I wish I hadn't gotten the band

[maestrita 43]

I just wanted to update people on my status. I had a band placed in 2009, and it had slipped a few years back. I went to a consulting surgeon, and he suggested that he didn't think it had slipped. It turns out it had. It had slipped below my stomach and was causing my liver to become inflamed and creating medically significant amounts of scar tissue (2 hours to remove the tissue to get the band to remove it). At the same time that I became symptomatic here in October of 2013, I came back to this site for support and ideas about how it could be remedied. I learned that having it removed where I live would cost 12,000. (I paid under 10,000 to have it put in). If I were willing to be treated poorly, I could use the clinic that took over when my original surgeon retired. I could have it removed for 4,500.00 there. I also learned that the FDA recently reported that the number of complications is not what Allergan has reported. The FDA suggests that, based on their research, close to 50% of Lap Bands result in complications. I just wish I'd had that information before I began. 50%. I never would have signed up for surgery that was about as successful as flipping a coin. I'm telling you in case you're about to do this. I sincerely wish I had not. Before it was through, I wasted 16,000.00 (not including the revision to a new WLS). I know some of you have good experiences with the band, and I hope that you continue to do so. I'm not interested in challenging your experience, and I'm only interested in sharing what happened to me in case there are folks who have been mislead to think that this is safer than it is. I hope you find this information helpful. Amy

Edited January 25, 2014 by maestrita

[B-52 7,113]

Your topic title says "I wish I hadn't gotten the sleeve", yet you talk about complications from the band??

Is it the other way around?

Did they ever offer an explanation as to the cause of your band to slip? And it slipped down?

[cheryl2586 3,053]

I also think your topic is a conflict. There is always a chance of complications with any surgery. Not just weight loss surgery. The band has about a 1% complication rate. You can have a toe operated on and end up with blood clots or pneumonia or God forbid death. There are many successful people who have had the lapband up to 10 years on this forum.

[maestrita 43]

I beg your pardon. I meant to say band. This has been a little bit emotional for me, and I have not been communicating well. Not even Allergan reports <1%... http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm283455.htm

[maestrita 43]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-21/obesity-lap-bands-may-cause-more-complications-than-weight-loss.html

and

http://www.dayonehealth.com/resources/blog/231-long-term-complications-after-lap-band-surgery.html

and

http://healthland.time.com/2011/12/14/fda-warns-about-misleading-lap-band-surgery-ads-in-california/

I'm not here to argue. I just think that people should be advised. This last study says 60% need additional surgery. That's not what I was told, and I had relied on that information to make a medical decision.

[rinny11 17]

Amy,I'm so sorry that you had such a bad experience. I would do evrything possible to have the thing removed if I were you. Consult a good Dr. that help you ,maybe even take payments . The rest of you need to chill, everyone makes mistakes, and we all need to try to understand that , have empathy for each other with kind words and our support.

[cheryl2586 3,053]

No one is arguing. The study on the allergen band was done in Belgium and it was only a study of 82 patients that they screwed up on and they are also the ones that were using plication and peoples stomach tissue died because they did not have the technique right. The 1800 get thin was being sued by the FDA for giving out false information. The whole point here is that with any surgery there is always complications. But I can tell you this if I ever lose my band due to complications or because of me failing I will not resort to another weight loss surgery. That would be my choice.

[B-52 7,113]

As far as warning people to be cautious and careful, you are correct...everyone should be careful in everything they do...

I need to be careful when I cross the street or I might get hit by a bus....

But I am mindful that things can happen with this surgery...but what is one supposed to do to take care of their band?

Follow the rules?

For me, the only things I am mindful of, is that I am careful to "Listen" to my band, and not fight it...the band will remind me what rules to follow, and when....when it says stop, I stop...when it says slow down, I slow down...same as it telling me smaller bites...chew better....or do not eat this type of food!....believe me, if I do not, my band will let me know it....

