Wish people would stop hating on the band

 Hey Mrs Shell, you know you are one of my favorites, but I have to ask you WHY do you feel you have an obligation to  'SAVE' someone from the band? I mean if you want to really save someones life, you should be on the Main forum persuading people from having the DANGEROUS weight loss surgeries like RNY and the DS, or the Sleeve it has legal potentials too with severe vitamin deficiencies and Leaks years out, these surgeries have FAR FAR more lethal consequences than the lap band if gone wrong...IF  RNY AND THE DS IS GONE RIGHT, they STILL have dangerous side effects like vitamin deficiencies, and MOST that *I* know that call themselves successful with RNY have had repeated surgeries of bowel blockages, strictures and dangerous dumping where they fainted at work, party or even in the mall..lol....the ONLY thing the band will do is slip WHICH IS CAUSED BY ABUSE OF THE PATIENT and in rare cases the surgeon slip up. Band slippage is AVOIDABLE, the band can be a self destruction tool, so I don't think it's fair for you to say the band comes with unavoidable complications, and even if someone has port problems or leaks this is VERY EASY TO FIX, it only takes 1 hour of outpatient surgery to fix a band leak or port. These problems are RARE, if the patient follow the post op healing process with the band, I've never had port issues, only fill issues and that has been corrected by changing surgeons.

You have people THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN THE BAND IN THE FIRST PLACE they ARE SELF PAY, and if they don't have MONEY to pay for unforeseen port issues or other band issues they are screwed, THEY SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT and PREPARED FOR THINGS LIKE THAT WHEN THEY SELF PAY. I personally don't think PEOPLE SHOULD PAY FOR WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY UNLESS THEY ARE VERY HIGH INCOME PEOPLE...not people living paycheck to paycheck...sorry to say that but it's the truth, when you get the band you have to think about maintenance and aftercare....I DO agree if you are on a fixed income or welfare or disability you SHOULD NOT GET THE LAP BAND.

Ok NOW I'm ready....I FEEL the obligation to SAVE someone from the band because I WAS going to get a band and reading COUNTLESS stories of POTENTIAL problems (and yes because I research I am WELL aware that not EVERYONE has problems BUT again reading did I say COUNTLESS stories in 2006 about the POTENTIAL problems) and still thinking "oh that won't happen to ME" those people that you guys COMPLAIN about why they hating on the band SAVED me so since I WAS going to be a Bandster and I was SAVED I FEEL compelled, obligated, indebted if you will to tell MY story and hopefully SAVE someone else!!

NOW I am not as vocal against the RnY because well there are DSers for that and YES I feel the DS is FAR superior to the RnY as the Sleeve is FAR superior to the Band.

I already commented in a previous comment but for ****s and giggles it bares REPEATING...for ALL of the complications you speak of for the DS and VSG (again the ones I FEEL are superior) not ONE single one ever BASHES that surgery, or comes here and HATES on it.  But almost EVERY single person and in my almost 5 years around here it's almost 30-40% that I see of band failures ALL of them say it was the WORST thing they EVER did.  I know people yes who ALMOST lost their lives and yet STILL they would have the DS or VSG in a heartbeat, can your FAILED banders say that??  That to ME speaks volumes about the LIFE with a particular surgery.

The ONLY thing the band does is SLIP...well I'm to EDUCATED on the band to respond to that...so if you really after 5 YEARS of being on these boards think or rather can type that the ONLY thing the band does is slip Imma let you have that one.  You state the problems YOU have seen with the band are RARE what board are YOU reading?  I don't believe I used the word UNAVOIDABLE and it relates to band problems and if I did I was WRONG...my word is POSSIBLE but I'll go back and reread and correct if necessary.

Honey there are people who should NOT have gotten ANY weight loss surgery because they are NOT mentally prepared for what it takes to be successful YEARS out but what does that have to do with the price of tea in China?  I stand by my statement that the band CAN be DANGEROUS for many of whom YOU share this forum with but you sit on your perch like you don't SEE them, really you don't?

So there you have it...in a nut shell I was SAVED from the band so I WILL attempt to SAVE others...

Ms Shell

I am genuinely happy for the people for whom the band works. I, however, "hate on" the band because it almost killed me. And I'm watching several close friends who have bands suffering daily with complications.

This board can be so backward. When you NEED support the most... when you have complications, pain, etc... no one wants to hear about it. Some support that is! When a person tries to help others avoid the same complications and pain, that person gets accused of negativity. How anyone can even read this board and not see the truth is beyond me, honestly. EVERY DAY there is another thread about complications and EVERY DAY there is at least one thread about someone choosing to have the lapband surgery. It's like people only read and believe what they want to ... until it happens to them.  What are you going to do if you develop a problem?  Are you going to read about the bad stuff then?  What if no one who experienced the bad stuff is here to talk to you about stuff you're going through?   There will be plenty of rainbows and sunshine... which will be of absolutely no help to you whatsoever.

