LB vs VSG - final decision due 4/5

Maria, you are so full of it.  Just because you had a bad experience every one is supposed to have a bad experience.  You waste so much time on this.  It is really sick.  For the origional poster, there are about 4 or 5 people on this sight who just can't stand it when someone is successful with their band.  They salt and pepper this forum with so much of their negative vitriol.  Now I know why I had this looney tunes   blocked.  Guess I'll have to block her again.

So much of the success with the band (in my 2-year experience) is follow-up.

Does your surgeon place alot of focus on follow up?  Is it easy to get an appointment?
Do you feel very comfortable with his staff?  Do you understand who you will see for follow-up and how often?

I saw my surgeon every 3 weeks for months --- he does my fills, not an assistant, but my surgeon.  He works in the office on Tuesday and Thursday and I can get in really any time I need to.  I make my appts in advance, but I have also called and gotten in on the same day more thn once.

He has met me at his office afterhours on a holiday to fix a 'stuck' episode.

I see so many people whose program falls apart because their insurance changes and no longer covers fills -- and they can't afford the follow up care.

In my opinion, nothing is more critical in choosing a band.

Best of luck as you make your decision.

Hi, Kath - I am so glad you made these points! 

These are the some of the exact points my doctor and his office staff made (many of his staff have had WLS) and I feel very good about them.

From a budget perspective, the self-pay amount  includes 6 follow ups (within a 6 month period).  I will have to use insurance coverage (or in the worst case, pay for fills after 6 months).  I'm not sure whether or not he does the fills himself or if he has a PA or RN do it, so that's an excellent question I will ask him on Tuesday.

Again, thx so much for your feedback.  I have been very encouraged by your posts!\
 

~Maria, you are so full of it.  Just because you had a bad experience every one is supposed to have a bad experience.  You waste so much time on this.  It is really sick.  For the origional poster, there are about 4 or 5 people on this sight who just can't stand it when someone is successful with their band.  They salt and pepper this forum with so much of their negative vitriol.  Now I know why I had this looney tunes   blocked.  Guess I'll have to block her again.~

And since when did I ever say "everyone" was going to have a band experience??? It is what it is. Lets see what YOU say when your band craps out on you! YES I WENT THERE!!!!!!!!!

I know I will be attaced for saying that but I could care less at this point! There are those on here that expect me to get attacked and say NOTHING back............BUT IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY!

Keep your psycho self off of my posts if you don't like what I say!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey y'all, just thought I'd chime in.  I'm not a veteran bandster (yet ), but I am about 3 days past being 3 months post-op and if I could offer you any advice, I'd say this:

I've had a wonderful experience so far with my band.  I think of it like buying a home.  It's a huge dream/goal for a lot people, at least it is for me.  So when I go to buy my first home, I won't expect encouragement from people who have no interest in owning a home (in my WLS world, these are the people who are anti-WLS).  I'm sure I can expect to hear some opinions of people in foreclosure, but I won't seek them out first (these are people whose band failed them, they failed their band, or for whatever the reason, just didn't have success with it).  Then I'd maybe have a conversation in passing with someone who owns a condo, eventhough I'm looking to specifically purchase a bungalow (these would be the people who prefer, had, or are looking to have a surgery other than the band).  I have nothing againt condos, but I'm more of a bungalow kind of girl   I'll take all the opinions/suggestions/insights that I get, some with a grain of salt, and purchase the home that I want for the reasons that I choose.

If you have to make a final decision in less than a week and you're starting to sway, take a few more weeks and figure out what you really want.  I was two days away from being approved the first time, and I back out, submitted for the sleeve, was denied, decided not to appeal, then walked away for wls for about 3 months, called my doctor's office on Monday, submitted for the band, was approved on Wednesday, and scheduled to have my surgery 10 days later.  Yes...it was a wild and emotional ride.  

I listened to and read all of the horror stories about the band, and got scared.  In the end, I knew that I had to do something and moved forward with a positive attitude about the resources that were made available to me.  Before I had the surgery, I committed to it mentally.  What I didn't want to do, was have this surgery and hope with all my heart and soul that the band was almost like the sleeve and would still kinda sorta lose weight like I would with another surgery.  I didn't want to set myself up to fail.  So instead, I went into it with a realistic and moderate expectation of the amount of time it would take me to lose my excess weight.  And it, hands down, has been the best decision I could have made.

Losing weight in the past was never hard for me, but keeping it off and incorporating exercise were two HUGE problems.  So now, though the weight is coming off slowly, I've established a consistent work out routine for the first time in my life.  I push myself to stay active, because I want to see the results of the surgery that I got put under, poked around in, deprived from eating Christmas Dinner, and took a week off from work for.    I want it to work, and it is.  

Thx, Lauran - though you may not consider yourself a 'veteran', you are a veteran in my eyes because you've actually been banded and you're willing to share about your experience.

The home analogy is perfect and it hit home with me (no pun intended!).

I am blessed by the following phrases in your comment:  

1)   "I'll take all the opinions/suggestions/insights that I get, some with a grain of salt, and purchase the home that I want for the reasons that I choose."  

2)   "In the end, I knew that I had to do something and moved forward with a positive attitude about the resources that were made available to me." 
 
and

3)  "So instead, I went into it with a realistic and moderate expectation of the amount of time it would take me to lose my excess weight.  And it, hands down, has been the best decision I could have made."

I take these statements as confirmation and I am grateful that you are willing to share so early after your banding~!
 

Hey, we're blessed to be a blessing, and I feel so happy that I was able to share with you.  Confirmation definitely comes in threes Just feel confident and brave, because whatever surgery you choose, is going to change your life!  High five!

You know, you are 100% right!  I have confirmation supporting the Lap-Band and I really need to understand and receive that for what it is~!

You're a smart cookie, Lauran!  LOVE the real estate analogy!!

I wouldn't wish a band on my worst enemy, save your money and get the VSG that acxtually works.