Question:
ANY ONE HAD SUCCESS WITH LAP BAND?

I AM CONSIDERING 2 PROCEDURES. LAP BAND OR VGB? ANY HELP WILL BE APPRECIATED!!    — maria H. (posted on June 6, 2002)

June 6, 2002
I've heard that those don't work as well as the RNY. Plus, people sometimes throw up continuously, still have GERD, can still eat sweets. With the RNY you completely get rid of GERD, if you're a sweet-o-holic you'll get the extra "guard" because you will get ill if you eat sweets ... I am SOOOO glad I have that! I have lost 115 lbs. in 16 mos. I'd really think twice about getting either one of those and go with the Rouen-Y procedure.
   — Betty Todd

June 6, 2002
If you don't mind vomiting and you can control your intake of sweets either surgery is good. If you love sweets and don't much like special food diets and restrictions get DS surgery. I can have my cake and eat it to! Kathi
   — Kathi S.

June 7, 2002
Check the following profiles: Caddy Williams, Joanna K., Wendy, Kathy R., Bob Haller, Meryl van der Linden, Debie Boyd, Angela Gargus, Monica from SO Cal. I too am hoping to have the lap band. I find that there are alot of people on this site that are not very supportive of lap-band. Good luck.
   — blank first name B.

June 7, 2002
I am also planning on getting the lap band. I have found several very helpful people on this site, but most of the postings I read are very negitive. Shouldn't everyone be supportive of each others choices? Anyway, you can also get answers from people in Yahoo groups. Just search for Bandsters. Good luck to you!
   — Genn2973

June 8, 2002
I too was a sweet-a-holic and was worried that the lap-band wouldn't work for me. I got the band 10 weeks ago and have lost 70% of my excess weight. A number a factors have really helped: #1 As you lose weight so quickly, your self- esteem rises dramatically. This seems to help with emotional eating. #2 Even when you feel you MUST HAVE a cookie or whatever, you are full and satisfied after 2 instead of twenty. #3 If some time in the future (2 months, 2 years, 20 years) you started to find a way to fool the surgery you can get a "fill" in the band. Believe me, a fill dramatically changes how much food you can eat in a sitting and how long you feel full and satisfied after each meal. I lost 15 lbs the week after my first fill! Other important facts about the band are: it is MUCH less surgery than the traditional gastric surgery, there is no lifelong malabsorption, it can be loosened in case of serious illness or pregnancy, it can be tightened if a person gains their weight back in the future, only one night in the hospital and back to work in one week or less. Obviously I am sold on the band. Do you research and you will find the right surgery for you. Good luck.
   — Caddy W.

June 8, 2002
ok, I wish I knew what gurd is,,know that I never had it, ,but not going there,,,I had the adj. lap band done in march, and have lost 25 pounds. I have personally never thrown up,,but do know that others do. There is always a hot debate about the two surgerys, and if i would have had my chose, I would have had the bypass, because "normally" you lose weight faster, and "normally" it stops you from eating too much fat or sugars, but is not "always" the case.I was denied twice by my insurence, so I went down to Mexico and had my band placement, and it cost me about 6000.00, which thank goodness we could afford.Had I been approved, I would ahve had the bypass, becaue generally its more of a sure thing. Because the r-n-y makes you lose so much nutrition, you are likely to lose some hair, not "always" but it is common. With the bypass you "tend" to have more problems with lose skin, because you lose so much weight so fast, that it doesnt conform as easily, to the new shape of your body as with the band. With the bypass, you are commited to that shape of a stomach for always, wether you get cancer or become pregnant, with the band it can be adjusted, although I cant imagine anyone really wanting it to be, other then smaller. (Just a piece of info, not really a statement for or against it) I dont understand the comment about the certain foods thing either, I can eat anything, with my band, As long as you chew your food, you may eat it. Soda will hurt, because it is bubbly, but I would imagine that for both surgerys,,,not sure,,with the bypass there is a thing called dumping, that means if you eat too much sugar or fat, you get very uncomfortable, feel sick, some people get the shakes, and have to use the restroom quickly, this will not happen with the band, but the food that you consume with the band will be absorbed into your body, unlike all of the food of the bypass. But I can tell you what I know for sure, with either surgery, it is that this is only a tool, the band will stop you from eating out your cuboard, and so will the bypass. The band will stop you from eating as you did before, and so will the bypass, but you can get around either one. Either one of us can graze, all day, and consume the calories, the bypass patient will dump some of it,and wont sustain as many calories, as the bandster, but if its done long enough, it will make a difference to both,,,,hope I was of help, Gods blessings to you,,,and dont worry about what your choice is, there are groups who will support either decision, amy
   — amy T.