Concidering Lap-Band Surgery

May I have the honor of answering your reply to Babs.  I am one of those over 5 years and I have not had any complications, I have only had one partical unfill in my 5+ years and I requested it in preparation of a non WLS surgery. 

I used to post all the time, but now I mostly just read.  It not about me being so busy living my life, but after a while you get tired of defending your choice.  Let me say up front...I really feel bad for any one who had or who are having complications. And I admire those who pick themselve up after facing failure of the band or any other surgery and find a better surgery for them.  It is just as hard coming here and if you type that things are going good for you...you will get someone who will type something like "well it only a matter of time before your band fail".  Or they make some type of remarks as though they really dont believe you, that you are living with your head in the sand because you just dont want to face the truth.

When Maria F comes on board and states that the band is not working for her because she cant get restriction....my heart aches for her. I can understand how frustrating that can be, noone go through surgery without the hope that it will work for them.

Neacres100.....she told why she would not recommend the band from her point of view....I believe that would truly help someone who are on the fence about get the band...she not just give stats which in my opioion can be made to lean which ever way needed at the time, but a person personal experience is just that. I love to read about folks personal experience, even this far out, some times a newbie will type somethign that will bring me back  to the basic if I have venture off course some what, I cant read about that on any place other than a forum of this type...stats is readily avaibable to me, via google and other search engine but most of the time there is so much of it that a person get bogged down. I am not saying that stats does not serve a purpose but nothing serves a better purpose of hearing someone personal experience, IMHO.

Now when someone ask me if they should get the band...you will never hear me say  yes or no. I will tell them to make them a pro and con and weigh the pro and the con and then go with the one that they can live with.

From reading the DS is the idea surgery, if more was known about it when I had my surgery, I may have gone that route, as it is, I spent over a year researching prior to picking the Band and at that time, the research showed me that it was the surgery for me and I have no regrets....HOWEVER if a person get the DS and do just the opposite of what they should do...eating a lot of carbs and little fat if the requirement is for lot of fat and little carbs and they are not a success, for them it would not be the idea surgery. And from lurking on the DS forum....there are a few folks who I just shake my head and wonder why on earth did they get that surgery, when they are doing just the opposite of what they should.

In a nutshell what I am saying is, when folks go out their way to make you feel like either a ticking clock (your time is numbered and it just a matter of time before you going to become a failure (and it may be, but *****ally want that shove down their throat after the deed is done) or that they believe that you are having problems that you are just shame to admit).

As I said, now most of the time I just read, but one of my desire when a person come on the board and say they are looking into the band or any other surgery....is that they are giving more personal information than stats....ie I revised because my band slipped...after 16 fills, I still cant get restriction...my band melted into my stomach after XX number of years, not according to stats you all are going to be failure at year 5, 6, or whatever year is put out there.

Trust me...I am not attempting to get into a your way/my way debate. I am just giving you information why this 5+ year bander who has had no compliation (so far) does not post as much.   I highly recommend anyone who is thinking of WLS...dont stop with just this board or any other board...venture to them all especially the revison forum. Read...read...read and when you tired of reading..READ SOME MORE until you can make an INFORMED decision about what is the best surgery for YOU.

I recent got a new car and I think it is the sweetest car....only time will tell if it will turn out to be a lemon but I did not buy it blind, I read and read and read what other owners had to say and what other folks who did not like it wrote about it and then I made the decision that i thought was best for me, the same as I did with my band.

Thank you so much for allowing me to explain why this Veteran sit in the cut and mostly read.

v/r

 
~~It is just as hard coming here and if you type that things are going good for you...you will get someone who will type something like "well it only a matter of time before your band fail".  Or they make some type of remarks as though they really dont believe you, that you are living with your head in the sand because you just dont want to face the truth.~~

I totally agree with you on this point.  I do not slam dunk anyone because they have a band, I don't call the band names, I don't make fun of banded people, I don't say things like... you have a band and so you are going to fail.  Those are surgery war comments and I don't do those things. My messages are to the newbies because to be really honest, your story is rare.  I do point out stats and links to newbies.  I do tell of my experiences.  I don't support chasing someone off the band boards because someone is having band issues (as has been suggested here just recently).

Yet I am accused constantly of starting a surgery war.  To be really honest that hacks me off! ;o)  It really does.  When the DSers used to invade the band board and seriously start mega surgery wars I defended the banded people.  But if I dare to post stats, facts, links, peer reviewed journal articles, ASMBS studies... I'm told I am band bashing or starting a surgery war.

I don't do the studies, I don't write the studies, I just post links to them and that means I'm band bashing.  Bleh...

Now, one thing I will tell you is that Naomi (Nana) is infamous for creating new IDs to slam dunk someone and post untruths about her own WL journey and she does it so often that when someone for real comes along saying they are at goal and having no problems it's hard to believe until you've seen them posting for awhile.  Each of her IDs has a different goal that she's at now, sometimes she's a size 2, sometimes a size 4,  sometimes a size 0, it's always different.  She's not overly bright and it doesn't take long to figure out it's her but the point is she's not the only one who has done this and you do kinda look at some people that aren't regular posters with a raised eyebrow when they say they are 5 years post op and doing well.

