Have any of you been an unsuccessful Bander ?

[fatbutnot4eva]

HI
Bit of an odd question but has anyo f you had in the past a band that has failed. My surgeon seems to prefer bypass as do most unless you are paying (I have found - could be wrong so dont shoot me)
Is it because the band is not as successful or as my surgeon said he said I would fail and a bypass is a no fail surgery.
Also while i was in the hospital waiting to see teh surgen thee were so many bypass people and only 1 band and she was going to have it removed and have a bypass.
As my surgery is only a week ago its on my mind, I had to fight for this band as Mr Ammori said no way only a bypass, I managed to email him around and am having what i want i just dread that it might fail. Or is it not the band that fails is it the individual ?
If its the individual then thats silly, the lady who had a band and was wanting it removed and a bypass said she could still eat a whole pack of biscuits WHY ??? why woudl she want to ???

x
Helen

 

[j.u.s.t.l.i.z.]

HI
Bit of an odd question but has anyo f you had in the past a band that has failed. My surgeon seems to prefer bypass as do most unless you are paying (I have found - could be wrong so dont shoot me)
Is it because the band is not as successful or as my surgeon said he said I would fail and a bypass is a no fail surgery.
Also while i was in the hospital waiting to see teh surgen thee were so many bypass people and only 1 band and she was going to have it removed and have a bypass.
As my surgery is only a week ago its on my mind, I had to fight for this band as Mr Ammori said no way only a bypass, I managed to email him around and am having what i want i just dread that it might fail. Or is it not the band that fails is it the individual ?
If its the individual then thats silly, the lady who had a band and was wanting it removed and a bypass said she could still eat a whole pack of biscuits WHY ??? why woudl she want to ???

x
Helen

hi hun bands can fail for a couple of reason the number 1 reason is it being faulty as mine was so it was removed and replaced and everything is just fine now and also it can cause other problems too, the second reason isnt usually anything to do with the actual band not doing its job but more so people not usuing there tool correctly and abusing it with high calory slider foods such as chocolate and other "easy foods" as people do not like the feeling restriction gives and go back a stage to slider foods this is where weight loss becomes slow and some say oh the bands not working for me but its untrue in alot of cases and its more the person isnt working with there band, its a complicated one to answer but past a faulty band then the only reason for it to fail is down to the patient them selves not follwing band rules.

im now awaiting to be shot down in flames for my reply here

liz x

 

[Silversurfer]

Hi Helen

Ultimately in making any decision with WLS you should consider your longer term lose, the first year post op is your learning year where you will lose with either procedure, but you need to consider how you will live with your chosen procedure longerterm. When we set out we are all strong and focussed on losing weight, but after a year or so you've lost loads and have regained your life again it becomes harder to make good food choices, this is where most banders start to fail, old habbits creep back in and they regain.
Now i'm not saying that bands dont have a place in WLS or always fail or dont work, what i am saying is that in my opinion it takes a lot more work and commitment to make a band successful longer term, certainly there are some very successful banders here on the forum who i'm sure will testify to the fact a band needs working at, so its how much commitment your going to have to a life time of dieting and healthy food choices that will make the difference between success and failure longerterm.

Certainly in my case the choice was simple, the bypass offered me a higher faster weight lose with the lesser amount of restriction on the foods i can eat, and longerterm i wouldn't have to consider or follow any sort of diet, which i now dont.

I had my op with Basil Ammori too, and without trying to influence your decision in any way, his advice to me was spot on and i'm glad i really listened to him, he's a really great surgeon and i'm sure he wouldn't have recomended a bypass if he hadn't thought it right for you.

 

[LBD]

I am a pre-opper and have chosen to have a band.

I think Liz and SS are right in what they say. It is a choice and it is down to you to really understand what each procedure will entail. I was lucky in that I had a choice of bypass or band as Shaw Somers felt both would work for me.

He was very clear that it is about eating habits and long term commitment that should influence my decision.

I chose the band because I do not have too much to lose (compared to some) and I felt the bypass was too 'drastic' for me at this stage. Also my eating habits influenced which procedure would suit me better.

I am under no illusions that I am going to have to work with the band and of course I am very concerned that old habits will start to creep back in. At the moment I feel determined enough to make it work for me but ask me again in two years time!

Good luck!

 

[BlueDiamond]

I agree with woz s/s sed also.

All the best - MeJulie x x

 

[fatbutnot4eva]

Thanks guys. I will give 100% to my band and think I have made the right decision, only time will tell but if I give 100% then thats all I can do.
x

 

[chocchucky]

Yup you can only give your best shot hun As long as you work with the tools you are given i carnt see any reason why its shouldnt work for you. I was refused the band by my surgeon cause he said it would fail because of my eating patterns, and because i was diabetic it was the best procedure, and for me he was probably right.

Good luck with it anyway hun, be thinking of you

Sharon xx

 

[mandyl]

good luck hun. you know your own mind and will do just fine xx

 

[bexmoss86]

I have definately had to work with my band. I am very happy with the weight loss I have had over the past 6 months although I would not have lost nearly as much as I have without doing exercise and following the advice given both by my dietitian and from more experienced banders like Liz.
I think of my band as a little voice which reminds me of my end goal when I feel like my willpower is waning. A band cant lose the weight for you but it is there when you need a little helping hand along the way.
The whole band vs bypass argument is a very personal thing and can only really be solved by asking for advice from your surgeon and being truely honest with yourself about your eating habbits.

 

[Cuppacocoa]

I think what SS says is very true. I originally wanted a band, just because I knew very little about the bypass. But when I began researching into the various options I realised, as others have said, you have to work a little harder with the band and it is not as fail proof as the bypass. Also, being a chocoholic, the band would have been useless to me as chocolate would still have gone down way too easily.

This was all confirmed when I met with my surgeon. He said 25% of people whom had the band would fail to lose the weight and keep it off simply because they could still eat the wrong choices of foods if they chose to do so. Also 99% of the ops he performs are bypasses and he regularly performs bypasses on patients whom have already had the band and failed to lose weight with it and keep it off longterm.

It is a very personal choice which wls to go for but I know I made the right choice for me. I do, however, take my hat off to everyone who has had the band and done well with it as I know their path may not always have been an easy one.

You sound very dedicated to making it work hun and your determination will go a very long way to helping you with your weightloss.

All the best,
Cuppa xx

 

[fatbutnot4eva]

Thanks very much all of you, makes perfect sence and makes me realise i am making 100% the right decision with a band
thanks soo much you are all fab
x

 

[Mazza]

Helen

You will be fine hun, you have waited so long for this and your determination to make this work shines through.

Both procedures 'can' fail as can the gastric sleeve and as Liz said with the band this can be down to a faulty band or eating the wrong types of food.

It may take some time to get a good restriction but once you do and you are eating healthy foods that will remain in your pouch and keep you fuller the weight will come off. The losses maybe slower but Im more than happy with my loss so far plus no excess skin.

Good luck x