Hello fellow failed lapband patients. I had the band surgery in May, 2007. Hurt like Hell for a few days, then it got better. Lost 35 or 40 pounds. Went for a fill when I thought I was eating too much. Vomitted everything after that and went back and got some fill removed. Much better, no weight lost, but I never went back to get the band filled again. For the next 7 years, I gained weight, then would go on a diet and lose the weight. Just like I had done all my life without a band!! I never lost all the weight I needed to lose, but I felt okay. Then, in Feb. 2014, began have pain when I ate right in the center of my stomach where the band was, increased vomiting, horrible acid reflux. My doctor sent me to a Gastroenterologist and he sent me to Houston to a bariatric surgeon where an EGD revealed the band had slipped down lower on my stomach. That same day my bariatric surgeon removed the band. Lots of pain for two or three days, but getting better every day. I must follow a low sugar and low carb plan, much like a diabetic diet or I will GAIN all the weight back. Everyone I know who has had their band removed gained all the weight back and more. Pray for me. All of you will be in my prayers, too.

After spending the last hour and a half reading every single comment on this board – all I can say is WOW. I absolutely love how people are willing to sue Allergan because they either didn’t follow their dietary guidelines, their surgeons were quacks, or they had underlying genetic conditions. Tell me again how all of those items are Allergan’s problems? Why sue Allergan if you were not properly taking care of yourself for a surgery YOU ELECTED to have? Having a lap band is a 50/50 split relationship. It will do its part – but you have to do yours as well. Seems to me there was nothing more than an overload of minimal education on this.

I have had similar instances to many on this board from the tightness in the chest – to mild vomiting – spitting up – food not staying down, etc. These have all been due to the fact that I was not doing my part. I was either eating too fast, not chewing enough, eating foods my body just could not handle anymore, or not taking my vitamins like I should have.

Your band tightness changes every single day and factors like stress, the weather, and even caffeine intake can affect the tightness in the band. I agree that erosion can become a factor – but the majority of the stories on this board are screaming that uneducated people thought they were going to get a quick weight loss fix and didn’t do their part for their weight loss journey. Its a weight loss TOOL not a end all fix.

I loved my lap band…until it developed a leak back in 2005. Lost 70lbs with careful diet and exercise. I live in New Zealand and insurance wont pay for a replacement. Gutted

I had the lapband in 2006 and by 2009 it slipped and I was sick often because I could not afford to get it out, I also had to get a blood transfusion and they never figured where the blood loss was from. My blood has never been right since. I live in sunny Florida and I have a vitamin D deficiency. I had the band removed in 2012 in an emergency situation I complained of severe pain, I knew that was the only way I could get it removed. They said my stomach was 3 times its size from being swollen. No wonder I was always sick. I feel better then ever today but my blood count is never normal. I am always afraid I need a transfusion because the only sign that I needed It was tiredness which I always am. My stomach never feels right I’m sure there is some kind of damage but I haven’t had insurance to find out. I have kept a lot of my weight off but not all of it. I just wonder how many people have needed blood transfusions that have had the lapband !!

I had my band Realize placed in2007. The first couple of years were fine, but after that it all went down hill. I started developing a sever pain in my left should, chest pain, severe acid reflux, indigestion, and shortness of breath just as Kayla did. I got to the point that I couldn’t even get fluid down without it coming back up. I was worried the band had slipped so I had to pay $250 to visit to have the Dr. check it only to tell me it was too full so he removed a little bit. 3 weeks later I am back paying another $250 and he says oh I must not have removed enough we will take a little more. Well I finally had to call him crying because I was getting so sick that my throat was raw and I could not keep paying him $250 so he said, ok, well pay $100. When I went in he only wanted a to remove a little and I said, NO, empty it! I am still in pain. My shoulder is hurting so bad as I type this that I can barely stand it! But that is not the worse part. 9months ago I started having seizures! Now there is a link to the lap band damaging the Vargus nerve resulting in seizures. When I heard about this from my Dr. I searched and there are literally 1000’s of posts similar to mine of band patients developing seizures. I am now on Dilantin for the seizures and can not drive until I am one year seizure free. My last seizure was only one month ago and it was so severe that I was transported by ambulance which now has me left with yet MORE medical bills that I can not pay because like so many of us we can not afford medical coverage and if we can it will not cover these things! With ever seizure a person has, the damage a small piece of the brain. Had any of this been discussed or should I say disclosed, I would NEVER have done this!!! My life is forever changed now and no one wants to take accountability for these things. I am a single mother and no license means no job! I live in a small town with no public transportation and my commute to work daily is 60 miles each way! This band has destroyed my life under the pretense of bettering it!

