So disappointed with Lap Band!

I had Lap Band surgery done in 2010 and was so excited to finally have some help with my weight. I wish I'd have visited this forum way back prior to my surgery. I have read post after post of, not only lack of success, but some pretty nasty complications years after surgery. 

My greatest disappointment in my lap band is that I lost more weight during all the pre-op requirements than I did post surjery. I still have a BMI of over 35, my diabetes and high blood pressure got better within the 1st month after procedure. BUT... Now they are just as bad as previously. At no time have I ever felt satiated. For the 1st few years I had frequent trouble with feeling like my food was very PAINFULLY  "stuck!" Even now I have difficulty if I do not wash each bite down with liquid. I have been assured by my doc that everything was just going great and I should see the dietitian again. I'm just as equally disappointed in the fact that I had originally opted for an RNY but my Dr insisted that with all of my medical problems, my best option was a lap band and that is the only procedure he'd perform on me. Now, here I am feeling as if I was bullied into a lapband when the RNY had a higher success rate to begin with. Now I'm reading about some of the very issues I've experienced, as well as that so many had to have it removed and revisions. 

I'm now feeling even less encouraged. :/

Your doctor is an ass and yes you were bullied.  I would find a new bariatric surgeon, get that band out, and revise to the RNY.   Shame on your doctor for saying the lap band would be your best option.  It was the worst option for you. 

I'm over a year out from lap band to bypass and feel great still have about 40 more lbs to go, but I'm under 200, with almost 100lbs lost (12 more lbs to go for that goal).

Not to many people have good luck with the lap band most have it out and have a revision and some can only have it out due to damage done by it.

HiXandiesbandie, 

I got your request to join the failed bands group and just added you. There's some info in the stickies at the top of the page that might be useful to you. There are pages of posts that will sound familiar to you. I hope you will read some and know that you're not alone at ALL. I'm sorry you're experiencing this and I wish you the best. 

You might also want to check into the sleeve another form of surgery. The band is the worst at everything!

Oh me too. I feel the exact same way. And now I'm having issues with my port and am considering removing the entire apparatus. This is something I will again have to pay out of pocket. Ugh. I have not met anyone who has had success with a band. So discouraging. But have faith that something will come up that will help us. 

Love and light to you. 

 Hi Summerjandersen

 What type of port issues are you experiencing? If it's painful, irritated, red or swollen Get it check out! those are signs of Erosion.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3038361/?report=classic

Band erosion

Band erosion is an uncommon complication of LAGB. In this scenario, the band gradually erodes through the stomach wall and into the gastric lumen. The incidence is less than 1%,11,16,17 with a reported prevalence varying from 0% to 11%.19 The etiology of band erosion may be the result of gastric-wall injury during band placement or tight anterior fixation, especially around the band buckle.19

A high index of suspicion is required for diagnosis of band erosion as most patients are asymptomatic. When symptomatic, complaints related to erosion include loss of restriction, nonspecific epigastric pain, gastrointestinal bleeding, intra-abdominal abscesses or port-site infection.

I had my band put in in 2009 and I just had it removed this month. My surgeon removed the band and did a gastric bypass. Having the band removed was the best decision I ever made. After 6-1/2 years, the band caused me nothing but misery. I finally found a new surgeon who was willing to remove it. A normal 2 hour surgery took 4 hours because of all the damage the band did to my insides. My biggest regret is not having the band removed sooner and suffering for so long.

My best advice would be to find a new surgeon and have the band revised to a sleeve or a gastric. Best of luck to you. 

I was banded in January of 2014 by True Results.  I dont feel like my aftercare has been what I needed.  I get so confused with being on one website and doing the 48 hour pouch test and if you still have restriction on chicken your pouch is OK.  I go to my Dr and they do the barium thingy that shows my pouch is swollen and they tell me food isnt getting to  my stomach that is why Im so hungry still all the time.  Do a week liquids and week solids and swelling when down.  Im am so so confused as to when it is swollen and when not.  I really just gave up going to the dr. after every visit and they kept telling me I had to do more and more exercise.  I get it I need to exercise but if Im going to have to exercise myself to death I wouldn't have needed the darn band.  I am at the point that I feel like I made a mistake with the band and should have gotten the sleeve.  I lost 65 of the 100 I needed to loose but have gained 30 pounds back cause I have almost given up.  I started with True Results so how do  you just up and choose who to go with?  I have great insurance and they paid for all of my surgery except my 500 deductible so I am lucky.  I did have to pay a 25 copay for every visit I was having to make for 2 years.  Just frustrated at this point.