Dangers of battling the bulge by Rachel Brown for 7.30 Report

Dangers of battling the bulge by Rachel Brown for 7.30 Report 10/05/2009

This story concerns me as I have family members and very close friends who have chosen this option to control thier weight and I wish them well.

I am not an expert on the subject, I am just posting health news, reported by Rachel Brown for 7.30 Report ABC TV.

As the fight against Australia's obesity epidemic continues, more and more people are turning to gastric banding - a procedure commonly known as lap band surgery - to help beat the bulge.

Last year, about 14,000 Australians had lap band surgery and this year's figure is expected to be higher.

View the full report by Rachel Brown :-http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/30/2701186.htm

Comments

Jadey link

10/09/2009 10:44am

Kathy this article is common of the scare mongering that goes on in the media. Anyone who has done any research into the Gastric Band knows that what is said here is completely wrong!

"This has been sold as the quick fix magic bullet for obesity," she said.
Actually what you are told straight off is that the gastric band does not take away the hard work. You can still easily eat things like Ice Cream, Chips and Chocolate and greasy foods as there is no restriction when eating these foods. It is a tool like any other to help people lose weight.

"In actual fact what we're doing is putting the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff rather than the fence at the top."

Can't even grace this with a response.

"Melbourne youth worker Les Twentyman spent three weeks in an induced coma after his operation.

Doctors had found and repaired a double hernia during the procedure, but he suffered complications the next day."
Les Twentyman had complications following his hernia repair! It had nothing whatsoever to do with the Gastric Band except for the fact that the Hernias were repaird during a surgery for the Gastric Band which is apparently very common.

"About one in every 1,500 to 2,000 lap band patients die from post-operation complications"
Thats rather interesting because the books I have read had death as an obvious chance (as it is with any surgery due to the aneasthetic) But none recorded.

"Similarly academics, general practitioners and patient groups are concerned the majority of the research being relied on to promote the lap band is being bankrolled by its manufacturer Allergan."

In order to even see a surgeon about a lap band you must first get a referral from your GP. So this is total rubbish!

Articles like this one anger me especially when lately so many bloggers have been so brave as to a) have Gastric Band surgery and b) to publically share their experiences with us lately also.

Kathy Shell link

10/09/2009 4:03pm

Great comments Jadey, I am sorry the news report made you angry though.

As I said, "I am no expert on this subject."

It was a news report and I was happy to post it as such.

My passion is for health, healthy lifestyle and fitness.
I am pro healthy weight loss not for or against tools or plans that people individually choose to help them become slim if they are using the basics of healthy weight loss which are good portion controlled nutrition, exercise and activity and seeking support to help them remain focused on their goal. To me those are the things that make it work the lap bans is a last resort in my opinion, tool that some choose to use and can still be used with an eye to a weight and health management eating and activity plan for life.
Where I will get myself in hot water is not by, not supporting anyone’s choice to lap band, ( I am a supporter of a friend and family member who has had lap band surgery and have always encouraged people in forums who have had this and praised their successes,) but in trying to encourage others to see that nutrition, exercise and nurturing yourself emotionally, does matter regardless of whether you are doing lap band, weight watchers, or in my case thought I was an in invalid and could not exercise. It is lifestyle that matters and seeing slimming as a permanent doing away with aspects of your lifestyle that did not work for you and making positive, life lasting changes to allow you to achieve a realistic, believable goal
My passion is to let slimmers know that nutrition and exercise and loving themselves matters now and always and even more so if they are striving to slim, this is the same for those with or without lap bands.
I wish everyone who has had lap band surgery all the very best of success with it. .
I have seen during my lifetime varied weight loss surgery methods come and go, and I have always been interested in healthy, I will continue to watch and report some health reports I think might interest people. Some I will say I agree with, and others like this I will state, ‘this is not an area I know enough about to comment’. I don’t wish to offend anyone if you feel the news report is biased.

Cheers kathy :-)