Why I Post About the Band

A lot of you think I post about the band b/c I am a crabby ***** And while I am a crabby ***** at times..........that's not why I post.

There is a thread that was posted on the band forum today:

www.obesityhelp.com/forums/lapband/4515951/today-is-the-day/

She is so excited and full of hope about the band! That was me. When I see posts like this I just want to cry for them, b/c I know that more than likely their band experience will NOT be what they were told it would be!

Am I disappointed in my band? YES! Am I angry about my band? YES! Do I wish I had done anything but the band? YES! But I don't post b/c I am miserable with my band and want to make everyone else miserable. I post b/c I want them to have a realistic account of what band life can REALLY be like, and have that knowledge BEFORE they get the band so they can research it further and see if the band really is what they want. If you only know the positives about they band.........well of course most would want it! But when you find out how high the incidence of complications are, or that the band may NEVER actually work for you.........well that can definitely be a deal breaker!

So if anyone is going into it with their eyes WIDE OPEN.........I wish them the best of luck. But if they haven't researched completely...........I want to make them aware that it is imperative that they do this PRIOR to surgery.

I post to them b/c I wish someone had said the very same things to ME! I don't want them to end up being ME..........or any of the thousands of bandsters out there with failed bands!

I post about the band because I'd feel like a damned rotten person if I didn't try to warn people about the horrible things that CAN and DO happen with frightening regularity. It's tiring talking about the same things over and over and there are times where my heart and soul hurt for all the folks who expect great things and end up hurt and disappointed. 

It's also hard when I'm posting out of concern, but get treated like I'm posting to ruin someone's day.

~Nicci

I agree. I feel those of us that have had the average, or less than average band experience owe it to prospective bandsters to give them this info so they can make an INFORMED decision! We should all be paying it forward. And yes it does hurt when we are criticized for doing this when we really have the best intentions. We have taken a lost of abuse form some bandsters, we have nothing to gain personally by telling the forum what band life can really be like, other than other than a clean conscious.

I realize that this is not what some of the bandsters consider to be "support", but it really is. We support those that have band complications, and we support prospective bandsters by trying to make sure they know the band side of the band.......not just the positives that band manufacturers/Drs. offices/band mills tell them.

I agree with Maria.  I wish I had done a more thorough research before I had my lapband.  My surgeon asked me if he had tried to talk to me out of band and into bypass in the first place.  I said no, he said he wish he had done that.  Same surgeon that revised from band to bypass. 

I wish I had reviewed the revisions board, etc., but of course that was in 2008 and there weren't many complications posts as now.

I do envy the ones that have had success with band. 

I started having complications after SEVEN, 7, months and quit losing weight.  I suffered for 1.5 years before revising (had to appeal and won), my diabetes returned, etc... gained 20 lbs back, etc. 

Now revised to bypass my diabetes are gone and I'm losing again, and am my lowest weight ever in over 30 years. 

I believe the band will be obselete very soon. 

So don't get upset when we post... because it's the TRUTH.  I see more complications than I do the success, which is pretty unfortunate.

So if you are considering band, please do more thorough research.

Band failures are rising at an alarming rate.  

So glad that your diabetes has been resolved! I get especially sad when I hear someone is getting a band with type 2 diabetes, since I know how much of a health hazard diabestes is, and that in most cases it is not resolved with the band.

One thing I love about this forum is that it has become more open minded in the last yr. Band complications have been going on since the beginning of the band, but those reporting their complications were being insulted and getting blamed for being the cause. Other bandsters would see those posts and then they were afraid to post b/c they didn't want the same responses. I remember Wasa telling me that when she first started having problems and mentioned it on the lap-band forum that they told her she was too stupid to know how to chew and that was her problem! So she ended up leaving for awhile. Many bandsters needed support in the past and were unable to receive it here.  It's a much better atmosphere here now. :-)

I am new to this website and maybe i am not seeing your previous posts but what failed? Were there complications? I will be going in 1 month and dont want any surprises.

BTW, I was one of those people *****ally thought my band wouldn't fail.

WRONG!!!  

 

 

If you saw a person that was just getting ready to eat a cookie that was just dropped in dog pooh, wouldn't you warn the person? Same difference.

On March 27, 2012 at 2:09 PM Pacific Time, boldnbariatric wrote: If you saw a person that was just getting ready to eat a cookie that was just dropped in dog pooh, wouldn't you warn the person? Same difference.



Sure it looks "safe" and "least invasive".............but is it REALLY???

And I too do it for the same reason, if I knew then what I know now, well we know the answer to that. So to all of us that have the guts to keep warning others !!!!!