Gastric banding is:

• The least invasive bariatric surgery option
  
• The least expensive surgical option
  
• The most widely avaiable surgical option
  
• The most widely marketed surgical option
  

But is gastric banding the most effective surgical option?

http://www.webmd.com/diet/weight-loss-surgery/news/20120115/weight-loss-is-bypass-better-than-banding

Hi DLC.. from what I learned from my WLS doctors is that with the RNY surgery you can loose up to 80% of your + weight, but with the sleeve surgery you can loose up to 60-70% of your + plus weight. When making the choice of my surgery I had the option of labband, sleeve or RNY. I choose the RNY because you loose more weight with that surgery. I wanted the best bang for my buck... insurance paid but I figured if I was going to go thru with this I wanted a higher percentage of weight loss.

I couldn't agree more and the additional weight loss with RNY was one of my reasons for choosing it as well. RNY and sleeve are both excellent choices. Gastric bands are marketed heavily but statistically, the other two are better options.

I agree as well. Just in my personal experience with friends this is what I've seen...

Lap band 3/4 did not lose any significant weight. Only 1/4 did and is still overweight but much better.

Rny 7/8 lost significant weight and are a healthy weight.

1/8 was not compliant and gained weight back.

Sleeve only one friend did that but lost weight to a healthy level.

I started out with wanting the lap band but changed my mind May 31st because my surgeon was talking to me about it. Where I'm having my surgery, they haven't put a new band in in about 2 years. They have taken out almost the same amount of bands as they had put in. Plus other information that they told me.

There are four surgeons in the surgery group that my surgeon is in. All four no longer perform lap bands. Less effective and just too many complications.

My doc gave me the choice since my insurance pays for all 3, but he told me he really recommends rny for me because he believes I will be happier with the results. Honestly, we all want to be skinny and svelte, but I am ready to be healthier more than anything. So, if rny is going to do it, that's the choice for me.

I've talked to so many friends that have had lap band and most have said if they could do it over again, they would choose rny.

I suppose it's your reasons for having the surgery in the first place, both will make you loose the weight but with the bypass the weight loss is more the procedure gets rid of diabetes which is a plus.

I choose the lap band and was scheduled for 5/25/12 I was actually on the operating table. My doctor noticed a large hiatial hernia so he repaired that instead. Now he will only give me RNY because lapband may cause future complications. I'm a little nervous but I want this.