I am one of those who drink carbonated drinks (Not soda)....don't condone it to everyone, but again, when I do drink it, I am listening to my band with every sip!

I read here all the time, people complaining they are suffering from this and that, and I sometimes wonder, are they fighting their bands? And not respecting the signals by changing their ways to meet the bands demands? If they're fighting it, they're asking for trouble....

I am also a believer, having been at my optimal weight for 2 years now, that I need to go all liquids for 2-3 days, every so often, just to give everything a rest, and perhaps some healing I'm not even aware about...

There are signs as to when I should do this, but that is another topic....

But just as I go to the gym often, and run, I also need to have some down time, or I'm headed for a injury...

It is true, there is a high band failure rate...don't know the %, and Dr.'s are promoting other WLS ...

I did talk to my surgeon about this....I'M NOT SAYING THIS IS YOUR CASE.....BUT he told me the rates of success are lower than he would like to see, mainly because of Patient Non-compliance....patients have to much control with the Lap Band...other surgeries, it is what it is...no adjusting...

Edited January 25, 2014 by B-52

[maestrita 43]

Thank you for your concern, Rinny. I did have it removed. I came here to share my experience with the best of intentions. I would hate to see anyone go through what I did, and I think it's fair to share that this is something that happens. Often.

Cheryl, I'm not going to respond to you again because I didn't come here to do battle. I think your comments are meant to minimize what happened to me, and I find that extremely cruel given what I've been through. I sincerely wish you the best of luck and health, and I hope that nothing bad happens to your band.

B-52, I did follow the rules. I'm not a binge eater. My BMI barely qualified me for surgery, but because I have spinal arthritis, I did go ahead and have it done.

I knew that some would not like to hear my story, but I won't be silenced on this matter. People need to know what a "complication" looks like. That real people have them. That they are expensive and dangerous. Mostly, I want people to know that the band can slip down below your stomach (my surgeon once removed a band from the intestines). If you start to experience pain just below the xyphoid process and terrible gas and nausea, do not ignore it (I'm sure glad I did not because, as I said, my liver was inflamed). If there are still signs of liver inflammation again in a few months, I will post again to share that, as well.

[cheryl2586 3,053]

Who is battleing with you. No one. For you to assume that about me is ridiculous. I am sorry you had complications but with surgery there are risks. You had it fixed now get on with life. No one is saying your band did not have complications I merely stated the band does not have a high failure rate that people imply. I really don't care if you don't answer but when people post things it is an open forum for whom ever wishes to respond. If you don't want a response to your post then don't post it. Maybe you should have posted to a sleeve forum of your complications. I am sure for the most part that most people would question their surgeons about how many patients they operate on end up having the band removed. I never said that you were at fault and I am sick of people misconveying what I say because its not what you want to hear. So before you start making assumptions about me which I wont even get into just know when you come to a public forum you can expect to get many things: pity, non pity, emotional, feel sorry for, oh hell it was your fault and a whole host of other answers. I am sorry you did not like my answer but I am more sorry for people who fall for this band complication thing like it is 9 out of 10 patients who end up getting their band removed because that is not the case.

[Lady VS 1,147]

All I can say is I'm sorry that this has happened to you. I am curious to know what caused the slip? I have had my band now for three years and I'm trying with everything that's in me to not have any complications so I am very concerned at this point.

[JACKIEO85 308]

Maestrita I applaud you for posting your concerns and wish you well in your future without the BAND. It never ceases to amaze me that in these " Open Forums" People Feel the need to dispute what is written. If they bother to READ the Research your going to find good and bad. Maybe it's that inevitably , it "MIGHT HAPPEN" scares them? But to argue that one person's experience isn't true is just SAD. Anyone with a Google search can find out that LB has a higher than 1% complications rate and Erosion isn't due to non-noncompliance.

Lady VSG last I read a slip can be caused by vomiting.

