Best of Luck to you.   This is a very personal and sometimes difficult decision.   When I got my lap-band 2 years ago, I selected it because my insurance only covered RNY or Lap-bands.    At first,  I was very successful.   I lost weight quickly and I was easily satisfied no matter what I ate.      After I got a few months out from surgery, the edema induced by the surgery must have subsided and it was time to start filling the band.   It seemed to go well at first and  little fill went a long way.   It seemed I needed a little more every couple of weeks.   After the fills started, I began to see more fluctuations in my weight loss as well as swings in the tightness of the band.   I would vomit sometimes with my first bite or two no matter how much I chewed and then later in the day I would be fine.   My hunger varied during the day and I noticed a predictable pattern, a little loss the week after the fill, a leveling period and then some regain.   I would go off for another fill.   Eventually, my band was filled too much and I had the equivalent of a stricture - only it was band induced.   I spent 1 night in bed drowning on my saliva.   I would get up every 20 minutes to cough to clear my lungs and try and get some sleep so I could drive to the doctors in the morning.  I had the band fully drained and started the refill process about a week or two later only to have it happen again on the first fill.  

At that point, I had had enough.   I checked with my new insurance carrier (I changed jobs during this time) and low and behold -  they cover lap-band to duodenal switch revisions.    I too thought I would be one of the successful ones.   I was motivated and highly intelligent.  I was not an emmotional eater, so curbing my appetite seemed like the best way to go.   Alas it was not meant to be.   If you read the research articles on the various surgeries and their outcomes, the DS has the best success rate.   The lap-band the lowest and the RNY is inbetween.  (The DS procedure also preserves your esophogeal and pyloric openings, so no abnormal chewing, no marginal ulcers and no dumping)   The reasons more doctors perform RNYs than DS procedures is simple - Money.   They can do many more surgeries in a day performing RNYs or lapbands than if they were to performe a duodenal switch.    A number of the DS people have extensive summaries based on clinical literature that provide a good comparison of the options.  

There is no right answer, but given my experience, I no longer recommend the band to anyone.   I know a lot of people with both the RNY and DS.  The happiest of the bunch seem to be the DS folks.

Good luck no matter what you decide.    You may be one of the fortunate ones.  I hope you are.

Hi,

My name is Tami and I am new to the boards.  Well, I have been lurking for a long time...I am having RNY on November 17th and am looking for other people to chat with and to hear about your journey. 


I have found this board to be very useful and am looking forward to making new friends. Thanks


Tami

Oh I see, I have a bi -pap and have logged over 4000 hrs wanna use my numbers. :) I would let you if I could. The new date will come faster then you think. I cant believe I start my 2 week fast next week. You have an angel alright and something wasnt right about that date so that is why it was changed. Hey I have an idea leave the machine running even when your not sleeping . You would have your 200 hrs in just over a week. Keep me posted and I will do the same. good wishes and prayers headed your way.

They are very strict about having a set number of hours clock on  cpap machines(if you use one) and I use one but I wont have the required 200 hrs by next week. WhenI scheduled my surgery. I appearantly misunderstood the rn( cough BS Cough) and thought I needed to have  it by the 20th which I woukld have done. So I have to wait a while longer.


I would need a  to get me thru this one.



Thanks for staying touch, Yes I would like to be updated abotu how you guys are doing.



you guys rock


 

Yay i'm going in on Monday too I have to be there at 8am surgery is scheduled at 10am. Why do they want you to come in 2 hours early? I have already pre-registered @ the hospital. do they draw blood or something?