Is band complications same as having band failure?

Are they same or different?    I am wondering because Jean M. does not consider her band a failure when she is having complications! 

What is the difference between complications and failure?

I'm stumped!

Well, as I understand it, Jean had great weight loss success with her band.

She lost all of her excess weight, and she reached (and possibly exceeded) her weight loss goals.

She has had a medical complication with her band now -- and continues to maintain her weight loss.

Most people that I read about that talk about having a 'failed' band, never were able to get to a healthy weight with their band.
 

I suppose that it is a matter of semantics, I know that Jean is grateful for a chance for a revision surgery, and is equally grateful that her band worked while it did -- and allowed her to add healthy and mobility to her life.

I can't say it better than Kath did!

 
They are different.

Jean is trying to sell a book on how to be successful with a band, of course she isn't going to say her band failed.

A failure is when you don't lose weight or lose your band.  A complication is a bump in the road.  Sometimes a little bitty bump and sometimes a tree fell down.

 I can't say it better than Michelle did! 

One can have a complication and still be successful. But actually Jean had a series of complications. From what I understand she had a slip..........then port repair surgery............now aschalasia and dialated esophagus, and I think she said she may have another slips also (I'm not exactly possitive about the 2nd slip though). And those are just the ones we know about.

To me, I don't consider something a success that only works for a limited time. After all, if I bought a new car and took care of it and  it only lasted me 4 1/2 years and then had to be trashed.........do you think that would be a success???

At this point she will be revising to a more effective WLS. But she still advertises "Read BANDWAGON to learn how to live happily ever after with your band." EVEN THOUGH SHE DIDN'T. And she still advertises that book: "BANDWAGON, Strategies for Success with the Adjustable Gastric Band" EVEN THOUGH HER OWN WORDS DIDN'T WORK FOR HER!

I am also stumped as to how she views her band as a success........the only thing I can figure out is it's just said for book sales..........but that's just my opinion, lol.

Again, you are equating "complication free" with success. You can't apply that rationale to ONLY the band. By your measure, anyone who has complications or requires any revision with their surgery, counts their surgery as failure, no matter how much weight they lost or how long they maintained it. If someone has a bypass, has a few complications like strictures or requiring vitamin infusions, then starts to regain weight and decided to get a BOB, are they a failure? Does that mean their surgery choice was bad and no one should get that surgery? If someone has a suture line disruption in their VSG but goes on to do well and lose weight but then maybe regains it 5 or 6 years laters and gets revised to a DS, does that mean they were a failure?

No, I think it means that obesity is VERY hard to treat and no surgery is a guarantee that you will lose all the weight and it will stay off forever.

Complications can happen with ALL surgery types, complications that may require re-surgery or revision can happen with ALL surgery types. This is something that anyone choosing to have WLS has to accept! If anyone out there is going into their chosen surgery type with the idea that success is only success if they never have a complication and never require a revision, they have been sadly misinformed.

And to continue to crow, "See, see, Jean is a failure at having a band because she had complications! Jean's advice must suck because she had complications!" is frankly, just rude. If I write a book about pregnancy, but end up having a miscarriage, does that negate any resources and information I ever presented? Does that mean I couldn't possibly provide information to people who carry their pregnancies to term? No, because THINGS HAPPEN and there are no guarantees!

Jean feels that her surgery was a success because she enjoyed her life with it, she lost weight and maintained that loss, and she found the complications she did experience to be things that she could live with. Isn't that what we hope to get from ANY WLS?



 

~Again, you are equating "complication free" with success. You can't apply that rationale to ONLY the band.~

No Dev. I am equating "a series for complications" as not being successful. A complication does not necessarily mean failure. But when it happnes over and over........yes I would call that a failure.

I applied MY rationale (not YOUR interpretation of MY rationale) to the band, because that is what the poster asked about. She didn't ask about any other WLS. Remember?

But yes, if they require a revision, I do count that as a failure.

~No, I think it means that obesity is VERY hard to treat and no surgery is a guarantee that you will lose all the weight and it will stay off forever.~

Yes, obeisty is VERY hard to treat. And you are correct, no surgery is a guarantee. But I never said it was! I don't mind you disagreeing with me, but I resent when you state something I said is wrong when in fact I never said that, or when you imply that I mean something that I don't! Let's be fair here Dev!

~Complications can happen with ALL surgery types, complications that may require re-surgery or revision can happen with ALL surgery types. This is something that anyone choosing to have WLS has to accept!~

Again......that's just common sense. Why do you feel the need to keep repeating it? Everyone knows this!

And I fine it funny how you always see the rudeness in things I have said about Jean.....yet you never once chastized her for being rude to ME in the past! Isn't that suppose to work BOTH ways???

Let me ask you one question..........Do you honestly feel she is being honest when she advertises "Read BANDWAGON to learn how to live happily ever after with your band."??? Really?!?!?! You know damn well that she did NOT live happily ever after with HER band! So how can she with good conscious try to make money off of others telling them how THEY can????????????????

~Complications can happen with ALL surgery types, complications that may require re-surgery or revision can happen with ALL surgery types. This is something that anyone choosing to have WLS has to accept!~

Again......that's just common sense. Why do you feel the need to keep repeating it? Everyone knows this!



Yes, it's common sense. But you don't apply that common sense standard equally. Lap Band complications = lap band sucks. Other surgery complications = common sense.
And really, I DON"T think "everyone" knows it. I see over and over again people being surprised by the smallest of "complications."

I'm not really sure how you're getting that? Complications suck. Period. Regardless of what WLS. No one wants complications. However it is common sense that complications occur in ALL WLS's. Everyone with any sense know's that, so I'm not sure why that keeps getting brought up.

Now..........do I think lapband sucks? Of course. The band has the highest long term failure rate. I think we all got WLS to have long term success. Am I right? I see bands being removed everyday. I just don't see RNY's VSG and DS being reversed everyday.

I know you love your band. You have every right to feel that way, just as I have every right to fell as I do. As you know.........many on this forum have professed their love of thier band as well.........only to have it crap out on them.

Different ppl have different reasons for chooseing the band. I for one, fell for that "least invasive" B.S. I know I certainly would not have gotten had I known that there was almost no chance of my band lasting 5 years. And I certainly would have NEVER gotten the band had I known the high % of bandsters that don't reach restriction.

You have been very LUCKY with your band. I'm glad you have been. We all went into this full of hope that the band would work for each of us as it's advertised to do so. Fo many (ok LOTS!) of us, that just didn't happen. Dev you have been blessed! You are one of the lucky ones. Please enjoy that and try to understand why those of us that did NOT get working bands feel the way we do.