Again best of luck

[vincereautmori 323]

I think maestrita's account.of her experiences with the band is needed, it can really happen and it's a warning to those considering WLS. It legitimizes the importance to do your research, the skill of your surgeon, and what to expect once you have the band. It's up to us to differentiate facts and opinion, then try to make an educated decision.

BTW- I'm meeting with my surgeon in two weeks, I've made my decision, but I was especially diligent to research the sugeon and medical group, due to stories like this.

[2muchfun 8,927]

I have no problem with failed bandster's telling their story but I do have a problem with the exaggerated tales of studies they usually pull out. It's only natural for someone who failed with the band or visa versa to seek out reasons why they failed. Unfortunately they cling to the worst study they can find and run with it. Alex recently posted a much newer study with many many patients and I'd like to post it here again.

Sorry Maestrita that you had complications, but it's not nearly as bad you make it out to be. Maybe it was 16 years ago as your study indicates, but much has been learned since the 90s.

DO THE MATH

164 Studies,
161,756 Patients
Over Nearly 10 Years:
What Does This Add Up To?

BARIATRIC AND METABOLIC SURGERY IS EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE THAN PREVIOUSLY REPORTED AND GETTING SAFER!

A new meta-analysis of studies carried out between 2003 and 2012 shows higher remission rates of diabetes and high blood pressure and a lower mortality rate than previously reported. The study, published online in JAMA Surgery, is an update to a meta-analysis of studies conducted between 1990 and 2003 and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA, Buchwald et. al.) back in October 2004.

Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis reviewed outcomes from nearly 162,000 patients in 164 studies (37 randomized clinical trials and 127 observational studies), over almost 10 years.

They discovered 92 percent of patients in randomized clinical trials experienced diabetes remission after surgery, slightly higher than the 86 percent remission rate found in observational studies, but significantly higher than the 76.8 percent remission rate found in the 2004 JAMA study.

Remission rates for hypertension were about 75 percent in both the randomized clinical trials and observational studies, while the remission rate in 2004 was 61.7 percent. Body Mass Index (BMI) loss five years after surgery ranged from 12 to 17 in the new study. Before surgery, patients had an average BMI of 45.62.

"With the 2004 study, we now have 22 years worth of data from over 180,000 patients and 300 studies," said study co-author J. Esteban Varela, MD, MPH, MBA, Fellow of the ASMBS. "The data continues to prove bariatric surgery is not only safe and effective in providing significant and sustainable weight loss, but is the most effective treatment today for diabetes, hypertension and an array of other diseases and conditions in people with obesity."

In the new study, 30-day mortality rate was 0.08 percent, down from the 0.3 percent reported in 2004. Complication rates ranged from 10 to 17 percent and the reoperation rate was about 7 percent. Complication and reoperation rates were not reported in the previous meta-analysis.

By procedure, gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy resulted in the greatest weight loss, but had a higher rate of complications and mortality than adjustable gastric banding. Gastric banding had the highest reoperation rate (12% in randomized trials), while gastric bypass had the lowest at 3 percent, followed by sleeve gastrectomy, which had a reoperation rate of 9 percent. The new meta-analysis included sleeve gastrectomy, which was not available in the 1990s. Of note, sleeve gastrectomy had comparable weight loss to that of gastric bypass at 5 years.

"This is but the latest study to validate the high degree of safety and effectiveness of bariatric surgery," said Ninh T. Nguyen, MD, FACS, President of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and Vice-Chair of the Department of Surgery at UC Irvine School of Medicine. "Today we are performing operations that are as safe or safer than gallbladder and hernia repair surgery."

According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 78 million adults were obese in 2011–2012.¹ The ASMBS estimates about 24 million people have severe or morbid obesity. Individuals with a BMI greater than 30 have a 50 to 100 percent increased risk of premature death compared to healthy weight individuals as well as an increased risk of developing more than 40 obesity-related diseases and conditions including type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer.^2,3

[cheryl2586 3,053]

Gee Whiz go figure.