Well today I went to the seminar to the two Dr. I had decided on.

I will have to say I came away thinking I will probably not have the lap band.

I'm not sure that I want to commit to the on-going dr visit for life. (3 hrs away) Also, the physicians in my opinion are more for the bypass surgery instead. The Dr who performs the lap band said in the past the lap band was not good in the US and basically most Dr's stop doing it. It was only when the Austrialian Dr's came up with a different way and started training American Dr's did it improve. Only problem he said it is only 13 years out and no,one knows the long term affects.

Soooooooooo after hearing both sides (lap vs. gastric) I decided I am undecided and will not do anything at this time. I realize that my ins may decide not to cover the surgery in the future but I will just have to take my chances.

Also, I found it interesting that if something went wrong with the lap band and it was removed, I would gain the weight back no matter what.

I asked the Dr how that was possible since over time the stomach would shrink and therefore would adjust but he said that is not the way it works.

Anyways, thanks for listening and now I am back to where I was. I really thought I would be doing this. Disappointed.

The previous band that doctors no longer do is the non adjustable gastric band. It is also called verticle banded gastroplasty. There are down sides to the RNY also. Make sure to do all the research for yourself, don't just rely on the seminar. There are a ton of doctors that are pro RNY, they have less work to do, no adjustments, and there is no band to pay for, but the surgery cost the same. You do the math. ~Mandy

Hi,

Keep researching on your own. Maybe even find a different doc. As for the ongoing visits, I am five hours from my doc's office. At first, there were lots of trips following my surgery. However, now I only go about every 3 months. It has not been bad at all. It was for a good reason! I really like my band and am convinced that I would have been a bypass person who lost the weight quickly and gained it back! THe band has given me time to work on my HEAD and it has kept me losing or at least not gaining while I figure it all out. ALSO, it's interesting your doc said that about the band...my surgeon is moving to almost all lapbands instead of bypasses...and that is the trend in insurance, too.

Just more to think about! Good luck!

Rose

You could gain the weight back WITH a lapband if you really wanted to. YOu can also gain the weight back (and its more common) with a bypass. At some point in time you do have to take responsibility for your actions and realise that you have to commit to a healthier lifestyle to make this work. You wont gain the weight back no matter what but statistics do support the fact that most people over time will become fatter again. But that IS within your power to control.

Its not wrong, or uncommon to look at the band like its going to "fix" everything, but it just doesnt work that way and if you truly think you cannot find within you the strength to take the bull by the horns and work with this tool, then perhaps it is not the surgery for you and you're right to think about it carefully and even decide against it if that's what your heart and your head tell you to do.

People are obese for all sorts of different reasons and not all of those reasons are well addressed by a lapband. People's expectations of what it will do for them also affect whether they think its a success or failure. To some people, nothing short of looking like a supermodel is success, to others, just to regain their health is more important. That's all down to what you want for yourself.

Committing to doctors' visits? Surely that's a given with any weight loss surgery, not just the lapband.

I think you're right to give this lots and lots of thought, its not a small decision and really and truly, it does take a lot of work for the band to be successful and if you're not ready for that, its better to wait until you are.

Sorry to hear of your Disillusionment but perhaps that is a good thing...your eyes have now been opened so that you can realistically see the pros and cons and that lapband is not an easy/quick fix...For me it was a life saver and I don't regret it for a moment...best wishes on your decision making.

:xena_banana: Becky

You may want to find another dr to talk to. The last time I saw my dr he had just come back from a bariatric simanar where other dr's were discussing the possibility of RNY patients that have regaind their weight could get a lap band over the RNY. Continue your research. Find the way thats right for you.

Sorry to hear of your Disillusionment

I'm not trying to stir anything up but-------- I'm really not sure where you picked up the Disillusion from except the fact I didn't know you would gain ALL weight back if the band was removed. I went to the seminar to learn because I'm not a Dr and I don't have the expertise about the surgery.

Also, I'm not looking for a quick fix---- never worked before-- I sure don't expect it now.

