anyone happy with LapBand?

Is there anyone out there happy with their decision to have LapBand? All i hear is negativity on this webside. Am scheduled for the 27th of April and having second thoughts.

Sure, but you'll find it's the unhappiest wheels that squeek the loudest, so to speak. Some of the "happy" people have been chased away by the negativity. I know it deters me from spending a lot of time here.

In the end, the decision about whether to proceed to needs to be yours alone and, if you have concerns, you really need to discuss them with your doctor.
 
I am reasonably happy with my band, and I know some who are even more happy with their band. Has my journey been without complications? No, but thus far they have been acceptable to me in terms of what I'm willing to deal with.

All WLS have risks associated with them, from the risk of not losing much weight or regaining weight to the risk of scary complications, such as intestinal strictures, vitamin deficiencies, slips, and the need for revisions. In the end, you need to look at what the risks are for all of the surgery types you are considering and decide what risks and how much risk is acceptable to you. You also need to consider other factors, such as what kind of eater you are (do you graze? do you eat a lot at once? do you eat a lot of sweets?) as those factors can have a big impact on your ability to succeed with one surgery versus another. You also need to talk with your surgeon to get an iea of what they feel is the best option for you and your health concerns. There's no easy answer that any of us can supply. 

~Some of the "happy" people have been chased away by the negativity.~

While I don't doubt that some of the "happy" people have left because of the negative band stories.........if fairness, a lot of "unhappy" people have left because of negativity and even outright attacks on them. It works both ways.

Too true.

I quit coming here when I had problems, considered a revision, and was told to take my whining elsewhere. A few of the vocal successful bandsters told me multiple times that the problems were my own doing. There was no more compliant bandster than me.

To the OP, you are lucky to be reading how miserable you may be BEFORE you waste your time with the band. It has the worst success rate among any of the surgeries, so do your research.

 
To be short, your post makes me ill.

I have been in your shoes and I HATED it.  I am so sorry you are going through this. 

GAWD I hate this!  It's just freaken wrong.  When a band goes bad it goes really seriously bad.  It ruins your life.  It affects every bloody part of your waking moment.

After all this hell, I just want to say I am sorry and (((HUGS)))

M

Oh I received TONS of negative responses, and actual ATTACKS when I started complaining about my lapband. I would hear all the time that I was whining, bitter, angry, etc. Did I whine? Hell yes! And I had every right to do so! I didn't get what I paid for! Am I bitter? Hell yes! Am I angry? Hell yes! But just b/c I was angry, bitter and whined about the band didn't make anything I said less true! IT IS WHAT IT IS!

And while I didn't let anyone run me off, I know so many that did and that has always made me sad that so many that needed support the most............were unable to get support on this "support" forum. Fortunately things have changed for the better on here and much more support is offered than previously. :-)

As far as her being lucky to read these responses before she gets the band.............yes, she is! I wish more than anything someone had spoken to me the way I speak to pre-ops on here and told me what the band was really like!

" Sure, but you'll find it's the unhappiest wheels that squeek the loudest, so to speak. Some of the "happy" people have been chased away by the negativity. I know it deters me from spending a lot of time here."

I'm sorry you feel that way Dev, it has never been my intention to chase successful, educated, helpful bandsters away. I sincerely only want to share with pre-ops and support and offer those with common band injuries a place where they can freely share their band experiences in a respectful and supportive manner.

Realistically, I know there will be days where both sides will post from an emotional state and things can turn ugly here, but for the most part I have seen a change in this forum that I feel supports both our successful bandsters and those to which the band has injured. 

Some days seem to lean heavily toward the negative, and others toward the positive, but as long as there are those of us who can keep posting from a place of factual support and encouragement, then I really believe that this board will be a place anyone can come to and find truth, facts, education, tips, encouragement, respect, and support.

" You also need to consider other factors, such as what kind of eater you are (do you graze? do you eat a lot at once? do you eat a lot of sweets?) as those factors can have a big impact on your ability to succeed with one surgery versus another."

Dev,
To some extent I can agree with you about the above statement, but in my case, it wouldn't have mattered one bit.
During my pre-op work up with my surgeons the nut, she told me I would have a greater chance at success in achieving my EWL with the bypass surgery rather then with the band because I was a grazer and a sweet eater. I was never a volume eater.

