Megan0318

I did a bit of digging and found my old name on here. Check out MeganA. I have been a member since October of 2003. A few years ago Lapbandtalk.com was sold and they reformatted the profiles so mine is not filled in there, either. But you can see my history. I was out living my life for many years and didn't need this group. Now that I am coming to the end of my journey with my band, maybe I am a bit nostalgic...but I also want to tell my story in the hopes that it helps even just one person. It saddens me that people are so doubtful of each other. I remember this board as a place of support, love, and kindness. Megan

I am so sad for others on this forum that have come for help and reassurance and that this is what they might get from a few people. Here is what I keep telling myself: people that shame others must feel so much shame in themselves that it has to come out somewhere. If you are having complications, know that it doesn't matter what caused them. The fact is that you have them and they suck. Please feel free to contact me anytime about any of your issues and I will not judge or shame you. Mis73- that goes for you, too. You are only a year and a half out. Talk to me in 8.5 and we'll see where you are then. Of course I do not wish any complications on anyone, and maybe...just maybe....you will be one of the lucky ones that doesn't have any. I hope that is your future. In the mean time, please be careful with people. We are all here for the same reason. Megan

I forgot to answer your question. My background is that I am 40 years old. I am the Executive Director for a non-profit. I am in graduate school. Did I do everything 100% perfect? No, of course not. That is not realistic. But I did it 95% perfect. I also could not eat any fresh fruits or veggies for ten years. I threw up all the time. I mean ALL THE TIME. I took tiny itty bitty bites. I chewed and chewed. I stayed away from carbs. But the band didn't work, and it was like I didn't have a band at all after awhile. I was starving all the time, and then I started throwing up in my sleep. I threw up liquid if I was trying a liquid diet to get things to calm down. I threw up chunks of food that I ate five hours before. Again, I do not mean to scare you, but this is my story.

I was part of a study and had to go to the surgeon's office every month for the first year, every quarter for the second year and third year. I saw a dietician 18 times in this period. I had blood drawn at every visit. I had to diary everything. I'm sorry you are frightened by my posts and feel the need to be defensive and question my motives. I don't blame you. I have been through so much with my band that if I can prevent one person from having to go through what I did, I will take the anger. Again, I am sorry that you are scared. I was not on the forums for a long time because I was out enjoying life. When I started to gain weight, I thought that I was doing something wrong and I was ashamed. I have since learned from my surgeon that I did everything right, but the band is just not the tool we hoped it would be. This is my story, and if you do not like it because it does not align with what you think you know, then I can not do anything about that. I do know how scary it is to face WLS and to place all of your hopes and dreams in this device. I have done it. And I'm sorry to say that it broke my heart in a million pieces.

I do not mean to "scare" you but instead to educate you. Talk to your surgeon about your concerns and options.

Oh, and there is a current study underway of the clinical trial folks like me as to the long-term results. This will be concluded in another year. However, early indicators show that most have revised or had the band removed after ten years. Also, in the March 2013 edition of Bariatric News, there is an article called 'Prepare for revisional band operations, says surgeon." In the article, it notes that "every single band implated at the hospital in 2000 has now been removed, half of the bands implanted in 2005 have been removed, and 10% of the bands placed in 2010-2012 have been removed." I don't wish this on anyone, Missy. It looks like you have fought hard and that your band has worked for you to lose a lot of weight and I am very happy for you. I started at 306.5, lowest weight was 220, and after the band had to be completely unfilled due to extreme GERD, I am now at 316. Here is what bothers me: we should not be shaming people who have had complications with their band and come here to talk about it, or to tell their opinion/experience. Shame is not helpful and tells me that the person doing the shaming most likely feels intense shame themselves and they are trying to pass it around. Everyone here has worth and deserves patience and the oportunity to tell their side of the story.

Missy, Here is the information you requested: Ø From Himpens, J., Cadierei, G., Bazi, M, et al: Long-term outcomes of laparascopic adjustable gastric banding. JAMA Surgery 146 (7), 2011. Retrieved from http://archsurg.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1107072: · “However, because nearly 1 out of 3 patients experienced band erosion, and nearly 50% of the patients required removal of their bands (contributing to a reoperation rate of 60%), LAGB appears to result in relatively poor long-term outcomes.” · “Our team performed the first laparoscopic adjustable band gastroplasty in October 1992. Use of this technique has since grown exponentially, first in Europe and Australia, and subsequently in other parts of the world, including the United States. In Europe, since 2004, we have observed an important shift in treatment away from LAGB and in favor of the gastric bypass. In contrast, in the United States, an opposite trend has been noted, and in 2009, a greater number of adjustable band procedures were reported compared with gastric bypass procedures. Opponents of the adjustable band claim that this technique can result in a mediocre quality of life and a significant number of complications, and that there is a tendency for patients to regain weight after some years.” Ø From Doherty, C., Maher, J. and Heitshusen. (2002) Surgery, 132(4): 724-728. Doi: 10.1067/msy.2002.127687. · “Long-term data indicate a progressive loss in efficacy of adjustable gastric banding for the surgical treatment of morbid obesity.” Ø From Dr. Mitchell Roslin, MD, FACS, Chief of Bariatric Surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital, etc. Choice of Bariatric Procedure: A Philosphy Obtained in 20 Years of Bariatric Practice.(2013) · “The band functions to create a high pressure zone just past the esophagus, the tube that transports food from the mouth to stomach. As the pressure is raised, the esophagus has to work harder. Until the pressure reaches a certain point, the patient feels little restriction. Once too high, the pressure has an adverse impact on the muscular esophagus. This results in patients having heartburn or dysphagia when the band is too tight, and then feeling no restriction when loosened.” Ø The New York Times reported on October 30, 2012 that Allergan, the company that manufactures the Lap-band is now looking to sell the medical device portion of the company. “It is very odd, if not concerning, when a company wants to unload its once prized product,” said Dr. Amir Mehran, board certified bariatric surgeon and Medical Director for the Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence in Beverly Hills, CA. “It makes one wonder if they are concerned over long term side effects of the device (as is now being seen overseas), and they don’t want to be owning it once that happens in the U.S.”

It's interesting that someone said I am "new". I was on this board back in 2003 before it was purchased and moderated by who ever does it now. I am anything but new, folks. I'm glad the band is working for some of you. Just be ready when the time comes when you vomit in your sleep and wake up choking; the band stops working and all of a sudden you can eat like a horse; it slips or erodes; or worse, it causes long-term damage. When I went to in to see my surgeon a year ago, he told me that I was the last person that he banded (I was a part of the clinical trial for the SAGB) that still had my band in. Everyone else had revised. I feel great compassion for those of you that are fighting this information. I know it is scary and you might think that I am not being honest. I replied to a post from someone considering the surgery with my opinion and my experience.

I have had the band for ten years and have had complications. The band is not designed for longer than ten years...google research studies that have been done that are NOT paid for by the band manufactuer. I highly recommend getting the sleeve and not the band. I am in the (long) process of appealing insurance so I can revise from band to sleeve. Do not buy what other say about "having to make lifelong changes..." etc. The band does not work long term no matter what changes you make. One study I found said that all the bands placed in a hospital in 2000 have all been removed. DO NOT GET A BAND.