regrets about lapband choice?

[Great2BThin 5]

Absolutely no regrets, other than not doing it sooner. I have been banded one year, am down 125 lbs and am 10 lbs from goal. You must go into banding (or any WLS) however, with the mindset that it's a tool. It works as well as you work it. Sure it's possible to eat around your band, then you eat too much and then you don't lose. THat's not the band's fault then. Ice cream, Cookies, thin pizza, chips, all slide right on through. But if you do the hard Proteins first, small portions, exercise, you will lose. I wish you the best of luck in your decision. As another poster mentioned, there are different types of surgery and what may work well for one, might not be the right choice for another. You are doing well to research all your options.

[pixierainbow 0]

I wish you all the best, Cherri.

[pixierainbow 0]

Wow! Congratulations on an incredible weight loss. You make a very good point about using this as a tool in the process. Very important to remember that. Thanks for the advice.

[SpecialK 22]

Headhunter, it sounds like a combination of incompetent surgeon led to lapband complications which in turn was life threatening to you and I'm sorry to hear that. I am happy to hear you are Happy now with your Revision. I have to assume you had a much better bariatric surgeon second time around and now will lead a full and healthy life. God Bless.

[Headhunter 6]

Headhunter, it sounds like a combination of incompetent surgeon led to lapband complications which in turn was life threatening to you and I'm sorry to hear that. I am happy to hear you are Happy now with your Revision. I have to assume you had a much better bariatric surgeon second time around and now will lead a full and healthy life. God Bless.

Thank you, Special, I do appreciate that.

Yes, my experience was kind of a "perfect storm", and the "tides" from that storm will be with me in many ways, for many years to come. Which is why I appear pretty passionate about this entire issue when I discuss it. I have been immersed in this entire WLS maelstrom for nearly eight years, and I have learned an enormous amount about the procedures, the marketing of them, the psychology of those giving and getting the surgery....so many things.

I find myself getting a little angry at times, when I hear people giving out what I KNOW to be incorrect or faulty information. I know that it comes through at times in my posts. But there is just so much baloney that is being tossed around. The internet is a WONDERFUL source of information, but you really have to discount about 40 percent of what you read out there. People continually regurgitate stats and info that they read on some blog or some site, and they state it as FACT....and it is often not. Even Doctors frequently give out misinformation; they state their OWN surgical outcome stats as being industry-wide stats, when it's simply not true.

So I really, really kind of pound on people to take plenty of time, and do the research.

Anyway, sorry for the rant; I do appreciate your comments, and my wish....no, my PRAYER is that everyone , regardless of what procedure they end up having, ends up being healthy, happy, and able to enjoy life to the fullest. Because, I think that is one of the reasons we are here to begin with!

Best to ya!:tongue:

HH

[Headhunter 6]

Special K....my favorite Cereal, by the way.:tongue:

Some comedian once pondered: "So, I understand the Special K.....but, what happened to the "REGULAR" K....where did THAT go?"

HH

[Headhunter 6]

I also have to comment on one thing that the OP said, that I know to be incorrect. He/she said that the mortality rate for Bypass is 10X that of the Lap band.

Entirely untrue, you have been given incorrect information. Even if your surgeon told you that, it is incorrect. I have found that many, many Surgeons/Doctors are not really aware of the real stats for ANY of the surgeries, strange as it might sound.

There are numerous ways of looking at mortality rates: on operating table, complications resulting from non-surgical issues, etc,. It's an area in which you can take any amount of numbers that have been collected, and apply then in any number of ways. It's the same the concept of "WLS Failures"....you have to define failure, and there are at least 9 definitions of failure as it relates to WLS outcomes.

It's a topic for a whole different conversation, but I will tell that the idea of the death rate of GB being 10X that of the LB on any scale,,,,well, it's simply not correct.

HH

Edited June 20, 2009 by Headhunter

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Well,that's somewhat true, but not completely.

It's not only hormones that trigger the "full" feeling.

Receptors for "I'm Full" are in the upper portion of the stomach, which is why the band is placed where it is.

The restriction works because it keeps the food in the upper portion where those receptors are longer, allowing you to feel "full" (not hungry), without altering hormone levels or removing portions of the stomach.

If one eats foods that go through the pouch rapidly, then he or she will get hungry sooner.

