Hello to all.. I have been on this site for a couple of months.. Going thru the steps of getting RNY done, after being cleared from all Doctors and tests ready set to go, The Bump in the road wa**** when My insurance has denied my surgery. 

I have been left with the option of i can get Lap Band since it' a one day process. I'm upset had set my mind for RNY.

Is Lap Band a good tool to lose weight?? Need insight.. 

Though there are some who have had success with the band.  I personally would not recommend it. 

After 11 years mine had to come out.  Between the 24/7 heartburn and port pain I couldn't take it anymore.  I recently revised to the bypass and no more pain, no more heartburn.  My surgeon had to chisel the band out as scar tissue grew around the band, down the tube and around the port.  Took an hour just to get the band from around my stomach. 

I would fight the insurance and want to know why they denied you the bypass.

Thanks for the reply. I on the fight with them, they first because of policy, but when i called was told that they do bend the rules if my doctor pushes for it. They just want to make things difficult, but i have no intentions of backing down.

Please bear in mind that I am a very happy and very successful bandit now 9 years post-op. I do not regret my band, would do it all over again and if I ever have to have it removed, I would hope to have a replacement.

When I was banded in 2006, it was a miracle surgery. And for some people, who accept that they will still have to work hard, it is just that. It was and still is for me. But over the years it has become clear that serious complications necessitating further surgery are much more common than originally thought, some of these are avoidable by careful eating and by not keeping the band tight; unfortunately others are beyond our control.

We used to be warned about band slips, leaks and about ( very rare) erosion into the stomach tissue but it turns out that a build up of scar tissue round the band (causing it to tighten) is quite common. It can be very difficult to get the right level of restriction and some people are tempted to keep it tight enough to physically limit food, in fact it was once thought this was how it should be. But this causes food to back up into the oesophagus and that risks problems such as oesophageal dysmotility which may be irreversible. It can also damage the vagus nerve.

We still need lots of will power. The band makes it easier by dimming hunger, but it does nothing for head hunger and, contrary to popular opinion, it does not and should not physically stop us eating. If it does it is too tight! With RNY, you get the help of malabsorption. 

Having said all that, I love my band, I know many successful long term bandits in real life. On this board, you will find more people who will put forward the case against the band than in favour of it and I do not for one second question their experiences. But my own experience has been good and so has that of almost all those I actually know and have met.

I would not wish a lapband on satan himself. I had mine removed a year ago and am still suffering from all the acid in my stomach and have pain in my left shoulder if I forget and eat too fast or too much. It doesn't even have to be a big amount of food it can just be a couple of small bites too much! Then it takes hours to go away. The band has proven to be a huge failure to many of us I only know 2 people who are happy with their bands and one of them is Kate (who is also a friend in real life), she has done very well.

Me I lost a whopping 20 lbs with my band and have had pain with it for the last 3 yrs. even tho I had it removed over a year ago. Plus you have to pay for all the fills and unfills you need and that can be a few or many!! With the band you never know. I would say wait awhile and get a sleeve, they cost a little more than the band but not near as much as the RNY. The sleeve and RNY have the same amount of weight loss at 5 yrs out so it is just as efficient as the RNY but less expensive. Just don't rush into something for its cost, you never win when you do that! Good luck to you!

Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Superior to Gastric Banding

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/757100?src=emailthis%3Fsrc%3Dstfb%3Fsrc%3Dstfb

Not-Quite-Everything you Need to Know about Lap-Bands

http://center4research.org/child-teen-health/diet-weight-and-physical-activity/not-quite-everything-you-need-to-know-about-lap-bands/

High failure rate of the laparoscopic-adjustable gastric band as a primary bariatric procedure

http://www.soard.org/article/S1550-7289(13)00392-4/abstract

I had a band done 6-7 years ago and it was the worst experience of my life. I would chew until I couldn't chew anymore and would still throw up daily. I was compliant but the throwing up was not preventable for me. Eventually from throwing up constantly the band moved and caused a complete obstruction. I went to the hospital, they put a NG tube down, and prepped me for emergency surgery. Prior to surgery the Doctor asked if I would like him to re-position it and I said HELL NO, please get this THING out of me. I've known or heard about several cases that were similar to mine. I would not recommend this surgery. The surgical group I work with now does not recommend the lap-band and use it very infrequently. There is a few that have had success, but from what I see most have issues. Good luck with whichever option you choose. I hope you can appeal and get the RNY. I'm hoping for the VSG. I think they consider the VSG a little less invasive and with less complications/malabsorption. Have you looked into it?

I am now seeing a new dr.because I want a revision!I had this band since 2004...lost 35 PDFs and have had nothing but misery since....the lapband should be taken off the market pt...get it out and go for the sleeve or bypass.I am in pain...I carry a plastic bag in my purse because I never know when I will have to barf!!!