Why did you choose Lap Band?

Thanks for responding adnlyn. I wonder if you ever have to have a fill if the band at surgery is doing all right for you?

Have you checked out the lap band forum.  OH has a forum for every major WLS...the DS, the Lap Band, and the RNY (the Main boad acts like a RNY home page too), and the Verticle sleeve gastrectomy (VSG).   You might want to go onto these forums and ask people WHY they choose the surgery they did, and if it worked out for them.   Almost everyone goes through the "my surgery is better then yours phase"...heck I did, and it is...LOL...KIDDING!!!!!  There is no one size fits all surgery, every surgery has advantages and disadadvantages....it's best to know what your getting yourself into before surgery.    I actually wanted to be fitted for a "hunger pacemaker", my surgeons office is doing the FDA testing for it.  It's a product from Sweden that actually sends electric impulses into your stomach, that makes you feel full all the time.   He took one look at me and told me, (paraphrased) "your too fat to get that or the lap band" your choices are the RNY or DS.   I ended up getting the DS.    Scott

Thanks for your responses Scott, I really appreciate you sharing. I am attracted to the band for various reasons, mostly because I feel that in 20 or so years cancer among other diseases will creep in and a re-routing of my guts may cause problems with the surgeries down the road (if I live that long)  AND YES, DAMMIT I AM A CONTROLLER - I AM THE CEO - GET IT?  LOL  Geez, no wonder I can't get past my psychological assessment which by the way - I got another one, hee hee. what I really want is a non invasive procedure  that is done  with no, none, natta, entries into my body and I will lose 200 pounds.  Hoo Hah.  Oh well.  I'll get one or the other but none until I get past my pyschologist.  The doctor will be a very big help for me in which procedure he'll recommend.  I tend to be very trusting!  so, thank you~!

Check out not only the VSG forum but the surgery as well. It doesn't reroute your inners as much adn may be the answer. I am sure you have looked at all of them several times. Like you I am still trying to figure out which is best adn what will the insurance cover. I think I am leaning towards the VSG TODAY Good Luck

one thing you need to keep in mind Bob. chri**** all the high points and did a good job explaining the band and it's reasons. however, the rny will help if you have co morbidities. there's something about the rerouting that helps the other problems. you don't get that witht the band. i was on meds for cholestoral, diabeties, high bp, gurd blah blah and the band does not address these as well as the rny. however, all of those problems will get better if you lose weight no matter which operation you chose. i was borderline on the apnea thing too and just losing the weight i stopped snoring and so i sleep better too. just something to kick around when you're meeting with the doc. he will tell you the real particulars but if you have other problems, the rny will usually fix them.....carbonblob

Good question, According to my research (and I may be wrong on some things, but that's what I understood) - The weight loss is about the same after 3-5 years for RNY or Lapband. (Initial weight loss is fastest for RNY but it eventually evens out.) - Less complications during and post surgery for Lapband - Lower death rate for Lapband - Lapband is adjustable to your lifestyle (more or less calorie intake = your milleage will vary) - Lapband doesn't require the vitamin supplement as the RNY does (although it's a very good idea, it isn't as 'critical' as for RNY (think B12, I don't need it)  Since there is no plumbing bypass, you get the nutrients from your food, you just eat less. - The lapband requires adjustment till you get your "sweetspot" calorie intake = energy burnt, you attained a balance where you eat to live, not live to eat. - RNY becomes less effective with the passage of the years (? a hig percentage of people that had bypass regain significant weight after 5-10 years) - Lapband is reversible (not recommended, but it is none the less. And why would you?) RNY is not - Co-morbidities should eventually go away with either as  they are weight related, not surgery related - There is more control on the doctor's part with the Lapband than with RNY (post op control is possible) - Recovery is faster with the Lapband, it's less invasive to the body (always a good thing) That's all I can think of for now, but it guided my choice to opt for a lapband Hopefully my choice was a guided one, and I will live a long time to savor it.

Marcel,  I certainly am glad you responded.  I have been following your progress since you had surgery and man have felt bad for you and even thought...geez, do I really want this!!?? Some questions I have concerning the band is, does hacking coughs like you would have with the flu and coughing phlegm up bother the band.  All the professional say that revision could be done with RNY maybe but the unsaid portion is most likely it'll have to be open surgery!~!~! I like the band because, if after 5 years I find weight creeping up, I can go for a fill and go back to like the first day and start over...right? But I also like the dumping syndrome as a teaching tool.  I like and dislike the band because I could sabotage it by eating sweets once in awhile or high caloric empty calorie food, I dislike it because done enough times it's sabotage and I like it because I don't have to completely give up an occassional piece of cake, albeit, small. But I have beautiful little girls and a beautiful wife and like the overall lack of death rate post op of the lapband.  Plus, although I have some co-morbidly stuff going on, I've only had my weight on for 15 years.  I also like the fact that the weight will be taken off slowly, fast weight loss can't be that good for your body, gee whiz, a 100 pounds in 6 months, whew.  And slower weight loss means a more elasticity in your skin.  so....

Bob....I went LapBand in part because I didn't want to wait out my insurance company and be forced to jump hoop after hoop.  I'm the sort of guy that studies, decides and then acts in very short succession.  For me the Band was the choice.  I do wish that it came with the infamous "dumping" syndrome though...I can find it hard to ignore a cookie or two now and then.  I ran across a study (wish I copied it) from Europe where the Band has been used for quite a while I think, that found there was ON AVERAGE only a 2% difference in the total weight lost between the RNY and the Banded patients at 5 years.  My decision was made up when my surgeon related, without my prompting that he was replicating that same studies' findings in his own practice. Pros...well, you've already listed most.  Shorter recovery, less surgical risks, Cons...no dumping to keep one "honest".  slower, (which isn't necessarily a con in my book),              and one needs to be more willfull about staying on the program I think I don' t know that I agree with a previous poster on the fact that one is forever wedded to adjustments and fills....that's not been my case, nor that of anyone I know with the band.  My surgeons' program includes ALL follow ups for the first year.  Following that year period, adjustments are just the cost of the office visit, around $90.00   The process is swift, nearly painless unless you're needle-phobic...and there is not as was posted a complete rebegining of the diet regiment. My surgeon's plan "suggests" liquids for the first 24-48 hours unless you can tolerate "real" food...I usually do the liquids for the first day, then find no problem getting back into my now normal eating routines. I'd say that the Band is the tool for those that are MOSTLY portion-control challenged....while I suspect the by-pass might be the better option for those that are less able to stay away from the "wrong" foods...mind you just my weak-knee opinion and worth what ya'll paid for it. For ME....Banding was the option of choice.  One year on the Band, I've had I think 4 fills/adjustments total, the last one 2 weeks back...and I'm down 100 pounds give or take a couple depending on the day.  I hope to be able to see at least another 50 off my body, and simply can not remember what that feels like!  But know that the difference in my life is so tremendous with the first 100 gone..I can't wait! good luck with your discernment. +Padre

I had lap band  on 09/16/06 and am down 80-85 pounds - I have only had two fills. I haven't had any problems, and I have much more energy.