I have a question for Maria, and others in the ANTI-BAND camp

I'm anti-band as far as recommending it as a good, healthful, long term option.  I suffered more physical damage due to the lapband than I can even describe. I've watched other people since 2002 suffer ill effects, as well. Almost everyone I know who had a lapband had complications, long term injury, revisions, removal, etc.

All WLS is a scary proposition and one that shouldn't be undertaken without much research. However, when speaking of the lapband, it's especially dangerous when it's touted as being "less invasive" and somehow "safer."  It's bogus information that's being propagated amongst the advertisers of the lapband and Realize bands. The research shows that the gastric band is NOT a good long term option... and when a person has suffered as many ill effects as I have, no one will ever convince me otherwise.

It's been argued that the "pars flaccida" method is much better than the older methods, but until our human bodies are no longer affected adversely by a foreign object touching soft, living tissue, the method makes little difference. There will still be damage.

If you go back on this board, even, you'll see the same concerns coming up over and over... the left shoulder pain, the esophageal dilation, erosion, trouble eating solid foods... it's not an isolated event. It's a common denominator amongst banded people.  For the small percentage of people for whom the band works, it's probably unfathomable that there could be such problems. But for the majority, the problems inherent with banding is the sad reality.

I'm sorry you suffered physically because of the band.  I am not saying NO ONE does.  I'm sure you are not alone.  Surgery, after all, IS surgery!

Thanks, Phil.  It built character, I guess!

What's funny is that I was considered a success, statistically speaking. I lost over 100 pounds... but it was solely due to the fact that I absolutely could not, under any cir****tances, tolerate solid foods. I lived on soup, protein shakes, and ice cream. I was malnourished, in constant pain, drugged up (morphine and fentanyl patches... which did absolutely nothing for diaphragmatic damage pain, unfortunately) and miserable. I lost my job and stressed my family... but I was thin. So, in the eyes of the band manufacturers, I fit into the "successful" category.  Because their definition of "success" is weight loss. Not quality of life.

I'd rather be fat than go through that nightmare again. (And I am fat, kinda... but I like myself, no matter what I weigh, so there's that, anyway!)

I'm not saying that the band won't work for some people, quite honestly. What I AM saying is that the majority of people will most likely suffer some form of complications and reoperation. Banding shouldn't be advertised as being "reversible" or less dangerous because it's simply untrue.  I feel concern for those going into this thinking that it will be a walk in the park... no big deal... because honestly? That's kind of what I was led to believe and then I found out how much this little band could damage me. I mean, I had a doctor look at a fluoroscopy X ray and say the words, "Oh my God. You're gonna die. We have to operate today."  That's not something that's easy to get over and I'm still working through it today! 

Hmmm I would venture to delve DEEPER to how someone is defining SUCCESS as it relates to WLS.

What is YOUR purpose in having WLS would define to ME how SUCCESSFUL you are and how ultimately you will DEFINE....YOUR success.

I wanted a TOOL that would reduce the amount of food I can eat at any given moment.  And with that tool I could accomplish my GOAL of losing weight.  Now with that said I also wanted to be able to eat healthy foods with again REDUCTION.

I have that with my sleeve so to ME I am a success.  While my choices are by far perfect and as a result I have gained BUT I till have REDUCED portions and with those reduced portions I am LOSING the weight I have gained.  Also I am able to eat healthy foods and NOT have a single problem with it.

Ms Shell

Ms Shell, I totally agree espeically with your second sentence" What is YOUR purpose in having WLS would define how sussessful you are.

If someone had WLS to lose 50 pounds and they lost it...they can say they sucessfully  other may look at them and say they are not

If someone had WLS to get off alll their meds and they got off all meds...they are sucessfully, other may look at them and say that they are not.

If someone had WLS to get to a size 10 or a size 20 and they did that, they are sucessfully.

I consider myself 100% successfull.

My goal when I had my band was to lose the weight slowly so that my mind will stay in pace with the loss......I succeeded in this

To get down to a size 12....I exceeded this by getting down to an 8.

