can anyone help

I WENT TO MARK GIBBS SEMINAR YESTERDAY IN LITTLE ROCK I WAS SO EXCITED  HAD MY MIND SET ON LAP BAND ALL I HEARD WAS GREAT THINGS, THEN I FOUND OUT ALOT OF OTHER STUFF SUCH AS THERE WILL BE MANY TRIPS BACK AND FORTH TO LITTLE ROCK OVER 100 MILES AWAY TO INFLATE AND DEFLATE EVEN IF I THROW UP IT NEEDS DEFLATED A REGULAR DOCTOR CAN'T DO IT THIS WAS A REAL SHOCK, THEY TALKED TO ME ABOUT GASTRIC BYPASS WHICH I HAVE ONLY HEARD HORROR STORIES ABOUT AND NEVER CONSIDERED IT BUT WITH A BMI OF 39.5 HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, CHOLESTEROL, ARTHRITIS AND DEPRESSION SHE THINKS NOT ONLY WOULD I QUALIFY FOR THE LAP BAND BUT PROBABLY THE GASTRIC BYPASS., AFTER 90 DAYS  THE INSURANCE STOPS PAYING ON TRIPS FOR THE LAP BAND SO EACH VISIT IS 175.00,  I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR OPINIONS THANKS ALOT!!!!!!

Hi there    We're practically neighbors, I live in Monticello.  Dr. Gibbs is my surgeon, I had surgery on Jan. 19th of this year.  I had the LAP RNY (gastric bypass) and have had zero complications to date.  For some reason people only want to talk about the "horror" of gastric bypass, but never the success stories which by far surpass the "horror" stories.  I have stated my reasons for having gastric over lap band many times on here, if you want them please PM me.  I feel like sometimes I offend people who have had the lap band and I don't like doing that because which type of WLS you have is a very personal decision and must be made with the heart.  You said you had your mind set on lap band before the seminar, what were your reasons for choosing lap band over rny?  If you tell us your fears about gatric bypass maybe we can help you get over them, or help you to realize that lap band is really what you want. Hopefully other will chime in with their opinions too.  Welcome to the board!

i had the same problem that you had. at first i was gonna do the lapband but after knowing about all the fills and the insurance not paying for all of them, i decided to go with the gastric bypass. my aunt and cousin both had gastric bypass about 6 years ago and they are doing fine. and they have both kept all the weight off. good luck to you and maybe you can make a decision but make sure its your decision and nobody elses. best wishes.. tina

THANKS SO MUCH FOR ANSWERING. YES, I MAY CONTACT YOU I SAW YOUR PICTURE AND WHERE YOU WERE FROM AND WAS SO GLAD TO SEE SOMEONE CLOSE.  MY KIDS HAVE GOTTEN ME SCARED TO DEATH CAUSE THERE DAD JUST DIED AND PETRIFIED THEY WILL LOOSE ME.  2 OF OUR  FRIENDS WE KNEW IN THE PAST DIED FROM THIS, MY DAUGHTER-IN-LAW IS A RN AND WILL NOT IN ANYWAY INFLUENCE ME BUT READ THE  ALL INFO AND SAID IF IT WERE HER SHE WOULDN'T DO IT DUE TO THE FACT IT IS IRREVERSIBLE IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG IN THE FUTURE.  MY NIECE WHO IS A CUTIE IS  GOING FOR HER SEMNAR IN NOV AND HAS HAD A FEW FRIENDS WHO HAD IT DONE  AND SAID IF THEY HAD IT TO DO OVER THEY WOULD NEVER HAVE HAD IT (GASTRIC BYPASS)  ONE SAID SHE THROWS UP AFTER EVER MEAL, THINGS LIKE THAT  SCARES ME TO DEATH.  I CAN'T AFFORD TO BE OFF WORK ALL THE TIME, ON THE OTHER HAND I DON'T LIKE RUNNING BACK AND FORTH TO LITTLE ROCK FOR FILLS BUT AT LEAST IF I HAVE A PROBLEM THEY CAN TAKE IT OUT WHICH WOULD DEPRESS ME FOREVER MORE THAN I ALREADY AM, ANOTHER THING THEY SAID NO SWEETS ON LAPBAND AND THAT IS MY WEAKNESS.  I'M JUST STUCK, I HOPE AND PRAY MY INSURANCES WILL PAY ALL THIS OR CLOSE AND I CAN GET SOMETHING DONE SOON JUST GETTING BIGGER .  THANKS SO MUCH FOR RESPONDING.  I AM KEEPING MY MOM DUE TO A MASSIVE HEARTATTACK  AND RUNNING HOME TO CHECK THESE THINGS, AND TRYING TO WORK,  SO PLEASE REMEMBER ME AND PRAY FOR MY MOM

