LapBand Lower Class????

[123crod 170]

Okay, This weekend I went to the OH (Obesity Help) WLS Conference in Houston. I went with 3 other friends who have the band too. We had so much fun!!! But . . . .

Why do people seem to think people with the band are a lower class of people than those who have gastric bypass or the sleeve? Several times when we were seated at tables with others we would discuss what surgery we had and the gastric bypass people really would be totally turned off to people with the band. One couple even said “Don't worry we won't move" (to another table). What? Please are you superior to me because you had a large amount of your insides removed? Or maybe your surgery cost more than mine? Oh I know you lost weight faster than me?

Now the speakers and promoters are very band friendly as were the venders but the people. Could not believe it. There were a lot of Bandsters there but we were out numbered.

Anyone else experience this?

Cheri

[Humming Bird 275]

Wow, sorry to hear that. It's ok, let them feel superior. The band has worked very well for me and many others.

[LeighaMason 19]

Oh look I'm slumming....I mean slimming...I mean...What the..? :thumbup: I'm a size 4 who cares what they think!

[Noturningback15 45]

I am not sure about the "lower class" but it could be jealously because we have to actually put in more work than they do. They may feel like they took the easier way out. Plus, there are a lot of doctors that try to paint such an ugly picture of the band to convince them not to get it. I know my sister's doctor kept trying to convince her to do the Gastric Bypass but she stuck to her wants. Some of us are still able to eat some of our favorite foods vs. them getting sick (some of us do too). We have the option of going to get adjustments vs. them streching their stomach back out over the years. I know we can strech our pouch too but if we follow the rules and get our adjustments we don't have to worry about that.

[Dave_NW 92]

This may not be very PC of me to say, but here's my honest opinion:

I think it may be because to have Gastric Bypass means a total commitment to the process. Sleevers have 80% of their stomach removed, but not as much alteration of their insides as bypass patients. In both cases, there is no going back. Once the scalpel comes into play, it's a permanent thing.

A band doesn't require cutting, removing, and/or rearranging your insides. It's removable, easy to install, and is an artificial way to force you to lose weight. If there is a problem, it can be taken out, and your system eventually recovers. So by that logic, bandsters aren't "as committed" to the process. (That's not to say bandsters don't work their butts off, just trying to show what a bypass patient may think.)

I think a certain amount of bypass snobbery is only to be expected, especially when they get together in large groups. Those people really climbed on the weight loss bandwagon. More's the pity, many didn't have the willpower to learn to use a tool like the band to achieve their goal - they had to cut themselves up to do the job.

And that's kind of sad, don't you think?

Dave

Edited November 9, 2010 by Dave_NW

[Melissannde 41]

This may not be very PC of me to say, but here's my honest opinion:

I think it may be because to have Gastric Bypass means a total commitment to the process. Sleevers have 80% of their stomach removed, but not as much alteration of their insides as bypass patients. In both cases, there is no going back. Once the scalpel comes into play, it's a permanent thing.

Actually, my surgeon says that the Gastric Bypass (or RNY) is reversible. It's an involved surgery, not often done, but it is possible to undo it and return the patient to almost presurgery status.

The sleeve truly is irreversible. At least in it's current form. If the Gastric plication turns out to be effective, then the sleeve could possibly be reversible too.

[123crod 170]

We did not let them ruin our fun, but I just never had an idea that they looked down on us. One support groups I go to is all types of surgeries and most of them do have the bypass but they have never made us feel we were less then them. The other one is all people with bands. I love my band and am so happy with the choice I made even though my surgeon did try to talk me into the bypass. Sad people all just can't be happy for each other with the choice they made for themselves

Cheri

[kellyodoran 12]

We did not let them ruin our fun, but I just never had an idea that they looked down on us. One support groups I go to is all types of surgeries and most of them do have the bypass but they have never made us feel we were less then them. The other one is all people with bands. I love my band and am so happy with the choice I made even though my surgeon did try to talk me into the bypass. Sad people all just can't be happy for each other with the choice they made for themselves

Cheri

Well said, On the oh website in the forums there are a lot of "band-bashers" as well. I just don't see any point to it!

In the end, all of us had surgery for weight loss.....

[Mzjamison79 2]

maybe it is cause we can still eat normal food and they cant. We have to work to loose our weight. I perfer having the band way better

[Mzjamison79 2]

maybe it is cause we can still eat normal food and they cant. We have to work to loose our weight. I perfer having the band way better

[brenda62 47]

This may not be very PC of me to say, but here's my honest opinion:

I think it may be because to have Gastric Bypass means a total commitment to the process. Sleevers have 80% of their stomach removed, but not as much alteration of their insides as bypass patients. In both cases, there is no going back. Once the scalpel comes into play, it's a permanent thing.

A band doesn't require cutting, removing, and/or rearranging your insides. It's removable, easy to install, and is an artificial way to force you to lose weight. If there is a problem, it can be taken out, and your system eventually recovers. So by that logic, bandsters aren't "as committed" to the process. (That's not to say bandsters don't work their butts off, just trying to show what a bypass patient may think.)

I think a certain amount of bypass snobbery is only to be expected, especially when they get together in large groups. Those people really climbed on the weight loss bandwagon. More's the pity, many didn't have the willpower to learn to use a tool like the band to achieve their goal - they had to cut themselves up to do the job.

And that's kind of sad, don't you think?

Dave

Well said Dave, and may I add some of the people that get Gastric Bypass manage to put weight back on somehow and then where are they?

[thsisme 14]

Who knows why these folks think like they do. My PCP started in on me when I told him of my desire for the band. His main reason was GB is noted as the "Gold Standard" of WLS. Ok, so you lose your weight up front within the first 12-18 months and then if you have not started your behavior mod towards your eating habits, guess what? the weight will start to come back.

Besides, I have a friend who had GB 4 years ago. Bandsters have thier stuck episodes well GBers have dumping syndrome. I have watched him and in 4 years he has managed to keep the weight off, however, he eats almost continuously just to keep from getting jittery. If he gets stressed or his hands on the wrong type of food (anything from rice to sweets or eats too much) he gts the dumps (becomes sweaty, nauseated, bloated, diarrhea, etc...).

I also know a few GBers who lost 70 lbs and that was it within their first year. After the 12-18 month loss period other GBers have told me that it is work....well now what a surprise....for them to maintain or lose the remaining amount of their weight.

Some of these folks also feel that their way (WLS) is the only way...I say...who cares? There is good bad and ugly with every WLS and it is an individual thing. too bad some of these folks are so small minded. Cheri, glad to hear that they did not take away from your experiences at OH.

[Allison0927 329]

That is insane for one group of WLS folks to look down on another. I certainly could have had any type of surgery I wanted and chose the band. I'm also a highly educated professional married to a very high earning professional. NO ONE looks down on me and gets away with it (LOL). Seriously - that's just crazy drama. Those people need to get a life. We are all in a unique group who should support one another no matter what type of surgery we had. We have enough occassional judgment from outsiders (lifetime thin people; people who disagree with anyone having the surgery, etc.). I wouldn't give it a second thought if I were you.... BEST OF LUCK TO US ALL IN OUR JOURNEYS!!!

[NYsLegend78 29]

In all honesty I look down on them for not being able to do the band and have to actually put an effort in

[kll724 3,055]

In all honesty I look down on them for not being able to do the band and have to actually put an effort in

I agree with you on this! My niece, who is a nirse, said she looked in to lapabnd, but decided that bypass was the best thing for her! I, on the other hand, did not want to worry about dumping,etc. There are "good, bad, and ugly" about any of the weigjht loss surgeies from waht I can see. Karen