I got the band to maintain the weight that I lost...I am doing that without to much of an effort...so by my measurment and my measurment alone...I am a 100% success.

I wish you continued success with your sleeve.

I have two friends who had lap band surgery and every day we chat and motivate each other.. Yesterday we were speaking about this same topic... and here is what I said to them... (im copying and pasting from my orginial email to them)

My big thing is even if I could lose weight to get me to 130 because I'm SOOO short could I maintain that figure. Could I maintain that weight loss and being realistic with myself I know I can't. That's is not realistic for me but 170-180 range is.. am I still considered overweight yes the my co-morbilities are gone.. That's what my doctor is most concerned about.. he is so altheltic and he is NOT in the BMI range for his height and weight.. I love my doctor.. he tells me I'm great now and my other doctor general health told me even if I lose 20 pounds in year I will continue to lose not to stress out so much about needed in done in the next 2 months LOL but to stay focus and commiment too..

Okay long story short when I choose lap band I did it for financial reasons I had to pay out of pocket and RNY scared me and it was TOO expensive but in that same token I knew the band wasn't going to get me to 130 pounds and then I asked myself .. Is that what I want? Then I said Lizette you have been heavy your whole life what would make you most happy right now and I said to myself 100 pounds.. I did it. Everything else is gravy.. a size 14 to me (not plus) is my dream!! If I really wanted to be a size 8 I would of done RNY.. honest to God.

Some lap band paitents make to their goal and some have other goals.. my goal wasn't to be in the "healthy" range and be a size 5 or 8 .. so when someone says Oh look look at the band board and see their tickers they aren't at goal yet or they have ONLY lost 80 pounds that ****** me off because 80 pounds is nothing to sneeze at!! I only know what's best for me .. and BELIEVE you me I could eat around any surgery .. I have issues with food and I have to change my approach to food.. and I think if I would of had surgery RNY I would eat five bites of an enchillada versus eating a piece of boiled chicken.. but that's just me.. because those were my habits.. my surgery is teaching me to approach food different.. not to find "joy" "comfort" or "happiness" in food.. but at the end of the day we are obese people who should find solace in each other regardless of what surgery you choose...

 

I want to go on record as saying I am anti-nothing when it come to WLS, I just  do not like posts such as this and I will tell you why.

1.  The title personal call out Maria by name and it could be define as a post that could ignite a surgery war and Lord knows this board really don't need one of those, especially started by a bander who been around for less than a week. In case you don't know what I mean by surgery war....."My surgery is better than yours"

2.  It is a personal invitation for "the anti-band" (your words not mine) over to the band board.  Don't get me wrong anyone is welcome to visit any of the forums.  I too visit the other forum for information, but I sit back in the back and just read.  There was one on one of the board, bashing the band, but because I was on their forum, I just read, because they are entitle to their opinion.  If I got there and start mess, I feel they would be in their right to ask me to leave or to make mincemeat out of me , yet with an open invitation of this post, all I can do is wait around for the car wreck or pray it get push to the second page before a lot of attention is brought to it.

3.  Is SUCCESS the end-all-be-all to WLS?   What does this mean? WLS is such a personal thing that I really don't understand when folks make statement like this one. Everyone define success differently and everyone have their level of risk they are willing to go through.

You are new (according to your profile create date), if you want to make a post for Anti-Band folks, can you please do me a favor (I did say please), delete this from the Lap-band forum and go post this on the revision board...the DS board,  better yet the main board....I will quietly sit back and watch as they make mincemeat of you.

If you do not like posts such as this, why are you reading this post?  Pot - kettle!

OMG, you are a riot. There are many post on here that I do not like, that does not mean I don't read them and if I feel the need, I will reply as well.  You may say that you only been around since 11 April 11, but your answers and the fact that you so easy get upset when you don't get the answer that you seem to be looking for imply something else, as well we all know, you have change your name at least once already since creating this profile and I am sure you been around under another name long before this week.

Just like you are entitled to write what ever you so desire, I have the same right and so I say it again...I don't like post such as this, and if you going to stick around, you may want to put your big boys drawers on.

I'm done with you.