Lap vs RNY(lap)

Is there any scientific info that compares the long term differences between these two types of surgery that anyone here is aware of? Thank you for your help. I'm tired of fighting insurance so I think I'm off to Mexico but not quite sure which kind of surgery.

Dear Robin: I have read that the lap band isn't as successful long term in your ability to lose as much weight as you would with the RnY or to keep it off. Also, once the RnY is done, it's done - barring complications. With the band, you have to do all those fills and then there's a chance that it could erode through the stomache wall. I know this is not a very scientific answer, but try going to the American Association of Bariatric Surgeons web site and it will tell you all about it. I am 8 days out from having my RnY with Dr. Aguirre in Ensenda. No complications and feeling better every day! I am down at least 9 lbs. already.

Eileen Perhaps it would be better if you posted about what is good or bad about your surgery and not post about the Lap Band until you have more facts. You lose more weight with the Lap Band not less. And complications with the band are few and minor compared with RNY. The band has a 1 in 2000 mortality rate and RNY has a 1 in 50. Richard

To piggyback on Richard....Please consult the main board regarding what you will be feeling about 18 months out. Most RNY patients begin gaining weight and have to really work hard to keep their weight off. Hunger sets in and most do gain a certain percentage of their weight loss back. So.....each surgery has it's positives and negatives. If you have the lap band you can have a fill in 3, 4 or even 5 years to adjust the size of your pouch and to help you lose weight. With RNY you will need surgical revision to change the size of your pouch. To me a 10 minute office visit to get a fill is a heck of a lot simpler than having major surgery. To each it's own though.

http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/surgtype-forums/LapBand/posts.html Post here for answers. The long term is that RNYers and Lapbanders have the same weightloss within 2 years. RNYers lose a lot, faster, but regain a small percentage and there are those that stretch the pouch and regain all. After that you pretty much don't have too many options. Some doctors are putting Lapbands on RNYers that have stretched their pouch and gained their weight back. Both have drawbacks but for me these are why I'm chosing Lapband: for the rest of my life I can fill the band for weightloss, a 10 minute produre in a doctor's office. My insides will not be changed whatsoever so I won't have the malabsorption that can cause me to be hospitalized and even die. After surgery there is a risk of the staples becoming septic or else coming loose and allowing acid into my body. Can be fatal. Doctors will tell you there is a 1:200 or 1:100 (depending on the doctor) chance of dying within days of RNY. Lapband has the usual surgery related chance of 1:2000. To date only one death has been reported in surgery of the Lapband and that was due to the man having a heart attack. Yes, the band can erode, usually because it's too tight. Slipping of the band is rare but can happen. The Lapband board is showing loses of 50-150lbs from 3 months to a year. You can find more answers on the Lapband board, I posted the link above. Good luck on whatever choice you make.

Robbin, I'm 12 days out from having my lapband surgery. I thoroughly researched both surgeries before I decided to have lapband. My decision was simple. I'm young, havn't had children yet, and didn't want to spend 3-4 days in the hospital. I chose lapband. I had my surgery at 8:30am and was home by 8:00pm. This included an hour drive home. I was in very little pain the first couple of days and only moderate pain the 3rd day. To date I have lost 14lbs. My loss has slowed down at this point, but I haven't had my first fill yet. I have witnessed a fill, and I will say it was no big deal. It took about 10minutes and with very little pain. From what my surgeon's office says, the decision is mainly based on what kind of eater you are. Take a week and track exactly what you eat and when. If you eat lost of snack throughout the day and tend to eat lots of sweets, then RNY may be your better bet. If you are a bulk eater, meaning that you eat a few big meals during the day, then lapband may be your better bet. When you meet with a surgeon be very honest with him about what kind of eater you are. He/she should able to help you with the decision about which surgery to have.

