Are you 30lbs overweight? Try the lapband! - ThinnerTimes - Gastric Bypass Forum, Lap Band Forum, and Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Forum

offstringgirl · 09-08-2008, 12:24 AM

I just saw a commercial on TV advertising a NEW weight loss program in southern California that does an Outpatient weight loss surgery for those that are 30-50 pounds overweight. They will only take those that have a BMI between 30-35. When they showed how the new procedure works, it was a lapband. EXACTLY like the lapband...the band just looked a tad different! I know what it's like to be overweight, and I know how hard it is to lose, but PLEASE! 30 POUNDS?! Anyone else see this commercial?

Chia · 09-08-2008, 08:41 AM

I haven't seen that, but it does piss me off. Ads like that undermine the efforts we go through to achieve health. Obviously, weight loss has an effect on how we look outside post-op, but 30 "vanity" pounds should not encourage someone to do this kind of surgery.

katzz87 · 09-08-2008, 09:08 AM

But who are we to judge who should be allowed the surgery?

Don't get me wrong...I totally agree with the "vanity pounds" issue...but if only I had "a tool" at 30-50 lbs overweight. I don't think people should have surgery if they haven't really tried to lose weight by changing their life-style. But people have to realize that neither the lap-band or gastric-bypass is an "easy out" from dieting.

But how do you separate those that want the surgery for vanity vs those that have truly tried to lose on their own? THAT'S the concern I'd have...

Cathy

VickiLyn · 09-08-2008, 09:20 AM

I can understand the frustration. But, how many of us would be where we are if we would of had a tool earlier on to help with the weight loss. I know my 30 pounds turned to 50 pounds turned to 75 pounds etc...My concern is if they are doing this type of operation as a outpatient, are they educating the individuals?

BiGMerf · 09-08-2008, 09:58 AM

i havent seen the commercial, but to me its just a sign of the times

JumboJulie · 09-08-2008, 10:26 AM

I haven't seen this either. But HOLY CRAP!!

All I'm thinking is this has potential for disaster. I can totally see a tidal wave of uneducated people running to the surgeon's office waving their money and signing up. I worry they aren't going to understand the risks involved, nor will they really understand the how this surgery truly affects everyday life. If they see it as a "quick fix" and easier than liposuction, they're really going to be in for a rude awakening. Then the news will be flooded with horror storries which will affect those patients like us who are looking into the surgery as a tool to save their lives, not just to lose 30-50 pounds. How many potential patients out there who REALLY do need WLS will be scared away because of this? This could be very very bad.

Chia · 09-08-2008, 12:44 PM

I don't think it is an issue of judging people. 30-50 pounds, while certainly unhealthy and difficult to lose, is not a justification for serious surgery. Lap-band (as well as any surgery) has serious potential risks and while I agree that the band or bypass can be a tool that helps people lose weight, there are significant consequences to undergoing such a surgery. WLS is treated (by accredited bariatric surgeons) as a procedure of last resort. Many surgeons will not even grant a meeting with you unless you can prove 5 years of maintained excess BMI, have demonstrated significant efforts to lose weight non surgically. I was on opti-fast pre-op for 2 months pre-op and lost over 40 pounds. A person of lower starting BMI could have achieved the same success over a slightly longer timeframe. I say this not to judge, but to demonstrate that there is a significant difference in having 30-50 excess pounds and 150-200 pounds.

It is very much a balancing act to decide who is or isn't a good candidate for surgery. People who are healthier on the outset or have BMIs closer to 40 (as opposed to 50+) tend to have an easier time making it through surgery. However, many of the people on here who I have observed (though not everyone) who has had significant complications, revisions, or expressed regret over doing the surgery seem to have starting BMI's that are lower or very near 40. Again this statement applies mainly to the RNY, but lap-band is just as important a decision. To offer lap-band as a "temporary" solution to drop 30-50 pounds creates the potential for a whole host of people looking into surgery who are unaware of the risks and potential permanence of the surgery/complications. I hope I haven't offended anyone, but I whole-heartedly feel that any sort of WLS should not be available for people who need to only lose 30 pounds to have "normal" BMI. In my case, I am 5'3 and the "medically suggested ideal weight" is 116. While the "average" weight for people my height is 131 pounds. So we would be talking about someone who weighs between 146-166 or 161-181 considering lap-band?

jerseygrl684 · 09-08-2008, 12:47 PM

who are we to judge if it is for vanity reasons or not? i know my life at the time wasnt in jeopardy, but that doesnt mean in the future it wasnt going to turn out that way.

someone took a gamble on me.

I DONT believe its just for 30-50 lbs, no accredited bariatric surgeon would do that.

Snow-Belle · 09-08-2008, 09:17 PM

All I can think of is a few years ago when fen-phen was in vogue-that was supposed to only for those with serious weight issues...I can't tell you how many people I knew that got it prescribed for them because they were 4-8 pounds overweight.

I'm sorry, but this just has ABUSE written all over it....

It's not that I'm being judgemental about who 'needs' it...but I think it will become a money-making scheme for a lot of untrained doctors/surgeons...and there are going to be a LOT of serious consequences.