Another disappointed bandster

[Jennet 0]

I am new to this site and posted yesterday but can't remember which thread I was on (I know I posted on band to sleeve revision) but I can't find my other post. Oh, well.

For those who have been in my shoes, maybe you can offer some help. I got the band more than 2 years ago. I got it because it was promoted as causing satiety and keeping hunger at bay. It has never caused me either at any fill level.

I am now unfilled due to a severe stuck episode and plan to stay this way. I have followed all the rules and the 75 lbs I have lost was largely due to what I did, not the band. All the pre and post op dieting, especially the 2 week pre and post op liquid only diet (I was starving) plus a measly 15 pounds post band and that's it. Nothing since then.

I am tired of struggling with hunger and thinking about food and feeling guilty about food. I got this so that I wouldn't have to struggle anymore.

I eat healthy, exercise everyday but am hungry all the time. It is not head hunger.

Anyway, at my age (60) I am not sure I could get the sleeve. Plus I know my insurance wouldn't pay for a revision. The way they would look at it is I lost 75 lbs. with the band.

But I just know if I could get rid of that pesky lower stomach it would help. I can physically feel it asking for food to get to a point of satiety. When I was overfilled I physically could not eat much - eating caused pain, pressure, reflux and heartburn. But I was still hungry.

Any insights or suggestion for where I can go from here.

Thanks so much.

Oh, and BTW, struggling bandsters get bashed by the defenders of the band regularly on LBT and when I come to their defense, I get criticized, too. So, I decided to come here and see how this forum was to strugglers.

[Foxbins 625]

I am 57 and got the sleeve as a self-pay. Have you considered that option?

[Infernored 5]

It's disappointing because it's only recently that the sleeve has been becoming popular and recognized as a valuable weight loss tool. my insurance just started covering them in september so I am lucky. But early bandsters were not. my surgeon says he really prefers the sleeve because he has to do so many revisions with the band, and then the band has 15% likelihood of needing another surgery.

[myrori 55]

I am sure Tiffikins will be along to tell you of her revision, look her up and read her blog. I seen one woman in her 70's at a post op support group and she had the sleeve. She used to be in a wheel chair and surprised the leader by walking in and out of the very big hospital!

After your stuck episode did your doctor do an upper gi or any tests? Perhaps there is slippage or erosion or esophageal damage? If you have any of those condtions your insurance may pay for the revision despite your weight loss success. If you truly want the the sleeve revision there is a doctor in Mexico that people talk about on here that does self pay revisions, and I think there might be one in Las Vegas that is self pay.

[AutumnLily 77]

There are some people that the lap band works for and others that have complications. Too bad you fall into the second group. If your insurance will not cover a revision I would suggest like the others have to check out self pay. If you truly want the sleeve the money spent will be totally worth it. Do your research and choose your surgeon well. Hope you find the answers you are looking for.

[Jennet 0]

Thanks everyone for your thoughtful replies. I remember when I got the band that there was some talk of there being an upper age limit. I think it was 59. I don't think that is true anymore, but I just thought I'd bring it up.

During my struggles with the band I came on here once in awhile and I remember reading a post by someone who had had the band and got the sleeve and she said the sleeve was everything she had hoped the band would be - no hunger, no being stuck, no relux or heartburn, and she didn't need to do the whole fill thing. I remember thinking - wow, her experience with the sleeve is everything I thought my band experience would be.

I did have an upper GI after the stuck episode and everything was okay. No slippage. I will discuss this with my new surgeon. I left my former surgeon for many reasons, not the least of which was that he told me I had a different size band than I did and then blamed me when he overfilled me. I think my current surgeon does the sleeve, so I will discuss it with him.

Can anyone tell me what self pay costs? I don't want to go to Mexico. If you go there for the surgery,who do you see if you have problems?

Thanks again for all your suggestions and help.

[Becca 108]

Thanks everyone for your thoughtful replies. I remember when I got the band that there was some talk of there being an upper age limit. I think it was 59. I don't think that is true anymore, but I just thought I'd bring it up.

During my struggles with the band I came on here once in awhile and I remember reading a post by someone who had had the band and got the sleeve and she said the sleeve was everything she had hoped the band would be - no hunger, no being stuck, no relux or heartburn, and she didn't need to do the whole fill thing. I remember thinking - wow, her experience with the sleeve is everything I thought my band experience would be.

