[goingtobethinin2010]

Originally Posted by A new me

Wow what a difference. You look terrific and doing a great job. So much younger looking too. keep up the great work~!!!

I will be having either lapband or bypass in Jan 2010 and have a question.
Have you had any major health issues from having the bypass? I am so torn as to which to have. I am so afraid of the bypass but am also worried the band may slip or I may have erosion from the band. Any information you could give me would be appreciated. You look wonderful and like the picture of health.

[RC59105]

Originally Posted by dyingtobethin

I will be having either lapband or bypass in Jan 2010 and have a question.
Have you had any major health issues from having the bypass? I am so torn as to which to have. I am so afraid of the bypass but am also worried the band may slip or I may have erosion from the band. Any information you could give me would be appreciated. You look wonderful and like the picture of health.

This (above) was on a different post....
I wanted to answer without having the question buried and I thought others might want to share with you why they decided on the surgery or lap band, so you could have other viewpoints as well.

I personally decided that the lapband wasn't for me because I knew my habits and lack of self control and I knew I would find a way to cheat around the lap band and the success rate didn't seem as high. I heard so many stories about it slipping and about people having to go back to re-adjust and etc.....
If I was going to do something soooo drastic about my weight then I wanted to be sure I picked the correct procedure.
I felt that for me it would have to be the bypass. Several reasons, but mainly that I would be more or less forced into submission which is actually what has happened in my opinion. If I overeat I know it immediately and if I eat the wrong food I know it immediately and this has saved me from overstuffing myself. I honestly don't think I would have had as much weight loss if I had done the lapband.
I have had no complications with my Roux en Y Bypass and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
I think my hernia gave me more pain then my bypass ever could have done. I had to have my gallbladder removed a few months after my bypass surgery and I think my bypass recovery was alot easier to deal .

[DocSanae]

Welcome to the board, thank you for joining us.
Good luck with your process.
(((((HUGS))))) May your journey go well.

I have moved your post from where it originally was because the original poster of the thread is a different person from whom you have quoted in your post, and RC started a new thread for you.

[Perfesser]

I thought about banding, until my surgeon talked me out of it. With the amount I needed to lose, he recommended RNY. I did it, it's worked fantastically, no regrets. My wife had RNY, too. Banding is too easy to cheat, and you have all that maintenance with fills and a foreign body in you.

We have had several banders join us this year who were getting ready for revisions to remove their bands and have RNY. I don't remember anyone ever wanting to go the other way.

CT

[Nicole]

I thought about banding for a long long time. However as my weight started to climb even more, I started to realize that I just had too much to lose. Also, as I did more research I realized that with my eating habits as they are and my tendency to cheat and find loop holes...I just know that the band would not work for me. My surgeon agrees as well.

So for me, RNY bypass was the best option. I go in for my surgery later this month. So it really depends on your biggest vices are and if you would try to cheat the system or not. I have talked to many people who have altered from a band to the bypass after some time. I would research both procedures, talk to doctors if you can, find a weight loss surgery center near you as they will answer all your questions, and try to attend a seminar. This is your best bet for finding out what procedure is right for you. I personally want to get it right the first time, so I am going with what I feel will be most effective for me.

Good luck with your decision. Keep us up to date with your progress.

[sue4491]

Again, take your time and do research.... be comfortable with whatever your decision is...

Also to remember that often for one reason or another, providers tend to not be involved with long term repercussions but ANY surgery, regardless of how minor has repercussions.

For example, I had my tonsils out in 1953 - this was considered extremely low risk surgery and was done routinely.

Later they found out the tonsils are the largest lymph node in the body (store macrophages and produce antibodies) thus people WITH tonsils have a more efficient immune system than those without.

I have been immune challenged ever SINCE my tonsillectomy but I also sustained another repercussion... before the surgery, I was "normal" in weight - being very active I was on the slim side. After the surgery, I began packing on the pounds still being extremely actively and have had a battle royal with my weight ever since. I run 1.5 degrees low in body temperature and suspect in the process of that "routine surgery" my pituitary gland was injured or damaged.

Want another example? I had an esophagoplasty in 1996 when I got something "stuck" (a huge bite of tuna and dry noodles). The surgeon said it would "open things up for 6 months" and then I would need another (I have a hiatal hernia and have suffered with GERD all my life except for the last year when I have been on Weight Watchers).

Sure enough, 6 months later, it got ---worse--- and I started to not be able to swallow pills whole. I was toying with having another esophagoplasty (this is an outpatient procedure - not even considered a surgery) until I happened to meet a guy who had had 9 of them and he was so closed up that he could only eat watery soup.

I decided against the second one....

From that procedure, I sustained scar tissue in my esophagus which means it doesn't conduct the paristalsis wave well and anything which is not very soft or pureed can get stuck. (by the way, chewing gum is a good way to "unstuck" it, I found)

I'm not faulting medicine because they cannot even KNOW the long term repercussions of surgeries but people seem to think they can jump on the table with no repercussions and that just is not true, never true regardless of what surgery!

One program on "Fit TV" called "REBUILT BODY PARTS" (or something like that) showed this guy suffering with infections in his leg from an accident - he had had surgeries etc. Instead of seeking perhaps better or different medical treatment, he decided on his own that the best way would be to amputate the leg. So he had that done. Only he was surprised to suffer the ghost pains (which are excrutiating) and now, he's much less mobile than if he'd just worked with his natural leg.

