24stone woman dies after gastric band surgery

There are no quick or easy fixes to losing weight though, even if some methods have initially quick results. It's a lifelong commitment and it's really hard work no matter how you get there.
 
Well said possum. I think that too many people nowadays are looking for things that will magically make them lose weight. The reality for us, unfortunately, is that no matter what method you choose, it's damn hard work! Both losing the weight initially and then making sure it doesn't go back on.

xx
 
Anne Diamond was on the radio the other day talking about hers didn't even work!
 
I'm shocked - just looked this up from the link, and found it's a local lady :( Then looked it up on our local paper website and she lived just a few roads from me, altho I didn't know her. Terribly sad.
 
I think people forget all surgery is life threatening and like you say everyone wants a quick fix especially health wise, at the end of the day bariatric surgery doesn't teach you to change your habits and I've worked with people who have made themselves have so much pain form gastric bands cos they wanted a bacon sandwich....

well done to everyone who has resisted and is doing the sensible thing, diet and exercise :) I have a lot of respect for people who are very obese who take the sensible long term option.
 
My sister had a gastric band fitted last september and she is now a stone heavier, it never takes away the needing of food. Sad thing is she paid private to have it done as well
 
How very sad , i rememeber a friend of a friend dying after having a band , she was only 26 .
I think gastric banding should be stopped . I have a friend who paid £8000 about 18 months ago and although she lost about 4 stone initially , she is now gaining again . It is too easy to learn to 'cheat ' it
 
What a sad story. My friend had the gastric bypass 2 years ago going from 24 stone down to 8 1/2 stone, the rapid weight loss has aged her terribly costing her privately 11.000. Her eating habits haven`t changed she still eats all the wrong things and drinks. I think the gastric band and the bypass is just a quick lazy way of getting slim.
I watched a programme and they said there are 185000 obese people on the nhs waiting list for these operations.
I believe they should be stopped or drastically reduced.
Losing weight is healthy eating and willpower and exercise, not a quick fix operation.
May be im wrong but too many people jump on the bandwagon where this is concerned.
 
To be fair though there are LOADS of success stories about WLS. Its not something people do lightly I think most people who have had it have it as an absolute last resort, not as a 'quick lazy way' of losing weight. But its like any other method of weight loss its what the person does once theyve lost it that determines if its a success. Minimins other site is a Weight loss one and the success stories on it are amazing

Yes people do sometimes put the weight back on but then thats true of any diet and you only need to look round any section on Minimins to see that.
 
It doesnt say that she did, but it doesnt say that she didnt either. She could have been bigger still before the operation.
 
This is so sad. She finally lost the weight but then sadly passed. I hope she is in a better place now & is at peace.

I don't disagree with weight loss surgery but I do think counselling before & after should be mandatory, regardless of whether you have it done on the NHS or privately. I'd never be able to have it done.. Nevermind my crippling fear of surgery, I'm an emotional eater - I eat when I'm stressed or upset, anxious or bored. It just wouldn't work for me. I need to figure out my demons & learn portion control. I would end up being one of those people who melt chocolate just to be able to have a substantial amount!
 
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I love how some people commenting on here are experts on wls!!!

Stackhead you've really p!ssed me off with your.... If ever you needed a reason to lose weight the SW way, instead of looking for quick fixes. "

So you know everything about wls do you??? yeah someone gets a band in and hey presto the weight comes off just like that!! you don't need to work with the band at all, does all the hard work for you!! :mad:

I'll stop now before I say something that will land me in trouble!
 
I think people forget all surgery is life threatening and like you say everyone wants a quick fix especially health wise, at the end of the day bariatric surgery doesn't teach you to change your habits and I've worked with people who have made themselves have so much pain form gastric bands cos they wanted a bacon sandwich....

well done to everyone who has resisted and is doing the sensible thing, diet and exercise :) I have a lot of respect for people who are very obese who take the sensible long term option.

You're another one that has peeved me right off!:mad:
 
What a tragic story and a such a loss and a waste for that poor woman's family xxx
Brings home my own morbidity and the unseen health problems I could be setting myself up for - and this is why I must carry on day by day following the SW plan x
 
Band schmand. People will always critique choices they don't perceive as right. When I was on CD I got the same raft of comments about "quick fixes" and "people have died on it" "stick to 1-2lbs a week" etc, because cutting yourself down to liquid meals totalling 417 cals daily was seen as the easy" or "quick fix"option.

At the end of the day people take the choice that's right for them, gastric band, Atkins, SW, WW, CD whatever. Even a gastric band isn't a "quick fix".

The dangers of surgery are always explained to patients before they go under the procedure, dangers that include infection which is what happened to this poor soul. Infection can happen to anyone, fat or thin, old or young so let's not be so quick to launch into a soapbox session on how "ZOMG it's terrible people get life saving surgery on the NHS" which for a lot of people it is. Yes there's an element of personal responsibility rolled up in the fact that if the person was more aware and focussed on their eating would they have got that way? But at the same time that's like saying diseases which have an element of health and lifestyle related behaviour associated with them shouldn't get treatment. So lets stop all the STD treatment, some cancer treatments, type 2 diabetes etc.

Reading between the lines and the implied tone of some of the posts is that gastric banding is a casual decision, taken when people are "too lazy to do anything beforehand". I considered a gastric band when I was about 16 and a half stone, except I was too "thin" but I felt desperate I was miserable and if someone had offered me something that in my eyes, would be a fix to those problems, would I have taken it? There's a very strong possibility I would have. Luckily I had the support and willpower to try another diet, again. And again. And again. Not everyone does.

You are required before referral for a gastric band, to prove you can lose weight before surgery. Thus showing you do understand the concept of healthy eating.

Okay not everyone sticks to that after the band, buy hey lets be realistic here you telling me there's no-one on SW having a second go?

Horses for courses people.
 
Hmmmmm its interesting when you actually read the story about people's perceptions of the surgery. Her family are quoted as saying she wouldnt have died if she hadnt had the surgery and the article is written in a way that suggests her life was perfect before it and it was a needless op. But at 24 stone surely she would have had health problems related to her weight which wouldve been why she was offered it in the first place?!

From a personal perspective my mil has had wls recommended to her. In her circs her weight is having such a huge negative impact on her life she has been told if she doesnt lose weight soon she will die. The docs are concerned re the risk of the op but i think they are of the opinion it is worth the risk to help her lose the weight quickly and improve her health.

I am of the opinion tho that little is done the perhaps look at the pyscological side of losing weight. She pretty much gets told to lose weight but doesnt actually get advice on what would help from the docs like slimming clubs or counselling etc.
 
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