Band in 2007, revision due to Dr putting holes in the tube while filling and I filling it. He would play guess where the port is and hit me with a huge needle until he finally hit it. Some visits it took up to ten try’s. Very painful. So after the revision, I never went back-I was afraid he would put holes in the line again so I just continued with the fill from the revision in ’09 till last month’14 when I could no longer swallow. I have no idea what changed but I was in so much pain- more than ever before. I could no longer ignore the pain because now I could not even swallow my saliva. After many different dr visits, tests and jumping through hoops with the insurance company I will finally be getting this piece of crap out of my body. I would strongly suggest to anyone considering the lap band to reconsider.

I had my band removed in 2013..erosion very bad nearly died 3 days after by bad sepsis infection..however does anyone have the issue of no matter even if you drink.glass of water you look like you are pregnant?? Stomach blows up ?? Thanks.

I had lap band march 2013. I still eat too fast..throw up
I eat too much…throw up
I can eat any type of junk food in abundance..no problems
I try protein first but it gets stuck and..throw up
I really need help…

I’ve lost about 30lbs total still have 50 to go but last night while laying in bed I had a sharp pop feeling from my port ares the a slight sting downward. no pain but I still feel an area of soreness by my port. I have apt for upper GI tomorrow morning.

Anyone experience this/ any guesses?

Do not get a lap band….period.

I am trying to get mine out now. I am so scared of what it has done to me.

I have gas that will not leave my body all the time, and pain in my abdominal cavity so bad that it feels as if it is attached to my organs.

Been trying to get it out for over a year, but had to fight insurance.

I am getting it out in 2 days finally, and hoping they only find something minor.

Ps. I lost over 100 pounds kept it off and did my part… for you jerks/

Had lap band in 2007. Did a belly flop 5 months ago and suffered a rectal sheath hematoma. Been hurting off and on in port area. Had an
.EGD & CT & they say that it
Show all in place but being it’s completely empty I wonder why I’m still having discomfort after a meal and glass of water. Bariatric surgeon recommending a revision but I take Coumadin for Atrial Fibrillation so I’m very hesitant. I would tell everyone out there thinking iof a lap band to STAY AWAY FROM IT!!!! Do a sleeve!

Im so frustrated……and concerned. First off I love love love my band. I was banded in Mexico in 2008. I have had great success. ..there were occasional incidents of feeling too tight and needing an unfill but for the most part we worked well together. In Oct i travelled to tun a 10 mile rin. After the race i was extremely tight and couldn’t get anything in….I needed water and food! When I got home I found the Dr who did my maintenance had shut down so I had to go to tge ER fir an u fill. They emptied my bandcompletely and things have never been the same. I went to a new institute today and they did the flouroscopy the barium just sat in my pouch….my band is empty no visible dialation yet movement tbrough the band is sooooo slow…….I have no feeling if restriction no reflux etc. I have fained back 15 pounds. I watch what I eat and exercise…I have a EDG scheduled in two weeks….im so bummed i miss my band working like it use too! Im considering revision to a sleeve but afraid that will fail too