~This board can be so backward. When you NEED support the most... when you have complications, pain, etc... no one wants to hear about it.~

So true! There are so many bandsters out there that are NOT able to receive support on this forum! They GET negativity when they try to talk about their band issues.

I get PM's all the time from bandsters telling me they thought they were the only one having problems like this b/c ppl are not talking about it on the forums. I get PM's with ppl wanting my phone number b/c their band isn't working and they don't know what to do and they don't want to post on this forum and be told the same thing................"All u have to do is get fills and follow the band rules". Well yes that is what ppl need to do. HOWEVER THAT DOESN'T WORK FOR A LOT OF BANDSTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE BAND JUST DOESN'T WORK A LOT OF THE TIME NO MATTER WHAT U DO TO "FOLLOW BAND RULES"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am no expert on this. I am just a bandster like the rest of them. But I do know how it feels to go through all this with the band for NOTHING and then be told that I am doing something wrong! But u know me..........I'm a *****I don't care. However other ppl do and some of them have been very hurt by the "possitive" bandsters on here that talk to them like that! And yet others won't even take the chance of bringing it up on the forum b/c they read what is said to others that do.

If we are going to have a "support" forum.............LET'S SUPPORT EVERYONE! B/c like N.M. said..........those with band problems need support the most.

I get messages from people, too. They're reluctant to post with the problems they're having. It shouldn't be like that. There are a LOT of band complications to deal with... and anyone who makes a person feel less than for trying to find support in dealing with them should be ashamed.

I know that I've posted my experiences and very few people ever say much to me about it. And it was absolutely hellish, a nightmare, something I wouldn't wish on anyone, ever. But, since I'm not a Happy Rainbow Farter, I don't count, apparently. I've been told that I should be "over it" by now... in spite of almost losing my life; I lost friends, I lost my job, my husband suffered daily alongside me, I  watched my only son sit and bawl, heartbroken, thinking his mother was going to die in front of him... and I was neglected and abused by a surgeon who was supposed to have my best interests at heart. I don't know if I'll ever be "over" that, honestly.

U know that story is heartbreaking! :-( I know I get whiney about my band. And I am very resentfull that I have wasted all that money and time on the  piece of ****but my experience is nothing like yours. U have been though complete hell with your band! And I do applaude u for still coming on the band forum and telling your story to try to prevent it from happening to hers!!!

You had a hellish experience. I was shocked when I read your story. I am glad you shared it. I wish more people did that when I was researching the band. I would have realized that there isn't really a "safe" WLS. They ALL have risks.

I am surprised people feel unwelcome to share there negative experience here. Because that is all I see. I rarely see the "happy rainbow fart" posts. (LOVE that btw... lol)

Adorkbl I was off the forum for about 2 or 3 wks. recently. I'm sure it was  a much more "happpy rainbow fart" time then, lol. ;-)

~Congrats on your weight loss  and I TOTALLY AGREE! I think the band is the most HATED because there is lot of bitterness and jealously towards those who can lose weight with the band because we can manage to get the weight off complication free..OUR LIFE IS SET forever and we KEEP restriction FOREVER without changing our anatomies.

There used to be board monitors that would not allow people to harass others on OH, now they just have the block button and I have MANY BLOCKED, but they still find a way to respond to my post, I think they are mentally ill. The Lap band board use to be a very happy pleasant place to come, you see NOW that the band has matured most of the abusers have slipped their bands or had it removed and NOW they have a new wls called the Sleeve that THEY THINK is their new savior and oh how they say it is so much better than the crap band, I guess if they take your stomach out you can't abuse that lol, but when their Sleeve stretch out who are they going to harass then.
 
No other surgery including the Sleeve, RNY, or DS have the ability to JUMP START WEIGHT LOSS at 5 or 8 years out ....NONE except the band and without long term illness and problems.

I have read posts from several people that revised over to the Sleeve from the band and are NOW living with chronic anemia and other long term illnesses, there have been MANY than revised over to the Sleeve and did not lose ANY WEIGHT, many have complained that they had MORE RESTRICTION WITH THE BAND THAN WITH THE SLEEVE.

