I just heard some disturbing news from a friend of mine. She works for the surgery department at a teaching hospital and she spoke with the bariatrics doc there. He told her that 35% of bandsters have complications and that the FDA was going to revoke their approval of the band. Yikes!! Does anyone have any info on this.

OK. I have calmed down now. I just went a read an article that made me feel better. Comments, anyone.

I've heard nothing about this, and I have connections in high places at insurance carriers who know I care about this kind of thing. What did you read that made you feel better? Has there been anything in print about it?

I just did a search for lap band failure. I read a summary of the research on the spotlight website. I was comparing the initial findings that weren't so good with the current findings.

I was surprize to hear that about the FDA. This doc also told my friend that the RNY was safer. I know that's not true. Hopefully it is much ado about nothing.

OMG, tell her to tell her doctor to read some literature from the past couple of years. Geeze.

Yes, the first American trials were pretty bad. That's because it was American doctors who think they know better than everyone else. Now that the real losers have bailed, the remaining doctors are getting pretty good.

That 35% "complication rate" includes such staggering complications as "nausea."

My plastic surgeon told me that the band was NOT a very good product. Then, on the morning of my plastic surgery, he said, "By the way, I had dinner with a surgeon friend who told me I was behind the curve on the band. He's moving more an more patients in that direction." I love my PS.

Finally, I don't think the FDA would have let a second band go into clinical trials if the first one was such a failure...and there is a second brand in clinical trials.

I totally agree with you, Sue. I just got a little concerned because I know this doc and he is usually very up to date on things. I think he has had to fix several bands that were put in incorrectly by some of the first docs. Maybe his perspective is skewed because of that.

I'm over it and still moving forward.

Even (hypothetically) if the FDA bans the bands, we already got ours, neener neener neener. Let them ban cigarettes, breast implants, or tongue piercings - you know, the kinda stuff that has zero health benefits?

Hey now, wait till I get mine, I don't want to be left out~

Betty:(

Biker Betty, there are plenty of bands to go around!