Confusion & Cautious Optimism

Hello, I am a newbie and have only been reading the message boards for the last couple of weeks. But honestly, there are more than a handful of posters on there that have me truly confused. I got the lap-band as a present to myself and my child for a long and healthy future together and a tool to help me lose weight and gain a positive relationship with food. There are some great posters and success stories which give me hope and affirm that I am doing the right thing (Having been Banded).
But the other posters, two women in particular, band bash and scare the living be-jeezus out of me. Why are you on this particular message board? You are not encouraging people, and most people don't go on "Lap-Band Forum" to hear how getting the lap-band is the worst decision you'll ever make in your life.  I appreciate you had problems with your band and I'm so sorry things did not work out the way you expected.  That is truly heart breaking.  I just don't understand the mentality of why you want to down everyone.  Instead of being a group for Failed Bands why don't you start a non-profit or PAC to promote honest advertising and safe surgeons or something and leave other bandsters out of it? We are all terrified anyway of surgery, of continued failure, of complications, etc.  It just makes me sad and reluctant to visit the boards and that's not the way it should be for those reaching out.

you might want to ask dr kim why he replaced all his lapband billboards w/sleeve ones?  I35 & North Dallas Tollway to be exact.   btw, not my surgeon.

listen - this place SHOULD be for everyone, complications or not.   since your relatively new, do you not think that those with complications can come through & provide great assistance to others here?

if your life hasn't been adversely affected by the band - maybe you might try to be a bit more sensitive towards those who too are looking for support.    it should go both ways.

you can always use the block feature.

Explain to me what your definition of "band bash" is? If it's me telling my band experience, then what do you want me to do? Lie to everyone and say it works just as advertised??? I would feel extremely guilty if I felt I had somehow influenced someone to get a band knowing what the band is really like and that long term most bandsters will have complications with their bands.

~Why are you on this particular message board?~

Excuse me? What message board do you suggest I go on??? And what message board should all the many others with band issues go on?!

~You are not encouraging people~

Says who? encouraging and supporting people does NOT mean telling them what they want to hear! I encourage those bandsters that have had issues with their bands and were not able to get any support on this forum untill recently. Do you realize how many bandsters have been bashed on this forum for stating their experience or posting band stats?!?!?! I also support pre-ops by sharing info about the band that most of the Drs. will NOT share with them. You don't feel that someone pre-op has the right to hear BOTH sides of the band situation? Really????  You want them to come here to research the band and have only the ones with wonderful band experiences share with them b/c you don't think that I, or bandsters like me have the right to use this forum also?!

~most people don't go on "Lap-Band Forum" to hear how getting the lap-band is the worst decision you'll ever make in your life.~

Well guess what??? MOST BANDSTERS DON'T WANT TO GET A BAND AND HAVE IT BE THE WORST DECISON THEY EVER MADE IN THEIR LIVES! BUT IT HAPPENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~ I just don't understand the mentality of why you want to down everyone.~

Down everyone? I think not! But when I'm attacked...........I attack back. Just the way it is.

And btw...............it's very cowardly and tacky to post and attack forum members and not address them by name. If you want to make these statements to me.........or anyone else on the forum, at least have the respect to address them by name and not post like a jr. high school girl that is trying to get something started.

Now please do me a favor. Print out a copy of the post that you just wrote..........and go back and read it in about 5 yrs. See how you feel about your band THEN, and about how you feel concerning encouraging ppl to get the band. You might also want to think back at that time and count the bandsters that were banded about the same time as you and think about how many were successfull, or even still have their band in 5 yrs.!

I'm afraid threads like this make matters worse not better.

This is an open board. If you have identified two people who offend you, block them!

Otherwise, accept that those with problems need help as well! In fact, more so.

There are some people who see it as essential that potential bandsters are warned of potential negatives. Their experiences need tp be shared. I do agree some go so far over the top that they terrify the alteady banded. But the block button is easy to use.

Kate ( band lover!!)

This thread does appear to be a bit of a flamer...

I would tend to agree with Kate and Maria...this is an open forum meant for everyone...
You do not have to agree with their postings, but they do have the right to speak..

I have not had any problems- but I do not mind hearing the tales of peoples concerns...
I am realistic and know that there can be issues with the band, so hearing about bad cases does not discourage me at all...
It more gives me hope to know that if something does happen, I am not alone and there are choices...

Peace out  :)

Curious,

First let me say congratulations on giving yourself and your child the gift of a healthy future
. I realize that choosing WLS is not an easy decision to make and that you made your decision after many long hours of tedious research.

I admit that in the past I have been mean and nasty. I'm trying to move forward by keeping my posts polite and informative. I can't say with 100 % confidence that there won't be days where I cross paths with a poster whom I allow to push my buttons, all I can do is continue to trudge along this new path that I have set for myself.

I have two purposes for posting on this particular forum.My first purpose for posting on the lap band forum is to present the other side of what being banded could be like for pre-ops. I like to present "the cons " side of the surgery. The second reason I post here is to offer help to those post-ops who may be experiencing issues with their lap bands.

When sharing my story with pre-ops, or post-ops who may be experiencing lap band issues. It's for the sole purpose of educating and/or support. I realize that by sharing my story it may appear to you that I am bashing " your " surgery choice and that I am bashing " you "
PLEASE understand that I am not bashing " you " personally.

It has never been my intention to " scare the living be-jeezus out of anyone" I'm sorry for making you feel this way. Since you are freshly out of surgery, it may be to your benefit if you were to block those of us whom are causing you to feel fearful. I'm not saying this to you in a sarcastic tone. I'm saying this to you because, the post-op phase of surgery is a very emotional time and you probably don't need to be reading us right now.

I'd also like to add that I have not and will not ever say to to a post-op lap bander, " Just wait until your band fails." Not only is that incredibly mean, but it is not 100% accurate.

I understand that you have put in your due diligence researching which surgery best fits your needs. I need you to understand that I am not alone in my struggles with the band and that I have a purpose in sharing my story with others, and that purpose is to inform pre-ops and support post[ops.

I support post-ops by sharing my experience with them in hopes that I may be able to recommend a
test/procedure that their PCP or their band surgeon may not have ordered for them, or by providing them with an alternative theory as to why they may be " stuck ".  I support post-ops by copying and pasting  my appeal letter so that they may copy it and use it for their insurance companies revisions, denials or request for service.  

Please enjoy the gift of health that you have given to yourself and your child. I wish you a happy and positive lap band experience.



 

Pumpkin, i do like you! The older-you got right up my nose but it wasn't you back then! It was your frustration and natural anger talking!

You put the cons across so well now and if you frighten anyone it must because they failed to understand that nothing is pefect!

Keep going. You are needed.

Kate

"Pumpkin, i do like you! The older-you got right up my nose but it wasn't you back then! It was your frustration and natural anger talking!"

 Just wanted to say I agree with you, Kate!

Thanks Kate I appreciate that. I'm trying to back out of a lot of people noses, and yes I was most definitely coming from a place of anger,pain,and frustration.

Yea... include me as  one more member in the Pumpkin liking group