LAP band to bypass....?

[BPM 0]

Wow....Surgery snobbery.

This is too funny.

I have news for everyone....either one of these surgeries is drastic...and that is nothing to be ashamed of if it works for you.

[Bettina 0]

To put my two cents in, My sis did have GP and was not successful....and is ashamed, and sad. She was ashamed and sad before GP and almost didn't do it because of embarrassment that she let herself get to that point to need GB.

I am ashamed that I let myself go and now am doing surgery to correct it. I am still doing it, but I still feel like this should have never happened.

I am not gonna throw myself off a bridge over it, but no harm in saying how you feel.

When I went to Europe last year the doc gave me happy pills.....which i was bent on not taking, but sis insisted. I did not take them and was so proud of myself. That does not mean that I think those who take meds are weak.......it just means I was proud of a personal accomplishment. (it was my first plane ride)

[NewSho 20]

...<snip>

...I just cannot think that I would feel the same way after a bypass, after I'd done something so drastic to my body. I believe I'd be sad and depressed that I let myself sink to such a terrible low that I had to resort to that..

What a horrible thing to say!

How is this surgery "better" than another Weight Loss Surgery (WLS) ? How are we as LapBanders any better than RnY Bypass patients or DS patients or VGS patients?

We are so lucky to have a choice of tools to help us combat obesity but it really gets me mad when we, as obese people, look down on other obese people who chose another method. How are you any different from the judgmental folks who don't have WLS who think any surgery is the 'easy way out?':mad:

Don't you think that thin people think we've all "sunk to a terrible low" because we needed any type of surgery to help us out? Honey, we don't get points for picking a user-intensive form like LapBanding when non-obese people sit in judgment of us.:phanvan

Please dont anyone be offended by that. .

OMG, how could we not be offended?

... I have nothing but respect for people who do choose the bypass.

Apparently not.

I'm honestly very surprised at you speaking so insultingly Jachnut. You've always seemed so positive but your negativity and scorn (yes, scorn) for thse who chose Bypass surgery is simply hurtful to me and I haven't even had one (should I say "yet?")

I visit a general WLS forum regularly and almost every time I visit, I have to spend time disputing some misinformation or outright lies about the LapBand, usually by an RnY patient who'll say "all LapBanders stay fat" or "They all have to end up getting RnY afterwards if they want to lose any real weight.". And there are far, far more RnY Bypass & DS & even VGSleeve patients who sit in judgment of LapBand surgery and of us, who chose it. So believe me, I hear band-bashing quite a bit.

I don't get it. Why not be happy about having found a tool that works for you without all the cheat-beating smugness about which form is better.

My LapBand loss has been slow, and sometimes not easy, so I have absolutely no qualms about saying this:

If the LapBand doesn't work, I'd get another form of WLS.

I don't want a RnY bypass, I hope I don't need one, but if LapBanding fails me, I'd get one. TOMORROW. I want to lose about 16# or 17# more pounds overall. Hopefully a LapBand can get me there, but if anything happens I wouldn't beat myself up, about getting an RnY.

I've shed blood, sweat and tears just to lose this much weight with a LapBand. That doesn't make me a better person (and I'm not more patient) than any Bypass patient.

Six months ago, when I thought my band has failed because my surgeon told me he believed I'd lost all the weight I'd ever lose with a LapBand, I made an appointment at the city's best RnY surgeon the next week. I wasn't even joking, And that was more than 20# ago, but I knew I wouldn't get the weight off any other way. So even if I only had 40# to 50# more pounds to lose I would have gotten an RnY if the surgeon felt like that was my only way of getting the weight off.

Sounds extreme?

As a person who's been overweight for many years I'd do anything to fight obesity, and it doesn't mean "I've sunk to a low" or anything. I need help, I'll get it. Period.

There by the grace of G-d go you Jachnut. If something happened to your band and banding wasn't an option for you anymore - you could quite possibly regain your weight. Then maybe you would sink to that "terrible low" you speak of so vehemently, and start considering all sorts of options you don't think you would do.:paranoid

I hate when RnY patients insult the LapBand. And I am frankly sickened by some of the RnY-bashing I hear on this board, but this might be one of the worse comments I've read. :huggie:

Banded or not, Bypassed or not, we should always have respect for anyone fighting obesity.

