Any Regrets After Lap Band?

[*susan* 1,709]

The negativity in this thread is to stop now, please. Remember our rules of attack the idea and not the person.

[isaviolinist 11]

Thank You for the info.. I will have to stay on my toes after surgery and be mindful of this.. I truly want to be a success story.. Unfortunately I hear my Doctor is a bit conservative when it comes to fills... :thumbdown:

You can be a success story! I posted this in another thread a minute ago, but basically, I just was saying that, although I have been eating more than .75 cups of food since I don't have restriction, I load my plate with ONLY Proteins. And I have gotten rid of the bad carbs in my apartment too so the option to eat them is not there. This way, I might eat 2 cups of food, but its 2 cups of Protein only. Sometime, for variety, I add some green veggies (I love broccoli). I am hoping with this fill yesterday, I will have some restriction, but if not, I'll just keep plugging along the way I have been. Good luck with your surgery!

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I am seriously considering lap band. :thumbdown: I have been reading and gathering alot of information on this site. I appreciate all the information available here. I noticed a huges percentage of "banders" who are happy with their decision of lap band. Is there anyone here or knows of anyone who Regrets getting the lap band?

I have submitted my paperwork to the surgeon and I am awaiting an initial consultation appointment. Thanx much!

I was banded and a year ago revised to a sleeve. I have to say, if I had it all to do over again I would have saved a ton of self pay money by getting the sleeve the first time around.

Banding is hard, the restriction issues, sliming, foaming, PBing, slips, erosion, band intolerance, all of it. I was prepared to work hard and do my part, and I did. I was not prepared for the kind of hard the band was, hard as in the stuff I had no control over. I did work hard, I did eat the right things, I did exercise, and I did get to goal but my cost was esophageal damage.

I am not sure you should rely on this information, their not even sure how much they paid. Some people just like to make you think what they say is real. Research it really good for yourself and then research some more:rolleyes:

I think many feel threatened when we have WLS and someone else with the same procedure type does not do well through no fault of their own. That really isn't reason to assume they are not being honest.

Okay maybe I posted without really thinking it through. Just a reaction to what I read after earlier in the day I read a sticky post about people being paid to talk bad about the lap band on this site. So it just kinda hit like that.

If it is the same sticky as I am thinking of it is warning people about being paid to post about doctors and encourage everyone to go to their doctor.

I am replying to my own thread:rolleyes: I appreciate all the pros and cons. That is what I truly want to hear. There are a huge percentage of success with the lap band, but it's a little difficult to find the "regrets/problems" with the lap band. That is why I asked. Again, I appreciate all the responses.

This is something else you might want to read:

Medical News: ASMBS: Gastric Banding Less Effective than Other Procedures - in Meeting Coverage, ASMBS from MedPage Today

I do have one other question.... I have GERD. I am going to the hospital tomorrow for a scope down the throat because of the constant heartburn (even with meds). I've heard the lap band can deminish or even eliminate reflux. Also I've heard that it can make it worse. General consensus? Thanx again!

It depends on what your GERD is from. Most of us have hiatal hernias caused by obesity. If you have a hiatal hernia that should be repaired when they do your WLS.

If your GERD is not from a hiatal hernia a band, sleeve, or DS would make it worse. Bypass is the best option.

[heidib 15]

I got my band in April 09 and I have no regrets. Yes like all the others I wish I had it done sooner. I have very little restrictions and pray that I don't have any issues down the road because I would hate to have to have my band removed.

Don't worry it took me 5 fills to get good restriction. It will come! :-)

[heidib 15]

Hello my name is Valory andi go to my first seminar on 9-9-09 and have just one question if the band is not inflated when you get the operation then how are you losing weight before your first fill

Hi!

I did have a small fill w/ my surgery but it didn't do anything to help. I know my 1st 8-10 lbs loss was becasue of liquid diet for a week after. You have to do it on your own. It's called "BAND HELL". Your banded but have No restriction yet. So your hungry a lot. It stinks but does get better. :thumbdown:

[heidib 15]

I am replying to my own thread:rolleyes: I appreciate all the pros and cons. That is what I truly want to hear. There are a huge percentage of success with the lap band, but it's a little difficult to find the "regrets/problems" with the lap band. That is why I asked. Again, I appreciate all the responses.

I do have one other question.... I have GERD. I am going to the hospital tomorrow for a scope down the throat because of the constant heartburn (even with meds). I've heard the lap band can deminish or even eliminate reflux. Also I've heard that it can make it worse. General consensus? Thanx again!

