loser2014

Oh Please.... give it a rest. I can find lots of internet sites that spread fear and nonsense... You had a sleeve? Maybe you should read this. It has as much value as any other internet news blurb.
http://gastricbypasskills.blogspot.com/2013/02/think-gastric-sleeve-is-safe-think-again.html
They claim a 1 in 50 mortality rate. I guess you beat the odds?
Surgeons don't like the band because it commits them to years of follow care. If the patient is on Medicare, they don't get a dime for follow post surgical care. It is a lot more profitable to cut and slice, and forget.

On Wednesday, ABC’s “The View” included a tactless segment for weight loss surgery patients. In it, Rosie O’Donnell said that she disagreed with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s choice to get the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (lap-band), calling it an “inefficient” way to lose weight.


Ms. O’Donnell herself is a gastric sleeve patient who had struggled with her weight throughout her professional life. She got the procedure done in July of 2013, and has since lost about 50 pounds.
Upsetting Effects of Ms. O’Donnell’s Words
Ms. O’Donnell not only insulted Governor Christie, but also every lap-band patient. She stated outright that the lap-band has a 50 percent rate of removal, and is an inefficient way to lose weight. She strongly implied that anyone who gets the lap-band chooses to do so because they haven’t done enough research.
This kind of divisiveness between weight loss surgery patients is harmful to everyone who is affected by obesity. Weight loss surgery can literally save lives and give people back their quality of life. It can be the only way to lose weight for many people. The only way to improve weight loss surgery outcomes and acceptance is to provide a unified front. When someone like Ms. O’Donnell bashes lap-band surgery, it only adds to the public’s general misconception of weight loss surgery as a foolish choice.
The Lap-Band Is a Good Choice for Many
The gastric sleeve is the right choice for some weight loss surgery patients, and it may have been the right choice for Ms. O’Donnell. For other patients, the lap-band is the right choice – and, in contrast to Ms. O’Donnell’s accusations, they can arrive at that decision after careful research. They may be hesitant to permanently remove most of the stomach, as in the gastric sleeve, and may value the ability to adjust their bands.
There’s no shortage of evidence that the lap-band can work. In fact, it may even be working for Governor Christie! He will not publicly discuss specific numbers, but he’s clearly lost weight since getting the lap-band in February of 2013. Rumor has it he’s down 85 pounds, but he hasn’t confirmed this amount.
A Better Choice of Words
Ms. O’Donnell is certainly entitled to her opinion, but it doesn’t seem necessary for an influential celebrity to insult all lap-band patients in front of millions of viewers on national television.
She could easily have praised the gastric sleeve and all that it has done for her without bashing the lap-band.
She could have discussed why she chose the sleeve over the lap-band and gastric bypass.
She could have praised Governor Christie for his weight loss without insulting his choice of weight loss surgery.

How Can “The View” Make Amends?
“The View” could have handled the situation a little differently. The show could have done something as simple as asking Ms. O’Donnell for evidence for her claims. For example, where did she learn that half of all lap-bands are removed? That flies in the face of what patients learn from their surgeons, who spend years studying the lap-band and other types of weight loss surgery.
There’s still time to make amends and show weight loss surgery patients some respect. “The View” could dedicate a segment of a future show to discussing weight loss surgery more accurately. Any number of bariatric surgeons and allied health professionals could serve as credible guests in an informative interview.
Make Your Voice Heard!
What you think matters to Hollywood celebrities and TV shows. Their success depends on your approval and continued support. If you want to weigh in on how you feel about Ms. O’Donnell’s insensitive comment about the lap-band, why not tell her and “The View” what you’re thinking? You can tweet them at @Rosie and @theviewTV to explain how hurtful her words were. They’re on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RosieODonnellOfficial and https://www.facebook.com/TheView.
Ms. O’Donnell may benefit from learning that the lap-band is a good choice for some weight loss surgery patients, and “The View” may learn that the show needs to take responsibility for presenting a more accurate picture of this – and any other – sensitive topic.