Lap-Band Failure Rates

[Kat817 19]

My question is on the long term of the lap band surgery. Is there ever a point when you no longer have to do the Protein thing or drink the 64 oz of Water daily. Will I always eat only a half cup of food or suffer the painfull consequences? Is Constipation going to be a life long problem? I have about 90 pounds to lose, what's the average time to lose that many pounds--I have severe back problem so heavy exercise is out of the question. Even long distance walking poses a problem. What happens when you reach your weight goal?

While I am not exactly long term out, I thought I would add my .02 cents worth here. Like Jachut, I do not count every calorie, or Protein gram, or ounce of Water. I do attempt to make my diet as healthy as possible, and with that in mind, I do keep the thought of protein first as opposed to starches, that kind of thing, and I do try to get plenty of fluids in, it does help a lot with my weight loss. I choose to drink iced tea as opposed to water, but I go with de caffeinated and sugar free, so it works for me! I may not get in 64 ounces every day in the winter---but easily in the summer. I have found if I think I want something to eat, to try to drink a glass of water or tea, and many times it is thirst I am feeling, not hunger. I really don't feel much hunger any more.

I do eat more than a mere half cup of food at each meal. I don't eat anywhere near the amounts I used to, and yes I too on occasion find something that tastes so good, I WANT to eat more....but cannot. Which to me is a saving grace--or I would have my 100+ pounds back on in nothing flat I imagine!!!

I do not have super tight restriction, by choice. It is taking me longer to lose my weight, but I am doing so in a very normal life style, no serious difficulties, and no food restrictions.

Swimming is a very good option for back pain. You also need to consider the fact that even without exercise, with just the diet change, you will begin losing weight. With every little bit lost, exercising will become easier, and possibly less painful. I have (almost said had, they are doing so well!) bad knees, and the weight loss has improved that more than I can even tell you!

While I am not quite at goal weight, I do know you can maintain very simply. I have been acting as though I am at goal, and have been very complacent. I had to have surgery recently, and have been babying myself some. I eat normally with my family, dining in or out. I have my smaller portions, but eat the same foods they do. I have not exercised much---between the sub zero temps and the surgery, I am not getting out a lot. This "time off" has eased my mind completely---I know now that when I get the last bit of weight off, maintenance is not going to be an issue! It took a load off of my mind to figure that out!

Constipation, I personally eased by adding more Fiber. I eat fresh fruit of one kind or another each day, and have Cereal for or with my Breakfast usually, and if not, I will have a small bowl of some type as a snack during the day, and also have a handfull of almonds as a snack each day. These things have made it less of an issue, along with drinking my fluids. I have heard it is not uncommon for those who eat less to only have BM's every 4-5 days. Less in, less out.

It is not a perfect solution. The band does have drawbacks, but in my case, and in my opinion and experience, they are far less debilitating, and restrictive than morbid obesity was.

Good Luck!

Kat

[sandras96harley 0]

JACK ,YOUR SO COOL ! And I agree with this good posting it needs to be here for others to read, it will give a another avenue and outlook for those researching, I really wish I had all this before I had mine.Sandra

[fabfatgrl 10]

Another thing, how does this failure rate compare to those in Europe and other countries who have been using the band for a longer period of time? Hmmmm....

This is from Europe. All of the long-term studies are from Europe, in general, as the Band was approved there long-before the States. There were the clinical trial folks here in the States... CoffeeWench being one of them... but other than that... nobody else.

These guys had done tons of Bands before the first US surgeon had even heard of it. When I had my surgery done in June 2001, Dr. Rumbaut had done 2,500-3,000 Bands. It was the same week the Band was approved in the States... when the typical US surgeon (if he was a trial doc) would have hit...maybe 50 Bands max.

[skittles108 1]

OK, as somebody who has been banded 6+ years, I have to say that at least 60% of the people I know who were Banded around the time I was Banded or soon after no longer have their Bands. I know that if I post something like this in the General forums... I get a lot of hands over eyes and mouth saying "no no no ... that can't be true..." because most newly Banded people do not want to hear this. I can't find any concrete statistics from Inamed/Allergan.. nor do I think they keep them (or want to keep them)... but I did find this study:

A 10-year experience with laparoscopic gastric ban...[Obes Surg. 2006] - PubMed Result

I guess I'm feeling bad because I one person I tried to convince to try the Band has just had to have her Band completely unfilled due to severe reflux... and she is barely one year out. She's loss maybe 40% of what she needed to, but is now, regaining. I think that so many of us try to paint the Band as positive that we don't talk about the negative... and that we don't accept/realize that this surgery really isn't successful for a lot of people... this study shows a nearly 43% failure rate at 5 years.

Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding versus Rou...[surg Obes Relat Dis. 2007 Mar-Apr] - PubMed Result

This study shows a failure rate of 35% at 5 years for the Band.

I wonder what the real figures are. I'd love to know.

Those are ancient stats. The band wasn't even approved by the FDA for use in the US until 2001. These studies were conducted long before that, and long before changes in the band. I would not pay one bit of attention to these studies. They are obsolete.

[TracyinKS 7]

I skipped several pages of posts.... :party:

I researched my band for two years, I also watched two very close friends undergo the RNY... I was the token friend that could actually lose 70-80 lbs just following Atkins....... and i would regain... which is why I ultimately chose the band... I wanted ONE more shot at losing this weight...... I didn't want the malnutrition of the RNY and I didn't want my gutts rearranged...... especially when I watched both friends fight regains......... when asked by my family (and other bandsters) what will happen if I need a revision, replacement or new port.......I SAY...

BRING ON THE NEW AND IMPROVED VERSION! Who knows what they will invent 5-7 years down the line....... just like the OP, who had a band 6 years ago........ just think of how much HER doc has changed his tecnique, fill style , and even band choice...... its an evolving science and I for one am game.

[Linda Lu 1]

What is "PB" or "PBing?"

[snowbird 2]

It's "productive burping" where a person with a band regurgitates food out of the stomach pouch. Generally it isn't as severe as vomiting because the food has not mixed with the stomach acids yet. It happens if the band is too tight or if the bandster has not chewed enough, taken bites that are too large, or has eaten too much.

[lbellemore 0]

I'm new to the forum, but wanted to add my two cents. I've been feeling very depressed over the past few months because my band just isn't doing what I thought it would do.

I got banded at the end of March and have had three fills. To date, I've lost only 23 pounds, 10 of which I've gained back already. The initial loss may be attributed solely to my actively dieting after the surgery and exercising. Once I stopped doing this, I began gaining everything back.

I must admit I've been very naive in thinking that the band would "halt" my hunger. I'm just as hungry now as I was before, and the only thing the band does for me is cause pain when I eat too fast. Once I slow things down, I'm still able to get just as much food in as before, just at a slower pace. My ability to sense fullness quicker has not changed.

Basically, my doctor says that I have to "watch what I eat" and exercise -- two things that I was unable to accomplish for decades prior to my surgery. How many of us would have resorted to surgery if we'd been able to do those things on our own?? It seems a bit ironic. I guess I shouldn't have believed the commercials that said that the band would "tame my hunger."

Anyway, I was on the border of being a candidate for the surgery (too small at 5' 2" and 200 pounds), and was told that most people who get the surgery are aiming to be my size now (14). I probably shouldn't have done the surgery, since I paid out of pocket ($15K) and really am the same size that I was when I started. I'm beginning to think I should have it removed.

[Nanook 2]

Sorry you're in the same boat as I am. I was under the same impression. Thought it would lessen the amount I ate overall but didn't take into consideration the the healthy foods would be the hardest to eat and the unhealthy the easiest. I still have a difficult time understanding why after suffering so many years of yo yo dieting etc... that some do well on the band and others just don't. I attempted to understand the whys ifs ands and buts after surgery as to the failure and after many months of trying to figure it out the simple truth is it wasn't the right choice for me and I may not have known beforehand. Good luck to you, Nancy.:rolleyes2:

[lbellemore 0]

I was beginning to think it was just me, but I think there's a lot that they don't tell you. I have endocrine and blood sugar issues, and these cause my overreating. The band doesn't address these, which is, I'm sure, why I'm continuing to eat all the same foods I used to (food addiction), and NONE of the good! Have you considered having the band removed?

[Nanook 2]

I was beginning to think it was just me, but I think there's a lot that they don't tell you. I have endocrine and blood sugar issues, and these cause my overreating. The band doesn't address these, which is, I'm sure, why I'm continuing to eat all the same foods I used to (food addiction), and NONE of the good! Have you considered having the band removed?

