Band Bashing, really?

Please stop accusing us of bashing the band.    WE ARE NOT!!  We are just being realistic and warning you all of the possible outcome of having the Oh so glorious lapband. 

I find the good bad and the ugly about the band is very important!

It is all in the approach!!!    My band is a waste of money to me, but I still come here to learn.    For me as a child I listened carefully when told things in a calm manner!

As an Adult, I will not be spoken to or written to as a dumb ass!  I will take learning lessons and whatever if done in a positive format!

I have learned so much from Maria about the band, but today somehow was an off the cuff day for her!

I agree Paula! We are doing it b/c we CARE enough about people to tell them the truth. Supp[ort is NOT telling ppl what they want to hear!

But I guess now the government is band bashing as well since they just reported unfavorable band stats, lol.

Myself and my husband both had lap-band surgery Oct 4th 2011 at the same time.
We are both doing well, I have lost 64 pounds and he has lost 92 pounds so far.
Has it taken alot of work? Yes.
We both joined Weigh****chers the end of November 2011 and we both exercise at least 5 times a week.
We have friends and family who have had lap-band and gastric bypass surgery.
And they all say that no matter type of WLS you have it takes commitment and work.
WLS is not a quick fix, it is a tool to help with weight loss.
I did alot of research before making the decision to have WLS and I have also heard horror stories about both lap-band and gastric bypass, the reason we opted for lap-band was because if something went wrong it could be reversed.
So, it does take alot of work and patience, we are still in the process of seeing our surgeon every six weeks for fills and follow ups until we reach that "green zone".
All I can say is WLS is not a cure for obesity, it is a tool.

First and foremost, I would like to congratulate you and your husband on your weight loss.  I wish the best for you both, but you have to understand how tired those of us who were harmed by the band are of hearing about how it is a "tool" and how it's "reversible." It's really NOT either of those things for the majority of people in the long run.

Most people who are in the "honeymoon" phase with the band feel very happy with their decision. Around the 2 year mark, things usually start changing... and then they gain an understanding of what we were talking about. I'm sorry to put it that bluntly, but I've witnessed this for the past NINE years. Like I said in another thread, it never, ever changes.

I simply cannot understand that, with the advent of all the new information that sheds a less than shining light upon the lapband, people are still enamored of this surgery. 

Do not be surprised if you never reach "the green zone." It's a myth, I'm sorry to say. I lost over 100 pounds while banded... because I was completely unable to eat solid foods, ever. And that was with no saline in my band.

I'm not responding to this post to argue and I hope you don't take it that way. I'm just sharing my viewpoint, especially for people who are thinking of undergoing lapband surgery.

First of all.......congrats on all the weight lost! But I do have to point out...........YOU lost the weight. If you aren't in the green zone, then you have done it all on your own. So at this point.....the band really has not benefited either of you.

Second of all........this "tool". That is true for some. Many of us never get restriction, and therefore never have a "tool". I do hope you all are some of the LUCKY ones though!

I've found the same to be true. However, I have not been as motivated at you two-Congrats. I know it ain't easy. Honestly, I expected it to be a more "aggressive tool" but that has not been the case.
I NEED to EXERCISE!! I think that is my GREEN zone.LoL

6 years out and I'm begining to worry about long term issues and it sounds like this board is full of folks who have suffered short and long term effects.
I just wonder if the quaility of surgeon is affecting some outcomes? Guess, that's something we will never be able to truly measure. I felt my M.D. was one in a million, he was honest about most of the risks, and of course, benefits. But this is a fairly new device and seems that the LONG Term issues are starting to rear their ugly heads. Case in point: I just had an unfill yesterday due to esophogus dilation:( Apparently I had been too tight for two long. What next?
Just trying to eat right(haha) and manage w/o the bands help until this issue can be resolved.(fingers crossed).

 what were your symptons Mona, of your esophogus dilation?

Your Post:
On May 10, 2012 at 6:41 AM Pacific Time, Mona K. wrote:I've found the same to be true. However, I have not been as motivated at you two-Congrats. I know it ain't easy. Honestly, I expected it to be a more "aggressive tool" but that has not been the case.
I NEED to EXERCISE!! I think that is my GREEN zone.LoL

6 years out and I'm begining to worry about long term issues and it sounds like this board is full of folks who have suffered short and long term effects.
I just wonder if the quaility of surgeon is affecting some outcomes? Guess, that's something we will never be able to truly measure. I felt my M.D. was one in a million, he was honest about most of the risks, and of course, benefits. But this is a fairly new device and seems that the LONG Term issues are starting to rear their ugly heads. Case in point: I just had an unfill yesterday due to esophogus dilation:( Apparently I had been too tight for two long. What next?
Just trying to eat right(haha) and manage w/o the bands help until this issue can be resolved.(fingers crossed).


My Response:
Sorry to hear about your dilation...but weren't you WARNED on this board about being too tight too long? This is not a told you so response...but this is nothing new....LONG TERM PROBLEMS CAN BE AVOIDED....Remember many vets used to preach the dangers of keeping TOO TIGHT FILL FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME? and the discussion used to be talked about constantly on THIS BOARD...did you listen to other veteran bandsters? I DID..and I don't have any problems with my esophagus.

Your surgeon don't know how tight your band is...and ONLY believe what YOU TELL THEM....your surgeon may have been extremely qualified but if you tell him you can eat solid food with no problems and don't vomit often, they usually believe you, even if your band is too tight...fluro don't always pick up too tight fills either....it's up to YOU ....there are charts of proper fill levels any time you start experiencing frequent adverse symptoms you have to report it to your surgeon before it's too late and damage is done.

My surgeon was excellent. He did his residency at the Mayo Clinic. That hasn't helped me any though. I think you odds are slightly better with a decent surgeon, but there are just wayyyyyyyyyyyy to many band failures and complications for it to be the blame of bad surgeons.