Venting..............

People please by all means take this very serious...The lap band isn't for everyone and needs to be thought of carefully....I've seen commerical after commerical for the lap band placement and I'm here to just state an opinion about it....Personally for me it wasn't worth it....I had my band in for 5 yrs and had horrible complications from it all...Within 2 yrs I wanted it removed and the doctor wouldn't remove it....So, its not that easy to get it reversed....The only way I was able to have it removed is I ended up with a GI Bleed from all the vomiting I was constantly doing and they found that the band was in 3 different sections....Then once they got in there, they (doctors) found scar tissue all over the band pieces which was causing the horrible pain that I kept trying to tell my orginal doctor about and he wouldn't listen.

So, PLEASE think about the band carefully and only if its a last resort after trying dieting, exercise and all that good stuff first before doing the band....I personally was on a 1500 calorie a day diet with 15 grams of fat and cycling 5 miles a day which I didn't lose any weight from after 6 months....So, therefore that's how I got started on my trip to having the lap band....But, I take it back now and have the scars to show what used to be....I am more healthly than I was when I had the band in and thankful that a TEAM of doctors finally listened to my plea.

Txbbwstrwbry

sorry you had so much difficulty with your band.

you are right, the band is not for everyone. im sure there have been numerous changes since the 5 years you were banded.

i do not understand why your doctor would not remove it. could you explain a bit more please?

How horrible--I'm sorry you had such a negative experience! Your doctors were negligent indeed; having a band removed is and should always be the patient's decision.

It's indeed true that the band isn't for everyone. But your experience is more a cautionary tale about substandard medical care than anything else, it seems to me. Is there more to the story? When did you start having problems and how were they addressed? Was there ever any reason determined for the problems you encountered?

I hope your healing is complete and when it's all over you're healthy and happy. How are you now?

He wouldn't remove it until I lost a certain amount of weight....Until I reached what he considered my "goal weight" he was bound and determined not to remove it.

Txbbwstrwbry

I am great now....Thanks for asking!! Yeah I'm still overweight...But, I'm a happier person for it :)

Hello,
Thank you for your support i hope i c an have mine out soon your right it isnt for everyone and i was happier the way i was beofre i got banded.How did you feel after it came out, do you feel like you did before banding?
Thanks
Brittly

Oh my goodness that's terrible -- I'm sorry you had such a crappy doctor who wouldn't listen to you.

A cautionary tale indeed -- for those of you still surgeon-shopping it's a good question to ask: "if I decide for whatever reason after banding that I would like it removed, will you agree to the surgery?"

I would have sought a 2nd or 3rd opinion if I were in pain and my doc wasn't listening to me. I'm glad you are feeling better now!

I do also feel weird about all the Lap Band commercials these days (or Realize band, or whatever) -- on one hand, it does raise awareness that there is a potential solution out there, and on the other it just seems like primary care docs should be on the ball about working with people to find the right solution for their excess weight.

Yes I feel like my old self and I am thankful for that...So, that's one thing to look forward too ;)

Wow, Txbbwstrwbry;

You and I have been down the same path.

I wish I had posted my story in the same way that you did, and HERE rather than in another part of this forum, as I did. I came on a little stronger, and People didn't like it all that much.

You are SO correct. The band is NOT for everyone. It works miracles for some, but it can be a nightmare for others.

The commercials you see on TV are painting the band as a "fast and safe" answer to the problem of obesity. Again, true for some, NOT for others.

I am having band removal surgery this next tuesday, and it's going to be very messy. The Tube from the band has burrowed INSIDE of my Colon, and there may be some other damage as well. They won't know until they get inside. The port popped out of my stomach a long time ago, and I have suffered ever since.

But, I have also learned some other things as well. I was able to lose nearly 90 pounds WITHOUT the band being functional. I have come to the conclusion that I never really needed the band to begin with. I just needed to look a LITTLE further to find out what would work for ME. Txbbwstrwbry, you are SO correct. People need to exhaust ALL options before they go down this path. ANY WLS should be a LAST RESORT, rather than an elective cosmetic procedure, which it is becoming.

