REQUEST: Forum for Positive Upbeat Posts

The reason people are being critical of the lap band decision is that most renown surgeons are discontinuing its use due to the fact that there are many complications.  It's not to go "debbie downer" on you - it's because we care and have seen a LOT of people suffer after one.  Check the lapband forum - there's almost as many posts about revisions as there are for support.

I saw clients at internship that had issues with it.  When I was investigating my own procedures, I went and I spoke to about 30 people about it when I was still investigating surgery.  13 had the band removed due to serious complications and/or a lack of weight loss.  That's over 30% of individuals who had the surgery, which is horrible statistically.  These errors are almost never due to patient compliance when it comes to the lap band.  Also, be aware that the lap band EWL after five years is typically only 40%.  So you will, statistically speaking, only keep off 40% of whatever your excess weight is currently.  (I'm a masters level clinical therapist)

My surgeon did his residency many years ago at the University of Chicago, so he has done all the weight loss procedures, and was trained by some of the best surgeons in the country (if not most of the world) for bariatric surgery. I am looking at a revision which we both knew was inevitable due to my starting BMI and poor health which prevented me from getting the DS last year (BMI was 78).  When discussing the revision recently, he said he would never do a lap band on someone with BMI anywhere near my current one (mine is 53) - if he even would do one at all.  He dislikes them in general.  He, too, has many years of experience, and honestly is one of the best surgeons in the area in my opinion.  

You need to understand that the DS is the gold standard procedure for a BMI like ours.  The main reason surgeons will not do the DS for high BMI patients is that they are not trained or are unskilled (though some have concerns about the QOL side effects).  It has the best effective weight loss if you have higher BMI, especially one over 50, period.  As for the lap band being performed over a thousand times a year, the sleeve and RNY are performed far more.  Frankly, I think the DS is even done more these days, because the lap band is increasingly being discontinued.  Many will do the sleeve as a precursor, since it is the easiest to revise to the DS later.  The RNY is also quite excellent.  Many of us with super high BMI numbers need the malabsorption.

If you live in the Midwest and have not gone to the University of Chicago for assessment, I would like to invite you to come here and see it for yourself, and speak with the surgeons there.  I would strongly suggest getting a second opinion regarding the lap band.  I am encouraging you not to be negative, but because now that I am facing a revision for unrelated reasons, it is a daunting prospect even though I am (relatively) healthier now).

I really hate to burst your bubble, but the x-ray fluoroscope that I had done for over 5 years of band fills DID NOT SHOW the scar tissue growing, the inflammation the band caused, the nerve damage from the band, etc.   I had the band for 12 years and for the last 3 the 24/7 heartburn sucked big time and that was with no fill.  Even with no fill dense proteins would get stuck and I would have to vomit to get any relief.  I never knew if I was going to have a good band day or a bad one.  Being forces to eat **** slider foods because that was the only thing that would go through the band suck also.

The band is not a highly regarded surgery anymore.  The long term complications that have been coming to light are making many surgeons no longer place them and instead they are taking them out and most are revising to another WLS.  There are a few unfortunate ones who once their band was out could not have another WLS due to the damage done by the band.

Good luck because you will need it.  And feel free to come back in a few years when you need to have a revision.

So I went to a surgeon that has won the best surgeon of Dallas now 10 years in a row.  Back in 2008 everyone was about the lapland and he was too.  I looked at all those things you have above and said... bingo I found my WLS.  However please be open to reading all post in the LapBand group.  It's no joke if you like sunshine and rainbows, and not misery accompanied with chocking, reflux, sliming, and flip flop weight loss then you'll quickly run outa that forum.  

Truth: I had a lapband and had not one of the major issues with it.  For all practical purposed it did it's job.  But I could do anything and I mean anything I wanted with that thing with only small side steps.  I ate bread, corn, peas, hard food, soft food, pizza, corn bread, stuffing, I drank sodas, had cake, cookies, and every bad thing you could think of.  I also had as much of it as I could have before.  I ended my life with that band being able to eat a full sub, chips, and most of a soda.  Why?  Because it's only a band around your stomach, nothing is cut, and if you eat soft foods or drink with your meals the entire thing can be gone around.  The system is flawed, it completely relies on you to be 100% diligent at eating exactly what you should and how much you should because it can't help you.  

So I went to the doctor this year and said all this to him he said ... "I began to realize the in about 2010-2011 that my lapland patients we not doing as well, I also noticed that they had developed unhealthy eating habits like you described.  I also do not do those anymore as they've proven themselves to not produce results"  So we did and endoscope and it was discovered my little band friend was doing just was it was designed to do, which is sit tightly around my stomach and thus erode my stomach almost clear through.  I'm happy I wasn't feeling any ill effects of that at the time but apparently it was only a matter of time before that happened.