Whatever tool people use to control their weight is what they will believe in but that's just THEIR experience. That's exactly why I avoid talking up the tool I use, Weight Watchers... it's worked great for me but not great for others.

With that in mind, let me share a couple of things with you...


First, Regardless of what tool you decide on, it will take work on a daily basis. I think all folks here will agree that any weight loss surgery is definitely NOT, "the easy way out". The difference is if you have a permanent change and it doesn't work for you, you cannot go back. Whereas if you have something not permanent like the lap band, if it's not working for you, you can either have it removed and get a bypass or whatever.

Second, I know plenty of folks with bypass surgery who got a lap band over their bypass because they were starting to regain.

As an aside, you may not see folks who are having issues with regain etc in some of the message areas - not necessarily because they are "not welcome" - some places like here are very loving and welcome folks no matter what - but because the INDIVIDUAL feels ashamed and has a hard time SEEKING support. Which is understandable.

Like at the Weight Watchers' meeting this last Saturday after Thanksgiving, we had poor attendance... why... because I think a lot of folks had problems over the holidays.... this is just human nature to do this sort of thing.

But it can be misleading to someone doing research because you tend to think that whatever the procedure, "everyone" is successful at it and this simply isn't true....

Third, an advantage with the adjustable lap band is --- it's adjustable... so "revisions" (which is often the "elephant in the room" i.e. that which is discussed a lot but unseen except in a few places) are non surgical - just adding more liquid to the band.

We had a gal join my yahoo group with a Rose procedure (8 years post op RNY) and she just found out that procedure is only guaranteed for a year.

Here again, whatever tool you get, compliancy seems to be the best bet for a successful journey and often pre ops are NOT told what they will and must do after surgery (why this message area is so wonderful because it better prepares you for whatever procedure you choose).

if you are very athletic, a bypass might work better for you because it IS in place - whereas there are, as I have heard some restrictions on what can be done with a lap band (although, I know lap banders who have done triathlons etc).

But if you are a volume eater, be aware that you can and will be able to outeat the most powerful procedures - we don't volume eat on veggies, do we? Truth be known, what are the "addictive" foods go down easy whatever procedure you have (or if you don't have a procedure also).

Fourth, the repercussions with a lap band like erosion are not considered "major" and they CLAIM (I have no idea if this is true or not) that only 5 percent or less get erosion... I think that's probably a low figure - those type of estimates usually are...

Fifth, the normal digestion with the lap band can be an advantage but truly? On ANY calorie restriction program, you will likely need to supplement and take plenty of vitamins and even perhaps do protein drinks... even as a NON op I do this. Gads, reality is so much harder than TV stories... don't you see those on the "Biggest Loser" dropping tons of weight "effortlessly" weekly? *LOL* And then you ask them and they're like "oh, I'm just watching what I eat and exercising!" Yeah I actually BELIEVED that for years.... ** sigh **

Sooooo, take your time... there IS NO RUSH. Study study study and get the best thing FOR YOU. You can talk to folks here, perhaps consult a gastroenterologist and find out what might be in store for you in say - 10 years with the different procedures so you make sure there are no dealbreakers in there (this is actually a good idea).

The following site is very informational on the lap band....

Weight loss doctor - Lap-band surgery seminar - Bariatric surgeon in Phoenix Arizona (AZ)

Enjoy your journey and chatting here... visit often and don't forget we have a wonderful doctor who is here to answer questions and give encouragement - she is a huge part of how I finally made it to WW lifetime membership! *hugs*

[molly4220]

Hi, I also thought of only having the band, but like others have said it is to easy to cheat, and that I don't do. But one thing read everything on both and then you will be the one to make that decision. I am glad with my choice and have done very well. Good luck on your decision.
Judy

[Perfesser]

Gee, Sue, I've never seen you open up like that! You've got a lot of neat stuff there!! (I had my tonsils out in the early-'50s too. Now you've got me worried!! )

Yes, it is very true that this is not the most impartial place to get information on WLS. At a rough guess, I'd say probably 90%+ of us have had or are planning to have RNY. Anything we say in favor of the choice we made is probably biased in support of that choice. That said, I think our stats do tell a pretty good story.

Some succeed non-op. Some succeed with the band. Some succeed with RNY. Your mileage may vary. This is why no one here will ever try to make your decision for you. All we can do is share with you our viewpoints and experiences. You have to weight everything and make up your own mind. We'll support you whatever you decide. There are some general principles that remain the same whichever road you choose.

CT

[MsVickie]

Ok we had alot state they were gonna have the band only to find out the surgeon states to them as they set the date they would rather do the RNY instead.

Actually I do think it all depends on your starting weight and how much you need to lose. So speak with your surgeon about this.

You know I have seen many commericals about the band and the users. Why havnt they now updated the progress of these people? Like a new commercial showing them now? I have seen one recently if you look really hard about a women who lost 100 pounds with one. Notice the fine print it took over 2 years and results are not typical statement on the end.

The less you have to lose the better the band is I think. I personally think under 70 pounds the band might work but you have to stick to the eating correctly part and be filled and scanned like you should.

Talk it over with your Dr and see what they would suggest if it was them or there spouse........... I like to ask the Dr when given a option what would you do or what would you suggest you wife do.......... that is all I need to ask.

[decker1976]

Choosing bypass for me was easy. I used to love sugar and carbs. The band wouldn't be as effective a tool as the pouch in dealing with those issues. My surgery & recovery from bypass was very easy. I didn't even need pain meds & was back at work full-time in 10 days. Personally, I think attitude has a huge impact on end results.