European opinion

[mrsto 2,925]

I would say Europe is usually way behind us in any medical issue.. that is why most affluent Europeans come to the U.S. for good medical care.. and yes they are mostly socialized medicine which will be our fate if Obamacare stays the law of the land..(praying it is repealed) but in the meantime I will stick to my U.S. doctors and 5% failure rate is pretty good...

Sharpie - I'm with you on ALL counts!

[Sharpie 3,306]

I'm a bit offended by your comments, to be honest. a The fact remains that Lapband and Realize Band were developed in Europe. As for everyone going back where they came from, if you're not 100% Native American, see ya later...

why are you offended? are you someone who has come to our Country and complains? as a matter of fact I am Native American descent.. so see ya later ... people are amazing and so thin skinned these days.. I still say if the Europeans are so great why do they come here for medical care? no answer for that? I think we had the best health care in the world.. but we will soon be another socialized medical country and will have to wait for surgeries and treatments like in other countries.. I have a friend who is from the U.K. she had to wait 6 months for Gallbladder surgery.. she was so sick.. doesn't matter I will take the USA any day....so sue me...

[vincereautmori 323]

Wow, Doesn't take much to get some people off topic and devolve a site from an educational resource into a bully pulpit. I suppose it needs a serious moderator. Thanks to those of you who took my question seriously. I think I''ve gotten all I can from this topic. BTW, I am quite real and I have a weight problem and looking for help, but I guess unless I fill out the form to some of your satisfactions, I am under suspicion.

[☠carolinagirl☠ 18,721]

i re-read your post

and you were looking for (answers and researching)

do you have a lap band dr in mind? if so, asking them would be a great place to start

they are dr's and can answer any medically type questions and not just copy/paste internet sites.

ANY surgery has can have complications (USA or Europe or where ever)

it goes with the territory. as i stated, sometimes the risks

to make one's life better is worth taking that step

is it for you..?

[Scorpio Girl 88]

To Sharpie: I'm offended because your statement infers a bias. This is the 21st century. You made a blanket statement that is offensive. Our country isn't the only place to receive quality health care in the world. Our system is about to undergo a huge change that is going to be challenging to say the least. I've heard that 30 states are not including WLS in their affordable care provisions...

BTW, I'm 25% Native American, a direct descendant of John Adams and married to a first generation Italian-American. I've traveled extensively and when I needed medical attention in the EU had top drawer care.

To vinncereautmori: I'm planning on having my band gradually unfilled when I've reached goal and removed when I've maintained for 6 months. I'm confident I can continue to live my new lifestyle habits and maintain. One WLS is enough for me.

[Sharpie 3,306]

Scorpio if you're offended by my comments than you are way too sensitive.. I am not impressed with anyone's ancestry... We Americans are a mixed bag and I stated that people who come to our Country and like to complain or bash us need to go back to where they came from.. I stand by that statement so if you are offended that's too bad... Perhaps some of the European Countries you have been to have had good medical care.. I have not been to all.. just the U.K. and Germany... didn't find either particulary progressive..I still have not received an answer from you regarding why the affluent Europeans always come to the U.S. when they need specialized medical care... it's a logical question don't you think? maybe you don't have the answer..

to Vincereautmori: sorry we are suspicious but we have spammers who come on this site to stir trouble then disappear.. I hope you find your best option to your weight problem.. Best of Luck.

[labwalker 1,177]

No, I am NOT bullying anyone... and my band is just right, thanks! Regarding Europe, this what I've been able to find with some research (fair use quote follows):

"A new study conducted in Europe has questioned the long-term effectiveness of the popular Lap-Band weight-loss device, finding that many patients suffered major complications and half of them eventually had the device removed.

The report, published Monday in the Archives of Surgery, focused on 82 surgeries performed between 1994 and 1997. Even though patients reported losing significant weight, complications such as band erosion and infections led researchers to conclude the surgery had "relatively poor long-term outcomes"

Wow, scary stuff, huh? But lets take a closer look at what this research was based on:

The report, published Monday in the Archives of Surgery, focused on 82 surgeries performed between 1994 and 1997.

How long has the lap band been approved by the FDA? Why would anyone make a decision based on archaic data that is no longer relevant? WLS efficacy should be based on results for current surgical practices and devices, not on ancient medical procedures performed during the dark-ages of band surgeries. One might draw similar conclusions based on the results of 4cc bands installed in Mexico as being the criteria for making your WLS decision. Chose the best surgeon possible and I suspect the lap band failure rate with 5% as claimed for folks who follow their doctor's advice. Color me skeptical, but if someone posts negative comments with no history in their profile, I am suspicious of motives.

Allergan's rebuttal, inpart:

Allergan officials criticized the study, saying it was flawed and contradicts other studies that have found the device safe and effective. A 2004 study, for instance, found that just 17% of patients had opted to have their bands surgically removed, said Caroline Van Hove, an Allergan spokeswoman.

