Surgery is next week.I seeing all these people having problems with the band.I feel so bad for them and it has me very worried.

This is my one chance with the insurance company.I hope I have made the right choice picking the band over the gastric.Who has had the band the longest????

My husband's ex still has her old Melina band.Is this band better for us or does it just make the doctors more money? There seems to be alot of kinks to work out. Remember my daughter is having it done in January.

....yes....skylab is BIG on my list of things to add to my OTHER list of things to worry about....

But didn't skylab ALREADY fall???

I could have sworn that it broke up and fell over some other continent.

You mean I'm so misinformed I haven't been worrying when I shoulda?

Personally I try to worry about as much as possible because the things that I worry about almost NEVER get me. It's always the ones I never even considered.

Yes, Skylab fell a long long time ago. It's already happened, which is why I like to use it when talking about irrational fears and worries.

I think that given the laws of probability, the chances of something happening to you are quite slim in the realm of things.

I just like using skylab cause I'm a geek.

A couple of things from someone else who is about to have her band removed.

*This is an unusually supportive board. At least one other place I post has one or two people who insist that most people with problems aren't "working their tool"...or some other "blame the victim" kind of BS. (Interestingly enough, that position is usually spouted by people who were 400 pounds and are now happy to be 250 or so...and those people actually believe that we all want to have their level of success...and they don't get that an awful lot of banded people don't WANT to weigh 250 and that's why they are getting the band. But I digress.)

**It's a damned shame that Michelle has to go through this. On the other hand (sorry, Michelle), her problems are enlightening many. Michelle has been such a success story, that is is hard for some people to believe (at least that's what they have written) that THIS could happen to HER. Deal is, it can happen to anyone, NO MATTER HOW WELL THEY ARE FOLLOWING RULES! So, don't say, "Well I'm a good patient and so I won't have to deal with that." Follow the rules, listen to your body, but then get the lousy endoscopy and upper GI anyway!

***Get rid of doctors who ignore your problems. I recently had a LapBand doctor try to convince me that the sensation I had--of food bouncing up and down in my esophagus--was a normal part of the banding experience. And that I should attend some support group meetings to learn from more "successful" patients...all of whom had been banded for far less time than I have.

****Know the complications and decide which ones you are willing to take AND what "payoff" you require. I'm not willing to live with RnY risk for the RnY payoff, but I'll accept the DS risk--which, for the surgery itself is greater--for the DS payoff. I thought about it, especially when I learned that the band had to come out, but RnY problems are not for me. Also, I should not have been willing to live SO LONG with band complications. But the band is new here and the doctors don't know what to listen to. If YOU have complications, MAKE someone deal with them.

That's MY wisdom, three-and-a-half days before my revision.

Sue

Good luck Sue.

Sue what great words of wisdom, thank you for your post

Deal is, it can happen to anyone, NO MATTER HOW WELL THEY ARE FOLLOWING RULES!

I agree. I'm here to tell you all, I followed the rules, I drank zero carbonation, I never took 1 single NSAID, I exercised, I did not stuff my pouch, I drank my water, I ate protein first, did not drink with meal etc..... and yet I still erdoded..

Even knowing the risks of the band and the possibility of erosion, I took the chance. I gambled and in my eyes I won..the band did it's job for me, now it is time for me to start my new journey and new challenge bandless. I'm ready for it!

<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>Gastric Bypass Surgeon Cited as Remiss</TD></TR><TR><TD align=right></TD></TR><TR><TD>Gastric Bypass Surgeon Cited as Remiss State medical board accuses the Riverside doctor of mishandling six fatal cases and five others

"Im not banded but I did my reacher for Month's on weight loss surgery, Such as Gastric by pass............. Roux- en- y .....and the..... lap band..... and if "I" had to do it. It would be the lab band hands down,because its adjustable and mostly! not so invasive hard on your stomich and your system with less healing time no cutting!

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Ladysplenda please put those worrys away. It is only natural to be worried but I think you will be glad to have been one of the lucky ones to have the oportunity to be banded. I know I am thrilled with my band despite what problems could happen. It has given me a new lease on life and no one can ever take that feeling away even having some band problems is better than having long term health problems because of the extra weight we are caring around. The band can be reversed if a problem does arise and for that thought I have more peace of mind. I want my band to be a permanent thing but we can't predict the future... so my advise is to get banded with the thought its forever.... but know that it may be temperary and give your band your best shot while its avaiable to you~ treat it good ~ don't take it for granted ~make good use of it and if you must let it go at some point then so be it... But I garantee you will never regret being banded and you will be a different person for having a great chance of regaining your health back!!! Problems happen but I think either way you will come out on top a healthier happier person for having been banded. I'd do it all over again in a heart beat... with no regrets!!!! Good luck to you and your daughter!!!

I don't have any words of wisdom to add to what's already on this thread. But I wanted to thank everyone for posting. This has been very valuable for this long-term bandster who is just as shaken by new reports of trouble as everyone else!!

Don't forget that this site is largely for support and that people will seek support in BAD times -- sadly, not as much in good times. I think there are so many positive band experiences that go un mentioned and maybe you get a little bit of a distorted view on a site designed to support peole because people come here alot of times when they are needing help -- bad times. Be positive and make the best decision you can for you and you will just be fine. best wishes!

I am looking to be banded mid-January and I too read some worrisome posts but then I continue the alternative - to be 100 pounds overweight and growing! There are countless ways my obesity hurts me - emotionally, physically and socially and probably financially as well. Every bandster takes a chance but ultimately you have to work your own program, follow your own doctor's advice and go for it.

I'm psyched. I'm ready for all of it - the good, bad and torturous liquid diet....

I am looking to be banded mid-January and I too read some worrisome posts but then I continue the alternative - to be 100 pounds overweight and growing! There are countless ways my obesity hurts me - emotionally, physically and socially and probably financially as well. Every bandster takes a chance but ultimately you have to work your own program, follow your own doctor's advice and go for it.

I'm psyched. I'm ready for all of it - the good, bad and torturous liquid diet....

Great attitude you got there!!!!! You will be a huge success!!!!! Good luck to you!!!! Go get that band !!!!! WhoooHooooo!!!!!

I just want to say THANK YOU for all of those in responding with positive statements. My heart does go out to those with problems but being pre-op, I was starting to get an anxiety attack until I read the above statements. Vinesqueen your post made me laugh and feel better. Yes, there are many things in life that can go wrong and as someone else stated at least the lapband is reversible if something goes wrong, you can have it taken out if it's not working correctly, RNY'ers cannot do that. So, I feel much better knowing that even if I lose 50 or 250 lbs I'll be better off than I am right now. Thanks for the positive vibes everyone!!!

Last Monday night there was a news story regarding gastric bypass you can read the transcripts from that by going to foxchicago.com . Click on Fox focus tab and look for the story called 'Dying to be thin'. I have never been so sure that banding was the way to go for me. I hope this helps.

Sorry Jack. Skylab fell years before Mir did. Neither is up there.

Skylab fell to earth in July, 1974, showering debris over uninhabited parts of Australia and the Indian Ocean.

In Mar., 2001, Mir fell to earth, the largest spacecraft (143 tons/130 metric tons) ever to decay, showering an estimated 1,500 fragments of 44 lb (20 kg) or more over an uninhabited area 120 mi (193 km) wide by 3,600 mi (5795 km) long in the South Pacific.

I still love the analogy though, Vines!

La madam, kudos to you for having lost an incredible amount of wt. Can you tell me what caused the erosion?