No more lap bands in my area?

[m1aman 944]

It seems that some of the drs in my area are turning their backs on the lap band and going for the sleeve and the bypass. Now they are passing their lap band patients off to other drs. The whole thing is discouraging. It has me wondering if there will be an experienced lap band surgeon available to help me if I have problems years down the road. Have any of you noticed this trend or is it local to me?

[dylanmiles23 2,198]

Very interesting. I wonder why. Maybe because with the band the doctor sees you more often and for more years of follow ups?

What state/country are you from? I am from the Boston area and there are lots of 'band' doctors. I know mine still does them.

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

I have noticed in some areas of the country, mostly more rural and less densely populated areas. I really believe it's because the Sleeve and Bypass are the money makers and a lot surgeons see Lap Bands as a pain the butt because of all the necessary (not money making) follow up.

[Leena 108]

Lapbands are definitely getting phased out here. Yes you can still get one, but doctors are pushing the sleeve more and more these days. In this year alone 4 of my friends have undergone WLS- none of them were bands. One bypass and 3 sleeves. One of them asked about the band and her dr suggested the sleeve instead.

I know my dr is doing more sleeves these days than bands- by far. It is a one and done surgery- with less followup than the band.

My partner has the bypass and is 3 years out. In the last 2 years he's only been to the surgeon for a complication and that was it. Technically the surgeon came to him in the hospital after he was admitted to the ER with pain. It ended up being a twisted bowel which they found only because he explored after taking out a gallbladder that didn't look too bad.

[mrsto 2,925]

This is very disheartening to hear. It is difficult for me to understand why a doctor would choose such an extreme form of surgery, over something reversible. Somehow, it doesn't seem that they have the patients LONG TERM best interest at heart. Yes, certainly they will lose weight. But what happens beyond that, with 1/4 of a stomach or a rerouted plumbing system?

I don't see my doctor discontinuing lap band procedures, but he is very upfront about it being his least favorite surgery. Even still, he does dozens of them yearly. If I ever have issues with my band, or move to a place where I cannot get the necessary care, I would have it removed without a revision. As much as I agonized over which surgery to go with, now that I've lived with the band for 7 months, I would never agree to any of the other surgeries. Way to extreme for my taste, and the band is working perfectly fine.

I'm annoyed with all of these doctors chasing the almighty buck, instead of having the long term health of their patients be the #1 priority. Granted, I don't see what they see on a day to day or year to year basis. But it seems so many of them really don't like the band......my doctor included.

[MistyfortheMountain 119]

My doctors office does both the band and sleeve surgeries. At the seminar I asked about the band and was told they much prefer the band and strongly suggest it because it is so much less invasive.

[Sally Pearl 59]

This is all very interesting.

I was offered Band, Sleeve and Bypass, but made the decision to have a less invasive band. I did not qualify for surgery and had to pay for it myself.

However I have had two friends of mine who do qualify for free surgery, they want the band but have been very encouraged to go for a sleeve or bypass and not the band. I think it may all be about the fact that the band needs more tweaking and is indeed more hassle.

[NaNa 878]

It seems that some of the drs in my area are turning their backs on the lap band and going for the sleeve and the bypass. Now they are passing their lap band patients off to other drs. The whole thing is discouraging. It has me wondering if there will be an experienced lap band surgeon available to help me if I have problems years down the road. Have any of you noticed this trend or is it local to me?

This trend has been going on for the last 3-4 years, it's not new. MANY surgeons are moving away from the band, NOT because the band is a bad procedure, but because they just do NOT like the AFTERCARE that the band REQUIRES. Surgeons are 'cutters' and lap band aftercare has become a "hassle" for many US lap band surgeons.

It's just that simple. Many have been pushing the Sleeve for the last few years, even if the patient REALLY wants the band.

Part of it is IGNORANCE from the patient, of not knowing how to live with their bands, and surgeons got tired of lap band 'complications, many patients keep their bands too tight, never follow up and only return to their surgeons when their bands has slipped, so many surgeons were removing more bands than what they were putting in.

