. I've heard stories where they have fused to people's livers and caused major issues. He also said most people get massive scar tissue that can make it complicated to convert to another option.

I know all procedures have their risks, the band just seems to be a lot higher. I was not willing to risk having another surgery in 5-10 years amongst other reasons.

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Last year I was taken into emergency surgery because the band flipped I couldn't keep anything down. So out it came. My surgeon also doesn't do lap bands anymore.

I had issues with it over the 8 years.

Edited October 9, 20169 yr by Ebony Rose

I personally couldn't get used to the fact that I couldn't eat healthy foods with the band. Things like salads, some vegetables and lean meats were the hardest for me to get down. I had all my fill taken out about 4 years ago and up until last week (when I was sleeved) I would still vomit up certain foods. I hated it.

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Probably an odd question, but can you throw up kind of normally with the band? Or does it restrict in and out?

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