So Guess What Allergan Did?

[formerlyfluffy]

Ok so last week I was in Vegas for the WLSFA Vegas Meet & Greet. One of the "successful" bandsters assured me that Allergan does care and that the band can work and she is just sooooooooo sure that if I just go with her and speak to the Allergan rep that they will take care of my Lap-Band "problem". I assured her that I had already dealt with Allergan on numerous occasion over the late few years and that this would NOT be the case! At which point she assured me that I was WRONG! Yeah ok, whatever.

Allergan was one of the vendors there and I welcomed the opportunity to yet again discuss my, and my fellow bandster's failed bands with them.

So guess what they did? NOT A DAMN THING! That's right. As expected the Allergan rep just blew me off. She made excuses for all the complications and high removal rates. Well actually she told me that it was NOT true! She informed me that the government subpoena of Allergan "means nothing".

www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-07/allergan-receives-u-s-subpoena-over-weight-loss-device.html

She then told me that she would have someone from their corporate office call me that week, and surprise! NO CALL!

If this POS were a car they would have had a recall by now. But it's a dangerous implant in our bodies and they do nothing?

[Red Rage]

The fact that govt agencies respond/bow down to the ridiculous bawwing from corporations about how a recall would destroy their business simply means that companies can now make cheap, shitty, ill-researched products part of their business model. The occasional recall that happens becomes just another cost of doing business.

[So Blessed]

"In January, House Democratic lawmakers called for hearings on medical devices including Lap-Band, following a study in the medical journal Archives of Surgery, that found almost half of patients with a gastric band had no weight loss or needed the device removed after six years. More than 40 percent had long- term complications."


Wow. Sad.

[formerlyfluffy]

May 29, 2012 7:47:40 GMT -5 So Blessed said:

"In January, House Democratic lawmakers called for hearings on medical devices including Lap-Band, following a study in the medical journal Archives of Surgery, that found almost half of patients with a gastric band had no weight loss or needed the device removed after six years. More than 40 percent had long- term complications."


Wow. Sad.

Yes it's incredibly sad. I know had I been aware of this info I NEVER would have gotten the band. I would say no one else would either, but...........after seeing this shared on a different forum, it seems that some of the band cheerleaders find this perfectly acceptable! Go figure! lol

[formerlyfluffy]

May 29, 2012 2:44:24 GMT -5 Red Rage said:

The fact that govt agencies respond/bow down to the ridiculous bawwing from corporations about how a recall would destroy their business simply means that companies can now make cheap, shitty, ill-researched products part of their business model. The occasional recall that happens becomes just another cost of doing business.

It won't destroy Allergan. They still have Latisse and Botox. A recall is definitely in order though!

[sheanie]

So sad. Sadder yet are the unheard from casualties of the Crap Band, like a wonderful man I know who is dying before my very eyes. He won't go to a reputable surgeon and have his removed, and so is in kidney failure. I am watching him die and can't do a damned thing about it. His wife doesn't want him to have an "invasive" surgery that will permanently alter his anatomy. This man weighs well over 400 pounds. He needs the sleeve at the very least, the DS if he can understand the vites and nutrition requirements, which I seriously doubt he can. I mean, he's in kidney failure, can't drink water, and has gained 50 pounds all in his lower legs in the past month. This isn't freaking rocket science, at least not for me.......

I USED to have stock in Allergan. Sold it years ago. I bought it for the Botox, but am glad I sold it because of the Crap Band.

Those reps at the booths? They are pleebs. It's the company CEO and the big wigs who are to be held responsible. The booth attendants are nobody's in the grand scheme of things.

[Band to DS]

I really hope that one day Allergan is held responsible for their fraudulent marketing of the lap band. I reported my problems to the FDA. I wish there was more that I could do.

Here's my reality:

1) The band never worked as intended in my body.
2) The band caused me to develop swallowing problems (i.e., esophageal dysmotility).
3) The band caused so much scar tissue on my stomach that my revision surgeon was worried I would develop a post-op leak. He said that he used two rows of staples & also hand-stitched my sleeve to be extra safe.

Shelli

[formerlyfluffy]

May 30, 2012 5:31:42 GMT -5 sheanie said:

So sad. Sadder yet are the unheard from casualties of the Crap Band, like a wonderful man I know who is dying before my very eyes. He won't go to a reputable surgeon and have his removed, and so is in kidney failure. I am watching him die and can't do a damned thing about it. His wife doesn't want him to have an "invasive" surgery that will permanently alter his anatomy. This man weighs well over 400 pounds. He needs the sleeve at the very least, the DS if he can understand the vites and nutrition requirements, which I seriously doubt he can. I mean, he's in kidney failure, can't drink water, and has gained 50 pounds all in his lower legs in the past month. This isn't freaking rocket science, at least not for me.......

I USED to have stock in Allergan. Sold it years ago. I bought it for the Botox, but am glad I sold it because of the Crap Band.

Those reps at the booths? They are pleebs. It's the company CEO and the big wigs who are to be held responsible. The booth attendants are nobody's in the grand scheme of things.

"Those reps at the booths? They are pleebs. It's the company CEO and the big wigs who are to be held responsible. The booth attendants are nobody's in the grand scheme of things."

That's true to a certain extent. But THEY represent the company. And if they stand right there and lie to someone's face about the band then they are no better than the CEO that profits from the damage the band does to others. :-(