Hey all, I was banded May 20, 2009. While I've lost 76 pounds so far, I credit that all to my willpower. I was just wondering if there is anyone out there who has regretted getting banded? I would really be curious to talk to someone who maybe is going through or has gone through what I'm going through. I won't post my whole story on here and bore everyone. But if you are someone who has regrets, please reply, I'd love to know I'm not alone. thanks so much.

I would love to know why you have regrets? You have a great weight lost. So why?

It's a very long story. Yes I have had a good loss, but it's been my own willpower. This "tool" hasn't helped me along in my journey at all. I feel like I have nothing but problems with it. My doctor says there is nothing he can do. Sure, it's helped me stay motivated, but it hasn't helped me with my weightloss the way it does most people. It's a long complicated story, one that would take quite a while to explain. But short and simple, I'm not happy with this band and regret it. I have nothing but problems everyday because of it.

Maybe having it is place is supporting your will-power. Can you have it removed?

I think it helps sometimes with the willpower, but all in all that to me is not worth everything I've gone through as far the surgery and expenses are concerned. My doctor told me to wait awhile before I consider having it removed. And the thought of having it removed makes me really upset because then I feel like I've failed with it. And I also don't want to go through another surgery.

There is a sub-forum on here for complications and there are some people on there who have already had the band removed or are in the process of deciding whether or not to get it removed. This might be helpful for you: Lap-Band

I hope you can get things worked out and if your complications aren't too serious, keep your band. Even if it hasn't been helpful up until now, maybe it would be helpful further down in your weightloss journey. I wish you all the best!

Thanks so much for posting that, I thought I had looked on here for something like that, but guess I missed it! I will definitely head over there. Thanks for your kind words!

How was your will power before the band?

I too think that you have a great weight loss. If the band has helped you with your will power maybe that's what it's going to be for you. That was one of the things that I have been praying for, among other things. I'm perimenopausal (I have a bad case of water retention). I have lost and gained the same 10 lbs. The last 8 months has taught me to read the labels more and I am more aware of what I'm eating and how much. This past week I increased my protein intake to 90-100 grams and I lost 4 lbs. This whole time I have been trying to have a balanced diet; but I wouldn't lose and because of that I started eating things I shouldn't have. I now think, could it have been something as simple as this all along? I say all this to say hang in there! You are doing GREAT!

Maybe you're right, maybe that's all the band has to offer me is to help me with my willpower. I just don't know how long that can last, you know? I didn't have much willpower before surgery. I am really proud of myself for coming this far, but I wish that I was getting fuller on smaller amounts of food like other people and staying fuller longer. Especially with the holidays, I put my willpower in question alot. I really don't want to fail, I'm just really struggling with this. I know the band isn't a cure all or answer to everything, but I'd like to get the benefits from it that others do....Congrats on the 4 lb weight loss, that's great!

I don't regret getting the band - but I am frustrated with the results. Banded in 08/09 - I've lost 18 lbs and seem to have stalled. I tell myself every morning "work the band, work the band"; but I'm not seeing the results I expected. My BMI was not has high as some - but I was still obese.

There are some days I can eat an entire pizza (I haven't actually done it) and other days I feel in reasonable control - but the early heady days of only eatting 3 bites and being full are GONE.

I will get another fill next month and hope it gets me back on track -

I know what you mean about the benefits that others seem to be getting. At one point I had to stop coming to this site because I would get so depressed. I haven't thought about getting rid of the band because I couldn't afford another surgery, but I have been down on myself for not having gotten the bypass instead of the band. How many fills have you had? I received fill #7 on December 3rd and I'm still not at my "SWEET SPOT" but the restriction is better than it was. I read where some people need to get an unfill and I say to myself, that unless I was vomitting profusly I wouldn't get an unfill. This is because I have gone for so long without any restriction and of course no will power. So I commend you on doing it on your own. I will continue to tell myself that it's a lifestyle change and know that reaching my "SWEET SPOT" will come.