I did have an upper GI after the stuck episode and everything was okay. No slippage. I will discuss this with my new surgeon. I left my former surgeon for many reasons, not the least of which was that he told me I had a different size band than I did and then blamed me when he overfilled me. I think my current surgeon does the sleeve, so I will discuss it with him.

Can anyone tell me what self pay costs? I don't want to go to Mexico. If you go there for the surgery,who do you see if you have problems?

Thanks again for all your suggestions and help.

I struggled with the lapband for three and a half years. I did lose 70 pounds, but I gained half of that back when I developed a leak, slip, and then later the band broke apart in my body. It was so painful my husband took me to the ER in the middle of the night. I thought I had appendicitis, but it was just my crummy band! My insurance did cover my revision. I would talk with your new doctor and have him check that you don't have problems with your band that might allow it to be covered by insurance. I think you should be able to have a revision at any age, you just need to find the right doctor. I am not sure about the cost of self pay in the US. I wish you the best. Feel free to ask if you have any questions. Good luck! We are very supportive here. It is like a different world compared to LBT!

[Billy363627 15]

Tiffikins is one of the sole authority on the sleeve in this forum. She also had the sleeve and it failed. I really do hope that she commits on this post. I didn't have the band but I have read that the failure rate is really high after 3-5 years. The more years you have it in the more likely it will slip or erode the stomach..I did about 4 months of studying on all the surgeries and I just kept coming back to the sleeve.. I guess the best thing I can tell you is to educate yourself..I will welcome you to this forum Just as you are good or bad. We are here to support one another, and we will be here in your need as well as anyothers needs. I am just really glad for myself that I took a long time to make my decision on the operation..I am a dedicated sleever and I am glad that I didn't decide to have the band.. Good luck

[renniemommie 8]

Talk to your Dr or a Dr about revision, you don't know what they will say until they say it. What is the magic word to get it fixed? Mexico isn't that bad, cheaper and I've had other medical care there and would go back in a heartbeat for more (my insurance does cover, but they didn't approve by 4pm today-so I've been bumped), stories like yours make me happy that I didn't get a band. Good luck

[Jennet 0]

Tiffikins is one of the sole authority on the sleeve in this forum. She also had the sleeve and it failed. I really do hope that she commits on this post. I didn't have the band but I have read that the failure rate is really high after 3-5 years. The more years you have it in the more likely it will slip or erode the stomach..I did about 4 months of studying on all the surgeries and I just kept coming back to the sleeve.. I guess the best thing I can tell you is to educate yourself..I will welcome you to this forum Just as you are good or bad. We are here to support one another, and we will be here in your need as well as anyothers needs. I am just really glad for myself that I took a long time to make my decision on the operation..I am a dedicated sleever and I am glad that I didn't decide to have the band.. Good luck

Did you mean to say Tiffikins also had the band and it failed? I was a little confused. Another concern of mine about the band (not for me since I'm unfilled) are those who require that it be tighter and tighter to control their eating and putting up with reflux, heartburn, and vomiting. And they seem willing to put up with it to lose weight. They do it at their own peril and I suspect that 20 years down the road we are going to see more cases of esophageal cancer from all of this.

As to educating myself about the sleeve - that will take awhile. I have a lot of research to do. But my one big question is:

Does it take away the hunger? If it does that for me then I will take care of everything else on my part and follow all the rules.

Thanks for your help.

[Jennet 0]

I struggled with the lapband for three and a half years. I did lose 70 pounds, but I gained half of that back when I developed a leak, slip, and then later the band broke apart in my body. It was so painful my husband took me to the ER in the middle of the night. I thought I had appendicitis, but it was just my crummy band! My insurance did cover my revision. I would talk with your new doctor and have him check that you don't have problems with your band that might allow it to be covered by insurance. I think you should be able to have a revision at any age, you just need to find the right doctor. I am not sure about the cost of self pay in the US. I wish you the best. Feel free to ask if you have any questions. Good luck! We are very supportive here. It is like a different world compared to LBT!

I am sorry about your struggles with the band - it sounds really terrible. Did you ever post this on LBT because the band defenders would have told you the band is just a tool and you failed the band not the other way around? And then they would proceed to tell you how great they have done and you just didn't try as hard as they did.

I am pretty sure my doctor does the sleeve. He told me awhile ago that the band was falling out of favor.

Thanks for your suggestions. I am glad you found something that works for you. I wish you continued good luck.

