lap band vs bypass`

okay hi evryone my name is erica munoz 17 years old and my surgery will be on the bypass..... i thought i was ready for it, but after the nutrisionist visit, wow i noticed that its not so easy as I thought.... so please I'm trying to decide which one is the right one for me considering my age and well al the rest...I feel so lonely and left out not knowing what is right for me I know that both surgeries are great and safe but... one thing about the bypass is that the responsibilities afterwards are super difficult and very cautious and with lapband i dont like the going back to get it readsjusted and well its takes more time to lose the weight right??? and will i lose all my overweight??? oh my god I feel so confused I dotn know if I will be able to make the choice at the right time please OH help me!!! thanks

Erica, You know your post I wanted to be sure to answer past my bedtime or not LOL! You know the best step is what you are doing....research, research, research!!! This website is a great place to read profiles and listen to others experiences. Then ultimately you need to sift through all that information and figure out what is best for YOU not others that are 17 but for you. But talk to others....talk to another surgreon, another nutritionist. Seek out support groups in your area especially looking for thoses that had surgery at an early age. (I can say this becuase it took me 20 more years after I was at your point to actually do something) alk with your doctor and express your concerns. Research types of surgery on the internet versus your age. One thing I can say is as for "one thing about the bypass is that the responsibilities afterwards are super difficult and very cautious while there are things you should follow and for life......they are nto super difficult....well at first they are but then they become old habit and I do not miss my old eating habits. "and with lapband i dont like the going back to get it readsjusted and well its takes more time to lose the weight right??? and will i lose all my overweight???" They say for both surgeries the average is to lose about 70 - 80% of your excess body weight. I know those with gastric bypass that lost about 2/3 are now more than 2 years out and have nto lost any more weight and I know some withapband that sure they lost slower at first but have actually gone on to lose all there excess body weight and are now below goal. So again each person is differnt and each situation is differnt. For me I decided tht with the weight I had to lose that it might be to easy for me to cheat with the band. That and I did not want all the "maintaining" with fills etc. And that is what you have to look at. You will live with any surgery choose for longer than a lot of us. So looking at the long term effects of the by pass and the malabsorbtion would be something to look at as well as the complications of having a band for a long period of time would be another. Perhaps posting on the RNY or lapband or even open forum looking for others that had surgery at a young age and getting their stories and experiences would also be a good starting point. You are already talking a very important step by making an INFORMED descision!!! Best wishes! Donna

Hi Erica It doesn't really matter what surgery you have done. Prior to the surgery you will feel many mixed emotions. Happiness, sadness, depression, doubts etc. This is all very normal. I am 6 days out. I had a lap RNY done, because in Canada, the lap band is not covered. If they had both been available I would most likely have gone for lapband, because it is reversible. However, statistically, it is not as effective as gastric bypass, (or so I have read). However, some people will also regain their weight after gastric bypass. No one can really tell you what surgery to have. Your family doctor and surgeon can tell you which one is safer, if any or better for you. It is a difficult decision to make. I am currently having problems with "mental hunger". Depending on the type of personality you have, I have an addictive personality for food/carbs/sugars could make a difference on how well you would do on either surgery. You are doing the right thing, by researching! Maybe if you write a list of pros and cons for each surgery type and went from there. Good luck and keep asking questions. Dianna PS I am 45 years old, and with my addiction to carbs and using food as comfort, I doubt that I would have faired very well with the lap band. TAke CAre