I regret that it does not work like I thought it would. I looked at the band as an extreme form of behavior modification, for lack of a better way of explanation. I thought that if I ate more than the 1/2 cup, I would slime, pb, etc. But that is not true. I have had three fills and still eat way too much. Even too much of "good" food is bad. Then of course when that is not working, being a foodaholic, I eat the wrong stuff also. I have lost weight, but not at all what I was hoping for. I get another fill in two weeks. Maybe that will bring me to the sweet spot others have talked about. So far it has been just my willpower, what little I have had lately. With that being said, I have already posted last month all the things that have gone wrong this year. Add to the list the death of my father very unexpectantly two weeks before Thanksgiving. I am also going to have another surgery on my shoulder after the new year. So between the accident, the blood clot, getting kicked out of the gym for being a "liability", my father's death ... yeah, need to get my head on straight. Just hope the next fill works.

I think the sweet spot is a myth. I am 6 months from surgery have had a number of fills but I haven't got to what others describe as the sweet spot. But I have still lost weight and am close to goal.

I don't have great willpower but with the band my won'tpower seems to be working a lot better.

If the band has given you the willpower to lose the weight that you were unable to lose before then I would say your band is working.

I think a lot of people expect the band to do things that it does not and often do not recognise that it is doing what it should .

I would be very hesitant about having the band removed especially when it has achieved what it was put into achieve. Obviously if it is causing major problems then this may be the only option but I would look at all other options first. maybe the problems are being caused by being too tight or something like that.

You wouldn't want to have it out unnecessarily , regain the weight and then regret it.

I don't regret getting the band - but I am frustrated with the results. Banded in 08/09 - I've lost 18 lbs and seem to have stalled. I tell myself every morning "work the band, work the band"; but I'm not seeing the results I expected. My BMI was not has high as some - but I was still obese.

There are some days I can eat an entire pizza (I haven't actually done it) and other days I feel in reasonable control - but the early heady days of only eatting 3 bites and being full are GONE.

I will get another fill next month and hope it gets me back on track -

You are still really early in the game. You are being hard on yourself, relax and work side by side with the band and it will happen.

I'll say it again. The number of fills you receive has nothing to do with whether or not you get restriction. It is the amount of fill in your band.

If you were banded 6 months ago and still do not have restriction, you need to have a serious chat with your doctor because either (a) he's putting so little in at each fill that you still are nowhere close to where you need to be to have restriction or (:thumbup: there's something wrong with your band...perhaps a leak...perhaps a doctor or tech who's incompetent and completely missing the port when they're trying to fill it.

The band is not a placebo. I think it's great you've had the willpower to continue to lose weight in spite of not having utilized your band...but we've all 'been there, done that' with weight loss in the past. At some point, our willpower caves and we eat to excess again. *THAT* is what the band prevents.

Talk to your doctor. Find out how many cc's are in your band. Then question why (a) they're taking so long to get you to restriction or (:wub: why you 'supposedly' have 10 cc's (or whatever large amount it is) and no restriction because it's just not possible to have almost max cc's and no restriction.

<kicking my soapbox back under the table>

SassyB, I agree with you 100%. I didn't visit this forum for a long time because of two reasons: 1. People making HUGE deals of post op pain, gas pain, bandster hell, horrible protein supplements, etc. and 2. All the ways people talk about cheating, and not following their doctor's orders, and starting solids too soon, etc.

I was beginning to get dragged into the pessimism and short cuts right along with them.

I had to step back and put things in perspective. And I am so glad I did. My surgery was textbook and my post op pain and gas was minimum. My recovery was speedy, my weight loss has been slow but constant, and it has been a struggle as my swelling went down and I was needing a fill, but the band allowed me to exercise my will power, where I was unable to before.

I don't want to know how to cheat the band, and I understand that my band doesn't make it easy to stick to a healthy diet, but it gives me a tool to try harder.

If you are struggling with your band, I suggest you walk away from this sight. FInd an "in person" supoprt group with TRAINED professionals who can help give you the info and insight that you need to be successful. Don't get marred down by what you read here. ANd most of all, celebrate your successes with a postive attitude.