On the Fence

I am really scared of the RNY.  I am 5' 10 and weigh 309.  I was not always this big, I weighed 210 in 2004, and that use to be my biggest ever.  Anyway I am thinking of going for the lap band, is the band worth it?  I retired from the Air Force after 23 years in 2007,   I am also a 90% disabled Vet through the VA.  I think Allot of my health problems seem to be because I am fat.  I am leaning toward the lap band; I am really scared of the RNY and if that is my only chioce will not do it.  I don't know what to do, what are your thoughts on the whole RNY lap band thing?  Any help would be great.

My starting stats aren't too far off from yours - 5'8 and started at around 302.

I opted for the RNY because it takes off 75% of the excess weight compared to 50% with the lap band.  Also, I would have had to drive an hour each way every time the band needed adjusted.

The RNY was done laparoscopically, as is the lap band, and I have had zero pain or complications, other than one incision was slower to heal than the others.

Can you express what your fears of RNY are?  That might help us focus our responses to you.

Welcome to the board!

I think a lot depends on your comorbidities.  If you don't have an issue with diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol, or heart then the lap band should work fine.  If you have 2 or more of those problems the RNY becomes a no brainer.  One of the problems with the Lap Band is people find ways to cheat.  You may want to go to the Failed Weight Loss Surgery Forum (go to forums, then weighloss related, then failed weightloss) and see.  It's a personal decision and since you have been a military lifer and have the insurance available (if it doesn't work or you have problems they can undo it), it could be a real possibility.  Read and look at it from all angles.  Good luck, Brian

Haku,

You are doing the right thing in doing some more research on your WLS options if you are not comfortable with one option. 

Band has it pros and cons as to an RNY and the sleeve or a DS.  If you are not comfortable with having your innards rearranged then go with a band either Lap or a Realize.  If you still want to be able to eat sweets without dumping then look at a VSG (sleeve) or DS.  If you are willing to accept the restriction and greater malabsorbtion of an RNY then go that route.  Deciding on which procedure can make you .

Ah ... San Angelo.  Watched the Oilers work out there once years ago and the steaks at Zetners and Western Sky...with GF and I both being RNY's an order of KC's would last us a MONTH!

Well I am 4 hours from my Dr. My Dr. only does RNY Open and lap band laparoscopically. I want a surgery that is fully reversable. I have had allot of experance with surgery that did not go well and not reversable. I don't want to take supplements. I read that lap band and rny are the same weight loss after 2 years, Don't know how true. My biggest fear is complication from the open surgery that is not reversable. I understand all surgeries have risks, but the risks with the lapband seemed less scary. I figured even if I only lost 60% of my excess weight, then I'd be happy with that. You might not lose as fast with the band, but that's not a big deal to me. I'm not in it for the quick loss, I want long term results. I will most likely have to work a bit harder, than RNY but I need a tool to kick it off.



Just wanted to add that Zetners is out of business, sorry.

I do have sleep apnea, and high Cholesterol control by drug.

Why the heck would you get surgery from a doc in 2009 that only does RNY open, especially at your weight?  That, for me, is nuts.  I'm sure some great surgeons prefer open RNY, but why take all the healing problems and infection risks when you can get a great surgeon to do it larthoscopically. 

Have you looked at the sleeve?  Less risk than the band, and better results.  You're only hours away from Dr. Alvarez, one of the best lapband and sleeve surgeons in Mexico.  No, the sleeve isn't reversible, but realistically, every weight loss surgery is only marginally reversible.  Reversing any weight loss surgery is dangerous and sometimes not even possible. 

Edit:  I want to add that I know this post sounds argumentative, and I guess it is.  I can't help it, I'm a lawyer by trade.  Old habits die hard. 

But you should keep investigating because I think you'll see that reversibility is a bad decision factor to rely on (I should know, i used to think the same way).  Don't feel trapped, explore each possibility.  Some people have a lot of success with the lapband, but when it goes bad it goes really bad.  Like "Yank this F****ING THING out of my body now!" bad.  Just my two cents.  

Hate to hear that on Zetners.  More of a Western Sky fan though.

Sounds like one of the bands will be your best bet then.  As to the cholesterol med not sure how far out from surgery you will be when it happens but my doc had me quit my Lipitor the day of my RNY.   Last check a few months ago I was sub 160 total.

Read my post about 10 back

Good health and besat wishes
Nick

Reading these forums is depressing. The mens forums is less depressing than the others. My wife thinks I am stupid for getting any surgery. I had a Colonoscopy a few years ago that ripped my ass. I had to have a Sphincter ectomy a year after to repair the damage to my ass. Anyway it took 8 months to a year for my ass to heal and feel normal. Now 3 years out I will say that the butt surgery worked. It was a real pain in the ass though. Anyway after that surgery my wife thinks that this next one will be the same way. This all sounds asinine. LOL man the butt jokes never end, LOL.

Here is my surgeon's profile tell me if he sounds any good. http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/bariatric+surgeon+profile+Kenneth+MR+Warnock+rp.html

The lap band just seem the lessor of the surgerys for stuff to go wrong, I could be wrong. My insurance pays for RNY or Lap band and sent me to this Dr. Said he was the best. I don't know