I had my lap band put in October of 2007. I was the “poster child for lap band surgery”, saying that I did all the things right. I lost 60 + lbs and felt good. About 4 years later, I started to have some issues. I ached all over, kind of like a flu like symptons. My primary doctor sent me to a rheumatologist and she did testing and xrays and gave me some meds for arthritis. About the same time I began having discomfort in the area of the port as well as the lap band area and lots of indigestion. I tried to alter my diet away from anything acid or spicey, but the discomfort continued. The body aches continued as well. The rheumatoligist said that I had all the symptoms of RA but the blood work said no. She changed the meds and said that they should help. There was some releif with the meds she gave me. Within 3 mos I developed severe bladder pain. It was so bad that I went to the ER. they tested and found no infection but gave me urinary tract medication. The pain never went away. I visited the ER two more times with the same resutls. I traveled back to my home state and my primary physician and he sent me to a Urologist. They said that they could help me with a neurol stimulator. Two surgerys later I had the stimulator and it began to give me some releif. The urologist also sent me to a PT to help relieve the bladder spasms. That was the most embarrasing thing I have ever had done. I will not go into detail but I had to have my pelvic floor massaged 12 different times. All through this I am still hobbling around like an old person with my joint pains and still having drastic mood swings from the pain medication. Much to my dismay I began gaining weight and put on 25 lbs in 3 months.The stomach pains increased and I finally went back to my surgeon and he told me that all these things that I have been going through could be due to the lap band no longer working and doing its job.We discussed the options and decided that it needed to be removed. So , last week I had it removed. I am still very sore and bruised and still have the other symptioms. It may be too early since surgery to make a judgement. I will see him again tomorrow. In the mean time I will be praying for positive results.

I had lap band in Sept 2014 and so far I’ve lost 64 pounds. I’ve read the comments on this page and I’m amazed that some of you have had problems. This was the easiest surgery and by doing my part and watching what I eat my results have been good. I have had reflux problems but I’ve learned not to eat for 2 hours before I go to bed and that seems to have solved that problem. Yes I have eat too fast at times and thrown up, but I’ve learned to chew, chew, chew…..my food and eat very slow. If I don’t eat slow my food will get hung up and my face will be seeing the toilet soon…….I think this whole process is a learning event and we each have to learn each day how to deal with the issues and find ways to prevent the problems. I’ve had no pain, no erosion to my stomach and no problems. The weight seems to have slowed down so I’ve got to start excising. There are many things I can no longer eat such as white meat of chicken, pork, bread, rice, noodles, etc and of course my portions are like a small child but I am glad I had it done. I was a size 28 and I’m down to a 16-18 now. Looking forward to that size 8-10!!

I had the band put in on Nov 2010. I have been having chronic left flank pain for over a year & have also been having trouble with fills ect. my Doc took all of the fluid out & will not refill it and I was trying to get it out but they said I have to get 6,350.00 to get it removed, that is my part they said. I have had MRI, Ct scans & ex-rays to see where the pain is coming from but they just said my esophagus was to big & that’s when he took out the fluid. they said my back is causing the side pain, but I do not think that correct. I have tenderness where the port is & where the band is. I am always in pain it ranges from a 5-12 on the pain scale. I can not get anyone to help me dig & find out the problem. I am out of money & I sure do not have the 6,350.00 to get it out. I feel so agitated and I am so tired of hurting all the time. I have lost 160 lbs but I have gained like 45 lbs back due to the problems that I am having.

