Question:
Just wanted to say goodbye to all of you

I have been a member of this site for a few years, since I was a pre-op. Thought I would post this here so that it would not get lost in space and I am pretty sure that those who need to know will get the message. I am leaving because I am sick and tired of negative comments regarding the VBG and Lap-band. Anytime I have ever seen a question posted here about these surgeries there is always someone, especially a certain someone, who feels the need to tell that person that basically they are making a mistake and will eventually want to revise to RNY. The decision on which surgery you choose is very personal. There are pro's and con's to ALL PROCEDURES. People come here to do research AND get support. I do not believe that a comment about a so-called "80% failure rate" for a surgery that someone has chosen to have or have already had is at all necessary. How is that support? And drop the freakin' milkshake and junk food argument. As someone stated before, if you are not commited to changing your eating habits post op then it doesn't matter which surgery you choose you will not be successful. Maybe that is the statement that needs to be made instead of 'if you don't have the surgery that i had then you will fail' statement. And no junk food does not go down easier than healthy food. Yes, there are some things that I can't eat and some things I can, but I do eat healthy and just because I am able to eat chips doesn't mean that I do and doesn't mean that I will gain all my weight back. I had surgery (VBG) to be a NORMAL HEALTHY PERSON. This is the way I chose to meet my goals. So sorry that it is not the decision you would have made and so sorry that there are people in support groups that had a VBG and gained weight back and now are having to have another surgery to revise. Forgive the sarcasm but cry me a river. What if they revise and don't dump? Hmmm, sounds like they will be in the same boat all over again. Maybe they should have done a little more research about WLS and the after care in the first place. Granted, this does not include those who have had an honest mechanical failure. I realize that that is not your fault. These kind of things, however, can happen with ANY surgery. And please, anyone, show me more than one extensive research study where all members of the study continued with their responsibilities to the study for the duration and yet still showed that so called 80% failure rate. I dare you. I have looked and looked and looked some more and cannot find more than one Dr's very opinionated view of the VBG and his personal study of a handfull of patients. Most of which did not continue with the study till the end and therefor are considered failures which contributed to his failure rate. Also what do you consider a failure? Because I have not met goal am I a failure? But I have lost 140 pounds and have never felt or looked better in my life. Gee, sounds like sucess to me. I am going to keep up my profile for the VBGers pre and post op who know me and who care about what I am doing. Otherwise if anyone has anything to say to me or wants a VBGers support, email me.    — salymsmommy (posted on December 31, 2003)

December 31, 2003
I dont want to see anyone leave here! I know you must be talking about me. I am the moderator who approved this post and am very sorry if your mad at me. <P> I have been here for about 3 years now and it saddens me the number of VBGers, staple line disrupted, and others who have to have surgery again. I see this in real life, as my surgeons very active support group is filled with failed VBGers. BTW the failure rate is mentioned in barb thompsons great book. I post this info to help others be aware of the downsides of these surgeries. EVERYONE then needs to know the risks as well as rewards. In NO WAY am I knocking the surgery you choose, and I wish you only the best.<P> The only reason I am here and a Mod is to help others....
   — bob-haller

December 31, 2003
you are right, this site is for info and support. what i like most about this site is that the questions, answers and profiles are written by real people with real problems. with that being said i have noticed over the last 2 years more VBGers having problems with weight gain and need revisions. are we supposed to close our eyes to this fact? are we supposed to lie when someone asks the question about which wls most often becomes a revision? THAT would not be supportive at all. i think everyone has the choice to decide on which surgery is best for them. BUT you have to remember real everyday people are answering the questions here and the do have their own opinion, which might be different from yours but it is still valid. there are support groups for all kinds of wls that have failed..not just VBG. my personal thought on the matter of weight gain when it doesn't concern failure do to the mechanics is..... most of us have eatting disorders that cause us to eat untill the point of obesity. curtian surgeries can cause people to become sick if they eat high fat, high carb foods and this can be a plus if you never can get a grip on your adiction to food. this also makes it easier to maintain the weightloss. for the people who don't dump and CHOOSE to eat things that they shouldn't they can regain also. there isn't a perfect surgery. if that were true doctors would only be doing ONE TYPE OF SURGERY. i picked RNY after 5 years of research because it was the best choice for ME. i think when people come to this site and answer questions for the most part they are doing it to be helpful and supportive. just because someone says something you don't agree with doesn't mean they don't have the right to post an answer. and as for bob...i think he has the best intentions even if i don't agree with him all the time. i don't think he would be helping with this site if his intent were evil. he is human and been thur the same road as the rest of us with his on choices and views.
   — franbvan

