I am very new to this page and I am in the process of doing everything I need to do for lap band. Thank you for all your thoughts!! I'm so glad I was on this page to read what you wrote. So informative!!! Thanks!
You can't live on liquids forever. And once you stop liquids, it's VERY difficult if not impossible to not gain the weight back. Why? Because a liquid diet is a crash diet. It completely kills your metabolism. It is a fact that the more you crash diet, the likelihood of you gaining all the weight back and MORE is far higher than if you didn't bother dieting at all.
The band carries a risk of complications, yes. I have never seen statistics that support a 6 in 10 complication rate. But assuming that's true, let's put it into perspective: complications with the band can range from a port flip (easy fixed in day surgery) to erosion or worse (requires band removal). In Australia where the lapband was used routinely long before it was approved for use in the US, the complication rate is about 5% (all complications). Erosion rates are at sub 1%. Of these complications, some are caused by band failure and some by patient non-compliance, so that too is a factor.
Forums are NOT an unbiased representation of a population. Generally speaking, people seek out forums when they wish to discuss a problem and need support. This means that a lapbander who is at goal who isn't experiencing issues would usually have no reason to post, and few of them do (even on this site). Why would they?
So your best bet in terms of getting information regarding complication rates, risks and issues is to seek real studies regarding short, medium and long term prognosis for lapband patients. Paul O'Brien has been placing lapbands in Australian patients since 1994, and my own surgeon has nearly 2 decades of experience and still advocates banding for his wls patients.
Do your research and then make your choices, and don't necessarily accept other's personal experience as the only facts out there. Or else how is that different from me saying I lost over 100% of my excess weight with my band and have kept it off for 5 years with nearly no real imposition on my life?? I don't expect everyone to be like me, so those with complications shouldn't expect everyone to be like them.
Today I was banded and did very well! I had planned to stay overnight but my doctor said I did so well he let me come home today! Praise God! A new me!
Heartbass got a reaction from Bandista in Freaked myself out by reading Negative experiences. Give me the truth, please.
Heartbass got a reaction from Jean McMillan in Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's Off to Work We Go!