[duanethomas 0]

Hi there!

I have been reading your story and I feel so bad for you. I just know there is something your new surgeon can do to help you. I am a 50 yo male from Atlanta who just had the vsg. I will tell you it is amazing. It will be 5 weeks Monday and I have lost 51lbs. But I had a lot to lose 130lbs! I am so fortunate because my insurance paid for it. I recently asked my surgeon for a friend of mine how much the self pay would cost if someone did it and he told me with hospital and surgeon the fee was around 45,000. But it is a fraction of that in Mexico and I hear such wonderful things about them down there and I know several people who have gone to have the band done and have been so happy with their care. I wish you all the best and I am so hoping you get better. Congratulations on your 75lbs! That is fabulous!!

Thanks everyone for your thoughtful replies. I remember when I got the band that there was some talk of there being an upper age limit. I think it was 59. I don't think that is true anymore, but I just thought I'd bring it up.

During my struggles with the band I came on here once in awhile and I remember reading a post by someone who had had the band and got the sleeve and she said the sleeve was everything she had hoped the band would be - no hunger, no being stuck, no relux or heartburn, and she didn't need to do the whole fill thing. I remember thinking - wow, her experience with the sleeve is everything I thought my band experience would be.

I did have an upper GI after the stuck episode and everything was okay. No slippage. I will discuss this with my new surgeon. I left my former surgeon for many reasons, not the least of which was that he told me I had a different size band than I did and then blamed me when he overfilled me. I think my current surgeon does the sleeve, so I will discuss it with him.

Can anyone tell me what self pay costs? I don't want to go to Mexico. If you go there for the surgery,who do you see if you have problems?

Thanks again for all your suggestions and help.

[Jennet 0]

Hi there!

I have been reading your story and I feel so bad for you. I just know there is something your new surgeon can do to help you. I am a 50 yo male from Atlanta who just had the vsg. I will tell you it is amazing. It will be 5 weeks Monday and I have lost 51lbs. But I had a lot to lose 130lbs! I am so fortunate because my insurance paid for it. I recently asked my surgeon for a friend of mine how much the self pay would cost if someone did it and he told me with hospital and surgeon the fee was around 45,000. But it is a fraction of that in Mexico and I hear such wonderful things about them down there and I know several people who have gone to have the band done and have been so happy with their care. I wish you all the best and I am so hoping you get better. Congratulations on your 75lbs! That is fabulous!!

Thanks, Duane for your reply. You certainly have done great. Congratulations. At this point in my weight loss journey I am not looking to lose more weight but rather control my hunger that the band has never done and keep from gaining weight. I mean I can only depend on willpower so long. If I thought the sleeve would do that for me I would be so happy - just get rid of my pesky stomach and all its grehlin and hunger hormones. Wow, $45,000. That's a lot and I don't have anyone to help me if I go to Mexico. So that's probably not an option for me.

But I will discuss it with my doctor. He does do the sleeve but I don't know if he does band to sleeve revisions.

[Becca 108]

I am sorry about your struggles with the band - it sounds really terrible. Did you ever post this on LBT because the band defenders would have told you the band is just a tool and you failed the band not the other way around? And then they would proceed to tell you how great they have done and you just didn't try as hard as they did.

I am pretty sure my doctor does the sleeve. He told me awhile ago that the band was falling out of favor.

Thanks for your suggestions. I am glad you found something that works for you. I wish you continued good luck.

Funny- I did post what happened to me and then it was mysteriously deleted....hmmm. I think I should submit the copies of my CT scan with all the broken parts of the lapband in my body and see what they say! LOL

About the hunger, I do get a little bit of hunger when it is time to eat. The thing is, I get full very fast on very little. Then I don't want to eat again until the next meal, if that. I really hope you are able to get the sleeve. It really is a great, life changing thing. With the ghrelin gone, I don't think about food in an obsessive way anymore. I just eat to live. Best wishes!

[Rev Me Up! 75]

Hi There!

I have had the band for 3.5 years. No major complications, but it didn't work. And now I am left with the port discomfort and all the limits of having that chunk of stuff in my body. I am getting a revision so I can get the implant out and ensure that I don't gain a bunch of weight when it is gone. I go in tomoorw and I can't wait.

I am self pay. It's expensive, but worth it to me because I am getting in to surgery very quickly.

Only you know what is right for you, but I am soooooo excited to have a second chance :-)

Lara