December 31, 2003
Tabetha, I haven't been on the site long even tho I had my RNY in March. But I have learned to take everything said with a grain of salt. We are all different. Frankly, I had never heard of VBG before coming to this site. And my first choice for surgery was lap-band. My insurance wouldn't pay for it. I still go to a support group for Bandsters. Most of them are doing very well. Those that aren't are those who try to outsmart the band. Just goes to show that you can "cheat" on any program. If you aren't committed to changing your lifestyle, nothing works. I found over the holidays that I, unfortunately, don't dump on sugar. So I'll just have to use a little more self-control in that area. I do think everyone is entitled to hear everyone's opinions. You obviously have done well. So good luck in your lifetime journey. Have a great 2004.
   — lharbison

December 31, 2003
There was a time I thought the lapband was not a good way to go, but over time the sucess rate has gotten better and better. Now that the surgeons and dieticians know how to advise their patients I would recommend it to people. I do think it takes more self control then I had in me or I would have gone that way. I hope you do not leave, please stay and just skip over posts/replies you do not like. Every surgery has those that have negative critics voicing their opinions. We need people how can shed the positive light on the subject, especially those that have "Been there, done that". As with the RNY, DS and other surgeries, LapBand needed time to "setup shop" and run the trial and errors. If people follow their doctors protocol and keep up with support chances for great results on ALL weight loss surgeries increase. I hope you visit the LapBand forum. It is at: http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/surgtype-forums/LapBand/posts Please continue to post and help everyone out that has questions. Theresa Cloutier Member/Client Services ObesityHelp.com AIM Name: OhTheresaC Email: [email protected]
   — TheresaC

December 31, 2003
I think everyone has the right to make their own decisions, I think people try to inform people about the other types of surgeries, but sometimes is might not be in the best way. I personally had the RNY, I will say for me at 3 months out I have lost 75lbs and I feel great, I feel so lucky to have never had any complications so far. I just wish that everyone had the same luck no matter what road they choose. My surgeon used to do the VBG and has since stopped, I guess he had alot of people with complications. I just hope you change your mind and decide to stay, the people who might be having the same surgey as you had will need your advise....:) Just think of them!
   — Saxbyd

December 31, 2003
I am not against any surgery as long as people are informed of both the good and bad. Thats all my posts are about
   — bob-haller

December 31, 2003
I hope that you reconsider and decide to stick around. Yes, the slant here is pro-RNY, because mostly RNY patients post here, but it does seem like people with "minority" surgeries (DS, VBG, and lap-band) are becoming more vocal in recent times. I think that if you stick around and provide the positive side of the VBG you can help balance things out for people who are undecided about what surgery to get. I am a lap-band patient who is very pleased with my band, and even though I've seen some people post what I consider overly pessimistic info about it at times, I've never had anyone give me trouble for talking about its good points. :)
   — K M.

