In the last issue of the newsletter I printed an email that I had received from a Lap Band patient who was unhappy with the condescending attitude that she perceived on the part of many bypass patients. I asked Lap Band patients to respond, if they agreed or not. I received many thoughtful responses which I am including below and in a linked page.  I hope each of you will read these so they may bring you a better understanding of the issues.

I want to start with the email that I received from my friend, Walter Lindstrom. Walter is an attorney who is a pioneer in representing patients’ rights for insurance coverage of weight loss surgery. Walter has a unique perspective which he shares.

Dear Barbara:
I suspect I'll be one of only a mere handful of respondents (if any) who actually have had both the gastric bypass (1994) and LAP-BAND (2003) surgeries.  Acceptance of the LAP-BAND by payers, practices and other patients seem to be improving over the years, but there seems to be a natural human tendency to favor "what you know" and reject that which is less familiar.  Duodenal switch patients think they have the best procedure; Mini-gastric bypass patients will argue for theirs; bands, bypasses and now you're starting to see sleeve gastrectomies as well.  Everyone wants to validate their own choice - it's just natural.

Surgeons will tell you, if they are being honest with patients, that there is no "one size fits all" procedure.  I've attended many a professional meeting where a main topic of discussion is trying to "match up" the best procedure for a patient, and there is no magic formula, at least not yet.  It is up to the patient to make a choice, in conjunction with his/her doctor (who is obligated to fairly present ALL the options and find another doctor if they don't make a fair presentation!), for that procedure which is best FOR THEM!  If Sue thinks a LAP-BAND is right for her and her doctor agrees, I can tell her from personal experience of BOTH that she is making a great decision FOR HER.  That's all we as patients can do - - make the best decision for ourselves regardless of what that "best decision" was for someone else.

I hope that helps Sue and others out there like her.  It is high time we stop fighting amongst ourselves as patients about "mine is better than yours" when our goals for better health are what really matters, right?

Walter Lindstrom
Obesity Law and Advocacy Center

For more responses on this topic, click here

It’s here, my favorite time of the year. It’s the Christmas season.  I love the decorations, I love buying presents, I love the religious significance and I love times to celebrate with friends and family.  I used to love the food. Oh how I loved the food. But now it is different.  Now I understand how all of the feasting that I did over the holidays was part of a pattern of destruction. It has been almost 7 years since my surgery, and I feel like I am just now really starting to get a handle on holiday food.

Just after surgery it was much easier. But with time, the temptations have re-emerged and it is more of a struggle. This year I am looking for courage.  I am seeking courage to get rid of food immediately after the holidays. And I am wrestling with that.

Last night we had our Back on Track telephone seminar and our topic of discussion was how we are surviving the holidays, and what we are doing when faced with all of the holiday food.

Here are some things that we came up with:

• We are pledging to limit the holiday food to manageable amounts. I have never been a baker.  I cook but I don’t bake.  So any goodies in my home come from the bakery. I purchased some, but not in excess. For those of you who bake, re-examine if you are using the neighborhood or colleagues or someone else as an excuse to bake or by food in excess. The holidays don’t have to be about excess. 
• What I brought into the house immediately went into my freezer.  I recognized that in past years, as soon as I had goodies in the house, I started eating them.  I had my pre-holiday feasts – sometimes alone! So I am taking out of the freezer only what I feel is reasonable for that meal, visit or party. 
• On January 1^st, anything that is left over is leaving my house. This is the hardest part for me. I come from a background that teaches it is a sin to waste food.  I am hesitant to pitch food, because it is such a waste. I am equally hesitant to give it away. We are not doing anyone a favor by giving them cookies and cakes or any other unhealthy food. I don’t like being a food pusher and making my problems someone else’s. So perhaps by pitching food which is painful for me, I will learn from this lesson to not over buy or over prepare.

Redefining our relationship with food is a process. It has taken me years. But by working at it, it does get better. The process may be painful at times, but it is more painful to face the prospect of going back to what we were before. Given the choice, I know we would all choose health.  We have already made that choice by deciding to have weight loss surgery. Now we have to live with the everyday decisions that support that choice.

Have a wonderful holiday!