Questions on your experience with the Lap Band

[KymmerShimmer 2]

Hi there, Just approved for a surgery consult after a 8 month pre-bariatric program of nutrition counseling, exercise testing and psych evaluation. Have some questions for you expert Lap-Banders:

1. What made you choose the Lap Band over the Sleeve?

2. Have you had Hair loss with the Lap Band?

3. What can you absolutely NOT eat now with the Lap Band?

4. At what point did you know you made the right decision with the Lap Band surgery?

5. What as been the best tool you've used in keeping your weight loss progressing?

Thank you!!

[Matt Z 4,139]

9 minutes ago, KymmerShimmer said:

Hi there, Just approved for a surgery consult after a 8 month pre-bariatric program of nutrition counseling, exercise testing and psych evaluation. Have some questions for you expert Lap-Banders:

1. What made you choose the Lap Band over the Sleeve?

2. Have you had Hair loss with the Lap Band?

3. What can you absolutely NOT eat now with the Lap Band?

4. At what point did you know you made the right decision with the Lap Band surgery?

5. What as been the best tool you've used in keeping your weight loss progressing?

Thank you!!

I'm not going to tell you to not do it... but, I would NEVER do it again.

1. The sleeve wasn't an option for me, it wasn't approved yet when I had the band installed, it was band or bypass, and I wish I went bypass back in 2011.

2. I had no Hair loss with the band. I had no hair loss with the bypass either.

3. The stuff I should have been eating, I had issues with. There wasn't anything I "couldn't" eat, but things like grilled chicken, lettuce, leafy greens, all hurt to eat or would get stuck and I'd have to regurgitate it.

4. The first few months were great... then things just started to get problematic, I never had a psychical issue with the band, no erosion, no slippage, nothing of that nature, the band just stopped being effective, and there are PLENTY of reports like this.

5. Best tool was getting the band out and revising to the bypass. Honestly best thing WLS related that I've ever done was to dump the band and go with the bypass.

Also, 2 of the major manufacturers of the band have either stopped production or sold off their lines, those companies no longer make parts for the bands. Something to think about. Why any honest surgeon would still be pushing these horrible little devices is so far beyond me it's not funny.

[Vizslamom 92]

The only lap band procedure my surgeons are doing is removal.

I have mine removed a year ago. Going with sleeve tomorrow. But for the first few years I was very happy with it. But the dilated esophagus, horrible heartburn, pain with eating had to go.

I would not recommend.

[Jendkopp 62]

1- I got the Band in 2012 before the sleeve was an insurance approved option.
2- no hair loss
3-I can't really eat rice or pasta
4- the lap Band really helped me to greatly reduce by love affair with carbs; however, my Band slipped after 1.5 years, which required repositioning surgery. After 3 years, it just stopped working and over the next 2.5 years I've gained back 30 of the 90 pounds I've lost. I'm now waiting for insurance approval for Band removal and conversion to sleeve.
5- best tool is tracking my foods

[funky_monkey800 247]

Good Luck and keep us posted!

Edited August 25, 2018 by funky_monkey800

[funky_monkey800 247]

On 8/21/2018 at 1:45 PM, KymmerShimmer said:

Hi there, Just approved for a surgery consult after a 8 month pre-bariatric program of nutrition counseling, exercise testing and psych evaluation. Have some questions for you expert Lap-Banders:

1. What made you choose the Lap Band over the Sleeve?

2. Have you had Hair loss with the Lap Band?

3. What can you absolutely NOT eat now with the Lap Band?

4. At what point did you know you made the right decision with the Lap Band surgery?

5. What as been the best tool you've used in keeping your weight loss progressing?

Thank you!!

1-after meeting with different doctors and talks with my husband, the lap band just seemed like the best option for me. Cost was similar, but the surgery/aftercare seemed more manageable for me.

2.no....not any Hair loss. But im pretty pro active as a woman creeping up to her 40's. I take my Vitamins religiously.

3.honestly, i can eat almost anything....its more of an issue with how much time i want to take to eat....i have to eat slowly and make sure i chew well...especially things like steak. Now i can nibble on a piece of bread, but to take a bite of a dinner roll...no way.

What i really miss is chugging cold Water when i wake up in the middle of the night....

I cant drink fast at all.

4. When the constant hunger was gone..

5. The #1 tool for me has to be my gym.

Good luck with your journey!

[Julie norton 2,850]

Made the choice in 06. Not many other options available then. Also wanted least invasive and adjustable and removable so lap band fit my prerequisite.
Slight Hair loss at 4-5 months. It did grow right back.
I have a hard time with very dry chicken and salads don’t like me sometimes.

I knew when I lost weight steadily and it did NOT COME BACK!! That this was the right choice for me.

My tools are: this board to and ask things and check in, Drs appts scheduled and kept, sharing a personal trainer 2x weekly,
and also going back to shakes when my band acts up.
It is the best I can do and I try everyday.... some days or weeks are better than others! Nothing in this life is perfect!

Lastly, it is usually the same 5-10 lbs I deal with....
Not 85 lbs!!.
Best of luck with your WLS decision.Pick what the Dr and you agree on..

