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To band or not to band ?

Mrs Q

New Member
Hi all

I have been thinking about getting a band for some time now and have been researching since last summer,I'm hoping to have it done in April.
I'm also a member of another wls forum.there are so many different stories and just wondered in your opinions why does the band work for some and not others ??

Thanks mrs Q
 
ummmmmm you will get some very interesting responses to your post!!

I can only answer honestly and in my opinion and I do not mean to offend anyone at all. I think it works if you try. Its what you put in your mouth. Its easy to convince yourself you have eaten very little but I had a rough few weeks so I put on my fitness pal exactly what I had eaten and it was 1800 cals. Well no one is going to loose weight eating 1800 cals.

Its a learning curve and you have to follow your providers guidelines and listen to there advice. BUT if you follow it, you loose weight. If you cheat your band (and yourself) it soon shows on the scales. Your weight does stabilise and the last couple of stone is harder but all in all I think its amazing.

Some people suffer with getting the right restriction level. Although there is a lady on here (Top Kat) she has had this problem and never really reached the right level and shes lost 10 stone I think roughly. She has the pure drive and determination to make it work which is how she has come so far.
As I said its only my opinion getting your head around the life change is the hardest part.
Good luck in your journey
 

ThinnerJemima

Here all the time.....
Easy ;)

Not to band. Had my band for 10 months. Lost nearly 40kg with it. Constant port problems and so much faffing.

Also had problems eating with bypass, the theory is possibly caused by the permanent scarring that the band does to your insides.

Much better to get a permanent solution first time; sleeve or bypass.
 

top_kat

Well-Known Member
you will have people who will just jump in and say because the band didn't work for them that you should just go for a sleeve or bypass, but you will get those who have a band and who it works wonderfully well for saying the band. It's not an easy option.

It's important when researching (I did for over 7 years!) to look at you, your eating habits and how or why you think the band is the best option.

A lot of what bichonbabies has said is true in relation to the band, it isn't a solution, it is a tool to aid weight loss. If someone is expecting a band to do all the work and stop hunger immediately etc then they need to realise it doesn't happen that way.

A small minority of people have a band and feel restriction with zero or minimal fills, at the other end of the scale you have people approaching a full band with no restriction.

I've had mine 18 months and as Bichonbabies has said, I've not been able to find restriction with my band, but they believe that it is leaking, despite that, it's placement alone has enabled me to take control over my eating to make healthy choices, to stick to guidelines, portion control and I've lost 11 stone. I still have a way to go, but I've lost 11 dress sizes and 2 shoe sizes so despite the battle and issues I'm happy ;0:)

I'm still battling with restriction or more so to find it, I'm having liquid level checks to see if it's leaking, but even despite the issues, I love my band and the life changing effect it has given me.

For me, bypass and sleeve wasn't an option, losing 50-60% of the excess weight which is the average wasn't an option or acceptable to me! I've worked damn hard to make this work even tho my band isn't working as it should.

It was the right decision for me, it's really finding what is the right one for you, but you will always get people saying their band didn't work go for a bypass, but I know people who've had a band. To sleeve and into a bypass revisions, you need to explore what can go wrong, but know that so much depends on you, and your own willpower, the band needs lots!

As I said, its an aid to weightloss, not the solution :)
 

flutterby1966

Well-Known Member
As the ladies have said, the band is a fantastic tool if you work with it. I have lost 11st with it and had no problems. Counting calories and using the band as back up is how its worked for me. Gotta admit however it doesn't stop me wanting sweet stuff such as chocolate and although I am happy to have put a few pounds back on :rolleyes: as my weight dropped over two and half stones below my target, I need to work with my bad habits still. Having said that, any of the wls procedures comes with their own risks and benefits ... And all can be successful or not. I LOVE my band and being a size 10-12 rather than a 24-26! Go with what you feel will be best for you after doing your research.
 

Mrs Q

New Member
Hi

All excellent replies,top kat and flutterby you have done amazing,I do understand it's only a tool,as I love going to the gym,food is my downfall with the help of a band I think it may work,I have just started reading about the wrap,but going abroad really puts me off!
Such a life changing decision it's so hard,I hate making decisions lol xx
 

Mazza

Administrator
Staff member
Hi Mrs Q

Another bander here, almost five years out too!

As the others have said and as you are aware each surgery is only a tool.

Over the years and even as recently as this month we have members with bypasses who are not losing, or having a band added on top of the bypass.

The sleeve was initialy a two step operation leading to the bypass - but overall as a one off appears to be succesful.

We also have members who have converted from a wrap to a sleeve or bypass.

And of course, members who have gone from band to another op (one member has had band, sleeve and bypass).

What they will all tell you is chose the right op for YOU, first time.

