Question:
bmi 46- RNY or lapband only what my insurance covers?

malnutrition scares me but the lapband is not for people who want to lose large amounts of weight....just want to know what other people think..very confused    — bethicker (posted on October 19, 2011)

October 19, 2011
From my experience with both---Don't waste your time and money on the lapband. Go for the gold standard gastric bypass!!!
   — ksp1155

October 19, 2011
When I began this process I was going to have the lap-band. The closer you bmi is to 50, the harder journey you're going to have with either journey. If you have a difficult time losing weight prior to surgery, bypass is probably better. In terms of the weight loss, you'll only lose a maximum of 45% of your excess body weight with the lap-band but 60-80% of your excess body weight with the bypass. This is in terms of most people, sometimes you have a few people with the bypass who lose 100% of their body weight with the bypass (I don't think its as likely with the lap-band; I haven't heard of anyone). So if, for example, you weighed 300lbs and should weigh 150 for your weight, the bypass allows you the possibility of weighing 180-210lbs and with the lap-band 232.5, at the maximum. You really need to consider how much you want/need to lose and how you want this process to work. If you need more restraint in order to do this (like I did) maybe you should lean toward the bypass but if you have the discipline, lean towards the lap-band. That's my opinion.
   — vparkman1990

October 19, 2011
You will not suffer from malnutrition, I had GBP and would do it again in a heartbeat. I have NO complications, I can eat anything so I have to be careful and eat like I was instructed and I do...down from size 24 to a 6 in 18 months.
   — tfqh99

October 20, 2011
Don't let malnutrition scare you, right now your BMI of 46 is a bigger danger than malnutrition would be. I am 14 months out from RNY GB and have lost 123 lbs. I would do it again in a heartbeat. Yes, you will need to take some supplements post op, but they are chewy and yummy, not a big deal at all. I've seen too many people go with the lapband only to lose a very small amt of weight and end up having to get it removed and have the RNY GB done. Best of luck to you!
   — Clumsybarbie

October 20, 2011
Two things turned me away from the lapband... one, I admitted I had a sugar/carb addiction which the LB would not address at all since it's a stricture only procedure... and two, the surgeon reminded me that they can only fill the LB with as much as it will hold and if that stricture is not enough then it's totally up to us just like it has been in the past. So, I bit the bullet and went with the RNY. There is mal-ABSORPTION with the by pass, which is counteracted by religiously taking in adequate protein (mostly through powders which come in a zillion shapes and sizes), multi-vitamins, B-12, and Calcium which is a big one. There are other trace minerals and vitamins that are important with that surgery but those I just listed are what you have to have to get started. The surgery was really cake and I'm so happy to have lost 94% of my excess weight in 9 months. I was a lightweight, with only 110 lbs. to lose, but the lapband would not have been a good choice for me... the RNY gave me back my health and my life and I'm lovin' it! Since the lapband and bypass were all my insurance covered too, it was a no-brainer. Go for it! :-)
   — Ruthie D.

October 20, 2011
I had the rny and have not regretted it. I've learned to change my lifestyle to accomadate my weight loss(I've lost 190 lbs), went from 58 bmi to 25. From 5 XL and 30-32 to a size s-m and 6/8. It's cured me off all my physical problems like bp. I don't want to bash any other wls surgeries, but if you check out surgical forms for lab band revisions, that might give you an idea. Also, it you go to the main forum and ask the same questions, that will give you another aspect to the questions you ask.
   — Kathleen W.