cant decide

really just cant decide now between the gastric bypass and the lapband since i went to the seminar on monday the 16th. if anyone could give me some insights as to how they are doing with their decisions and why they decided to go that way it would be a great help. thank you all so very much....

Come on people, jump in here and offer your insights! :) First of all, I do believe if you scroll down you'll find the answers you're looking for from previous posts. But, I'll tell you why I made decision.

First of all I used to work in hospital administration and as such was very aware of some of the good cases wih the Bariatric Center and some of the horrible stories. I knew enough of the horrible stories about RNY that I knew I would NEVER EVER do that. II was jaded by that. If I didn't have that inside knowledge I'm sure my thoughts would be different. I personally feel RNY is for SERIOUS cases only. I felt that the risks were way too high for me. I have friends who've had RNY who are happy with their results and friends who suffer. So, again I've seen both sides. I didn't want something THAT drastic and unreversable. In short, I would have be on death's door with my weight to EVER consider RNY. Also, I think it's horrible that people will opt for the more expensive, more risky, much more involved RNY just because their insurance will pay for it. ( Some insurances don't  pay, but that's often why someone goes with RNY). NO ONE should select what healthcare procedures THEY need based on what some insurance company says they'll pay for. That is letting the insurance companies dictate and practice medicine. The reality is that insurance companies who do pay for RNY will often pay for it over lapband because gastric bypass surgery has been around longer. It makes no sense to me that they'll pay for a procedure that costs often twice as much as lapband and is much more risky. But, they do. One theory is that a certain number of people automatically won't want to do RNY based on the risk factors and lifestyle changes they may not feel committed to making. Let's face it, if all insurance companies paid for lapbands and everyone knows the risks are much less, you lose slower ( which helps with sagging skin ), but studies show the results are equal over a number of years, it's reverseable, etc. then EVERYONE would be wanting lapbands and the insurance companies would be paying even more money due to the likihood of more people selecting a safer procedure.

So, that being said, my hubby and I both chose lapband surgery because it's safer, reverseable, no major cutting and rerouting of your intestines, no stretching your tummy out, much shorter recovery time, etc. I know that lapband has some risks, but compared to RNY it's night and day. As I said, I have friends who've had RNY and some love it and say it's the best thing they've ever done in their life. Others live in agony and feel it's the biggest mistake they've ever made in their life.  So, I think each individual has to consider THEIR unique situation. Some people are not good candidates for lapband. Maybe your weight or size, fatty liver or other things make the lapand not the best option for you. I know some people who've had RNY who've told me they did it because they wanted something that would make them SICK if they tried to eat something they shouldn't. I have one gf who says she WISHES something like sweets would make her sick, but she can eat anything with her RNY and she can tell she's already eating more and having to really watch it. I think for the most part RNY and lapband people are supportive of whatever they chose and think that's the best and they're probably right. It's whatever is best for YOU. I'm sure some RNY folks can chime in on why they chose their procedure over lapband and you can find this info on older posts. Either choice is a big decision and shouldn't be entered into lightly. So, do tons of research so that in the end you'll feel that whatever YOU decide is the BEST for YOU! Go into it with a positive attitude and you'll do great! We're fortunate to have so many docs in Central Arkansas who have great results with both RNY and lapband.  Best wishes to you as you try to decide what's best for you! Hugs :) Missy

Hi, I chose RNY because of my weight and health problems.  I was told that Lap Band wasn't a good option for me (by a Lap Band surgeon) because my weight and BMI are high and that I have so much to lose.  I weigh 400 lbs and have several co-morbidities (COPD, Severe Sleep Apnea, and Chronic Back& Knee Pain).  Ultimitly though it was my decision to make, and I researched and read other peoples experiences with all different kind of WLS options, good and bad, and I felt inside that RNY was the best decision for me.  It is a risk that I am willing to take.  I hope that you are able to find which WLS option is best for you.  Have you checked out the other forums, such as the surgery type forums, there you can read peoples experiences with the different kind of surgeries they had and maybe that will help you decide better.

thank you for the info. i think i have decided to do the rny becasue i dont like the idea of having the fills for the rest of my life.

