My Mother has had the Lap Band for 5 years and has lost alot of weight. However, now there is a hole in her stomach where the band has corroded and rotted. Her stomach is now black & yellow and looks like snake skin. Another woman I work with, her band has slipped and they were treating her for lupus due to all the anitbodies showing up. Her insurance does not cover removal and she has now gained all her weight back. At first we thought it was a weight loss miracle, but me not having my Mother is not worth it. I don't think any of us are made to have a band around our stomachs. Good luck.