Rny or Lap Band

I think its such a personal decision.  What kind of eater are you? Do you like sweets more?  How disciplined are you? For me - I chose RNY because of the restrictions! Also because it is considered the "gold standard"  read read read and then read. talk to people and then figure what is BEST FOR YOU - remember this is a LIFE change - its a BIG decision. hugs, BRITT

When I first started this journey I was terrifed of the RNY.  I just couldn't get past the idea of the surgery and the new plumbing being soooo dangerous.  I asked my primary about the band.  She was completely negative about it.  Going so far as to say that long-term it will not work and I'd have gone through a lot to get very little result.  I was surprised, but I really respect her so I listened, but I still was pro-band.   I checked with my insurance (BC/BS) and was told that they would not cover the lap-band at all.  They said it was still considered experimental and they wouldn't cover it.  Well, that was a blow because I certainly couldn't afford to self-pay.   I decided to suck it up and go with the RNY.  When I sat down with the surgeon he really made me feel good about the choice and it's been smooth sailing from there.   Hopefully everything will continue to go well and I'll always be happy with it! 

Thank you guys for all the advice!  What made start to rethink the lap band was i had an appt for an ab ultrasound.  Well I got to the office and to make a long story short , I couldn't have the test because i'd eaten not too long before.  Anyway, there was a woman working there in the back who came up front wanting to know what was going on because i was making a fuss about taking a whole day off from work to do all of my tests and the person who confirmed my appt gave me the wrong directions about eating before the test.  Turns out this working working in the back office was a Rny patient who was almost 400 lbs couple of years ago.  She asked me who my doc was and what i was going for.  She took me in the back showed me most of her before pics and actualy lifted up her clothes to show me her body!  That was funny.  She showed me the girdle she was wearing!  When i told her about the lap band, she just had this look on her face and started to tell me about her friends who'd done the lap and didn't work for them.  Basically she was saying that the lap band was a waste of time.  This lady ate like 2 crackers barely for breakfast!  She said her co workers had to force her to eat !  She would come to work crying because she could barely eat anything.  I didn't have much time to talk to her after that, but since that day i've been going back and forth between the two procedures.  Everyone is totally right.  I have to do what's best for me.  Read , read , and more reading.  I hoping i can make up my mind before the new year.

Sorry about all of the people telling you about Band "failures".    It certainly gives the band a bad name!   They need to get back on track, get back to the support groups and get on here! I've done awesome in 3 months, so has Chelle and Betsy!  (sorry sisters, I had to drop your names here)  Can't be only 3 of us out there, can there be?  I have no stretch marks on my tummie, no bat wings and WILL have a FLAT tummie by the time I hit my goal (which has been raised by the doc's office, though I can go lower if I want to).  I don't wear a girdle.  My highest weight was 246 I was a size 24, 42/44dd, now 188 size 16 and 38d in 3 months.  I think that's quite a band success...with the best to come!  Only you know you.   Educate yourself in terms of the procedures.  You know your self control.  You'll come to a decision and follow through on it!  We're here to support all of your decisions! Muah

Cheri that is amazing!! I would love to be you right now!  I"m 301, well was last month down to 294 now since the weight loss program before surgery. My goal weight for myself would be 150.  My surgeon is telling me i probably won't go below 180 or 200 with the lap.  I also had to speak w/ my pcp and he was against the rny.  I showed him diagrams of both procedures and he just shook his head at the rny.  Wow, i'm just daydreaming about being a size 16 again lol let alone 14, 12 etc.  I"ve actually kept all my old clothes as a motivation.  I know most plp say if you haven't worn it for more than 2 yrs throw it away? not me.  When I wear them again, I can tell plp "What , this old thing"? lol.

You can do whatever you set your mind to!  I'll be 48 this October and have been so embarrassed that over the last 9 years, I haven't gone out.  Well, 3 dates in 9 years.  I don't want to wake up some morning and see I'm 90 and alone, knowing I could have taken a different path if I had put my mind to it.  I think I said it a couple of weeks ago here on OH...if I never lost another pound, I would be very happy wearing a 16.  I would love to be a 14 by Christmas...4 months.  Ultimately I would LOVE to be a 12 and remain that for life.  I give myself the goal of a 12 by my Surgervisary date next May 8th, 2008.  As for old clothing...OH YEAH...I kept ALL of my wool dress skirts (14s) and most tops that were size Large.  I've never worn a Medium, so none of those around...lol  I think I have an old worn pair of size 12 LEVIS and a pair of 9/10 GAP cut off shorts, that I wore for 5 minutes 9 years ago.  I kept both of those as a reminder of what I once was.

I have faith that everyone of us here on OH can achieve our goals.  I say this confidently because both SUPPRT and LVE have assisted me since I became a member here.  I was a lurker for quite sometime, then came out of the lurker closet and joined the band wagon-eers heading to and sitting on the LOSERS BENCH!  I love it here!  I want to help anyone overcome whatever fears they may face heading in to surgery and support them every step of the way after surgery.  We all hit bumps...my thought is get here, get support, pull yourself up by the boot straps and say I CAN DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Love yourself!  Enough of my rambling!

MUAH!!

Well my cousin had the lapband and my girlfriend had rny. my cousin is having a great time eating and loosing weight and my friend is loosing weight quickly but has dumping syndrome with most things she eats. i know everyone is not the same but my personal decsion would be the lapband. i have heard more positive responses with the lapband than with the rny. i am currently waiting for insurance issues to go through smoothly so i can finally get banded. can't wait....

I want to thank everyone *****sponded.  I'm really grateful for this site.  I've taken into consideration everything that was said. I'm thinking day and night about my dillema.  Even on the train this morning, my thought is what do i do?  I don't know i'm hoping the answer will fall outta the sky?  In the end, whichever I choose it's up to me to make it work to reach my goal and maintain it.

The RNY has what I like to think of as 'training' tools.  I was a sugar-holic and fear of dumping certainly  keeps me away from them. With the band.. I could sneak them if I wanted to with no effect other than not losing as much as I could.  Do I miss the foods - sure. But they were killing me and I know if I COULD physically eat them I WOULD. So RNY is what helped me make my choice. You can see I have been on this site for almost 4 years before my surgery.. it took me FOREVER to make up my mind.. Good luck it's a personal decision.

I think, as everyone has said, you totally have to do whats right for you- no one else.  This is such an individual decision.  I have not had surgery but have definitely decided to have the lap band.  In fact, it has always been lap band or nothing for me.  I'm listing the reasons for my decision below but have to give the warning that my reasons are based on my personal situation- yours may be quite different. 1) I am right at a BMI of 40 but currently have no co-morbidities.  I am having the surgery to avoid future health problems.  Thus, I am willing to accept slower weightloss in exchange for not having to worry about future malnutrition issues or other health problems that may arise from RNY. 2) The band can be taken out if something goes wrong.  I am only 28 so I figure I will have to live with whatever surgery I choose for many decades- in case something happens well into the furture, the RNY is not practically reversible (it can be reversed in certain extreme situations but the body won't go back the way it was). 3) I am a volume eater.  I find that if I am hungry I lose all willpower but if I eat good sized meals I canresist snacking.  The band will help me feel full faster and stay full longer without restricting the types of food I can choose to the extent RNY would. 4) Should I start to gain weight five years out I can get a fill with the lap band but with RNY there is little you can do if this occurs.

I totally respect the people who have RNY and recognize that if I were at a heavier weight with serious health issues I likely would choose a surgery that would guarantee me weight loss and that loss would occur quickly.  For me, I am doing this to have more energy and avoid future health problems so lap band is right for me. Good luck to you!