new and not sure...

hi, im new to this site, i am in the process of finishing my pre surgical skills group (this upcoming tuesday actually) and then on to make a surgeon appointment to set a date. i am overweight and have been my whole like (i was 9 and weighed 130lbs!) i have a BMI of 46.6 (ouch) and i need to do this, now, for myself, for my family. i have a toddler who needs a mom around ya know? anyway im confused about the bypass vs. lap band. i have never known anyone with the lap band but i do know 3 people who had the bypass, one very successful, one not at all successful and the third is my 67 year old uncle who lost enough to save his life so i consider that successful. everyone is pushing me to go with the bypass because its more successful, however my husband is pushing me in the direction of the lap band because its less invasive and i wont have to take as much time off work. does anyone have any advice?
thanks
jill

Hi Jill,

It all depends on you. There are many ways you can beat the lap band. You can have ice cream, shakes, liquid things that are really high in saturated fat. and you won't lose anything. With the bypass, you pretty much can't eat that stuff or you will dump. Dumping is like getting the worst stomach ache you have ever had, severe gas pains and sweating.   I chose the bypass because the success rate is much higher, but it is definately a complete change of life.  I am just about 7 months post op and have lost a little over 90 lbs.  I too had a BMI of 46, so I know where you are coming from.  As for the recovery time, I took 2 weeks off of work, but definately could have gone back after the first week.  I never needed pain meds after being home for 2 days.  My best suggestion to you is to walk as soon as you can, it gets rid of all of the gas built up in your belly. I was walking the halls of the hospital 8 hours after my surgery.  The other thing about the lap band that I did not like was the fact that you have this foreign thing under your skin and you have to continue to go to the Dr. to have it filled.  Also the weight loss is much much slower because you can not have your first fill until you are about 6 weeks post op.  I had already lost 25 lbs in my first 6 weeks.  The best advise I can give you is to do what you think is best for you. I know your husband and family want you to do what is less invasive as did mine, but I had to do what I felt was best for me.  You will love this site, it is very supportive and you get great ideas from other members.  Please let me know if you need to talk it out with someone outside your family, I am a great listener,  I will be willing you give you my phone number or personal email address, Just let me now. 

Janie

janie- thank you so much for your advice. sounds like we're coming from the same boat. i joined this site actually last summer but havent been back on until recently. the lady who heads our pre surgical skills group mentioned something about taking 6 weeks off work. im all "yeah right. you dont know my boss!" but the fact you said you took two weeks off made me feel a ton better! gives me a lot of hope. i ended up taking a 4 month maternity leave last eyar when i had my son, then i had surgery in october which i was out for 6 weeks. i cant stand the thought of asking for another 6 weeks. i was hoping i could just put in for two weeks vacation and just not tell anyone. i was hoping not to tell anyone at all, to me its just a very private thing and i know my family will make a spectacle of me and i dont want that. they'd be supportive but i dont want to be the center of their attention if that makes any sense (picture a large group of old jewish ladies... thats what id be in the middle of!) how long did you have to be on a liquid diet for? any exercise suggestions? i have been reading and reading about this for the past year but still love hearing other peoples advice/stories because i feel like i learn something new with every new person i talk to.
again, thanks for responding!

Janie,

Everyone's choice is a personal one and everyone's situation is different.  Here is mine.  I wanted the LapBand from day one.  About a month before my surgery my surgeon called me and talked to me about the bypass.  He felt that the LapBand would not give me the weight loss I was looking for and did not want me to go thru this and not end up where I wanted to be.  He said he would do what ever I wanted but wanted me to be totally sure about my decision. 
WELL,  I had the bypass and I am TOTALLY happy with it.  I don't have a foreign "thing" in my body and I have made life style changes I know I wouldn't have with the band.  People I know who have had the band, eat ice cream, shakes and can eat things with sugar and fried foods.  I cannot. 
Email me if you want more info..............

Your welcome,  I have a job where I sit most of the day and I actually came back to work 1/2 days 3 days a week only 1 week after my surgery, other than being a little tired, I was ok.  I tried to walk alot the first month or so after surgery.  I did not do the liquid diet before the surgery, but I did do it after the surgery, it was about 2 weeks then at my 2 week check up, I went to the next phase.  I had my niece help me out alot with what to eat, I got really bored drinking those instant breakfast drinks.  I did check with my nurse to see if I coul have creamed soup and she said as long as it agreed with me I was to try it.  Hope this helps, let me know if you need anything else.

Janie

I just wanted to add my 2 cents about the Lap Band. I love my Lap Band. I agree that it's definitely less invasive and there's no big changes to your digestive system. You are always able to tighten it (or loosen it) if needed. You can also eat most foods still, just in moderation. If you are the sort of person who eats well but just eats too much, it would be great for you. Those are the primary "pros" of the band. The things that are usually brought up as "cons" are that you have to have fills until you reach the right restriction (some people don't like the idea of that, but at least for me it doesn't hurt at all), that you have an "object" in your body (some people also don't like that concept either, but it's just like an artificial hip or knee or any other implant), and that you lose weight slower (true on average, but that can be better for your skin).

Anyone can try to eat around their surgery, either by eating the wrong things or stretching out their pouch - that's why it's important to have nutritional and psychological support.

I'd be glad to answer any Lap Band questions you might have. My surgery was at 9am and I was out of the hospital at 2pm. I took a week off of work.

Hi Jill,
I am also a newbie and I was conflicted myself between the two. At first, I was positive, I heard so many great things about the Lapband and that's what I wanted to do. Then after meeting with my surgeon, who told me I was a good candidate for both surgeries, I wasn't so sure. I never even thought about having the Gastric because I didn't think I could. The people I knew (friends) who had it done were 300+ pounds with health problems. I'm at 256 (39 BMI) and I don't have any health problems so I never thought I could be a candidate. But my doctor assured me that I am. I'm 100 pounds overweight. So now I have this pre-surgical period to think about which one I want to have. Well shortly after my consultation I decided that I am going to go ahead with the Gastric Bypass. I figure, If I'm going to go under the knife for weight loss, I might as well do the darn thing. I am all about progress and results, and that's what the Gastric surgery gives. The Lapband seemed so right in the beginning but after weighing the pros and cons (a big one being, the fact that I am sooo not feelin the Lapband fills or slow results), I am determined to just go for it and do the Gastric. My family thinks it's an extreme measure (for someone my size with no health conditions) and would not agree with me doing it. But thankfully my husband and my doctor support me so I'm ready to start my journey to the new ME!
Best wishes to you on your journey. I hope you make the decision that's best for you!