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My name is Leah Davies I am 26 years old and i have been battling with my weight for my whole life,on august 20th 2010 i had the lapband procedure done at the slimband clinic in toronto the procedure was done by Dr. Pavi Kundhal. for the first 3 weeks i was on a strict liquid/soft pureed food diet then i was able to go to solid foods and i started having problems eating the very first day, the food would get stuck and this caused a great amount of pain and if i was lucky it would go down on its own after a few minutes but most of the time i had to bring the food back up in order to dislodge it. So the first time i contacted the Support staff at the Slimband clinic i was advised to go back to soft foods for another few days that maybe the swelling from surgery had still not gone down and once you vomit there is a good chance it will happen again because now that area is irritated. so i went back on soft foods for another week and i was still experience the same issues even with those.once i stared back on solid foods for the second try the problems persisted but i tried my best to get through it. i followed the advise of the support staff to the fullest i would have a hot drink before my meal like i was advised to try, i chewed my food until it was paste i took my time eating and still no relief from the food getting stuck. in October i had my first follow up with the doctor who asked me the same questions do i chew my food? do i take my time? and do i take small bites? and i answered yes to all these questions so he then sent me for my first defill the band was then loosened and even then i still could not eat with ease. i had phone appointments with nutritionalist Arlene who i was very honest with when telling her what i was eating and how i was eating and was advised by her that i was not eating enough to get the bennifit of the band although all the problems i had been having made me scared to eat why would i want to put myself in that kind of pain and discomfort? I was advised to eat 3 meals a day and 2 to 3 snacks to get maximum weight loss well to be honest at this point i would have been more satisfied with not having to chock up everything i ate! i threw up everything from water to meat and everything in between then in December i went for a second defill because this was the only solution and still no relief by the end of December i had my 3rd and final defill because as i was advised by the doctor who did the defill the band was nearly empty there was nothing left to take and the eating problems never got better the vomiting got so intense my nose would bleed and i would cry from the pain this was becoming a serious problem to me. and i had voiced my issues with everyone at the slimband clinic that would listen and still no one could offer me any resolution in this time i had visited to ER on 2 separate occasions because the pain was so excruciating i was concerned with all the vomiting i had done some real damage and i was just fluffed off as to having heartburn.My mother was so frustrated one day and so concerned that she emailed a letter to slimband insiting someone do something to help me i then got a call from Dr Kundhal who i again voiced my issues to he then advised me to go for an upper GI to get a view of the band to ensure it was placed properly so i made an appointment and had that done in February, the hospital did not send the results i did not know that so i sent the results myself through the mail and they were never received so i then had to drive them out to the slimband clinic to ensure they were received made an appointment for the doctor to call me to go over the results on the day of the appointment the doctor did not call so i called him waited on hold for 20 min so my appointment was past due by 40 min and when he answered the phone he had no idea who was calling and when i told him who i was he then had no idea why i was calling, i had to tell him i was calling for test results and he just bluntly said there was nothing wrong with the band.Although when i had a follow up with my family doctor to go over the same test results because she received them she advised me i had a hernia. a hernia which i was advised was repaired during surgery so i mentioned the hernia to Dr. Kundhal and asked him if there was a chance that was what could be causing my problems he advised me no that the hernia would not be causing these types of problems, i am not a doctor and have no idea but i was left to wonder if he even repaired it in the first place if it wouldn't cause problems why bother doing extra work? but i am still unsure as to that point if the hernia he said he repaired during surgery that showed up on my Upper GI would cause problems. so what were my options? i have been in pain and discomfort for 7 months at this point and no one could figure out why and to be honest every person i talked to didn't seem to have any information or answeres no one was familiar with why i was calling even though i had called the slimband clinic up to this time and spoke with a number of people but did not get the feeling of concern for my situation so the day the doctor gave me my test results he gave me one option to have exploritory surgery and i was not ok with this option i could not take time from a new job to recover and the fear of then having the same problems once he told me again there was nothing wrong i was affraid of choking all the time i have had to pull over to throw up i have thrown up in the car in the parking lot and bathroom of work this was not something that only happened once in a blue moon this is really a problem that had been going on for the entire time i had the band in so i decided to have it removed i decided this was the best option for me to reclaim my life i was not getting the assistance and support slimband promises and i feel and still do feel that i did my fair part in trying to get this resolved took time off work for appointments and took tripes out to the clinic on days off to deliver test results i gave them more than enough opportunity to at least try and help me and i have never felt that anyone cared enough to even try so i had the band removed on April 12th 2011so now i am trying to get a refund i spoke with the pre op administrator Robert Hollis who is really just the accountant and told him the reason i had the band removed and requested a refund on April 13th i then called in back today on april 18th and he advised me today they will not refund me my only option is to seek legal action so that is what i am going to be doing but i wanted it to be known whoever reads this that this is not right i did not remove the band because it didnt help me lose weight and i just wasnt happy with it i removed it because i was throwing up to the point my nose would bleed and coughing so hard to get the food to come out that i was affraid i might actually choke to death its scary to not beable to breath i was coughing so hard and painful so i took the band out so that i could stop those things from happening. and i really dont agree with slimband keeping my money or anyones money that has gone through something like that this surgery costs 16 thousand dollars i was really wanting it to work for me to help me lose weight if it had of worked the was it was supposed to i would have kept it in forever with no complaints but it did not help me all it caused was pain Slimband claims this surgery is the best option because it does not require you to make life altering changes to your eating habits except to eat less which is only expected with any weight loss method but the problems i had did not allow me to enjoy going to a restaurant because on 2 occasions i tried i ended up in the bathroom and once running out of the restaurant leaving my boyfriend sitting at the table to throw up in the parking lot i had to turn down lunch invitations from co workers and i was not able to even eat lunch at work because i simply did not have enough time to try to eat anything and in all honesty i was sparing myself the embarrassment of having to bring it up or explain whats is wrong with me so this did change my whole life for the time i had it in because eating less and eating more healthy was never my problem it was the pain and suffering the band caused. i do wish it would have worked for me and i hope to anyone who has it that it works for them but to anyone thinking of getting this surgery please do the research and really think about it and make sure you are aware of all the things that could go wrong because if you have problems like i did there might not be any other option for you either and if you take the band out you will be relieved from the pain and discomfort but the slimband clinic still made 16 thousand dollars off of your negative side effects.I am going to take legal action that is the next step and i will do whatever it takes to make it known that it is not right that slimband break all promises of support and assistance and when i was at my wits end with nowhere to turn for help i make the decision that is best for me and slimband thinks its right to keep the money i paid .