[BPM 0]

Drama.....Drama....Drama.

[Bettina 0]

Drama.....Drama....Drama.

Ditto. I thought Jacqui was just expressing her feelings on how she "personally" wouldn't have bypass done.

I wouldn't either, but that sure doesn't mean I knock those who have! I wanted banding, but if the doc told me I'd do better with bypass, I'd be signing right up!

The definition of "Forum" according to Websters:

1 a : the marketplace or public place of an ancient Roman city forming the center of judicial and public business b : a public meeting place for open discussion c : a medium (as a newspaper or online service) of open discussion or expression of ideas

[GeezerSue 7]

Logic would dictate that since the (insurance) requirements in the US* are generally that the patient have a BMI or 40+ (or a BMI of 35+ with comorbidities), then

ALL OF THE PEOPLE

who qualify for ANY wls

have collectively sunk to exactly the same "terrible low."

The only difference is which solutions(s) are attempted. In Rachele's case and mine, we first tried the band. Then we moved on.

(*In other countries or for self-pays, YMMV.)

[NewSho 20]

D'oh!

Exactly G-Sue.

If 190,000 people had Weight Loss Surgery in the USA last year, then we have an incredible number of us (in the 'States at least) for company, at this "terrible low."

New Sho

A Permanent Resident of "Terrible Low" ~ Population 190,000

*smile*

[Jachut 487]

Well, der GeezerSue. That's exactly what I meant.

For what it's worth, I do consider that coming to the decision to have weight loss surgery is hitting the bottom before you claw your way back up.

I include myself in that naturally.

Getting obese enough to have weight loss surgery is not one of the high points of my life. I'm thankful I wasnt morbidly obese, didnt have comorbidities and didnt need to consider a bypass. I'd feel pretty low if the band didnt work for me for whatever reason and I had to move onto another surgery. Its not meant to be an insult, its an observation that it's not exactly a great place to be in.

Not that its worth explaining that when you lot get in this mood. Or maybe I'm just missing the fact that most people are hysterically happy to suffer weight problems?

[GeezerSue 7]

Well, der GeezerSue. That's exactly what I meant.

For what it's worth, I do consider that coming to the decision to have weight loss surgery is hitting the bottom before you claw your way back up.

I include myself in that naturally.

Getting obese enough to have weight loss surgery is not one of the high points of my life. I'm thankful I wasnt morbidly obese, didnt have comorbidities and didnt need to consider a bypass. I'd feel pretty low if the band didnt work for me for whatever reason and I had to move onto another surgery. Its not meant to be an insult, its an observation that it's not exactly a great place to be in.

Not that its worth explaining that when you lot get in this mood. Or maybe I'm just missing the fact that most people are hysterically happy to suffer weight problems?

Not sure who "you lot" includes...how many of us are supposed to be insulted?

BACK ON TOPIC, I felt bad that I had spend $10,000+ of our money on something that was damaging my insides...but I did not feel like I had "failed" anything. Also, I didn't feel "hysterically happy" OR that I had "hit bottom" before having the band placed. I was tired, I was exhausted, I was somewhat depressed that everything was harder to do than it should have been...but no barrel bottoms (or points of elation) in my viewfinder.

I understand better now...if you were not MO and did not have comordibity issues and still felt you had hit an all time low about your weight situation, I can see how you might think others felt that way, too.

I cannot speak for others, but MY experience was that "impending relief" from some physical problems was about to occur. (But my surgeon says that revisions OFTEN come in the door with issues about having failed. Not me. All those years of Catholic schools and the guilt thing is just not as strong as it should have been. LOL! )

[vinesqueen 2]

hmmm. Very interesting.

I know that before my husband had his band he felt like he'd hit a terrible low. 600 pounds. I know that before I had my band, 265 pounds, I felt like I'd hit a terrible low.

I think part of the issue with this current debate is a language barrier, even though we are all speaking English.