I never liked that band, as a woman our water weight fluctuates a lot and somedays it was crazy tight and other days it was really loose.  It had a mind of its own and it allowed me every wish and desire I wanted.  We didn't do good work together.  But again it's a system that's bound to fail because it's just a band of plastic that sits around your stomach slowly eroding it and allowing you to eat anything and as much as you like. 

I had the opposite problem... couldn't eat any solid foods whatsoever. Of course, I kept trying... and then I'd end up puking for hours and hours. I broke all the capillaries in my eyes once from puking so hard and for such a long time. 

I'm glad you're doing okay now. That erosion is no joke! Damaging. Scary **** 

Upbeat posts I can totally support, the lapband I cannot support at all.  Of the people I know personally who have had it all had to have it removed because of damage.  It is only good for so many years, you will always be looking at another surgery even with a positive outcome.  I won't try to tell you which surgery to have as at this point in my life I don't know I would recommend any.  I have been successful with rny for 11 years but it comes at a price, I get sick easily if I eat the wrong thing, dehydrated to the point of passing out if I don't always drink, I have reactive hypoglycemia and a very touchy stomach.  The positive side is diabetes in remission all this time and I have kept my weight the same. But I watch my husband regain weight since his rny 2 years ago and I know he's not happy, but you can't be the food police so I have to just try to be supportive when asked.  As for the vsg, I personally know of no successes, all regained.  So right about now I am out of recommendations.  I am sorry.  Good luck.

I wish you all the luck in the world.

It's your choice and it's only you who will face the consequences of that choice. Personally, I do agree with what the others here have said. I am also pre-op and after my research, I would never go with the band but that's my decision.

I will say that I am involved with a couple of online wls support groups;

One that has a rule that everyone must always be kind and never call members out on anything. I do like the people in that group, but I have learned virtually nothing from it and feel like I want to pull my hair out when someone says they've gained weight at 3 months out from eating cheezies and members respond by saying, 'Oh well, you're doing your best'

Then there is OH, where I have learned a treasure trove of information. Thank God these people care enough about me to tell me the truth. I can trust them to call me out on my bull, so that I can be successful on my journey.

This forum is my most valuable tool and it always shocks me when people just blow off all of the wonderful advice they are given by the real experts; those in the trenches.

If you want a group that only makes you feel warm inside, I genuinely hope that you find it but if it turns out that you and your doctor don't know everything, OH will still be here.

I just can't believe that a surgeon would recommend lapband to anyone these days,  much less someone with a BMI of 55. When I had my lapband in 2010, my BMI was around 41 and I weighed 248. I lost about 75 pounds, but gained all but 25 of that back -- all of this in a course of 6 years! This is the story I hear from everyone I know who has had it. I also developed gerd after that surgery (never had it before my lapband.) And I was constantly spitting up and throwing up after my surgery. I did not have any major complications, but this was a bad experience for me, and the surgeon who did my lapband no longer performs that procedure because he has seen the damage it can do to patients. By the way, I went through all the pre-surgery counseling, testing, etc, that you went throught, and was convinced that it would work for me!! But even in 2010, my surgeon was suggesting that I consider having RNY. I wish I had taken his advice then! Please reconsider your decision!

Correction to my last post - my BMI was around 46. I wish you luck, but I am truly concerned for you because I am so afraid that you will regret your decision! I promise you that we all mean well!

I had the lapband placed in March 2012 and removed in Nov 2013 due to slipping, terrible GErD. By the way, my surgeon who did my RNY will still place bands. That doesn't mean it's a good idea. It means they are still making him money. I say that knowing I have complete confidence in his cutting ability. Just zero confidence in the lapband. 

Best of luck! 

To be honest, I see positive reinforcement and kindness everywhere here.  Like, I log on to the forums and practically trip over it.  I've never felt negativity focused on me or anyone else.  I see upbeat posts wherever I go.  There are exercise and food threads with loads of upbeat stuff, among countless others.  If you want, you could start your own more specific "daily positive vibes" thread.

These forums are (pleasantly and surprisingly) well-balanced.  However, I am biased, because I miss all the entertainment.  Apparently there's drama sometimes?  I guess?  I unfortunately always miss it due to my insane schedule.  I've never seen outright mean or hateful posts.

Sometimes there are "reality check" posts, however I'd argue those ARE positive.  Even Carl Rogers, the founder of client-centered theory, was famous for challenging clients.  It's good to be challenged and grow, especially when we are making a decision that other people have made and suffered for.  Frankly, I'd rather learn from someone else's mistakes rather than repeat them.

I don't think positive vibes are wrong, however I also don't think grounded and serious discussions are bad, either. A balance is always good.  Too positive all the time and issues get kicked under the rug.  It's just as bad as being too negative, from a psychological standpoint.  In many ways, warrantless positivity is dangerous.