Question:
Can anyone help me in choosing between gastric banding and other procedure?

The one surgeon I have consulted is committed to gastric stapling with jejunostomy. Choosing a surgeon seems equivalent to choosing a procedure in advance of the consultation. How can I locate a surgeon to consult who has personal experience with gastric banding as well as more traditional alternatives? Can anyone help me from their own research or experience on the subject of gastric banding?    — Kerrin Leon W. (posted on July 15, 2001)

July 15, 2001
What do YOU want? After reading all the info on this site I chose the RNY. Why? I was addicted to sweets/carbs & from what I read, the RNY would make one sick if I ate too much sugar or fat ... just what I wanted since I had no control myself. I was getting fatter by the minute. Dr. Ferrari (NeWeigh Clinic in Houston) also said that would be best for me. I no longer have GERD or snore/sleep apnea. I am 6 mos. post op and have lost 75 lbs. Good luck on your decision!
   — Betty Todd

July 15, 2001
I researched all three main surgeries, RNY, Gastric Banding and D/s. All three have pros and cons of course. I like the idea of the gastric banding because absorption is normal (no vitamin or calcium or b12 problems) and the intestines are left alone. I figure the more internal stuff left alone the less problems in the long run. I liked the d/s because the weight loss rate is higher, faster, and I would get to eat more food, including sweets. The rny is good because it's a compromise between the two.. which I will get to in just a second. The cons for the gastric banding were, for me, there is only a 50 percent success rate in the us, with a 60 percent rate in europe, and higher regain potential. (for reference see www.oregoncenter.com/article1.html ) I felt with no malabsorption, and no dumping potenetial, it would be to easy to *trick* the surgery. In other words, I'd be sucking down milkshakes all day and get in way to many calories despite the tummy restrictions. Yes, losing weight with the gastric banding will occur, especially at first, from the volume of food reduction, but I don't feel this is a good surgery for either a sweet/fat oholic (like me) or a compulsive overeater (like me) too easy to get in the high calorie empty nutrition food. Since you didn't ask about the d/s I won't go into why I didn't choose it. The rny has a proven higher success rate of loss (75 to 80 percent of excess weight, though I've certainly seen higher with people who come here) and less chance of regain. With the fear of dumping I would be eating more nutritious foods and leaving the milkshakes alone. I am not in any way doing the my surgery is better than yours chant (I'm preop and waiting for a date anyway) I'm only giving you my reasons for choosing rny. Whichever you choose, it will only work as good as you are willing to work it. All have advantages and disadvantages, it really boils down to what you are most comfortable with. And research! Don't believe my opinion or anyone else's as the ultimate last word lol! use a search engine and put in weight loss surgery and go to the sites and read for yourself what people say, what the sucess rate is etc:) good luck!
   — Becky K.

July 16, 2001
I would suggest going to the free Orientations held by the surgeons in your area. I learned alot from listening to them. Each of the surgeon's explained his reasons for the surgery he preferred and answered questions from the audience. I thought it gave me a good comparison of the surgeries and the methods (lap vs. open). Actually, with my insurance, it all turned out to be unneccesary, as they only contract with one surgeon for wls and he does the open rny. Lucky for me, he was one of the ones I had heard speak and was my first choice!
   — Anne G.

February 19, 2003
I had the lap band done 11-01. As a RN I felt that this was good for me. I had lost 80 punds and I can tell you the first 5 months were a breeze. Well things started going wrong. I threw up so many times (a few times as much as 50 in one day) but at least 5 times with anything that was not liquid. I was hospitalized in ER and spent overnight in the hospital, last month. They tested me for everything. (bowel obstruction, hearniation, ect.) Thanks God it was discoved that I had too much restriction (again). I have had 10 adjustments since surgery. This doctor in Portland, Oregon could not get the adjustment correct for me, or my body just started turning against the band. Who knows. I am being converted to a DS (vrs. RNY) due to the problems with the band. I am angry that I am having to go thru 2 procedures in 16 months. Please really think hard about your decision. I have gained 30 pounds back. And I am still throwing up. I am getting that band out in a few weeks. The band is not for eveybody. And the studies are saying that more and more people are having to be re-converted to another surgery. I read on Google last night 25% of gastric banded patients are having them removed in the United states. And it has only been approved for about 2 years. Good luck with your decision.
   — Stephanie D.

February 19, 2003
I was absolutely sure I was going to get the LapBand (not traditional gastroplasty or stapling, but the same concept) when I started this journey. In fact, I was almost against the RNY and DS because of the malabsorptive qualities. However, after 4 consults with my surgeon and further research, I have decided to go with RNY. <br> My insurance would have approved the Band for me if I could get my surgeon to say it was medically superior for my situation than any other method of WLS. However, NO SURGEON would say that the Band was better. That put a red flag up for me. Even though I knew all the risks and the studies, I kept thinking that I would "beat the stats" and be the one who DID lose all the weight. But I had to face reality...wake up and really look at my problems with food. I am a sweets and fat eater. I know I would have found a way to sabotage or "trick" the band to eat the yummy stuff. I have recently come to realize that my situation is drastic and I need a permanent, proven method to lose this weight. Gastric banding will not do it for me. <br> I have a friend who is going to get the Band and I support him wholly. I hope his works.
   — toolio