Ok, on my brief break from LBT as it was updated, I meandered onto some other WLS "support" sites and was kind of shocked to see a LOT of people talking horribly about the band and being venomous to bandsters who were being positive about their bands. I didn't notice any wide spread hate for any other surgery method. What is up with that? I read things like everyone who gets the band will have to have multiple surgeries leading up to removal after 7 years and some bad complications. Has anyone noticed this before? Are there any plus 7 year bandsters out there who don't hate life? I kinda got freaked out and it made me worried about my own future with the band. Thoughts?

I was recently banned from a site (I didn't realize it was a pro-fat site) because I posted that I loved my band. Immediately following my post, band-haters started tearing me apart: "You are only 8 months post-op. Come back here in a couple of years and tell us then what a failure the band is," etc etc. When I tried to log back in to explain politely that I had a right to love my band, just as they had a right to hate successful banders, I found the admin had banned me!

Lesson learned. Never venture into unknown forum waters.

Where are these sites??? I'd like to go there and visit...

I have found that many people will attack you if you are successful...and they are not....after all, it cannot possibly be this easy, when they have been struggling....you cannot possibly be so happy, when they are so miserable...eating everything in site!! Falling off the wagon, needing to "get back on track" all the time....

Jealousy?

This website - group can be very negative in it's own way...I'm glad I did not discover it until AFTER my surgery....it can also be very confusing trying to sift between what is FACT, RUMOR and OPINIONS...as opposed to actual living experience from other bandsters....

Sometimes I don't care what printed articles are posted, or You-Tube videos....I KNOW my band and what it does to me, what I can and cannot do, what has worked and what has not worked, ALL from my own experience, success and failures....you can tell me till you're blue in the face it is absolutely impossible to defy gravity, but if I'm doing it everyday, I don't care what others may say or believe.....

People will post saying you can't do that with the band...etc, etc, and yet I am doing it everyday...go figure!

But I won't argue with them, just posts MY STORY...that's all anyone can, and should do...

My belief is the band can be a positive, and a negative thing....it all depends upon the person who has had the surgery....the band is adjustable and everyone has a different comfort level......or maybe better yet, fear factor...it is not for the faint of heart, but for those seriously looking to make a life long change and commitment....

Other surgeries there is no adjustment option...it is what it it what it is.....

I read posts here everyday from people who have a healthy attitude, who "GET IT"........then I also read posts from people who, IMO, simply "DON'T GET IT".....they don't have a clue........I hope they find their way..

I'm not talking about Newbies, those banded less than 6 months...that is the learning phase we have all been, or are going through....

Granted, there can and will arise medical complications here and there we have no control over, but other than that..

WE ARE IN CONTROL......

I don't visit other sites, I don't wan tto hear all aout how bad the lapband is. I love my band,(most of the time), but, sure, there aer complicatiosn, adn I have seen many people that have had gastric bypass, and had more complicatiosn than we do. So, don't visit those sites becaue they are lapband haters!(maybe they are just jealous of success)!

<shrugs> Everyone has their own opinion and their own reasons for having those opinions.

My hope is that this new site will not serve as a war zone for which operation is better.

I remember that when I was contemplating which wls to get that it seemed that each surgery was designed for specific people based on their goals, their eating habits etc. This is a very individualized process and we should all just support the common goal of reaching our goals and being healthier people. Although other procedures were not for me, I have no qualms with anyone who has chosen a different path. I wish them the best.

I do like how the wlsurgeries are separated here. I think in time we will find that unless you are in research phase, you will mostly be in lbt forums. It would be such a waste of time for someone to intentionally go into another forum just to stir the pot. However, if that occurs, you can simply report them as Alex has stated many times he will not allow bullying/slander etc.

Let's start w/ a positive attitude. This doesn't phase me one bit.

I haven't noticed any lap band haters on the sleeve forum.

Hi guys. As a sleever and former member of VST, I wanna say that I hope this new site does not turn into a big US vs THEM flame war. I was on VST for 2 years and rarely saw a thread hating on the band or any other surgery. Sure, about once a day somebody asked if they should have the sleeve or RNY, and everyone there suggested the sleeve because we were all sleevers. Also, there was (is) a whole subforum for band to sleeve revisions. For whatever reason those folks didn't succeed with the band so they moved on to the sleeve. But even then there wasn't a lot of band bashing....just people trying to find something that would work for them.

I guess my point is I really don't think it's going to be a big problem....I hope not. After all....we are all WLS patients right? So let's not look for trouble before it breaks out.

HI guys! I am visiting from the VST side of things. (sleeve talk) I think there are some "haters" for sure, but you have to keep in mind that the only banders that visit the sleeve section, are those with horror stories, that are looking into revising to the sleeve, or have already done so. I doubt most really "hate" those that get the band, but fear for the results that we mostly hear about, or the idea of having a foreign body inside, and continuing visits to the doc. Like you said, not all surgeries fit all people! Being hateful is never good form. For heavens sakes! I had 85 percent of my stomach removed! Who am I to blast anyone trying to get healthy! I am very happy at 3 years out, just got to goal... went through a regain at one point (of 22 pounds) but thats back off and all is well. I think if you have seen the stats, and can live with the possible complications and rules, then more power to you whatever choice you make!

