Hi, Everyone....I think I'll be the contrarian voice here...

[kathystrick 3]

Gaynor,

I read your post a while ago when you originally posted it about all the complications you had. I find it sad that instead of people being empathetic that they attack you because you dare to share a problem. It's a support forum and I guess only certain people are allowed support here! brandyII.

Since mine was the only post between yours and his, I will assume that comment was addressed to me. Please point to me where I "attacked" anyone. I simply asked for statistical information to support a claim he posted. Hardly see where that could be constrewed as an attack.

[brandyII 9]

I was making a general comment about posts that I have read. Why is everyone so focused on demanding statistics when this man obviously had a major problem with his lap band. Did he say everyone would have this problem, no! He had them and shared and it helps people to know that there are problems out there so we don't go into it blindly. I wish I had used this forum prior to surgery I may have change my mind and gone with the gastric bypass. There were many things I didn't know before hand that isn't specifically brought up. Maybe they're assumptions, I don't know. Anyway that prior post of mine wasn't directed to you personally but it probably triggered me to write it. Thanks and good luck to you, brandyII.

[kathystrick 3]

I was making a general comment about posts that I have read. Why is everyone so focused on demanding statistics when this man obviously had a major problem with his lap band. Did he say everyone would have this problem, no! He had them and shared and it helps people to know that there are problems out there so we don't go into it blindly. I wish I had used this forum prior to surgery I may have change my mind and gone with the gastric bypass. There were many things I didn't know before hand that isn't specifically brought up. Maybe they're assumptions, I don't know. Anyway that prior post of mine wasn't directed to you personally but it probably triggered me to write it. Thanks and good luck to you, brandyII.

Gaynor is the one who made the coment about "how many of us there are", which is the section of his original post I quoted and responded to. Yes, we are asking for statistics to back up these claims, because he and headhunter are the ones who keep on insisting there are so many cases like theirs and the statistics just do not support that. I can only speak for myself, but as someone who has yet to be banded, if there is a reputable site out there that can support their claims of so many people having such major problems that, as headhunter said, the band will one day be pulled off the market, I want to see them before I have the surgery.

I have not read any other posts by Gaynor, so I cannot respond to those. If you read them on another thread, don't come here and post your animosity about things others have said towards me on this thread. I in no way said anything that I feel was out of the way towards Gaynor. I asked for facts to back up a claim he made. What is wrong with that?

[green 6]

I was making a general comment about posts that I have read. Why is everyone so focused on demanding statistics when this man obviously had a major problem with his lap band. Did he say everyone would have this problem, no! He had them and shared and it helps people to know that there are problems out there so we don't go into it blindly. I wish I had used this forum prior to surgery I may have change my mind and gone with the gastric bypass. There were many things I didn't know before hand that isn't specifically brought up. Maybe they're assumptions, I don't know. Anyway that prior post of mine wasn't directed to you personally but it probably triggered me to write it. Thanks and good luck to you, brandyII.

Of course any intelligent person is going to be concerned about statistics; this is part of risk assessment and this is what one does when deciding upon a course of action. Having the facts, and knowing the statistics (or the probabilities) is part of having the facts, permits you to make an informed decision - which is far better for your health, happiness, and your finances than operating on an assumption, eh.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I was making a general comment about posts that I have read. Why is everyone so focused on demanding statistics when this man obviously had a major problem with his lap band. Did he say everyone would have this problem, no! He had them and shared and it helps people to know that there are problems out there so we don't go into it blindly. I wish I had used this forum prior to surgery I may have change my mind and gone with the gastric bypass. There were many things I didn't know before hand that isn't specifically brought up. Maybe they're assumptions, I don't know. Anyway that prior post of mine wasn't directed to you personally but it probably triggered me to write it. Thanks and good luck to you, brandyII.

Banding has problems, no way around that. There are erosions, slips, pouch/esophagus disation, infections, port issues, etc. But it still isn't anywhere near the issues bypass has. Not sure why you would have wanted bypass with the complications those folks often have.

Kathystrick:

Gaynor is the one who made the coment about "how many of us there are", which is the section of his original post I quoted and responded to. Yes, we are asking for statistics to back up these claims, because he and headhunter are the ones who keep on insisting there are so many cases like theirs and the statistics just do not support that. I can only speak for myself, but as someone who has yet to be banded, if there is a reputable site out there that can support their claims of so many people having such major problems that, as headhunter said, the band will one day be pulled off the market, I want to see them before I have the surgery.

Only problem I have with statistics regarding banding is that there are so few "recent" stats. Inamed is willing to discuss it, mention it, or bring it up at Bandster bashes but they aren't very good at putting the newest stats in writing. They are claiming stats are going up such as slips more than doubling. If slips are doubling with a better surgical technique, what about other issues?

I think one of the long term issues banding is going to produce is esophageal complications such as motility issues. I don't think the band has been around long enough for us to know what our futures hold. But we also knew this going in as well. I knew it, it's obvious. If something hasn't been around for 20 years then we don't know what will happen 20 years from now. Many esophageal issues are coming to light, some people experience them sooner than others. But just the way the band works, they should have seen this one coming.

In my heart I honestly don't believe the band is a forever tool. I think it is a great shot at weight loss within the weight loss industry and I think they are getting closer, but I don't feel it will be forever. I'm not sure any tool is going to be forever. We won't know until people have been using the tools for a lifetime.

