Any Advice?

My current BMI is 50.6 and my surgeon had suggested RNY over the band although he did not refuse to do the band. I have been scheduled for the band but I just wondering if anyone has any last words for me that I might want to hear first. I chose the band because I like the idea of it over the RNY for several reasons. Some reasons may sound crazy but that is what I had my mind set on this whole time. My surgeon just thinks that I will lose more weight with the RNY over the band. Please let me know anything.

I had planned on having the band too...but was talked out of it by the doctor.  My concerns were complications from the RNY.  My surgeon said due to my eating style, I would lose weight with the band, but not as much as I would from the RNY.  I am not a volume eater and the band is made for volume eaters.  I just ate the wrong things.  My husband could always out -eat me and he is not overweight. 

The doctor said that I was thinking about the complications instead of the benefits I would receive and that my morbid obesity was a greater threat to me than the surgery.  

After I first had my surgery, I wished I had done the band anyway, but now that I am 12 weeks out and down 56 lbs, I am happy I went this route.  The band loss is a lot slower and I like that I am losing weight at a good rate. 

I cannot tell you which decision to make for yourself, but this is my experience.  I know that if I had the band, I would be cheating and eating milkshakes, candy, etc.  My RNY keeps me in line, because although I have never dumped...I don't want to either.  I watch my carbs very closely for each meal I eat due to the fear of dumping.  If I didn't have that fear, just having the surgery wouldn't keep me in line..I don't think.  Just being honest with myself and know I have food issues that got me here in the first place.  I don't think the past 5 years of my life, I ever felt hungry because I would just eat all the time, whatever I wanted.  Now I have to think about each thing I am eating.

Hope this gives you some food for thought and good luck with whatever route you choose.  Either way it is a great decision for your health and congrats on making it.

Hi Zoey -
  No one can decide for you which is best.  I hope, for your sake, you have thoroughly studied BOTH procedures (and even some others) to make sure this surgery is the best option for you.  It is major surgery, and you don't want to second-guess yourself later.   Having said that, I know people who have been very successful with the band, and many others with RNY.  You can do this either way, and while it isn't easy, it will help you with your struggles.  We can't think of it as the "miracle cure" because we still have to make decisions about what we eat daily.

Best of luck to you!

I wanted the band, but ended up with the RNY because my surgeon determined I had reflux and that was a contraindication to the band.  Fortunately, I had also reconciled myself to the idea that the RNY was the best option between the two for me when I learned that the complication rate for the mechanical aspects of the band were cumulative from year to year.  As I understood it, that means, although the band has about a 1% complication rate in the first year, once you have had it for 5 years, there is a 5% complication rate.  Once it's been in for 10 years, a 10% complication rate...and so on.  He told me the complications were things like the port flipping, the band slipping, the band potentially erroding through the stomach.  Things that required some further surgery (which, I am told, the port flipping is able to be fixed in the office, but it is not very comfortable).  Anyway, I did not like the idea of potentially having to have an additional surgery to fix a mechanical problem associated with the band.  Now, what I really wanted, was the sleeve.  I am afraid of the malabsorption components of the DS.  But, my insurance company called it investigational and would not pay for it.  So....I have the RNY....and I've been what I consider to be a 'slow-er looser'.  Still, I am convinced I would never have been able to loose what I have without the surgery.  So I am thankful.  Very thankful.  Good luck!!  connie 

Zoey, please research ALL your options. Have you heard of the VSG, or the DS? If you look at the stats for bandsters with a high BMI, you might really reconsider. I was going to do the band for about a second, then was going to do the RNY, had it scheduled and everything, and ended up doing the DS. If you have any questions please ask, and please research. Think twice, cut once!

I wanted the band and my surgeon suggested I would do better with the RNY so I followed his advice and I am glad I did.  For me, it was the right decision.  Good luck to you whatever you decide!  Love & Hugs,

Hello-

I am in the pre-surgery process and am heading towards a RNY even though I always thought I would go the band route.

It is a very individual choice, but I am 350 with a BMI of 60, and I just decided that loosing 150 pounds would just get me to 200, and with the RNY I have a better chance of getting there than with the band.

Good luck with your research...

Maria

If you have a BMI of 50.6 you are way to heavy to have the band. Most bandsters (if they are lucky) only lose 1/2 their excess weight. If you have about 200 lbs to lose, then that means you'll still be fat at the end.

I'd choose a surgery that will get you to goal, research all your options and look into the VSG and the DS.

Scott

I'm 27 lbs from my goal and the rny works for me :)   Hope you take some time and research all options.

Bonnie

Wow, I am going through exactly the same thing.  I was all set to get a band, but when I met my surgeon this week he said I probably won't be happy with the results.  I have a BMI of 52, he said it is not normal for bandsters to lose as much as I want to.  Not to say it can't be done, but after really talking it out with my husband, who knows my eating habits, I feel that RNY is the best way to go for me.  Why go through surgery if I'm not going to be satisfied with the results?  I know about the other surgeries, the sleeve sounds good too, but my insurance won't cover it.   I think you really have to analyze your dieting history and see if you need a stronger tool than the band to keep you in line with your eating.

Good luck!!

Deb