Contemplating Lap Band Surgery What do you think?

While RNY is a valid choice for many, it's not the only way to lose over 100lbs.  :)   RNY was not a good choice for me because of other health issues. 

I was told by more than one doctor (not bariatric surgeons though) that I would only lose 50lbs with the band.   I love to prove them wrong.  :)

I'm so glad that there are many different choices as we are all different people.  I just get a bit peeved when people speak in absolutes.. if you have this much to lose you must have this surgery.  aint so.  We all know how big a lie "One Size Fits All" is.. so is "This surgery for that weight".  

Thanks for letting me have my tiny, small rant. 

 You are absolutely right, the RNY is not for everyone.  It is the most invasive and requires the most life style change.  But it is a fact that it is the best surgery for the prevention and cure of many diseases and co-mobilities that the other surgeries do not cure. 

Many people has lost 100lbs or more withe the band or the sleeve or the switch.  You have to talk to a bariatric doctor and find out what is right for you.

Good luck with your choice. I can tell you that by your "topic" you are opening up a whole can of worms and will get a ton of opinions. Because I just did the same thing in the threads. Just remember that the final decision will be yours...and hopefully with the help of your surgeon/doctors.

The best thing you can do is RESEARCH, RESEARCH and then again RESEARCH some more. I too was contemplating LapBand, RNY and now some folks are even throwing the VSG option in. Just take all your info into account and sit down to talk with a professional on this.

What you end up with...is hard work...but it will be great!

BariBariHappy,

Opening " a can of worms " & and getting " a ton of opinions " is exactly why most people come to OH in the first place...... Can I ask you something ?....okay thanks

What makes making the doctor part of " The final decision " final for you ?

In hindsight....Making my doctor part of the final decision for me would be.

1. Finding a doctor who has plenty of experience performing the kind of WLS I want. Not one *****commends what he thinks is best for me.

2. Knowing that most surgeons recommend a WLS type based on what they are comfortable performing and not what is exactly right for me.

3. Remembering that performing a surgery is NOT the same thing as actually living with the surgery.


I know that in an earlier post that your heart was set on having the lap band. I'm not the bad guy here, in fact there are no bad guys here  ( just worms in cans & opinions ). I just want you to keep your options open. Myself and so many others just don't want to see you go through what we have already gone through with the band.

You can't go into this surgery with a fatalistic outlook.

Fatalism = The doctrine that all events are predetermined by fate and are therefore unalterable.

Don't let the idea of future revisions be a " So be it " AKA unalterable.

This is not an us against them mentality. " We " the recently injured just want you to be fully informed which is why we continue to post about our injuries from the lap band here on the lap band forum.

We know that everyone we come into contact with has to make this decision for themselves. We just want to put our stories out there for you and those that come after you to read and discuss.

The one thing I mean't by "can of worms" was not mean't to be a bad thing on this thread.

I mean't it more of the intensity of the emails I received from everyone...especially the "wounded banded"! Some type in all CAPS so in a way they are yelling their opinion, some of type in bold which is basically the same thing. And then there's the color.

None of you know me other than the few posts that I have written but yet your "intensity" is above and beyond what I expected. I am still deciding what I may have...yes, I'm leaning to the LapBand...no I probably won't do RNY because of the malabsorption because of my hip replacement...but I do have another appointment to see the same surgeon about VSG. 

Look, I know you all feel strongly about "your journeys"...and yes, I want to hear each and every one of them....but I don't want to be yelled at like I'm a child. Believe me....I am not. I have done my homework and will continue to do so. 


Let me see if I can answer some of "your questions"...

1. What makes making the doctor part of it the "final decision" for me? Well, I have been in a program for the last six months with the Beaumont Medical Weight Center in MI which comes highly recommended. My surgeon is also one of the BEST in MI and comes highly recommended....so yes, I do trust him. He is the top of my pyramid that I have built in this journey.
He is my final decision.

2. Why did I chose him? He come highly experienced having done thousands of these surgeries.

I will be the one who has to live with my surgery (whichever one it is). I'll be the one who's responsible. Thanks for your concern! S

Hey, I just wanted you to know that I wasn't yelling at you and as far as the use of my typing in bold, well that was because I was too lazy to type out your name and I copied and pasted it into my reply to you.

Since it is already in bold. The rest of my reply followed in bold. I actually tried to change it all back to normal, but it wouldn't allow me to, so hence the reason my entire reply to you was in bold. Using color was the only way for me to bold something because everything was already bold due to OH not allowing me to post normal style just because I had copied your name.

I sincerely wish you the best in whatever you choose BariBariHappy 

 It's all good! 

One thing's for sure....I realize it's a scary time for everyone...whether you're waiting to have your surgery or post-surgery. It's not to be take lightly. There are a ton of emotions involved. 

Thanks again, S