What I read here is lack of communications to the medical professional, from the device manufacturer. Most of the time a Medical Device Manufacture will over look issues of complications, reported issues get “watered down” in the medical profession due to Insurance companies greed. I had a Allergan lap band installed in 2008, I lost about 120 LBS I kept in contact with surgeon with regular visits. I maintained a comfortable weight, I was careful of what I ate. No Pork, chewy Beef like most steak or roasts. I started having bad chest & shoulder pains in Feb 2015 my General Doc, thought I was having Heart issues, I landed in the hospital checked over top to bottom. There was no heart issues except a small Aneurism that could have been there for many years, it did not explain my blood count and fatigue and pain. I scheduled a EGD and Colonoscopy, but could not get in right away. Finally my GP stepped in a pushed to get it done sooner, as I was getting sicker by the day. The Gastro Doc when down the throat and at the end of my esophagus, found the lap band hanging in my stomach in a very difficult location(according to the surgeon) from that point on the surgeon who had installed the band kept in continuous contact. He explained that we needed to get it out and repair the damage to my stomach, but my Insurance company said NO Way that was bariatric surgery and they would not cover it. As I was getting sicker and sicker and very weak, frantic phone calls to the Insurance company resulted in continuous denial, even though the Dr. Insisted I was in danger of dyeing. Finally the Surgeon admitted me to the hospital thru the emergency room, started feeding me antibiotics and 2 days later it was removed. I spent the next 2 weeks tied to a Pic Line feeding me and the next 4 to 6 weeks getting my strength back to a level I could tolerate. I ask all of you who are considering some type of weight loss DONT GET THE LAP BAND. I am also in amazement why our Government continues to protect the thieves, Medical Device Companies and Hospitals and Insurance Companies. They hide behind their over paid legal staffs, who manipulate the law to their advantage. They deprive us, the individual opportunity to recover the losses and the damage to our own personal health. I say we collectively form group that can effectively prevent these, so called Health Care Companies and Hospitals and most of all the Insurance Companies, who form our healthcare laws in the veil of Lobbyists who cheat steal and Bribe their way for their own benefit.

Embarrassed and scared. I had the Realize Gastric Band inserted in 2009 in attempt to prevent advancement of newly diagnosed medical issues. As with all of you, it was my decision to have the Lap Band procedure, hoping for a healthier and better quality of life. Like most of you, had I known the hidden secrets and complete disclosure of the potential harmful complications, I would have never had the procedure. I have developed multi-medical issues, among some mention in previous comments, lost only 35 lbs. and no band fluid for over 1 year. Following the physicians and dietary instructions, still allowed for progression and new development of complications. The
last EGD revealed additional issues, I was instructed to have the band removed as soon as possible.
Approximately, 1 year ago I contacted a Law Firm regarding initialing Class Action procedures. They declined, even though the Medical device manufacturers had been subpoenaed by the U.S. government regarding medical complications. Most of us consented for the Gastric Lap-Band procedure, not all for cosmetic reasons, but in attempted to gain a healthier life style. By no fault of ours, the complete information relating to potential complications were not fully disclosed to us. We were not allowed to make a more informed decision, thereby, causing us greater harm then what was presented by the manufactures and doctors. File a complaint with the FDA (www./fda.gov).

I had my band in 2009 my weight was 15 stone two weeks ago I got quite sick I was not able to get enough food or liquids to stay down I was dehydrated and developed a urine infection + chest infection my weight then was 7 stone 2 lb and I had been that for the last two years , hospital decided that they were going to deflate my band to allow me to rehydrate and get some nourishment, I was a little concerned about this, but then agreed this was my health after all two days later I had gained a stone swelled like a balloon legs abdomin and now I only eat salad I don’t crave crap food yet I swell even more and hospital say it’s nothing to do with my band been deflated, Friday this week I had a ct scan and barium scan just waiting results I feel like I’m 6 months pregnant its mad and I feel huge anyone else had the same problem.

I had the lap band done in 2010 and I was about 300lbs and with diet and exercise I am now 160. But since I got the surgery I have had my gull bladder removed, bowl obstruction surgery (which I almost died from last year) and recently I found that my lap band was eroded and an emergency surgery had to be done. The surgery was suppose to be about an hour long but 3 hours later the dr. said that from the lap band being eroded it caused a big hole in my stomach. I was in the hospital for 3 days with pain meds and antibiotics. I am still in a lot of pain but I have to go see surgeon next week…

I am 61 years old and had a lapband put in September of 2014 I lost about 75lbs. The company that did the procedure and also did maintenance went belly up. My primary physician does not handle them either. Anyway the port that they put under my skin to do the fills I am thinking it moved as it is not in the the place they put it in and I am having abdominal pain at times. Any suggestions let me know

I want to see how everyone else is doing who had their lapband removed…I had mine put in in 2011 and had it removed in 2015. I want something else. I loved the band but had to have it surgically removed in 2015. It cost me $35,000 in hospital bills. I lost 178 lbs and have gained 40 back.

