not sure

Hello all, This is my first time on the website and I am on an information gathering tour. I am not sure I want to have surgery done nor am I sure that I can afford to have the surgery. The reason I am thinking about the lapband as oppsed to the RNY is because the lapband is reversable, and I am nervous about making big changes to my body. I know that BCBS for state employees is not going to pay so It will have to be out of pocket. Another item that makes me nervous. Any information you can provide would be great. jody

Hey Jody, And welcome to our group. YOu will find a wealth of knowledge on this board. All I can do is let you know about my experience this is such a very very personal decision. I had the open gastric bypass. I would have rather had the lap gastric bypass as my time off work would not have been near as much. As it was I was in the hospital a week and off work for 3 weeks for a total of 4 weeks. I had no problems what so ever with my surgery. I personally did not want the lap band cause the way I thought about it is why would I want something that can be reversed? I mean I have lost the weight only to gain it right back and for myself I wanted something that would help me for the rest of my life. Of course even weight loss surgery is NOT going to help unless you learn how to portion control and exercise! That is the key to any weight loss program. My insurance did not pay a penny either. I was lucky that at the time I was decideding to have my surgery they hospital was financing it. We did not even have to put up any collertarl. Just know that you need to really really really research your surgeon and anything and everything you can find about all the surgeries before making a decesion. Please email or post any question you have for me or anyone else. Everyone is very very good at posting and will answer any and all questions! Best of luck! Denise

Jody, thanks for posting, and YES, this board is certainly for people trying to make the decision (not just people fixing to have surgery, or had surgery). I had laparoscopic gastric bypass (Roux-en-Y) almost three years ago, and have had great results. I don't have a lot of advice about banding, except I do know a few people who have had to have revisions, or went on to have gastric bypass for different reasons. I also was lucky that my insurance paid, but this is a great board to get advice from people who have had to pay in other "creative" ways (self pay, hos finance, etc). Denise is correct, it is definately a lifestyle change, but can be a good one. Just keep asking questions, don't be shy...DeAnna

Hi Jody I know your decision is one that only you can make, and honestly, there's no one that should influence this decision, it's purely YOU who ends up with the consequences, so just read up on it as much as you can, ask questions questions questions of the folks here who have already been thru it and you'll make the right one for yourself. As most of the folks here on the board, I had Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass almost 2 yrs ago and my main reason for picking GB was that I NEEDED the permanent restriction. I started at a BMI of 57+ and am now at a comfortable 31, which is still overweight in the books but all my health problems are gone and I'm not going to kill myself to get down to being superskinny. I was lucky, even though my own insurance wouldnt cover it, hubby's insurance paid 100%, even the nutrionist and the psych eval that everyone has to do ( don't worry, you'll pass.. trust me if WE passed, so will you LOL ). As for the financing part, it's like buying a new car.... to me, it would have been worth every penny of it had I needed to go self-pay for the surgery. My biggest thing about the banding is the "port" and the "refills" I didn't want to have to deal with. RNY is a one time deal. Sure, there's some folks who have problems and some who have strictures.. but in the long run if you have no other problems, the surgery is all you do and then just follow up with your surgeon. I'd do it again over and over if I had to. You may wanna start reading everyone's profiles on how their experiences were post-op. It will give you an idea of how things CAN go, good or bad. Make an informed decision and you'll make the RIGHT ONE for yourself !!!! Good luck on your journey and by all means.. ask all you want, this board is awesome with the GREATEST folks you'll ever meet!! ~Andie~ 334 then /196 now&content

Hey Jody! I am from Decatur and taught at Hickory once upon a time! I had RNY on January 11, 2005, and have lost 231 lbs. I would do it again and again to feel this way! I don't know alot about the lapband, other than it does work if you follow the rules. This is a real tough decision to make and we are here to support you in whatever decision you do make. I will tell you that this surgery has changed all our lives - for the better with some small exceptions. It has given me an opportunity to live! I was told I had a 75% chance of dying BEFORE my 8th grader graduated if I stayed as I was and a 4% (MY chance of death was double the national average due to my size) chance of dying during my surgery or the first month afterwards. To me there was no choice. What you need to do is go to some seminars on it (watch the Meridian Star for ads), read not only the MS board, but the national board, and go to the home page for obesityhelp and look at the library of questions and answers. I will tell you that most of us are very prejudiced towards having the surgery! And we have a hard time not showing our bias! But we do accept that for some people, surgery is NOT something they want to do and it isn't for them. Keep us posted on what you learn, how you feel and what you decide. And come back often and visit with us! smoochies Arlies

HEY THERE JODY!! Been wondering when you were gonna get on here and talk to us ! Elon has been telling me that you are THINKING about surgery! I will be in Hickory this weekend if you want to walk across the street I will be more than happy to talk to you , you can pick my brain! LOL I cant tell you what is right for you it's a very personal choice, you know what is right for you. I feel great i dont regreat my RNY at all, I did want to Lap band at first, but my ins would only cover RNY, so i got it and i wouldn't change a thing. Good luck in what ever you decied to do, DAWN~~ ( Elons sister, incase you havent figured that out already LOL)