WHAT SURGERY SHOULD I HAVE????

I was trying to get approved for open RNY...and now...everyone (some people) are scaring me into getting something with more long term results, reversible and less invassive. Can anyone recommend a doctor in the Arlington/FTW area that will see me PERSONALLY...not in a group setting, without charging $250 for a consult. He will he the third doctor I have seen. Does anyone have any input? Tracy B Arlington Texas BMI 47 Five ten, 325 lbs Hopelessly lost...

I'm not a VBG patient (I had the lap-band instead), but I saw your post and I thought I'd give my two cents. Personally, I would suggest waiting to see a doctor until after you have decided what procedure you want. You know yourself better than the doctor does, so you're the best one to decide what surgery will fit your life best. Personally, I read up on the different types of surgeries for a few months before I decided what I wanted. The stories of death and bad complications from RNY did scare me quite a bit, and I didn't feel I was ready to risk my life any more than necessary. So I decided on the lap-band, which is reversible and fairly low-risk as surgery goes. THEN I sought out a doctor that I knew was very pro-lapband. I have no regrets about my decision. Good luck. I hope that things work out well for you.

Believe me. I was definitely in your shoes. I read, asked doctors, asked online and the thing that I can tell you is you have to weigh everything for yourself maybe with your doctor's help. The open RNY does seem to have more long term results in that you can still lose weight even if you don't eat correctly. My daughter had the open RNY and she is has not adjusted her horrible eating habits. There is no malasorption so there is no breakdown of anything like the vbg which does not cut the intestines. She even has the dumping syndrome when she eats sweets and she will still do it. She can't eat as much as she use to but she eats high calorie food. She started out okay with correct meals but didn't seem to change her behavior. Yet she still is losing weight. She was 375 pounds and is now 230 pounds and it has been a year. I have chosen the vbg because you have to eat the amount you are suppose to are you will get sick. There is no dumping syndrome though. It is less invasive than the RNY because it does not cut your intestines. They make a little pouch close it with a ring at the end of the esofagus and staple off the rest of the stomach with sutures. This procedure is reversible. I thought that since I am 57 and have a lot of problems that this might be a better surgery for me. What happens with the vbg and I am not sure about the lap is that it is possible to overeat over a period of time and stretch it so you are right back gaining weight. The thing is that you will get full and if you do not eat when you are full there is no problem. So I think maybe the ones that overeat on this are the ones that have mind hunger. You know, uncounsciously eating. I think so it makes you full there should be no big problem. I think you just have to commit yourself to a new way of eating, changing the way we eat, learning to eat slowly and chew chew chew our food. I will have my surgery on the 17th of Nov and I am really excited about it. Read about the different surgeries on this webside. It may help you a lot.

Tracy, I had the VBG back in February. Unfortuneately, there are no surgeons in the Arlington, Fort Worth aera who does WLS. I am 30 miles past Fort Worth to the west and I tried to find a good surgeon close. I ended up using one in Plano. His name is Joseph Cribbins. He is a wounderfull caring doctor. The day of your appointment, you will see him in a group setting so he can explain all the types of procedures and things. Then he will call you in personally and talk to you. You can ask all the questions and express all your concerns in private. This is all the same day. He'll talk to you about anything and everything you want to talk about. Should you decide to see him, you won't regret it. He is great and I would reccomend him to anyone. If you want to know anything else, just email me. Pat-in Texas

Tracy, Please do your own research of these procedures. I have just read some of the responses and some of the information is incorrect. I am a Batiatric Specialist working in the midwest area. 1.Most of the surgeries are reversable to some extent, except the ones that REMOVE the remnant portion of the stomach, but most patients are very happy with their results and wouldn't dream of having it reversed (me included!) 2. the open RNY and the LAP RNY are the same operation except during the "OPEN" the DR will make an incision from your xyphoid (breastbone) to your umbilicus (bellybutton) and open you up -VS a LAP where the Dr uses small tools inserted through small openings in your abdomen. BOTH of these procedures involve malabsorption of fat and calories AND vitamins-minerals. The LAP procedure is MUCH more difficult for Drs to do so make sure you have a well trained Dr. I have had the VBG. It has a 70-80% failure rate and most Drs won't even do them anymore because of those statistics. I have had a lot of regain that I have had to DIET off and after losing all of that weight, it is even harder to lose (by dieting). LAP Banding has also had some dissapointing results and as of December 03 some insurance companies aren't paying for it because it just isn't that effective in most people. Do your homework, use this site and ask lots of questions of previous patients. Whatever you decide, you have to live with. GOOD LUCK!