trying to decide on lap band or RNY...in beaufort, sc
Okay, I am opinionated on this topic, so I'll go 1st 
I personally think that for really longterm weight control, RNY is the way to go vs. Lap. I researched both and at the time, Dr. Byrne was only doing RNY. He is ranked in the top surgeons in the USA for gastric bypass. He just started doing Lap's this year.
Anyway, I wanted Lap to start with, but then when I researched and found that you lose it faster with RNY, and have a better chance to keep it off because of the side effects from eating the wrong foods, I knew RNY was for me. If I could get a Wendy's frosty down my stomach and not dump, then baby, I probably would be cheating all the time, I have NO self control like that. I do now though. The RNY changes your tastes, you totally do not want the food and want bad foods anymore.
I also think before you have RNY you have to "get your head straight too" as it will make a huge difference in how you do long term.
This has been the best thing ever for me, and I would never go back and do lap now that I am almost 14 months post op. (next week). I am sooooo thankful for my new life, my new found health and my new body. My life is changing in ways I cannot even imagine. 
I just got accepted to a private acting school, that is a dream of mine since I was little was to be an actress. I got a part (albeit a very small extra part) in a movie, and I am having plastic surgery next month that may make me a size 4 when I am done!!!
There have been times when I have said, what the heck did I do, but I can say that was only in the beginning, not since last October did I regret this. I think after the first week I never regretted it.
Lap band you always have that port under your skin, and have to get it "right" and find the right fit to get it filled up. The band can erode, and so forth and so on. There are so many reasons for not having that done, that I am so glad I researched it first.
To each his own, but if I did not have the checks and balances in place via RNY, then baby, I would be baddddd!!!! I know of folks who are bad with the RNY, but you know what, then why have the surgery at all?? After the 2 days in the hospital, then bye bye and get on with life!! I have had a couple of "minor complications" but they really are not related to the surgery. I had kidney stones last Feb/Mar/Apr and that is from me not drinking water enough, and taking too much calcium. I also just had emergency bile duct surgery for a blockage, but I had my gallbladder out back in 94, and they believe it was partially blocked for years, and that losing the weight just brought it on faster, created sludge. Lots of people have gallbladder problems after losing weight, so mine just happened to be my bile duct.
I am sooooo happy now, that I can't stand it and I would never go back!!!
That is my 2Cents, about as honest as I can be. Hope it helps you, but you have to know what YOU are capable of. I know truthfully, I would cheat if I could, so the RNY keeps me honest. ANYONE ELSE??
Good Luck, I always advise to pray and seek God's Will, He will lead you
Deb
I personally think that for really longterm weight control, RNY is the way to go vs. Lap. I researched both and at the time, Dr. Byrne was only doing RNY. He is ranked in the top surgeons in the USA for gastric bypass. He just started doing Lap's this year.
Anyway, I wanted Lap to start with, but then when I researched and found that you lose it faster with RNY, and have a better chance to keep it off because of the side effects from eating the wrong foods, I knew RNY was for me. If I could get a Wendy's frosty down my stomach and not dump, then baby, I probably would be cheating all the time, I have NO self control like that. I do now though. The RNY changes your tastes, you totally do not want the food and want bad foods anymore.
I also think before you have RNY you have to "get your head straight too" as it will make a huge difference in how you do long term.
This has been the best thing ever for me, and I would never go back and do lap now that I am almost 14 months post op. (next week). I am sooooo thankful for my new life, my new found health and my new body. My life is changing in ways I cannot even imagine.
I just got accepted to a private acting school, that is a dream of mine since I was little was to be an actress. I got a part (albeit a very small extra part) in a movie, and I am having plastic surgery next month that may make me a size 4 when I am done!!!
There have been times when I have said, what the heck did I do, but I can say that was only in the beginning, not since last October did I regret this. I think after the first week I never regretted it.
Lap band you always have that port under your skin, and have to get it "right" and find the right fit to get it filled up. The band can erode, and so forth and so on. There are so many reasons for not having that done, that I am so glad I researched it first.
