Is the lap band healthy?

[hollyb 0]

I just had to have my band removed because of a pretty significant slip. I had it for a couple of years. I did have the option of having it replaced but I opted for removal because of the generally unhealthy feeling I had even when it was in the proper place. Reflux, vomiting, heartburn, Constipation, all these things just became part of my life. I also felt I could easily eat bad foods and not so easily eat good foods, like fruits and veggies and lean meats. Is is just me or do others feel that way? I don't want to badmouth the band because I know it helps people but I just wonder if I failed or if it failed. I don't know.

[health1st 1]

Sorry it didn't work out for you. Your post brings a lot of questions to mind.

What causes problems with the band. . . . . the band or how some people use or abuse their "tool". OR do some people just have problems no matter what the do OR do they overeat, get too aggressive with fills, etc. I don't know.

I know I could have never lost this weight without the help of the band. So physically I am so much more healthy, active, and happy. Today, I think the choice was to have the band with potential for risk or stay obese and have health problems for sure. I hope the band keeps working with minimal challenges for me.

[marmalela 0]

I'm new to all of this. I haven't had surgery yet, my doctor just referred me to weight loss clinic and I'm trying to do my homework and weigh the pro's, con's and risk factors of both the gastric bypass or the band surgery. i'm really tired of the weight and health problems my weight is causing, and I want to know which one will be more conducive to me losing the weight and keeping it off and being healthy. I am already a very active person, and have changed my eating habits drastically and etc... couldn't take weight off with meridia( weight loss medicine). I can't add much to the conversation, but I am great at listening and I have a thirst for knowledge and information, good and bad.

[sugarplum 0]

Marmalela The bypass is a very dangerous operation and has many more long term complications that cant be reversed, the band therefore is a much less invasive procedure and is a much healthier way to lose the weight, i would choose the band time and time again, the band is a great tool and u will lose wieght if u work hard along with it, good luck with your decision xxx

[health1st 1]

marmala, you've come to the right place. There is a wealth of knowledge and experience here. It is great to do your homework. May I suggest that you talk to as many people who have had both surgeries as you can. Go to as many support groups as you can. That really helped me decide.

I am biased to wards the band but many people like the gastric bypass.

My opinion is because of the malobsortion, gastric bypass folks can eat most things and lose weight FAST in the beginning. But at some point that stops and many gain weight back.

With the band you have to learn to eat right immediately after surgery and you have to be more involved and responsible. It is just my opinion, but I wanted some "help" to lose weight, I didn't want drastic surgery that reroutes my intestines and does all the work until it doesn't work anymore.

[Wheezy 0]

I chose the band because it was reversible. I don't want to be fatalistic but I thought that if I became very ill with say, "cancer", I wanted to be able to unfill the band and fight for my life. Gastric bypass is not reversible and with the malabsorption, I felt that I wouldn't be able to fight as hard. I did it for my health, I didn't want it to be a detriment to my health.

[Carlene 12]

Holly...

I'm so sorry you did not achieve the results you had hoped for with the band. I have had some issues with mine, too but nothing that a little unfill and some Nexium couldn't fix. I've also made it a hard and fast rule not to eat after 8 PM. That keeps the reflux problem at bay and helps my weight loss, too. Midnight Snacks were one of my biggest downfalls.

Did you lose any weight during the almost 2 years you had the band? Are you considering another WLS, or have you decided to go another route, like WW?

I know the band doesn't work out for everyone. I don't think you should blame yourself or the device. It just wasn't a good fit, in your case.

[CJBD 0]

My band saved my life and I had it for a year, losing a bit over 100 pounds.

Suddenly, this last May, I started having pains, and saw a surgeon who

obviously did not understand this surgery at all, so I traveled back to the

state in which I had had my band put in (I had moved right after original

surgery). My esophogus was badly swollen, and the surgeon removed my

band, saying that it wasn't safe to put in another at this time. I gained

27 pounds in 6 weeks and have been having a very hard time since losing

my band. I cannot decide if I should try for another band in 6 months, or

try to resume losing, thinking of the band for a year as being a fabulous

"jump start." Gastric bypass terrifies me and I cannot imagine having it

done to me, being irreversible and so invasive. I'm trying to start each

day off with a hot drink (even home-made Soup with no sodium) and also

to only drink ice Water after 5 p.m. -- that part is hard! I didn't realize how many complications the band could have when I had lapband surgery

in May of 2005, but even so, that one year made such a difference in my

life, and I'm still glad I had it, even though only for a year. "C.J."

banded May 16, 2005 top weight 319

unbanded June 26, 2006 weighed 211

September 2006 --- had gained 27 lbs; lost 5, gained 5... am trying to

restart the losing process without the lapband tool

[GeezerSue 7]

Marmalela The bypass is a very dangerous operation and has many more long term complications that cant be reversed, the band therefore is a much less invasive procedure and is a much healthier way to lose the weight, i would choose the band time and time again, the band is a great tool and u will lose wieght if u work hard along with it, good luck with your decision xxx

Oh, my :omg: ...where to begin...if the bypass were all that dangerous, no reputable surgeons would be performing it (and they are) and the insurance companies wouldn't be paying for it (and they do.)