I think that most people are naturally defensive of their choice. It's the one "I" chose, so it is the most very best choice for anyone. (I'm speaking in generalities here now) We like to think that our system is the best system, be it schools, religeion, political afiliations, computer operating systems, or the way we wash our dishes. So naturally, it extends to our choice of WLS. I know that many bandsters in their heart of hearts are jealous of the fast lost that the Malabsortive techniques provide. Not all, not most, but many. Hell, I'm envious of the loss anyone has becuse no WLS will work for me until I get the Cushing's resolved. Don't think for a minute that doesn't hurt, but I'm so very glad that I had the Band and not something more drastic to make that discovery.

I thnk a lot of the bashing that goes on is partly a case of "mine is better than your (fill in the blank)" and partly a case of the Fox who lost her tail, and of course, ignorance of what it is like to live someone else's life.

I will never know what it is like to be New Sho, or Geezer, or DeLarla, or Jachut or Keebera or Paula or Big Paul or Capt'n Jack. Hopefully I will be able to little bits of their lives, to empathetcially understand, jsut as hopefully someone will be able to understand what it's like to be me.

[Bettina 0]

BACK ON TOPIC, I felt bad that I had spend $10,000+ of our money on something that was damaging my insides...but I did not feel like I had "failed" anything.

What has damaged your insides?:eek:

[DonnaB 3]

Thank you Vines! I feel certain that Jachut never meant for anyone to feel put down by her post. You've hit the nail on the head - this is an argument based on miscommunication and knee-jerk defensive reaction.

You always seem to be able to 'cut to the chase,' if you know what I mean! I think you're just naturally more empathetic than a lot of people - or at least you're more able to express it. You're always willing to look for the good before seeing the bad. An excellent quality.

[GeezerSue 7]

What has damaged your insides?:eek:

Bettina, I had esophageal dysmotility secondary to the adjustable gastric band. That is, the band was hindering my esophagus' ability to do its job and it took two-and-a-half months after the band was removed to get relief from those problems.

Turns out that people who are most at risk for esophageal dysmotility are older people (I was 55 when banded), the morbidly obese (duh), and those who have bands (adjustable or otherwise) implanted. If someone has the problem pre-banding, they are not a good candidate for banding, but my problem was purely band-related.

[Bettina 0]

Bettina, I had esophageal dysmotility secondary to the adjustable gastric band. That is, the band was hindering my esophagus' ability to do its job and it took two-and-a-half months after the band was removed to get relief from those problems.

Turns out that people who are most at risk for esophageal dysmotility are older people (I was 55 when banded), the morbidly obese (duh), and those who have bands (adjustable or otherwise) implanted. If someone has the problem pre-banding, they are not a good candidate for banding, but my problem was purely band-related.

Oh my that is terrible...I hope you are feeling better!!! I was thinking stomach damage...and never thought about the esophageal issues. I have been (big mistake) reading the memorials on OH.com....and since then I have been "deep" thinking this banding thru! So when i read what you wrote, I was like "oh no" not more bad news. Thanks for sharing your story! Take care!

[GeezerSue 7]

Oh my that is terrible...I hope you are feeling better!!! I was thinking stomach damage...and never thought about the esophageal issues. I have been (big mistake) reading the memorials on OH.com....and since then I have been "deep" thinking this banding thru! So when i read what you wrote, I was like "oh no" not more bad news. Thanks for sharing your story! Take care!

Yeah...stay away form the memorials. You can read about complications on OH or on Yahoo groups and, of course, here. I think that knowing about what could happen makes us better consumers of this service and makes us better prepared if any problems arise...and makes us aware of what is part of the normal healing process vs. a real problem.

The band is the right choice for a lot of people. It also is the wrong choice for a lot of people. Be honest with yourself. Do you just eat large quantities three times per day or do you forage all evening? Did you get fat on (mostly) too many pork chops at dinner or (mostly) too many Peanut Butter Cups and drive-thru Snacks? Do you have to lose 150 pounds or is it more like 70? Are you ready to follow the new rules or will you find a way around them? The honest answers will guide you to your best choice. Good luck...

Sue