I have to vent.

What in the world is in someone's head that if the band doesn't work, we have reflux, slips, erosion, esophageal spasms, etc. that we are obviously doing something wrong?

DAMN! I hate that attitude.

Check out post #3 in this thread:

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/my-band-nightmare-92917/

I responded but had to keep back spacing and editing. I couldn't tell her what I really thought!

I think a lot of the surgeons drum into their patients' head that they are in control of their bands and it's up to them to make them work correctly. The post you referred to sounds like a person who took that to heart and can only believe the person harmed the band by doing something wrong.

She's probably scared to death to accept that you can do everything right and still have complications... something many of us know from experience.

That is a hard fact to face! You never want to think that you'll be one of the unlucky ones.

However, some people DO mismanage their bands terribly and some people's doctors dont seem to have a clue what they're doing either. That doesnt help!

But yes, there's definitely a contingent of people who truly just dont tolerate a band for no fault of their own and it makes me mad that I dont recall this EVER being explained by my surgeon either in my consultations or at any information sessions. I've been to several as a speaker and its never ever mentioned. People think the worse that can happen is that you'll overeat and throw up.

That is a hard fact to face! You never want to think that you'll be one of the unlucky ones.

However, some people DO mismanage their bands terribly and some people's doctors dont seem to have a clue what they're doing either. That doesnt help!

But yes, there's definitely a contingent of people who truly just dont tolerate a band for no fault of their own and it makes me mad that I dont recall this EVER being explained by my surgeon either in my consultations or at any information sessions. I've been to several as a speaker and its never ever mentioned. People think the worse that can happen is that you'll overeat and throw up.

We have a person with band problems and the idiots come out in full force just sure the person did something wrong. That still happens to me. I am told on OH every now and again that I kept my band too tight and that's why I slipped. I had an unfilled band most of the time and I never slipped. But people can't accept that it might not be the perfect miracle for fat issues.

We have a person with band problems and the idiots come out in full force just sure the person did something wrong. That still happens to me. I am told on OH every now and again that I kept my band too tight and that's why I slipped. I had an unfilled band most of the time and I never slipped. But people can't accept that it might not be the perfect miracle for fat issues.

There are different opinions on here and I definitely don't agree with all of them. But when you have the need to start a thread about someone and call them an idiot.....you need to relax. I am all for listening to someone's opinion and disagreeing with it but I can't understand why you did it this way?

And you know yourself Wasa about the people who come on and say they've eaten a steak 3 days out from surgery. Some people really DO screw up their bands, and you're usually amongst the first to say so.

People often ask what have you done, did you do something wrong etc because sometimes too, band problems ARE fixable. Many people think they're eating small enough bites and chewing enough when they're not. Or they are simply too tight and dont realise it. Examining your habits is the first sensible action to take.

I know it must be frustrating to have people assume that you did something wrong when you didnt, but the truth is in some cases, people or their doctors are doing something wrong and it can be rectified. The band doesnt totally fail in every person who has less than successful results, sometimes it IS behaviour issues causing the problem.

And you know yourself Wasa about the people who come on and say they've eaten a steak 3 days out from surgery. Some people really DO screw up their bands, and you're usually amongst the first to say so.

People often ask what have you done, did you do something wrong etc because sometimes too, band problems ARE fixable. Many people think they're eating small enough bites and chewing enough when they're not. Or they are simply too tight and dont realise it. Examining your habits is the first sensible action to take.

I know it must be frustrating to have people assume that you did something wrong when you didnt, but the truth is in some cases, people or their doctors are doing something wrong and it can be rectified. The band doesnt totally fail in every person who has less than successful results, sometimes it IS behaviour issues causing the problem.

Jacqui... When have you ever seen me just assume the person was doing something wrong and accusing him of it with absolutely no reason whatsoever? It's one thing to ask questions and determine possible solutions vs. just assuming and telling a banded person that obviously they are doing something wrong. You know better than that.

And to the other poster... yeah, idiot. That is exactly what I meant. I should have added cruel and insensitive as well.

I would add misinformed and naive in describing the poster in question. The person who started the thread clearly explained that she was doing all the right things and had a successful weight loss. To get a response that it was all her fault for not following the rules was rude and insensitive.

There are different opinions on here and I definitely don't agree with all of them. But when you have the need to start a thread about someone and call them an idiot.....you need to relax. I am all for listening to someone's opinion and disagreeing with it but I can't understand why you did it this way?

In this section of lapbandtalk, there are a lot of us you had the band, followed the rules, and had to revise to another weight loss surgery; VSG. We KNOW how that woman feels. Wasa read that post and then mentioned here because we can relate to what the lady is going through as well as relate to the insensitive comments that follow her post.

In this section of lapbandtalk, there are a lot of us you had the band, followed the rules, and had to revise to another weight loss surgery; VSG. We KNOW how that woman feels. Wasa read that post and then mentioned here because we can relate to what the lady is going through as well as relate to the insensitive comments that follow her post.