Another person was caught doing this.  In a thread people were talking about how nobody 10+ years post op ever posts.  Bam... suddenly a new ID was created that day and they claimed to be 13 years post op and had surgery in the US.  I reminded her the band was only approved in 2001 in the US  and both her IDs deactived as fast as they activated.

I think that is a big reason people don't always trust when someone says they are 5-7 years post op, at goal, and doing well.

trust me, I know that my story is rare, I know by the time folks get to where I am...a lot of them have had from minor problems of flipped ports to major problems of slipped band or worst.   I also know that 5 + years does not mean that I wont have complications, I still go to my doctor once a month regardless if I need a fill or not...why? Cause I have good insurance and I believe if I am honest with my doctor when he ask me about night time reflux and what not...perhaps him and I can catch any complications before they become true problems. I also face reality...I know that no matter how good of a bander, I am, there may come a time when me and babylapband may have to say farewell. For this reason, I research all surgery types, not because I expect to need another but if I do, I will know just as much about them as I do about the band.

when someone come and say they are considering the band.....yes stats are good at this time...but when a newly banded person come on the board looking for support and they get told how they got the wrong surgery....well this is when I say if the band did not work for you (general statement here) forget the stats for once and tell how it did not personally work for you and why you believe that it did not work....if nothing else you will give the band person idea on what to look for if they believe they are having issues.  Since I never had a slip band, I cant not honestly tell you what a slip band feels like..but a person who had a revision due to a slipped band is in the position to tell from personal experience.

Good chatting with you and being able to agree and disagree without bitterness.

 
~~Good chatting with you and being able to agree and disagree without bitterness.~~

See, this is my point.  I don't think we really disagree on anything.  ;o)

sorry...my "and" should have been an "or"...it should have read being able to agree or disagree without bitterness. typing and trying to watch tv is not always good thing

 
Someone responded to your post but responded to mine in error, just wanted you to see the response she wrote for you.

I CCP'd this from another response to a similar post a few minutes ago:  It is for YOU as well.

RESEARCH, RESEARCH and "more" RESEARCH is HOW I made my choice for the DUODENAL SWITCH SURGERY (DS).  I was 53 and am almost '5' year's POSTop.  

In my Signature Line BELOW, you will find some very good LINKS as a great 'starting point' of researching the DS....Do yourself a favor and RESEARCH ''all'' wls before making a decision.  In the end, you will be able to make an EDUCATED DECISION based on the hard work you put into it.  

You are very young and with many years ahead (don't waste them with a BAD MISTAKE in getting the WRONG surgery)...RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH!

Best of Luck to you.

 I'm so sorry for your loss.  You are wise for using your pain in a positive direction.  The first and hardest step to take is simply making the decision to change.  Research your options and know what changes you will have to make.  There are many people who are successful with the lap band, and there are many who are not.  Because they struggled with the band, some people are very vocal about their experiences, and like to pull in support:

www.obesityhelp.com/forums/ds/4350593/Pluck-this-one-please-427lbs-considering-LapBand/

That's a link to the DS forum.  I'm sure they'll be happy to tell you all about the DS, if you choose to visit over there, too.  

However, this is the lap band forum, so I assume that's what you are here to learn about!  Please take a look at this thread.  It's an excellent article about what you can expect from a lap band:

www.obesityhelp.com/forums/lapband/4320963/Dr-Simpsons-artic l/


There are many people who choose to have the band, perhaps because of their own individual health concerns, what insurance will cover, accessibility of surgeons and after care, and for many of us, simply because of a preference to maintain our digestive system as it was designed, and to have adjustable restriction.  

The lap band worked for me.  I lost 120 lbs in a year, and have maintained for 3 years with few problems.  

I wish you the best in improving your health!  If you go with the band, please come back and join us here.  The lap band folks are a great bunch, always willing to share ideas, and to support each other through thick and thin!

Tami

I chose the lap band for many reasons, I was a "light weight" and young and had very young children.  It's been 7 yrs and my band is still perfect.  I haven't had a fill in over 4 years and I've lost 100% of my weight and have kept it off for over 4 years.  Success with any weight loss surgery will take commitment on your part. 

I will tell you that I personally  would have chosen a different weight loss surgery if I was heavier.  I just knew that I would be successful with the band and I still love my band.  You need to research and understand that at your weight you maybe better off with a surgery that can help you lose at a faster pace.  Good luck, Karianne 

I would hope that when doing your research, you'll read long-term band studies. They aren't promising for those in the higher BMI categories.  Please, read the revision forum. There are so many people who have to revise from the band because they didn't get anywhere near goal.

No matter which journey you choose, I wish you all the success in the world.