Just curious what led you all to choosing the band? I know we are all unique individuals, so I am just curious to hear why all of you chose the band over GB.

Thanks for your replies:)

Less complications, faster recovery was my reason. I have 2 nieces with the RNY and I didn't want to deal with what they have to.

I didn't want my plumbing re-routed. Fewer complications, less down time and a slower weight loss. I didn't want the weight to come off so fast that my skin couldn't keep up with the weight loss - which meant plastic surgery to remove excess skin.

Because it's reversible if there are complications. I also didn't like the idea of parts of my body being re-routed. And, I liked that it can be tightened if I start gaining again in a few years. Where, the RNY patients I know gain weight back and have no recourse. It's a one time shot with them, and not so much w/the band.

I was actually looking into the bypass when I read about the band. I feel its just so much healthier, theres no malabsorbion and the long term results are much better. I know we (I) may not lose as fast as the gastric bypass but I was more concerned about the health issues. Once they cut that part of your intestine away you never get it back.

I chose the band because I didn't want the invasive surgery. My recover was very easy. I also like the fact that it can be adjusted.

<p>DITTO to what they all said!!</p>

I was scared to have RNY done.. then found the band.. lap-banding pregnancies are safer.. and I want to have kids eventually.. I like that the band can be reversed if something goes wrong...and long term I like that I can always have it adjusted to help me when I need it.

My mother in law had the bypass done shortly after I met my husband. I saw with my own eyes how she replaced her food addition with alochol. She was about 180 and now almost 90pounds last we heard. She was sober for 5years until she had it done. Plus I was scared to death to have the bypass done. Too many complications.

Same as everyone else above.

Hi there,

I actually got offered the GB even with my low BMI because of some of my eating habits - I am a terrible g razer and with 6 kids from 18 to 4 there is always food on the go! The huge weightloss from the very first day had me very very tempted!

The reason that I didnt was because of the side effects that cannot be predicted with the GB.

Dumping - some people can dump on 20g of sugar a day!! they cannot tell what your bodies reaction will be to the surgery and there is hidden sugars in evrything really, if you look up what dumping involves.......

Fat intolerence - again the dietician said that she has some patients that cannot tolerate a scrape of butter or a single crisp, they are welded to the loo for hours.

Then I looked at my lifestyle, not my food problems just my lifestyle, I have a huge family, my christmas dinners are legend, how would I feel if on Christmas day I couldnt eat the gravy because it was made with the meat juices/fat, I coudnt eat the roasties because they were cooked in the meat juces/fat, I couldnt eat the sausage meat etc etc etc

I am not saying that I want to be able to eat like that every day - I dont , but to NEVER be able to do that again.......

The band represented a way to control my portion sizes but still be able, every now and again on special occasions, to eat what everyone else is eating - just not as much!!

Think about the foods that you would have to cut out with a GB and realise that actually you would be condeming yourslef to the most restricted diet ever FOREVER...... not my idea of a fun healthy lifestyle!

Thats why I chose the band!

Nina xxx

Everything everyone else said. I think the surgery for the band is much safer also. Donna

i wanted something that quick and easy, what can i say? im american, i am used to instant gratification.... it was quick and most of the time easy. i have no regrets.

What everyone else said and the fact I have chronic anemia and need to be able to absorb the iron I already take daily.

My doctor thought that I was too young (bless him!!) to have the bypass surgery and I agreed that the slower weight loss and learning to change my own eating habits was the best option for me.

For me:

1) 2 days of PTO from work (thursday surgery) Work the following Monday (desk job)

2) All my innards are still intact

3) Lifetime of mandatory bariatric vitimans..... uhhhh no :eek:

4) MAINTENANCE.... when I get down to a comfy weight and start to become complacent (like I ALWAYS do) and I start eating too much I will RUN to my doc for a fill.

5) I have two RL friends who had the RNY... one is 5 years out one is 3...... Friend 1, massive regain due to her never dumping and stretching out her pouch.... she also restarted smoking and didn't keep up with her vitimins.... she went into a depression. Friend 2 looks great but is currently fighting a 20 lb regain because the honeymoon phase is over.... (see, I have learned from them that after 12-18months you can eat increasingly more and although the nutrients NEVER stick, the fat does making it easy to regain....) although you have to continue with the supplements.......

The way I describe the band to people is that I have a FUNNEL on my stomach... the entire organ is still there but getting food from the top portion to the bottom portion takes time and because of this keeps me full longer, yet I retain all the nutrients from what I do eat.