Yippee! Isn't it great having that appetite monster shut down? Congratulations on finding a new doctor and getting to the green zone. So glad you're here on the forum.
Most of us who elect for WLS have run the gamut of fad diets, weight loss groups, etc. before deciding on WLS as being a solution. I think many of us are well aware of the risks of any surgery, including all of the WLS options. I don't have much to say about the clinics, like those in LA, that appealed to vanity or pushed procedures on unfit candidates for surgery.... but I know my surgeon has earned his reputation by putting his patients above his profit margins. To insinuate that we have undertaken this journey in ignorant bliss is an insult to those of us who have suffered with weight problems, and despite the risks, underwent surgery with our eyes wide open.
I do have some compassion for those who had problems. But, not ALL problems are band related. Did the surgeon properly screen his patients? No surgery comes with a guarantee.