Hi there all,

I am just starting this journey. I am 95% sure I am going to have some kind of WLS, but not sure which way I am going to go. Lap band or RNY.

Why did ya'll go the way you went?

Right now, the only pro's I see for lapband is less a)surgery risk and b)reversiable if something terrible were to happen. Granted, still risky surgery, but less.

Anyone have any regrets and wish they went RNY?

1. No surgical changes to the structure of my organs.

2. Less time/easier adjustment for becoming pregnant after weightloss.

3. Relatively low risk/percentage of complications during/after surgery.

4. What I consider, "built in portion control" - without the malnutrition or malabsorption.

5. Relatively easy removal if something goes wrong, vs. nothing they can just take out.

I've been banded a little over two months now and I have no regrets at all. I feel normal and that's what I wanted. I don't want to lose 100 pounds in 3 months. I don't want to have digestion and nutirition issues. I don't want my insides re-routed. What I do want is to learn how to eat healthily and make better choices for my life. I want a healthy weight loss rate so I don't look like death warmed over in 6 months. I want to be in control of my life. I'm not looking for a miracle cure to obesity. I'm not looking for a quick but temporaty fix. I've had plenty of those throughout my life. I'm looking for help so I can finally get this head of mine straightened out. I may not have the band someday to rely on, so I'm going to use this time to make some drastic changes in my thinking and action. With the bypass, you are stuck with whatever happens - for life. And stats show that within 3 years both bandsters and bypassers lose the same amount of weight. Couple that with all the things outlined in other posts in this thread and for me, it was a no brainer.

A. Less invasive than other techniques.

B. Quicker recovery time.

C. Cost less.

D. More natural progressive weight loss than other WLS.

E. Available in my home town, where as other WLS I had to travel 60+ miles one way.

F. No internal organ cutting, rerouting or such.

G. No huge nasty scars. 3inch is better than some WLS scars!

H. LBT encouraged my decision with the before & after photos.

I. Safer for future pregnancies.

J. ADJUSTABLE!

K. I am sure there are a ton of more reasons why I choose this road, but my mind is blank now.

Best of luck with whatever choice you make. It is well worth the paperwork, hassle, testing, and weight :hat: !

Thanks,ya'll for your input. You're pretty much echoing what I already had in my mind. I guess I just wanted someone else to say it to?

1. Mortality rate is 1 in 2,000 as opposed to the bypass which is 1 in 200 (I've even read some estimates that are 1 in 100!)

2. LAP Band surgery is safer than laproscopic gall bladder removal, c-section, and many other "routine" surgeries.

3. Reversible

4. Adjustible

5. No cutting or internal organs or re-routing of intestinal system

6. Short recovery time with minimal surgical pain

7. Tiny scars

8. No dumping syndrome; still able to enjoy occasional Desserts

9. Most complications are highly treatable

10. LAP Band surgery is the gold standard in Europe, where gastric bypass is hardly ever done any more.

*More natural rate of weight loss which means less risk of sagging skin.

*No "window of opportunity"

*It's a less invasive surgery:

-lower rate of complications and death related to the surgery

-the complications are easier to manage

-quicker recovery time, possibly less painful

-no cutting and re-arranging of my anatomy

-no change of the natural digestive process

-no need for Vitamins and supplements for the rest of my life. I should be able to get all I need from food.

*It's adjustable

*It's reversable should I have complications or change my mind

*has a generous, but effective learning curve-healthy eating habits should be adopted from day 1

*has been labeled "the thinking person's WLS"

*no punitive "dumping syndrome"

*I can eat like a normal person, within the bandster rules which are not difficult to adopt and generally healthy advice.

*safety net effect: I may put my weight loss on hold if other health issues take a priority, without fear of gaining.

That's my 2 cents..........