December 31, 2003
OK I want to put in my two cents. I do not post very often so bear with me. I had RNY surgery dec. 23, 2002. I did a lot of research and considered myself fairly educated on the subject. In my state (ND temp -9 degrees today) I had only one choice for the surgeon due to my insurance. He convinced me to have a vagotomy to decrease the risk of ulcers in my old stomach along with the surgery. I having a rare complication from that of gastroparesis (the stomach does not empty correctly) The muscles do not contract to push the food thru preventing motility. Long story short I can't keep food down and have needed to go on a feeding tube surgically placed into my abdomin to the old stomach. My life has been awful and the surgeon continues to treat me poorly and doubts the findings of the Mayo clinic doctors and says I probably just need to chew more and eat off smaller plates. Choosing surgery is a personal thing. Many things factor into complications and I believe that there are pluses and minusis to all of the surgery type. I am glad to hear in another responce that people who choose to not have surgery are also welcome here. I think that if I read a post on a person having gastric surgery where they plan to cut the vagus nerve, I think I would scream no. But that is because of my own personal issues and experiences. Now there are many people that have had the vagus nerve severed without complications and probably reduced acid production for them. My point is that we all have our own stuff that comes into play when interacting with others. Sounds like for you hearing negatives about your surgery probably feels like a personal attack. If I had no complications I probably would tell people having the vagus nerve cut was a good thing. I do think your concerns are valid and believe they are good to be brought up from time to time to remind us all that we are about support and helping others. People do ask for advice but each person needs to feel ok about their choices and the type of surgery is a huge choice that needs to be made for themselves. I chose the type of surgery I had. If someone else made that decision, I would have been very angry at them right now. But because I did make the choice, I feel much more at peace that I made an educated decision and the complications happened. Diversity makes people stronger and I hope that you stay active in this site. If you choose not to thats ok too. You can also decide to leave for awhile and come back later. Either way peace be with you. -Jennifer
   — Jencastle

December 31, 2003
Girl dont you leave here.We need informed people.Bob Halloran said it well we need the pros and cons on all the types of surgeries that are offered.I had rny in sept of 2002.Believe me ive had ups,downs,goods and bads.Ive seen so much negative stuff about the rny procedure,and ive seen positive on the vgb,and others.Its like a melting pot on here all mixes,all opinions,all walks of life.If i see diparaging messages on here i like to try to find out why that person felt that way.It helps me to learn,and be aware.I drive a truck coast to coast so i see and talk with obese people alot.I tell them ive had wls and the conversation takes off.I can tell them about rny,but the other surgeries i tell them about are from what ive learned on here.I also direct them to our website for research.These people need your input as well as the negative input.They need all the opinions they can get.whether it be from you ,me, all others.Not everyone is gonna agree on one particular type surgery.Its just like democrats and republicans,baptist methodist or penecostal.We all favor our own opinion,and feel we made the only right choice.And we did.It was right for us,our individual self.But your opinion is needed and respected.As all of ours are.So as one wls sister to another.STAY HERE.We need ya!
   — Tammy L.

December 31, 2003
please stay to voice your side of the story there is alot that cares and you doing great with your surgery.it your body nobody else can tell you what to do, christy
   — christygran

December 31, 2003
Hi, I am pre-op, and I have been reading the message boards since September. I do not know if the negativity regarding wls surgeries other than rny is due to solid research or medical opinion. I do know that my own dr. only does the rny surgery because he says it is the most successful. When he told me this, I just considered it his opinion, but I would guess that if I talked to a dr. who does lap band and other surgeries, I'd get differing opinions. I also know that different types of surgeries work better for specific people and their situations. I hope you will not leave us. We need varying info on here, otherwise we will not get all the angles of things which I, for one, appreciate. Thanks. LM
   — catly

December 31, 2003
<b>If you silence your voice, this in no way can help those who are seeking info or are undecided about the precedure, there are those who believe the same as you. then there's those who have a open mind and needs a good arguement to help them with their own opinion. Please reconcider and keep putting your 2 cents in. there are some who will take it. (smile) stand your ground and share what you believe. Just because a person out shout you doesn't mean what they are shouting is gospel. Take care and CONGRATULATIONS on your great wt loss.</b>
   — Naes Wls J.

December 31, 2003
Don't stop your support and suggestions to those who are in need, and are choosing to do the same as you did. As in life, there is ALWAYS going to be someone happy for you, and there is ALWAYS someone who is not going to be happy for you (sometimes is seems like it is always the same person), but what you need to realize, there is ALWAYS someone who is in need of some sound advice or good support. Don't let a few people stop you from helping more people. This surgery is something that you decided for yourself, and through your journey and experience, it can be helpful for many. Don't silence your voice, it's like giving up, and for ANYBODY who has endured this journey like many of us, know that we don't give up easily!!!!!!
   — davia.p

