"A gastric band is one of the most dangerous and painful operations you can have".

No not my thoughts something I just read in an article about Coleen Nolan in an English magazine.

The article is about how Coleen went from a size 20 to a size 10 not by getting a gastric band but by "working her ass off".(Because of course all of us that are banded don't do a thing do we - it's a magic tool that just melts the fat away with no effort involved).

She then states that she couldn't have surgery as she is a complete coward and A gastric band is one of the most dangerous and painful operations you can have.

Where do they get this information or should I say misinformation? Most dangerous as compared to what.......... open heart surgery, a kidney transplant, a hip replacement?

If it's one of the most painful ops then I can honestly say that if I ever have to have another op it should be a breeze. Yes I know everyone is different and feels the pain differently but I had next to no pain after my surgery and what I did have was quickly sorted out with meds. Again i am sure there are lots of surgeries that people routinely undergo that cause far more pain than having a gastric band fitted.

So congrats to Coleen on losing weight the hard way and lets hope that she keeps it off. I am sure the motivation of working with Rosemary Conley to produce her own fitness DVD helped a lot. That is a tool that most of us mere mortals don't get!

Ahh the dastardly band! It surrounds the stomach with it's evil and insidious lair! Damn near squeezes the weight right off of those who dare!

It's amazing how ignorant people even get published. They'll make their buck anyway they can and they just assume that we haven't tried everything under the sun before reaching the decision to have it done. I'd love to tell her - lady, it's not what you see that causes the problem, it's what you don't see. If we were able to control our appetites, emotions, genetics and have great willpower, doesn't she think we would have done that a long time ago?