how long can band stay in with no complications?

4 years out, no problems, all excess weight lost in 15 months, maintained since.  Eat totally normal foods.

Unusual in that I still come on OH> Most people in my position are just getting on with their lives and don't come on here.

Kate

Banded 2003, loved it for many years and lost all my weight. Then one day I started having pain and many issues. Had an "exploritory surgery" from a quack doctor who fixed a hiatal hernia. Still the problems continued. Had it removed and revised to VSG in Dec. Good thing I decided on  that surgery because they would have had to remove half of my stomach anyway due to the band erosion. Had I been a self pay, I would be filing bankrupcy.

I have a band and I am a bariatric surgeon and have done hundreds of each of these procedures (and thousands of bands).  I've been around the block a few times and I know the good and the bad side of all these operations.  None are without risks, but for me the band was the right choice and I have no regrets.  Obviously I wouldn't have gotten one if I were concerned about my long term results.

The best thing you can do to reduce your risk of complications is to do everything you can to work with your band and only rely on it to help you, not to do all the work on its own.  Some patients do everything right and yet still have complications, it's true, but in my experience this is the best approach to stay out of trouble.

Dr. C...

Doesn't the band also ensure you guys a lifetime of patients for aftercare?  Fills, unfills, slip repairs, and many such problems?  Com'on, you gotta admit, bands can potentially be quite the money maker for a band surgeon.

With sleeves they do the surgery, a couple of check ups, and then your patient is done.  No lifetime of aftercare.

If I was a bariatric surgeon I'd probably like bands too!

You are right, we all have to go with what works.  Sleeves provide better weight loss and overall they are just easier.  Just as you have a band, I had one too.  Now I have a sleeve so I've personally experienced both and without a doubt, sleeves are wayyy easier to live with.

Nice that you were invited over here!  I'll bet I can guess who sent you over here to post! ;o)

Haven't figured out how to make money from getting my own band adjusted...

It's a misconception that there is a lot of money in aftercare for band patients.  Not in my practice at least.

Sleeves are great and I do a lot of them.  Just wasn't for me.

To be honest it depends on the insurance.  I have a friend (Pickles123) and her doc charges $1K for a fill and insurance actually pays $500.00.   Not too shabby for 10 minutes work.

But bottom line, it's not a money loser. ;o)  It does assure you fill and unfill income and let's not forget lots of revisions for slips and then bands to sleeve/bypass.

Like I said, I might be tempted to be a band surgeon if I was a doc.

I have not had a fill, nor need one, in over a yr.  My fills cost a huge old co-payment of $30.00.  I love my band, and there is nobody that could ever convince me it wasn't the very best and safest surgery for me.  I would do it again in a heartbeat.  I'm 5 years out and loving it still.  For those that have had problems, maybe some of that is your surgeon's fault.  Did you ever think maybe your band wasn't placed right or something?  Choose your surgeon carefully.  Bottom line.

To those that lost their bands, I'm sorry, but don't bash the band to those of us that love ours.  I didn't want half my stomach gone, nor my intestines rerouted, my choice.  The band haters can stay off my post, because I'm signing off for the night anyway.  

OH, DID I MENTION...I LOVE MY BAND :)

Nope, not my surgeon's fault.  That is what I questioned when the problems kicked in. I got two 2nd opinions (a 2nd and 3rd opinion) and both said my band placement and size was absolutely perfect.  Had an upper endo as well and he said the band placement was perfect as well.

The band is not for everyone, period.

It's really okay if people post personal experiences and stats about all WLS types.  That's not bashing, that's honesty.  If the stats don't pan out that isn't bashing, it is what it is.

You are truly a hoot.  I have belonged to LapBandTalk for a number of years and remember you well as WasABubbleButt, who constantly bashed the DS surgeries.  I'm sure there are many that remember you also, so I'm assuming because you now have the sleeve that you are the spokesperson for it too.  I'm glad you finally found something that worked for you, but I remember you were a huge band advocate when you had one.  Like I said, you are funny, so continue on.  I'm sure many get a huge kick out of your antics.

Yep, for about 6 months I was a band fan.  I thought my problems were unusual and unique, I had no idea how common they are.

I am a sleeve fan, it's a lot safer than the band and far more effective as well.  I'm an RNY fan if that is what works for you.  I'm a DS fan if that is what works for you.  Not so much a band fan, 95% of the folks only like it as I did, for about the first six months.  You appear to be the rare person that claims to still like it at this point.

Are you at goal?   You don't show a ticker and you have your profile closed.  Funny how that works.

BTW... care to defend your statement that Dr. C was a pioneer in the DS procedure when he just did his first ever sleeve about a year ago?  Or shall we discredit everything else you have to say as well?