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WTG on keeping an open mind.  I too struggled with my decision to have WLS.  It took me several years to make the actual decision.  I had many doctors in the past tell me that I need to lose weight, but none made any real suggestions on how to do that.  So at age 35 and being recently diagnosed with high blood pressure, I decided to talk to a surgeon about WLS.  I had RNY on Jan, 03, 2011.  My only regret is that I wish I would have done it 10 years earlier.  Then I would never had raeched 360 pounds and I could have possibly have already started a family by now.  My BMI was in the 50's as well.  A year later I am 256 and I feel great.  I do not feel deprived.  I am not nor have I ever felt like I was starving.  The only foods that I have had off limits is white bread and white pasta.  I have just within the last month started inccoporating whole grain breads and pasta in my diet (but the servings are still half what a normal person would eat).

I do not have to drink shakes everyday.  For the most part I can get most of my protein through foods alone.  I add the drinks just to give me closer to 100g of protein a day on the days that I am working out at the gym.  Don't get me wrong, there are days where I feel like I could eat everything in the fridge and then top it off with the fridge itself.  LOL.

Oh yeah dumping is not normal and does not happen to everyone.  It occurs when u eat too much fat, too many carbs, and too much sugar.  I have found that I have only dumped on 2 occasions since surgery and both times were with ice cream and when I ate x2 greek yogurts back to back.

I too walked into my surgeon's office with lap band on my mind.  I had not considered the RNY until after talking with my surgeon.  My main reason for not wanting to the RNY is because of the vitamin B12 injections that my aunt has to take forever due to having her RNY close to 30 years ago.  When I mentioned this to the surgeon he explained that they use to bypass 2/3's of the small intestines.  Now they onloy bypass 1/3.  My main reason for switching from band to bypass was because of the total weight that I needed to lose.  There was more of a consistency of weight loss with the bypass vs the band.  It seemed that the band results were all over the place.  Where as the bypass weight loss was a little more consistent.  I was 360 pounds walking in that office and I needed to get down to atleast 180.  I also do not have to worry about going in fills, which was another draw back for me. 

Having the RNY was one of the best things that I have done for myself.  I have lost a little over 100 pounds...  it may be slow, but thats ok.  Slow is okay with me because I have felt great.  I have not felt sick at all, with the exception of in the beginning when I had to figure out how much I could eat.  My labs have been ok.  I take a sublingual B12 everyday and that is keeping my B12 levels within normal range.  So no shots needed.  YEAH. 

This is a personal choice, but know that it is your choice and it is your right to know about each surgeries so you can decide which is best for you. 

Do we have to make changes in our diets? Yes, whether you have banding or RNY.   If you do not follow the rules, the band will slip or the new pouch will stretch.  Question is do you want quicker weight loss? or slower weight loss?  I doubt that I would have gotten off this much weight had I decided to have the banding.  I am glad that I had the malabsorption with the restriction.  It is what I needed.  Don't think I would have had the discipline at the beginning that I would have needed with the banding.  After a year out, I feel that I have more discipline and am making better choices. 

By now you are into your prep for surgery.  Hang in there.  The recovery is different for each of us.  My surgeon had me drinking sugar free carnation instant breakfast with a teaspoon or so of added protein powder both before and after surgery.  I would make up 5 packets of instant breakfast with 5 cups of milk and a scoop of protein powder, mix well and shake before pouring the next serving.  I can't bring myself to have the instant breakfast anymore, 6 weeks of steady diet of it ughhhh.  It work for what was needed, but i am past that now.

Each surgeon is different on the diet they prescribe before and after surgery.  Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers this week as you have your surgery and start the recovery process.

I found things pretty easy after surgery, took my liquid pain meds when I needed and walked frequently.  I was down to liquid tylenol by a couple of weeks out from surgery.  Take it one day at a time, do not over push yourself.  Sip, sip, sip, walk and nap.

Hi,  I just found your group today.  So happy to be here.  Here's a little bit about me.  I have been VERY anti-wls for years.  I have also been with an eating disorders thereapist for 2 years who is also VERY anti-wls.  Only 2 weeks ago my doctor mentioned the idea of wls.  I nearly bit his head off.  He patiently asked me to just go to the seminar so I have a complete understanding of all my options.  He handed me the surgeon's card.  I promised that I would go.  That seminar is scheduled for Feb 8.

Being the impatient person I am, I found another seminar only a few days later and attended that one instead.  Before I got there I had been googling and reading stories about people who have had it done.  I was intrigued.  Surprisingly, I went to the seminar with a completely open mind.  I took away the severity of my 53% BMI.  I remained intrigued and still unsure if it was for me.

I kept reading stories of people just like me.  They've tried everything.  They had the same fears about wls that I do now, but it worked.  It saved their lives.  They were just like me.  I even saw a Dr. Oz show on the subject.  I've found videos and websites that are incrediblely supportive.

Anyway, being not too crazy about the surgeon I had met that night, I asked around and found someone who may be a better fit for me.  He is the head of bariatric surger at a very well respected hospital in the area.  I have my intro consultation scheduled for this Tuesday.  I am so looking forward to understanding my options and what post-op life is like.

Glad to be here.

Chris

 I am so glad that I have found this website and all of the positive information on it.  I too am set to have my RNY on 1/30/12 (two days from today eekk)  I am scared, but reading all of the positives really help me.