Is Anyone Happy?
(deactivated member)
on 5/10/11 12:44 am - Califreakinfornia , CA
on 5/10/11 12:44 am - Califreakinfornia , CA
What a f***ing MORON.........
 ~~Nana ~.~Somewhere in~, PA 0 Lap Band (09/30/05) Member Since: 07/20/09 [Latest Posts] |
Post Date: 5/9/11 2:10 pm I am VERY happy and more importantly I am VERY HAPPY that I don't have to deal with malabsoprtion issues now at 6 years post op, especially when I lost my weight without it  I love my band, NEVER EVER get a weight loss surgery just because someone else failed. That is just like saying I flunked out of college because I am dumb and stupid and everyone else is going to flunk because I did.....you get what I am saying..... What you need to worry about is how many bands your surgeon has performed and how great the AFTERCARE he/she does, if your surgeon performed all pre op testing to ensure you are great candidate for the band and if you are.... your success will be ALL IN YOUR HANDS.....as long as you do what you are suppose to do, you can easily lose weight.... Good luck |
I'm sure you can and will find a ton of folks happy with their bands but as you've stated you are seeing a ton of people who are NOT happy. Please don't discount those people, because MANY are unhappy with the band through no fault of their own but the ineffectual aspects of the band once inside your body. Have you read the revision fourm? Go there and see for yourself. How about the Failed LapBand group that was created. How about the large number of revisions from Bands to Sleeve or DS or RnY...this is happening for a reason to those further out then MANY of the ones who posted. Please don't stick your head in the sand just because it's something you don't want to hear. Here is a post I made and put it on my profile. I don't know if your insurance covers the sleeve but you might want to check it out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
While I never got the band I will tell you about my story. I was always fat upwards to 345 in my 20's, 325 when I started researching WLS in 2006 when my mom died. I actually saw a LapBand commercial (the greatest ad campaign I have EVER seen). I was never ever going to get the RnY because of the fact they have a hole at the bottom of your stomach (stoma) that basically just dumps the food you eat into your intestine (where the term dumping comes from). I have seen COUNTLESS people in my personal life and read who CAN have complication etc. Please note that I say CAN because it's not guaranteed that anyone WILL have complication x, y or z, but they can. Ok so I'm researching the all mighty LapBand (and that's how I felt) I needed a surgery that would HELP me the most, and I believe that I needed a surgery that would keep my stomach as a normal stomach. Where the stomach acid helps digest and mix up my food, where my pyloric valve once the stomach was done doing it's job would open and let my food continue on the digestion road. I wanted a surgery that would REDUCE the amount of food I could at at any one given time.
So research I did. Now I saw the website where there is a (and I think back then in 2006 there was like a 50-60%) complication rate and you MIGHT not lose ALL your we ight but I also believe that given the right mental aspect of this surgery coupled with the restriction you can do almost anything so I kept on researching. I came to OH thanks to a friend and well what I saw here made me nervous. Instead of some arbitrary number on a website about complications I was seeing ACTUAL living breathing people with the LapBand who WERE having complications, some minor others not. So I in total research mode started a pros/cons list. I had page after page of "possible" complications with the Band and of course RIGHT next to it I had the "words/advice" of those who loved the band saying oh if you do this or do that you will NEVER suffer from these complications. In my research I am ALREADY forcasting that I WAS going to be the PERFECT bandster. Like someone already said I was aiming to be ONE of the LUCKY ones. The more I researched the MORE I found people who were banded in like 05/06 with these complications and they were CLAIMING to have been "perfect" bandsters. But STILL I did not want the RnY because of the false stomach, nor the DS because I just do not consume that much fat and I had NO medical issues. THEN boom bam thank you Jesus a young lady on the LapBand forum asked Dr. Curry about the VSG and that her insurance (just happened to be MY insurance) suggested she get that instead of the Band.
