Thank You Bandsters!

I don't get on here often and I only have to read a few posts to remember why that is...there is so much negativity by failed bandsters and other surgery members that it is hard to walk away with any inspiration.

So I would like to say a HUGE THANK YOU!!!!  to those long term bandsters that have thick enough skin to continue on this forum and give positive results information to new bandsters and people who are considering the band.

I am a bandster, I am 2 years out, down over 80 pounds with no problems, but I am not willing to get on this board every day and defend my choice.  For me it was the right choice for some it may not be, but I really appreciate those people who share their positive experiences when there are so many, many people on here willing to share negative ones.

Weight loss is a difficult challenge for everyone, and most of us if we are honest with ourselves have as much mental challenges to overcome as physical ones, the negativity doesn't make it any easier.

I just want to say again THANK YOU!  You are inspirational to me!

I agree with completely.  I'm almost two years out also. As you can see for my previous post I've suffered from a set back in motivation. My band works. My brain doesn't always want to support my band. But, that is not my band's fault. I would venture a guess and say that 99.5% of those who bash the band are those who think of the band as a cure and not a tool. The other .5% have genuine gripes about such things as slipped bands, flipped ports, and erosion.  And even some of them didn't follow 100% what their doctors instructions post op and put themselves in that position.

So, newbies when y'all are reading these post realize from what prospective they are coming from.

The band stats are dismal. And it's not due to people following or not following "instructions." It's from the band itself causing bodily harm. The diaphragm is in immediate contact and is easily irritated or damaged. Damage or irritation to the diaphragm causes referred left shoulder pain and is VERY, VERY common in lapband patients. It can range from moderate to chronic and severe.  The band can also cause the stomach to prolapse or erode and is also much more common than most people realize.

I had my surgery in 2002 and had immediate, chronic, life threatening complications. If I had listened to my doctor, I would most certainly have died. I took it upon myself to be my own advocate instead of listening to my doctor's instructions (told me to find a hobby. It was "in my head." ) I found a new surgeon who immediately diagnosed me as having a twisted stomach and kinked intestines and I was about ready to kick the bucket. SO, more important than blindly listening to your doctor's instructions is to use common sense. 

So, newbies, read EVERYTHING, the good and bad. If you see a lot of "BAD" it's most likely because people have EXPERIENCED a lot of bad with the lapband. It's common sense.  It's not "bashing"... it's being honest.

i agree about all the negativity i think everyone has their own reasons for which wls they choose for me i feel i made an educated decision and the right surgery for me was the band and i do not regret it for one minute thank you for listening

I've rediscovered my Block button. It's making life more peaceful by the minute.

Well, you know, there seems to be two kinds of people around here when it comes to those who have experienced complications. Some that were aware that ALL WLS, even the band, is risky or has the potential to simply not work. They had a complication, they revised or had their complication fixed, and they moved on with their lives. They may hang around here and offer some pertinent and useful advice. Then there are the ones that somehow, either through their own failure to understand the information or their physician's failure to fully explain it to them, seem to have been under the impression that the band was guaranteed to work  for them and be 100% complication-free. That group doesn't seem to be able to move on. They have turned keeping others from getting a band into their personal crusade and they can't offer any kind of truly useful advice becuase everything they say is so dripping with bitterness that it makes it quite unappealing.
On the one hand, liberal use of the "block" button can make your experience around here pleasant again, on the other hand, if we don't read what they are saying, we can't respond to it. It's a catch 22.
At any rate, it's good to see that you're doing well!