Say no to Lap-Band video

[soundlogik 28]

Ok, so I am being banded on Tuesday and I just watched this video on youtube, this woman is basically the horror story of all horror stories for bandsters. I have researched the band well and am still 100% certain that this is the right choice for me. I am wondering are issues like this ladies' common? Or is she just unwilling to change her lifestyle? Is the reason she was so sick because she forced herself to eat more than her band would allow until she would vomit day after day? My initial response to her question "Can I eat icecream?" was "No you bloody idiot the point is to eat with your band and not around it" maybe I am being harsh. If you have not seen the video I linked it below. Now I can't help but wonder if I am making the right choice...

[BeachBish 123]

I think she is meaning she is VERY tight and not even ice cream will go down. I am 1.4 yr. out - I've lost 62#'s todate.

HONESTLY... I am BACK on this website looking for answers.

Ate one teaspoon of roast - chewed very well...having discomfort; may be the meat trying to digest !?!?!?

#1 - Everyone is different....
#2 - The band is VERY inconsistent

#3 - You will LIVE on liquids, and soft diet EVERY TIME you get a fill....THEY DID NOT tell me this...but I've adjusted to this "New way of Life"
#4 - If and when you travel your band will change ...
#5 - EVERY TIME the weather changes so does your band...

#6 - If you get a stomach bug or bronchitis your band will have to be adjusted. If they get it too tight they let a lot out... 3 cc's ... then it's a game starting ALL over getting fills.

#7 - Social eating will be IN THE PAST. It is very hard and difficult.

#8 - You will learn to monopolize your time when eating...playing games on your phone you never thought you would like...

#9 - There will be MANY foods you will no longer eat...YAY!!! No carbing out anymore...no sugar as you don't desire it anymore...No fibrous foods as they will not digest. olives will become your new BFF.

#10 - You will take a bite...place your fork down, wait at least 30 to 45 seconds while chewing that bite 30+ times before swallowing. Then on to the next bite... by the 5th bite your food is cold so you say thw it and move on to something besides eating.

#10 - DOUBLE TRIPLE check your charges on insurance or self pay and how many fills are covered ...YOU WILL STILL NEED FILLS AND UNFILLS for a very long time, as you reduce your weight. My Dr. went from $130 a fill to $450 a fill. YEAGH!!! :/ So..... I had to locate and find another Dr. - now I drive an hour each way monthly.

#11 - When they state LIFETIME change - BE ready for it!!! IT IS seriously a LIFETIME change but adaptable.

#12 - I can't say 100% I'd say go for it as I don;t feel it is fair until I have reached my 2 year mark. I am pleased with my loss so far. It has been a slower process than I expected; however in the long run I KNOW it will stay off longer. PLEASE don;t take this the wrong way as me being negative . . . I wished I had searched and talked to MANY people prior to getting the band. js

Good Luck - Feel free to add me as a friend. I'd like to know how you come out. Wishing you the best of luck with your journey.

[catfish87 3,471]

@@soundlogik

You say you've researched the band well, and are sure its the right choice for you....so stick with what you KNOW by doing your research from respectable sources.

As the poster above stated...in #1, Everyone is different. In most every aspect. Their eating habits, exercise habits, desire for success, etc. It's to be expected you'll hear varied experiences.

For me, I'm 5 years post op. Never had one band caused problem. I could have never lost 130 pounds and maintained this "normal" life without my band. Most people who I meet now, who didn't know me 5 years ago, would never know I had WLS. And the ones who did know me then......they can't have enough good things to say. But they know I've given some good effort too.

There are MANY, MANY, MANY successful people with Lapband.....and I'm happy to consider myself one.

Best wishes on your decision!

[MamaRita 65]

I too watched that video, and she says so many things that contradict themselves, you can't complain you had problems after you continued to overeat and do things your warned against, and then blame the band!!!!!!! In this particular video, I feel it was the person, not the band that was the problem. I still chose to get banded, I'm only 1 week post op, so I can't say it's wonderful....yet!!!! But I sure am looking forward to the future!!!!!!!!!

[Wendydarling19 310]

I do understand exactly what she is saying. I feel similarly. Do I regret having weight loss surgery? No absolutely not. Do I regret chosing the band as my surgery? Well... yes, I sure do! It works for some people but it does not work for me. I have lost 50 lbs so far but that is from dieting with the band. I cannot lose weight just by eating smaller portions, I cannot lose weight just by eating healthy, I actually have to be on a strict low carb diet. At this point I have spiriled out of control again. I just do not have time to think about what I put into my body. I am lucky if I find time during my day for sleep! I work overnights and I am in nursing school during the day. The last thing on my mind is food. Sometimes when I eat, I am so tight and nothing will go down, everything comes back up and yes it does feel like you are choking. I have ruined dates and family outings to restaurants because I had to either run to the bathroom every few minutes to vomit or because I looked like a jerk by only taking one bite of food and taking the rest home. It is unpleasant when you get stuck. You can try to make it go down but for me, so much mucous comes up! This goes with any foods when I am too tight, junk food, healthy food, or slider foods, or even Water. NOTHING will go down! I hate it! The rest of the time if I am not feeling "too tight", I am too lose and literally everything goes down. I could eat A LOT of food, just as I did before I had surgery. This is not because I want to but because of the addiction I still have to food. I really wish I chose the sleeve because then I would physically feel full. I am going to look into revision. Not everyone is the same though. Some people find that the lapband is exactly what they were looking for.

