Hi, Everyone;

I'll assume that some of my comments won't be all that popular here, but if you want honesty about the Lap band, I'll be happy to give you my point of view.

I have a Lap band. It was one of the biggest mistakes I have ever made in my life. I had it "installed" at one of the finest medical centers in the world, by a well-known surgeon.

It has almost killed me. And, I am entering the hospital on May 7th for a 4th and final surgery that MAY be fatal for me. The lap band will be removed, the big hole in my stomach that it may have created will be repaired (hopefully), and my colon will be opened up so that they can remove the Lap Band tube that burrowed it's way inside.

It's a long story, with lots of twists and turns.

My purpose for becoming a member here and sharing my story is to let potential Lap-Band recipients know that there is a "dark side" to the lap band. It should not be a quick or easy decision. It's only one option.

I hope my comments here will be taken seriously.

David

Headhunter,

I admire you for sharing your story. I myself have had issues with the lap band too but fortunately nothing compared to you. Mine have more or less been fill probs and no weight loss but gain. But I still have it and am still trying, and probably will be for the rest of my LIFE, lol. Anyway good luck and speedy recovery, brandyII.

...One was my choice of Surgeon. I do not think that my surgeon was very experienced...in fact, I KNOW he wasn't very experienced in Lap Bands. He WAS, however, an experienced TRAUMA surgeon and I was "sold" on his ability to do the job. Also, keep in mind that at the time, there weren't as many experienced surgeons around that did Lap bands. But, that was MY decision. It has NO BEARING WHATSOEVER on whether or not the procedure is faulty.

Actually, it does. If you chose to go to a trauma surgeon for bariatric surgery you were getting an inexperienced band surgeon. Check out the link in my sig. I realize this was not there when you had surgery but the point is that I make it clear to use an experienced surgeon and why.

Going to an experience trauma surgeon for a band is a bit like going to an experienced dentist for a band. The two do not compare. I know, hindsight is 20/20. I'm not knocking you for your decision, I'm making it a point for the newbies. Experience means everything in the world when it comes to bariatrics.

There is a surgeon in Mexico that claims to be the 2nd most experienced sleeve surgeon in Mexico and other countries. It simply isn't true, he is not the most experienced. He took the stats of his partner, added them to his own and claimed he did all the surgeries. He wasn't even THERE for a majority of those procedures. So you have to check your surgeon and know what he is doing.

Does anyone know the actual statistics?? How many people have slippages?? Erosions?? My surgeon said he had only had 2 in the 5 years that he had been doing Lap band!! Does that sound right??

He's only had two what in the last 5 years? Erosions? I'd believe that. Slips? Nope, no way. If slips were typically the fault of the surgeon then there are things they can do to improve their stats. But considering your surgeon has no control over patient behaviors there is no way I'd believe a surgeon has five years of banding experience, at least 500 bands, and two slips. (Band surgeons typically do at least 100 bands a year, if he has 10 bands then perhaps he does have 2 slips. ;o) )

Mary, that comment about the Nurse was NOT directed at you...it was meant for another individual....sorry you thought it was, no offense intended! :cry_smile:

Actually, you slammed all nurses. *I* am the one that has tried to be very supportive of you regardless of the stuff you have posted.

You have shared some of your story with me in PMs. Just due to the original problem I don't need all the gory details, I aleady have an idea of what happened and it was a problem that essentially got out of hand.

I wish you'd just STOP posting until you post the damn story. It's not all that complicated. We don't need to know the minor details, just the facts. Pretend you are a reporter, post the facts, let people come to their own conclusions. But what you are doing now is ruining any credibility you might have had.

May I post the highlights? It would save a lot of slam dunking. Anyone that knows me knows I can get to the point and bottom line things if need be. ;o)

That would be wonderful if he would let you do it. Then maybe we could all gain a better insight into his problems.

I was aware there could be complications with wls, but I chose to take the risk and thank God every day for my Mexican Lap Band Surgery.

Good luck to you!!!!

Perhaps the reason for NOT posting the entire story is that the story will have an end and that's NOT what this person wants?

He's only had two what in the last 5 years? Erosions? I'd believe that. Slips? Nope, no way. If slips were typically the fault of the surgeon then there are things they can do to improve their stats. But considering your surgeon has no control over patient behaviors there is no way I'd believe a surgeon has five years of banding experience, at least 500 bands, and two slips. (Band surgeons typically do at least 100 bands a year, if he has 10 bands then perhaps he does have 2 slips. ;o) )

I was emailing back and forth with a patient coordinator of a surgeon my insurance covers and she proudly told me that they had had no slips and no erosions. Of course the guy had only done 50 bands. :cry_smile:

My understanding is that there is a big learning curve with bands. I know the industry has learned a lot as a whole over time so I'm not sure if that is as true today as it once was. But I would not want to be my surgeon's first couple of bands even so. This is an elective surgery and I want to do everything in power to make it as safe as possible.