In the Belgian study, researchers contacted 151 patients but just 82 responded, a ratio that could skew study findings, Van Hove said. Surgeries and follow-up care have changed dramatically in the last 15 years, making the findings much less relevant, she said

If you'd like to verify sources, simply drag over the quoted text, and do a Google search...

[bindi 94]

Geez people ! Everyone is defensive. We are all here for the same reasons. No matter where your from, heritage etc. so many opinions right or wrong why get so testy?

[labwalker 1,177]

There is a big difference between fear mongering, and being to quote verifiable facts. If someone wishes to accept unverified data based on surgeries that are related to the dark ages of lap band surgeries, then I wish them the best in whatever WLS they decide upon. I simply showed that the European studies are biased towards archaic data that has no relation to the results achieved in the past several years. This is nothing to do with being defensive; but I like to see both sides of the story. I suspect there are ulterior financial motives for Europe to jump on the results of studies that are 14 years old. Follow care for lap banders is indeed costly.

Seriously, why would anyone defend someone who posts negative data without providing anything to sustain those allegations? The fact that the European studies are based on dated statistics would have been evident if the OP had done so.

[gigglypug 77]

Don't want to get in a policies discussion, just pointing out that in order to look at the long term effects of anything, one has to go back in time the appropriate amount.

I hope that today's surgical techniques lead to superior long-term result (in fact, I bet on it by getting a band just last month), but we won't know for another 10 or 20 years, will we? In the meantime, I don't think there is some sort of shady agenda or questionable data involved in this study...the subjects were long-term patients so by definition they had their procedure 15-20 years ago...

[labwalker 1,177]

Don't get my motives wrong... I hope that one day ALL WLS surgeries will be looked upon as being barbaric due to developments that will provide the desired results, perhaps by as simply as taking a pill. I think the WLS industry learned pretty quickly from past mistakes, and that even a seven year timeframe is providing more concrete data. The failure rate for 4cc bands was realized, and US doctors won't use them.

[MiniMi 1,468]

I lived in Italy for 13 years. They are top notch doctors in university hospitals ( teaching hospitals) with ZERO bedside manner.

They are using lapband at a greater rate than ever before. As a whole they are not as obese a country as the US and they are twice the population of California but just half the size. So they may not have the upper hand on quantity but I'd trust any of them with my life.

Sitting on a couch in America globalizing statements with no backing is not conducive to a productive group discussion. We all must hold our own trial, be our own jury, make our own decisions. It's just nice to get others opinions once I a while. This is my opinion of course.

If my device must be removed down the road, so be it. Today, I am using this tool to make myself healthier and a whole lot happier!

[Scorpio Girl 88]

Scorpio if you're offended by my comments than you are way too sensitive.. I am not impressed with anyone's ancestry... We Americans are a mixed bag and I stated that people who come to our Country and like to complain or bash us need to go back to where they came from.. I stand by that statement so if you are offended that's too bad... Perhaps some of the European Countries you have been to have had good medical care.. I have not been to all.. just the U.K. and Germany... didn't find either particulary progressive..I still have not received an answer from you regarding why the affluent Europeans always come to the U.S. when they need specialized medical care... it's a logical question don't you think? maybe you don't have the answer..

to Vincereautmori: sorry we are suspicious but we have spammers who come on this site to stir trouble then disappear.. I hope you find your best option to your weight problem.. Best of Luck.

I haven't replied to your claim that "affluent Europeans always come to the U.S. when they need specialized medical care" because it is your opinion (and rather prejudiced) and that's all, unless you have a link to back it up. I'm pretty busy living my life, approaching my goal weight. I don't have a whole lot of time to spend here.

[Sharpie 3,306]

so you don't know the answer? okay then well it's always in the news that wealthy Europeans and heads of State come to the U.S. when they need special treatment.. I too have a rather busy life and if I wanted to prove a point would do some research but I think enough people have seen the news to verify my comments.. not my opinion honey, just the facts... not prejudiced as you say,, because really I stated that Europe is not the best and I stand by that... I too have a weight loss journey to take and this is a petty argument that requires way too much of my valuable time.. sorry you have such thin skin...

[Terry Poperszky 2,784]

I would say Europe is usually way behind us in any medical issue.. that is why most affluent Europeans come to the U.S. for good medical care.. and yes they are mostly socialized medicine which will be our fate if Obamacare stays the law of the land..(praying it is repealed) but in the meantime I will stick to my U.S. doctors and 5% failure rate is pretty good...

Oh Goodie POLITICS! Sorry Sharpie, if you believe that the ACA is socialized medicine you have been watching too much Fox News (BTW, I am praying that it stays ).

Tell you what, let's just stick to the lap band shall we?