December 31, 2003
You should all realize I post the bad not just about the VBG, LAP BAND, but the RNY as well. I must of posted 100 times my dumped on brownie at a church flea market. it was horrible. My only real dump I felt like I was dying. but I report it here, just like what my surgeon says about VBGs and all my friends who got revised. If you question this just look in the library.<P> Go look at my profile it was all about the band. Then I decided on the RNY. My posts always say for ME ( emphasis ME ) why I choose the RNY. <P> If you were new here and a pre op would you prefer posters not post why they choose the surgery they did or the possible troubles their friends had or what their surgeons said? For ME I wanted the whole scoop before I decided. Banders and VBGers need to know they can ruin their surgery by eating high calorie liquids. Just as I have repeatedly posted and its on my profile about the sad case of a RNYer who dumped but liked dairy queen milkshakes. My nutronisat said she bought DQ milkshakes brought them to work and sipped them all day. Regained most of the weight. Heck my profiles and posts talk about my present regain issues. I am a RNYer but up front with the issue, and what I am doing to fight it.<P> True we should be supportive of EVERYONE, but up front of the issues as well.<P> Being a moderator I do my best to stay out of stuff like this but do the vast majority of posters here just want to hear the good and not know what they need to do to avoid troubles?<P> Sorry anyone took offense.....
   — bob-haller

December 31, 2003
I forgot to add look up melissa jancis profile. I am a friend of hers. She wanted a reversal. I posted questions here for her when she was to ill to do it herself and did in fact assist her gettuing her story in Rosie magazine. In no way do I cover up or avoid the downsides of any surgery including the RNY. Heck just check out Wanda Smarts profile, I am her angel. I am well aware of what can go wrong with any of this. Her experience was horrid. Me and Jen had another friend die of WLS. I am involved in all sides of this. Anyone seriously considering WLS I talk about the chance they could die or go thru what wanda and her family has. Or the possibledownsides of any surgery.
   — bob-haller

December 31, 2003
I guess i will go against everyone else here and say if you are so unhappy, then leave. I will not beg you to stay. It reminds me of church members who are unhappy and tell everyone that they are leaving so people will beg them to stay. Then once, the Pastor told us, "If someone tells you they are leaving, don't ask them to stay. It might not be God's will for them to be here if everything is making them so unhappy. They need to find a group of people they can be happy with". Very wise words, so my advise to you, not that you asked, is find a group of people you are happy with and good luck in your endeavor.
   — Delores S.

December 31, 2003
Tabetha, I can understand your frustration. My best friend had a Lap Band and does not like going to the chat room because of the same reason -- tell someone you had a band and they seem to freak on you. But I have to say that someone out there has to defend and support the other surgeries as well, and if you leave how many others follow suit? How many new post ops get the help they need? I admire your loss -- you look great, and thanks for being a support for others who have the band! (post op DS)
   — Kim M.

January 1, 2004
12/30/03: FOR ME! I nearly got the band. But pre op I LOVED chocolate milk and high calorie liquids like milkshakes:( I would of been a band failure and went on to get the RNY and am very happy! my surgeon does the band and says the loss number is around 60% of what your overweight by - Bob Haller This has basically been Bob's stock answer to anyone looking into the Lap Band he also usually adds that with the band junk food goes down easily while nutritious foods are hard to get down and there is usually some statistic that his surgeon has given regarding the failure rate of the VBG. I think many of us who did not have RNY take issue with Bob giving this answer because it is false information in that from the mouth down the anatomy of someone with RNY and Lap Band are basically the same, we both have the small pouch and the food enters the pouch the same way in both surgeries THEREFORE if milkshakes and junk food go down easily with the band the same would be true for the RNY.The difference comes when the food is leaving the pouch. While the bandsters food goes on to be absorbed normally the RNYer does not absorb all of the calories AND if an RNYer does not dump then he can consume just as many high calorie liquids and STILL not lose any weight so the key to BOTH surgeries is to not start consuming high calorie liquids, so for Bob to keep pushing this as a major failure of the band is absurd because what is true for the band is also true for the RNY. As far as VBG goes that was my surgery of choice before the band and though there is a high possibility of staple line disruption in the VBG the same is true of RNY there is a high possibility of staple line disruption there also but there are many who have been successful with the VBG, the surgeon that I saw regarding the VBG stated that most staple line disruptions are caused by people trying to out eat the surgery. Obviously it is important that people do their own research before taking such a major step, however we all know that many people will go into this not having done the proper research, and though we are not directly responsible for educating these people it is our responsibility that if we choose to respond to someones post that we give the best, most informed information that we can give because we may be that persons ONLY source of info and to me the BEST source of info comes from those who have personally undergone the particular procedure,or someone in the medical field dealing with these procedures or patients. We have to stick around to provide these reliable sources and to deflect all of the misinformation that is being circulated. And as far as the 60% of excess weight loss that Bob quoted, I am 7 months post op and have already lost 55% of my excess weight and I have only had 2 fills so I am sure that my weight loss is not going to stop at 60%. There is also a man that goes to the same surgeon that I used who has lost 135 lbs in 10 months so what would Bobs surgeon have to say about that?
   — Lisa F.