What I was looking for was something to help my sugar levels. (diabetic)

The Dr. explained while it will be great for my diabetes to lose the weight, I would still be doing the math as far as carbs etc. With the bypass, the diabetes goes away 90% of the time. The Dr. mentioned when the patient leave the hospital they are no longer on insulin which is wonderful.

Thanks for the imput.

Most people also come off insulin after banding. I know that there are several members here that have and feel great. I would start a new post about diabetes and get some feedback from the bandsters here. ~Mandy

I'm not trying to stir anything up but-------- I'm really not sure where you picked up the Disillusion from except the fact I didn't know you would gain ALL weight back if the band was removed. I went to the seminar to learn because I'm not a Dr and I don't have the expertise about the surgery.

Also, I'm not looking for a quick fix---- never worked before-- I sure don't expect it now.

What I was looking for was something to help my sugar levels. (diabetic)

The Dr. explained while it will be great for my diabetes to lose the weight, I would still be doing the math as far as carbs etc. With the bypass, the diabetes goes away 90% of the time. The Dr. mentioned when the patient leave the hospital they are no longer on insulin which is wonderful.

Thanks for the imput.

Speck, sorry I didnt mend to offend...wrong term...just was referring to the fact that you thought lapband was the right way to go, and you were excited about it but now you are unsure... and disappointed...thats what I meant by the term dissilussionment...I could have put it more tactfully...

:xena_banana: becky

My husband had the gastric bypass and now has to deal with all the issues of malabsorption of vitamins, etc. He has lost bone and muscle mass in spite of being careful to injest mega-amounts of vitamins. The lap band doesn't involve any of the troubles of malabsorption of the bypass type surgeries and that's why I had it (Nov 15,06) instead.

I must comment on the idea that is stated as : "Also, I found it interesting that if someone went wrong with the lap band and it was removed, I would gain the weight back no matter what."

I would consider another view. When I lose the weight and feel better I will make an effort to not follow the same path that ended in 400+ pounds. If I gain the weight back I will have enjoyed years of better health with my Lap-Band. Every day I feel better, my mental health is better, my family and friends are smiling more. What value does it all have? One day at a Time, One pound at a Time. Sometimes it is the little things that can make me feel like I am making progress. Wipe my Butt without Help, can you say progress.....

There is a member here that lost her band a year ago and has not gained any weight back. It is possible to lose a band and maintain the weight lost. ~Mandy

I'm not sure that I want to commit to the on-going dr visit for life. (3 hrs away).

You've gotten good advice already, and I totatally believe that no one should have any WLS surgery until they have researched it, and thought a lot about themselves and who they are.

I did have one comment on your comment above. That being that I was finding I was going to the Dr. more and more in the last few years, for problems related to carrying extra weight. And that would have just gotten worse I'm convinced.

Jack is RIGHT

Thanks for all the feedback, I appreciate it.

I decided I AM going to go to another seminar by two different Drs.(same practice) and see what happens. If I walk away thinking the same thing I will just stay put as is. If not, I will proceed forward.

Thanks again, Happy Holidays.

I highly recommend research as well as the seminars. I am slow, I actually read and researched for over 2 years before I ever made the WLS decision.

I looked extensively into all the different alternatives. There are laundry lists of pros and cons with DS, RNY, and lap-band.

Doctors will always have their preferences and that will always be what their "pitch" will focus on.

My preference turned out to be for lap-band, although I seriously considered bypass, I decided against it and glad I went for lapband.

Its just hard to to be fat for your whole life, struggle with weight and all the "issues" that accompany it and not want to view WLS as the

Miracle Cure. Its not. I am a nurse, I worked on a unit for 4 years that did 6-10 RNY's per week. (this was 2000-2004), I saw first hand the side effects of that, I would say about 70% of our pt's were back in the hospital within 3 months for one thing or another. Fast, fast wt loss at first, but many were gaining again within 3-5 years.

And while lap band has its share of side effects, I think the overall percentage of serious side effects is much less.

I am happy with my lapband. I think it was the right decision for me.