i've only been banded for 2 months and so far i'm having farly decent success withit. but more and more i'm reading alot of posts on here from people hate the band. that have had so much trouble they've had it removed. or i've noticed alot people getting gastric sleeves. is there anyone who's had the band for a few years that still loves it. do you feel like you can eat normally if you chew properly? do you ever wanna have it removed? who's reached or is close to their goal without any major complications?

Jennifer, you need to consider the nature of a site like this. Most people need info before they get the band (research etc). THEN they want confirmation that they are "doing it right". After that learning curve? They are gone leading happy, healthy, "thinner" lives. Why would they come back? If something goes wrong, or if they just like to help "newbies", and the helpers are more scarce than not, for whatever reason.

If you think of the thousands of procedures performed each year, you can see the "problems" are low.

I've not had mine a year but don't regret it. There are some posters here who've had theirs longer and are happy, but again, I can't imagine having the band for 3 years and STILL posting the same stuff here...I love it, don't eat what your doc doesn't approve, yes you can cause a slip if you cheat post op, yes the gas they pump in during surgery hurts but it will abate over time and no gas x won't help that type, yes you need a fill yes you are too tight if you have sudden onset GERD or can't swallow your own saliva! Not running ANYONE down, but those are the common issues posted here. Then some poor unfortunates who have worse problems.

Those questions, and newbies researching various docs, are most of the posts.

See my drift? Some satisfied customers come back every so often, do a hit and run "I LOVE MY BAND" post and are gone again. Most of them...don't bother.

So take everything on here as information but not gospel. It's just "a" picture, not the big picture.

Im 10 months post op and i LOVE my band... i have had no issues with it... i was too tight at 1 point and needed an unfill but that was my fault cuz i asked the DR to fill me more...I will never remove my band.... I have lost over 100 pnds in 10 months... so its been good to me!!

Almost four years out here and I'm LOVING mine still. I've never had a moment's trouble with it, it works as it should.

There's a few factors. I have excellent medical support. I attend Prof. O'Brien's clinic so I do believe I see doctors who truly know what they are doing. I do think there's loads of doctors out there that are still learning themselves.

Also, the band requires quite a bit of behaviour modification. This is no moral judgement but many people for whom the band doesnt work simply arent able to adjust to banded life, even in very subtle ways and they cause themselves problems. Like I said, that is not a moral judgement, those are people sicker than I was, who perhaps would have benefitted from a different surgery.

Then there's people for whom it just doesnt work, they have horrible problems, find the pain, reflux and inability to eat impossible to live with. That I see as twofold - people have physiological problems which mean a band is not that good for them - their stomachs or their esophagus or whatever, they just get awful symptoms, they're too sensitive to fills so they go from being over to under filled etc. And also sometimes I think their doctors do stuff like overagressive filling, thinking that fluouro means that you can take a fill right to the perfect point immediately which I think is rubbish - small and steady works better. But some people just will never tolerate a band.

Bands work really well when they work but they're more problematic than I think we're lead to believe.

Nonetheless, I got a dream ride and wouldnt change my decision for anything. I dont eat "normally" in the sense that I dont eat like I used to but it certainly doenst hinder a normal lifestyle - family, friends, eating out etc. Not for me anyway.

I only had my surgery in November. I have a love/hate relationship with it right now. I haven't regretted getting my band, just disappointed that I am not disciplined enough with it. Those are the issues that I am facing right now. I have read about the sleeve and my thoughts on that is, it is permanent and with this band I could have it removed if I wanted to. That is why I chose the band and in a year or two I might have to consider other options if I don't have success with this, I do think that it is mind over matter and I know why my band isn't working...its because i'm not working as hard as I should. :laugh:

I have lost 40 lbs since dec 12 2008

I like my band

I can not drink all the fluids due to another health problem -

I have very little restriction

I eat more than a cup at each meal

but I am losing and I love it

I can not lose faster than 2lbs a week which is what it comes out too

I am on dialysis and have some issues with blood work it I lose more than 2 lbs a week

I would have never lost 40 lbs on my own without regaining

I love the band and I am happy

I have been banded 2 and a half years and i LOVE MY BAND. I have never had any major issues. I did need port replacement but not because of any fault of my own. I developed a leak because of a faulty needle (least thats what i was told). So it was really no big deal other then having to recoup a few fills. So i will gladly sing its praises to anyone. The majority of the "nancy negative" posts i see on here in my opinon are from those who are not and have not been compliant with standard band rules and have not done the homework to find out what to expect or rushed into this thinking it was a magical solution.

So far so good for me! Though I was banded on 3/27 I only have 1 month experience

I have been banded since Dec of 07 and I LOVE MY BAND!! There has never been a moment of regret. I have lost about 65 lbs already and although the last couple of months has been slow I am still happy. I do exercise just about everyday and that has helped tremendously. I have moments where I just crave sugary stuff and I let myself indulge every now and then. I would do it agian in a heartbeat. Wish I would have done it sooner.

I was banded 2/23/09 and I love it. I am more disciplined because of the band. I knew this was my last resort. GB,GS, and all other permanent WLS are out of the question for me. This is because as a nurse I have seen the complications. I read a lot of post and as others said the problems with some bandsters are compliance. They don't understand that the band is just a tool. And like any other tool they are useless unless we use them properly. I also think it makes a difference in why you got the band in the first place. One of my doctors made a statement that stuck with me. He said that when he look at his patients that have did any type of WLS those who did it because of health reasons had a better outcome then those who did it for cosmetic reasons. He said because most of the people who do it for health reasons are more willing to make the sacrifices to make it work whereas the others usually get discouraged when they don't get the quick fix or response from others that they want and quit or self sabotage their efforts.

I love my band!!!! I was fortunate that my doctor got the first fill right! After that I needed a second after I lost 70 more lbs. He got that one right too! I feel great and I am near my goal weight, well under a year. It is hard to believe that as a big couch potato I now go to the gym 5 times a week and love it!

I love mine, too! I was banded 10/23/08, and it's been pretty much smooth sailing so far! Yes, I get stuck here and there . . and have the occasional PB. But that's a small price to pay for being 40 lbs down, having a steady, healthy rate of loss, and knowing that I'm going to be able to get to goal and keep it off.

I posted earlier on your b-day challenge! Looking forward to keeping up with you on this road!

Best,

Catherine

I also love my band! I was banded 10/07 and had a very slow weight loss from 10/07- 2/09. I was very happy with the slow weight loss because that meant I wasn't gaining. I than got sick and ended up causing my band to slip and had it replaced on 3/17/09. I am so thankful that I got to get a new band, I love the band and cant imagine life without it!!!