WHAT you say girl. There is a surgery out there called the Sleeve...what is this...tell me more. Well you guessed it I started researching the Sleeve and OMG it "appeared" to have EVERYTHING that I wanted....normal stomach, food restriction and to boot there was a CHANCE that I would wake up from surgery and NOT be hungry because it removed over 1/2 your stomach and the hormone called Ghrelin. Well tell me more all mighty Sleeve. I then simultaneously was researching the Sleeve but not taking my foot all the way out the band camp. I wanted to know EVERYTHING I could about the sleeve. After all I was willing to say GOODBYE ADIOS to over 1/2 my stomach (NOT that my stomach ever did anything for me, I still am VERY fond of ALL my body parts). I took my research AWAY from the WLS forums and researched Full/Partial Gastrectomies as done on people who have stomach cancers and ulcers which has been done for over 30 years or more. I read about peoples LIVES after having a partial gastrectomy, What LONG term vitamins "may" be needed. How they just eat way smaller portions then before. How yes they would lose weight. How yes they weren't really hungry. How yes you could even live a full and productive LIFE even without ANY stomach. How a family who had a history of stomach cancer voluntarily had their stomachs REMOVED as a preventative measure. How people were LIVING life YEARS after their gastrectomies with virtually the same restriction and the "bonus" of weight loss.
Now the whole time I still had my pro/con list. The Band one was LONG and extensive on the "possible" complications, slips, erosions, esophagal dialation, adhesions for IF the band had to be removed all the risks involved in removal. The VSG after researching had a few questions/comments. What size bougie would the surgeon be using? How does the surgeon check for leaks? After surgery I did research to KNOW if I did have a leak what SHOULD I be looking for in those weeks after surgery? How long does it take the stomach to fully heal over the sutures/staples? That was IT.
I was fortunate that my insurance DID cover the sleeve back in 2007. Blessed if you will because back then Insurance companies weren't. I don't know what I would have done in 2007 once I KNEW about the VSG, if my insurance would only cover the RnY or the Band. To be honest I don't like the GAMBLE of either of those surgeries to NOT be one of the "lucky" ones. For the VSG I took a gamble that I might still be hungry. I did take a gamble that hey you could have a leak but as of yet I have not seen a VSGer die purely from a leak.
My reality after my VSG. I woke up from surgery with INSTANT restriction. I have been blessed with NO physical hunger. I am almost 3 years out, still not hungry and still with restriction. I have lost over 100lbs. I COULD have gone lower then my current 192 and I'm working out it, but at 1 1/2 years out, I decided a little carbs here and there won't hurt, well they do and depending on YOUR body...well **** I'll say CARBS are the DEVIL. I am referring to PROCESSED carbs, not fruit but yes fruit for some can be "danger Will Robinson danger."
I wish you well on your decision.
Ms Shell
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So yes thats the story of how I ALMOST had the LapBand. Ok YES I'm bias but if you are LOOKING for a RESTRICTIVE surgery then you are doing yourself a DISSERVICE if you don't get the VSG. All the GOOD of the Band with none of the bad...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
While I never got the band I will tell you about my story. I was always fat upwards to 345 in my 20's, 325 when I started researching WLS in 2006 when my mom died. I actually saw a LapBand commercial (the greatest ad campaign I have EVER seen). I was never ever going to get the RnY because of the fact they have a hole at the bottom of your stomach (stoma) that basically just dumps the food you eat into your intestine (where the term dumping comes from). I have seen COUNTLESS people in my personal life and read who CAN have complication etc. Please note that I say CAN because it's not guaranteed that anyone WILL have complication x, y or z, but they can. Ok so I'm researching the all mighty LapBand (and that's how I felt) I needed a surgery that would HELP me the most, and I believe that I needed a surgery that would keep my stomach as a normal stomach. Where the stomach acid helps digest and mix up my food, where my pyloric valve once the stomach was done doing it's job would open and let my food continue on the digestion road. I wanted a surgery that would REDUCE the amount of food I could at at any one given time.
So research I did. Now I saw the website where there is a (and I think back then in 2006 there was like a 50-60%) complication rate and you MIGHT not lose ALL your we ight but I also believe that given the right mental aspect of this surgery coupled with the restriction you can do almost anything so I kept on researching. I came to OH thanks to a friend and well what I saw here made me nervous. Instead of some arbitrary number on a website about complications I was seeing ACTUAL living breathing people with the LapBand who WERE having complications, some minor others not. So I in total research mode started a pros/cons list. I had page after page of "possible" complications with the Band and of course RIGHT next to it I had the "words/advice" of those who loved the band saying oh if you do this or do that you will NEVER suffer from these complications. In my research I am ALREADY forcasting that I WAS going to be the PERFECT bandster. Like someone already said I was aiming to be ONE of the LUCKY ones. The more I researched the MORE I found people who were banded in like 05/06 with these complications and they were CLAIMING to have been "perfect" bandsters. But STILL I did not want the RnY because of the false stomach, nor the DS because I just do not consume that much fat and I had NO medical issues. THEN boom bam thank you Jesus a young lady on the LapBand forum asked Dr. Curry about the VSG and that her insurance (just happened to be MY insurance) suggested she get that instead of the Band.
