New and nervous

 
~~I have read many blogs on how people need to put more thought into the WLS choice.  Do these people think we just wake up one morning thinking ...ok I think I will get the Lap Band??~~

YES!  Absolutely yes!  You would be shocked at how many people get the band and THEN start researching.  I think it happens more with bands than other surgery types merely because of the massive advertising done.  People seem to think that looks easy enough and they run out and have it done.

I remember when a friend was banded about six weeks after I was.  There was another lady waiting to go into surgery for her band.  She actually asked me if the band pinched my waist.  Yeah, think about that. ;o)  I asked her if she had done any research on the band, she said no, others had researched it and they thought it was a good idea so she was basing her decision on that.

I'm telling you, a complete and total lack of research is far more common than you might realize.

 
~~My surgeon is Dr. Del la Torre whom is know nationally as well as internationally for his involvement in Lap Band.~~

BTW, he can't be that well known for banding, according to what he's posting on OH he's only done 150 bands.

Careful here, by the time they have done about 250-300 they have seen all the complications and see things they would not see with less experience.

www.obesityhelp.com/profiles/bariatric-surgeon/dr-roger-de-la-torre/#profile_procedures

Maybe you should research this one....... Missouri Bariatric Services

Thanks for your imput

 
In the post you deleted you said the clinic claims over 3000 bariatric surgeries.  Right, according to what the doctor tells OH, he's done 3000 bypass and 150 bands.

I'm merely suggesting you be careful, that's all.

Hi,
 
Thanks for the concern, I do appreciate it.  I only deleted that post because I was also adding that since Friday his total bariatric surgeries are well over 5000 now, not to mention he has a patent on the LapBand...but....I am not interested in message wars, I am here to be informed, so thank you!!! :) I am not going to post something everytime I dont agree with you or anyone else.... I do realize people make whim decisions, and thats too bad...hope they have great outcomes.  I however do not need to know the risks involved, I know them well...(research) Not to say I wont ask questions from time to time.....things do change.....  I know I have one of the nations best bariatric surgical teams, that is a Center of Excellence..... and I know you guys are here to keep me informed, and I know what I want.....We are all here for each other! :)

 
In the post you deleted a little while ago you wrote:

~~The above mentioned is obviously NOT current.......I was just at his clinic on friday!   Missouri Bariatrics website states that he has done 3000 bariatric surgeries....as of friday when I was in the CLINIC...~~

This matches what they tell OH.  Now you are claiming they told you 5000, this does not match what they put on their OH surgeon profile.

I don't give a rip which surgeon you decide on, I'm just telling you what the office writes on OH and it matches what they told you the first time last friday.  Not the 2nd time.

Go to whoever you wi**** matters not to me.  I don't care, I'm just suggesting you be careful, that's all.

I don't know your surgeon, I never heard of your surgeon, never met anyone that went to him so I'm not suggesting he is bad or dangerous.  But I suggesting he is not quite as well known as you are suggesting.

Hello and welcome Carla!

Kuddo's to you for doing your research! I love your comment about people waking up and getting the band.  I researched the band and other weight loss surgeries to death before I was going to let anybody do surgery on me!

I wish you the best of luck and hope to see you participate here often.  This board has been such a big help. It is so nice to be able to talk with others in a similar situation!

Take Care,

Trixie

Thanks Trixie! :)

Yeah, me too on the research!   I know non-successful banders want us to be aware of the risks, and complications...but really?  We are NOT clipping toe-nails here!!!!  This is a very serious decision, and if there happens to be a few uneducated/un-informed ones that make decisions on a whim???  Well good luck to them...for most of info I have found over the last 18 months,  the majority of slips, erosions, and other issues were mainly due to patient not following specific instructions...NOT ALL, but nearly. 

I appreciate the information, even from the non-successful banders...knowledge is everything!

I am very excited to follow the journeys on this forum...I will be here often!!! :)

Carla

 
~~I know non-successful banders want us to be aware of the risks, and complications~~

Careful about referring to non successful bandsters.  For me personally I went from a 41.9 BMI to a 20.8 BMI with the band and revised at goal because the band was killing me, literally.  I got to goal in 10 months by keeping calories at 600 daily on the days I could eat and 1-2 hours of hard cardio daily.

~~the majority of slips, erosions, and other issues were mainly due to patient not following specific instructions...NOT ALL, but nearly.~~

Wrong.  Those same people who had issues with the band by being unable to follow the rules went on to revise to other surgery types with the SAME EXACT rules and lost weight and got to goal.  Either you are wanting to believe this is true or you believe banded people are idiots.  I have a hunch you want this to be true.

If you had done the research you claim you have you would know that AND you would know that the cause for erosion is unknown.  Unless you want to prove your claim with peer reviewed studies I'd refrain from blowing smoke up the back sides of others, including yourself.

Personally I believe erosion is usually due to the surgeon.  Why does one surgeon have a whopping 20% erosion stat yet my surgeon has done over 1000 bands and has had 2 erosions?  Do stupid people go to one doctor and smart people go to another?

My own surgeon believes that erosion is caused by the sterilization technique of instruments. Some methods of sterilization leave a mildly caustic residue on the instruments and when they are used on the next patient it burns the back side of the stomach.  Want to explain to me how this is the fault of the patients?

You haven't researched, you have looked for what you want to find.  All surgery types do it to some extent, but you have done it to an extreme otherwise you would know the basic issues with a band.

You are opting for the surgery type with as many risks and complications as bypass (but different complications) and the least effective.  Let me guess, you believe that least invasive is safer long term, right?  If this is your thinking, you most certainly have not done your research.

~~I appreciate the information, even from the non-successful banders...knowledge is everything!~~

I've been at goal for over three years, you?  And I did it with the band, but I maintain due to the sleeve, the safest surgery type long term and far more effective than banding.

Tell me something, why is it if bands and sleeves are both merely restrictive, why do sleeves show vastly better stats than banding?

Before making subtle digs at people in an effort to boost your own bizarre claims, perhaps you should first know what and whom you are speaking of.

Remember, I'm not the one that has all these studies available today that were unavailable when I was banded, I'm not the one going to a surgeon with 150 bands under his belt. ;o)