:help:***PLZ HELP...MY DR. CONFUSED ME....RNY VS. LAP BAND****:help:

Original Post by R. Rahi at 6:54 PM PST on 09/12/2004 Plano, TX I HAD MY FIRST VISIT WITH THE WEIGHT LOSS SURGEON LAST WEEK. I CAME HOME IN TEARS....HE BASICALLY TOOK EVERYTHING I THOUGHT I KNEW ABOUT WLS AND TURNED IT AROUND. HE MORE THAN CONFUSED ME. I WAS OPTING FOR RNY BECAUSE I HAVE TAKEN PHENTERMINE A LOT BEFORE AND HAVE EATEN LESS FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME ONLY TO LOSE SMALL AMOUNTS OF WEIGHT MOSTLY. I THOUGHT THE RNY WAS MY TICKET DUE TO THE MALABSORBTION THAT RESULTS FROM IT. HE SAID THAT LAP BAND AND RNY ARE THE EXACT SAME AND YIELD THE EXACT SAME RESULTS. AND THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT TAKES TO LOSE WEIGHT. THEN HE PROCEEDED TO TELL ME THAT LAP WILL TAKE A LITTLE LONGER TO GET THE WEIGHT OFF BUT AT LEAST MY "BONES WILL NOT BE CRACKING AND BREAKING AT 50 YRS OLD" & " MY HAIR TO FALL OUT". AND THAT I HAD MISINFORMATION FROM "WEBSITES" THAT CAUSED ME TO THINK RNY WAS BETTER. HE ALSO SAID HE'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO GIVE ME THE "MORE DANGEROUS" SURGERY IF THAT IS WHAT I REALLY WANTED. ONLY TO FINISH THE CONVERSATION WITH "OH YOU HAVE CIGNA AND THEY WILL ONLY PAY FOR RNY......THEN HE SAID I MUST NEED MORE TIME TO "MAKE UP MY MIND" AND PUT EVERYTHING ON HOLD. I HAD MY MIND MADE UP WHEN I WENT IN.........NOW I AM A MESS. I AM HAVING NIGHTMARES AND I HAVE 4 KIDS TO THINK ABOUT. I AM NOW FILLED WITH DOUBT...WHY WOULD ANYONE GET A SURGERY THAT CAN KILL THEM IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE IF THERE IS ANOTHER SURGERY THAT IS THE SAME ...ONLY BEING LESS DANGEROUS? I REALLY WANTED THE RNY. NOW WHAT? PLEASE HELP... THANKS......

It sounds like he messed with your head. the best thing you can do is as youhave, continue to do your research. Noone can make the final choice but you. I would have a major problem with a Dr that would do something that he thought was wrong because it was what you wanted. Hang tough you will get there.

My suggestion would be to keep looking for another surgeon. There is NO reason in the world a surgeon should scare someone into making a decision. He sounds a bit "uneducated". Continue doing your research and talk to some more people who have had the surgery. Good luck. Sincerely, Dawn in Orlando Pre-op Surgery is 9/23/04

He seems to be a very uneducated Dr. I think his concern (although he shows it in a really weird way) is the after effects of having RNY. Sure, there can be complications due to the lack of nutrients your body receives (but there are several supplements to take). He seems to be taking that and turning it around into a bad thing. Maybe he sucks at doing RNY? Bottom line, it's your choice. If you can, I would see another Dr. If you have to stay with him, stand strong with your decision.

That dosen't sound to me like a doctor I would be comfortable with. My suggestion is to find another surgeon. If you have researched this, and are comfortabel with your decision, than go ahead with it. It sounds to me like this surgeon has ulterior motives, like he gets more money for lap band, or he just prefers doing lap band. But either way, if you are not comfortable with the surgeon, find another. Good luck.

I agree with all my Friends here at the Florida Boards. I would not stay with a Dr. that would do a surgery he thought was bad or wrong. I have not had the surgery yet, myself. I have studied the Lap Band and the RNY and have decided for me and the amount I have to loose I am going with the RNY. Do not let anyone make you fill that what you are doing is wrong. There are supplements for the the nutritions you'll need to replace. Ask around for a different Doctor if you can. Personally I believe you were right to start with, in your decision to have RNY. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers, gail