I was emailing back and forth with a patient coordinator of a surgeon my insurance covers and she proudly told me that they had had no slips and no erosions. Of course the guy had only done 50 bands. :cry_smile:

My understanding is that there is a big learning curve with bands. I know the industry has learned a lot as a whole over time so I'm not sure if that is as true today as it once was. But I would not want to be my surgeon's first couple of bands even so. This is an elective surgery and I want to do everything in power to make it as safe as possible.

Wow... 50 whole bands, eh? ;o)

If you ask the mega experienced surgeons (those with 1000 bands or more) they will typically tell you that they felt "experienced" at about 250-500 bands.

No way would I go to someone with less than 250 bands. Someone who has done 50 bands hasn't been doing them long enough to have slips or erosions, as you quickly figured out. ;o)))))

I think it is a combination of new docs wanting a piece of the banding pie and poor post op diet compliance that has caused slips to more than double. There are many complications out there and they do seem to be increasing. I blame it on docs that want a piece of the $$ bariatric pie and they are inexperienced. There is a learning curve to the band and follow up care is critical as well. With 50 bands the doc doesn't even have enough patients to develop a great after care program.

I think it is a combination of new docs wanting a piece of the banding pie and poor post op diet compliance that has caused slips to more than double. There are many complications out there and they do seem to be increasing. I blame it on docs that want a piece of the $$ bariatric pie and they are inexperienced. There is a learning curve to the band and follow up care is critical as well. With 50 bands the doc doesn't even have enough patients to develop a great after care program.

I agree, and I cannot help but wonder if these new Dr.'s trying to build themselves up a quick following, are not over simplifying the discipline involved, as well as the strict post op diet, for fear of scaring off potential patients.

While the surgery literally could be done over a lunch hour say---it truly shouldn't be done in that cavalier of a manner. This is a lifetime commitment....or at least what we hope to be a lifetime commitment---but it makes it sound easy, and like a quick cure.

I want my surgeon, or my Dr. to have experience to draw on if I have a problem I need help with.

Kat

I think bands are relatively new to that program. They seem focused on RnY. My medical group also has a program but they *only* do RnY. Which is why I'm shopping around. :shrug:

I found a surgeon with over 400 bands near my work, but now my insurance issues are getting in the way. (Their group takes my current insurance but not the one I have to switch to in order to get it covered. Catch-22!)

There is another hospital-based program near me that seems to have an experienced surgeon and takes both my old and my (maybe) new insurance, but I haven't had time to grill them yet. I'm pretty sure she's been doing bands since 2004 though. Plus they have a lot of pre-op classes and I like stuff like that. :cry_smile:

Hi David

I have not had time to read all the replies as there are loads. But I so know where you are coming from as my band nearly killed me also. I had to hhave an emergency op last month. The consultant actually said If I had been left another day I could have died. My band was removed as was part of my stomoch and the rest stapled back together.

I did do very well with my band am at target, I was banded for 3 years and a few weeks ago I would have been singing its praises.

I used to avoid posts like mine and yours when I was banded as "it was never going to happen to me" and I just did'nt want to know, I thought people with band problems were few and far between but I'm afraid there do seem to be a lot of us.

Good luck with your op David, I'm afraid people who have not yet had problems have no idea what an ordeal it is to go through.

Take care

gaynor

I thought people with band problems were few and far between but I'm afraid there do seem to be a lot of us.

Statistics please. Everything I have read (and believe me, that is a LOT. My doctor said I am one of the most informed patients he has ever had) completely contradicts that. That is not denial speaking, as I am not yet even approved for banding.

Gaynor,

I read your post a while ago when you originally posted it about all the complications you had. I find it sad that instead of people being empathetic that they attack you because you dare to share a problem. It's a support forum and I guess only certain people are allowed support here! brandyII.

Gaynor,

I read your post a while ago when you originally posted it about all the complications you had. I find it sad that instead of people being empathetic that they attack you because you dare to share a problem. It's a support forum and I guess only certain people are allowed support here! brandyII.

Since mine was the only post between yours and his, I will assume that comment was addressed to me. Please point to me where I "attacked" anyone. I simply asked for statistical information to support a claim he posted. Hardly see where that could be constrewed as an attack.