I completely agree with Spartan. Sadly, that's what I thought I was doing with Slimband. I did a lot of research and I wanted Dr Yau so I chose to pay my fee to Slimband who I now realise must be the 'patient coordinators' you mention Spartan. Now I can't seem to get any confirmation from Slimband that Dr Yau will be performing my surgery (or not). It's very frustrating. I think it's important to research your surgeon then find a reliable and transparent 'patient coordinator' before you commit. Good luck in your journey. Exciting times ahead for me but I just wish they weren't tainted with a slightly less than transparent Slimband situation.

hi all! I am happy to see some people recommendng Slimband. I too spoke with Silvanna, and am in the process of trying to set up a date for june. any other info on Slimband would be great to read!

Yes, I`m in Calgary. Slimband has offices where you get the fills done by a nurse. There's one in Calgary. Are you in Calgary?

I am highly considering booking my surgery with Slimband located in Toronto and was wondering if anyone has had any experiences with them and are they good or bad? I have done a lot of research and its betwen them and SWLC but slimband also offers 4 yrs of afercare with the cost and no charge fils/defills and have a dr locally in NL.....this makes a big difference to me but if they are not reputable then I would rather a reputable place. Thanks,

Hi there! I travelled from New Brunswick to Toronto to be banded at Slimband on April 22, 2010. I was treated very well and was impressed the entire time by the staff. I was banded by Dr. Yau and I found him to be wonderful!! I am still abit sore, but I'm very happy that I went there and was banded. Hope this helps!

