rny or lap band pros and cons

Sorry...forgot to tell you about my eating habits.  Here is what I normally eat in a given day:
Breakfast-protein shake (I'm way to lazy to cook in the morning)
Snack-a cheese stick or protein bar
Lunch-3 oz of protein
Snack-protein shake or protein bar or cheese stick
Dinner-3 oz of protein

If we go out I normally just eat some of my husband's.  I still get hungry, but I try to make sure it is protein that I snack on.  Either a moz. cheese stick or protein bar.  Adkins has some great protein bars that are light and taste really good.

The biggest reason I did not have the lap band was that my surgeon showed me the weight loss statistics for both surgeries and said she honestly doubted that I would be able to lose the amount of weight that I needed to lose (185 pounds) with the lap band and would end up needing a revision to a RNY or DS anyway (which would mean a second surgery).  She does both surgeries (she actually did all three when I had my surgery but has since stoppped doing the DS), so she had no financial reason to push for either one.  Frankly, for people with more than 100 pounds to lose, the weight loss statistics for the lap band are abysmal.  Have you considered the sleeve?

Lora

My Dr doent offer the sleeve...I was just on web md and they are saying that after 5 years most by-pass patients start to gain their wieght back has anyone else had this experience? The statistics are amazing but I am afraid of regaining the weight

"They" may say that, but it isn't true, whoever "they" are

Generally people lose a certain amount, and then they regain a small percentage as part of the process of figuring out one's own stabilization point (where what they eat in calories and burn in calories balances out)

I know a lot of people who are beyond five years who are maintaining nicely. I'm only three years out of course, so I might be singing a different tune, but I'm still stable/losing right now, so it seems hard to imagine.

"Most" bypass patients do NOT regain their weight after 5 years.  I have no idea what "they" base that on.  ANYONE can have regain with ANY of the weight loss surgeries.  Think about it... all you have with the sleeve is restriction because of the size of the new stomach... the same as with the RNY pouch. Anyone who will gain weight 5 years after the bypass will ALSO gain the same amount of weight with the sleeve (or the lap band).  If you do not learn to change your unhealthy eating habits (eating for emotional comfort or because of stress, for example) and do not learn to eat a more healthy diet, you WILL regain with ANY of the surgeries.  None of them is magic.  YOU need to make a commitment to living a healthier life in order to be successful no matter which surgery you choose.

Lora

If you have 186 lbs to lose, you should really not consider the Lap Band as an option, seriously. The RNY or the DS should be the only surgeries you should consider.

I would NOT choose a lap band because approximately 50% need to be re-operated on

I would not do it because of the high maintenance and needing fills and unfills

I would not do it because the low success rate... I believe that if you keep 25% of your weight off for five years, they consider that a success, so in your case that would be 50 lbs lost

it was on www.mdweb.com I have read all those statistics also that is why I am leaning toward the rny, I am so scared of making the decision, and then down the road regretting it, but I know without wls I will not live another 10years

Complications happen. REGAIN happens. But significant regain of ALL weight..... that usually only happens if a person stops caring.

I had 200 lbs to lose when I began this process.... I have gone from a BMI of 60 to a BMI of 25.....

My perspective on regain is that - once at maintenance mode - if one follows a regular schedule of weighing (every week, or every month or wahtever) .....then it's impossible to gain 50 pounds if you notice that you've gained TEN and do something about it. Some people stop caring, stop weighing stop trying. If you don't weigh and just keep buying larger clothes, of course you'll regain some or all.... but MOST people maintain at least 50% by 5 years ...... and even 100 lbs off your frame is a huge acheivement, which is what I told myself.

You may never make it to your goal, you may only lose 70% of your excess, but the point of this surgery isn't to get to being like a model, it is to get better health, and our bodies have their own setpoint ....the weight they want to be regardless of what WE want them to be.

I read the first two or three respoonses only, so please forgive me if I'm repeating.

Having come from a band first, then a bypass... the band is way to easy to cheat with from the get go. I actually gained weight with the band. I started at 240, and went to 260. I did loose at times, but gained it right back. I had horrible reflux. Which often left me having my band emptied. Then I'd gain a ton of weight.

Since having the bypass, I'm doing well. Dealing with nausea, which might actually be a stricture. That's the thought at this moment. It's an easy fix.... won't go there.

If I knew what I know now, then...> i'd never have had the band.

teri

Hi!!  Just wanted to jump in and tell you about my experience with the lapband.  I had the surgery 5 years ago..........initially lost 30 lbs.....had fills, unfills, fills, unfills..........never did find that sweet spot.  If the band was to tight I couldn't get a lot down..........so I would eat softer things that would slide down.  To make a long story short the lapband wasn't for me.  I haven't had any problems mechanically with the band, no erosions, slippage or flipped port............just simply wasn't right for me.  But I wanted to try the least invasive surgery I could find and be comfortable with.  I also paid cash for that surgery because in 2006 my insurance co. wouldn't cover the lapband.

So now I am in the process of meeting with another surgeon to have the the bypass done this summer when school is out.  I'm a school teacher and any surgery would have to be when I have time off.  Just research as much as possible and do what is right for you.  I wish you the best!!  -Holly