Hi guys. As a sleever and former member of VST, I wanna say that I hope this new site does not turn into a big US vs THEM flame war. I was on VST for 2 years and rarely saw a thread hating on the band or any other surgery. Sure, about once a day somebody asked if they should have the sleeve or RNY, and everyone there suggested the sleeve because we were all sleevers. Also, there was (is) a whole subforum for band to sleeve revisions. For whatever reason those folks didn't succeed with the band so they moved on to the sleeve. But even then there wasn't a lot of band bashing....just people trying to find something that would work for them.

I guess my point is I really don't think it's going to be a big problem....I hope not. After all....we are all WLS patients right? So let's not look for trouble before it breaks out.

This is my concern too.

we all want to lose weight and get healthy...whichever WLS we choose, i wish everyone luck

no one is better than the other...

Reading this forum, does make me wonder though how people go about choosing one method of WLS over the other....when I was going for my band, I went to see a doctor who exclusively does band surgery. That was my preference since I had known a few friends and others who had the by pass and suffered medical issues, and complications including death.

Since I have met my doctor the first time, there are now other doctors in the Bariatric Practice of the hospital that perform other WLS such as the sleeve, and by pass.

From what I understood from the initial meeting with my doctor was that if I was not a "candidate" for the band I would be referred to the other doctors to see if I might be a candidate for their specialty.

Which makes me think that there is some standard of measure that makes someone a candidate for one surgery vs. another other the fact that we are all over weight, and I don't think it is solely based on our preference as it was in my case.....but my assumption could be wrong insofar as I have not heard or understood what the metrics consist of that makes someone a better candidate for the band vs. other WLS.

Does anyone know if there is such a thing, or if surgery is undertaken based solely on the preference of the patient?

Apologies if I’m rambling…I hope this made sense it’s been a rough day J

I can tell you that my surgeon originally recommended that I have the band. After really thinking about it and doing research on my own I felt the sleeve was a better choice for me. The reasoning behind the band for him was that I had GERD, and that I had "less weight to lose." But I was also getting involved in CrossFit and I really didn't want to be dealing with a port with those activities (lots of crunches, weight lifting, that sort of thing.)

Fortunately the surgeon listened to my preference, and also the GERD has so far not been a problem post-op. But I really don't know that I had a prejudice for either one. And really? Far be it from me to bash something that works for someone else. But haters gonna hate.

I for one am glad that I did not know of this forum, or any other WLS website until AFTER I had surgery, otherwise I would have been confused as you know what...

My PCP referred me, I attended a seminar, then met with the PA for screening and Insurance coverage, then with the surgeon to discuss the various WLS procedures he could perform....

I took him and the info he gave me at face value, and never looked back.

I didn't either. And I'm happy for the same reasons. :-)

Reading this forum, does make me wonder though how people go about choosing one method of WLS over the other....when I was going for my band, I went to see a doctor who exclusively does band surgery. That was my preference since I had known a few friends and others who had the by pass and suffered medical issues, and complications including death.

Since I have met my doctor the first time, there are now other doctors in the Bariatric Practice of the hospital that perform other WLS such as the sleeve, and by pass.

From what I understood from the initial meeting with my doctor was that if I was not a "candidate" for the band I would be referred to the other doctors to see if I might be a candidate for their specialty.

Which makes me think that there is some standard of measure that makes someone a candidate for one surgery vs. another other the fact that we are all over weight, and I don't think it is solely based on our preference as it was in my case.....but my assumption could be wrong insofar as I have not heard or understood what the metrics consist of that makes someone a better candidate for the band vs. other WLS.

Does anyone know if there is such a thing, or if surgery is undertaken based solely on the preference of the patient?

Apologies if I’m rambling…I hope this made sense it’s been a rough day J

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Good question!

-I hear about the benefits of DS ,better Diabetes reduction and quicker/more weight loss. More strict nutritional rules.

-RNY to avoid GERD, better Diabetes reduction, mal-absorbtion part of weight loss process.-

-Sleeve to avoid mal-absorbtion, ability to use aspirin (this is one reason I got the sleeve, I need aspirin as part of my heart health practice, my Cardio would not approve my surgery without this), can scope the whole existing tract, keep your pylorus, remove most of your Ghrelin producers, only option for Crohn's patients. Can use it as part one of the DS if you don't lose enough weight with just the sleeve. Not as good for Diabetes or GERD.

-Band benefits... I would think it might be that it can be reversed and adjusted if you need to?

-Don't know much about Plication.....

I'm sure there are many more reasons... I really think it is partly what the Doc has experience with, My doc did mostly bands and RNY, I suspect if he had been there at my consultation, I would have ended up with the RNY... he got a new co-Doc who I did my first consult with, he gave me the choice of the sleeve or RNY, I had never heard of the sleeve, looked into it, and it just made good sense to me personally. The sleeve was pretty new as a stan alone procedure when I got it, so the stats are still pretty early out... but people have had their stomachs removed for centuries, and lived through it, and the DS has been around for a while, so I figured nothing completely unsuspected would probably pop up after surgery. I wanted to know everything I could find out about WLS before I got it!

You guys don't even need us to hate you! You have enough trouble within your own group!!

http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/287744-know-it-alls/?fromsearch=1

http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/283375-poll-do-you-let-food-sit-in-your-esophagus-or-wash-it-down-with-liquids/?fromsearch=1

Geeze it's like watching a soap opera..

"As the lapband turns"