I also have type 2 diabetes and hypothyroidism and am on antidepressants which seem to affect me also. I'm also having some esophagus issues that may help bring me closer to getting it removed although once removed I am not considering a revision to any other surgery. On my one year anniversary I discussed removal with my surgeon and he asked me to wait a couple more months to make sure this is what I wanted to do. But he did remove all of my fill at that appointment. Funny thing is now that I'm working towards removal I seem to be losing weight, Nancy:smile:

[lbellemore 0]

Here's a thought for you. Yesterday, I read cover-to-cover a book on food Addiction. I makes sense of quite a bit of what you're telling me about yourself. It did for me. You may want to pick it up and just give it a quick read. It's called "Food Addiction/The Body Knows," and it's by Kay Sheppard. I got it on Amazon for around $10. I've always known I was addicted, but somehow the explanations she provides in the book make sense of it all for me. Here's my direct email if you'd like to keep in touch (lbellemore@comcast.net). Take care! Lisa

[Nanook 2]

Here's a thought for you. Yesterday, I read cover-to-cover a book on food Addiction. I makes sense of quite a bit of what you're telling me about yourself. It did for me. You may want to pick it up and just give it a quick read. It's called "Food Addiction/The Body Knows," and it's by Kay Sheppard. I got it on Amazon for around $10. I've always known I was addicted, but somehow the explanations she provides in the book make sense of it all for me. Here's my direct email if you'd like to keep in touch (lbellemore@comcast.net). Take care! Lisa

Thanks Lisa,

I don't consider myself addicted to food, I have to eat to live. I know others do and I can respect that. If you go on Amazon also look at books on self esteem and weight, women and sizism and there are some good books that helped me when I was really depressed about my band failure. I know there are a variety of philosophies out there but I had to get away from the good/bad type ones to get back my sanity, thanks and good luck to you Nancy:smile:

[PamFP 0]

I do believe there is a very high percentage of complications with long term use of the band. I have come to this conclusion from reading lots of threads like this & hearing about studies that are starting to emerge, & because of the 3 people I know who have had the band all have had complictions eventually. Granted, this is not a big enough control study to be considered scientific, but interesting. I had to have an unfill due to slipage after less than a year & a half. I was refilled after 4 months and am now 2 months post refill, I am an older & wiser bandster. Now I realize the pitfall & the draw backs for me at least, but am still hoping to make it work. I fall in the middle 1/3 that "fabfatgrl" described. I'm benefiting from the band right now, losing very slowly, but losing steadly. Even though I have acid reflux off & on & do feel my quality of life so far as food consumption goes is compromised, I like not overeating. I feel like I'm walking a thin line, trying to avoid the more advanced problems like nighttime reguritation that indicate slippage. I expect that eventually I will unfill my band again, but hope to be able to do it at the right time so that I can refill it again as needed. Fortunately it seems that in the vast majority of cases the complications are cured by unfilling or at worst removing the band. I have lost 60 pounds & only want to lose 20 more, but I know how hard it is to keep weight off & hope to be able to handle my band in a way to have it around when I need it.

[starrgirrl 0]

I was originally banded in 2/2004 and had my band removed due to slippage July 2008. The band worked great for me for the first three years. In the fourth year, I was able to eat much more and began experiencing reflux. Tests showed that the band had slipped.

At the time, my surgeon (at Kaiser) shared with me that complication rates for the band are as high as 25%. I agree with the original poster, us long-time bandsters are seeing higher complication rates than originally anticipated.

Prior to the removal I did quite a bit of research. One of the best places I found was the Surgery for Obesity and Releated Diseases Journal (SOARD). It is a medical journal, so it has a lot of scientific language, but I learned a lot by reading through it. An annual subscription is $148, but well worth it. Afterall, we're looking at a lifetime commitment to the procedure.

I've been having a challenging time. Prior to have the surgery I was at 260. My lowest weight post banding was 200, but I was very happy there. I'm now back up to 250 and don't know what to do.

Kaiser in the SF area has a policy of not doing revisions. However, I see that someone in the LA area is getting one, so I'm going to see about filing an appeal. The problem is that I don't quite know what I want to have done. The sleeve has tremendous appeal, but it is relatively new.

It seems that most of my research indicates that almost all procedures have a rebound effect a few years from the original surgery. But a part of me wants even those few years of freedom from lugging around all this weight.

I've also researched the various clinical trials, but most of them won't accept people who have had previous WLS.

I share this not to dissuade anyone from getting the band. If I were new to WLS, I might give it a try again.

I just keep praying that the wise doctors and researchers who are focused on finding treatments for obesity hit the jackpot soon. I would love someone to invent a patch that can be worn against the skin that helps to balance hormone and body chemistry levels so that we don't want to eat all the time. One thing is clear, this really does seem to be heavily influenced by body chemistry.

P.S. One more thing about band removal. Quite often there is scarring that affects the liver and stomach. The scarring can prevent future banding. This is what has happened to me. If you do have or get the band, please pay close attention to your body. If you experience PBing, sliming, acid reflux, insist on a floroscopy to make sure the band is being properly maintained.

Edited November 12, 2008 by starrgirrl