Taking a poll

[Guest guest]

Hi Walter,

In Australia, it seems to be the only choice now offered.

It's hard to find anything else.

Aussie Jo-Ann

At 02:07 25/08/98 EDT, you wrote:

>

>

>Hi folks, Walter here. I have often said that if the band was available when

>I had my surgery here in the US, it would have been my first choice. I'm

>curious as to why all of you selected this as your procedure of choice....mind

>sharing? Thanks, Walter

>

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>

[Guest guest]

Hi folks, Walter here. I have often said that if the band was available when

I had my surgery here in the US, it would have been my first choice. I'm

curious as to why all of you selected this as your procedure of choice....mind

sharing? Thanks, Walter

[Guest guest]

Hi Walter,

Four years ago while living in Houston I heard an ad on the radio

regarding VGB. This was the first time I realized that there was such a

thing as obesity surgery. The ad said that you had to be 100 lbs over

your normal weight, which I was not at that time. So I didn't think

about it anymore.

Three years later, in London a girl at work revealed to me that she was

going to have a Swedish Band implanted. (Thanks Marina) At that time I

had completely given up hope of ever solving my weight problem and the

pounds just kept on piling on. All of a sudden I realized there just

might be some hope for me. I started to research the band on the net.

Unfortunately a year ago there was not much info out there.(That is why

I wrote my webpage!) I did find Olwens site with all the links and so

read up on all the various traditional obesity surgeries. Somehow I knew

I didn't want a VGB or a RNY as these operations seemed so drastic and

scared me. I liked the thought of a procedure that would not mutilate my

stomach and that could be totally reversed if need be. So I kept on

searching for more information about the band and for a doctor in

London. I couldn't believe that nobody was performing this operation in

this huge city! (In the meantime there is a surgeon who implants bands).

Finally I gave up looking for help in the UK and phoned various

hospitals in Switzerland where I come from. In Switzerland gastric

banding is very, very poplular now. Finally I found Dr Klaiber and had a

band implanted on March 31, 1998. I have lost 58 lbs so far and have

gone from a BMI of 41 to 33 in 4 1/2 months. I don't have any problems

with the band and only had to vomit 4 times so far. I had two

adjustments of the band and now have 5.5 ml in the tube (of a possible 9

ml with the Swedish band).

I am very happy about my choice because:

- the operation was done laparoscopically, which means a short hospital

stay and quick recovery

- the band is adjustable, which means it can be individually adapted to

the patients needs (very important in my opinion)

- the operation could be reversed if there ever is a need for it

- the costs seem to be much lower than with traditional surgery

> Taking a poll

>

>

>

> Hi folks, Walter here. I have often said that if the band was

> available when

> I had my surgery here in the US, it would have been my first choice.

> I'm

> curious as to why all of you selected this as your procedure of

> choice....mind

> sharing? Thanks, Walter

>

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------

> --

>

[Guest guest]

Atty4obese@... wrote:

>

>

>

> Hi folks, Walter here. I have often said that if the band was available when

> I had my surgery here in the US, it would have been my first choice. I'm

> curious as to why all of you selected this as your procedure of choice....mind

> sharing? Thanks, Walter

>

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

>

[Guest guest]

.....mind

>sharing? Thanks, Walter

Hi Walter,

Almost every surgical procedure known is available here in australia, but I

chose the band simply because it was the cheapest! I don't have private

cover, so eventhough many of the operation cost around the same (within

$3000 of each other), the recovery time in hospital for the others is a lot

longer, hence the added cost. So that was my first reason, but I probably

would have chosen this procedure anyway because I have a 2 year old and need

to be up and around sooner.

My main concern with the ASGB is that it seems slightly more liable to fail

if the band slips. Also, the weight loss is much slower than, say, RNY's

(only telling by comparisons of people on the two lists here and OSSG, so I

could be wrong). RNY's are huge procedures, but seem to have immediate and

amazing results which is always a strong lure to an unhappy fatty like me!

Steph.

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>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the information.........Walter

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/25/98 4:35:11 AM Pacific Daylight Time,

m0159r00@... writes:

<< Well, there are my two pence. >>

Thanks for the " pence " .........the reversibility and absence of " mutilation "

seem to be a common thread....are you pleased with your decision? Which band

(Swedish; LapBand; other?) did you get? Walter

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/25/98 6:08:37 AM Pacific Daylight Time,

knights@... writes:

<< In Australia, it seems to be the only choice now offered.

It's hard to find anything else. >>

Thanks JoAnne.....are you disappointed that you didn't have other options? Or

are you satisfied? Thanks again for sharing....I'm learning alot. Walter

[Guest guest]

Very pleased with the " choice " I made

Jo-Ann

At 01:34 26/08/98 EDT, you wrote:

>

>

>In a message dated 8/25/98 6:08:37 AM Pacific Daylight Time,

>knights@... writes:

>

><< In Australia, it seems to be the only choice now offered.

>

> It's hard to find anything else. >>

>Thanks JoAnne.....are you disappointed that you didn't have other options? Or

>are you satisfied? Thanks again for sharing....I'm learning alot. Walter

>

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>