To each his own, but if I did not have the checks and balances in place via RNY, then baby, I would be baddddd!!!! I know of folks who are bad with the RNY, but you know what, then why have the surgery at all?? After the 2 days in the hospital, then bye bye and get on with life!! I have had a couple of "minor complications" but they really are not related to the surgery. I had kidney stones last Feb/Mar/Apr and that is from me not drinking water enough, and taking too much calcium. I also just had emergency bile duct surgery for a blockage, but I had my gallbladder out back in 94, and they believe it was partially blocked for years, and that losing the weight just brought it on faster, created sludge. Lots of people have gallbladder problems after losing weight, so mine just happened to be my bile duct.
I am sooooo happy now, that I can't stand it and I would never go back!!!
That is my 2Cents, about as honest as I can be. Hope it helps you, but you have to know what YOU are capable of. I know truthfully, I would cheat if I could, so the RNY keeps me honest. ANYONE ELSE??
Good Luck, I always advise to pray and seek God's Will, He will lead you
Deb 
Welcome to the Board Monica 
Like Deborah, I had RNY at MUSC before they did the lap band. It was the best decision I ever made. When I started my research on the surgery, I did not know there were options. I only found information on RNY. Since then, I found out about the band and know that I would have still chosen RNY! It is permament where band is reversible. I am limit to foods that are only good for me because if I eat something, like sweets, the pouch lets me know that he does not like it and I get sick. With band you can still eat anything you want just in smaller portions, but for some people that is OK, for me, like Deborah, I WOULD HAVE CHEATED! Having WLS was the best decision of my life. I have had no complications and have done great 
.
You are on the right path, doing research. But you will find people in both camps that say that the surgery they had is the best. The decision is a personal one and only you can know which surgey is for you and will work the best for you. Lap band would not have worked as well as RNY, FOR ME. That may not be true for you, band may be the right choice for you, only you know that. But gathering the information to make an informed decision is the right starting point.
I wish all the best of luck with what ever you chose and you will find support here no matter what you chose.
Julie
Like Deborah, I had RNY at MUSC before they did the lap band. It was the best decision I ever made. When I started my research on the surgery, I did not know there were options. I only found information on RNY. Since then, I found out about the band and know that I would have still chosen RNY! It is permament where band is reversible. I am limit to foods that are only good for me because if I eat something, like sweets, the pouch lets me know that he does not like it and I get sick. With band you can still eat anything you want just in smaller portions, but for some people that is OK, for me, like Deborah, I WOULD HAVE CHEATED! Having WLS was the best decision of my life. I have had no complications and have done great .
You are on the right path, doing research. But you will find people in both camps that say that the surgery they had is the best. The decision is a personal one and only you can know which surgey is for you and will work the best for you. Lap band would not have worked as well as RNY, FOR ME. That may not be true for you, band may be the right choice for you, only you know that. But gathering the information to make an informed decision is the right starting point.
I wish all the best of luck with what ever you chose and you will find support here no matter what you chose.
Julie 
First Off Welcome
Now here's my two cents...
I totally agree with Deb, if I could have controlled my diet before I would not be in the situation I'm in now. I had researched both procedures before coming to the conclusion to have RNY. I like Deb knew if I could still have my favorite treat I would, no self control when it comes to cheesecake. 
I needed the whole life change that RNY had to offer. Not to mention that my insurance only paid for RNY and my Doctor refuses to preform the Lap-Band procedure. According to Dr. Mc Devitt there was not enough long term research on the Lap-Band for him to be comfortable with doing it. I am still in the beginning of my journey, so I can't give you much on the long term effect. I do still comfortably behind my decision that RNY was the way to go for me. I'm very excited to start my new healthy life.
To answer yours second question I am also live in Beaufort. Look forward to chatting with you again. 
Jamie
Now here's my two cents...
I totally agree with Deb, if I could have controlled my diet before I would not be in the situation I'm in now. I had researched both procedures before coming to the conclusion to have RNY. I like Deb knew if I could still have my favorite treat I would, no self control when it comes to cheesecake. I needed the whole life change that RNY had to offer. Not to mention that my insurance only paid for RNY and my Doctor refuses to preform the Lap-Band procedure. According to Dr. Mc Devitt there was not enough long term research on the Lap-Band for him to be comfortable with doing it. I am still in the beginning of my journey, so I can't give you much on the long term effect. I do still comfortably behind my decision that RNY was the way to go for me. I'm very excited to start my new healthy life.