I am not bashing the Sleeve at all, I lurk that board now since ex bitter bandsters are saying it is SO much better than the band, but that is NOT true, most complain about chronic reflux and burning and MUST be on prescription acid reducers for life, and there is ALWAYS a risk of stomach leakage ANY TIME per my surgeon and CAN HAPPEN YEARS OUT, not just after surgery. Also my surgeon says that the Sleeve WILL STRETCH OUT OVER TIME, the only reason most Sleevers lose weight quickly is that MOST have a very HARD RECOVERY since the stomach is removed and they lose their appetite for awhile and THAT IS THEIR WINDOW of opportunity to lose weight by torture just like RNY, most invasive surgeries WILL induce QUICK weight loss by simply having a HARD time eating anything and when they HEAL and CAN eat a bit more their WINDOW of WEIGHT LOSS IS OVER, UNLESS they DIET and exercise to get the reminder of the weight off.

The one thing I can say about the band is...If I have reflux, I can get a unfill, if I am too tight, I can get an unfill, if someone with the Sleeve can't eat or develop a stricture like RNY or can't drink they have to be hospitalized to try to stretch it out, MANY lose weight quickly if they have complications if you call this REAL weight loss so be it.

I remember those SAME band bashers, Bubbles-butt aka Midwestern-girl, in 2006 I remember when she first got her band in Mexico, she did not listen to nothing most experienced bandsters had to say, she was a KNOW IT ALL, since she called her self a nurse ...lol, she THOUGHT she could OUT SMART the band, by being too tight, I remember when she slipped her band, she would argue with Sandy R about how to live with the band.

Most people with the band DO NOT BASH THE SLEEVE, we DON'T care if you have the SLEEVE, if someone decides to get the Sleeve that is THEIR business, we are all in weight loss together, the band is THE SAFEST WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY THAT IS A FACT. I am going on 6 years post op, I have NEVER been in the hospital TO DATE, with complications from my band (knock on wood). I don't even take vitamins every day, I have NO vitamin deficiencies at 6 years post op, but if you ask the average Sleever that is more than 3 years out THEY DO (there are NO SLEEVERS MORE THAN 5 YEARS OUT) , if you ask the average RNY person THEY DO, plus they have several hospitalizations, under their belt, even if they are successful (If a bander is hospitalized due to band issues it's simply from being too tight which IS AVOIDABLE) or in a rare case their bodies may reject it...I am not even going to mention the DS, that surgery is just too radical.

The lap band CAN be a disaster for people that are NOT PREPARED or not willing to follow the lap band diet or for those who self pay and can't afford AFTERCARE or NOT responsible and have a past bulimic problems these people SHOULD NOT BE BANDED PERIOD. This is why they have different weight loss surgeries options for different personalities or those than do not want their anatomies changed.

I am a firm believer that MISERY LOVES COMPANY, meaning I would be very suspicious of people that try to recruit or LURE you to their surgery, perhaps they WANT you to be in misery with them,  I mean why would I CARE if someone gets RNY, or the Sleeve? If I am HAPPY and complication free I could care less which surgery someone else gets right?

I am going on 6 years post op, living a normal life, I have no eating problems, I still can't eat but 4 -5 oz of food at a time, the lap band is the ONLY surgery that restriction last as long as you live, as long as you don't abuse it and take care of it, I hope to go to my grave with my band, I have no port problems or band issues, I followed rules of post op healing and now I am reaping the benefits of longevity with my band. I'd be embarrassed to harrass others about their weight loss choices, people work very hard for their weight loss with the band and they DON'T NEED to come here to a negative forum, the REGRETS forum is no longer used, someone needs to start complaining...there are MILLIONS of successful bandsters that no longer come here, I really don't have a need to come here, I am not having problems, but I do want to get off some weight I gained back from being unfilled last year and DAMN I just want to post in peace without being attacked by angry band bashers, I think we need to send a note to the management. ~

Lol............there she goes again! She seems to forget that ppl REMEMBER what she has written in the past about how she didn't think she lost the weight from the band, that she would have lost it all anyway b/c she became addicted to exercise. Oh and about the part from a few mos. ago where she was on here whining about how she has had OVER 60 FILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then she goes back n forth about which story she's going to tell about restriction.

And lets not forget how she has insulted and ATTACKED other bandsters!!!!!!!!!!! Oh yeah and the thread she started when she was starting the rumor about her former co-worker that she claimed had AIDS and how she wouldn't take the job because they  wouldn't give her her own laptop and she was afraid she would get AIDS from his laptop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway for the newbies............read back over her old threads and u will find out what her TRUE character really is! Of course u will also notice that she has deleted a LOT OF POSTS. Those are threads that she doesn't want ppl to see anymore. Hmmmmm why would she need to delete things??? So many things??? She is also on the 3rd screen name that I am aware of. There is usually a reason that ppl do that too.

 

HA - I didn't even get past the first line before I knew who that was - our resident homophobe who thinks everyone is sooooo jealous of her.