Edited October 10, 2014 by Wendydarling19

[☠carolinagirl☠ 18,721]

Ok, so I am being banded on Tuesday and I just watched this video on youtube, this woman is basically the horror story of all horror stories for bandsters. I have researched the band well and am still 100% certain that this is the right choice for me. I am wondering are issues like this ladies' common? Or is she just unwilling to change her lifestyle? Is the reason she was so sick because she forced herself to eat more than her band would allow until she would vomit day after day? My initial response to her question "Can I eat icecream?" was "No you bloody idiot the point is to eat with your band and not around it" maybe I am being harsh. If you have not seen the video I linked it below. Now I can't help but wonder if I am making the right choice...

follow your doctors advice for best results

i am 2 1/2 yrs out..no problems what so ever

i eat out...i make better food choices and LET my band say when i had enough

its not about getting FULL...eating til your full is uncomfy and not a smart thing to do

like catfish and many others, i have not throw up once or be stuck or pb or slimed

you eat slow...take small bites (if you want) and live..

you will learn to use YOUR band for you

WLS is not a miracle/save all.

the person who has the WLS of their choice

must also change..people go into WLS thinking they

can do what they did before....and surprise surprise...

but its not about one WLS being better than the other.

dont let people on the world wide web scare you

sometimes things do happen with any WLS

and sometimes they dont...

[catfish87 3,471]

I was a work last night and hadn't watched the video until this morning. OMG!..... This poor lady really just doesn't get it. You will have to eat/digest less calories than you burn off for ANY wls to work.

I've been to WLS support group meetings for over 5 years now..... And EVERY wls ( band, sleeve, rny ) has success stories and those who haven't been as successful. I don't like to use the word failure. ... You only fail if you quit.

This nonsense about you can't live a normal life, socialize normally, enjoy a meal normally, date, eat, drink with a band.... is just not true. Some may not, but that's not my experience. As I said earlier. ... There are many successful, happy, healthy people who've turned their life around...... Thanks to the band. And I see every day..... EVERY DAY, people who have had a different WLS who wish theirs was adjustable.

[CherieRyde 227]

The woman in the video is really ... clueless. Listening to her makes me wonder how she got through the screening process.

[2muchfun 8,927]

I'm one of the folks who posted below her video going back 8 months ago. I feel sorry for her since she can't control her eating habits. Many can't. Many just didn't understand that this truly is a lifestyle change but they don't want or can't change their lifestyle.

The band isn't for everyone and it's unfortunate that the screening process for the band isn't more efficient.

[parisshel 1,892]

Wow. "I am the norm." What?

She obviously is angry because she failed her band. The doctor who banded her did not do his/her due diligence with this woman; she clearly should never have been a candidate. And I cannot understand how she could have "no restriction, ever" yet get stuck "with every bite, no matter how small."

Maybe this is just one of those "reefer madness" videos make by the producers of a competing WLS product? It can't be a real person...no one is this dumb.

[Twinmom1311 15]

With any type of weight loss be it surgery, diet, exercise, etc the weight is not going to just "fall off" you have to work at it. You have to put your effort to do it, deciding to have surgery and continue the way you were previously totally defeated the purpose of having surgery. There is no miracle weight loss that is just going to do it for you. You didnt get over weight just breathing!

[JustWatchMe 7,117]

I guess I think of my band differently. Or maybe I had really good screening. Or maybe it was the support group meetings I went to all over the suburbs before going under the knife. Or maybe it was Alex's book. Or maybe it was BariatricPal.

Whatever it was, I knew from day one I would have to change my habits. I also didn't expect miracle weight loss. What I did expect and still do is not to gain the weight back after I lose it, and to feel fuller on less food.

It does make you wonder because so many people have to fight insurance nightmares to get lifesaving WLS, and others just.... Well. Enough said.

[BeachBish 123]

Wow. "I am the norm." What?

She obviously is angry because she failed her band. The doctor who banded her did not do his/her due diligence with this woman; she clearly should never have been a candidate. And I cannot understand how she could have "no restriction, ever" yet get stuck "with every bite, no matter how small."

Bahaahahahaaaa!!! THIS is cracking me UP! You do have a point and good one. IKR--- as in WHY would you BINGE knowing you had the lapband?? You should NOT be that ignorant! Please #saynotolapband. Wonder how much $$$$ they paid her to record this???

Maybe this is just one of those "reefer madness" videos make by the producers of a competing WLS product? It can't be a real person...no one is this dumb.

[BeachBish 123]

Wow. "I am the norm." What?

She obviously is angry because she failed her band. The doctor who banded her did not do his/her due diligence with this woman; she clearly should never have been a candidate. And I cannot understand how she could have "no restriction, ever" yet get stuck "with every bite, no matter how small."

Bahaahahahaaaa!!! THIS is cracking me UP! You do have a point and good one. IKR--- as in WHY would you BINGE knowing you had the lapband?? You should NOT be that ignorant! Please #saynotolapband. Wonder how much $$$$ they paid her to record this???

Maybe this is just one of those "reefer madness" videos make by the producers of a competing WLS product? It can't be a real person...no one is this dumb.

[BeachBish 123]

Here is a WONDERFUL set of videos I think you should watch! I truly think he tells it like it is.
http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/162123-the-eight-golden-rules-lap-band-videos-by-dr-paul-obrien/

Ok, so I am being banded on Tuesday and I just watched this video on youtube, this woman is basically the horror story of all horror stories for bandsters. I have researched the band well and am still 100% certain that this is the right choice for me. I am wondering are issues like this ladies' common? Or is she just unwilling to change her lifestyle? Is the reason she was so sick because she forced herself to eat more than her band would allow until she would vomit day after day? My initial response to her question "Can I eat icecream?" was "No you bloody idiot the point is to eat with your band and not around it" maybe I am being harsh. If you have not seen the video I linked it below. Now I can't help but wonder if I am making the right choice...