Does anyone regret getting their LB?

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

True for some I guess but certainly not all. I am 2.5 years post-op and yes I have stopped losing weight....but I still ~LOVE~ my band !!!

In my opinion too many people go into this surgery thinking that the band is going to do 'most' of the work when in fact that band only helps you feel satiated on a smaller quantity. You need to be prepared to literally work your butt off !!! You need to change the way you think, the way you shop, the way you prepare and eat food. This is not a magic bullet.

Also in my opinion I think that some (notice I did not say ~all~) people who have problems with band slippage, erosion and stretching have done something incorrectly. They have either not followed the bandster rules or else they have kept their band too tight. I read the obove post about vomiting in her sleep and it's pretty obvious that her band was too tight. When I see a Dr or nurse for a band adjustment one of the first questions asked is if there is any night-time vomiting/reflux/heartburn.

With the band you need to listen to your body and learn to ignore the voice in your head that has been allowing you to overeat for too long.

Did I mention that I still ~LOVE~ my band???

Patricia

11-16/06

Patricia...

No, it is not quite obvious. This is one of the problems many of us are talking about that happens long term with the band. Many suffer from this kind of reflux, I had it and I had an unfilled band. Elisabethsew has it and she is nowhere near being too tight.

There was a study done that I read on the OH boards and I could kick myself for not bookmarking it. It talks of how this is very common in banded people due to the new shape of the stomach after banding. You can completely remove the fill of these people and they still have reflux to the point of aspirating on their own stomach acid.

A band that is too tight can absolutely cause this. But that isn't the issue I am referring to and it is not what many experience. It's something that is growing more and more common.

Slips, pouch dilation, esophageal dilation... I agree, that is often times the banded person. Erosion... only if their band is verrrrry tight for an extended period of time. Thing is, most cannot tolerate a band that tight. I think it's more the doctor than the person with erosion. Why does one doctor I am thinking of have a 20% (not a typo) erosion stat and another have a 0.005% erosion stat? Both are in MX so most people have their aftercare done locally. So it's not that one doctor is filling them too much, they have a ton of different aftercare doctors. The only common denominator is the surgeon.

One thing I have noticed is that regardless if it is a patient or surgeon, other banded people are quick to blame the one with problems. That's just not fair considering the high complication stats of banding. Did you know that 30-50% of people will need another surgery within the first 5 years? Anything from a flipped port, slip, erosion, band intolerance, etc. Those are not reasonable stats in my eyes. Slips are not decreasing, they are increasing.

I think people of all surgery types go into this thinking surgery will the the ultimate cure and they can just sit on the couch and wait for pounds to melt. This is a life long journey, it never ends. It merely becomes easier.

[Oregondaisy 2,020]

They have either not followed the bandster rules or else they have kept their band too tight. I read the obove post about vomiting in her sleep and it's pretty obvious that her band was too tight.

I never had any problems in the day time. I could eat anything I wanted. Yet at night I had that problem. I didn't eat past 5 pm. So, yes, they did remove part of my fill. I hadn't had a fill for over a year and up until then, everything was fine. Why my fill was perfect for over a year, and then all of a sudden, it wasn't, is a mystery to me. All I know is, having a tiny fill removed made it so I have no restriction, and now I can't get another fill or the same thing will happen again.

So, what good is this band for me?

People need to know that having band problems CAN happen out of the blue, through no fault of their own.

Edited March 23, 2009 by Oregondaisy

[NurseMelly 0]

I am still pretty early out (10 weeks) so I am in no way ready to say I regret the band. However, I have already had some setbacks. When I got my first fill, I suffered this intense shoulder pain that was unrelenting ( no, this was not my fault like another poster is claiming). It apparently is due to the pouch pressing against the diaphragm. It is just now starting to subside 2 weeks later but still bothers me during certain activities. It makes me wonder if I will have to live with this shoulder pain long term.

My insurance doesn't yet cover the sleeve but if I had the money, I would go with that option. I plan on working this band as hard as I can and converting to a sleeve later down the road when either A) my insurance starts covering that option, or :frown: I have saved enough to go to MX.

Good luck to you!

[Oregondaisy 2,020]

Anyone who has questions regarding possible complications with the band should go to the complications section of this board.