I'm not sure what those "long term complications that cant be reversed" are...and I sure haven't read about them in the medical literature. Perhaps you can enlighten me.

The band isn't "less invasive" because of those alleged "long term complications that cant be reversed"...but because it is less INVASIVE.

I had my band for three years. I don't know that barfing and sliming and being unable to eat solid food and having a non-functioning esophagus is "a much healthier way to lose the weight" than just eating NORMAL food...which is what I'm doing now.

Finally, the claim that "the band is a great tool and u will lose wieght if u work hard along with it," is a specious claim. The band will work for some people and won't work for others.

I hope your journey continues to be as trouble-free as is has been so far.

[health1st 1]

Geezersue, do you still have your band?

I agree with you, there are a lot more challenges to the band than I thought and it doesn't work for everyone. Either I chose not to hear/read about all the problems or the possible problems weren't really provided along with the fantastic glowing positive aspects I focused on.

Also agree....is barfing and sliming a way to lose weight? I haven't had either of those but after my recent first fill I am nauseous when I eat. Yeah, that works too!

[GeezerSue 7]

No, I don't still have my band...well, I DO, but it's in a baggie in my guest room. (I show it to visitors.)

Since my revision, I've lost about 90 pounds and my BMI is about 33. It hasn't been this low in DECADES. But I want to lose another 30 or 40 pounds...thirty sounds more attainable right now.

(I'm one of those "big-boned" girls who really IS big-boned. When I got out of basic training in the Army, my BMI was around 24, which is close to the top of the "normal" range and I wore a size 8 wedding ring. Not a dainty girl, I. so I'm not shooting for tiny...)

[S@ssen@ch 745]

Every WLS has it's pros and cons, its risks and benefits. The key is to decide if the risks of your particular surgery are worth the benefits that you seek.

Holly, I wouldn't think you'd be normal to be questioning yourself this way. If I were in your shoes, I'd be asking myself the same things. In your defense, sometimes these things just happen. I wouldn't beat myself up about it.

And, just my 2 cents here........BUT, not everyone with a band barfs and slimes their way to healthy weight loss success. I myself have been banded a year and a half. The only vomiting I have done was related to my gall bladder attacks. And yes, I eat normal food. In fact, so far I haven't found any food that I absolutely cannot eat. I have slimed, (very slightly) and not enough to lead to a PB. Yes, my weight loss is slower than I'd like. But it is coming off and it's staying off (so far). The only reflux I've had was related to being too tight and as soon as I could convince a doctor to unfill me, I did and I'm better for it.

I just felt like someone should remind those out there, that barfing and sliming and reflux are not necessarily foregone conclusions. Yes, there are potential complications of the band. But that doesn't mean that everyone will get them. Some do and some don't. The well-informed patient will do much better than one going into it blindly. Know what the complications are. Know what will be expected of YOU post operatively. Know whether YOU can adhere to those lifestyle changes. Develop a good relationship with your doctor so that if you have questions you don't hesitate going or contacting him/her.

[health1st 1]

Geezer Sue, did you have the gastric surgery that is similar to the bypass? I can't remember the name? And I only recall a little of your story. Did you have ongoing problems with the band?

I thought I was OK until my first small fill at 17 weeks postop. I either had a delayed reaction to the fill or am ill. I've been nausea for about a week now, on liquids. I've never PB'd or slimmed. Any input on the nausea I am having? It seems most people who have too tight of a fill just vomit not get continuous nausea.

[health1st 1]

Geezer Sue, by the way you are doing fantastic! A BMI of 33, nice!

[cashley 0]

I just had to have my band removed because of a pretty significant slip. I had it for a couple of years. I did have the option of having it replaced but I opted for removal because of the generally unhealthy feeling I had even when it was in the proper place. Reflux, vomiting, heartburn, Constipation, all these things just became part of my life. I also felt I could easily eat bad foods and not so easily eat good foods, like fruits and veggies and lean meats. Is is just me or do others feel that way? I don't want to badmouth the band because I know it helps people but I just wonder if I failed or if it failed. I don't know.

I agree 100%.... To me the band is not as healthy as another surgery even when other surgeries have malabsorbtion. The reason I feel that is if you get in the position either from a bad PB or overfill then you have the Reflux, vomiting, heartburn and constipation and it seems so hard to get out of that cycle once your are in it. It's like I've resigned to a friggin liquid diet for life to heal and then that leads to high calories junk food like milk shakes. Right now chocolate milk is the only thing that doesn't hurt my stomach... so I drink suger free quick in low fat milk... and I'm trying hard to heal so I can eat real food again.

I've already been unfilled but my insides are just irritated and ucky! Once I heal, and gain weight they'll fill me again and it will start all over.