This is your journey, so in my humble opinion get yourself some professional advice based on you.

Good luck on your journey xx
 

valentine

Active Member
Hi all... Im a Bander and im approaching my 10th year out from surgery....

I went from 21st 7lb to 13st 2lb over the course of a year or so and then I got complications..

I was diagnosed with a dialated aesophagus (dodgy spelling lol) 3 years ago and had to have my band completely unfilled...after a few years of sitting at 13st

So my weight has been yo yoing ever since...

I'm now at 16st 10lb and waiting to have a revision from band to bypass...

I am with the NHS now (paid private for band) and am due to see psychiatrist for pre op assessment on March 1oth...

My partner has lost an amazing 26st with 2 bands and a Duedenal Switch (that's a story for another day)...little snippet of his was 1 slipped band ... 1 eroded band...

My advice to anyone thinking about having a band is to look at the bigger picture of how much weight you realistically want to lose and also be brutally honest with yourself about your eating habits.

Cheating the band is the easiest thing in the world to do ... believe me im living proof...

As everyone before me has rightly said its a TOOL to work with.. NOT a WLS CURE ALL.....

For some its amazing but for others like me its been a bit of a rocky road (mines slipped slightly but thankfully the stitches holding it in place haven't given way)
ive got constant acid reflux and NO restriction ,,,,
but suddenly it can give me complete restriction without warning making me very sick for hours...

I am counting the days to get my surgery date for removal and revision as I am sick of living with a non functioning band that's just causing me pain and sickness,,

I think if you have a LOT of weight to lose then the band is not for you.... If you have a sweet tooth then the band is definitely not for you... it only restricts what you eat if the food is not sloppy or soft.

so there are my thoughts lol... not the most optimistic but not completely negative...

If you don't have a massive amount to lose it can be a brilliant tool... But if you do need to lose say 7st or more then I would opt for the sleeve/bypass ... but that's just my based on my personal experience ..

Good luck with whatever you choose xx
 

valentine

Active Member
Hi all... Im a Bander and im approaching my 10th year out from surgery....

I went from 21st 7lb to 13st 2lb over the course of a year or so and then I got complications..

I was diagnosed with a dialated aesophagus (dodgy spelling lol) 3 years ago and had to have my band completely unfilled...after a few years of sitting at 13st

So my weight has been yo yoing ever since...

I'm now at 16st 10lb and waiting to have a revision from band to bypass...

I am with the NHS now (paid private for band) and am due to see psychiatrist for pre op assessment on March 1oth...

My partner has lost an amazing 26st with 2 bands and a Duedenal Switch (that's a story for another day)...little snippet of his was 1 slipped band ... 1 eroded band...

My advice to anyone thinking about having a band is to look at the bigger picture of how much weight you realistically want to lose and also be brutally honest with yourself about your eating habits.

Cheating the band is the easiest thing in the world to do ... believe me im living proof...

As everyone before me has rightly said its a TOOL to work with.. NOT a WLS CURE ALL.....

For some its amazing but for others like me its been a bit of a rocky road (mines slipped slightly but thankfully the stitches holding it in place haven't given way)
ive got constant acid reflux and NO restriction ,,,,
but suddenly it can give me complete restriction without warning making me very sick for hours...

I am counting the days to get my surgery date for removal and revision as I am sick of living with a non functioning band that's just causing me pain and sickness,,

I think if you have a LOT of weight to lose then the band is not for you.... If you have a sweet tooth then the band is definitely not for you... it only restricts what you eat if the food is not sloppy or soft.

so there are my thoughts lol... not the most optimistic but not completely negative...

If you don't have a massive amount to lose it can be a brilliant tool... But if you do need to lose say 7st or more then I would opt for the sleeve/bypass ... but that's just my humble opinion .....
 

sarahrob

New Member
I chose a band as my issue was purely portion sizes. I'm not a grazer, and although I like desserts that's not where the bulk of my weight came from - eating an entire roasted rib of beef in one sitting on a Saturday night then an hour later looking for some pasta as I was a bit peckish is where my weight came from!
As everyone has said, it's really important to know your eating habits so you can assess what's best for you - there is no one best procedure for everyone and if you really want to it's possible to gain weight after any bariatric surgery!

Good luck x
 

lisas_losing_it

New Member
Hey I had my band put in and have no regretted it. You have to have the mental willpower to help you as the band will not do the work for u
 

valentine

Active Member
Hey I had my band put in and have no regretted it. You have to have the mental willpower to help you as the band will not do the work for u

I didn't regret my band for the first few years either.... Complications never set in till I was 13st ... My starting weight was 21st 7lb and I did have the mental will power .. When my tool was in good working order ...