Which is why we must work with this particular WLS differently than we would with another form.

As you said, it's all about what one feels he or she can handle.

But what you are not discussing here is that the hormones that you don't seem to understand is called Ghrelin. When the human body begins to burn fat more Ghrelin is produced. Obese people already produce 3x as much Ghrelin as people who do not have weight problems. Add even MORE Ghrelin to the mix due to burning fat and it is quite a significant difference and the is probably one of the reasons sleeved people lose more weight and faster, we got rid of the over production of Ghrelin.

The "receptors" that you are referring to that tell people they are full is the vegus nerve and I have news for you, feeling "full" with a band is completely different for most people than pre-banding. What you experience now when you feel full will likely change after you are banded.

There is a valve at the bottom of your stomach that controls how fast food leaves your stomach. With the band they are trying to do what that valve does naturally but higher up in the stomach.

Restriction is restriction, you don't really need to work with the band differently "in regard to restriction" than you do any other procedure. Bands and bypass use a stoma, sleeves and DS use their natually made pyloris valve.

[CASSIEME1 1]

:wub:WHATS THE PURPOSE OF ASKING PEOPLE IF THEY HAVE ANY REGRETS IF U R GOING 2 ARGUE WITH THEM ABOUT THEIR REGRETS AND OPINIONS THEY HAVE A RIGHT 2 VOICE HOW THEY FEEL. U DONT KNOW THEIR EXPERIRNCE THEY ARE JUST TRYING 2 KEEP SOMEONE FORM POSSIBLY GOING THREW THAT SAME EXPERIENCE WITH THAT PARTICULAR DOCTOR:thumbup:

[pixierainbow 0]

My goodness, you sound angry. Who are these comments directed at? I think most people are passionate about this subject. We are all struggling and sometimes our words express our angst and frustration. You need to be a little more empathetic.

[TopTier 0]

But what you are not discussing here is that the hormones that you don't seem to understand is called Ghrelin. When the human body begins to burn fat more Ghrelin is produced. Obese people already produce 3x as much Ghrelin as people who do not have weight problems. Add even MORE Ghrelin to the mix due to burning fat and it is quite a significant difference and the is probably one of the reasons sleeved people lose more weight and faster, we got rid of the over production of Ghrelin.

The "receptors" that you are referring to that tell people they are full is the vegus nerve and I have news for you, feeling "full" with a band is completely different for most people than pre-banding. What you experience now when you feel full will likely change after you are banded.

There is a valve at the bottom of your stomach that controls how fast food leaves your stomach. With the band they are trying to do what that valve does naturally but higher up in the stomach.

Restriction is restriction, you don't really need to work with the band differently "in regard to restriction" than you do any other procedure. Bands and bypass use a stoma, sleeves and DS use their natually made pyloris valve.

Having fun? :smile2:

I simply provided added context. The location of the receptors for "full" absolutely are important, otherwise we'd simply be "restricted" and still feel hungry. Again, just adding more context. Not sure why that bothers you. . .

Edited June 23, 2009 by TopTier
typo

[Nanook 2]

I had the lap band because I was basically afraid of the bypass but after 14 months had it removed as it never worked for me and I developed reflux. I've just had my RNY surgery and was more prepared this time around and am finally losing weight! I am a 49 year old peremenopausal woman with diabetes II, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea and on antidepressants so it was not easy for me to lose with the lap band.

Good luck with your decision as I know it's not always an easy one.

[pixierainbow 0]

Thank you for your input. You have expressed the fear I feel that the Lapband won't work well for me either. And I also am apprehensive about the RNY procedure because of the side effects. There is so much to consider and where I was once convinced that the Lapband was the right choice, now I am going to be more open-minded going into the meetings with the provider. My first is on Thursday/NP. I really appreciate everyone who has shared their thoughts. Thanks so much

[Lana24 10]

Just wish I had done it sooner!

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Having fun? :smile2:

I simply provided added context. The location of the receptors for "full" absolutely are important, otherwise we'd simply be "restricted" and still feel hungry. Again, just adding more context. Not sure why that bothers you. . .

No, this isn't correct. When you eat food there is a chain or a cascade of hormonal changes that go into effect throughout the GI system.

It is not as simple as you make it sound.