[kathystrick 3]

I totally agree with you WBB. I have done my research and am aware of the "common" complications, all of which I am prepeared to live with if it means I will have a chance at reaching a healthy weight. I have found statistics from as much as 12 years ago, none of which indicate any complication even remotely as serious as what has been discussed here. As for the increase in slippages and erosions, I would assume that would directly correlate with the increased number of surgeries being performed. My doctor's office alone said their performance of banding has tripled in the past 3 years, but their complication rate is still <1%. I can deal with that.

[debbiejean 0]

The port coming thru the skin is nothing that no one has ever seen. My husband has a baclofen pump that works the same way as my band port, he goes in every six months and has it filled up with baclofen.

Twice not once the pump has came thru the skin on both side of his belly - why? because it was placed too close to the skin and the constant rubbing of his pants wore the skin down and the port came thru the skin - the third time they buried it way under the fatty part of his stomach and his tubing has also came lose before and had to be replaced.

So it is not something like out of alien to see a port come thru the skin, and if these doctors at this hospital had never seen this I would not want them touching me!!

[MacMadame 81]

Statistics please. Everything I have read (and believe me, that is a LOT. My doctor said I am one of the most informed patients he has ever had) completely contradicts that. That is not denial speaking, as I am not yet even approved for banding.

I think you are both right.

The thing is, if .05% have life-threatening complications -- a high estimate because most complications are not life-threatening, even the ones that require a second surgery and in many band studies, there are over 1500 subjects and not one mortality -- and only 1000 people in the US are banded, as was once the case, that's 5 people.

But now that there hundreds of thousands being banded, that's hundreds of people -- 500 for every 100,000. (If I did the math right.)

So, sure, there are more people. But the risk factor doesn't change because the absolute number goes up.

One thing that sways me towards Lap Band surgery (vs. other WLS) is that this is the surgery that many of the Bariatric Surgeons have done for themselves and for their families. I don't think they'd be putting the band in themselves if it really was a dangerous appliance due to be pulled off the market.

[Jesusislove 26]

I know this was moved to the ranting and raving section, but Please. please, haven't all this ranting, raving and arguing gone on long enough?

Edited April 19, 2008 by LLPlady3

[Jesusislove 26]

If you don't believe him, great. If you do believe him, in which I believe most of it about the complications, the other stuff unless I know him, we will never know. I pray that he be healed in Jesus Name and that he live a prosperous healthy life after this. I support anyone who has suffered whether it be from the Lap Band or anything else.

Edited April 19, 2008 by LLPlady3

[ReadySteadyGo 8]

If you don't believe him, great. If you do believe him, in which I believe most of it about the complications, the other stuff unless I know him, we will never know. I pray that he be healed in Jesus Name and that he live a prosperous healthy life after this. I support anyone who has suffered whether it be from the Lap Band or anything else.

me too.

thats all-just too short.

[brandyII 9]

I know I chose the lap band because I knew it was removable if there were a problem. My younger sister has breast cancer and my mother died of cancer when she was just 51 so I chose something I could take out in case I got sick, too. Can't help that it's in the back of my mind.

I'm sure there will be newer and better ones coming out all the time. I understand that some of you may be frightened and maybe that's why you get so angry when someone discusses problems with their bands but it's something that we all have to be aware of whether it's one in a million or one in a thousand it's a chance we all have or may take.

I wish all well, brandyII

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I know I chose the lap band because I knew it was removable if there were a problem. My younger sister has breast cancer and my mother died of cancer when she was just 51 so I chose something I could take out in case I got sick, too. Can't help that it's in the back of my mind.

I'm sure there will be newer and better ones coming out all the time. I understand that some of you may be frightened and maybe that's why you get so angry when someone discusses problems with their bands but it's something that we all have to be aware of whether it's one in a million or one in a thousand it's a chance we all have or may take.

I wish all well, brandyII

You mention something that is a common misconception about cancer and the lap band vs. sleeve.

There is no need to have the band removed or for a sleeve patient to worry if they get cancer. When cancer patients are end stage they are getting NO nutrition, it's the bodies way of dealing with the illness. If it feeds the cells it prolongs the life of the cancer cells. So you will often times find that patients just can't eat, they don't want food and the mere thought of food is repulsive to them.

With cancer you don't necessarily need extra nutrition, you simply need nutrition. The band and sleeve both would be fully adequate for a cancer patient. You can eat with either procedure, it's getting cancer patients to eat anything that is the challenge. So a sleeve would be exactly the same as a band for a cancer patient. Both are equally doable. Actually bypass would be acceptable too. Patients don't eat anything at all during the end stages. The idea is just to get calories in them.

[brandyII 9]

I guess I read somewhere prior to surgery that if someone were sick with cancer that was an option. Maybe they were speaking of the times when people go through chemo and radiation. I know it's different for everyone. I know end stages are bad no matter what, trust me I know! brandyII.

[bullpen87 2]

Although your comments about the band may not be enjoyable and supportive for us to read, your knowledge is grounded and accurate and your wording is well placed and sincere. I appreciate you and most all of us hope that we don't end up in a worse place than just obese like we began before our band. God bless and thank you.