Selective info by our favourite DSer

In case any of your saw a thread below about RNY and the Lapband -

Another (nicer!) poster on the main board posted this as well. He inlcuded the following paragraph - the thread on the lapband  board failed to include it  (wonder why?).........

But Khalili, whose practice is roughly split between Lap-Band and gastric-bypass surgery, added that the UC San Francisco findings are far less clear for patients whose primary objective is to lose weight. Although more weight loss was seen for the gastric bypass group in the one-year study, patients getting the Lap-Band continue to lose weight for two to three years after the procedure, Khalili said.

Comparing the two patient populations three years after surgery would probably have narrowed the weight-loss gap considerably, Khalili said.

I don't want to bash you or be disrespectful, but I am wondering if you truly believe that the bands are as successful as other surgeries? The bands stats for wl are less than 50% excess wl and less than 50% of band patients succeed by the 5 year mark.

I'm glad that you have succeeded, but the bands statistics are not the greatest. The bands are generally not meant for bigger patients who suffer from various degrees of serious metabolic conditions. I am not saying that it is not the best option on an individual basis, but I think it is silly to suggest that the band is generally just as good as a RNY or DS. Medical research is very clear about the long term success of the various procedures. All research shows that the DS has the most success.

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Surgery/GeneralSurgery/4162

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19937190

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1856567/

http://www.dsfacts.com/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20035530

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15826478

Please read the thread I have just posted immediately after this. I do not and never have said that the band shows as dramatic weight loss results as other surgeries.

When I decided to have the band, it was a trade-off.  I was well aware that loss would be harder and slower. But it was my personal choice and I entered into it knowing this.  I do not ever knock other people's choices - but for me the other surgeries were simply not what I wanted.

I am fully prepared to accept that the DS has faster weight loss and less regain. But for many people, myelf included, it is simply a surgery they do not want. As far as RNY is concerned, the stats are less clear cut. RNY tends to bring about earlier fast weight loss but over time the stats become very much closer.

Kate

Since you're new here I'll give it a shot...

Lapband patients aren't defensive because DS'ers and others are "bashing our precious surgery".  The problem is that you seem to be under the mistaken impression that we either didn't know about the DS or were too stupid to pick it.

Most of us (me included) did our research and picked the lapband because it was what we wanted, not just the first surgery we heard of.  I was not interested in a malabsorptive procedure and am very happy with my lapband outcome.  If my lapband fails, because let's face it **** happens, then I will evaluate the choices available to me.

The whole "what's the best surgery" arguement assumes we're all looking for exactly the same thing.  Yes, we're all looking to lose weight but for me the malabsorptive component's long-term 50-year implications aren't something I felt were a good trade-off.  For you, something else was the overriding concern and so on.

Feel free to hang around on the lapband forum.  Positive contributions from anyone are always welcome.

I know that getting involved in these petty arguments is stupid but PouchedPotato, can I ask a simple question? Why do YOU personally care what anyone else chooses to do with their body? As a new person to this forum, I came here to gain support from people who have gone through the same surgery I have gone though; not read a constant barrage of negative articles and verbal diarrhea about how all of us bandsters will eventually see the light and realize how horrible our choice was. I learned at about the age of 17, people are going to do what they feel is best for them no matter what others may say, so why waste your energy trying to convince people to believe what you believe? Seems like a fruitless quest and a quick way to get people to just ignore what you have to say, even though some of it might be useful. Just sayin...

I don't care what others do to their body. What I do care about is that patients can make an informed decision. That entails being educated on what medical research says about the successful surgical treatment of morbid obesity. A surgeon has profit motive, which means ill advise most of the time.

I did not directly attack the origional poster, and I said my point as kindly as possible.  it is simply untrue to suggest that the band is generally just as good as other surgeries.

For example: Last year at the ripe young age of 21 I weighed 441 pounds. My BMI was 66, and I had: diabetes, blood pressure 196/115, heart rate over 130, sleep apnea, GERD, etc. Have you ever heard the phrase, "some are sicker than others"?

Would you suggest that a band would have been a viable option for me? The sad thing is that many surgeons do advise patients in that extreme situation to get a band.

My point is simply that by invading a forum for people who have had this surgery or are interested in it, you are PUSHING your opinions/beliefs on people. This is never a good practice, and quite frankly isn't very flattering to your character. Every person is responsible for doing their own research and since you are not a Dr. you are not technically qualified to peddle your own research/opinions anymore than I am to say "well bypass/rxy/ds/vsg suck because I've read lots of places that they do". Do you understand what I'm saying? Just let us bandsters enjoy our forum in peace.

I am not peddling anything. I have never seen Kate post anything not supportive to others, and I have no intention of bugging her. Does that not mean that I cannot respond to her post with my thoughts?

My comment was not directed to you. If Kate has a problem with what I said to her, than she can tell me herself.

I'm in no way trying to defend Kate, I'm sure she can/will tell you if your comments offend her. I'm speaking only for myself, and saying that while your thoughts and comments are I'm sure valuable and seem necessary to you; as a newbie to this forum looking for support from people with a similar experience as my own, they are off putting and a distraction from what I came here for. Obviously, this won't stop you from posting because you see yourself as doing a service to all of us hoodwinked and swindled band people who've been sold snake oil by greedy surgeons so I'll just let it go with this post.

Well get used to it, because these topics happen all day. I'm sorry if I hurt your precious feeling, but you will have to learn how to ignore other posters. You can also block me, or grow a pair of balls. These forums are not just for newbies.