Hello, trying to decide?

Hi to everyone out there!  I would love to hear from everyone on how they decided which wls was right for them?  I'm trying to decide wheather to do a lapband or sleeve?  Any advise?

To be covered by insurance I only had a choice of lapband or RNY... I choose RNY because I did not want to have to deal with gettiing fills.  I wanted the "fear of dumping" as I am simple carb/sugar addict.

Good Luck with your decision... I would also post this question to the Lap band forum and Sleeve forum.

Helen

I suggest you research like a crazy. You have to pick the surgery that is BEST for YOU, and there is just no one size fits all here.

If you want my opinion, of the two surgeries you have suggested, I would say the VSG (sleeve). But that is just my choice, you have to chose for yourself.

The reason I say of the two choices you present, the sleeve, is because you will not have a foreign body in you, if you find that restriction alone is not enough, you could easily revise to the DS, since you would be half way there.

Those are my reasons, but you need to really research this!

Wishing you the very best!

I have a band and if it's at all possible I would suggest you get the sleeve. If your insurance is lost or changed for any reason like mine was the band is useless without adjustments. In my case I could never get it adjusted to a good spot so have only lost 25 lbs. in over a year. It takes alot of work with the band, you have to be devoted to excellent eating and vigarous exercise, it's just plain hard work! If you are a volume eater it might work but you still have to deal with fills and unfills. So do all your research and go with what feels right for you and what you will be willing to put into the surgery post op. Best of luck.

I researched thoroughly.  I finally chose the RNY.  I chose it because my insurance covered it - they also covered the lapband.  I thought long and hard also about the DS.  I finally decided against the DS because my insurance wouldn't cover it, but also because there can be more long term complications and nutritional deficencies with it.  I decided against the lap band because I didn't want to have a foreign body inside me, I didn't want to have a port in my side with increased chances of infection during fills, and didn't want to have to go through fills and unfills for the rest of my life.  RNY has been performed much longer and is the Golden Standard.  From my research I found it to have a better track record for loosing the weight and keeping it off.  I was a sugar and pastry junkie and I wanted the dumping to keep me away from that garbage.  Afterall if you're going to have surgery, why would would want to be able to eat sugar/junk food??? 

Research, research, and do more research.  There is a whelm of information out there.  Ultimately you need to do the surgery which you feel is best for you.  We are all different.  Do not take this surgery lightly.  It is a TOOL only, and it is a major change to both body and mind.  It is a major lifetime and lifestyle adjustment.  I had my RNY just about 3 months ago - lost 34 pounds before surgery to shrink my liver for surgery, and have lost 36 pounds after surgery.  Total loss of 70 pounds and have more to loose - at least 50 pounds more.  I felt awful at first and wondered why, why did I do this.....But have to admit now I'd do it again without hesitation.  I'm feeling and looking so much better.  Everyone also looses weight, and even surgery at different rates - due to original size, age, how much you exercise, etc.  The surgery is JUST A TOOL - it still takes you to use this new tool properly and it's just like being a baby again and starting from the ground up.

Hope this helps.

ragadolly/Donna

 Great input from 'HisLady' very eye opening.  I never thought about the insurance being dropped lost or gone due to job change or other.  I have had 3 insurance issues like that in the past 5 years and all a downgrade until recently.  

I am going with the RNY.  My insurance cover the Lap and the RNY.  At first I was going to go with the Lap -  but after doing my research I came to realize the RNY was the way to go.  Not because of the foreign object - we have filling in our mouth that are foreign and some of us have screens from a hernia or maybe a IUD or some such.

If I was asked why I want my insides rearranged - I come back with - like they did with my hysterectomy or with a vasectomy or with a tubaligation.  All require an adjustment - well - the vasectomy was not that difficult to adjust to :D for Mr. Man.  But you get the idea.

No it was because of the percentage rate of failure and the numbers of those who after 5 years or less had to get an RNY because their band slipped or caused stomach damage.

Now - not everybody has that story - but far too many to place me in those odds.  I was told by a medical person in this line of work that they feel the band will be banned in 5-10 years time because of issues such as this.  

Both are a tool.  

Good luck
mary

Thank-you all for your replies,  its was very helpful.  I've benn doing research, but nothing helps as someone's experience! 

Hislady - thank - you never thought about INS and what you said about the hark work and what you put into it, so very true!

One more question - does the dumping happen forever?  Will I ever be able to have sugar in coffee or a bite of something sweet?


btownk / k

RE: Dumping
what I learned
not every one dumps
splenda is your sugar of choice
you can make great sugar free or splenda sweets to eat
most can eat up to 6g of sugar and not dump.
             I am in pre-surgery and am trying to practice this rule now. 
            if you start eating as if you had to eat this way then it's easier when you do have to

some told me they have to test to see what their dump limit is - that means they stayed home - ate 1 something new and waited for a reaction.  Then they told me they could eat up to 3 of that somethign without dumping.

new foods should be tried close to home in case you have a dump reaction.

not all dumping involved the runs

in time - taking a bite of a chocolate may be ok - only you will know for sure how much and when it's time.

I also learned your taste will change.  I am hoping my sweet tooth is knocked out!!!

The more research you do will help! About the dumping remember sugar is bad!!!  If I stay below 6g I am ok. Everyone is different. I had dumping once and it is no fun! Less sugar more smiles! :)