Headhunter

Hi, and welcome to the board. I had my Lap Band for about 6 years as well;, and it was big failure for me. Like the others here, I'm curious to know about your second thoughts regarding your surgery. Share with us!:biggrin: HH

I also have to comment on one thing that the OP said, that I know to be incorrect. He/she said that the mortality rate for Bypass is 10X that of the Lap band. Entirely untrue, you have been given incorrect information. Even if your surgeon told you that, it is incorrect. I have found that many, many Surgeons/Doctors are not really aware of the real stats for ANY of the surgeries, strange as it might sound. There are numerous ways of looking at mortality rates: on operating table, complications resulting from non-surgical issues, etc,. It's an area in which you can take any amount of numbers that have been collected, and apply then in any number of ways. It's the same the concept of "WLS Failures"....you have to define failure, and there are at least 9 definitions of failure as it relates to WLS outcomes. It's a topic for a whole different conversation, but I will tell that the idea of the death rate of GB being 10X that of the LB on any scale,,,,well, it's simply not correct. HH

Special K....my favorite Cereal, by the way.:tongue: Some comedian once pondered: "So, I understand the Special K.....but, what happened to the "REGULAR" K....where did THAT go?" HH

Thank you, Special, I do appreciate that. Yes, my experience was kind of a "perfect storm", and the "tides" from that storm will be with me in many ways, for many years to come. Which is why I appear pretty passionate about this entire issue when I discuss it. I have been immersed in this entire WLS maelstrom for nearly eight years, and I have learned an enormous amount about the procedures, the marketing of them, the psychology of those giving and getting the surgery....so many things. I find myself getting a little angry at times, when I hear people giving out what I KNOW to be incorrect or faulty information. I know that it comes through at times in my posts. But there is just so much baloney that is being tossed around. The internet is a WONDERFUL source of information, but you really have to discount about 40 percent of what you read out there. People continually regurgitate stats and info that they read on some blog or some site, and they state it as FACT....and it is often not. Even Doctors frequently give out misinformation; they state their OWN surgical outcome stats as being industry-wide stats, when it's simply not true. So I really, really kind of pound on people to take plenty of time, and do the research. Anyway, sorry for the rant; I do appreciate your comments, and my wish....no, my PRAYER is that everyone , regardless of what procedure they end up having, ends up being healthy, happy, and able to enjoy life to the fullest. Because, I think that is one of the reasons we are here to begin with! Best to ya!:tongue: HH

Pangea, was the Doctor who said that your surgeon? HH

I never said you weren’t “fine”. My post had nothing to do with you. Your sentence makes absolutely no sense. People may “prefer” a particular surgery, but it might not be the RIGHT one for them and their circumstances. It’s not the one that will help them achieve their goal the most efficiently. And, some people are ok with that, and that’s fine…just as long as they understand that going in. I just don’t think many people “get” that, and that is the fault of the Surgeons and the GP’s and the Insurance companies, and the individuals themselves. They see the advertisements for the Band, and all they see is what is presented as a “quick, affordable, solution”, so they sign up for the Band without doing their homework. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. If you are suggesting that someone should ignore what they NEED in favor what they might PREFER….well….then, you have some bigger issues than weight facing you…….:tongue: HH

It's not specific tests, as in Medical tests. It's more counseling with psychotherapists that have a very specific expertise and experience in eating disorders and bariatrics. This is one of the "missing links" in the whole bariatric surgery experience, I think, and it's not being addressed nearly to the degree that it should be. There are people who need RESTRICTIVE procedures (band, Sleeve), and there are those who need MALABSORBTIVE procedures, such as the Bypass. And, of course, there are those for whom no surgery will work on any long term basis, because of a combination of issues. It takes a skilled therapist or Dr to be able to help a patient look closely at their personal history of weight gain/loss, eating habits, etc, and come to a conclusion about the right surgery for them....IF surgery is really even necessary. This, I think, is one of the reasons that there is such a high failure rate for all of the WLS procedures....people get the wrong kind of surgery for their particular eating disorder/personality/physiology. There ARE those people for whom ANY WLS will work, because they are willing to DO the work required to MAKE it a success. But I think those people are kind of rare. I firmly believe that if Drs spent more time working with their patients prior to surgery, and required some fairly long-term committment of Counseling with the right kind of Therapist, the entire experience of WLS would have a much higher level of success and satisfaction. As it stands now, MOST Drs/insurance only require a simple single-session interview with a Mental Health professional, and that is usually just a rubber-stamp process. HH

