Why so much negativity?

When I first started the required six month program last February all the posts on here were so positive. Now that I have finished and am waiting for insurance approval I come back and everyone is talking like banding is so dangerous that the bands will be discontinued. How did things change so quickly in six months? Is it just that only the people who have had bad experiences are doing the talking? Also, my surgeon is no longer on the list. That makes me nervous. I am in Madison, Wisconsin. I go to the Dean Weight Management Program and my surgeon is Dr Bendewald. I haven't heard any bad stories in the support groups here in town.

No. It's not just those with negative experiences that do the talking, it's just that a few more of them are starting to speak up. So as far as how well the band works......that hasn't changed in 6 months........it worked just as crappy 6 months ago.....it's just that fewer people were willing to be honest about it.

Are you sure you've done adequate research into the Lap-band???

Oh, ,we've been talking about how horrible the band is for quite some time now. For me, it's been about 10 years of yammering on about how it nearly killed me. And most of the time I hear, "Well, just because it happened to YOU doesn't mean it will happen to me." And then, a couple years down the road when they're experiencing it, they find that's pretty much exactly what it means. If MOST people are having extreme complications from gastric banding, it's not something that happens to "other people."   I get tired of talking about how horrible the band is, honestly, and my conscience won't let me stop. I suppose at some point I'll simply just give up completely. But, until that point... here's more information... the same information I've been yammering about for years.

It's out there... the statistics are downright dismal. They're NOT good long term stats. And, even worse, the damage the bands cause isn't even fully divulged yet. There are new, very un-fun things popping up all the time... like autoimmune issues, for instance.  And nerve damage. And esophageal problems. All underreported so far.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/lap-band-surgery-half- patients-complications/story?id=13187452


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVYXk_ZPis8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIIkUcGz4pQ&feature=relmfu

http://all-about-lapband.com/problems/failure.html


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1421324/

http://www.newsmaxhealth.com/health_stories/Lap_Band_Complic ations/2011/03/23/381629.html


http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/amos/4452159/Lap-Band-more -than-50-FAILURE-rate/

I am truely sorry that you have had such an unfortunate experience with your WLS. I did read the information at those links. They all refer to an old Lap Band procedure that is no longer used.

I have looked at the "success rate" data. Mind you I am not referring to complication rates, only success rates. If you chart the weight loss after five years of ALL the current WLS procedures you will see that they all end up at a 40-60% loss of excess weight. Some people don't consider that successful because they thought they would reach and maintain a "normal" weight.
I don't know anyone who has ever been overweight who has lost ALL of their excess weight and kept it ALL off for more than five years. Statistically, most people who lose weight by non-surgical methods gain it ALL back, plus additional pounds. So, I would say if someone needed to lose 200 pounds and after five years they leveled out to a 100 pound weight loss and KEPT it off, THAT IS AS SUCCESSFUL as this game gets.

As ar as complication rates go, I think it's more important to look at those rates with the particular center/surgeon you are working with. Since the vast majority of insurance companies will not cover WLS, I'm sure this forces people to use some less than stellar providers. I see these as "coat hanger" solutions, if you get my drift. If you look at the statistics for surgeons/centers who have a long history (10+ years) of practicing and are centers of excellence, we should EXPECT their complication rate to be the same for any other similar type of surgery, as ANY surgery has its own risks.

Let's not forget that the Lap-Band procedure is not an "instand fix" that does not require any effort on the part of the patient. Unlike gastric bypass, the Lap-Band is only a tool to HELP you lose weight, since there is no non-absorption going on. Patients need to work with that tool. Someone who was banded here in Madison recently totally screwed up the Lap-Band by eating a HOTDOG over 4th of July, less than two weeks after having surgery. Boy were they pissed off at him, and rightly so. Patients who don't follow directions or use the band properly will bring on their own complications and then they get entered into that pool of complications stats. I don't feel sorry for them but I do feel sorry for the surgeons who get the bad rap for the patients poor judgement/actions.
I can see now why the Dean Weight Management Center so closely screens surgery candidates and works with them for six months before having a team meeting to discuss whether or not they would be good candidates for the surgery.

 

 Unfortunately, the negativity you refer to is just people reporting their experiences.  I felt like you do about a year ago, pointing out old, outdated methods, studies, obsolete devices in order to reassure myself I made a good decision when choosing banding.  In the last year, many of the people who were "successful" bandsters have experienced significant complications and some have had to have their bands removed.
I had the "new" method of banding and despite keeping my band loose and following all the rules, I developed complications and now am very tight, despite having had my band emptied almost 3 months ago.  I still get stuck (sometimes on water) from time to time and am very limited in what I can eat.  It seems that the stomach, trying to push food through the stoma, has developed a band of scar tissue under the silicone band, causing over-restriction.  
In addition, the band manufacturers have changed their recommendations for diet, eating, etc in the 2+ years since I got my band.  I don't know if I had eaten even more slowly, avoided all fibrous foods, waited at least one minute between bites, if I could have avoided problems.  Remember, though, I went a full 14 months with no problems at all, eating the way I was told.
I now take PPIs for reflux, fiber supplements for constant constipation and monitor my diet with excruciating precision.  I love that I have lost over 75 lb and am thankful, but I know at some point I WILL need to have my band removed and hopefully revise to a sleeve.  Our purpose in sharing our experiences is not to alarm, but create awareness, so that those who are starting to have complications will recognize them early and prevent further damage.