I can only speak for my reason to choose lap band. I have had several abdominal surgeries due to PCOS & recent hystorectomy and with the adhesions I had I didn't feel comfortable with the bypass. My doctor will be 3 hours from home and I will have to take increased time off work for fills and unfills etc but I felt like this was a better alternative for me. I also felt like I would do better with a restrictive procedure that would limit me from overeating. I would be terrified of stretching out my pouch over time. I did question both procedures like you are doing and researched ,spoke to several people that had both procedures but choose lap band. I am scheduled for surgery Aug 7 in Jonesboro. Good luck with your decision and Best Wishes on your WL Journey... Kathy

The choice of gastic bypass or lap band has to do with which one is best for you. Every tooth in my head and my stomach is sweet, all of the time!!!! So the lapband was not an option for me because I could eat around it. I picked the bypass because this would keep me honest and make me pay for my choices. All anyone ever wants to do is talk about the bad things that happen with the bypass. To date I have had no problems (I did everything I was told by the book) and would pick this surgery again. I believe that the success of both surgries depends on the patient, they each have side effects, pick the one that is best for you and go for it!!!!

I am 6 yrs post op RNY...No complications.

IS ANYONE OUT THERE AFRAID THAT WHEN YOU GET OLD THE GB WILL HARM YOU, I'VE HEARD OF TWO PEOPLE HAVING TO HAVE IV'S CAUSE THERE IRON GOT SO LOW DOES THIS REALLY HAPPEN , THANK EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU SO MUCH FOR ANSWERING ME IF AND WHEN I GET APPROVED I HOPE AND PRAY I MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION AND ONE I CAN LIVE WITH HEALTHFULLY I WANT TO WALK AND PLAY AGAIN WITH MY GRANDKIDS WITH OUT FEELING BAD ALL THE TIME AND POOPING OUT, NOT BEING EMBARRASED  TO GET OUT IN PUBLIC LIKE I USE TO WITHOUT PEOPLE LOOKING AT ME LIKE GOD I CAN'T BELIEVE ITS HER IT REALLY HURTS AND MAKES YOU NEVER WANT TO GET OUT IN YOUR HOMETOWN!!!!!!!,

well at least I will get old and not die in my 30's because I was fat. I take 3 iron pills a day right now plus there is iron in my multi. I have known 2 people who got banded in 2005 and on 2 seperate occasions each one almost died due to issues down the road. One person I know uses the band as her way to cheat....how can that be safe for her? She decides she want to go on a cruise and is a lil too big for her bathing suit..so she goes and gets a fill.....how can her weight flux be healthy. Not everyone is like her tho. Every surgery has its risks. Women die in childbirth....did that factor in on the decision to have kids? Look at the people in Minnesota...typical day then they die on a commute they knew like the back of their hand. If we spend our days worrying about the what "if's" then we have wasted our precious life. Do you not have concerns about the whole fill and remove process? That bothers me. My dr refused to band me at the time I had RNY...there was not enough known about it in his opinion. My suggestion to you is to weigh all options....from day 1 to day ????.......do research. Know your dr, be prepared. Yes ask questions...dont be afraid. Know the cost of each and the rules to follow. Gastric bypass is permanent and extreme and effective and risky.  It has also been perfected and tweaked over many many many years.  Only you can decide whats right for you, your situation and your financial situation and ability to go to the dr every time you need to. I have the issue of not going to the dr as I live near Memphis and my dr is in New York.....he did my surgery in Boston, but I moved afterwards and so did he. You need to discuss everything with your dr and your family. I can only imagine how hard this is for you.....we can support you either way as we are a mixed bag of "losers". Just remember that staying over weight is probably more dangerous. We just dont know the outcome of either surgery 50 years from now. I hope you make your decision and it is the perfect one for you. We are here for you. Please dont take offense to anything I say. I am just sick of all the bypass bashers on here. We are all here for one reason and whats right for me may not be right for you. End of story. It is insulting and rude. That would be like me telling you your butt is big in those jeans. Maybe I am sensitive. I hear horror stories about both surgeries...but you know what...Gods plan is mapped out for us at creation..so if I am to die tomorrow...so be it...dont blame the RNY....it was HIS plan. Life is short....

tammy

233/133/158  (goal about 140)