Somtimes, a fill WILL help, to a certain degree.....usually, a limited degree, though. This is why it is really, really important prior to having ANY kind of WLS to do the homework and find out exactly what kind of eating disorder/Metabolic/absorbtion issue you might have. In many circumstances, the band is NOT the right choice, particularly when continuous and nagging hunger is an issue. In these situations the Sleeve or the Bypass may be a better solution, because components of those surgeries address the hunger issues quite specifically. I'm not necessarily suggesting that you got the wrong surgery, but I think it's important for people who have not gotten their surgery yet, and who are reading these posts to help them in their decision making process, be aware that the various types of WLS address different circumstances and issues....it's not a matter of simply choosing whatever surgery you prefer, it's about choosing the surgery that is right for YOU. HH

Hey, Good luck on your Surgery.....welcome to the world of the restricted! Are you into fishing? HH

I think a more interesting question would be: If Barack were WHITE, would he be President? Not a Chance! (Headhunter is ducking behind a very large couch.....)

This is really a thread on human interaction. And there was an interesting change in the dynamic between Beth and Bjean, when Bjean asked Beth how she perceives her (and i'm assuming Bjean is a woman....that's ANOTHER discussion of perception!). And Beth replied bluntly and honestly, to her immense credit. I have been online since way before the internet was the internet. Old Bulletin Board systems, the arpanet, etc. I've been around a long time. And the Internet IS my business. I'm a Computer Engineer by profession, I own a web Hosting company, i'm an "internet entrepreneur", and I own/manage a number of sites like LapBandTalk, but with different subject matter, of course. I mention this all because for many years I have been conscious of and aware of an interesting dynamic in myself, and in other people as well. Here's an example: There are people on THIS board that I hate with a real passion, at least emotionally. There are people here that treated me like crap when I first joined this system, and the exchanges I had with them were quite personal and, at time, quite nasty. I thought I had outgrown that kind of stuff many years ago, but I had never been attacked in quite the personal way that I was here. So, I developed some real "virtual" hatred for some people, some of which I harbor to this day. Now, I have these feelings on an EMOTIONAL level. INTELLECTUALLY, I understand that I would probably be capable of being good friends with many of the people I despise. It's just that because of THIS MEDIUM that we are using (an internet forum), we are seeing only a SINGLE DIMENSION of each other. And sometimes that particular dimension is not all that pleasant. So, it is interesting to watch when two people are "going at it", and then it calms down to a point where they are asking what they think of each other. Because, in SPITE of some of the name-calling and vitriol that is displayed amongst some people here on this forum (and elsewhere), if we were all together in a room, with NO history, we would all probably get along pretty well, and some great friendships would probably be made. Just an Observation.... HH P.S......that doesn't mean that there aren't some a***oles on this forum......:thumbup:

(Headhunter grabs a bowl of popcorn and curls up on the couch.....):thumbup:

The required exam is usally pretty worthless. It's a one-time thing, where they sometimes have you take a test. I sincerely believe that a component of the process SHOULD be several months of hard-core psychotherapy, with a Bariatric-specific therapist, one that can help you sort out what KIND of eater you are, and help you make the proper choice.....and, help you decide whether in fact you really NEED the surgery. Regardless of what KIND of surgery you have, MOST people would agree that it's a mind game, to a certain degree. SO much of this has to do with the mind and the emotions and self discipline. Many people complain about the "hoops" they have to jump through to get insurance approval for the WLS. Frankly, i'm surprised that the insurance companies don't make you go through 10 times the amount that they do. I think anyone would be foolish to go into any WLS without (at the VERY least) several months of weekly therapy. HH

