What I hate..,

 I don't come here as often as I used to because of all the negativity. I hate the "blanket statements" that claim that all banders eventually will have problems. I have been fortunate and have been very successful without any complications. I realize some have problems and it has nothing to do with what they have or have not done. I am sorry for these people. I cannot begin to imagine their frustration. If this board had been as negative 4 years ago as it is today I might not have gotten the Band. I was self pay and no other surgery was available or affordable. The Band was my first and only choice so I probably would have done nothing. 4 years later at the weight of 488, I could very likely be dead. Or bedridden. I would have missed the smile on my daughter's face when she graduated from the Culinary Institute of America. I would have missed the feeling of falling in love again. And I would have missed the pride of being healthy. All WLS comes with risks, all take hard work and diligence. The band is not for everyone, but to say it is not for anyone is just wrong. The Lapband saved my life. I do not take that lightly. 

 And the Lap Band nearly TOOK my life, and I don't take that lightly either. I could have missed my two year olds first steps, first words, first everything, I could have left my other four children motherless and my husband a widower. And it had nothing to do with how I was as a patient b/c most of the time I had my band it was pretty much fully open b/c I was pregnant and nursing. 

If my sharing the information I have and the first hand account of my own experience is considered a "negative" then oh well, I will be negative. Support is not always telling people what they want to hear, sometimes its telling them the things they don't want to hear too.

I am glad it didn't take your life and you were able to get a revision. I know personally I wouldn't have lived at the weight I was. I have no problem with people telling their story. You should. You must. But what I dislike is the generalizations - the blanket statements that claim ALL Lapbands fail. It is not true. I have 2 friends who have died from the complications of RNY and that angers me, but would it be right or fair for me to say, All RNY patients will die? No.

 I agree and that is why I don't make them, I think a lot of times those statements are made out of frustration and anger. I have been running and traveling in on-line circles for years, the lesson I have learned is that you take what you want from them and just ignore the stuff that bugs you, there is always going to be those few people who drive you bat****

BUT you have to admit that there are blanket statements made by the other side too "If you just did what you should have" or "maybe if you just followed the rules" and that is incendiary also b/c many of us have done the things that we needed too and still paid a huge price. 

You are always going to have extreams on both sides, on message boards and in real life, you just play to the middle and try to stay out of the mud on both sides. 

 Absolutely. I don't blame anyone for their Band issues or failures. It is not my place nor would it be fair. I know not one of us got the Band with the intention of failure. We all had hopes to be healthy one day. And we all deserve the same.

I hate that blanket statement too, and I equally hate coming across post's that imply all "negative" bandsters that have not been fortunate and have not been very "successful" and have complications make blanket statements that claim ALL Lapbands will have problems. 


" I hate the "blanket statements" that claim that all banders eventually will have problems "

Please make a list of ALL the people ( besides Maria ) who keep making these blanket statements.

 I never said, ALL those who have had failed bands make those statements. I said I hate the generalizations. There are several others besides stated person. I don't know their names. I am sorry if I offended you or anyone else. I do not feel all who have failed Lapbands make blanket statements. 

I know you didn't state that, but could you please take the time to list those who made the blanket statements in question ?

 I wish I could, but I can't remember their names. I know of Maria and there are a few others. If I can find those posts I will come back and edit.

Amen!!