Discussion of gastric banding (Lap Band)

[MediaHound]

Please use this thread (or feel free to start a new one) to discuss the gastric banding (Lap Band) surgery.

[Mellzy88]

I had the lap band done in 2009 but am now changing to the sleeve

[christeen]

lap band 2006, lost a ton (well- 175), got preggers and have gained most back. sleeve conversion 9/15..

[Tesserae]

i was banded 2009 and am converting to the sleeve

[cowgirljane]

Don't do it.

Was banded in 2001, revised in 2011. The sleeve is a superior WLS hands down.

[nurse89]

I was banded in 2009. Just had my band removed last month. I feel physically better without it, but there's also a sense of loss with it as well. Planning to do a revision to the sleeve in January!

[Msvetrn]

Why didnt you just have it all done at once like others on this forum?

[nurse89]

The reason why I had the band removed in the first place was because it was being rejected by my body and started growing scar tissue around the band/stomach/esophagus. It was all super inflammed and swollen. My surgeon told me to wait three months to do the revision so my body had time to heal adequately and not alter the outcome of the sleeve. Its a bummer having to do two surgeries, that's for sure, but I understand why it's necessary.

[deannajy88]

The reason why I had the band removed in the first place was because it was being rejected by my body and started growing scar tissue around the band/stomach/esophagus. It was all super inflammed and swollen. My surgeon told me to wait three months to do the revision so my body had time to heal adequately and not alter the outcome of the sleeve. Its a bummer having to do two surgeries, that's for sure, but I understand why it's necessary.

I am hoping to get my band revised as well sooo much discomfort, which I would deal with if I lost the weight but all for nothing I see no point! I am curious to see how everything goes for you! Good luck!

[Sashie1977]

I had a band in 2007(privately), lost 8 stone within a year because I couldn't keep anything down. I went backwards and forwards having fills (at £100 a fill) over 4 years and eventually I decided to have it emptied. I was still being sick. I went for a second opinion at a different private hospital and they did a barium swallow. It had slipped severely, my port had flipped and I had torn my oesophagus. The surgeon offered to remove the band and convert it to a sleeve. I have never spent so much money in my life, but 8 weeks on, I know it has been worth it!

[Frizzylizzy]

I had my band put in 1997 was very early days then, spent a lot of time with my head in the toilet, but was ok with that as long I was loosing weight (45kgnor about 100lb)! This went on for a long time, major issues with reflux, ulcers, woke up choking every night after aspirating bile/stomach acid etc etc. had band loosened off when I had my first baby, after I had him, was worried about what was going on as my dad had just been diagnosed with oesophageal cancer, had a gastroscopy and band had slipped (probably not long after surgery) by this stage it had been in for 10 years (2007), also had huge stomach polyps caused from the reflux medicine. So I could get off the reflux medicine dr removed old band and replaced it with new one but as soon as they started with fills reflux returned so couldn't get any more fills as worried about polyps growing bigger! All weight returned plus an extra 15kg! Heard about this surgery about 2 years ago, has been a long process to decide to get more surgery, two more ops to remove band and do sleeve, sleeve took 8 hours to do as I had so much damage, scar tissue etc from the bands, happy to be on the other end of sleeving and have lost about 22lb since surgery (4weeks ago)and 8lb pre-op. I am still not letting myself get too excited unfortunately because of my previous experience/failure, but am getting more optimistic as time goes on,I kept telling myself if all this surgery did was stop me putting more weight on it was a success. From my own experiences if you are contemplating a band don't do it, it causes way more problems than it solves!

[nurse89]

I'm just hoping I will be able to lose the weight again. I've heard you won't lose as much the second time around with the sleeve.

[abequa2000]

Had band in 2010 going with the sleeve in april with the band i had trouble right from the start, now Dr wants it out my esophagus is so tight the band is half full i cant eat if they did any more fills i would chok so its coming out i lost 68 pounds and cant loss any more.

[AAA]

What was surgery like for the band removal? Hospital time? Recovery time?when did you go back to work?

[galpizza]

one night in the hospital- it was emergency surgery, so I went to ER and then the doc came in and performed the surgery right away. I took the day off of work that next day and then when right back to work. After it was removed I felt incredible. No recovery time at all