Question:
Which procedure is most sucessful?

   — Mona K. (posted on August 12, 2000)

August 13, 2000
I agree 100% with Ray about the VGB. I can even add more to it, since I had one 8 years ago. Food gets stuck in the band, and you will eventually learn to self-induce vomiting to get some relief. I have chosen to have a revision to DS. I do not want to chew my food for an hour. I do not want to have the "dumping" syndrom associated with RNY. I do not want to have to spend the rest of my life wondering if I can eat one thing or another. Basically, I want to live as normal a life as possible, and after tons of research, I believe that the only way I can achieve that is with the DS.
   — Paula W.

August 13, 2000
Ray's right on w/ the stats on the different surgeries. I had to comment on the "chewing food for an hour." That's a new one. Be VERY wary of the propaganda you may get online. Do you own research and pick a WLS that you will be able to live with for the rest of your life. Since you're the only one that's going to have to live it. I'm 14 weeks post-op and it's NEVER taken me more than 20 minutes to finish a meal. Nor am I always the last person to finish eating at the table. Just an editorial comment, people are always talking about eating like a "normal" person. I think people have very different ideas on what that means. Since the majority of Americans are over-weight, my goal was to eat like a FIT person eats. Find someone that's fit and ask them what they eat and I guarantee that very few eat high fat, high sugar diets. Just doesn't happen. To me, eating like a "normal" person means eating like a fit person, i.e., habitually making nutritious food choices. It also means eating slowly enough so that your brain can register when your stomach is full. I used to eat a whole meal in 5-10 minutes. To me, that is not how "normal" people eat. I haven't felt this healthy in a long time and I never feel deprive. I now eat to live instead of living to eat. Bottom line, make the choice that YOU can live with and that you think will give you the most success. Good luck in whatever you decide!
   — Maxine E.