Hi

My name is Jane and I have booked with Dr Kyriakides in Cyprus, although I believe he also works at Birmingham & Harley Street in the UK. I am booked in for a band 26th May 2007.

I have read and research and I think I am now confusing myself. Basically I am now not sure if the band is the right one for me. I keep nudging back towards a RNY. Although I don't want surgery to be this drastic... but on the other hand it comes off and stays off...doesn't it?

Can you help?:help:

In your opinions what are the pros and cons of a band vs RNY.

Thanks in Advance

Jane

Jane, this a a frequently asked question, you are *not* alone. Here's some links to other threads about this subject, I hope they help. The software here recently was upgraded, so the links within these threads no longer work properly, just to let you know.

My basic reasoning is that the newest research shows that three to five years out (depends on whose study you read) the weight loss is the same for Band and Bypass patients. That tells me two things: One, since bandsters are "supposed" to lose slower, they are still slowly losing, and bypass patients who are supposed to lose the majority of their excess weight in 18 months are then gaining. Two, if my weight will be the same in three to five years (as long as I follow the program), then why on earth would I want to have almost two feet of my intestine cut out and force my body into malabsorption and malnutrition? I didn't gain this weight overnight, it would probably be really bad for my body to try to lose it overnight.

The Band is not like bypass in that you have to *work* to make the band work for you. It is ONLY a tool, it does not malnourish you and cause you to lose weight like RNY, it *helps* you by helping to control how much food you eat at a time. You have to make good choices about what you put in your mouth. You can still eat through it. If you eat chips and ice cream, you'll not lose weight. But you can eat through the bypass, too. And eventually your smart body figures out it's been altered and it will adapt itself to those conditions and you can and likely will regain at least some of the weight with RNY. And then what do you do, you've already had part of your intestine cut out. What lots of RNY'ers do: have the band placed!

Good luck, it is a very personal decision. We're here if you need anything or want to ask questions:

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=32584

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=32616

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=32079

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=30997

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=28690

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=23760

Thank you for those links and the info...I have had a quick look but will read them at more length tomorrow....b ut I think from the little i did read that I have made the right choice...Thank you:)