Absolutely right that the band is just a tool that can take a while to find restriction with etc

Mines just been useless for the last 3 years .. Like Victoria I was banded 10 years ago..

Once it has to be unfilled you are on your own... And if I could have lost weight naturally I would not have spent thousands of pounds..

I really hope than none of the happy banders on here have to experience the complications that I and my fiancée have had..

I really am just treading water and wishing my life away till I get a date for surgery and know which one my surgeon wants to do... Bypass or sleeve ...

Each week is a struggle not to gain weight ..
 

bandito

Member
Honestly, this is a decision that only you can make - you will find people that are happy/unhappy with all the various WLS.

For me - I preferred the statistics of survival with the band but, my kids are young and the thought of leaving them early in their lives is horrifying.

I'm not a grazer, I'm a three meal a day binger! My eating habits leaned more to the band.

I preferred my anatomy staying the same.

Thing is, that's me and someone else will come up with their own compelling reasons. Research, read, ask questions. Speak to the professionals, all of mine agreed after assessment that the band was probably best for me.

Good luck and we'll be here no matter what you choose x
 

WeightlossDreamer

Well-Known Member
Hiya! this is a decision only you can make. I wouldnt say im a typical bander i DO have a sweet tooth but also had a huge problem with bulk 3 course meals for lunch and dinner not good! The band has been a fantastic tool for me in helping me change my lifestyle and the way i choose to live my life and what i put in. I have a sensitive band so even with sloppy food i find restriction and feel full pretty much all the time. It doesnt stop me eating chocolate or cake or sweets. However my body now reacts differently and i get terrible tummy ache if i over do it! So thats helped me to stop doing it! Good luck with your decision. Take your time and think about what you want from it xx x
 

valentine

Active Member
I've never heard of anyone with your symptoms after eating sugary things and chocolate.. Your very lucky.... My band was fab for the first 7 years .. It was the next 3 that caused all the problems... How long have you been banded???
 

Bella'sBand

New Member
I would say NOT from the rooftops. I am almost two years post op and it has been as much help as a paper hat in a rain storm.
I know it has worked for many and happy for them congrats to you but there are many, many of us living with regret. £5,000 and five scars worth of regret with no way of getting either back, my money or my scars which ps are horrific.
I was sold it as a tool that would 1. Make me feel full. 2. Make me feel more satisfied on smaller portions. 3. Make feel fuller and satisfied for longer.
Great I thought I am not looking for a miracle just a tool that's going to give me an edge. I did not expect miracles, I just wanted steady slow weight loss and hoped that my one year surgery anniversary I would be at least under the 200lb mark. Well.....
What they don't tell you is the pain the band causes when you try to eat small meals. At one point I could not eat a boiled egg without feeling like I was having a heart attack. It was a miserable way to live your life. I could even have put up with it if I got results but nope! Also you are not told that everything you did before to lose weight that us yoyo dieters always fail at, you will still have to do, this tool is not any help in that regards. I used to love big bowls of veg and salad when dieting, not with the band I can't. I ended up being vitamin deficient because your not allowed bread, rice, pasta even sparkling water which I love. It just made eating a painful, joyless, dreaded chore.
Now another thing I might add I am not and never have been a big portion eater which I told the surgeon when he asked me my portion size I answered med/small, he looked at me as if to say, yeah right... But it's the truth. I don't eat take always either hate fried food, have never cooked as much as a chip in my home, not even an oven chip. So I have been told since the band should not have been offered to me as really its for people who eat big portions.
My problem is a sweet tooth, I cannot get through they day without a biscuit or chocolate bar or two or three, now I am being honest here and was with the surgeon. The band does not inhibit your ability to eat a dairy milk fact! It does inhibit your ability to eat chicken breast with a rainbow of veggies though. It's madness.

Now people have told me, if you just stick to the rules it will happen... Well I stuck to the rules week after week after week after week with zero results. Dieticians at the clinic are no help. And the pain I suffered trying to eat when my band was filled was unexplainable, I kid you not every day I was salivating and spitting constantly in a tissue when trying to eat a small portion, my chest and rib cage would hurt for up to an hour after eating, I would dread trying to eat. In fact I ate so little by body just refused to give up any excess weight, it thought I was starving o death.
The day I was crying from eating a boiled egg my husband said, that's it we are going to get this thing emptied, I was so relieved.
After in the car on the way home I ate a whole wheat tuna sandwich and it was the best darn sandwich I had ate in my life.
So here I am almost two years down the road with a band around my stomach (which still hurts me on a weekly basis) and a port in my body good for nothing, £5,000 poorer, 5 raised red keloid scars because I was given "internal" stitches which meant the two pieces of flesh did not fully come together ergo never healed properly. Basically getting a band FOR ME was a fruitless endeavour. If I knew before surgery what I know now I would not have had it done for free on the nhs never mind pay fir the privilege. If i had a spare £5,000 lying around i would have it removed asap. I would never after this experience op for sleeve or bypass! Not even if I was paid to do so. I know now with all my heart surgery is not the answer, not for me. And it has nothing to do with willpower either. And here endeith my tale.


