Consumer Reports Health Warns: Think Twice About Lap-Band Surgery For Weight Loss

ConsumerReportsHealth.org recently posted this very insightful article about the lap band for weight loss. There has been a lot of alarming reports recently about the effectiveness of the band, even including one by the ASMBS (American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery):

ASMBS Lap-Band Gets Low Marks

 

Think twice about lap-band surgery for weight loss

It used to be that to undergo lap-band surgery, in which an inflatable silicon band is wrapped around the stomach to make it smaller and control the urge to eat, you had to be seriously obese. That meant having a BMI of 40 or higher, or a BMI of 35 or higher plus a serious weight-related health problem, such as diabetes. But the Food and Drug Administration recently relaxed those rules: People with BMI of 30 plus a weight-related health issue are now candidates.

The company that makes the band, Allergan, has video testimonials on its website from people who say they’ve had the surgery and tout its benefits.It even a held a contest to give away a free surgery to three “lucky" winners.

Blogs advertise the surgery as if it were a luxury vacation—“All inclusive.  We’ll beat or meet any advertised price! Only $3,999!"

But don’t rush to jump on the bandwagon. A closer look at the fine print reveals troubling risks. The firm’s own website reports a study that followed 299 people for three years after the  surgery. Twenty-five percent of them had a second operation to remove the band.

That’s a lot of dissatisfied customers. Imagine if 25 percent of people who owned Toyotas were so dissatisfied that they called up their dealers and asked them to come and take their cars out of their driveways.

That’s not all. Nine percent needed a second operation to fix problems with the band.  Nine percent needed an additional procedure to fix a leaking or twisted access port, a design issue that the manufacturer says has been improved. Four people had the band erode into their stomachs.

Less serious side effects are also common. Half the people who had the procedure reported nausea and vomiting. Thirty-four percent suffered from reflux 24 percent of people experienced band slippage (which might stem from excessive vomiting), and  14 percent developed stomach blockages.

For some people, lap-band and other related weight-loss procedures can be appropriate. But surgery—particularly one with known risks—should never be taken lightly. So before you consider it, make sure you’ve exhausted other proven ways to lose weight. And make sure you and your doctor have a thorough discussion about the potential risks of the surgery, and make sure that it’s right for you.

—Rosemary Gibson, author of The Treatment Trap: How the Overuse of Medical Care is Wrecking Your Health and What You Can Do To Prevent It," 2010.

Seriously, why would you post this? We have all done our research and I am pretty sure this ONE article is not going to out weigh all the hours spent researching which tool works best for us. As with any tool, if you don't use it right, you will have issues.

Why did I post this?! Your kidding! Right?! Lol.

I posted it b/c those that are pre-op have a right to view this info about the effectiveness of the Lap-Band so they can make an INFORMED decision about it! Why would you think they deserved any less???

Jenny, get use to it when there is a slew of new ones joining the site all this stuff usually comes out .

If you did your research between you and the doc if the band is your choice of surgery then good luck with it :o)

Do what is best for you .

I have had my band for three months now without a single fill in it and I have lost 40 pounds in three months and still going strong .

You are one of the lucky ones. Your band has worked great for you so far. I hope it continues!!!

 
Because some people come here to research options and they want to hear good and bad?

The part that bothers me with the band advertising is that they make it seem like it's no big whoop. It's major surgery. It's not "reversible." It's removable, but I guarantee that your body won't simply go back to its original state.

The band can have just as many disastrous effects as any of the other "more invasive" weight loss surgeries and the advertising needs to start reflecting that fact.

That is so true! There are way too many of us that bought into that "least invasive" crap! :-( True..........the band is the safest DURING the actual surgery...........it's after that all the problems start occuring. True..........some ppl do lose a lot of weight with the band...............then come the slips/port/problems/leaks (at least in a lot of cases).

And as far as "reversable"..........NOT! The damage is done! Taking the band out does NOT remove all the damage done by the band!!! That is why it's so important for those pre-op to hear stories like yours!

Think twice...........cut once!

All I can say is I will take that 25% chance that I want it out.  At least there is something that can be done.  Rerouting your insides is just crazy...You are done and stuck with the results for the rest of your life.  No second chances.

I think your unhappiness makes you appear to be a wackadoodle. 

 

 

And I think in a yr. or 2 YOU will be a "wackadoodle" from the band! LOL.