As Im reading through many of the posts on this website Im noticing a lot of unsuccessful Lap-band postings... frustruations... "lapband has failed me" ... removals... etc...

Im also noticing that many people are claiming that their bands are not working because they're unable to eat the foods that they like or they're eating too much or they're unable to eat bigger portions.

Im wondering if people knew fully what they were getting into before they did this.. I dont want to be a critic because I definitely have no room to talk but why go through all of the trials and tribulations of surgery if you're not willing to do the work afterwards? .. Its like doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results...

I understand that people have emotional issues that are never going to go away or that they dont know how to deal with or addictions that they're unable to conquer.I just feel like its very discouraging to the ones that are going through it for the first time like myself when people are bashing the "hope" of a better life when they're not doing what it takes to help themselves.

I just dont think that its the Lap-band's fault... getting the Sleeve, the DS or Gastric Bypass you'll have the same results if you keep doing the same thing over and over.

- Rant over -

There are just as many, if not way more, posts from successful banders. Long term too. I get daily encouragement and hope from these folks who rock their banded lives!!

That said, I do read the complications threads. I just try to get as much info as I can and learn from them what I can. If I read about a symptom that later turned out to be a slip, maybe I could recognize it if it ever happened to me.

Also, the complications threads are where I learned about the dangers of throwing up with the flu, the possibility of erosion when taking NSAIDS, etc.

There's some useful stuff there. But the scary stuff hasn't dimmed my enthusiasm for my band a bit. I'm very happy and would do it again.

Before Bariatric Pal, when it was LapBandTalk, there were certainly negative posts, but I tend to think it was more positive/helpful then. There have always been sh** stirrers.....and probably always will be.

I suppose there are people who just like to Troll. "Misery loves company?"

I have seen several post from people who get on here and say "my surgeon doesn't do lapbands anymore". Yet when I call their surgeons number I get told "OF COURSE, we still do lapbands. Ever notice all the "failed lapband" ad banners on the site now from BODEvolve? Maybe they are looking for business? Just a thought.

And you are right, of course we have to change our habits. That is true with any surgery if you want to be successful. I do believe there are complications from every surgery. Some patient caused and some through no fault of the patient. Sometimes bad things just happen to good people. It's life.

Anyone who says the band doesn't work....well, they just haven't had the same results I, and MANY people over the past years have had. Even though not a lot of them come on and post much anymore, there are LOTS of successful banders out there! Don't let the negative nellies get you down.

Best wishes on your success!

Thank you both for your response

I tend to be the type of person to take the good with the bad and then make my decision based on whats best for me in the end.

I look at the negative posts and see why it didnt work for them so that I dont make the same mistake myself... I do however wish that more of the successful people would post on here to show us newbies how it all works and what to expect and what not ..

I see that there are many success stories but only posts about how much they've lost in the year.. no one really talks about the challenges throughout the process .

But I am not going to be negative nancy ... Im sure I'll have to figure it out on my own

Hi Ivona, I found this site to be very helpful as I was doing my research. I skip over any negative posts but that's just me. There are tons of successful banders here. I figured out who they are and followed them closely, asked questions and then became one myself. I love my band. I respect all the surgery choices people make and we all have more in common than not. There are a couple of sources in my signature below that were very helpful to me in understanding how the band works and how to work my band. Best wishes to you!

I total agree with all of you! I read the positive stories and I feel so excited about what's to come for me. Then, as I sit here, 5 days post op and read a post about the band triggering autoimmune diseases and I'm like wtf?? Everybody has a different experience with the band and I hope and pray that I am one of those people with a success story. Best of luck to you all, and props to all the positive bandsters out there handing out encouragement! Us new bandsters are in desperate need of it!