Life change not a fad

[ate2much]

Hi everyone! It didn't look like a thread had been started for the new year - so I thought I would start one. I imagine there are plenty of banders in the area - there's a billboard for LapBand on every corner, in every newspaper and on all the tv stations. Cash pay keeps getting cheaper and cheaper too. I know I was disappointed lately - I saw a news ad with a woman pulling her pants out - honestly - there wasn't that much space between her and the pants. I hope and pray that this surgery does not become a quick resort for those that have 30-40 lbs to lose and are willing to pay the cash. This is a major life change and should be treated as such - not a fad.
Comments?

[Jachut]

Personally, I reckon if you want to lose 40lb and have the cash, its your own personal choice. To lose just 40lb and keep it off requires a permanant lifestyle change just as much as losing 80 or 100 does.

I was once 40 lb overweight. And I ended up 85lb overweight, having lap band surgery. Wish I could have just done it sooner and saved myself 8 wasted years of my life being obese.

And I really dont like the perception that someone who is more overweight deserves the surgery more. Not that you were saying that, I know. But everyone who is overweight feels pain and anguish over it. I have never been 200lb overweight, I cannot possibly comment on what it is liek to be. But I have been 40lb overweight and I feel for anyone struggling with a weight problem that size. Just becuase the problem is smaller, doesnt make lapband surgery a fad. NO matter who has it its a big commitment and not one you would make without a view to a permanent lifestyle change.

And it would save the health care system a fortune to prevent all those cases of morbid obesity before they even occur.

[ate2much]

I understand what you are saying and somewhat agree. What I don't want to see happen is like the fen-phen craze. For the severly obese and the few that were using it - it was working. Then every Tom, Dick and Harry started using it - I had aquaintences that were using it to lose 5 lbs - and the numerous health problems started showing up in the general population. Those of us that went through that, know for a fact that it was a quick buck for the doctor and we were not properly watched. I wonder if fewer persons had access, and the doctors took more time to monitor them, then there may not have been as many issues with the drugs. Eventually as we all know it was removed from the market - leaving those that were truely obese and had favorable results without anything to turn to.
The bottom line is that the LapBand is still somewhat new - ramifications for 10-20 years down the road are unknown. This Dallas-Fort Worth area is flooded and I mean flooded with ads for the LapBand. Theoritically - in my mind at least - the more patients herded through - the less time the Doctor has to focus on the patient, and the more likely adverse problems will start to occur leading to an outcry of anti-LapBand.
I guess, I would like to see it reserved as sort of a last resort - but I am very open minded and (being a woman!) reserve the right to change my mind!

[Jachut]

Well that issue is entirely to do with the competence and integrity of medical professionals. Theoretically, more people shouldnt mean less monitoring - your appointed consultation time with a doctor is yours and yours alone and whether he's seeing 3 or 13 patients that day, he OUGHT to give them all due care and attention. Regulating the supply of a needed service is not going to solve the problem of negligent practitioners, the demand will remain and it just drives it underground and creates a black market.

I see what you are saying though, the point is more that the demand is already there, especially in a hugely obese population like the US, Australia and UK have. But a huge demand for the surgery will drive an increase in practitioners, it wont be the same few surgeons trying to cover more and more patients.