I've had the band for 4 years. During the first 2-1/2 years I only lost 20 pounds. I had 2 fills, up to 1.5 cc but have never felt any restriction. After reading all the stories about PBing and reflux I was really afraid to get restriction and never went back for another fill.

Through willpower and following WW, I've managed to lose 50 pounds. Now I'm scheduled for a tummy tuck and am thinking about having it removed during that procedure. I went for an unfill last week and the doctor said the band was wide open and asked how had I taken off the weight. He wondered if I had gotten fills somewhere else. He also said the band was perfectly positioned, as if it had been put in yesterday. He removed 1.5 cc's so now it's completely empty. I've lost another 3 pounds since then because I want to lose as much as possible before my surgery.

The band has never given me any trouble but I think that's because I haven't had many fills and have never had any restriction. If I'm not going to use it the way it's supposed to be used, then why have it? I guess I'd rather do it with willpower than deal with throwing up and having food get stuck. Also I worry that the jury is still out on the long-term risk for complications for bandsters, i.e. it's not "if" but "when" something will go wrong. Like a ticking time bomb.

Has anybody else experienced this?

Kalona

Edited August 10, 200817 yr by kalona

Noooooo.....but I get your point. I need my band but I have not needed the high levels of restriction others talk about. I havent needed to low carb it or eat 800 calories a day etc.

But I did get to 70kg which was 120% of my excess weight lost and wanted to go just a bit lower and got a fill I didnt really need. I wasnt enjoying how tight I was and i wasnt enjoying the quality of my diet so I just had a bit removed, so I'm .2 cc less than what I was when I had that unneeded fill.

I'm really hungry! I can eat so much more! My weight did rebound up a little, jsut by 3lb and I have that under control now. I'm tempted to go back and top up just a little more, but really, I feel I ought to be able to control this now, and I really WANT to control it myself. For the first time in my banded journey, Ive begun calorie counting.

I really believe if we dont learn the skills to manage this weight thing that we're never going to keep it off. But I really did need my band to get it off in the first place and I'm sure that though I'm hungrier and eating a bit more, my band is still working for me, that it would be MUCH harder without it there.

You've done incredibly well. But personally, I wouldnt remove the band. What a bonus to have it in there, remain unrestricted but have it for the future if you ever need it. Why have another surgery? You're really unlikely to have problems with a completely empty band.

I really believe if we dont learn the skills to manage this weight thing that we're never going to keep it off. But I really did need my band to get it off in the first place and I'm sure that though I'm hungrier and eating a bit more, my band is still working for me, that it would be MUCH harder without it there.

You've done incredibly well. But personally, I wouldnt remove the band. What a bonus to have it in there, remain unrestricted but have it for the future if you ever need it. Why have another surgery? You're really unlikely to have problems with a completely empty band.

Yes, I've thought about that but like I said, I'm afraid to use it. Even when I was 220 pounds I wouldn't have a fill, so it's not likely I'll do it now. But if I do and something does go wrong with the band, that would be another surgery, which is what I don't want. But since I'm having surgery anyway, that's why I'm thinking about having it removed now, rather than risk having to have it removed later. I honestly don't think the band was instrumental in my weight loss since I've never had restriction. I guess I don't like having a foreign object in my body and if it's not going to benefit me, why have it there?

Thanks for your reply, I guess I'll have to think about this some more. I have a week to decide.

K

Not everyone needs the band to be motivated to lose weight. And the band doesn't always work the way it was intended. In fact for me it worked in the opposite direction and there were other factors keeping me up at my current weight. I think you were able to do it on your own and know your own body well enough to get it removed and stay healthy, Nanook

Thanks, I think so too. Will discuss it with my plastic surgeon next week and see what he says.

K