I ended up going ahead with Slimband and I'm SO glad I did. Dr Yau performed my surgery on April 16th and it was great! He gave me some very helpful advice and his team was fantastic. The nurses made me feel relaxed before and very comfortable after. And so far the followup care has been okay too. Slimband was great for me and I would definitely recommend them. However, as with all health-related issues, the best advice I can give is to do your research and determine the best route for you and your health.

Hi Elcee -- thanks for the reply. I probably wasn't very clear in that post. I have an option of two different clinics in TO, Canada. One is the slimband clinic and the other is the SWLC clinic. Different surgeons and some different options. So I am trying to find out as much as I can before I jump firmly on one side of the fence. Congrats on your weight loss by the way, amazing.

Thoughts? I have had a consult now with both, and both seem equally, ummm, equal I am self pay and travelling a very long distance, so I am worried about getting the most value I can. Things like after care, ever had to come back for anything, fills and defills.... I am doing this in November of this year, I just have to make a commitment to one or the other in the next few days. Would love to hear any experiences and/or words of wisdom. My doctor would be Dr. Yau at Slimband or Dr. Cobourn at SWLC. Thanks!!

I had the same issue, but after my research, and reading a lot of threads from different websites.... I even joined the Slimband website...and many of their patients complaints were regarding the "BAD" after care. Dr. Yau is very experienced, however, once they are done, you are basically on your own "according to their patients". But when I did a search on Dr. Cobourn and his clinic, I found mostly positive things were being said across the board, from consult to after care. So to me it seemed like they were more on point and cared more about their patients outcome then Slimband....that is the reason I chose SWLC..... Again do your research (it took me 2yrs to decide)....and make the best choice for you. I felt more comfortable with my choice, because I know after care was a huge deal for me. Good Luck!!!

You just join this forum 7 minutes before posting this, your profile is completely blank, and it's to sing the praises of some no-name band that others are speaking against? I call sock puppet. If anything, your post should be all the proof the original poster needs to know to stay far away from Slimband.

I had Slimband Oct 3, 2013. I have not lost any weight and have to be very careful when I eat or it comes right back up. I would love to get in on a class action.

I was banded Mar/07 at TLBC.. They will no longer see me as a patient. They told me Slimband went bankrupt & Dr. Yau has left. I need a fill & feel left out in the cold. What are other people doing?

Falgune Dusara I had Slimband Surgery in 2011. Count me in. If you look in another group chat of Slimband group we are still working on it for class action.

In 2010 I had a lap band surgery at the Slimband clinic in Toronto. Dr. Patrick Yau was my surgeon. I never felt that the band worked, but because of the cost I was determined not to fail. I joined MyfitnessPal and faithfully logged in for over 500 days. I swam daily for one hour during the winter months. Walked, and rode 100 miles per week on my bike. I lost weight, nearly 100 lbs. Three years ago I experienced pain in my abdomen on the lower left side. I had every test possible and nothing was found. This past March 2022, I was in unbearable pain and an ambulance was called. The lap band had perforated my bowel. My life was in jeopardy and after some harrowing days I was out of the woods. I spent a month in the hospital and had food the last three days. It took five months to recover. I was told that when I recovered I would need the band removed because it was precariously positioned against another part of the bowel. Nov. 8 of this year I went to Humber River Hospital and had it and another portion of bowel removed. My question is ; is there a class action suit against Slimband and/or Dr. P. Yau? Thank you.

