Jean M. - PLEASE DON'T BE DISCOURAGED!

So it's kinds like, if the band didn't last for Jean, the woman who successfully lost her excess weight and even wrote a book about it, how do I expect for the lap-band to last in "me?" 

I know, and that's one of the reasons I waited a few days to post about it here on OH. I want to inspire people, not cause them anxiety.

 I don't recall you ever denying someone's complication or blaming them for their band complication.

Thanks, Steph.

I certainly agree with you about Jean having to eat crow now! It's not just that she is such a lap-band "advocate" and wrote a book about it. It's more so b/c of how Jean has had the "blame the bandster" menatlity. She has said before the band didn't fail, the bandster failed. And now she has the nerve to say that she is so shocked that this happened to  HER band, since she was such a good bandster and followed rules and didn't over eat. We have been trying to inform the lap-band forum for over a year that these things happen. They do NOT just happen to bandsters that are noncompliant. They happen all the time to bandster that are COMPLIANT! And she would get pissed off when ever I said something to that effect.

Now as far as Jean coming forward, that's not exactly what happened. She has been having issues for 2 months and as far as I kknow has NEVER mentioned it on the lap-band forum. She hid and posted about it on the revision forum instead. She never brought it up here untill AFTER I mentioned it.

Anyway her not wanting to post about her band issues on here kind of blows her theory about why we hardly ever see any successful long term bandsters on the band forum. She always claimed that it was b/c they were all happy and skinny and out leading their life and now had not time to post  on the lap-band forum and that ppl just tend to come her and post when they are "frustrated or having band problems"

Now I do realize that I am coming off as disingenuous, but I really do wish her band was successful. I wish that for all bandsters. Unfortunately that hasn't happened to most of us. And if you had any ideal about how rude Jean has been to me for over a year, and how many horrible things she has said to me, then you would understand where some of my comments come from. :-(

I know where you are coming from Maria.  I definitely lurk...

Jean-

i'm very sorry for what your'g oing through.  I do want you to know how much  i value both your lap band book and your recipe book.  both have helped tremendously.

and i will say this.  if for some reason in the future, i have problems with my band, and it needs to be removed.  i would like to think i won't regret it.  because it's given me my life back in so many ways.  i'm down 65 lbs.  still have a ways to go, but i FEEL so much healthier and happier. 

i hope all works out for you.  ignore the bashers.  some of 'em are just nasty.  some just want to share what happened to them (and i appreciate that.  its more information for me.)

Betsey

Betsey,

If for some reason in the future, i have problems with my band, and it needs to be removed.  i would like to think i won't regret it.

That's exactly how I feel. How can I regret something that made it possible for me to lose all that weight, improve my health, and transform my life into something amazing and precious?

Jean

Jean - regardless of your banded status, you have always been straight forward about your experience and have offered advice from that. In the past, your support of other people's struggles, your own at times and the band overall has always been positive  -at least from my perspective. I've appreciated you taking the time to personally email me when I had some rough times and worries and going crazy trying to read my darned xrays  

I've had my fair share of negative responses over the years but also have been supported by a lot of others who know this road is never easy to walk on.....and the more road you travel, I feel like you have to watch your steps just like when you took your first one.

Overall I think there are more people on the same page than not regardless of the issues we all face at some point.  Some of us can sympathize because we've had the exact same thing happen.  It's really disheartening to think that others who have had any kind of WLS would wish a failure upon anyone or be super negative when they find out a failure has occured.  Why the hell is anyone competing with who has the better surgery or who is using their tool the best etc etc.  The only person we have to answer to at the end of day...at the end of anything is ourselves!

Thank you for sharing your good experiences and bad ones and being a positive influence on those who still believe in their bands, those that do their very best to work and live with what they have post band, and also to those that are still moving forward and getting banded.

I think you should still promote your book no matter what and you don't owe anyone a follow up that ...oh, Jean is no longer on the Bandwagon so the book should come off the shelves or head to the tra****hat's BS! 

A ton of people have revised successfully so if that is an option for you I wish you all the best.  Whether it's anyone's fault or not meaning someone didn't follow the rules and screwed up or someone's band just didn't work for them or ended in complications, everyone deserves as many chances as they can get!!!! 

I'll be honest, your experience is a scary thing for me think about and now I'm a bit paranoid but the band board makes me that way! It can go both ways in providing good info and good support to completely freaking out over what's happening to others to a point where one is worry worting all the time like me - which is why I take breaks from the forum but it's always good know I have a place to come back to. 

I never could understand why people go out of their way to respond negatively to anything that doesn't particulary involve them in the first place.  Negativity of any kind take so much damn energy that could be invested somewhere else.  I'm not always the most positive person with my own regard but when it comes to others my golden rule of thumb has always been to tell and share from what I know or have experienced and the person(s) on the receiving end take what they want from it.

Band or no band, Jean you have many people who would welcome you to any forum with open arms. I know it's easier said than done to ignore the back and forth ******g matches  when it comes to certain posts and others opinions but I will say it again, you don't owe anyone here a damn thing!

Nikki,

I thought of you the other day when I looked at the images from my upper GI....there were a few weird shots that made me think, "Is that a human body in this picture?" : )

Thanks so much for your kind words.
 
I completely agree with this:
Negativity of any kind take so much damn energy that could be invested somewhere else. 

Unfortunately I have a quick temper (thanks, Dad) and sometimes find myself in a ******g match that's a complete waste of time and energy. That's why I take some breaks from OH from time to time. But it's wonderful to come back and feel your support.

Jean

Yeah, what Nikki said. Oh, and just remember my offer of all the sugar free Jello you can eat.  Just trying to help here. Sue