I was going for RNY before, because my insurance covered it. But then it got cancelled and my insurance started covering Lapband. I did a lot of research about lapband and found that some of the early studies in the US were basing the lapband results against RNY results. There is no comparison during the first few months. They figured that since lapbanders didn't lose as much in 6 months as an RNYer did that the band was a failure and they did RNY on those patients. The difference is that RNY had the malabsorption and the band didn't. I have friends who had RNY and are having to have iron infusions every few months because their bodies don't absorb iron anymore. They have to sit for a few hours in a room with cancer patients who are getting their chemo. I have had my band for about 11 weeks now. I was 260 on the night of surgery, up 8 pounds in IV fluids and I weighed 227.5 last Friday. I am 229.5 today as I am having some water retention. Usually within 2 years a bandster has caught up with an RNYer. Some might be a bit longer. All of my long term RNY friends are having issues with weightgain. Usually about 20-40 pounds or so. My lapband friends if they aren't maintaining their goals can go and get a fill to help with their loss again. There are exceptions to everything though. People who aren't determined to keep the weight off with the band can easily gain the weight back if they eat junk all the time. Ice cream, cake, candy, milkshakes, junk junk junk, will definitely gain weight back. I still treat myself everyweek. No sense in depriving myself of a treat. I don't have to worry about dumping, oh, and I saw info that 35-70 % of RNY patients may not dump as well. It has more to do with the fact they aren't cutting as much intestine anymore. I do have a small bowl of ice cream if I want from time to time. I also will have a sweet like, a mini muffin or cupcake. I am enjoying my food more and life as well. Go to the lapband forum for more answers and people there can give you information and where to look for the studies etc. My first month I lost 21 pounds, second month I lost 7 pounds. So far this month I was down 5 pounds. I am up 2 but will lose that soon. Kerri

Actually, surgeons are finding out that RNY patients gain 10-15% more weight BACK when they get to their goals. While lapbanders continue to maintain their weight. This of course, doesn't happen to everyone, so I can't lump EVERYONE into these facts... Like others shouldn't lump EVERYONE into their facts.. But, RNY patients rely totally on their pouch to do all the work for them.. They don't learn about portion sizes, drinking plenty of water, and exercise.. Instead, they rely just on the pouch. You see, the band is a tool, it isn't a miracle drug, or pouch... You have to learn new habits as well as use your pouch... So when a lapbander gets to their ideal weight, they know how to maintain the weight loss... How to keep it off etc... Yes, RNYers lose their weight almost instantly... dropping 100's of pounds in just 4-5 months.. But this doesn't give the body any time to adjust, so the skin just goes FLOP, making for another major surgery to happen with the cosmetic surgeon.. Now don't get me wrong, lapbanders probably will have to do cosmetic surgery also, but because our weight loss is slower and we focus on drinking water and exercise... Some of our skin slowly goes back into place without the help of a surgeon.. So the nip and cut isn't as extreme. With the lapband, if something goes wrong, we can also just have it removed... If something goes wrong with RNY, it is more major surgery, and no reversal. Now, if you want to talk scientific stuff, not sure I can give you any details scientifically... But mathmatically, many surgeons have run stats on the RNY and Lapband surgeries... And after 2 years, the weight loss is basically EXACTLY the same in totals.. . +/- 5-10 pounds... By the way, the Lapband procedure is much less abrasive surgery then RNY... There is no website that is dedicated to the memorial of many many deaths of people who have gone under the knife for lapband... There is one for RNY patients. In the end Robbin, people are gonna tell you this surgery is better then that surgery... I took 2 years of research and talking to many people from many boards and several surgeons to finally make my decision... I didn't want anything in my body changed, removed, etc... And I liked the numbers associated with lapband mortality over RNY mortality... It sealed the job. Do what is best for you, do a lot of research and don't get caught up in the whole RNY vs Lapband battles on these boards... It becomes very silly at times.

P.S. - I've lost 70 pounds in 2 months time, very much comparable to anyone with the RNY. And I don't dump.

.. yet another reason to hate the male species. --Tiggy