WHAT you say girl. There is a surgery out there called the Sleeve...what is this...tell me more. Well you guessed it I started researching the Sleeve and OMG it "appeared" to have EVERYTHING that I wanted....normal stomach, food restriction and to boot there was a CHANCE that I would wake up from surgery and NOT be hungry because it removed over 1/2 your stomach and the hormone called Ghrelin. Well tell me more all mighty Sleeve. I then simultaneously was researching the Sleeve but not taking my foot all the way out the band camp. I wanted to know EVERYTHING I could about the sleeve. After all I was willing to say GOODBYE ADIOS to over 1/2 my stomach (NOT that my stomach ever did anything for me, I still am VERY fond of ALL my body parts). I took my research AWAY from the WLS forums and researched Full/Partial Gastrectomies as done on people who have stomach cancers and ulcers which has been done for over 30 years or more. I read about peoples LIVES after having a partial gastrectomy, What LONG term vitamins "may" be needed. How they just eat way smaller portions then before. How yes they would lose weight. How yes they weren't really hungry. How yes you could even live a full and productive LIFE even without ANY stomach. How a family who had a history of stomach cancer voluntarily had their stomachs REMOVED as a preventative measure. How people were LIVING life YEARS after their gastrectomies with virtually the same restriction and the "bonus" of weight loss.
Now the whole time I still had my pro/con list. The Band one was LONG and extensive on the "possible" complications, slips, erosions, esophagal dialation, adhesions for IF the band had to be removed all the risks involved in removal. The VSG after researching had a few questions/comments. What size bougie would the surgeon be using? How does the surgeon check for leaks? After surgery I did research to KNOW if I did have a leak what SHOULD I be looking for in those weeks after surgery? How long does it take the stomach to fully heal over the sutures/staples? That was IT.
I was fortunate that my insurance DID cover the sleeve back in 2007. Blessed if you will because back then Insurance companies weren't. I don't know what I would have done in 2007 once I KNEW about the VSG, if my insurance would only cover the RnY or the Band. To be honest I don't like the GAMBLE of either of those surgeries to NOT be one of the "lucky" ones. For the VSG I took a gamble that I might still be hungry. I did take a gamble that hey you could have a leak but as of yet I have not seen a VSGer die purely from a leak.
My reality after my VSG. I woke up from surgery with INSTANT restriction. I have been blessed with NO physical hunger. I am almost 3 years out, still not hungry and still with restriction. I have lost over 100lbs. I COULD have gone lower then my current 192 and I'm working out it, but at 1 1/2 years out, I decided a little carbs here and there won't hurt, well they do and depending on YOUR body...well **** I'll say CARBS are the DEVIL. I am referring to PROCESSED carbs, not fruit but yes fruit for some can be "danger Will Robinson danger."
I wish you well on your decision.
Ms Shell
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So yes thats the story of how I ALMOST had the LapBand. Ok YES I'm bias but if you are LOOKING for a RESTRICTIVE surgery then you are doing yourself a DISSERVICE if you don't get the VSG. All the GOOD of the Band with none of the bad...
"WLS is only for people who are ready to move past the "diet" mentality" ~Alison Brown
"WLS is not a Do-Over (repeat same mistakes = get a similar outcome.) It is a Do-BETTER (make lifestyle changes you can continue forever.)" ~ Michele Vicara aka Eggface
Please don't believe for one moment that because someone else is successful with the band that you will be. More importantly, don't believe that if you just follow the rules you will be successful.
The rules can be impossible to follow just because of the band itself. It can have a stranglehold on your esophagus and stomach. It is very hard to control restriction and even harder to get to what is commonly referred to as a sweet spot. No amount of filling or unfilling can guarantee you are going to be able to live and eat comfortably with the band, let alone lose weight.
The feeling of fullness that you might get with the band will be in your chest not your stomach where you would feel satisfied. Everyone is different of course, but the thing that is not different is your ability to know how the band will work or not work for you before you get one.