I just had revision surgery from lap band to sleeve, on my fourth surgervisary of the banding. 

I had fairly good results with the band.  15 and 16 months out, I had my plastics.  And then the band dragged me through hell.  My body was trying to reject it and, when it couldn't expel it, wrapped the damned thing in scar tissue.  Including INSIDE the band, where it was going to strangulate me.  On top of that, I also developed an intolerance to the surgical mesh used to attach the port.  Not sure if my bariatric surgeon used it or my plastic surgeon used it when my port was migrated during the tummy tuck but it was very painful.

I don't know whether or not you will have problems with the band should you choose to go that route.  I just know that the REPORTED statistics are that approximately 30% of banders develop issues that require a second surgery.  I suspect the reported and actual stats differ significantly.

If you choose the band, I wish you great success and no complications but I also urge you to consider the alternate choices. 

On the other hand there are many people who have not had any problems with the band.

There are also people who have had problems with RNY.

If you have done your research and feel comfortable with your decision, I say go for it.

I am going to be banded October 19th. I know many people in my area that have been banded over 7 years with no complications.

I have done a lot of research in the past year including going for orientation for RNY and still the lap band came out on top in my estimation.

I have done a lot of research in the past year including going for orientation for RNY and still the lap band came out on top in my estimation.

If you are comparing just these two surgeries, bear in mind they are like apples and oranges.

Compare banding to VSG (restrictive) and compare RNY to DS (malabsorptive) to get more perspective.  Most bandsters are in need of portion control, which is why we do well with losing with the band.  If you're a grazer or binge eater, it won't help.

When I chose my surgery, I wanted the best.  Yes there are problems with all surgeries.  For the life of me I can not understand why anyone would choose the band.  Who goes TV shopping and asks for the worst TV with the lowest ratings and the highest repair costs????  NOBODY, thats who.  So why do people choose the worst when it comes to a life changing, medical procedure????  Seriously, I am not trying to be snarky, but knowing what we know now about the band, why would anyone choose it now?  And please do not give me the "least invasive" BS.  That is NOT TRUE.

Have you fully researched the band both positive and negative? You must fully understand how the band works to KNOW if it's the best decision for YOU and not going by word of mouth and hearsay.

Here is a guide that you can read to give you an idea and what you must do post op to make sure your band heals well.

http://www.laplose.com/Media/Forms/LapBandDietGuideNew.pdf


My choice was between RNY and the band and I KNEW full well that RNY would yield faster weight loss and probably more weight loss than the band, I chose the band not because it was the least invasive, but BECAUSE IT WAS SAFER and can be removed if necessary. (I am seven years post op and (I've had some issues from eating too much and being too tight) common issues, that most have with the lap band, but not critical and all the issues I've had have been resolved (so far) quickly with unfills or medications) I've known MANY with other weight loss surgeries were not so lucky.

You need to figure out WHY YOU want the band. Many people got it because of the wrong reasons, some got it because their insurance only covered it, some got it without even researching how CRITICAL AFTERCARE is FOREVER. Some get it because it was cheaper paying cash and went out of the country.

The lap band USED TO BE AS POPULAR ON THIS BOARD as the Sleeve, it is still popular OUTSIDE of this board, but it is best people have options like the Sleeve who cannot comply with the necessary fills adjustments for life. In the past people were choosing the lap band blindly and not really researching how to live with it and stay complication free and choosing the best surgeon.

It is good to listen to those who had problems but listen with caution and suspect, and take it as a learning experience. But even sometimes with no fault of your own things can happen, port and tubing issues can happen, with the newer band as someone just reported that their band unbuckled, those are the risks you need to be aware of just like slips and erosions. And if you were getting Sleeved or RNY they come with their own risks and complications, NONE are problem free, many of us choose the surgery that we can live with long term.

If you are having concerns about your current surgeons program, you may need to start seeking another surgeon because AFTERCARE IS CRITICAL and I mean critical, if your surgeon is not available or accessible often it could very well mean how successful you are and if YOU end up with complications.

Also remember with every surgery type (lap band, sleeve, rny, ds) there are risk for complications, and remember why you are choosing the band and learn how you can be successful and complication free.

NOT EVERY ONE have lap band complications and if they do, the band can be removed, that is the REASON I chose the band, not necessarily for quicker weight loss, and I am still pretty happy at 7 years and my life is pretty normal. And honestly, if I have complications and need to get my band removed, I probably will not revise to nothing because I will end up having to do the exact same thing by watching what I eat and exercising, no weight loss surgeries are free rides long term.

Good luck.