Any Regrets

[itsuptome 0]

I have not had that done but just left a msg with my coordinator for ?. I have had the edg which my surgeon did for esophogeal health as well as stomach, and intestinal health, he did a biopsy just to be sure there was no reflux or ? tissues since I do have a history of cancer as well as many other issues, everything was clear not evan any reflux. This is the first step for me and if it happens to not work (not that I think it wont) then I will cut my losses and move on the the next more substancial option. Thankfully I have NO comorbities (at least the ones the dr's say are related to obesity) If u ask me I am 100% sure the auto immune issues I have are realted to obesity, and I have less than 80# to loose so I am optimistic this will work.

Casa Grande, wow! I spend alot of time down around there. Family in Hidden Valley about 10 miles frome CG. My grandmother and grandfather owned a donut shop in Eloy in the early 30's I think (maybe they met each other) If you know anything about school systems you know az is on the worst list (and spelling and grammer are at the top of the worst list) for our country so I try to apologize ahead of time(lol).

[moon goddess 0]

FYI~~~

This morning there was a segment about WLS on CBS. Pretty interesting...it seems that the expert...surgeon....highly educated wls professional, was really positive about lap band surgery, and gave me the impression that he was leaning toward that as a choice for those seeking advice about which surgery would be the safest and a successful choice. He made it very easy for all the "simple" people, as Miss Geezer so lovingly referred to some, to understand.

Check it out~~~

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/30/earlyshow/main2217859.shtml

[StephC 0]

MaryS - If you have a reputable doctor I wouldn't worry too much about the test part - my doctor had me take so many tests I thought I was in school again - jk - seriously I believe Geezersue had problems but I think that it was isolated and if you have done your research and found a good doctor I don't think you have any need to have extra tests done. Be honest with your surgeon and your family history and he will order all the appropriate tests.

Sue keeps stressing that this is a regrets thread - Sue has regrets as do many others, but there are many many more who have no regrets - for all of us who have yet to be banded we just have to realize that we may at some point have regrets too - we all hope and pray its not us - but life throws as a hard ball once in a while and IF that happens to one of us we will just have to deal with it. I don't think Sue is out to scare anyone out of having the surgery but she's just very vocal in her opinion. I've read her posts and it hasn't changed my mind in the least.

[itsuptome 0]

Marys - certainly sounds to me like u might have more going on than just being obese, sometime obesity can be a result of a medical condition. I hope you are able to get the answers you need. Maybe after you figure out why u cant loose weight with or without the band they can fix it and the band will then be the tool it was ment to be for you. My endocrinologist explained to me a few years back (see I told you I had a myriad of dr's) after a pcos dx that the relationship between fat and estrogeon, it can be a foundation for understanding obesity in women. estrogeon is stored in body fat, in abundance it can cause many health issues pcos, certain kinds of cancer, amenorreah(sp), migrains, blood sugar issues etc (oh yeah and more obesity) it is unknown (at least at that time) which came first, did the estrogeon cause weight gain or the weight gain cause estrogeon either way when they begin to fix the imbalances some weight will come off (they began to fix mine with metforman and birth control) without evan trying but certainly not all (according to the dr) it will require dedication and work from the patient as more weight is lost it should begin to clear up some of the problems. I hope u can figure out what is out of balance and get it fixed then tell us how your journey has ended with success! Good luck to u!

[GeezerSue 7]

... I don't think Sue is out to scare anyone out of having the surgery but she's just very vocal in her opinion. I've read her posts and it hasn't changed my mind in the least.

Bingo! And good for you...you know the plusses and minuses and I assume you have made your choice based on facts...and that you are checking reliable sources. Like pub med or other peer-reviewed stuff.

If I WERE trying to "talk people out of the surgery" I'd be in all those threads welcoming the new folks, warning people. I don't do that. When there is a regrets thread, I repsond. When someone is having complications, I respond. When someone is already banded and having problems, I NEVER EVER say "nonnie, nonnie, nonnie." In fact, if someone is new and struggling, I encourange them to keep trying.

HOWEVER, if someone HAS been trying and is still having problems and all she is hearing is more atta-boys and it's been a couple of years and she obviously feel like the Lone Ranger, I enter the discussion.

Look, if I had gone to have the DS without knowing it had a higher mortality rate AND a lifetime of malabsorption and without reading everything I could get my hands on, I'd have been an idiot. As they say, "I paid my money and I took my chances..."

I'm encouraging everyone else to do the same.

[angyl2314 1]

Again, I'm sorry that they don't pay day care workers any better...but the money for the band just wasn't a huge deal for me. And it wasn't about making a tool work...it was about esophageal damage.

Not only are you angry, bitter and simple-minded, but you're presumptuous as well. I say I work with children, you assume I am a day care worker. Cute. Sorry you were unable to have success with something that has helped thousands. I've introduced you to my friend Karma already, haven't I? =(

[angyl2314 1]

What is DS anyway? (I guess they taught that the same day as reading comprehension)

[beversman 0]

DS = Duodenal switch

http://www.obesitymd.org/surgical_duodenal.html

[GeezerSue 7]

Not only are you angry, bitter and simple-minded, but you're presumptuous as well. I say I work with children, you assume I am a day care worker. Cute. Sorry you were unable to have success with something that has helped thousands. I've introduced you to my friend Karma already, haven't I? =(

I am not angry; I'm frustrated with ignorance. I'm not bitter; I'm honest. That you would call me simple-minded is laughable--and rude, coming from someone who wants all the posts to be sunshine and happiness. I didn't assume you were a day care worker SOLELY because you work with children. I assumed that because your research didn't strike me as professional and you seem to think that someone's blowing ten grand to try to stop dying is breaking the bank. So you sounded like a tradesperson as opposed to a professional of any kind.