January 1, 2004
Directly from the manufacturers website.<P> http://www.inamed.com/products/obesity/us/patient/lapband/faq.html#weight<P> How much weight will I lose? If the band is in the right position and you are committed to your new lifestyle and eating habits, you may lose between one-third and two-thirds of your excess weight. It is important that you lose weight gradually over a period of 12 to 18 months or more. Rapid weight loss represents a health risk and can be associated with a variety of problems, of which nausea and vomiting are only the most minor examples. A weight loss of 2-3 pounds a week in the first year after the operation is a possibility but certainly not a rule. Twelve to 18 months after the operation, weekly weight loss is usually less. Remember that your primary goal is to achieve a weight loss that prevents, improves or resolves health problems associated with obesity or morbid obesity.<P> No doubt there are exceptions in both directions but this agrees with my surgeon dr philip schauer in pittsburgh who does the band. <P> I would never knowingly post bad info here.
   — bob-haller

January 1, 2004
Everyone here needs to know were all in this together. Early on I refered lots of members to the banders yahoo group. When there were few banders or info around. The more choices to loose the weight the better if you ask me.
   — bob-haller

January 1, 2004
Frankly I am glad that people on this site are open about their opinions regarding the different types of surgery. I want to know everything so that I can make the right choice for myself. How else can a pre-op get an idea of what they are really getting into? I have read the good and the bad about every type of bariatric surgery and a lot of my research was prompted from negative posts. I hope that the members of this site remain open and candid about their ideas.
   — Kara J.

January 1, 2004
One of the beautiful parts of this site is people's willingness to offer their opinions to those who need answers. That takes all kinds of people and all kinds of experiences--and we won't always agree. That doesn't mean any opinion offered that didn't agree with yours is an attack on you or negativity. It's just that--a different opinion and you should just recognize that it's just someone's point of view and that's the beautiful thing about this country. We're all entitled to hold and support an opinion. I respect your right to your opinion, but not everyone is going to agree with yours, but that's America! Ain't it grand? You have a chance to do some real good if you put your personal feelings aside and approach any post as a means of offering an opinion and helping someone in need. Life's too short to take offense to words on a screen! You're needed if you're willing to share! Anyone willing to offer an opinion and be of help is needed too! Please reconsider your position.
   — Cathy S.

January 1, 2004
What I would like to say that no one said that VBG was 100% failure, it said 80%. For those of you who ARE successful, is it not possible for you to fall into the 20% that ARE successful?! I'm post RnY and I have a friend who's about 5 years post VBG and she lost 200# and KEPT it off. No, she doesn't weigh 112 (smile) but she still came a long way. I don't believe Bob is attacking ANYONE, but a fact is a fact. DS folks have a better chance of weight loss. I'm glad that everyone posts their experiences, it helped me to be sure of the surgery that I wanted to have. If I was one who felt that I still wanted to be able to eat "birthday cake" then the VBG would have been the way for me to go or either the DS. Everyone chose what was best for them but I'm glad to know the good and bad for EVERYONE, not just RnYers. Love to all of you and Happy New Year. Terri
   — tinky471

January 1, 2004
I don't think Bob or anyone else means any harm, we all just state what we have been told. But no all RNY'ers can get stapleline disruptions, I know soon our surgeons here will be transecting the stomach. Mine isn't but that is just gonna have to be ok! LOL
   — Saxbyd

