Why did you pick your type of surgery?

Hello All,

I just started the process and i am talking a lot of time reading through all of the blogs. I was just wonder if you all out there could take a little time and tell me what type of surgery to picked and why? I have read all the facts I just want to know what were the deciding factors for you and if you had to do again would you pick the same procedure?

Thanks ! 

I picked the laproscopic gastric bypass (RNY).  I am told by both my surgeon, Dr. Noyan and my primary doctor that the lapband would not be the correct fit for me since I am 5'3 and weigh 289 lbs!!  I would do the whole process  all over again if I had too.  This surgery is so important to me so I can live a better life, have quality of life and to meet the new me!!  Good luck, the members here give some pretty sound advise!!

I'm a bariatric nurse who works in a hospital with THE surgeons.  After working on the bariatric unit at my facility for 3 years, I knew I needed helped.  I was 333 pounds and 5'7" and as a nurse, I should not be shelling out advice when I can't even listen to myself.  After going back and forth between the bypass and the band, my surgeons and I finally came to the conclusion to pick the band.  Here is the thing, at the time I was 25 years old, had not had a child yet, just newly married, and I see my surgeons everyday!  So, if the band had failed me, they always gave me the option to switch to the bypass.  But, little did I know, my surgeons knew me better than I knew myself and they always knew I would do great with the band and that I am an over achiever!  But I always tell my patients that whatever you choose, it is like your religion.  You have to be comfortable with your choice and if you have any doubts, speak to your surgeon and or family with it.  I know you've done all your research but also look closely at your surgeon, their success rates and complication rates (can be found on HealthGrades), your facility where you are having surgery, look at their complication rates and nursing staff satisfaction scores, and look at the after care programs, look at programs for each of the surgeries you are considering.
Take care and good luck with everything!
Jan

As you can probably tell, no one surgery is the CORRECT ONE. Each has it’s pros and cons, successes and failures.

 

For me, since I am a large volume eater, and don’t really care about sweets – I chose the band. And in the research that I did, the Realize band was my choice.

 

IMHO, in order for any of these operations to be successful you need to do a lot of soul searching and determine the type of eater you are.

 

If you’re a large volume eater – the band or sleeve may be the correct choice

If sweets are a major stumbling block – the bypass may be your choice

 

Then you need to take into consideration medical conditions, and which operation address those concerns.

 

The final thing to remember – all these operations are ONLY TOOLS. You will need to WORK AT IT. Also know, these operations cannot address (prevent) emotional eating. Always know they put the tool for your stomach, not your brain.

Thanks for the imput its kind of overwhelming trying to decide which one will work. According to my weight I should probably do rny (im 5'6 300lbs) but I don't feel comfortable with that procedure and im only 26 so im worried what effect that will have with pregnancy. But if I am doing this I want results and with the band they are saying there is less weight loss but it stays off long term. Hmmm decisions decisions

There are a whole lot other choices other than just band and bypass, so make sure you check them all out. Again, each has their own Pros and Cons.

Have you looked at having the SLEEVE procedure? While newly approved in NJ, it's been done in California and Florida - with very good results. I call it the combination of the bypass and band. If (God forbid) I had to get rid of my band, I would look at this. However, please remember this is the only operation that is NOT REVERSIBLE - because they actually REMOVE part of your stomach.

There are some sleeve patients here who can give you their take on it.

I had lapband 3 years ago. I have lost a total of 104 lbs. I weighted 324 lbs and I'm only 5 ft talls. So my bmi was over 60. I talked with my doctor all 6 of them and we all agreed that lapband was the best fit for me . I come from a family that loves to eat anything and everything. So I needed smaller portions. With all my medical problems the doctors wanted me to loss the weight slower that most people.
This is not a cure all.
Still have to watch everything you eat  and exercise. I exercise 3 to 4 days a week amd I'm still lossing. I hope to be at goal at my 5 year anniversary.
Everyone is different in many different ways. I was not a heavy kid. I was the skinny kid. My lifestyle made me the way I ended up.
Good luck on your journey

I am 38 yrs old (37 at time of surgery) and I picked RNY because it has a higher weight loss rate 60-80% of excess weight as opposed to lapband 40-60% at 5 yrs. I also am a sweets eater and needed to have the chance of dumping which thankfully I do.  I also didn't want a foreign object in my body- my family has weird reactions to stuff and my dad's body rejected the mesh they put in for his hernia. I also didn't want to have to see the surgeon for the rest of my life for fills and monitoring.  With RNY I have to commit to blood work every 6 months for the rest of my life but primary care can do that, I also had to commit to vitamins and protein shakes daily for the rest of my life but that didn't bother me.  

I have lost 113 lbs so far and am still loosing.  I was 278 pre op and 5 ft 6 in. I am very happy with my RNY I have had no complications and wouldn't change a thing.

I had Lap RNY, I had wanted the band but after consulting with my medical professionals I changed my mind. Tom is correct, you have to look at your triggers and think which will really work for you. 

You said in one of your further posts that you were young and wanted to maybe have children, if you want you can have children post op with a RNY. You do need to (ok you should) wait 18 months to 2 years but the time would fly by...  

If I had to choose yes I would do it again, in a heart beat!!! I am 36 now and two years out. I wish had made the choice earlier in my life.

Good luck to you..

Stella

I had been on very calorie restricted diets with no success, and I was advised that without the malabsorption piece I would not lose much. It was later determined that I also had some metabolic issues which needed to be addressed, so even with bypass surgery I only lost about 85 lbs the first year.

But I got it all straightened out and now I'm at goal and loving life. You can read my blog if you want to know more...

Good luck. You really do have to know what post-op life is like for all the options, and choose the one you are most willing and able to comply with. No one surgery is the perfect fit for everyone.