And, I've known about karma since before you were born...we'll see whose friend Karma is, won't we?

[angyl2314 1]

I am not angry; I'm frustrated with ignorance. I'm not bitter; I'm honest. That you would call me simple-minded is laughable--and rude, coming from someone who wants all the posts to be sunshine and happiness. I didn't assume you were a day care worker SOLELY because you work with children. I assumed that because your research didn't strike me as professional and you seem to think that someone's blowing ten grand to try to stop dying is breaking the bank. So you sounded like a tradesperson as opposed to a professional of any kind.

And, I've known about karma since before you were born...we'll see whose friend Karma is, won't we?

Gosh, I sure hope so! I am overweight, but my weight is not out of my means to control. I've reached a point where I have become frustrated with my efforts and am interested in trying something else. I can maintain weight loss, as evidenced over the last 4 years following a 55 lb loss. I am looking for something to jump start the weight loss and I'll take over from there. I have about 80 lbs to lose, which I do not consider to be extremely significant. I am have no health concerns related to my weight, nor have I ever. I am not doing this to "stop dying", I am doing this more for the sake of vanity. Can the band do that for me? With my behavior, eating patters, support group and dedication, I do not doubt for one second that this is the correct option for me. Perhaps your reasons for banding are/were different than mine. You said you had a BMI over 50. I suppose in your situation, it was less elective than it is in mine. Does it make me ignorant because I have not extensively researched the possibility of band related esophagul damage, or because I would rather focus on the pros than the cons? Hmmm, which one of us has their band in a plastic bag somewhere in their home? What happened? Someone forgot to wikipedia the risks of surgery before embarking, huh? Sucks.

[cinward2001 0]

http://www.lapsf.com/weight-loss-surgeries.html

The problem with this chart is that they don't provide references to the research. Some doctors still adamantly claim that the LapBand is worthless...because they're basing their opinions on research from the initial trials on the LapBand. And yes, those results were bad. It's one reason why US surgeons were then proctored by surgeons from other countries to teach them the proper techniques with the LapBand. So if this chart isn't based on the newer studies, it's pretty much worthless.

Sue, you're dead on with one thing...anyone with a LapBand NEEDS to have good follow-up. Without getting fills, the band is almost useless for most people. But then, follow-up is important with ANY WLS. With RNY and DS, you need the follow-up to prevent major health problems from malabsorption. Some of the people who have the worst problems with these surgeries are the ones who don't work at getting enough Protein, taking supplements, B12, don't have regular labs done, etc.

Follow up is important in ANY WLS. Using that as a reason to not get banded would have to apply to any WLS. It's very important to know your surgeon and the aftercare that's offered.

I do wish, when we have threads like this, that EVERYONE would simply ignore any childish, petty, sarcastic, hateful remarks. There's a LOT of GOOD information in this thread...all the snideness just gets in the way. People SHOULD know that RNY is an option, DS is an option. Believe me, if something happened so that I could no longer be banded at all, I'd be weighing the pros and cons of DS vs. RNY...because if I have to choose between returning to morbid obesity or a lifetime of "managing" maladsorption issues, I'll take my changes with the maladsorption.

Cindy

[GeezerSue 7]

... Hmmm, which one of us has their band in a plastic bag somewhere in their home? What happened? Someone forgot to wikipedia the risks of surgery before embarking, huh? Sucks.

1--There was no Wikipedia info on the band in 2002. (Duh.)

2--Most of the major problems that have been discovered with the band are happening a couple of years out...and since the band had been legal here for only a year, there WAS NO DATA AVAILABLE. (I hate to see you struggling like this...why do you suppose this is so challenging for you?)

[itsuptome 0]

Right on Cindy, that is exactly what I said earlier. I think Sue has lots of valuable information but its clouded my nastiness. She continually demeans and attacks people. It all seems childlike and wasteful to me. I for one and thankful for her information but her sarcasim and name calling is damaging and mean. I really dont understand why she is sooo hurtful to people who in general (and I know this isnt everyone) are vulnerable and scared right now (I know I am) and just looking for good information and maybe a kind word from others. Please, just lay off Sue, not of the info just of the name calling etc.

[Wheetsin 714]

Hmmm, which one of us has their band in a plastic bag somewhere in their home?

If you're ever unfortunate enough to lose your band, I hope someone has the integrity to not throw it in your face.

If stopping the bickering isn't an option, then at least take it to Rants & Raves. This is not the place for it.

[GeezerSue 7]

Cindy,

Unfortunately, most of the studies done since the FDA study have been single-practice studies...which throws a monkey wrench into the equation...because you're comparing one group of surgeons vs. another group.

Even IN the FDA studies, there was one center that had worse results than any other center...it HAD TO BE the difference in surgeons. Based on their results, they DID not start doing the band after the FDA trials. Maybe they have since then:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?itool=abstractplus&db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=abstractplus&list_uids=11371739

I know that those of us who were banded shortly after the publication of this study decided that it had to be a surgeon-related problem...either placement errors or that they were just clueless about follow-up protocol. But they had a 50% band removal and revision rate, so it's good they stopped doing it.

I knew I didn't want the RnY...because I was tired of having things I couldn't eat...and my friends with RnY are always needing to taste MY stuff to see if it's sweet enough or fatty enough to send them into a dumping episode. But it is reassuring to know that not everyone is ready to give up if, for some reason, Plan A doesn't work. And all the scary talk about malabsoprtion? It's like saying "But with the band you have RESTRICTION!!" Malabsorption is what makes the DS work, restriction is what makes the band work. Of course we have malabsorption. But, like the band, the DS is not a perfect surgery and it isn't for everyone and if I were younger, I'd need to think about it longer and harder.