So, I look forward to my life without the plastic noose around my stomach. And, I hope that my surgery will be able to correct the other problems. The outcome is a little unsure.

One of the points I was trying to make in my previous posts (to those who did NOT want to listen) was that you really need to make sure you have the RIGHT doctor. Make sure you know what his actions will be if you encounter any problems.

Again; The LB has been a wonderful thing for many, many people. But there ARE a group of us here for whom that has NOT been the case.

Thank you for your well-spoken comments, Txbbwstrwbry!

I think you are right, it's not for everybody, but it is for some bodies. :o) I did think to ask my surgeon if he would remove it if I wanted it taken away and he said "Of course.".

I wish you all an easy and speedy recovery.

Hi everyone, i hope you can help me . I found out i have chrons (in Feb), about 6 wks after band placement. Since surgery i hurt in the center of my upper abd through to my back. It's a dull nagging pain all the time , just seems to hurt worse with friction type movement. I believe it's my band not chrons, reason being is GI doc says chrons is slight and the pain i had with it(chrons) was to my right lower side.I have called my Lap Band dr and he won't take my pain seriously, he has passed me off to my GI & PCP. Last week i again called his office told them I needed an appt., 2 days later they canceled me saying he needed to lighten his load for a surgery.I suffer at night the most. I called the next day asked them to do whatever to take the band out. I got a call yeaterday that it was denied. I obtained the denial letter from his office. The request letter was so weak and basically suggested i just want it out , but that i do have chrons... I AM SO DISAPPOINTED IN MY Lap Band SURGEON !!! I have pain and he has not once tried to find out why ... the only other Lap Band doc in town is out of network and insurance denies him also.(he offered to do egd free of charge , ins / hosp said no) I believe the band is a great tool and i have loss 52 lbs since new years eve, i would have been sold on life with the band BUT i did this band to feel better and be healthy and I HAVE NEVER FELT WORSE ! I am so depressed . I know i rambled (sorry) I have just kept it all inside and with all the problems it could be i'm a little freaked and tired... gonna see if GI doc will do EGD & go from there... want to appeal denial any suggestions good or bad I'm open at this point for anything ... just want the pain to go away....shirley

Shirley,

The only way I was able to get my band out was not through having insurance and being basically diagnosed with a GI bleed before anything would be done....I'm sorry to hear that you are going through such complications because in my mind at times they will get worse and then better....So, just hang in there and find a hospital willing to take it out if your doctor says it needs to come out.

I had a doctor that basically said I had a GI bleed and when that didn't appear to be the case and ruled everything out the only thing left was the band....So, they removed the band and I'm fine now.

I'm not sure if you have Chrons or not, personally I would get a 2nd opionion on that if you think its your band....Let me know if there is anything else I can try and help you with.

Txbbwstrwbry

So did you have insurance and they paid or it was left up to you to pay? If so how much did it cost?? Sorry if to personal, I'd appreciate the info since I may be looking at self pay to remove it... I hope not, it was a long road to get it , thanks again, shirley

Shirley,

Actually, it didn't cost me anything because I had no insurance and no source of income....Because of the county I'm in I have a special insurance program that is offered to me and I had to go through them to get it removed...The surgery cost was about $50,000 but I stayed in the hospital for 12 days but, in the long run I didn't have to pay anything.

I know of a CA surgeon that will remove the band for $6000 for a cash base client....But, I decided not to go with him simply because he sounded too eager to take the darn thing out.

However, I'm sure you can look them up if you would like it was Beverly Hills Physicans that will take it out without insurance....You can leave them a message and they will call you back via their website.

Txbbwstrwbry

Txbbwstrwbry, What is the name of the physician or group in Beverly Hills that will take it out for $6,000?