Why is there so much negativity on this site?

Jean M has said it for me. And the others!

Happy at 5 plus years.

Kate

Count me in as one of the bandsters that is extremely happy with her band. The only time that I have had a few minor problems it was due to my own error of not following the band plan. Even with these few problems I would never want to be a day without it.
Within the last few months I came back to OH to help to keep me motivated. I noticed the negativity with certain posters, but I ignored it and read those post that gave me encouragment and confidence to stay on track. The negative post I just ignored. Some people will never be happy no matter what. I have received so much help from this site and will continue to read and to try to help others as much as I can daily. The band helps those that help themself. Sorry for those that truly have problems and hope that your surgeon can help you.

Having something foreign in your body for a specific purpose is not the same result for everyone.  Some people have great success with it while others struggle because of either things they are not following or just that their body is reacting to this foreign thing and not working the way it should.   Personally I went into this with all expectations that I wouldn't fail.  I follow the diet, I chew , I watch how and when I eat, but some reason my body doesn't like this thing in me.  I wake up some mornings so tight that I feel like I can't get coffee down without having a problem,   but within 3 hours I can eat lunch without a problem.   The next day I might not be able to eat at all or vice versa.  

Everyone is different .  Its not a cure all.  In most cases the band works great for people.  But going into it you have to realize that not everyone is the same, not every surgeon is the same and its an individualized thing.   

Some come to this board for support, for help, for problems and yes for success stories.  Thats why I love this board. 

Best of luck to you and I hope your band and your body love each other. 

I also want to ad that if anyone interested in the band only read the good posts then they would be going into this blindly.   Its nice to know ahead of time what you could expect from this.   I chose to ignore the failed stories on my research and only read the good ones.  

I hope I am a success story and they figure out my bad.. and as I was typing this i totally choked on grits and just vomited all over the floor.. better go clean this up lol

Well, I think it all depends on what you consider negative.  I don't consider people who have bands and are having problems with them posting about that, even saying they hate their bands, necessarily negative.  They're having problems and they need help/support/advice from others who might be having the same problems.  People DO have  problems with the band, just like they DO with other WLS. 

I do dislike when others with different WLS come on and bash the band when they've never had one.  I have no respect for them.  If they've had the band and revised, then that's a little different - they've got the experience to back up their complaint.  Still, I think they should recognize some bandsters never have problems so what happened to them, may not happen to another.  They don't need to try to scare everyone. 

I have had my band for 2.5 years and there are times I've said I hate this thing inside me.  It's fickle and a spoiled brat sometimes.  And even though, I, too, am having a problem now, I'm hoping to resolve it so that I don't lose the brat.  I am not willing to revise to anything else and I while I have never had that overwhelming feeling of "I love my band," I am certainly "in like" with it and know without it I would not have lost the weight I've lost or kept it off.  I still have half my weight to lose and I know that I can still do that if I can keep this fickled spoiled brat inside me and I follow band rules.  I DON't want to lose it.  I am terrified of losing it, in fact.

If you find certain posters negative and/or offensive - block them.  It's an amazing little button that works.  I have used it but mostly I don't.  I don't let the opinions of others bother me.  My journey is my journey and in the bigger picture, what others think or don't think, really doesn't matter.  It's up to you to take what you want from this board. 

Congrats on your success and I wish you much more!

cat

Very Happy!!! July 29th will be my banded anniversary... Im 55lbs lighter then I've ever been and  ifeel Great!!!


Don't feed into the negativity of this board, some are happy and some are not. Just like with anything else in life.

Kasondra

 I think there are a lot more pos posts than neg ones. It might be in your definition of neg. Band failure is awful, and can be painful physically and mentally. Some days are harder than others. I would like to share the good and bad, and read about both too. One person irritated me, I blocked that person, what a wonderful feature.

I'm in the "happy with my band" camp!  So far so good.

I am so happy to read all the positive posts from our friendly bandster peeps.  Lately there has been a lot of negativity here, and it is troublesome to read the rants and name-calling.  I went into this with a positive attitude, and I still feel that way.  Loss is slow, but I look at each day as a new opportunity to do better to make myself healthier.  Thank you so much, positive friends.

Ditto what Jean M. wrote.  I'm 2.5 year out, have lost 100+ pounds and have maintained, give or take 5-10 lbs,  for over a year.

Do I sometimes get frustrated by the limitations?  Yes.
Do I regret it?  Never!

Best~
Lisa O.