I got my lap band 2013 and it has been nothing but problems from the start. I stay sick daily. Food gets stuck in my throat and it is so painful. I now get pneumonia 3 to 4 times a year and I almost die everytime. I told my doctor to put the device in and he says everything is fine I am just over eating. I barely eat anything and yet I’m still gaining weight. I have a vitamin D deficiency so I now have to take a vitamin d pill weekly. My stomache stays sore to the touch daily. Most days I cant even get out of bed. I cant get the device removed because I cant afford it. I dont know what to do anymore.

I had my LapBand surgery in 2012 and had horrible complications within a year. I had problems even keeping liquids down and both food/liquid would come up most times without a warning; this made dining-in with family mostly thing of the past. I had horrible stomach pains much of the time that was finally bad enough in 2015 it was removed. The doctor whom did the surgery was VERY rude, had threatening demeanor, told my husband that by him supporting the removal (after witnessing all the suffering) that he (my husband) was gonna kill me and slammed the door so loudly everyone in office stopped; also was complaining as he was going down hallway. He mentioned some sort of percentages so my health was never the concern. We immediately filed a formal complaint with his office manager but never had resolved it; also learned he’s had to take anger management classes twice, once due to treatment of staff and second due to treatment of patient. He was also good at missing the port and stabbed stomach twice like it was nothing.
About 7 months after removal is when REAL horrific pains began. One day while tending my veggies I bent over and my stomach literally twisted/flipped in half like it was a mop being rang out. It was and is the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced in my life. After that I called doc and went in and was told probably lipomas and underwent another surgery to remove 3 of them however the twisting continued. It was just if i tied my shoes, then can’t reach from right to left or it flips to point now I don’t do or make MANY movements to avoid flipping; coughing while laying back even triggers it now. When i say excruciating I cannot speak, move, breath deep and must cry in silence laying there. It used to take about 15 mins to flip back and stop hurting however now they last way longer actually flipped then once flips back the pain lasts upwards of 30 mins.
I’ve been sent to diff docs and now sent to a different bariatric surgeon because I’m being told this is occurring most likely due to severe scar tissue where band was placed. Now this new place says I need sleeve surgery to correct issues caused by LapBand and have been pushing over 2 years now for me to have done. I got almost through 4 month process and just had real bad feeling that didn’t set right with me. I mean my life has been a nightmare caused by a bariatric surgery so why would i not be scared of yet a second.
My overall health has greatly declined since having both the install and removal of the LapBand. I have had several appointments and surgeries. I weigh more now than I did when it was done and these Lipomas that formed after removal are now EVERYWHERE and causing issues with how bad and widespread they are. There are now lumps some size of an orange in stomach. If I had to guess there’s at least 100 lipomas ranging from pea size to orange. No one doctor seems to care as I steadily get worse. I been getting shoved around from doc to doc since 2015 with no resolve. I hardly leave home and in bed most of the time sick. The constant daily nausea and discomfort are horrific at times. Not sure if in any way related but I magically now suffer with diverticulitis, colitis and had precancerous polyps found/removed at last colonoscopy none of which I’d ever had before removal. I’m afraid this is going to kill me far too young. I’m getting worse and worse, swelling and lumps and all else including a rapidly worsening heart condition as pain seems to cause it to act up bad when not controlled. I’m in pain management but that’s a joke. For folks like me whom have multiple painful issues, fused spine, 2 blown knee replacements well we’re screwed as we’re on meds for life and normal dosages don’t cut it. My pain doc is VERY aware that meds help with only 40% of pain.
Sorry this is so long I’m just trying to be thorough being I’ve not seen anything about stomach flipping/twisting from other LapBand people so I feel alone in it, and have no clue what to do. I know for fact more surgery to come and I’m SO tired of stomach issues and pain.
Thanks for listening,
Leah “Nikki W.

Hiatal hernia