I just received by band a week ago. This forum is a catch 22! It's helpful, yet so frightening. How do you discriminate between all of the great success and positive posts vs. the ones who share terrrible stories of complications? Initially I was afraid of the procedure, now I am afraid of the complications. I want to be so positive that this was the right decision, but now I'm afraid I'm going to move forward with fear. Help! Julie

It can be confusing,that's for sure. When I was first thinking about getting banded, it seemed like there were a LOT of posts about erosion and band slippage and that was scary. But I kept a couple of things in the forefront of my mind to help me stay focused:

1) The people most l active in a community like this one fall into three groups - those who want to be banded, those who were banded very recently, and those who are having problems. All three groups have a lot of nervous and/or excited posts. People who are doing well tend to spend less time here, and tend to lurk more than post when they are here, so you just don't hear as much from them.

2) The incidence of complications is really very slim. Because of my point above, it may seem like a bigger problem than it is. But if you look at the statistics, you'll see that erosion and slippage are very rare and becoming even more so as doctors in the US get more and more experienced with band placement. In the end, no one can assure you that you won't have complications. No matter what, it's still a gamble, but the odds are very much in your favor that you'll be ok.

3) What is the alternative? As far as I was concerned, this was my only option. I couldn't continue on the way I had been. At the very beginning of this process, I was shocked and horrified to discover that I weighed 70 pounds more than I thought - 45 more than my previous all-time high. It terrified me how easy it was to stay oblivious about my weight gain. I was gaining and gaining with no end in site. I could't drum up an ounce of willpower to diet, knowing that I'd ultimately end up even fatter than I was at that point. It all of a sudden became real to me that not only would I weigh over 300 pounds, it would be 325, then 350, then 375 and I felt completely powerless to stop it. I couldn't delude myself into thinking that I could just do nothing and stay exactly where I was at 266 pounds. The truth was, I'd tried everything else. I was either going to have the surgery, or continue to gain weight. I was tired all of the time, I had trouble walking, and my knees and back hurt all the time.

Once all of these things came together in my mind, I realized that there truly was no decision to make - other than band vs. bypass. At that point, I made the decision to do it and I went through with it and never looked back. For someone like myself who tends to be incredibly indecisive about big stuff like this, the decision to follow through with banding was a surprisingly easy one.

The band could be the answer for you, but maybe it isn't. Search your heart, but analyze your situation logically. Don't let fear guide your decision.

There can be complications with the lapband but the ration isnt very high. Just trust in yourself and your surgeon and everything will be okay. I love my doctor and I love having the lapband.

I agree with everyone.....

One of the main things that you should be concerned about is yourself. This site is very helpful in learning about the good, the bad, and the ugly. Since you know how most people got to where they are, now's the time to think about where you want to be and what you need to do to get there...(run on sentence..lol).

Keep your mind positive then everything will fall into place..your body, your health. Continue to share with us because we can surely relate with your attitude and feelings.!!!

I have a feeling that the percentage of complications may actually go up as the surgery becomes more common. I've noticed more and more people on this board and other wls boards who are getting banded without thoroughly researching it first. It scares me when I read about people who go in to this hoping to be so tight that they can't eat food at all, or who PB freqently because they take in fewer calories that way.

But, you can put your mind at ease, if you are willing to educate yourself about how to live a safe and healthy bandster life, and then do it. If you use the band as it was meant, don't keep a too-tight fill, get proper after-care, and don't PB frequently, chances are you won't have any severe complications.

For me, the slight risks were well worth it. Since September, I'm down 96 lbs., down from a size 26 to a 12/14, off of 3 prescription meds, am able to enjoy exercising, and no longer suffer from plantar fasciitis. If I lost my band tomorrow, I'd still be glad that I got it.

Tami

Sometimes, you just have to trust in the rightness of the universe...

You already have your band. You are committed. So all you can do now is to go forward and be the best bandster that you can be. Trust in your own good karma and know that you will succeed!

Hugs!

Just as the old saying goes "the sqeaky wheel gets the oil" the same goes for the stories of complications...they stick in our minds because they're not the norm. Yes, some have had problems and I don't envy them. But, I'd venture to say the majority of us have not experienced any sort of complication of any real severity. So, please don't be scared. Take in the information and use it to keep aware of the issues possible, but keep it in perspective. If you feel good then that's all that matters and then offer support to those who may be struggling. That's what I try to do.