Eight years banded. Long!

I actually wrote all this and then realised I was banded in May not Aoril! But having written it, I will post it!!!!

Well here I am - 8 years banded; still very much loving my band. Heavier than my lowest weight but that was in fact too thin! Well, truth be told, I am currently a bit heavier than I like to be. But at 5' 4" and aged 63, with a stocky build (wide feet, broad shoulders), I am very happy to be wearing US size 10 skirts and 12 tops. Maybe one day I will wear the 8s in my wardrobe again but if not, that's OK. I am becoming a bit less active -my last 5k running race was almost 3 years ago, but, hey, I am 63! And my life is generally still physically active and very busy.

Knowledge about bands has developed a lot since 2006 and instructions about how to live with them have changed accordingly. I know I cannot prevent all problems but I work hard to minimise risk.

Views of bands are also radically different. People post to say their doctors lied to them. Maybe some did but I think most doctors genuinely believed that bands were the safest and simplest option and that they were likely to last a lifetime. Most UK doctors are salaried employees of our National Health Service and there is no financial incentive for them to push a particular surgery, although many bands are done by private hospitals. I actually know doctors who have bands and they certainly believed they were a good option. But here as elsewhere, sleeves are becoming for many the surgery of choice.

There are very many OH regulars who will testify that it is not the case that bands are the simplest surgery and last forever!

My real life experience is a bit different to those so often reported on here. Over the years I have now met in the region of 50 banded people (I just did a count and remembered 47, may have forgotten some). None is less than three years out, some are as much as 10 years out. I have lost touch with quite a few, maybe 15. Those 15 were fine when I last heard of them but I don't know now. So that leaves around 30 I know about. (My totals include 7 people I met in the US - of those I have lost touch with 4. The US ones I am still in contact with are respectively 10, 9 and 6 years post-op.)

Some people have not lost as much weight as they would have liked. But only two have had bands removed. One of these two had a recurrent gastric infection which pre-dated her band and in the end it was decided she should never have been banded in the first place. The other abused her band right from the start; she started on full foods well before her doctor agreed and then used her band to enable her to over-eat. She would bring food back and then eat more, bring it back, eat and so on. Her band was removed in an emergency surgery. One of the Americans I met had a hernia which needed repairing and had her original band removed and replaced at the same time, many years ago now.

So in general, a much rosier picture than appears on these boards. I have no idea why. I would like to think I will keep my band forever! But I am very well aware that the chance of this is only that - chance! I will carry on with my band at a level of tightness which dims my hunger but does not prevent me eating and I will keep up with regular medical checks. I watch carefully for any signs of problems.

But I am not going to spoil my enjoyment of the new life my band has given me by spending all my time worrying about possible complications,

For me, the band was the correct choice.

You have been a great inspiration to us all Kate!

You have done great! I'm so glad the band has worked well for you! You have been a wonderful inspiration to many.  

My mom has had her band since 2007. She has done fantastic with no complications like you.  She tried to talk me into the less drastic measure of all the wls, but I'm too scared it will not work for me, but obviously it does work for some.

Thanks for sharing.I enjoy your daily posts.You have done an amazing losing and keeping the weight off.You do not look 63 I thought you were a lot younger.I love when you have the toughen up buttercup posts for the whiners.Maybe myself sometimes.

Congrats Kate, hats off to you! You have done amazing and I hope you are able to keep your band forever. You and Bette have both done so well and yes it is odd that some like myself have gotten our bands removed and you 2 have done so well. The best part is that we agree to disagree and have still remained friends over the years. Here's to all uswith or without bands.

Well done Kate!  

The band has really worked for you. In the long run isn't that what we all want regardless of what surgery we get. Congratulations on your 8 year success