To answer yours second question I am also live in Beaufort. Look forward to chatting with you again.
Jamie 
I DITTO EVERYTHING THE GIRLS HAVE SAID SO FAR ... RNY IS PERMANENT - FOR LIFE - FOREVER! I CAN'T CHEAT BECAUSE I DUMP & GET REALLY SICK ... MY FOOD INTAKE IS VERY LIMITED & THAT GIVES ME THE CONTROL I NEVER HAD BEFORE ... MY TASTES CHANGED AFTER SURGERY & I THINK IT'S BECAUSE MY BODY IS NOW ABLE TO LET ME KNOW I NEED CERTAIN NUTRIENTS BECAUSE I'M NOT TRICKING IT WITH SUGARS & FATS... KNOWING I CAN ONLY EAT ABOUT 5 BITES AT ANY MINI MEAL GIVES ME THE FOCUS TO USE MY HEAD WHEN CHOOSING FOOD ... PROTEIN FIRST, VEGES & SUCH. THE PERAMITERS OF RNY HAVE MADE ME MAKE BETTER DECISIONS & THAT HAS LED TO SOME REALLY HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHANGES THAT I JUST DIDN'T HAVE WHAT IT TOOK TO CHANGE BEFORE SURGERY ... THIS WAS DEFINITELY "THE TOOL" I NEEDED TO FIND MY BACKBONE WHEN IT CAME TO FOOD & HEALTH DECISIONS. REMEMBERING THAT MY POUCH IS ONLY A TOOL, THE RESPONSIBILITY STAYS WHERE IT SHOULD BE ... ON MY SHOULDERS ... WHILE HAVING THE POUCH TAKES AWAY ANY CHANCE OF USING EXCUSES CUZ IF I GAIN WEIGHT, IT IS BECAUSE I'M SCREWING UP ... CAN'T BLAME MY MOTABOLISM OR MY PAINFUL JOINTS OR MY HEALTH ISSUES. ALSO, EXPERIENCING CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVING HEALTH JUST PUMPS ME TO DO MORE & CHOOSE BETTER. EVEN THOUGH I WAS A "SLOW LOSER", I STILL LOST & NOW AM SITTING AT 103.4 #s GONE ... SO, NO MATTER HOW SLOW YOU LOSE, YOU STILL LOSE & THE POUNDS JUST KEEP ADDING UP WHICH IS SO ENCOURAGING. IN LESS THAN 37 POUNDS, I WILL HAVE LOST ONE HALF OF MY BODY WEIGHT ... THE BEST I EVER DID PRE-SURGERY WAS THAT I LOST 60 #s IN A YEAR & I COULDN'T MAINTAIN THE REGIMENT TO KEEP IT OFF ... NOW, I TAKE IT ONE MINI MEAL AT A TIME & I KNOW I CAN HANDLE THAT FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.
IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER WHICH PROCEDURE YOU HAVE DONE; IF YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR HEAD ON STRAIGHT, YOU'LL SCREW THIS UP JUST LIKE YOU HAVE SCREWED UP EVERY OTHER ATTEMPT AT PERMANENT WEIGHT LOSS. IF YOU MAKE THE NECESSARY CHANGES IN YOUR THINKING, FOCUS & GOALS ... YOU'LL SUCCEED NO MATTER WHICH PROCEDURE YOU HAVE DONE KNOWING THAT THE PROCEDURE IS JUST A HELPFUL TOOL ... SUCCESS OR FAILURE IS COMPLETELY ON YOU. I JUST KNEW I NEEDED THE SPECIFIC HELP FROM THE PERMANENT TOOL OF RNY & NOW, 12 1/2 MONTHS OUT, I CONTINUE TO SAY THAT THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE BEST THING I EVER DID FOR MYSELF OTHER THAN MARRYING MY NICK.
GOD BLESS YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY ... DAWN & NICK
I had RNY also, and would do it again. The most recent studies show that RNY is both more effective and has a lower complication rate than lap band. I think the most appealing part of the lap band is that it's not a permanent commitment -- it can fairly easily be removed. I don't want that. I want permanent results.
Lisa
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