I am a former patient of Dr. Robert Owen Powell. This man operated on me in 2005.

I kept a blog of my experience of being banded by Dr. Powell. It is located at the link below:

http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/msbutterkup23/blog/2006/10/

For those who are interested in every little detail in why I say RUN away from this doctor. He commonly went back and forth between Texas and California and it looks like he is only in California. I'm sure he FORGETS to tell the nice people who come into his office that ALL of his Texas Patients were TAKEN away from him and given to other physicians. I'm not the only person with complaints about Dr. Powell, there is at least one lady online who claims Dr. Powell failed to give her mom proper care and he almost killed her!! Do your research folks.

Life has gone on and I haven't kept the previously mentioned blog current. On August 26, 2010, I made the wisest decision I could have based upon the fact that I got to a point where I was unable to swallow Water let alone eat solid food for months! I got completely away from True Results AKA Surgery Center of Richardson and went with another DFW Area physician that specializes in Lap Band revisisons to Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy (VSG). I was tired of the sales pitch I guess and more so the constant adjustments (Fills) that a Lap Band requires. I lost 140lbs when the band seemed to be working right so I know my story might be a bit hard to understand completely. During my surgery to have the band removed my new surgeon realized why I had such hell with the Lap Band. DR. POWELL HAD PLACED MY LAP BAND IN BACKWARDS, in fact my new surgeon, whom I completely trust now has NEVER seen a Band placed the way Dr. Powell had mine in my chest.

The word is Lap Band is reversable. That is SOMEWHAT true. The damage it causes is permanent. I will forever have a severely weakened esophagus because of this band and I'm only 33 years old. I still have times of discomfort even after having the band from hell removed when I try to eat solids and they get stuck in the weaken portion.

Please take the time to do your research on Dr. Powell or any surgeon you pick to do anytype of surgery on your body. It's your body, you are stuck with any and all damages and complications that might occur. Do web searches and ask other patients about their experiences. Just be careful because some doctors have staff posing as patients to get you interested!! Not to start a which is best surgery war, but do an internet search for "Lap Band Lawyer" because he suits are about to start as people are realizing what was done to them..

Sincerely,

Carrie H

Hi Carrie,

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience. I was a patient of Dr. Powell's as well. I moved away from Texas, and I'm trying to track him down to get my records since I'm having problems with my band. Do you have any (somewhat) recent contact information for his office? I have called every number I've found online and can't get through. Thanks,

Sara

Don't blame the band for a poor surgeon! May of the horror stories I read on these forums I honestly believe are due to poor surgeons, and the fault of the band itself. I am sure there are exceptions, but I honestly believe that selecting a surgeon and practice that offers any WLS surgery should be undertaken as being one of the most serious long term decisions you will make in your lifetime. I am so sorry to hear of your terrible journey with the band, and I hope you have success with the revision surgery.

so sorry to read all this.....

I sincerely hope that future generations never go through WLS. That we as a nation start cultivating a healthy relationship between our children grandchildren and food right from birth. We must make a better future for the generations to come. I pray and wish God gives me the knowledge to pass this message along to the new parents of this nation.

I sincerely hope that future generations never go through WLS. That we as a nation start cultivating a healthy relationship between our children grandchildren and food right from birth. We must make a better future for the generations to come. I pray and wish God gives me the knowledge to pass this message along to the new parents of this nation.

Don't hold your breath, the human race doesn't have a track record of common sense.

The best you can do is change your life, and influence the lives of those we have close contact with. I was raised with "clean your plate", my girls are being raised with "If you aren't hungry, don't eat any more, I don't care how much is left on your plate".

I don' think food is entirely the blame. My total cholesterol has been under 130 for the past 12 years. It was over 260 before I started eating right. But diet alone isn't going to shed pounds for those of us who are genetically prone to weight gain I can only lose weight when I exercise DAILY, and that means either an hour at the gym or a good two hour daily walk with the dog. Even cutting to under 1200 calories at best will hold my weight. I sure hope they can find a cure a for this disease, and for many people it is a disease or eating disorder. No one should have to undergo WLS in the future. And I hope the public perception of our problem improves.

The very minimum is caused because of genetics. Most if us have a horrible relationship with food and that's y we are obese. That's is why we the ones suffering because of this horrible and real addiction to food, we must do everything in our power to prevent this from happening to future generations.