Doddie63

I would like to have a fluoroscope of my band to see if the pouch has stretched and/or slipped. Are there any clinics offering this service in Washington State?

Yes a lot has happened since I posted my displeasure in 2007. The False Creek Clinic, Dr. Woodhead in Delta is with Slimband, etc. Fills are still tough to find if you are not with a major clinic but there are some GPs that do them, just have to find them. Seems more and more doctors are becoming more knowledgeable on the issues of weight control (not just exercise and starve). However in BC, age discrimination is alive and well. I am advised that anyone over 65 can't get a band in BC yet in Toronto any age is acceptable. Progress is slow.

Hi: People in our support group have gone to Mexico and have had great experiences. Just check out your clinic thorougly and most importantly the aftercare. Can you fly back for fills or defills. Is there someone in your area who will do fills or defills and how much do they charge. One of the most frustrating and frightening thing is to be too tight and you are unable to find anyone who will do the defill. Also, ask how long will the aftercare last. My clinic is for life some only 3 or 4 years. Then what? The band is great, but research carefully. A local clinic may cost more but in the long run may be the better choice. It is entirely up to you.

My best wishes for your success. Bear in mind, you will have ups and downs, encouraging and no so encouraging, but if you use the band as designed, you have a lot more chance of success. I have been working on my weight since 07 and have times when I have gained and my losses have been small, but when look at my overall totals, I am amazed.

If you do it correctly you should have none of that. But if you do, so do all the other tools. As I said in a previous post, why I like my band is because it is reversible not like the others.

Intereting stats. Would be interested to know how they were formulated. Gastric by pass has been around the longest, with the band approx. 20 years. the DS is fairy new so over time, I would be interested in seeing which was the better. Seriously, it doesn't matter as long as it works for you. All surgery has negatives. The bottom line is what the patient does with the tools. Some just can not adjust to the regime that goes along with WLS and blame the tool. I like the band because if I find I can not mentally cope then I can have the band removed. The other surgeries, you are stuck with a small stomach and all the problems that go with it.

Hello. NO Quebecers are not lazy. What you have to realize, that the band is an excellent tool for helping in the weight loss goals. You still have to change your lifestyle including exercise, small quantities but first and foremost making the proper choices in food eaten. Following the guidelines of your clinic and you will have success. Not following the rules will end in disaster and failure. The good thing about the band, is that it is reversible. Gastric by-pass is not. The medical profession look upon the gastric by pass as the golden standard, but frankly, there are many patients that have to have the band AFTER the bypass. You can fill the band as tight as you can stand or you can loosen it to allow for more food to pass you can't do that with gastric by pass. Also, be aware, people posting negative things about the band may have an ax to grind. real or imagined and post to lash out at the band. I lay odds if you analyze these unhappy people, they will have not adjusted their lifestyle. Yes some people do have band erosion and slippage not their fault, but that is rare. Most just don't follow the program. There is of course, many surgeons that do not have proper aftercare and that can cause a patient to be very scared and upset lashing out on line. So if contemplating the band, look very carefully at the aftercare. If they say 3 to 4 years -- ask "Then what". You need aftercare for life, not necessarily the fills, but moral support is very important.

I prefer to think that I can and did find the money for my band. I leave the gov't funded programme to those that can least afford it and need the surgery. Gov't money is limited so I would never want to take away the chance for a better life for someone just because they don't have the funds. I just hope the government would allow people who got the band privately to use their support services. It seems the private clinics only give 4 years aftercare, then what?????

I think the reason people tell the ones closest to them very simple are looking for approval that they are making the right decisions. Unfortunately, negative responses upset the person asking. Even telling most family doctors, the reaction is negative although that scene is changing slowly. If I had to do over again my decision, I would tell absolutely no one. The decision would be mine and mine alone. Negative responses almost turned me from having the band, thank God these negative people did not succeed. I find the band a wonderful tool. I loose weight when I follow the program, maintain or regain slowly if I don't. But the bottom line is I am loosing weight. People I told about the band make snarky remarks or hint at my "failure" or try to push food at me to make me fail. I feel I am not failing, I am just having a weak moment but the band will get me back on track where in the old days, three weeks and I was in free fall with weight gain and nothing to stop me. Again,my advice, don't tell anyone but your fellow bandsters.

Hi: I don't for one minute think the gastric band causes acid reflux. My husband has reflux and no band, my father had acid reflux and no band. I do believe, that a tight gastric band can make the symptons worse. When the acid from the stomach is regurgitated into the pouch and eosophogus the acid is slower draining back into the stomach. Thus having more time to burn the lining of the pouch and throat. I believe some of the acid can get into the ear canals and lungs making acid reflux very dangerous. My father died from cancer of the eosophogus and stomach. None of my theories are scientific just my belief. Too many people suffer acid reflux that do not have the band for me to believe the band causes acid reflux. I have had one defill and going for another. My symptons are 80 percent cleared up. so with meds and a looser band, I believe my acid reflux will be under control. With the tighter band, I chose liquid type foods and was always grazing. With less fill, I am choosing hard protein which is what I sould be doing and remaining full longer.

Losing weight, no matter how, always make me pleased. Don't worry about when the band is fixed. First get your health in order then take a kick start program. I am also having defills due to acid reflux and my Dr. told me I am better off keeping a loose fill. Eating solid proteins are easier when loose. With tighter fills one is tempted to choose unwisely in more liquid type meals. Weight will come off in a more healthy way. Please let us know how you are coping.

Yes, what has transpired since you posted?

Look into the False Creek Clinic. The manitoba clinic is affiliated with them. Their members come out to the Lions Gate. Also, there is Dr. Amson (sp) in Victoria does lapband as well. There is a Dr. Leung, he is a good surgeon, but posts have indicated he lacks beside manners. Last but not least, there is a Dr. Woodhead in Ladner/Delta . All are good surgeons. However, I cannot over emphasize aftercare more. Not all of them provide aftercare except for a website. When you start to have your fills and defills, having your aftercare in place is crtical. If you like to come out to the Lions Gate Hospital you can ask all the questions you like of our members. We welcome all pre banded, banded, or just researching the band.