There are many, many threads about complications that people have had while having a band. People should review this section while doing their research and know what is possible. While it may be that some people will not have a particular complication, it's part of researching a band and knowing if you are willing to take those risks.

[TQUAD64 9]

Even though I had some slight complications, I do not regret the Band. I am glad I have it and that I am losing weight slowly.

[Elisabethsew 50]

True for some I guess but certainly not all. I am 2.5 years post-op and yes I have stopped losing weight....but I still ~LOVE~ my band !!!

In my opinion too many people go into this surgery thinking that the band is going to do 'most' of the work when in fact that band only helps you feel satiated on a smaller quantity. You need to be prepared to literally work your butt off !!! You need to change the way you think, the way you shop, the way you prepare and eat food. This is not a magic bullet.

Also in my opinion I think that some (notice I did not say ~all~) people who have problems with band slippage, erosion and stretching have done something incorrectly. They have either not followed the bandster rules or else they have kept their band too tight. I read the obove post about vomiting in her sleep and it's pretty obvious that her band was too tight. When I see a Dr or nurse for a band adjustment one of the first questions asked is if there is any night-time vomiting/reflux/heartburn.

With the band you need to listen to your body and learn to ignore the voice in your head that has been allowing you to overeat for too long.

Did I mention that I still ~LOVE~ my band???

Patricia

11-16/06

I am a registered nurse and followed the rules of being banded to the "T". I don't have a slip or erosion or an overfill. In fact, I have never felt the restriction that the band was supposed to afford me. What I do now have is night time regurg. and heartburn that is becoming persistent.

I worked the band but the band did work for me and MANY people just like me exist. I could not be happier for you that the surgery you had was what you wanted and that it was successful for you. However, I don't think it's fair to insinuate that most complications are because patients did something wrong.

Now that the band has been a populat surgery for some time, statistics are showing that MANY patients are experiencing complications and that the average time they are showing up is the 3 year mark. When I got my band (a few days shy of 3 years ago), I was told the band might not be a lifelong option because no long term studies were available. For many, the band is failing forcing them to explore other options.

I hope you never have to be in the boat a lot of us find ourselves. Best of luck on continued success.

[squirrelcorn 0]

Yes, to some degree I do regret mine. If I could do it over again I would have a mini gastric bypass instead. I've had my band one year. I lost 55 pounds in the first 3 months and have since gained 25 pounds back.

I can only tell you from my experience...I always had trouble sticking with a certain way of eating. I still do. The band has not changed that one bit except that I can't eat certain breads and sometimes healthy Proteins such as chicken. I can't eat Breakfast but have no problem wolfing down a large supper.

I also had a sweet tooth. I still have it and have no trouble whatsoever eating sweets. No, I shouldn't eat them. I know that. But if I could have controlled it to start with I wouldn't have needed the band.

I'm happy for those who aren't having any problems with their band. Maybe one day I'll get to that "honeymoon phase" again and will be able to start working with mine again.

[canadagirl33 0]

Since I am the only poster who had the audacity to actually say out loud that some problems were caused by the bandster and not by the band....let me clarify...

I don't believe I said anywhere that it was your fault your shoulder hurt after a fill Melly. I'm glad to hear that it is slowly resolving itself.

Patricia

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Since I am the only poster who had the audacity to actually say out loud that some problems were caused by the bandster and not by the band....let me clarify...

I don't believe I said anywhere that it was your fault your shoulder hurt after a fill Melly. I'm glad to hear that it is slowly resolving itself.

Patricia

No, you are not the only person that suggested band problems can be a result of the person and not the band. I did as well. Where I disagree with you is that reflux at night is due to a band that is too tight. That is ONE reason for night time reflux, it most certainly is not "obvious" as you put it that this is the cause as it is not the only reason for this problem.

When you start making general statements and making claims that something is obvious... it will come back to bite you in the butt each time.

People have severe band problems and amazingly, sometimes it's the band. Sometimes it's the person, sometimes it's the doctor. It's not quite as obvious as you claim.

[Bella8891 0]

I really like my band. It helps me with Portion Control, which is what I was looking for. Had TERRIBLE reflux prior to being banded but not anymore.