With the band I far succeeded the EWL that my surgeons nut predicted I would, as well as Allergan stats on their website. I was actually a " Success " according to Allergans stats, my surgeons nut, and my insurance companies stats and still continue to be so.

Many " Band Bashers "  have met their EWL stats ( the EWL stats are not a very high set of 
( standards ) to meet.  I think this is a misconception amongst both,
" Happy Bandsters and Band Bashers. "

For example, here are my starting stats and EWL with the band.

Starting weight was 256
Normal  BMI weight for my height is 145 ( At the high end )
Weight at 6 years out for me was the same at 36 months out ( 184 )
72 lbs lost

My EWL per manufacture at 50 %

256 - 145 = 111 pounds excess weight

256 - 184 =  72 pounds lost

72 / 111 = 0.648...  = 65%

I know that I have lost more of my EWL then others, but many have reached their EWL and still been injured by the band.

At the time, I had lost 65% of my excess weight. I was considered a success according to the manufacture of the Lap bands chart right ?  That's only if you define success by amount of weight lost.

Success should be defined not only by amount of weight lost, but by obesity related risks and quality of life too right ?  Didn't those of us who had our insurance pay for our surgeries have to meet a certain criteria to be considered a candidate for WLS, and didn't that criteria state certain NIH guidelines which put us at known risks for obesity related diseases and conditions ?

Today my total weight loss is 92 lbs, but my BMI is currently 28.1
Here's the truth, weighing 164 lbs with a BMI of 28.1 would indicate that I am still overweight and, according to the NIH (National Institutes of Health), being overweight or obese have known risk factors for the following:

• diabetes
• coronary heart disease
• high blood cholesterol
• stroke
• hypertension
• gallbladder disease
• osteoarthritis (degeneration of cartilage and bone of joints)
• sleep apnea and other breathing problems
• some forms of cancer (breast, colorectal, endometrial, and kidney)

Obesity is also associated with:

• complications of pregnancy
• menstrual irregularities
• hirsutism (presence of excess body and facial hair)
• stress incontinence (urine leakage caused by weak pelvic floor muscles)
• psychological disorders, such as depression
• increased surgical risk
• increased mortality

I think it's important that all of us, at the very least, redefine our definition of success.


One of many things I try to warn/educate pre-op bandsters about is " Medical Necessity. "

They will NOT remove the band unless it's "Medically Necessary."
When I complained of  reflux.
When I complained of vomiting almost everyday for a couple of months.
When I complained of burning and bee stinging like sensations near my post area for MONTHS
When I complained of esophageal spasms
When I complained of nutcracker esophagus
When I complained of dysphagia.
When I complained of esophageal motility disorder
When I complained of nausea
When I complained of severe pain
When I complained of chronic shoulder pain
When I complained of nerve damage
When I complained of inability to swallow liquids
When I complained of inability to swallow my own saliva
When I complained of back pain
When I complained of anxiety attacks
When I complained of loss of quality of my life,
they ( My insurance company ) denied my appeals for lap band removal, because I was considered a success, and all the above mentioned complaints were considered,
" Not Medically Necessary " for my band to be removed.

The list goes on Dev, and one of my points here is that it's incredibly hard and in some cases impossible to get your insurance company to remove the band once it's placed, and that success should not only be measured by amount of weight lost.

We must redefine our definition of success.

Lisa

Very insightful! I have known I don't know how many bandsters that were even able to lose ALL their EWL............however they later developed complications at just a few years out and needed their bands removed. This to me is not success! It is just a short term fix at best. Kind of like putting a bandaid on a gun shot wound! :-(

I think there are a lot of happy people out there. You are always going to hear the negatives more than the positives.

That being said I wish I hadn't done it. If I had it to do all over again I would have gone with the sleeve.

My advice - don't expect miracles. The only thing the band will do (hopefully) is limit the amount you can eat. It's still up to you to put the right things in you mouth and to exercise.

 Lisa:

I don't want to be Debbie Downer, but you have to watch what you eat with EVERY surgery! Nothing is going to act as a magic bullet for anyone!