No, I'll stand by my comment that the band is purely restriction. What you have added is simply the technical explanation of WHY the restriction works. The bottom line, though, is that restriction does NOT work for everyone. If it did, there would be no other forms of WLS on the market. Lap Bands are the most popular form of WLS right now because they are the Cheapest, it is becoming the MOST available form of WLS because it is a less complicated procedure and more Doctors are getting into it, and, it works for a large number of people. But NONE of that means that it is the best for YOU. This is the most important thing that I have learned during my nearly 8 years of WLS exploration. That there are multiple choices, each of which needs to be looked at in detail, and choice made based upon what is right for >YOU< ...and YOU ALONE. HH

Don't know why i don't have it on my profile, but i'm close to your age as well....54.....:wink:

The Lap Band is MOST successful if you apply the "usual" dieting/exercise logic to it. You HAVE to exercise to be able to lose weight at a satisfying speed. And, you have to be careful about what you eat. It IS very, very easy to "eat around" the band....in fact, you can eat around ALL of the WLS variations.....some more than others. One of the huge benefits of both the Bypass AND the sleeve is the reduction of Grehlin, which is a hunger-producing hormone. For many people, that IS the answer in itself. The band does not have that ability. SOME people find that their hunger is eventually reduced by the band, but it is not a primary function of the band. The band is purely restriction.....which is enough for SOME people, but not nearly all. THAT is why this is such a PERSONAL decision. One size does NOT fit all. HH

Hope it helps you in your decision. And feel free to ask me anything, publicly or in private, about my experiences. It's a tough decision, and I really don't think that the Bariatric "industry" does a very good job of helping people make the choice. As I said, my lap band experience was a complete mess. But my Bypass has given me some challenges as well, though not nearly to the degree of the Band. The bypass DID turn out to be what was NEEDED for me, and I think this is KEY.....what it is that YOU, INDIVIDUALLY, need. Take your time in making this choice. It may be one that will be with you for life, so it's important to take whatever time it takes to do the homework. You didn't become overweight overnight, so you need to devote a proper amount of time in developing YOUR solution. I know that it's tempting to just dive into it, but you really need to take it one step at a time. Best of luck to you, we're all here to help!:wink: HH