I recall on another board when I was scheduled for a revision what I was told. I was told that since I did not want to have my band removed, gain weight, then go for a revision that I was anorexic with body image issues. It was presented to me in a way that I was only allowed one WLS per lifetime and I screwed up the first one so I should be out of luck. I was self pay both times.

I did everything right, I followed the diet, I lost 108# the first 10 months with an unfilled/underfilled band. I busted my butt, kept calories low, did everything right. I had band intolerance.

I was on liquids at that time with an unfilled band and eating frosting, anything with sugar to maintain my weight. How many anorexics do you know eat frosting to maintain their weight? But I dared to not want to gain weight before a revision so I was anorexic.

I was already nervous about surgery, worried that I was making my problems permanent, and feeling horrible about having to switch surgery types and I get that load of crap from a supposed peer.

I did learn one thing, the people that were most supportive of me were those at or near goal. Those who were not doing well with their band, not working the band, not following dietary guidelines, not getting fills, not doing what they were supposed to... they were the people that slam dunked me the most.

When I read that woman just assuming the OP was doing something wrong something in my head snapped. ;o)

Wasa,

I too was shocked at that particular comment made by the poster as it was very insensitive. I know first hand that there can be many issues with the lap band and until you have them yourself it can be hard to relate. If you have a perfect situation with the lap band we're all happy for you but that's not always the case. No one should assume because they have a positive experience that everyone else will also or that if they don't it's because they're doing something wrong.

Obesity is a very complicated issue we've all faced here on this site and as obese people we've dealt with bias and judgment from people that is not warranted. Although we're not happy with our size we're also taken advantage of my people marketing all their products in order to obtain this. Most of these fail. Now we've gotten WLS and are basically "sold" these also as a cure for our obesity, type II diabetes, sleep apnea, high blood pressure etc... They all do work not necessarily for everyone and not necessarily forever but if someone is having a problem with one of these procedures it's a scary thing.

First of problems can be life threatening. Also people have spent a lot of time researching and going through preop testing and diets and a lot of money to go through this and didn't expect it not to work in the end. Also no one wants to have more than one WLS, trust me! I think the more information that is given by people who are having problems with the band should be listened to and can be informative to people considering this surgery. If it can save one person "a revision" that's a good thing in the end! Good luck to all of us, Nancy!:thumbup:

Now that 5 year studies of being with the band are coming out, we're learning that the band is NOT living up to all the hype. Does it work for some people? Of course, we have many people on this board to testify to that.

However, for MANY people, it doesn't work. Out of that population, there are a lot for whom the band is what I describe as toxic. It cause more problems and decreases the quality of life. It's hard to relate to this unless you've lived it.

Now that 5 year studies of being with the band are coming out, we're learning that the band is NOT living up to all the hype. Does it work for some people? Of course, we have many people on this board to testify to that.

However, for MANY people, it doesn't work. Out of that population, there are a lot for whom the band is what I describe as toxic. It cause more problems and decreases the quality of life. It's hard to relate to this unless you've lived it.

Elisabeth... remember the days when you go through that stage that you WILL make this work, others make it work and YOU will too? ;o) I was determined to force it to work. While I did lose weight I also lost my health and did not get that back until I was sleeved.

Hey... Dr. Aceves revision folks, anyone else get that email from Dr. Campos? The survey on why we revised? HAHA

I wrote that the band sucks and not only that it sucks the life right out of you! Did anyone else get it and how did you reply? ;o)

Elisabeth... remember the days when you go through that stage that you WILL make this work, others make it work and YOU will too? ;o) I was determined to force it to work. While I did lose weight I also lost my health and did not get that back until I was sleeved.

I sure did go through it. I just KNEW I had to be doing something wrong and felt like a failure. After 3 years of life with the band, I called it my parasite because it was draining me of good health.

Hey... Dr. Aceves revision folks, anyone else get that email from Dr. Campos? The survey on why we revised? HAHA

I wrote that the band sucks and not only that it sucks the life right out of you! Did anyone else get it and how did you reply? ;o)

I think it speaks volumes that Dr. C. elected to have the VSG surgery and that, on the same day, so did their driver.

Wow, just wow. I think I was the poster child for proper band behavior. I lived and breathed following all the bandster rules. If someone were to have accused my problems with the band on errors on my part, I would have been livid. The bottom line is, the band does not work for everyone. I did everything right, but it didn't work. End of story.

I got the email from Dr. Campos. Today is the first day I have felt up to being on my laptop in days, so I haven't responded yet, but plan to tonight.

I have mentioned this before, that I think the doctors really emphasize the reasons for problems as being something the patient did, to get them off the hook. They want people to think, if you follow all of the rules, you won't have a problem. I think we can all agree, that is just not a good representation of the reality.

But it sells bands!!!