January 1, 2004
Hopefully, we all would agree that there is no one wrong or right type of weightloss surgery to get. It's wonderful that we have various options.The "right" one is the one that will work the best for that particular individual. I thoroughly researched all of the surgeries and chose the rny. I would have loved to have gotten the lapband as it is a less invasive surgery and there are fewer complications but I know myself and it would not have worked for me. With every type of wls that you get you do need to be compliant or you can work your way around all of them. I knew that I would need the surgery with the maximum amount of behavior modification.I chose the rny because it seemed to have the most.It has the restrictive factor,the malabsorption factor and the behavior modification of dumping.Yes some people don't dump with the rny and I knew that I wouldn't be able to %100 percent count on that happening but I at least wanted the possibility of it there and that was not an option with the lapband. The rny has worked well for me but I also know that what's right for me may not be right for someone else.
   — jennifer A.

January 1, 2004
I really hate controversy, but I had to take exception to one tiny phrase. First, let me sat my own research was very limited back in 1993. I knew 6 post-ops. 3 RNY, 3 VBG. The VBG vomited daily & were all roundy. The RNY only vomited upon committing silliness & they were all thin. When I asked my doc (Korean), he said, "With VBG, you diet. With RNY, you lose weight." Hence my decision, as those were the only choices available back in the dark ages. I have seen successful VBG's and certainly broken RNY's. Someone cannot research without hearing the pros and cons of all the surgeries. If never a negative word was spoken, how would we decide in today's world? Dart board? OK, so never mind, as I had a field of 6 when I made my decision, not based on much. BUT the statement was made that staple lines disrupt because we outeat the surgery. No. We cannot burst a staple line with volume. If that was possible, they'd all go out the first time we stepped over the line. Staple lines go because of a complicated back pressure thing that I need my hands to explain. They disrupt from the bottom UP. The body does EVERYTHING it can to return to normal, even if normal was killing us. My SLD occurred at 5 yrs. My closest surgery sister made it 7. My husband is now over 8 yrs, has never paid much attention to volume and he is still intact, messing up all my stats on our own peer group! He's the ONLY one of us left intact. Go figure. Most of them were SLD before 2 yrs. Some were SLD VBG, then SLD RNY within the last 9 yrs! These are some bodies that are REALLY determined to normalize! (their RNY were not transected in the early days, nor were revisions, though it should've been obvious). Please do not think any staple line is secure if it's not transected. Not so you live in terror, but so that if it DOES go, you know it is mechanical, it is not you. The ONLY way we outeat these surgeries is sugar and grazing. ANY of the surgeries.
   — vitalady

January 1, 2004
Thank you, Michelle. I took exception to that line also. <p> Whenever ANYONE gets on here and asks about a VBG (as in "Can someone give me the pros and cons of the VBG") I tell them my story. I had a VBG for 7 years. The SLD occurred sometime around the 5-6 year mark. I have to, in good conscious, tell them that I fell into that percentage of VBGers that had a SLD and as a result had to undergo a second surgery. Those are the true facts of my life. How in the world can someone decide if they don't know all the things that can happen??? Once they have the pros and cons of each type of surgery, THEN they can decide. Our stating that certain types of surgery are MORE PRONE to SLDs is not meant to be seen as bashing that type of surgery - just stating the facts. Whether the percentage is 10%, 80%, or somewhere in between, the fact remains, some surgeries have the SLD as one of their possible outcomes. <p> "Maybe they should have done a little more research about WLS and the after care in the first place." - The problem I have with this statement is that most of us that had VBG and then had a SLD are many, many YEARS post op. Hell, I didn't even have an internet connection 8 years ago and OH.com sure wasn't around in 93-94, when I first started looking into WLS. I didn't even know anyone who had had WLS. My surgeon (and most in Houston) only did the VBG, so while I could talk to some post-ops it's not like I could make even a little comparison like Michelle did. I went with the info I had at the time.
   — Ali M