I know weight loss can help alot w/ GERD.

[riley4183 0]

I am 6 months out and I LOVE LOVE LIOVE my band! I would not change a single thing. For me, it was EXACTLY what I needed :-)

[artist78 0]

I got my lap band 4 yrs ago this week. I was 380 lbs now I am 155 lbs. I think it is the best thing I have ever done. The only problems I have is always thirsty and I didn't take my multi-vitamins and now I have issues with my teeth. But overall I have had no issues with my band itself.

[FailureIsntAnOption 0]

I got my lap band 4 yrs ago this week. I was 380 lbs now I am 155 lbs. I think it is the best thing I have ever done. The only problems I have is always thirsty and I didn't take my multi-vitamins and now I have issues with my teeth. But overall I have had no issues with my band itself.

It is really great to hear that you have had your band for so long without any problems. I hope I am so lucky.

[losingit37 0]

My only regret was trying to Celebrate with steak lol. Scott & White does beautiful work, don't get me wrong, but they're a little lacking when it comes to information sometimes.

I had been put on solid foods and was tolerating fish and chicken very well. I even managed to eat my first hamburger! I was so pleased that the surgery was a success that my family and I decided to celebrate it with steak - at 3 months out.

I had maybe 3, well chewed bites, then I had my first real experience with "getting sick".

I went back to my doctor and she informed me that steak typically wasn't allowed until 6 to 12 months out. lmbo!

I love my band and I think that I've had a lot of success with it in a relatively short amount of time. I do not regret my decision to have it done at all!

[shassy 0]

willpower and exercise!!!!

[LindaD 3]

I'm only about 3 months out but so far, I love it. I guess I'm still in the honeymoon phase, who knows.

It gives me just the exact amount of "help" I need. I'm still working hard on my own, exercising nearly every day, yadda yadda. I only have 2.4cc's in my band and we're going to let it ride like that for now - I'm losing at a good rate and I feel like I have restriction, but I can still eat most things - just slower and less.

I couldn't be happier. I hope when I hit the 4 year mark and beyond that I can continue sharing my success story, but I do realize that issues could come up with time.

Right now, I've lost 70+ pounds. I'm sleeping better. I have tons more energy, my sex drive is back. Mentally I'm feeling better. I'm doing a lot better at work. It's just such a huge positive thing in my life. (And I realize all these results can be had with other forms of WLS, too.)

[Finallydidit! 0]

I felt a pain in my lower right side which has nothing to do with the band, but it got so bad that I went to the emergency room. The doctor admitted me immediately and took a CAT-scan of my lower abdomen and saw nothing. I was still in the hospital the next day when something exploded in my upper abdomen and they x-rayed me in bed and found out what the band had done and took me in immediately for emergency surgery. My doctor was shocked that I felt nothing until the day before and he now calls me "tough girl".

[coloradobanding 5]

I felt a pain in my lower right side which has nothing to do with the band, but it got so bad that I went to the emergency room. The doctor admitted me immediately and took a CAT-scan of my lower abdomen and saw nothing. I was still in the hospital the next day when something exploded in my upper abdomen and they x-rayed me in bed and found out what the band had done and took me in immediately for emergency surgery. My doctor was shocked that I felt nothing until the day before and he now calls me "tough girl".

That sounds awful!! What did the band do to cause emergency surgery?

[scout47 1]

Lapband totally CURED my GERDS, the surgeon told me I had a HUGE hernia, the biggest one he'd seen that day. My Gerds was so bad pre-surgery I couldn't eat anything anymore :-(

But since surgery, haven't had a single problem.

I know how you feel about people doing the : she'll never lose weight ...ect ect...hurts I know. My situation is different in terms of losing weight...But as I've said in other posts...I'm about to give it a 2nd try. So how about we both be the others support? If you want.

PS: banishing old eating habits is very hard...I've heard..to attempt it in baby steps...one little step at a time...if you slip, it happens, just pick yourself back up and take another little step:biggrin:

Failed4me,

Sorry, it took me so long to answer, haven't checked this website in a few days--been so disgusted with myself. Thanks, and I would love for us to be each other's support :mad:, however, on regular posts sites, I seem to keep losing contact with anybody I want to talk to! Is there anyway I could put you on my friends list and we could talk back and forth? I have added a friend before, but never heard from them again :wub:. I know it must be something I'm doing wrong, but want to give it another try.