[Duncan730 3]

1. I chose the lab band in 07 because it was the least invasive and not permanent. At the time about 50 percent of my coworkers all had wls and they all were looking sickly after their weightloss surgeries. So I did not want to look like that at 25. So I went with the band because I felt I had some control.
2. In the beginning I did but it was the side effect of the anesthesia. 3 months out stopped and I haven’t had any issues since. Unless I go under anesthesia then my hair thins out again.
3. The only thing I can’t eat is bread. We are sworn enemies. Some dry meets but I take my time chewing and I have not had any issues.
4.since the beginning I knew this was the right decision for me. If you are not sure before the surgery then I would wait and do some more research on the other options.
5. Staying active by walking, treadmill or elliptical, not eating after 7 pm. Always meeting my Protein and calorie goal for the day. It is super easy to not meet your goals since you tend to not to be hungry until you are starving. I am told a dairy helps but It is just too much for me to do during my already busy day.

I will tell you this. With the band For me I feel that yes it is least invasive but has high maintenance. Remember you may have monthly visits for fills and don’t forget that you may have some discomfort with your port area once you start loosing weight. Mine has shifted a little and i have to wrap the site when I work out to stop it from being sore. You must keep your appointments for follow up and really be careful when you are years out to follow your restrictions because you can stretch you esophagus and have to deal with pain and heartburn when that happens. I had this happen to me in January and I had to empty my band. After 7 months I am now slowly back on track with my fills.

Best of luck with you decision!

[jonicorn 10]

1. What made you choose the Lap Band over the Sleeve?

Reversible and less invasive than other Weight loss surgery options. The sleeve never crossed my mind. I think for the amount of weight I need to lose, the Band was definitely the most sensible option.

2. Have you had Hair loss with the Lap Band?

None whatsoever. I take Multivitamins every day and have always taken Biotin due to having PCOS and Hair loss is a symtom of that.

3. What can you absolutely NOT eat now with the Lap Band?

I can't tolerate banana's and I'm scared to try bread. Struggled with Sausage skin but only now and again.

4. At what point did you know you made the right decision with the Lap Band surgery?

5 Weeks in and 2 stone loss.

5. What as been the best tool you've used in keeping your weight loss progressing?

Walking every single day, at least 10k steps

[elcee 3,341]

On 8/22/2018 at 3:45 AM, KymmerShimmer said:

Hi there, Just approved for a surgery consult after a 8 month pre-bariatric program of nutrition counseling, exercise testing and psych evaluation. Have some questions for you expert Lap-Banders:

1. What made you choose the Lap Band over the Sleeve? Sleeves weren't a thing when I had my band. Bands were being hailed as some amazing solution that didn't involve cutting up your intestines plus they were REVERSIBLE.

2. Have you had Hair loss with the Lap Band? No

3. What can you absolutely NOT eat now with the Lap Band? Dry solid Proteins. e.g steak, chops etc

4. At what point did you know you made the right decision with the Lap Band surgery? 6 months afterwards when I hit goal.

4a . At what point did you realise that the band was not the amazing solution that you once thought it was. probably after year 6. My weight was creeping up. The band was doing nothing for my hunger. Fills caused reflux and choking on acid in the middle of the night. Now after 9 years I have regained heaps and am hoping to revise to RNY.

5. What as been the best tool you've used in keeping your weight loss progressing?

Thank you!!

[mindwing 15]

1. What made you choose the Lap Band over the Sleeve? My doctor wanted to do the sleeve, but 10 years ago my insurance wouldn't cover it. The bypass was a no, no because some reports indicated it could have adverse effects on Chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia.

2. Have you had Hair loss with the Lap Band? No. Plenty of Hair loss with chemo, but not with the band.

3. What can you absolutely NOT eat now with the Lap Band? Bread is a big problem. So is any solid meat, like steak or chops unless the meat is cut tiny (pencil erasure size) AND has a sauce to help it go down. Rice and Pasta are iffy.

4. At what point did you know you made the right decision with the Lap Band surgery? When I realized I didn't regain the weight. I have to go to extremes to lose weight--Atkins below 1000 calories a day. If I do it right, I lose a lot of weight fast. But if I go to say 1100 calories a day, the scale doesn't move. When I lose, I lose fast, but can only keep it up a short time. So my weight loss has been s-l-o-w and intermittent. But I don't gain it back easily Over the last ten years I've lost 160 pounds. I did have a regain, after cancer treatments, of 50 pounds (I wasn't paying much attention to what I ate then) However, the weight came off over the next few months. I still have 100 pounds to go.

5. What as been the best tool you've used in keeping your weight loss progressing? Following the bandster rules. Eat small amounts of food, cut very tiny. No drinks with meals. Watch your body for a sign it's full, then STOP eating. For me it is a small belch. Always have a sauce for your meat. Be very careful with eggs or hot dogs. If you aren't paying attention you could get stuck. Keep forbidden foods out of your kitchen if possible. (Not possible with me, but...) If you have a gain, go right back to what you did at the beginning. For me, I eat a ketogenic diet, tightening it and loosening it. I do allow myself 5 cheat times a year. Christmas, Easter, my birthday, and two other holidays. When I see an ice cream flavor or a candy bar, or something I know I can't have, I tell myself I will have it at the next cheat day. It is important to keep that promise to yourself.

If I had been given a choice, I would have taken the sleeve. But I have learned a new way of eating with the band, and I believe it will help me with the sleeve.