Best wishes to you! :) Melissa

I just posted this on the main board, so I'll copy it here. Your decision should be yours alone, as you will be the one to deal with the aftermath.  Everyone is different and a decision that is right for one person may be wrong for another. I will take you through what I looked at when deciding whether or not to do Lapband or RNY.  I considered several things. 1.  IS COST AN ISSUE? A.  INSURANCE..........If you are going to try to get insurance approval, you should immediately ask for a copy of your policy.  Many insurance providers ONLY cover RNY for many reasons.  Your insurance company may not even cover the Band. It is important to read your policay VERY carefully.  I discovered that my insurance WOULD pay for the Band but WOULD NOT pay for any subsequent saline adjustments.  So if your insurance will pay for the Band and you aren't rolling in the money, I'd be sure to confirm that they also pay for the saline adjustments as you may need several through the years. B  SELF-PAY..........If you are going to self-pay, you should consider the cost of the Lapband versus RNY.  In my state (Arkansas), the average cost (all inclusive) of open RNY is $16,500.  The average cost (all inclusive) of the Band is $12,000.  (This does not include subsequent saline adjustments that you may need over time.  I do not know the costs of these adjustments.)   2.  HOW FAST DO YOU WANT TO LOSE? A.  RNY..........With RNY, you should experience rapid weight loss for the first 18 - 24 months, especially in the beginning. B.  BAND..........With the Band, you will have a much slower intial weight loss. 3.  HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT TO LOSE? A.  RNY..........With RNY, estimates vary depending on the source on average weight lost.  Every single source I found stated that average weight lost in the long-term (5 years post-op), is higher for RNY than the Band.  B.  BAND..........With the Band, estimates also vary depending on the source on average weight lost.  However, even the makers of Lapband concede that total weight lost over a 5 year period is more with RNY than the Band.  They are trying to sell their product, so they are estimating on the high end for long-term Band results and on the low end for long-term RNY results, yet they STILL concede that RNY is more successful. 4.  LONG-TERM SUCCESS RATES The following statistics are taken from a Dec 2006 study posted by the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons (filled with surgeons who perform both procedures).  They considered a procedure a failure if the patient still had a BMI of greater than 35.  A.  RNY..........The failure rate at 5 years post-op was 4.2% B.  Band..........The failure rate at 5 years post-op was 34.6% Note:  Many Europeon surgeons are dropping the Lapband now that it has been performed long enough to view the long-term results, which overall, are poor.  5.  COMPLICATIONS & MORTALITY RATE A.  RNY..........For many years, most reports put the fatality rate at 2% and the major complication rate at 23%.  However, within the last year, most available research puts the fatality rate at around .08% and the major complication rate at around 10-13%.  The American Society of Bariatric Surgeons report showed that RNY patients experienced, on average, a re-operative rate of 12.5% (due to various complications).  B.  BAND..........The Band has not been around as long as RNY, so there are less stats for this procedure.  However, there are some available.  The ones easiest to find state that the fatality rate is .05% and the major complication rate is around 9%.  This is from the website of the seller of the Lapband, so one can assume they took the best stats and left the worst ones.  The American Society of Bariatric Surgeons report showed that Band patients experienced, on average, a re-operative rate of 15.2% (due to various complications). 6.  RECOVERY RNY..........Hospital time = approximately 3 days.  Recovery time = approximately 3 weeks.  BAND..........Hospital time = outpatient or short hospital stay.  Recovery time = approximately 2 - 2.5 weeks.  7.  MISC DIFFERENCES RNY..........RNY post-ops are required to take vitamens for the rest of their lives.  Approximately 50-75% of RNY patients experience "dumping syndrome" when they ingest sugars or high fat foods.  Malodorous gas is common.  BAND..........The Band can slip at any time.  The port/band can leak at any time.  Port site problems are common long term.  The Band can erode the lining of the stomach over time.  It should be noted that, in Europe where the Band has been done since the 90s, many surgeons have stopped performing the Band altogether after less than stellar long-term (10+ year) results.   I have decided on RNY based on research from VARIOUS sources (some of which I used above).  Here are some helpful links... http://www.asbs.org/    (click on the article at the bottom to see the study done) http://connectionwls.mywowbb.com/forum8/280.html http://www.lapband.com/lapband/comparison.do http://www.thinnertimes.com/gastricbypass/weight_loss_surger y_comparison.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastric_bypass_surgery http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/gastric_bypass_mal practice Hope this helps! Great luck to you! Wendy

wendy, thanks for all the info. this all really helps alot. i am going to go with the rny. hope everything goes well. thank you again. tina

You are welcome and GOOD LUCK TO YOU TOO!