Re: Band in the News

[Guest guest]

Still, even with minor inaccuracies about things other than the Band,

Allergan is doing an excellent job gewtting the Band more into the

public knowledge. There have been more articles and reports on the last

3 months than in the previous years under Inamed.

It's essential that people realize that there is a safer alternative to

a bypass procedures.

Sandy

>

> Hi, all,

>

> Amazing how wrong the media can be! The first article says that

bypass surgery bypasses the large intestine!

>

> -

[Guest guest]

Interesting, if not totally correct on a couple things.

The first article says that in bypass the LARGE intestine is bypassed. Well,

no......

And the idea of the " remote control " is interesting, but seems like making it

overly complicated. It isn't like the doc could do it from across town or

across the country. The other thing I wonder about is how often the battery

inside of you would have to be replaced. They do have to go in and replace

batteries on pacemakers and insulin pumps and other devices. But it would mean

you wouldn't have a port to be in the way.... I wonder how long it will be

before FDA approves the thing anyway. And I know I wouldn't want them to go in

and replace my " old fashioned band " with a " new band " .

The second video/article says that the surgery is " often covered by insurance " .

I think it would be more accurate to say " sometimes' or " occasionally " or

something other than " often " , which to me implies " more than half " , which I

don't believe.

Lord, I never complain, never ask why, please don't let my dreams run dry....

www.mylapband.tk or www.riverofdata.com

Dan Lester, Boise, Idaho, USA

Dr. Ortiz, Tijuana, 4/27/03

355/323/210/190

Band in the News

>Allergan expands further:

>http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/money/abox/article_1588025.php

>Another Band patient in the News:

>http://cbs3.com/health/local_story_052205951.html

>Another Band patient article:

>http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/849787/boling_resting_comfortably_a

>fter_surgery_diet_band_in_place/index.html?source=r_health

>The next article in 's series on his Band:

>http://www.wcmessenger.com/news/news/EEZkpyApAyKcrxvRPP.php

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Dan,

I thought the same thing about the EasyBand's remote control

adjustment system: wouldn't they need to periodically re-operate just

to change the battery? Apparently not, as the following from

http://www.endoart.com claims:

" The Easyband® telemetrically adjustable gastric band incorporates

Endoart's clinically proven proprietary Flowatch technology. The

easyband is the only telemetrically controlled gastric band. Because

the device is powered, programmed and controlled remotely, there is no

need for a battery, which would necessitate periodic change. The

Easyband® simplifies the patient follow-up session, eliminating both

patient pain or discomfort associated with hydraulic band adjustment

and port site complications, like infection or fluid leakage. "

I suppose the big advantage might be that with no saline, there is no

chance of a leak. Time will tell whether the rate of weight loss,

slips and erosion is any lower than with saline-adjusted bands.

And now that Allergan has bought Endoart, I have to wonder if the next

step is for Allergan to develop a Lap-Band that has this Endoart

remote control technology?

T.

Dr. Yau (Toronto, Canada), Sept. 10/03, Swedish band

407/219/215

Dr. Tim Sproule (Toronto, Canada), Apr. 7/05, Beltline Lipectomy

Dr. Yau, Apr. 7/05, Port Relocation

Dr. Sproule, Dec. 1/05, Revision to Beltline Lipectomy

Dr. Allan Lossing (Toronto, Canada), May 15/06, Varicose Vein Stripping

Dr. Sproule, July 13/06, Bilateral Medial Thigh Lifts

> Interesting, if not totally correct on a couple things.

.... And the idea of the " remote control " is interesting, but seems

like making it overly complicated. It isn't like the doc could do it

from across town or across the country. The other thing I wonder

about is how often the battery inside of you would have to be

replaced. They do have to go in and replace batteries on pacemakers

and insulin pumps and other devices. But it would mean you wouldn't

have a port to be in the way.... I wonder how long it will be before

FDA approves the thing anyway. And I know I wouldn't want them to go

in and replace my " old fashioned band " with a " new band " ....

> Dan Lester, Boise, Idaho, USA

> Dr. Ortiz, Tijuana, 4/27/03

> 355/323/210/190

[Guest guest]

Hi, !! It's been awhile since we've heard from you!! Looks like

you're (still) doing WONDERFULLY well!!

This " EASY BAND " sounds as if it has great potential!

But I sure object to the name - EASYband. There is nothing EASY about

the Band journey, and it takes some hard work. I object to anytghing

that will make potential patients think it is some kind of magic

cure, and that they will not need to contribute anything.

this is aslo my objection to one of the new Allergan Band

advertisements that has been on TV often - the one with the roaring

lion. It says something like " Tame your appetite permanently with the

LapBsnd system.. "

Well, not many of us got fat becuase we simply ate when we were

hungry! Most of us overate and got fat becuae we were eating for

emotional reasons, not hunger or " appetite " , and the band itself

doesn't stop that.