You have newbies here IGNORE how the band works, they really don't care, all they want is the "tightest fill possible" so this TREND WILL CONTINUE...UNTIL more and more surgeons get sick and tired of removing bands.

Part of it is surgeons NOT educating patients on how the BAND REALLY works, and being honest UPFRONT with patient on what it takes to be successful and complication free.

Also, with the Sleeve and Bypass once the surgery is DONE, they really don't have to see the patient AGAIN...FOREVER...most patients with the Bypass and Sleeve probably only need to see their surgeon for a few times after surgery and that's it.

It does NOT mean Sleeve and Bypass patients don't have complications, because they have MANY..the thing is Sleeve and Bypass patients gets dumped off to their PCP's. internist, hematologists, and other specialists to 'deal' with their long term complications, Vitamin deficiencies, and other aliments.

But with the lap band ONLY lap band surgeons can deal with reflux and other lap band long term problems, with filling/unfilling the band, and reading Upper Gi's , endocospies...etc, or removing the band.

Also you CANNOT convince MANY lap band patients that a "tighter" band is not better, so unfortunately after a few years, MANY have to get their bands removed...

Also MANY do not care if their bands are too tight, they just deal with it until their bands eventually slips...and I guess many surgeons are getting tired of removing bands.

I think what will eventually happen is that ALL compliant people and those who keep moderate fills will be the only people to remain with bands, and ALL others will eventually get them removed...I guess you can think of it as a "weeding out process".

The lap band will ALWAYS be available on the market, (probably in large urban areas, and decline in small rural areas) for those who can afford good aftercare and followups, but the trend of surgeons performing bands will continue to decline -- sadly due to bad surgeons and bad patients.

[Sojourner 2,446]

It seems that some of the drs in my area are turning their backs on the lap band and going for the sleeve and the bypass. Now they are passing their lap band patients off to other drs. The whole thing is discouraging. It has me wondering if there will be an experienced lap band surgeon available to help me if I have problems years down the road. Have any of you noticed this trend or is it local to me?

Yes, it does seem to be the trend among both surgeons who specialize in Bariatric surgery, and general surgeons who perform bariatric procedures as part of their practice.

After moving to another state and encountering significant issues which needed to be addressed, my surgeon in Florida referred me to a former residency class mate who practices much closer to my current summer residence.

He told me he no longer would place a band in any patient, and gave me a choice. Either he could totally empty my band, or offered to remove it.

I was both surprised and shocked by what he said. My surgeon who placed my band told me that they still offer the band but the rate of complications and need for ongoing aftercare were the reasons he was steering patients in a different direction than the band.

[Sojourner 2,446]

This trend has been going on for the last 3-4 years, it's not new. MANY surgeons are moving away from the band, NOT because the band is a bad procedure, but because they just do NOT like the AFTERCARE that the band REQUIRES. Surgeons are 'cutters' and lap band aftercare has become a "hassle" for many US lap band surgeons.

It's just that simple. Many have been pushing the Sleeve for the last few years, even if the patient REALLY wants the band.

Part of it is IGNORANCE from the patient, of not knowing how to live with their bands, and surgeons got tired of lap band 'complications, many patients keep their bands too tight, never follow up and only return to their surgeons when their bands has slipped, so many surgeons were removing more bands than what they were putting in.

You have newbies here IGNORE how the band works, they really don't care, all they want is the "tightest fill possible" so this TREND WILL CONTINUE...UNTIL more and more surgeons get sick and tired of removing bands.

Part of it is surgeons NOT educating patients on how the BAND REALLY works, and being honest UPFRONT with patient on what it takes to be successful and complication free.

Also, with the Sleeve and Bypass once the surgery is DONE, they really don't have to see the patient AGAIN...FOREVER...most patients with the Bypass and Sleeve probably only need to see their surgeon for a few times after surgery and that's it.

