what is going on here!!!!

 Holy crap!!!  Here I thought I did all my homework and such, as it took me forever to decide what surgery.  I move back east and coupled with what I read here I have found out hat hardly anyone takes post-op band people-they only REMOVE THEM!!!!  WTF did I do???  I mean women have breast inplants and people have organ transplants all the time etc...yeah sure NOT THE SAME, but I have had that pain in my left shoulder area, and now the wheels in my head start rolling.  I'm my own worst enemy.  And I wasn't bashing anyone about their issues with the band-I just wanted to get down to the root of the problem-as to what causes the issues.  When weighing in at weigh****chers I used to say it's that time of the month for weigh in if I had a gain...I must've had the time fo the month ALL month long.  So I know how easy it is to blame something else other than what we put in our mouth.  So I was wondering if the food choices we had were making the band revolt or just our body.  It's all of the above.  I know that one day I can eat a piece of toast and tomorrow I can't.  My husband thinks I'm nuts and has pretty much left me to my own devices as he thinks I keep chainging my story to fit my own needs.  The band seemed lilke a good alternative right??  I've seen how people look after gastric bypass-like zombies.  their skin cant adjust fast enough to the rapid weight loss, selfish me said no way.  I had no health issues...yet...just overweight and researched for a year on WLS.  I used to think I made pretty decent well thought out decisions for such life changing experiences.  I had all the pros and cons listed for all.  Now I feel like a total idiot for choosing the band as it seems to personal experience that more people have issues that those that don't.  Will I be part of the group that doesn't??  God I hope so.  But one can never know.  I've had 4 friends get the band within the past 6 years and all are perfect with it-4 girls 2 guys.  So maybe that was my deciding factor about which surgery-the final nail in the coffin so to speak.  but then I move back east and whammo!!  Like I hit a brick wall.  So many dr's saying no way-we only remove them as they are an issue.  Then I got to thinking maybe it was just to promote their methods, so I log in here.  BAM!!!  More issues-so like I said-scared the crap outta me.  I just hope for the best and I stay away from white meat chicken lol!!  I do appreciate all the replys and the help.  Thanks!!!

Look, I don't put much weight (no pun intended) on what 99% of what folks complain about on these message boards and neither should anyone else.  It's not that I don't believe them or their issues, its just I would rather rely on my surgeon and his staff for information. 

My only "beef" with folks who post the negative issues, is that many of the things that are stated are simply untrue, not fact-based, and quite frankly are only meant to cause fear-mongering.  Unless you are a doctor, or a surgeon, or over-seer of clinical trials, regarding Lap or Realize Bands, then you probably shouldn't make such ludicrous statements.  Being a patient does not make you an expert.

There is a particular person I am referring to (Not Maria!!--I love you Maria), but I choose not to call her out, but she has made some of the most outrageous and uneducated statements, all of which are completely unproved.  How do I know this?  Because I am a surgical technician and very familiar with the human anatomy, and when someone calls the stomach "soft tissue" and makes reference to "other organs getting damaged" I know she is making stuff up in order to influence other folks to form negative opinions.

Everyone has their opinions--good or bad, but I implore each of you to NOT make broad uneducated, unproved theories about the lap band or the realize band.   And if you have issues, questions or concerns, it might be best to speak with your surgeon and not rely on the people in this forum for real advice.

 
When the majority of the people posting are having problems, it's wise to pay attention.  When so many doctors are refusing to place bands anymore because they are ethical enough to know they will get them back for a revision, it's wise to pay attention.  When the MAKERS of the band show their studies and how 88% will have complications, it's wise to pay attention.  When the ASMBS posts studies that do not put the band in a positive light, it's wise to pay attention.

It's easy to stick your fingers in your ears and sing loudly but it's not honest.  In your world you have one person telling you something and thousands (including studies) telling you another.  Maybe it wouldn't be a bad thing to listen.  I mean, it doesn't cost anything to learn, right?

You don't have to put an ounce into my experiences, doesn't make them less true.  It just makes one of us in denial and that one person... it isn't me.

The "unnamed" person you refer to has far more experience with a band than you do.  You are a surgical tech, kewl beans.  I'm a nurse and I work for a bariatric surgeon.  Wanna play educational war?  Let's do.

But to essentially put down those of us that have farrrrrrrr more bariatric experience than you do is what is truly ludicrous.  Placing a band is nothing, a monkey could do it.  There are procedures that require far more skill.