July 2013 I thought I had the answer and after having many conversations with an employee of Slimband and stating she had the procedure done was honest enough to move me on to another employee because I was asking and trusting her personal opinion and experience. I believed she had a conscience and realized with my hesitation and state of mind, which was not in logical, healthy manner, she gave over my file to someone else who more and less bullied me into agreeing with the procedure. I have regretted this decision from the moment I had the procedure done. Even before the operation started my blood pressure was so high that they delayed it for a little time so that it could come down, but it never did. I quickly had a chat with the doctor who I felt was not coherent, spaced out and told me that I had to just watch my diet. This is not what I was told during my orientation. I realized moments before going into the surgery that I had been duped! Ashamed I never told my husband how I felt when I was in the other room having this conversation. So, because they are booked with surgeries I was rushed in, high pressure still not down, put under and woke up groggy and sent out the door. During the operation my bladder let go and therefore I had to leave the resident in a wet dress. I have experienced nothing but pain, cannot eat properly because I am throwing up so often, sometimes cannot eat for two days because food is stuck. I have not lost any weight with this procedure. They only thing I lost was 16 000.00 dollars, time from work because I am sick, avoiding events because I know that I cannot enjoy the experience of going out with family and friends in case I have to make many trips to the restroom to vomit. Embarrassment and pride and disappointment that I allowed someone take advantage of my desperation to lose weight forever or at least that is what I was told would happen. Now I just want my band removed and my money back! Shame on the doctors and Slimband as I never received any support after I left Toronto to come home east. This was a costly decision that I put a lot of consideration in and still was misled, deceived, and bullied. I wish a class action can be done to compensate me.

Slimband is also $16,000, with unlimited fills (and unfills) and follow up visits. You can also claim this on your income tax; it helps out some.

I went to Slimband. There aren't a lot of Slimband people on here because we have our own private community. Slimband was great! Everyone has been so nice and helpful, and the support team is always there for me when I have questions. I am 3 weeks post-op today

Wow! Sandy thats is incredible! I was suppose to go on Wednesday nite but unfortunately I had a minor car accident in the afternoon on Wednesday and was unable to go. I wouldnt have wanted to be there! I'm meeting with Jill later today so I hope she is ok. Good luck with your surgery Sandy, I have heard good things about the clinic you are going to! I have the name of a great nurse practionier that does fills and defills so just drop me an email and I will set you up. I'm embrassed that TLBC/Slimband acted this way! Wow! I've been in business for 15 years and I have never heard of crazy behavior like this. I think Lisa maybe needs some anger management treatment! Good luck Sandy! I look forward to meeting you at Jills program next week! Enjoy the sunshine everyone!

FWWAB, There is the myslimband.com forum that is for Slimband patients... you can join there and post. I am enjoying it more than i enjoyed the last TLBC board. It has a pretty active participation and they will email you about discussion and sessions etc once you join. I like both sets of forums but if you want slimbandsters specifically they are at the myslimband site. Good luck with losing Heather

Wow, for some reason I've stopped being notified when there is a new post on this thread (or site, I'm not sure) but wow, what a lot that has gone on! Thank you Heather for posting that information about the crashed party. I can't believe that people would behave that way! What a cut-throat world lap band is! And perhaps it is time to start to find another place to post that we can say our opinions without the post being removed. I am so glad you guys explained what was happening and then Heather managed to quote some of it again, as I wondered if I was going mad! I have to say that TLBC would have been much better off not saying anything about Jill when asked except a polite "she left to pursue other interests" and left her alone now. This has not done their reputation any good at all, as by their initial silence, and then that nasty comment about her being fired has only made them look bad, not her. I'm sure there is an expression but saying bad things about a person makes the teller look bad, not the subject. Something like that. I'm up for a monthly topic Heather. I replied to you in the Slimband site, but I'm not getting notifications on that either! Oh well. Thanks for all the info ladies! Mary