Hi, Pixie, and welcome aboard. You will certainly find a wide variety of opinions on this board, MOSTLY in favor of the Band. After all, it IS LapBandTalk. :wink: I might considered one of the "dissenters", although I am fully aware that my experience was unusual. The question of "regretting the Lap Band" comes up on occasion, so I will copy here a comment (ok, a novel, actually!) that I made on this subject before. See below. FIRST, though, Since you mentioned the Bypass, I will say first that the Bypass was what ULTIMATELY was right for ME, and it IS the right choice for many, many people. As I have had BOTH procedures (Lap band and Gastric Bypass), I can speak to this from a bit of experience. The first thing I’d like to point out is the misconception that the entire Weight Loss Surgery issue is that of a big WLS “Smorgasbord”, and that all you have to do is simply pick the one that tickles your fancy. Wrong. They are ALL different, and they are meant for different types of people and bodies. They ALL work (to varying degrees)…..but their long-term (and short-term) efficacy is dependant on some very individual elements. You really need to take the time and the effort to ascertain which WLS is right for you. Some people need restriction. Some people need Malabsorbtion. Some need a combination. And, there are those few people for whom NO WLS is going to be entirely effective, long-term; for them, it's very much a Psychological issue. Ok, so on to the "lap-Band" regrets portion!: Do I regret having the Lap Band Installed? I began to reply to this question with a simple one-word answer: yes. But that would be a little unfair. The question is simple. For some, though, the answer is not. On one level, I DEEPLY regret my decision to have the Lap Band installed. For me, it was a life-threatening, mind-numbingingly disgusting experience that consumed several years of my life, left me in poor health for a long period, left me with tons of hospital bills, kept me from working full-time for several years, and the experience almost killed me at least a couple of times..….the list goes on. However, it’s not as simple as just saying that I regret my Lap Band experience. I regret the Lap-band PORTION of my experience, but it was part of an overall experience that ultimately led me to a much higher level of health and fitness than I would otherwise have had. So, I have come to see it as an ugly side trip on an, overall, beneficial journey. Of course, the side trip was very, very ugly. The Lap band Port popped out of my stomach at one point, left a dripping, oozing hole that would not heal, parts of the band that SHOULD have been removed in a second surgery were not, and ultimately burrowed INSIDE of my colon, requiring more surgery. It was a long and nasty experience, and I won’t recount it all here. I recognize and acknowledge the fact that my experience with the Lap band was atypical. Most people have a pretty good experience with the Lap Band. It’s not always successful to the degree that people want it to be, but that can be a result of many factors. Many people do NOT follow the protocol laid out by the Surgeon. Some people try and eat the same way they did prior to having the Lap Band installed, and then wonder why the band isn’t working. Some people think that the band will be doing ALL the work – WRONG. Some Surgeon’s office teams don’t provide particularly good instructions. Some Surgeons are inexperienced and simply do a lousy job (mine). There are plenty of people who have the band installed, get one or two fills, and simply lose the weight they need to, with little or no problem. I am THRILLED for those people. I couldn’t be happier. You will see many of them posting on this board. BUT, some of them make it seem like it works that way for everyone. And it does NOT work that way for everyone. There ARE problems, for many, many people. Some people have died as a result of Lap Band complications. And for some, it just simply does NOT work, for a variety of reasons. The Surgeon who removed my Lap Band told me on several occasions that he felt that the band would be removed from the market within a few years because of increasing problems and complications. He should know, because he specializes in correcting problems with the band. Do I think it will be removed from the market? Probably not, because in spite of the problems that many people have, it has saved many lives, and improved the quality of many others. I do, however, think that some SURGEONS should be removed from the market. J. Also, the Lap Band (and other Weight Loss Surgeries) have become a HUGE business. It’s an INDUSTRY now, putting hundreds of millions of dollars into the pockets of members of the AMA, which is an enormously powerful lobby. No, there’s just too much money involved for it to go away. And, there has been so much benefit to many people. In my case, I had a hack surgeon: “Dr.” Theodore Kahlili at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles. I know that there are people on this board that have had success with “Dr.” Khalili, but that was NOT my experience. In my case, I believe he was incompetent….SEVERAL times. And when something goes wrong with your band, just watch him run. I would have been better off having the guy that cuts my Sushi install my Lap Band. He was also arrogant…VERY arrogant. I recognize that Surgeons are human, and they can make mistakes. But, they need to stand up and be accountable when they do. That is why when I make a post on this board I will almost ALWAYS make the strong suggestion that you choose your surgeon CAREFULLY….your life may depend on it. Of course, life is a series of experiences that combine to make us who we are. This means good experiences, bad experiences, wonderful relationships, bad relationships; it all adds up to create a total life experience. My Lap Band experience was one small element of my life that grew to become a very significant part of my life for several years. So, while the question itself is quite simple (“do you regret having your Lap Band”), the answer (for some) is not. We are all unique. Our physiology is different. Our mental states are all different. We are going to have DIFFERENT outcomes. When I reverse-engineer my entire lap-band experience, I see areas where I could have affected the outcome in a more positive manner. Like choosing a surgeon that was qualified to handle something more than a butter knife. There were other areas in which I made mistakes as well. But, I had never had a lap band before. And frankly, I was not told very much about it by my “Surgeon’s” office. And when I had my band installed, there were not the resources available online that there are today, such as this forum. So, yes, I regret the Lap Band, and I regret my choice of surgeon, but I do not regret the overall experience that I have had over the last several years. I have learned much about health, nutrition, our Medical system, Insurance companies, lawyers, Human nature, and MYSELF. I wish I did not have to have gone through what I went through, but something tells me that it was for a reason. There were things I needed to learn. And learn I did. “The Journey is the Reward”. HH

Group Hug.:blushing:

Sarah, it's funny, but I never noticed it until PixelSmack mentioned it.....this forum IS mostly women. I don't know what the percentages are...maybe Alex has the stats..... I wonder why that is.....maybe women are more concerned about their weight than men? :blushing: Who knows.....:w00t: HH