I would like to add now I do not diet, I got of the merry go round, love my body, enjoy life and don't set foot on the scales, because happy calories don't count!
 
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los in it

Well-Known Member
Thank you for sharing your story .Its always good to hear both sides of WLS
 

WeightlossDreamer

Well-Known Member
I have to say I am a sweet eater too but the band has worked for me. It's not a miracle cute it's a tool u have to have the ability to not put all that chocolate in your mouth.
 

flutterby1966

Well-Known Member
Me too ... I was both a volume and sweet eater. The band doesn't cure the mind, but I still love the control it's given me. Maybe I am lucky, but i am not restricted too tight so I can eat most things. Not perfect, I do still even eat sweets/chocolate but in far less volume than previously. I always focus on protein first though :) I am now almost three years out and have maintained target weight for over two of those :D
 

odonnellcheryl

New Member
I would say NOT from the rooftops. I am almost two years post op and it has been as much help as a paper hat in a rain storm. I know it has worked for many and happy for them congrats to you but there are many, many of us living with regret. £5,000 and five scars worth of regret with no way of getting either back, my money or my scars which ps are horrific. I was sold it as a tool that would 1. Make me feel full. 2. Make me feel more satisfied on smaller portions. 3. Make feel fuller and satisfied for longer. Great I thought I am not looking for a miracle just a tool that's going to give me an edge. I did not expect miracles, I just wanted steady slow weight loss and hoped that my one year surgery anniversary I would be at least under the 200lb mark. Well..... What they don't tell you is the pain the band causes when you try to eat small meals. At one point I could not eat a boiled egg without feeling like I was having a heart attack. It was a miserable way to live your life. I could even have put up with it if I got results but nope! Also you are not told that everything you did before to lose weight that us yoyo dieters always fail at, you will still have to do, this tool is not any help in that regards. I used to love big bowls of veg and salad when dieting, not with the band I can't. I ended up being vitamin deficient because your not allowed bread, rice, pasta even sparkling water which I love. It just made eating a painful, joyless, dreaded chore. Now another thing I might add I am not and never have been a big portion eater which I told the surgeon when he asked me my portion size I answered med/small, he looked at me as if to say, yeah right... But it's the truth. I don't eat take always either hate fried food, have never cooked as much as a chip in my home, not even an oven chip. So I have been told since the band should not have been offered to me as really its for people who eat big portions. My problem is a sweet tooth, I cannot get through they day without a biscuit or chocolate bar or two or three, now I am being honest here and was with the surgeon. The band does not inhibit your ability to eat a dairy milk fact! It does inhibit your ability to eat chicken breast with a rainbow of veggies though. It's madness. Now people have told me, if you just stick to the rules it will happen... Well I stuck to the rules week after week after week after week with zero results. Dieticians at the clinic are no help. And the pain I suffered trying to eat when my band was filled was unexplainable, I kid you not every day I was salivating and spitting constantly in a tissue when trying to eat a small portion, my chest and rib cage would hurt for up to an hour after eating, I would dread trying to eat. In fact I ate so little by body just refused to give up any excess weight, it thought I was starving o death. The day I was crying from eating a boiled egg my husband said, that's it we are going to get this thing emptied, I was so relieved. After in the car on the way home I ate a whole wheat tuna sandwich and it was the best darn sandwich I had ate in my life. So here I am almost two years down the road with a band around my stomach (which still hurts me on a weekly basis) and a port in my body good for nothing, £5,000 poorer, 5 raised red keloid scars because I was given "internal" stitches which meant the two pieces of flesh did not fully come together ergo never healed properly. Basically getting a band FOR ME was a fruitless endeavour. If I knew before surgery what I know now I would not have had it done for free on the nhs never mind pay fir the privilege. If i had a spare £5,000 lying around i would have it removed asap. I would never after this experience op for sleeve or bypass! Not even if I was paid to do so. I know now with all my heart surgery is not the answer, not for me. And it has nothing to do with willpower either. And here endeith my tale. I would like to add now I do not diet, I got of the merry go round, love my body, enjoy life and don't set foot on the scales, because happy calories don't count!
it is good to hear both sides what you was saying about The pain by your rib cage is it like a stitch after you eat as that's what I get and am waiting to have scan saying it could be something to do with the bowel because that's where the large bowel is xx
 
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