Time to Revise???
You know... this is probably a waste of time and I should just ignore all of it. But I have to get something off my chest. And maybe, Maria, this is something that has been said to you a million times. But I'm going to say it anyway.
You assume that everyone with a band will fail. And you tell them this repeatedly. Most, if not all, people who make the decision to have ANY form of weight loss surgery are doing so because they want to improve their lives. We are working hard and being optimistic and taking a huge step. A step in a good direction. Regardless of the surgery, for someone to make this decision, they are trying to change their life. And there is nothing more discouraging to someone new at all this who has just finally been brave enough to post on a board after probably lurking for many months (I know I did) to immediately be told that they better go ahead and prepare themselves for failure and that they are making a stupid decision. (No, I'm not quoting, I'm just giving an example of the TONE of most of your posts on this subject).
I understand your intention. You want people to be aware of their options, of the potential drawbacks and risks of the band. But there are drawbacks and risks to every surgery, even your precious VSG. VERY few people make an uneducated or impulsive decision when it comes to weight loss surgery. I, personally, did almost 2 years of research. I went to 4 different seminars. I read 6 books. I talked to 5 different doctors. And I made a well-informed decision that I am 100% confident was the right one for me and with which I am extremely happy. And yet the first time I posted on this board, I was accused of going in blindly. No, nobody knew the research I had done, but they just assumed that I hadn't done any.
If you want people to take you seriously and not as some angry, bitter Lap-Band patient, (which, like it or not, is exactly how you come across), I would encourage you to take a different approach. There are massive sucess stories on this board, you can't deny that. (And no, I don't deny that there are people who have struggled as well.) But don't assume that someone is going in blind and that is it your singular responsibility to show them the error of their ways. People at the beginning of this process are in a place that needs to be handled with care. You, of course, are free to have your opinions and post whatever you want wherever you want, that's your right. But if you want someone to listen, maybe you should consider not yelling so loud.
Like I said, probably a waste of time. But like you, I have the right to speak up and say what I think and I just couldn't sit on this one any more.
You assume that everyone with a band will fail. And you tell them this repeatedly. Most, if not all, people who make the decision to have ANY form of weight loss surgery are doing so because they want to improve their lives. We are working hard and being optimistic and taking a huge step. A step in a good direction. Regardless of the surgery, for someone to make this decision, they are trying to change their life. And there is nothing more discouraging to someone new at all this who has just finally been brave enough to post on a board after probably lurking for many months (I know I did) to immediately be told that they better go ahead and prepare themselves for failure and that they are making a stupid decision. (No, I'm not quoting, I'm just giving an example of the TONE of most of your posts on this subject).
I understand your intention. You want people to be aware of their options, of the potential drawbacks and risks of the band. But there are drawbacks and risks to every surgery, even your precious VSG. VERY few people make an uneducated or impulsive decision when it comes to weight loss surgery. I, personally, did almost 2 years of research. I went to 4 different seminars. I read 6 books. I talked to 5 different doctors. And I made a well-informed decision that I am 100% confident was the right one for me and with which I am extremely happy. And yet the first time I posted on this board, I was accused of going in blindly. No, nobody knew the research I had done, but they just assumed that I hadn't done any.
If you want people to take you seriously and not as some angry, bitter Lap-Band patient, (which, like it or not, is exactly how you come across), I would encourage you to take a different approach. There are massive sucess stories on this board, you can't deny that. (And no, I don't deny that there are people who have struggled as well.) But don't assume that someone is going in blind and that is it your singular responsibility to show them the error of their ways. People at the beginning of this process are in a place that needs to be handled with care. You, of course, are free to have your opinions and post whatever you want wherever you want, that's your right. But if you want someone to listen, maybe you should consider not yelling so loud.
Like I said, probably a waste of time. But like you, I have the right to speak up and say what I think and I just couldn't sit on this one any more.
On February 9, 2011 at 10:51 AM Pacific Time, PaintingChef wrote:
You know... this is probably a waste of time and I should just ignore all of it. But I have to get something off my chest. And maybe, Maria, this is something that has been said to you a million times. But I'm going to say it anyway.You assume that everyone with a band will fail. And you tell them this repeatedly. Most, if not all, people who make the decision to have ANY form of weight loss surgery are doing so because they want to improve their lives. We are working hard and being optimistic and taking a huge step. A step in a good direction. Regardless of the surgery, for someone to make this decision, they are trying to change their life. And there is nothing more discouraging to someone new at all this who has just finally been brave enough to post on a board after probably lurking for many months (I know I did) to immediately be told that they better go ahead and prepare themselves for failure and that they are making a stupid decision. (No, I'm not quoting, I'm just giving an example of the TONE of most of your posts on this subject).
I understand your intention. You want people to be aware of their options, of the potential drawbacks and risks of the band. But there are drawbacks and risks to every surgery, even your precious VSG. VERY few people make an uneducated or impulsive decision when it comes to weight loss surgery. I, personally, did almost 2 years of research. I went to 4 different seminars. I read 6 books. I talked to 5 different doctors. And I made a well-informed decision that I am 100% confident was the right one for me and with which I am extremely happy. And yet the first time I posted on this board, I was accused of going in blindly. No, nobody knew the research I had done, but they just assumed that I hadn't done any.
If you want people to take you seriously and not as some angry, bitter Lap-Band patient, (which, like it or not, is exactly how you come across), I would encourage you to take a different approach. There are massive sucess stories on this board, you can't deny that. (And no, I don't deny that there are people who have struggled as well.) But don't assume that someone is going in blind and that is it your singular responsibility to show them the error of their ways. People at the beginning of this process are in a place that needs to be handled with care. You, of course, are free to have your opinions and post whatever you want wherever you want, that's your right. But if you want someone to listen, maybe you should consider not yelling so loud.
Like I said, probably a waste of time. But like you, I have the right to speak up and say what I think and I just couldn't sit on this one any more.
NOT true. I have NEVER said that! I assume MOST with the band will fail long term. There have been a few that have done very well with it. Again...............ppl keep accusing me of saying things I NEVER said! Go back and read if u need to.
~ Most, if not all, people who make the decision to have ANY form of weight loss surgery are doing so because they want to improve their lives. We are working hard and being optimistic and taking a huge step~
Very well aware of this. I was one of these ppl...........remember?
~And there is nothing more discouraging to someone new at all this who has just finally been brave enough to post on a board after probably lurking for many months (I know I did) to immediately be told that they better go ahead and prepare themselves for failure and that they are making a stupid decision. (No, I'm not quoting, I'm just giving an example of the TONE of most of your posts on this subject).~
No............there is nothing more discouragine that finally getting the band and finding out that so much of the advertising concerning the band was FALSE.............and then being stuck with the POS!
~But there are drawbacks and risks to every surgery, even your precious VSG.~
Of course there are drawbacks to every WLS. I have never denied that. But at least the other WLS's have a much better chance of being successful! Now as far as your comment about "my precious VSG"..............I think the VSG is great! I think RNY is great! I think DS is great! So I think ANY of those options would be preferred to the band.
I push the other WLS optins b/c I WANT ppl to be successful with WLS! Because I CARE!
~There are massive sucess stories on this board, you can't deny that.~
Yes I do deny this. % wise very few are successful LONG TERM!!! Yes, there are some that do well. And for the ones that do I am sincerly happy for their luck with the band. Massive amounts??? I think not.
~People at the beginning of this process are in a place that needs to be handled with care. ~
Ppl that have failed bands are in a place that need to be handled with care also.............BUT I DON'T SEE THAT HAPPENING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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