Pixel, that only describes your PHYSICAL characteristics. As I have said, the amount you weigh, need to lose, etc, is not always the indicator of WHICH surgery you should choose. It may have worked well for him. Might not for you! :blushing: HH

Incidentally, Khalili (the aforemetioned hack surgeon) is now the DIRECTOR of the Cedars Bariatric program, so THAT might tell you about the quality of that particular Program. I'll be posting some more info and thoughts later, I'm just having a HELL of a week. Busy!!! and you know what? Most it is "catching up" on the years on life I lost because of those cretins at Cedars and the Lap Band fiasco I experienced. HH

Well, MY experience with the band was dreadful. It doesn't happen this was with everyone, but it was MY experience. First, I have to say that I had an idiot for a surgeon. "Dr". Theodore Khalili at Cedars-Sinai. (or Cedars-Cyanide, as it has become known in my family). I thought that by going to a world-class medical facility that I would get world-class care. Wrong. I got a world-class idiot. He was an experienced trauma surgeon. However, he was NOT an experienced LAP-BAND surgeon. And when the problems began, he disappeared. Couldn't find him. Refused my calls. He was probably taking his scalpels to the park and practicing on the squirrels. I had to threaten a lawsuit numerous times to get him to respond. I won't go into the whole, long story here, but essentially the port became infected, It actually POPPED OUT OF MY STOMACH while I was on a business trip. I had surgeries to deal with that, and the "Dr" left a tube in me that should have been taken out, and it burrowed down INSIDE of my colon, requiring additional surgeries to remove. The surgeries, infections, and everything associated with it ruined my health for several years, cost me a ton of money, and i only lost NINE pounds as a result. Damn thing nearly killed me on several occasions. So, no, the Band did NOT work for me. The surgeon that removed the band (he is an expert in problems with the band) told me on several occasions that he believes that the Band will be removed from the market within several years due to INCREASING numbers of incidents such as mine experience. Now, as i have stated, this was only MY experience....most people do not have this kind of outcome. But, many do. Some people have died as a result of their "relationship" with the Band. BUT....other people have died as a result of their obesity. You have to decide what the balance is for YOU. HH

The simple answer is yes, it CAN help you lose that weight. But, the better question is, "is it right for ME?". The different Weight Loss Surgeries are really meant for different body types and personalities. You might need restriction (lap band, Sleeve), or you might need Malabsorbtion (Bypass). And, there is the possibility that NONE of them will work well for you. It's not as simple as just choosing a surgeon, going in and telling them what you want. You really need to do the research and find out what YOU need. And, don't rule out the very real possibility that a different diet/exercise program might be what works for you as well. The BEST weight loss surgery is NO surgery. You really don't want to do this unless you HAVE to. People are very quick to jump into WLS these days, because insurance is pretty quick to pay for it, and the advertisements make it sound like a "fast and easy" solution. MOST Lap Band "recipients" and the those who have had other WLS will tell you that it is neither fast NOR easy. Do a LOT of research, and don't go too much by what OTHER people's experiences have been. Just because something worked well for them does NOT mean it will work well for you. Take your time to study this.....you didn't become obese overnight, and you shouldn't make any quick decisions in picking a solution to the problem. best of luck to you in this process! HH

Hi, PixelSmack.... Welcome to the Board. You'll find a lot of varying opinions here. Looks like we live in the same general area...... Maybe I can be of some help. First, I'm a man. Except when I am standing on a tall building, looking down. Then i'm a girly-girl. Second, I've had a Lap band. Third, I've had a Gastric Bypass. The band Sucked. Fourth, I've lost ALL the weight I needed to, and I feel great. Don't "tie" yourself to the idea of a band. There are other procedures that may be more "right" for YOU. It's not about choosing the most "comfortable" procedures....it's about choosing what is right for YOUR body. Ask any questions you might have.....I'd write more now, but I have an appt I have to leave for. Remember....it's NOT a "Weight Loss Surgery Buffet" where you simply choose whatever you want......the different procedures are meant for different type of people and personalities. Good Luck in your process.....everyone is here to help! (except for a few, who are here simply to piss you off.... :wink: ) HH