I wish you luck. I am sorry but can't help, I have been banded less than 6 months. Maybe look for a new doctor that does the band or a large city hospital may be able to help you out.

If you aren't having trouble with it, I would see no reason to have it removed. I have seen many people on this site that have had it for years. Also, slippage is often due to improper eating habits (overeating) or having the band too tight, and/or throwing up a lot. As long as you don't do that, ideally you won't have problem with it.

Would you take your car to the shop and tell them to replace the tires if they were in good working order?

Have you ever worked with a nutritionist to formulate a plan and evaluate how you are eating and what modifications may be in order. I may start with that before doing anything else. If your doctor isn't concerned, I don't see why you should be. Best wishes to you!!

I can understand what a surprise it was to hear that your surgeon no longer does band surgery. I wouldn't just swallow his explanation (too many complications) for that, though. I'm not saying he was lying, but that there may be more to his decision than meets the eye. As a surgeon, he may have become fascinated with the sleeve procedure, and almost certainly can charge more for it. Also, poor patient outcomes can't all be blamed on the band itself, because other surgeons do nothing but band surgery and have plenty of happy, successful patients. The factors affecting good versus poor outcomes include the surgeon's technical skill, fill philosphy (aggressive vs. conservative), a strong patient education (before and after surgery), and a complete support and aftercare program (including dietitian consults, nutrition classes, support groups, psych services).

Your surgeon contradicted himself when in one visit he blamed the band for patient complications and revisions yet also told you not to worry because your band looks good. That alone would make me want to ask him for a lengthier explanation. For example, in the year 2012, what percent of his practice was band surgery, what percent of his band patients experienced complications, and what percent of those patients opted for revision surgery?

I sure wouldn't have my band removed just because your surgeon bad-mouthed the band. I might consider finding myself a new surgeon who can get behind the band and offer his/her patients the care and support they need. I know it's hard to contradict an authority figure like a doctor, teacher, boss, etc., but as adults we need to be proactive about our healthcare and not swallow everything doctors tell us without even cursory inspection of it.

Here's a non-medical explanation of the authority figure fallacy. My ex-husband was considered slow in grade school and had to do 3rd grade twice. Finally someone thought to test his sight, found that he was extremely myopic and also color blind. His new eyeglasses improved his grades, but in high school his guidance counselor strongly advised Joe to go to trade school to become a mechanic (or the like). But since Joe's "smarter" older brother was in college, Joe wanted to attend college too, and guess what? He did very well, graduated in 4 years with a B.S. in geology, got a high-paying job at Texaco, later got a M.S. in environmental engineering and even better job at a power plant, and advanced quickly to one of the top positions in the power company's entire region, despite having been "slow" in school and (as it turned out) legally blind. Meanwhile, his "smarter" older brother flunked out of school and went to work as...wait for it...a mechanic.

OK, Miss Jean's Story Hour is over now. You may all resume whatever you were doing before I jumped in.

Edited to Add: I forgot to mention that I had to revise from the band to the sleeve last year. I loved my band and I do NOT love my sleeve. There is no such thing as a perfect, risk-free, one-size-fits-all WLS procedure. The sleeve is the flavor of the day. Wait another year and your surgeon may have become a brain surgeon. Or a mechanic.