Thanks Heather, I don't live in Toronto but four hours away. I do get down for busitiess from time to time .My issue is that this faciltity is becoming GTA Centric. I used to be able to drop into Jill's groups without registering because of my reality. For istance I could participate in any session if I was in town as my schedule is unpredictible. I don't believe this latitude is currently available. To their credit they are attempting outreach for fills but it is still 1.5 hours from home for me. For many reasons Toronto is more convenient. I have not needed a fill for months. I agree that the previous system was flawed. However it doesn't sound like the new process in much better as it could lead to never ending telephone tag. On the rare occassions I need a fill or defill, I don't have much lattitude in terms of time frame. I realize this is as much my problems as theirs. However, before I has the proceedure I was assured that I could be accomodated. Moreover, the aftercare pitch is what sold me on this clinic. Perhaps I expect too much, but for the first 8 months they exceeded my expectations. As far as the website is concerned, I have to disagree. I am not a newbie when it comes to the internet and I believe the site could be better. I don't see the similarities with this one. I also find the postings to be sanatized and sweet compared this one and there are portions of the site that are by invitation only. For instance blogging. It seems to be more about the sales pitch than anything else. At first I was excited about the slimband site. But that soon turned to frustration and I haven't been there in months. Maybe I should check it out again in the future but still don't think I would find it a good fit. This is the last time I will post on this issue. My entire weight loss experience has been very postive. I guess I'm feeling a little isolated and I'm disapointed that the website did not meet my needs or expectations. I will have to find an alternative support systems.

I still disagree with both the sites monitors because I have read many posts on here that are people talking about something they heard or happened to someone else and they were not deleted. I also agree with Donna that when TLBC/Slimband's Director of Marketing Lisa Borg put a post on this site stating that Jill had been fired that post was never deleted? I spoke to Adele the Pschothearpist that was involved in the incident at Jill's open house and how anyone can say there are two sides to a story I'm very confused by that comment because how can there be another side to showing up at her open house? No one has the right to bully their way into a ex employee's new business venture. At the end of the day it just shows that the level of professionalism that TLBC/Slimband has. The more contact I have with this group the more disappointed I am. I have left 3 messages for Dr.Yau in the last week and have yet to hear back from him. I have attended a supercharge seminar and I found it boring and didnt feel it was a group activity. I find Jody is dull and I can't connect with her because she isn't banded and doesnt have a weight problem so she can't know what I'm going through. Another thing that they do not get is the accountability of attending a program, when I was told they would not be weighing me in and giving me my weight breakdown tab I was shocked! That provides a weekly goal for me. Apparently I now have to make an appointment to have Nancy weigh me in and it can only be certain days a week? But I have come to the decision that if TLBC/Slimband can't bring the programs that I need then I need to find them else where whether I have to pay for them or not because I have already spent $16K at TLBC ...(which the more I hear about how much the surgery is going for in Mexico makes me resent the money I paid that organization).... and the end result is I want to get to my goals and be healthy and if TLBC/Slimband can't provide this even though I have paid all this money then I have to look elsewhere! So Jill is the answer to my problems with her different programs. I love the idea of being able to go weigh in once a week and have a quick pep talk and on my way! Her accountability program is perfect for what I need and fits my lifestyle. I'm hoping this post stays! If anyone is interested in any of the programs I'm speaking about just drop me a line and I will give you the contact info. Enjoy the afternoon everyone!

Mary, I wasn't the one who posted the info about TLBC, I don't have any issues with them... I think it was Sandy who posted.. just so you can give credit where credit is due. I don't know Jill at all or anything about her other than what I have read on here from people... good and bad and frankly the whole thing just screams DRAMA to me. My theory about the whole thing is there was no one who was actually there to witness it, everything is second hand stories... so there are two sides to every story and somewhere down the middle is the truth. And I am not in the middle or on either side so I refrain from commenting on this one... I only mentioned that Slimband can't remove posts only LBT can do that. Heather

Just like Doddie63, I'm joining this thread so that I can read about other Slimband-sters. I was banded on Dec 11, 2008. I'm satisfied with my progress. I wish I could lose more, but I'm losing the healthy, recommended amount - and that's o.k. I'm attending two of the Supercharged seminars at the centre, and I find I get something out of each. I didn't know there was a "Slimband" website 'til yesterday. I don't know how I missed it - I had been checking the calendar on the TLBC site. I've had two fills, and have an appointment for another next week. I believe I'll ask for a little bit more, as I don't think I've reached my "sweet spot" yet. Close, but not quite there. Someone here recommended a central place for Slimband/TLBC people to gather. Is there a way to get a forum specific to us, I wonder?