lap band vs. bypass

Hi there all I am have been researching lap band and bypass surgery. My sister who is a surgical tech said the lap band is useless, Is this true? I don't know which one would be best for me. I have read and talked alot about bypass surgery. I worry about the surgery and recovery. I have 4 children 14,6,3 and 4 months. I want to run and play with my children. Do you know if you have to stop nursing before surgery? Or can you continue after surgery? I need some advice. Also my mother feels bad about me wanting surgery, she is very supportive but is afraid she will feel worse because she will be the only over weight one. Thank you all, Kari

Kari, I am not sure what the stats are on lab band vs. bypass surgery .....however i am in a simialar boat that you are... I have 4 small children 6, 5,2, and 1...3 boys and 1 girl.......I love my children to death and would do anything for them..that is why i am haveing the surgery...I am hopefully having mine lap-R-Y-N...recovery is suppose to be faster...in and out in about 2 days! I have finished all my requirments except the 30lb weight loss the surgeon has given me....right now i have 14 more to go! My mother is a VERY supportive person of my and my family however she is having a hard time with the surgery .....she says i am fine the way i am!I truelly believe she is afraid of me dying! My sister on the other had is overweight and she is not being supportive because she does not want to be the "fat" one left in the family:! Which I think is said becuase I always support her in her desicions...However I also can understand how she is feeling! Remember though you have a big repsoniblity with your children! Remember that You need to take care of yourself....no matter what you decide YOU ARE THE ONE THAT MUST LIVE and DIE WITH THE DECISONS you make! DO a Lot of soul searching and follow your heart! If you ever what to chat just fell free to email me!

kari I resaerched them both i found that with the lap band you keep haveing to go back for adjustments and that means more times in the hospital ..I had the rny and it was done lapascopic and I am 4.5 months out and am doing fine I was also worry about my daughter but she is also of the age that can take care of herself . I have all the faith in the world in my Dr Dr D'augustine my mom thought I was taking the easy way out but I could not lose the weight the normal way because no thryoid .. so I did not have any choice in the matter I needed to get the weight off .. Dr D did mine lapascopic i waas in the hospital for 3 full days no pain or pain med when i got home from hospital , and I know some one who had the lap band and did not have as good luck she has t keep going back for a adjustment so that means more time down and all that stuff i would go with the rny if i were you just see if dr can do it lapascopic if possible alot of them will . my dr has certain criteria for him to do it that way because he is more comfortable doing the rny . it is my feelings on it just do your research ,, and research your dr too keep us posted best wishes debby 200/145/110?i hope

More adjustments in the hospital? I have not yet had my band, but if I am not mistaken, the "adjustments" are the saline fills trhat you get, usually in your Drs office. Am I mistaken here? My reasons for wanting the band are 1. MUCH less invasive 2. much shorter recovery time. 3. slower weight loss, therefor more chance to excercise and work the skin back into shape. 4. NO cutting of the intestines or stomach. 6. no malabsorption. 7.less chance of hair loss (OK OK so this is a more vain one on my part ) These are just a few of my reasons. Kari, I wish you luck in making your decision. Just hang out here for a bit, read alot of the band experiences and maybe show your sister in law some of them. Michele

Hi Michele- I just wanted to correct a couple things you said about the lap band vs. the RNY. -The reason for hair loss is due to lack of protein consumption after the surgery...nothing to do with the surgery itself. -Slower weight loss does NOT mean your skin will go back to it's original shape---when you loose a significant amount of weight the skin is NOT going to shrink. After much research I found the results with the lap band are much slower therefore people become discouraged and tend not to continue to loose as much. I had a Lap RNY 2 years ago and have lost 141 lbs. and I wouldn't change a thing. Good luck! Patti

kari, Please do not be swayed by your moms fear of being the only overweight one. maybe your surgery will prompt her to have one or do something more to make herself a healthier person. You have to do what is best for YOU and no one else. There is a band support page on this site too. Chech it out, maybe you will get a better insight to it. Good luck! Michele.

michele i ment by the more trips was if you work need to take more time off from work for the dr appointments i am just going by what a friend of mine told me and how unhappy she was everyone has their reasons for which every type they want as long as you reasearch it and the dr well you will do fine best of luck kari