It does NOT mean Sleeve and Bypass patients don't have complications, because they have MANY..the thing is Sleeve and Bypass patients gets dumped off to their PCP's. internist, hematologists, and other specialists to 'deal' with their long term complications, Vitamin deficiencies, and other aliments.

But with the lap band ONLY lap band surgeons can deal with reflux and other lap band long term problems, with filling/unfilling the band, and reading Upper Gi's , endocospies...etc, or removing the band.

Also you CANNOT convince MANY lap band patients that a "tighter" band is not better, so unfortunately after a few years, MANY have to get their bands removed...

Also MANY do not care if their bands are too tight, they just deal with it until their bands eventually slips...and I guess many surgeons are getting tired of removing bands.

I think what will eventually happen is that ALL compliant people and those who keep moderate fills will be the only people to remain with bands, and ALL others will eventually get them removed...I guess you can think of it as a "weeding out process".

The lap band will ALWAYS be available on the market, (probably in large urban areas, and decline in small rural areas) for those who can afford good aftercare and followups, but the trend of surgeons performing bands will continue to decline -- sadly due to bad surgeons and bad patients.

Many, many broad generalizations referenced in your post.

The reasons for the possible diminished availability of the band are many...

Would like to know the research studies which provided the details you write about in your post. J/s...because what you have written is not even close to my experience.

[m1aman 944]

I live in a rural area with only two lap band docs in reasonable driving distance. Now that one of them is turning his back on the band I will have to see if the other will take me as a new patient. He wants a copy of my medical records and a letter from me stating why I want to become his patient.

[tlbutler 98]

Very interesting. I wonder why. Maybe because with the band the doctor sees you more often and for more years of follow ups? What state/country are you from? I am from the Boston area and there are lots of 'band' doctors. I know mine still does them.

Lol, I live in Pembroke and had my surgery at Beth Isreal in Milton...I grew up in Dorchester!!!

[m1aman 944]

I was thinking about the logic of docs not wanting to deal with the aftercare of a lap band patient. I don't know the answer. But I do know my doc charges my insurance about $400 for a fill. That coupled with an office visit takes about 15 minutes. That may not be good money to a surgeon but it seems okay to me.

[Deehar1 10]

I heard Allergan sold or is selling their lapband division. I don't know just saying what I heard.

In any case I chose the lapband because I could not see having my stomach cut into and dissected unless I was told I had some serious disease .

I was told at my practice that they are staying with the lapband because through their research they've found that the lapband is great. She said they don't even recommend the band with plication. Most of their patients are lapband.

If by any chance my band slips or I have some other complication I will just have the band removed. Hopefully not though. I've had my band for over 3 years and even though I had a bad period of emotional eating and some regain my band is still in great shape. Like they say, I'll cross that bridge when & if I come to it.

[B-52 7,113]

Last time I was at my surgeon's office, I stuck around and had a cup of coffee in the back, and some friendly talk with the staff....

After commenting on my journey with the band, they started to share with me how frustrated they are with many of their other patients.....initially, they come in 100% committed to loosing weight...life and death....tell their story sometimes in tears!!

Then 6-12 months later after surgery, these same people are coming in asking for un-fills so they can "Pig Out" on vacation...or one person said she wanted to be able to eat this fudge recipe she is famous for...all kinds of stories, many of them were very funny....but at the same time very sad...

....The staff wants so much to help these people, but they "Self Destruct" They want their patients to be successful, but more often than not it is the patient who gets in the way of that success....

They just don't "get-It" Why would they go through all this in the first place?? You thought they really wanted this but at the same time they want the very things that was hurting them in the first place...everyone just shook their heads and said "Some people....Unbelievable!"

Then it was said that, that is why they were moving away from the lap band more and more...it gives people to much freedom and say as to how they want to carry out their treatment plan...adding to a very low success rate reflecting upon the Dr. and staff......why would they want to perform a procedure on people with a low success rate? They need to take away that adjust ability the band has, and

go for something that is more constant and consistent....

They are recommending the sleeve more and more...and say "here it is...there is no adjustment"..it is what it is and all have to deal with it the same.....