N Y Times on banding

[switched4life]

interesting look at lap banding:

www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/health/young-obese-and-getting-weight-loss-surgery.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha23

[chicarita]

That seriously broke my heart. That band is failing her. Ugh so sad.....

[Kim S]

Yet another example of someone who rushed ahead and did the surgery but wasn't committed to long-term lifestyle changes. Such a shame.

[kmg9122]

Really heartbreaking. Kim S, I don't agree with you at all that she is "yet another example" who basically failed their band. If anything, she is another example of someone who was taken advantage of by a predatory niche in the WLS industry that would rather bang out multiple lap bands a day with no thought or caring to the obvious evidence that they are largely ineffective or damaging to the patient exclusively for the financial benefit. I'm assuming you have been successful at your band, thus your willingness to judge, and congrats on that success. I hope that you don't find yourself in a position of having to blame yourself if your band fails you.

[Kim S]

Now who's judging?

Lapband failures come in two flavors. As the failed band section attests there are people with serious medical issues and/or absolutely no weight loss from the their band through absolutely no fault of their own. They were educated, they did everything right and got a terrible outcome.

Then there are people who though the surgery was yet another quick fix. They don't do the aftercare, they never understood what the band can do (limit volume of dense foods) and can't do (liquid calories go through just fine) and weren't looking to make any lifestyle changes. I don't care what surgery you pick there are aftercare requirements involving protein, supplements and having to pay more attention to your nutrition than a person who's never had a weight problem or WLS.

The article made it plain the hospital reached out to her multiple times to try and continue her aftercare so no, I don't think it was a band mill. If I had my way, there would be a mandatory one visit a month with your band surgeon for the first year. IMHO, lots of small fills and a good dialog with your band surgeon is part of a successful journey (barring the serious medical issues mentioned above).

Yes, I consider my lapband surgery a success. I'm 6+ years out, down 95 pounds, have great restriction and no problems. However, I've been on the boards long enough to know that could change tomorrow. I never knock other people's choices - everyone is here for the same reasons.

I understand how people who've had nothing but problems from day one feel like they were sold a pig in a poke by their surgeon and they're probably right. That doesn't mean the lapband doesn't work for others or that it's not a valid option to be considered. I think people should consider all their options and choose what's right for them. IMHO the DS is clearly the best malabsorption choice but there must be some reason (besides incompetent doctors) that people still get the RNY and VSG?

Based on your ticker I'm assuming you're a fairly new post-op. Good luck with your journey.

[shellyac]

I would add a third category which is bands that fail because the doctor is not truly qualified to implant the band. I have seen stories on the doctor not implanting the band correctly so the patient or the band never had a chance to succeed.

The sad fact is that it is going to be a long time (if ever at all) before people who shouldn't be getting the band aren't able to get them. It is the near perfect combination of an affordable treatment and a steady supply of doctors that will ensure lap band complications and failure to lose rates will remain higher

[kmg9122]

Jan 12, 2012 9:57:17 GMT -5 Kim S said:

Now who's judging?

Lapband failures come in two flavors. As the failed band section attests there are people with serious medical issues and/or absolutely no weight loss from the their band through absolutely no fault of their own. They were educated, they did everything right and got a terrible outcome.

Then there are people who though the surgery was yet another quick fix. They don't do the aftercare, they never understood what the band can do (limit volume of dense foods) and can't do (liquid calories go through just fine) and weren't looking to make any lifestyle changes. I don't care what surgery you pick there are aftercare requirements involving protein, supplements and having to pay more attention to your nutrition than a person who's never had a weight problem or WLS.

The article made it plain the hospital reached out to her multiple times to try and continue her aftercare so no, I don't think it was a band mill. If I had my way, there would be a mandatory one visit a month with your band surgeon for the first year. IMHO, lots of small fills and a good dialog with your band surgeon is part of a successful journey (barring the serious medical issues mentioned above).

Yes, I consider my lapband surgery a success. I'm 6+ years out, down 95 pounds, have great restriction and no problems. However, I've been on the boards long enough to know that could change tomorrow. I never knock other people's choices - everyone is here for the same reasons.

I understand how people who've had nothing but problems from day one feel like they were sold a pig in a poke by their surgeon and they're probably right. That doesn't mean the lapband doesn't work for others or that it's not a valid option to be considered. I think people should consider all their options and choose what's right for them. IMHO the DS is clearly the best malabsorption choice but there must be some reason (besides incompetent doctors) that people still get the RNY and VSG?

Based on your ticker I'm assuming you're a fairly new post-op. Good luck with your journey.

Had the band four years ago and yes, my ticker shows ALL the weight loss with the band. Never gained anything back, but never really lost either. I wouldn't support the lap band at all and think they really need to examine whether it should be a choice at all. Its a shot in the dark every time and no surgery should be performed on that basis.

[Kim S]

I'm really sorry you've had such a miserable banding experience but it's not a shot in the dark.

Gotta say this is a pet peeve of mine. Why is it so impossible that I had a successful surgery by a good surgeon with a great outcome?

I agree with you and all the others that have had bad band experience that every preop ought to get all the information, that the risks (including the risk of absolutely no results for no good reason) should be clearly spelled out and everyone ought to go into the lapband (and every other surgery) with their eyes wide open. There are lots of us who have had a positive lapband experience and that is just as valid as the failed bands.

I started off with a high BMI and I had a very serious conversation with my surgeon about whether the lapband was going to do what I needed and if I should be looking at a mal-absorptive procedure, including the DS. I considered my options and I would have been so pissed to have done all that and lost little to no weight for no good reason. I'm thankful that things did turn out for me and well aware that next year maybe I'll be the one with complications. And I'm not the only successful patient at my doctor's practice - we can't all be flukes.

How about we agree patients need to be way more educated on the real post-op reality of the lapband and agree to disagree about the validity of the lapband as a WLS?

[kmg9122]

I always agree to disagree.