You know, there are essentially two basic types of nurses.  RN and BSN.  An RN knows how to do various procedures and what will happen.  A BSN knows WHY it happens.  They just plain have more education.  It doesn't make them a better nurse, I know plenty of RNs that are far superior to a BSN.  My point is education.  You can know anatomy, it doesn't mean squat that one knows how the anatomy works, how drugs work, how procedures work, how implanted devices affect the body.

With all due respect, if your education is a surgical tech, you are out of your league on this one.  So please refrain from being so insulting to those of us that have actual knowledge of the human body.  Knowing where the liver is doesn't mean you understand how liver enzymes work, etc.  Big huge difference.

And you prove my point.  You're making facts up and claiming them to be true.  88% failure rate?  What study?  A monkey could surgically place a band?  Really?  And finally my favorite:  your comparison of an RN to a BSN is wrong.  Its the Pratical nurse vs. and RN/BSN.

You're a nurse for a bariatric surgeon--someone who should have all the inside knowledge of all the horrible problems and failure rates of the band, yet you had it anyway?  Let me guess, none of those studies were available until AFTER you had your surgery.

My reference of being a ST wasn't to brag, it was just to illustrate that I do have some familiarity with anatomy, and some of the statements on this forum are just plain wrong.

I'm sorry it hurts your feelings that I have an opposing POV (point of view), but just because you find it offensive, doesn't mean I can't state my opinion.

Calm down.  You'll be OK.

 
Show me where I wrote an 88% failure rate.  You are fibbing. ;o)

A ... no, I'm not wrong about my point.  LVNs are slowly being faded out in many hospitals.  My comparison was indeed about RNs vs. BSNs.  LVNs cannot do many of the procedures that an RN can and I meant what I wrote.

There were no long term studies on the band when I got it, no US long term studies.  It had only been approved in the US for 5 years.  No time to even put the stats together.  And I wouldn't brag about being a ST either.  I mean, you and patient care techs go to the same college.

Seriously, get a clue little surgical tech.  You seriously give yourself far too much credit for hurting the feelings of another.  I didn't even recognize your ID name on the other board until I came over here and started looking through your past posts trying to figure out who the heck you are.

Again, stop with the constant insults, slams, and overall unhappy feelings with the world.  It doesn't put you or the band in a good light.

 You strike me as one of those, "It won't happen to ME. I do everything *right*" people. And those are the ones who are woefully unprepared when they start feeling awful... and then they realize that they didn't know as much as they thought they did. 
 
I know I trusted my surgeon completely upon entering the operating room. It was AFTER I came out that I realized I'd have to be my own advocate if I wanted to stay alive. Luckily, I have a pretty good reading comprehension as well as knowledge of human anatomy. I mean, I'm no "surgical tech" but I can shave a belly with the best of them. I know the difference between a scalpel and a scapula. Or, say, the Vagus nerves and Vegas. When you're going through chronic pain, it's amazing how motivated you can be to find answers, actually.

I don't need to "influence" others to form negative opinions. Have you read this forum? There are so many people having adverse events from the lapband. They are perfectly capable of coming to their own negative opinion about it.

So, go ahead and "call me out." I think I'm pretty prepared to take it. You're the type of person I'm talking about when I say that I try to help others... and then I get accused of trying to ruin someone's day. Why don't you try to help the poster who is having gas pains 2 years after surgery? I bet with your surgical tech "knowledge" you'll have a lot of information to give. Or at least you could recommend a good razor? 

Ahhhh you made of me being an ST (recommend a good razor)- that's really classy. 

All this because I stated an opinion that hurt your feelings.  Yeah, you're really credible and is someone that should be taken seriously.

I wish you well and much success and I don't know what the cards hold for me.  Call me stupid for listening and taking advice from my surgeon and his staff, and not from you. 

You didn't hurt my feelings. I just think you're kind of a condescending person who hasn't had a band long enough to know anything about it. And you're also a 'blame the bandster' person who will have to eat crow at some point, most likely.

Your first sentence makes absolutely no sense.

Thanks for the well wishes and success. That's really kind of you. I can hear the sincerity in your post. We're both so classy. We should hang out sometime.

 
That seems to be her MO.  If we don't agree with her or call her out on facts then it's because she hurt our feelings.  She repeats it in many posts so far today.

Why would someone WANT to hurt everyone's feelings?

I'm not sure I HAVE feelings anymore! I think I've developed an iron-clad coating from all the nastiness over the years! 

  What's funny is that I used to post on the original R+R back when calling someone a fuckhead was a term of endearment, almost!  Any 'insult' on the internet isn't worth getting your feelings hurt over. I'm a grown up broad now.