bmi over 50 & lapband ?

hello I have a hi BMI...and Im considering the lapband. Any success stories with the band. Im still on the fence about whether to go with band or the rny ?????? Im almost done my pre-ops..and I guess I need to make my mind up asap. Thanks. Lala aka Plum

I decided against the LAP band for two reasons: 1) some people learn to eat around it/don't get their fills and regain their weight and 2) it doesn't have the malabsorbtion component you get with RNY -- so you lose a smaller percentage of excess weight. A lot of insurance companies won't pay for it (not an issue for me). If I'd gone into surgery weighing between 250 - 300 pounds, I might have considered the LAP band. But I had such a huge amount of weight to take off that I wanted the malabsorption. I also didn't want to be tempted to eat around the band, etc. I was lucky -- as it turns out, nothing makes me dump (so far). I need every restriction I can get. Has your surgeon made a recommendation? I'd definitely ask him or her.

I had the band on Oct. 7, 2005 and have lost about 30 pounds after being banded. I've had two fills and have some restriction but haven't been adequately restricted (I was told if I could eat a whole sandwich, I wasn't filled enough and I can still eat a sandwich -- depending on the bread). My original BMI was 64.7 and it is now 59.6. I figure you can compare my results to Sandra's. She has lost significantly more weight. I guess at times I question why I went with the band and not a "quicker" surgery. I think, for me, if I were to lose surgery "too fast" my body wouldn't have time to adjust and I wouldn't change my eating habits as drastically as I have (gee, if I could have a candy bar and still lose weight, why not have the candy bar... now I know that eating the candy bar still can and does cause me to gain weight so if I have one, it is a choice I'm making that will directly affect my results). I can't say if it is the best choice, it was the choice I made for myself. I also went with the band first knowing that, if necessary, I can have a more radical WLS in the future if needed. Also, I would like to get pregnant and the band is the preferred surgery for that (no malabsorption issues). My surgeon also said that his clinic preferred to do banding on larger patients because we already have more serious risk factors. Lori

My BMI is just over 50 (hovers between 50 and 52). The reason I've decided to go with the RNY is because I did the math that if I lost the average % of excess weight that most LapBand patients lose I'd only be a few pounds away from a BMI of 40 again. So my thought was why go through the surgery if I am that close to "morbidly obese" again. Granted I'd be weighing considerably less than I do now which would be great, I'd rather be able to get a little further away from the 40 BMI if I can. Besides, I know I would find a way to "eat around" the band...that's much harder to do with rny and you usually pay for it if you do figure it out. I need that extra incentive to not even try.

Lala, Due to health problems, I needed to lose more weight quicker then the lap band would allow. I'm so glad I went this way, because even with the RNY I have lost 134 lbs in 9 months which is slower than a lot of people. There are lap banders in my support group and they are very unhappy with their much slower weight loss. I don't know. I think it depends on your health. Lori 384/250.5/168

I agree each person it is different. I am pre-surgery and have decided to go with the lapband. I know there are people out there who are not satisfied with the band. The band will not do all the work for you. It restricts the amount of food you can eat. You have to be the one to get the fills so you can have proper restriction to lose your weight. I know lapbanders who have lost over 300 lbs. It may take 2 - 3 years to get there but it can be done. And the good thing is there is no window of opportunity. With RNY you have 18-24 months to lose your weight. With the lapband you can continue losing for as long as you like. Also with the band you have to make healthy food choices. You should be able to eat 1/2 to 1 cup of food at a meal (that is when you are properly restricted). I have known people who have had Rny and did fine but I know more that have and gained almost all their weight back 3-5 years down the road. It has to be your choice. The studies that are out there now are much more supportive of the lapband. And insurance companies are now approving the band. Some even say it will be the gold standard before all is said and done. I like knowing that it can always be adjusted and I will never have to worry about being hungry as long as I keep it adjusted. For me I want to lose slower to give my skin chances along the way to catch-up. And people will just think you are on a diet because it is gradual.