At any rate, the new technology on the horizon is great, and I'm

looking forward to more. We all know that the band is a work in

progress, and as more is known about both it and obesity treatment,

lots of new things will come up.

sandy r

> > Interesting, if not totally correct on a couple things.

> ... And the idea of the " remote control " is interesting, but seems

> like making it overly complicated. It isn't like the doc could do

it

> from across town or across the country. The other thing I wonder

> about is how often the battery inside of you would have to be

> replaced. They do have to go in and replace batteries on

pacemakers

> and insulin pumps and other devices. But it would mean you

wouldn't

> have a port to be in the way.... I wonder how long it will be

before

> FDA approves the thing anyway. And I know I wouldn't want them to

go

> in and replace my " old fashioned band " with a " new band " ....

> > Dan Lester, Boise, Idaho, USA

> > Dr. Ortiz, Tijuana, 4/27/03

> > 355/323/210/190

>

[Guest guest]

I find this article very disturbing N

-------------- Original message --------------

From: " moonshadow_sandy " <Moonshadow.sandy@...>

I wondered initially if I should post this, and even asked a couple of

you for thoughts, but I decided that there was some good knowledge to

be gained from what was learned.

This is report of very poor band results and higher than usual death

rates, from a very INexperienced, new program in Australia.

THis is why we stress so much that it is essential to choose only a

highly-skilled Band surgeon and fill person, and very thorough followup

care and ongoing teaching.

They also point out that the emotional /psychological issues were not

addressed in the people who did poorly and had unusual problems.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23287759-2862,00.html?

from=public_rss

Sandy R

[Guest guest]

I read the reader responses..only a few so far, and they were

positive on the band., I also think that that the reporter didnt make

the obvious connection between the higher rate in Melbourne and a

potentially bad surgeon or center!!! Also they mentioned one person

that did not do the appropriate follow up. Nowhere did they talk of

the positive results....reporting is not always so spiffy. Statistics

can always be analyzed in a number of ways.

At 09:14 PM 2/28/2008, you wrote:

>I wondered initially if I should post this, and even asked a couple of

>you for thoughts, but I decided that there was some good knowledge to

>be gained from what was learned.

>

>This is report of very poor band results and higher than usual death

>rates, from a very INexperienced, new program in Australia.

>THis is why we stress so much that it is essential to choose only a

>highly-skilled Band surgeon and fill person, and very thorough followup

>care and ongoing teaching.

>

>They also point out that the emotional /psychological issues were not

>addressed in the people who did poorly and had unusual problems.

>

>http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23287759-2862,00.html?

>from=public_rss

>

>Sandy R

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I'm sorry there are articles like this, but they are the truth. It IS

disturbing.

feel we should be well aware that things can go wrong, and it's

essential to choose a highly-experienced surgeon for the least risk.

There are a great many brand=new surgeons, in both he US and in

Mexico, and they just have much higher bad outcomes.

The band maufacturer states clearly that a surgeon must have done at

least 100 bandings in a fairly short period of time (ie not one per

month for 5 years) to become good at exact placement. THEN, it takes

several hundred fills for bandsters at all phases of banding, to

become experie4nced in fills -which is also critical. Fills are a

true ART - not simply a technical skill with a needle.

It does no good to go on faith - this is a major surgery, still, and

carries risks just as all surgeries do. The rat of death after band

surgery remains pretty constant at 1 in 2000 - most are from

unpredictable blood clots, a risk for all surgeries, particular

abdominal surgeries.

We must minimize the risks with a good doc using up-to-date

preventative measuers, then also must be very serious about doing our

part to avoid trouble - never keeping too tight fills (which means

learning the signs and sympsom of a too-tight fill) and much more.

Knowledge = power to do well, imo.

sandy r

bn

>

> I find this article very disturbing N

[Guest guest]

julie,

i find the article disturbing as well. however, you failed to

mention what about it disturbed you. on the one hand the article may

have put you off lapBanding or on the other hand, you may be

disturbed by the amateurish way the date was presented. i fall into

the latter. i hope that's where you reside as well because nothing

in the article as written could shift my faith in this appliance.

clearly people who are timid and have let the article talk them out

of being banded are the losers. frankly, i wish i had stock in the

manufacturer before it went public.

george

>

> I find this article very disturbing N

>

> -------------- Original message --------------

> From: " moonshadow_sandy " <Moonshadow.sandy@...>

> I wondered initially if I should post this, and even asked a couple

of

> you for thoughts, but I decided that there was some good knowledge

to

> be gained from what was learned.

>

> This is report of very poor band results and higher than usual

death

> rates, from a very INexperienced, new program in Australia.

> THis is why we stress so much that it is essential to choose only a

> highly-skilled Band surgeon and fill person, and very thorough

followup

> care and ongoing teaching.

>

> They also point out that the emotional /psychological issues were

not

> addressed in the people who did poorly and had unusual problems.

>

> http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23287759-

2862,00.html?

> from=public_rss

>

> Sandy R

>

>

>

>

>