Seriously thinking of having the Lap Band surgery

I am scared. But I am desperate. I have triplets that are going to be 3 and I cant do much with them without sounding like I am going to croak and I need this to be done. I am also going to be 41 next week. Any advice? I am in Ohio. thanks. Tammy

Hi Tammy. I don't know much about lap band b/c I had rny, but I just wanted to lend my support!!!! I know how scary it is, but for me it was all worth it! Good Luck to You! Tracy B 328/150 5'9"

what is rny? oh and thanks for the response

Hi Tammy...My hat goes off to you for having tripletts. Just the thought makes me a little nervous. I can imagine that your life if hectic. You asked what RNY is....It's another type of WLS surgery. You may want to do a little home work to see if lap band is what you really want. I'm not far from your age and I had Laproscopic RNY.I had my surgery in 11-06-06 and have lost 40 lbs. All of the different types are right on the OH web page.You may want to read about the most popular 3 and then decide. My surgeon is out of Michigan and of the three most popular, he didn't suggested Lap Band. He feels the results are better with RNY and Laproscopic RNY. The choice is up to you. I'll be returning to work this week, but I've felt great for a few weeks now. Best of luck to you. Trust me ..you wont be sorry you had weight loss surgery. Your kids deserve the best YOU they can have.

Hi again Tammy! I see that a few people answered your question about rny. Be sure to research everything and anything so you can make the best choice for you! There's a ton of info here at OH and on the web, also research the surgeon's in your area. Good Luck! Tracy B

I called my insurance company just one more time to confirm that they will pay for the lap band and gave them the cpt code and they do not have that code in their system therfore it would be denied. However they do have the cpt code for the RNY. I am scared to do that. I wonder if there are long term issues with this. Does anyone know the stats on this? I am desperate. I would prefer the lap band because its safe. I have heard of people dying from the RNY. I go to a meeting on jan. 27 regarding all of the choices. Any advice or ideas would be appreciated. I am so glad there is a website with all of you on here. Thanks Tammy

Hi Tammy. It is scary to consider any kinds of surgery, especially an "elective" one. My best advice is just to research all of the different wls options. Only you and your dr can decide which surgery would be best for your particular needs. For me, rny was a permanent solution~a drastic step, but one that I needed to take. There are some long term issues with any of the wls so you need to weigh the good/bad~just remaining obese has many long term issues and those were issues that I didn't want to face~diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, etc. Try to gain as much info as you can before your meeting on the 27th so you can go in informed and ready to ask the tough questions. Good Luck to You! Tracy B

Hi Tammy, congrats on having the courage to undergo something that will turn your health around and allow you to keep up with those three little ones! Most of the posters here have had RNY (gastric bypass) so we will be skewed in that direction over lap band. For me personally, RNY was the right choice for me. It is considered the "gold standard" in weight loss surgery by the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons. It totally changed my life, I'm half the woman I used to be and no longer have diabetes or high blood pressure. I lost 147# in about a years' time. (Results with lap band are usually much slower than that.) Do your research to see which is right for you. Find a surgeon who has lots of experience (i.e. at least hundreds of procedures) in whichever one you choose, so you will have confidence in his/her skills. Hugs, Connie -147#

Tammy, You might want to try posting on the Ohio board. http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/OH/ There are many people who have had RNY, LAP-Band and DS that post there. You will also find a lot of people from Hamilton and the Cincy area that will tell you about what the different doctors are like. I also had Open RNY with Dr. Rita Anderson in Kettering, Ohio and am very happy with my choice. The Lap Band is getting a lot of attention now but that doesn't mean it's the right surgery for you. You need to research all the different types and then go with what you can live with for the rest of your life. Good luck, Robin

Amy - I have lived in Ohio and have posted on the Ohio board. It is a great board. Dr. Curry who specializes in the lap band proceedure also posts on the Ohio board from time to time. It is an active board. Good Luck Debra