With other choices out there that are much easier to live with, why gamble?
The rules can be impossible to follow just because of the band itself. It can have a stranglehold on your esophagus and stomach. It is very hard to control restriction and even harder to get to what is commonly referred to as a sweet spot. No amount of filling or unfilling can guarantee you are going to be able to live and eat comfortably with the band, let alone lose weight.
The feeling of fullness that you might get with the band will be in your chest not your stomach where you would feel satisfied. Everyone is different of course, but the thing that is not different is your ability to know how the band will work or not work for you before you get one.
With other choices out there that are much easier to live with, why gamble?
Phyllis
"Me agreeing with you doesn't preclude you from being a deviant."
(deactivated member)
on 5/10/11 1:36 am - Califreakinfornia , CA
on 5/10/11 1:36 am - Califreakinfornia , CA
Achalasia and esophageal motility disorders are not caused by non compliance
" Following the rules ".
Esophageal Dysmotility Disorders After Laparoscopic Gastric Banding-An Underestimated Complication. pubget.com/paper/21169806
OBJECTIVE:: To evaluate the effects of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) on esophageal dysfunction over the long term in a prospective study, based on a 12-year experience. BACKGROUND:: Esophageal motility disorders and dilatation after LAGB have been reported. However, only a few studies present long-term follow-up data.
METHODS:: Between June 1998 and June 2009, all patients with implantation of a LAGB were enrolled in a prospective clinical trial including a yearly barium swallow. Esophageal motility disorders were recorded and classified over the period.
An esophageal diameter of 35 mm or greater was considered dilated. RESULTS:: Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding was performed in 167 patients (120 females and 47 males) with a mean age of 40.1 ± 5.2 years.
Overall patient follow-up was 94%. Esophageal dysmotility disorders were found in 108 patients (68.8% of patients followed).
Esophageal dilatation occurred in 40 patients (25.5%) with a mean esophageal diameter of 47.3 ± 6.9 mm (35.0-94.6) after a follow-up of 73.8 ± 6.8 months (36-120) compared with 26.2 ± 2.8 mm (18.3-34.2) in patients without dilatation (diameter of
" Following the rules ".
Esophageal Dysmotility Disorders After Laparoscopic Gastric Banding-An Underestimated Complication. pubget.com/paper/21169806
OBJECTIVE:: To evaluate the effects of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) on esophageal dysfunction over the long term in a prospective study, based on a 12-year experience. BACKGROUND:: Esophageal motility disorders and dilatation after LAGB have been reported. However, only a few studies present long-term follow-up data.
METHODS:: Between June 1998 and June 2009, all patients with implantation of a LAGB were enrolled in a prospective clinical trial including a yearly barium swallow. Esophageal motility disorders were recorded and classified over the period.
An esophageal diameter of 35 mm or greater was considered dilated. RESULTS:: Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding was performed in 167 patients (120 females and 47 males) with a mean age of 40.1 ± 5.2 years.
Overall patient follow-up was 94%. Esophageal dysmotility disorders were found in 108 patients (68.8% of patients followed).
Esophageal dilatation occurred in 40 patients (25.5%) with a mean esophageal diameter of 47.3 ± 6.9 mm (35.0-94.6) after a follow-up of 73.8 ± 6.8 months (36-120) compared with 26.2 ± 2.8 mm (18.3-34.2) in patients without dilatation (diameter of
I am 7 yrs out, I have lost 103 lbs and wear a size 8. I am not sure if having surgery today I would choose the band though, I would opt for the sleeve.
BTW we are neighbors, do you have a surgeon yet?
BTW we are neighbors, do you have a surgeon yet?
Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense. - Buddha
On May 10, 2011 at 3:50 PM Pacific Time, JNeary4 wrote:
I do have a Dr. His name is Dr. Sapala. We are neighbors?Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense. - Buddha
Heather,
I kinda figured it would be the next town. But anything is possible. You can friend me if you want, I am also on FB. http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/joannacordiner
Joanna
I have had 16 fills in less than 18 mos. NO restriction/green zone/sweet spot. Would I waste my money on the band again? Oh hell no!
Do yourself a favor, read on the revision forum and see how many ppl are revising FROM the band! Also go on the VSG, RNY and DS forums and ask about the band. You will find a lot of FORMER bandsters on all of the other forums that can tell you what the band is REALLY like!
Good luck!
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