January 1, 2004
The statement that I made regarding SLDs was not something that I conjured up nor was it info that I got from some website or other pts word of mouth. The answer to what causes staple line disruptions with the VBG was a very specific question that I asked of the surgeon in my consultation when I was considering the VBG.He is a well respected surgeon and has done the VBG for very many years (he himself is probably about 80 years old).He is as far as I know the only surgeon still performing the VBG in the area where I live maybe even in the state and it is the ONLY surgery that he performs. He stated that staple line disruptions are either caused by mechanical failure which he described as surgeon error or faulty equipment (staples or stapler failure)but that the most common cause is repeated over eating and overstretching of the pouch otherwise he felt that the VBG was a very successful surgery and he has had much success with his patients who have had it. As I said VBG was my first choice of surgery,actually the staple line disruption didn't change my mind as much as the fact that this surgeon only does open VBG and I really wanted to have a Lap surgery. However my beef has not been with people giving the pros and cons of the surgeries my problem is when they are giving the INCORRECT pros and cons.ALthough I did alot of research on all of the surgeries except the DS I do not answer questions regarding the other surgeries because I am not living with them on a daily basis. I don't even respond to posts asking about VBG although I have done the research I did not have that surgery and therefore am not the best one to give information or advice regarding that procedure, nor did I have RNY so I don't respond to and give stats to those who are looking for information on RNY BUT time and time again I see people who did not chose to have Lap Band responding to and giving stats to those who are looking for information, which is not a problem IF they are giving the CORRECT information which most times they are not.If you MUST have your say respond to the questions where people are asking why you chose to have one surgery over the other but leave the hard core stats to those who have actually decided to have or who are living day to day with the procedure in question or at least refer them to the correct place to find that info. To Bob...Thanks for referring to the yahoo bandsters sites I wish that you had referred me when I was here asking about the band instead I got private emails from some woman on this site telling me I was making the biggest mistake of my life and to please have the RNY or I would be sorry.
   — Lisa F.

January 1, 2004
"If you MUST have your say respond to the questions where people are asking why you chose to have one surgery over the other but leave the hard core stats to those who have actually decided to have or who are living day to day with the procedure in question" - Lisa Forbes <p> Well, since I have lived day to day with two of the four most common types of WLS, I feel able to answer most types of questions that come up with VBG and RNY. <p> We can debate all day long on why SLDs occur. I can counter your "my surgeon said this" with the facts MY surgeon gave me, which were MOST SLDs do not happen because we are fat pigs who cannot control ourselves even with WLS. Which, no matter how you deny it, is the way your statements are coming across. <p> I lived for two years WITHOUT the knowledge of SLD. I thought my weight re-gain was my fault, when I finally found this site, learned that this kind of thing is common with VBG, and contacted my original surgeon, who told me it was purely a mechanical failure, I felt so relieved. So, no offense, but I'm going to go with what MY surgeon told me and that is the VBG has a high rate of SLD and late re-gain - meaning it happens YEARS down the road and it is not the fault of the patient.
   — Ali M

January 2, 2004
You will find that there are as many opinions about what surgery is "best" as you will people having surgery. Same is true of follow up diets. High protien vs. moderate protein, to drink or not to drink milk, fruit is wonderful vs fruit willl make you fat, etc. my only suggestion is for people to do their research, get to know their body and live to be healthy. ( not just thin) i made my surgery choice based on my research and knowing my self. If I didn't dump I'd be eating full sugar Ben & jerries ice cream every day. perhaps forming your own vbg group is a good idea. I personally think getting all the input and differing ideas helped me make a more informed decision. If I had heard only one side of the story I might have made a different decision that would not have been right for me. (RNY 9/25/2002, started 260, now 135)
   — **willow**

January 2, 2004
Tabetha, let me add my voice, from one "minority" to another! Take a break if you must, but please don't withdraw support. I quit for a while (I know other Bandsters that quit this site completely for these same reasons) but I returned to try and respond to people seeking real answers on the Band. There are others who do that here too, and God bless all of us! :) OH.com truly is becoming more diversified, and that is great, but we "minorities" need to stick around in order to provide the facts to those seeking them.
   — Jeanie

January 5, 2004
Dear Tabetha, I wish you the best in life. I don't care what surgery you had, you are a sister. God Bless you for your persistence in this difficult battle in life. Love, Carla
   — [Deactivated Member]

Click Here to Return