Hi All:

I was banded in July 2004 and will be banded 5 years. I check the board monthly and am so glad there is so much more information available today than there was when I was researching weight loss surgery.

I chose to be banded because it was a reversible procedure and I thought in 10 or 20 years, with medical technology as quickly as it is progressing, banding would no longer be done, RNY, DS and VSG would be long gone as viable surgical options and instead replaced with true, safe, non-invasive procedures. My band is just fine (Thank God) but I have never believed that it is a lifetime implant. For example, my dad's pacemaker has already been replaced and my mom's hip replacement from 10 years ago needs to be revised. These are lifetime implants. Hopefully, our bands will last 10-15 years-let us pray!

For newbies out there, no matter how good insurance you have, never asssume emergency surgery for you is going to be free or lowcost. For those of us thast have insurance (with a wls exclusion), an emergency medical fund is essential. I have been thrilled when I read about one you being able to save enough for plastics but I have never read anyone mention that they have money set aside just for a wls emergency. IT IS essential. I travel extensively for work and wherever I go, I have the name of the local band surgeon and where to go for a fill.

Here are my stats. I am 35 yrs. old, 5'5" and started at 260. I lost 10 pounds on the pre-op liquid diet which took me to 250. I lost another 30 pounds on the 6 week liquid diet which took me to 220. In the next 2 years I lost an additional 40 pounds which took me to 180 in 2006. I am now 200 so i have lost and maintained a 50% weight loss. Was weight loss surgery a good investment? I think so. I like to do a cost per pound analysis. I have currently spent $3500 for fills and $8500 for the surgery. $12000 for 60 pounds or $200 a pound. For those of you bandsters that paid out of pocket divide your pounds lost by your surgery and maintenance visit costs and you'll get a cost per pound.

I would love to see posts on this forum from patients 5-10 years out of surgery--what ever surgery type you had. Share with us what the "weight loss real world" is like.

More importantly, the questions I'd like to pose to everybody out there. What weight loss surgeries will we be discussing on this forum 10 years from now? Will our bands be still in place? Will the DSers have a modified new DS? Will the RNY still be the gold standard in the U.S. I'm not looking to start a debate about weight loss surgery methods or inspire negativity or drama.

Just posing a straight up question to look 10 years into the future. As you can imange 10 years ago, we were discussing phen-fen and had no idea what a RNY or a DS or a VSG or a gastric band was! So 10 years from now guys, what do ya think? Will peple have gastric stimulators, a revised TOGA procedure via endoscopy, biodegradable bands (yes, gastric bands that do their job and break down in the body with no surgery), brain electrodes to lose weight (like recently featured on Oprah), a weight loss pill.

I am not a medical person but I love to discuss technology. So chime in everyone. What new wl technolgy will we be discu sing 10 years from now on the weight loss surgery board?

By the way, I am filled to 6cc in a 4cc band and I have little restriction. I do like my band and am not thinking about a revision. I'm happy with my 60 pond weight loss and will try to lose 60 pounds in a year's time.

Athe best,

Angel

Banded July 2004

Drs. Ortiz/Martinez Tijuana,Mexico

band filled 6cc in 4cc (band still in good position but little restriction) cannot get any more fills--band full

260 starting weight

250 surgery weight

200 plus or minus 5 pounds current weight

50 percent weight loss

goal weight 135-140

It takes a long time for the medical profession to accept new things. I do predict that in 10 years, RnY will hardly be done and the VSG will be the most popular surgery. They change the DS all the time so I'm sure it will be different, but probably not a lot different as it seems to have settled down. I do think that the way some surgeons do it -- smaller sleeve and longer common channel -- will become the standard rather than just some variation that is not the norm.

I don't actually hold out much hope for non-surgical methods or even "non-invasive" methods like that new thing where they put something in your stomach that lines it. Our bodies seem to be able to outsmart pills and other less invasive procedures.

i have to say what a great post, some of the same questions i've asked my self actually. I'm gald to hear that you are doing well after all these years and have no regrets. thanks for the insight, do you have any before and current pics you can share?