Confused and unsure which surgery to have

Hello,

We understand it can be over whelming with all the choices. A couple of things we suggest.  Know what the surgery type requires of "YOU" to be successful.  Be honest with yourself and ask if you can do it for the "rest of your life".  As you said this is a tool to help you get to goal and keep the weight off. If you don't make major changes in the way you eat and move it could come back on.

The second thing we suggest, we need to get it right between the ears before we re-arrange our plumbing.  My surgeon required at least 6 months if not longer before you could have surgery and I was so upset. Looking back it was the best thing for me as it gave me months to identify all the eating triggers in my life and have plans in place to over come them and not let them derail my weight loss.

Please keep us posted on your journey and know we are all here to help

Hi Cheryl, I have had my band for over 11 years. I was also a big carb eater. I was hungry 24/7. The band curbed my appetite and made the healthy eating easier. I also didn't like the idea of having my intestine rerouted. I would have the band done again. I feel so much better. Each surgery has its benefits and risks. I hope this helps. Mona

Mona have you had any problems with the band? How often do you get it filled? I dont know what to do. Thanks, Cheryl

It is important that you see your surgeon monthly for the 1st year. Once you hit your sweet spot where everything is working your surgeon will decrease your visits. The amount of times you get filled will depend on how you are doing. Now that I have been maintaining, I only have a fill once a year.Mona

Cheryl, what you describe is head hunger.  The band won't help you with this.  Regardless of the surgery you choose, this needs to be addressed.  With sleeve and band you'll eat less at a sitting, but it won't stop you from grazing.  You can eat around both of these options.  With Rny, carbs will make you sick, you can eat around it, stretch the stoma and after 6-24 months the malabsorption stops...you'll be right back where you started.  The DS is a good option for binge eaters and grazers.  

The only way to deal with head hunger is to face it, acknowledge it and find a substitute for eating.   Flossing, rinsing with mouthwash, brushing teeth, going for a walk, meditation/prayer, etc are all ways to cope with head hunger.  One thing I did was to change my eating habits before surgery other than the portion size.  Chewing every bite 20-25 times, fork down between bites, no water with meals, no carbonation, weighing and measuring my portions, logging every bite, etc. By the time I had my surgery, the habits were natural and not stressful.  I still do these things and my band was removed in June.  I'm struggling with maintaining my loss with my appetite and real hunger back, but I really have no choice.  I have so much damage from the band, I cannot revise.  I'm not willing to trade a cookie for my 100 lb loss.  

Best of luck to you, whatever you decide.

Stephanie

Hi Stephanie,

I agree with you. I have been an active Weigh****cher member for 5.5 years. I have changed all of my habits and added a gym membership where I go loyally 3 times a week for an hour. I lost 71 pounds after 2 years, but then put half of it back on over the past 3 years. I really dont know what else to do, i thought surgery would be my last resort to get another tool to help me. I thought that if my body cannot take in more food than what it will allow, with my good habits, i will lose weight and keep it off. I often eat when I am bored, nervous, worried, basically for reasons other than actual hunger. I have tried to fix it, but i cant figure out how even after therapy. I just think surgery will help more than what I am doing now. I am torn between the band and the sleeve. THis is really eating me up, no pun intended, i am so stressed and afraid of making the wrong decision.

BEst of luck to you, you know what to do and 100 pounds off is life changing!

CHeryl

This is one of those times we all have to get down and dirty realistic.

The band provides the slowest weight loss, the LEAST weight loss, the highest regain, and the MOST complications.  You can remove the band but you can't remove the damage it causes.  The failure rate is the highest of all surgery types.  50% have to have their bands removed in the first 2-6 years, at 10 years it is uncommon for someone to have a band.  Most ins co's are going to a once in a lifetime WLS so when you decide to revise to a safer surgery type you will likely be self pay.

Bands are the safest actual surgery.  LONG TERM sleeves are the safest.  Sleeves have an additional 2% surgical risk for complications but LONG TERM sleeves are the safest.  If you have reflux NOT caused by obesity or a hiatal hernia bypass is your best bet.  DS has the very best long term stats of all surgery types.

You have 80-100# to lose, that is a big, huge, serious, problem.  It requires a hard core serious answer.

I am a band to sleeve revision (self pay, btw).  I had a band back in the day when we didn't have all the stats, facts, and studies we have today.  Had I known then what I know now, I would have never gotten a band.  I revised to a sleeve five years ago and life is good once again.  Having a sleeve... it's your stomach just smaller.  No maintenance, no aftercare, no fills and unfills, none of the nonsense.  You get it, lose weight, and move on with your life.

Bands require a lifetime of aftercare and it is very expensive.  If your ins changes to what most ins co's are changing to, no WLS benefits you will be on your own for fills, unfills, re operations, and overall maintenance.  That means you basically turn your paycheck over to your surgeon.  MOST of the vets posting here that are old timers have already had at least one re operation, if you can afford that, good for you!  In this economy most cannot.

You don't want malabsorption, I don't blame you.  I don't want it either.  That leaves bands or sleeves.  Sleeves are the safest surgery type of all four main surgeries long term.