hi everyone!!

Hi my name is Nikki and im new to this forum. I hve not yet had any surgery but im feeling confused about which surgery to have! I thought i wanted the lapband but now i think i want the sleeve! my cuzns lapband worked great for her and she has lost over 100 lbs. and has kept it off for 3yrs!! IM SOO CONFUSED!!

Hi Nikki;
Welcome to the PA boards.  Have you discussed your confusion of which surgery to have with your surgeon?  I discussed all the different surgeries with both my PCP and then my surgeon which is what helped me decide.  In addition I did my research on each surgery, knew the health benefits to each surgery in relation to my co-morbidities, and was also limited to certain surgeries due to what my insurance would pay for.  Talking to all my physicians that I trusted is how I decided.

Ida

Hi Nikki and welcome to the PA forum!

Ida gave you sound advice, but the other component is knowing yourself and what you expect long-term out of this lifestyle change and your willingness to be compliant.  All WLS does is give us a tool to help us achieve a goal and then, while we work towards those goals, implementing certain permanent changes is what keeps us there.  So in some ways it is not unlike any other way of losing weight, except for the fact that with some surgery, we are permanent altering our bodies and have to adhere to strict guidelines for the duration of our lives. 

I wish you success in whatever decision you arrive at.

Laureen

P.S.  You might want to research also by checking out the different forums on OH, I do believe that if you search in the forums section, you will find some that relate to lapband, sleeve and whatever other surgies that are available, just remember, that most people will tout their own experience as being the best thing they ever did for themselves.  It really comes down to "To Thine Own Self Be True". . .  self knowledge is key

Hi Nikki!

I was also going to have lap band, but after having the consultation with my surgeon she made me realize that RNY(Gastric Bypass) was the way for me to go. I had alot of weight to lose and she felt that lap band would not give me the results that I needed. I had my RNY 2.5 years ago and have lost 120lbs! Still have more to go, but I am very happy with the results.

The surgery and recovery were great! It was easier than giving birth to my daughter by C-Section!! My scars look like bug bites!!

Get as much information as you can. If you want come to Barix in Langhorne. We have pre op group that meets the second Tuesday of the month and post op meetings the third Wednesday night (7-9) and the first Saturday from 11-1:30. There is a wealth of information out there!!

Good luck with finding the surgery that is right for you!!

((HUGS)) Beth

I haven't had surgery yet but I'm going for the RNY.  There are so many people on these boards who started out with the band and then converted to the RNY or another type of bypass because of either complications with the band or it just wasn't working for them anymore.  Also, I personally think the band is too much maintenance  (you need to have the ring filled with saline every so often), and you will have a "port" permanently placed under the skin in your abdomen.  This just wasn't for me.  But, like the others have said only your surgeon would be best to give you all the pro's and cons of each type of surgery, then you'll need to see what your insurance would cover.

Best of luck to you!!

Hi everyone thanks for all the info...i hve been looking all thru the OH forums and other sites and im gathering all the info i can handle. u guys r great thanx.