I'm having so many mixed feelings. I have a tenative date set for January. In early October, when I went in for my initial consultation with the surgeon, I felt like he was trying to change my mind from lapband to RNY. I have around 200 lbs to lose and he said that he didn't want me to get discouraged. That with RNY, the pounds "melt off" people. I told him that I wasn't interested in RNY, I don't care about the pounds melting off, I just want consistent weight loss for once in my life. On the other hand, the nurse that runs the program told me that after two years people that did RNY didn't lose any more weight than people that do the lap band. I guess the difference is only in the first year. She totally supported my decision.

His words keep ringing in my ears and I'm starting to wonder if I should just have the RNY. I know most people that get banded don't need to lose as much as me, but maybe if more of us bigger loosers chose the band instead of RNY, opinions would change. Just wanted some opinions.

I'm also worried that I'll still be ravenous after surgery. I read so many posts with people talking about still being so hungry. This makes me really concerned, I know at the beginning I probably won't have much of an appetite, and I understand that as time goes on the feeling of satisfaction won't be as strong, but I certainly want to notice a change over what I have now, or what's the point? Or, am I missing the point?

Thanks for listening, I'm just really confused right now which I suppose is normal.

Thanks.

After 18 months to 5 years your intestinal tissue will begin to regrow after bypass and you'll be able to absorb fat and calories once again. But, you'll never absorb nutrition normally again. Did the doc mention that? :eek:

There are tons of people here that have 200+ pounds to lose and they are doing quite well.

Yep, you probably will be hungry after surgery, regardless of which procedure you get you'll be on a post op diet. Doesn't matter if it is bypass or banding, you'll be hungry on the post op diet.

There are things you can do to make it MUCH better such as cutting out ALL white carbs as that will mess with your blood sugar and make you hungry. Bumping up Protein, those kinds of things.

But don't base surgery on which post op diet you'll be on because it will be about the same regardless of procedure.

After the post op diet you'll get restriction and hunger will be much less of an issue.

The thing about banding is that it is the kind of "hard" we fatties can do. While I am at goal I think I will always have the 'fat' mentality so I deal with it. But even today I doubt I could maintain my weight loss without my band. Banding is hard, no way around that. All the WLS are hard. But THIS is the kind of hard WE can do. Big difference between that and traditional diet and exercise.

I know a couple of people, one in particular, that had the bypass, and over years she has gained everything back, plus some. The lap band is something that can stay with you for life and that was the main reason I chose lap band. I have about 180 lbs to lose (maybe more?) and so far I've had very good results. Good luck with your WLS journey!

I Say Stick With Lapband...my Weight Is Not Coming Off Really Fast, But I Have Lost 62 Lbs In 7 Months And That Is Fine With Me...i Am Not In A Hurry..i Am Just Glad To See The Numbers On The Scale Going Down And Not Up....

Hi Butterfly, lapband is a slower process but from what I have read the threat of gaining your weight back is decreased by the decision to have lapband surgery. In fact, I have seen people go to lapband after RYN surgery because they have stretched out their stomachs. Just know that weight loss is a little slower. I lost 1-2 lb a week the first year. Its been a lot slower now for me. Chances are you will really lose well the first year. It may take you up to 3 years to lose all your weight though. You just have to be patient. Good luck to you. You will love the band.

I've soaked up info forever it seems talking, meetings, seminars, books, doctors, phone calls and met more surgical patients than I can remember. So far it seems pretty even with gaining back weight after bypass versus keeping it off with the band with complications neck and neck. My friend in radiology doesn't want me to have a bypass so he calls and reads me all these awful results from upper gi's and endos of all the complications he sees from both types of surgery. It's hard for him to understand that risks at our weigh are often worth it. If I burned as many calories running my mind over the decision as I could on a treadmill I wouldn't need either.

I felt like he was trying to change my mind from lapband to RNY. I have around 200 lbs to lose and he said that he didn't want me to get discouraged. IMO a good/responsible surgeon will encourage the choice they feel will give the candidate the most success, but will utlimately respect the wishes of the patient. There are compliance issues and other factors the surgeon could be looking at.

I had almost exactly 200 lbs to lose when I was banded. I have 40 or 50 left to go. Pre-op I was wearing a 30/32 and even that sometimes didn't fit. Now I'm in a 1x - 18/20. Search for "startng BMI over 50" or something like that. A while ago I started a thread for super-sized bandsters with starting BMIs 50+, and it is still going strong.

That with RNY, the pounds "melt off" people. I told him that I wasn't interested in RNY, I don't care about the pounds melting off, I just want consistent weight loss for once in my life. On the other hand, the nurse that runs the program told me that after two years people that did RNY didn't lose any more weight than people that do the lap band. I don't know what the current averages are, but I know that at roughly 18 months out, I've lost a greater percentage of my excess weight than my friends with RnY had at the same time. I also know that by this time, most of them had seen a gain of at least 20 lbs, and I've yet to gain anything other than Fluid pounds that come and go. This doesn't necessarily mean anything, it's just my experience.

His words keep ringing in my ears and I'm starting to wonder if I should just have the RNY. I know most people that get banded don't need to lose as much as me, but maybe if more of us bigger loosers chose the band instead of RNY, opinions would change. Just wanted some opinions. My opinion is that you should go with the procedure that you are most comfortable with. Research both (and other, if need be) options. If it helps, literally make a list of the pros and cons that you can find with each procedure, and then look at which list appeals to you the most. I am definitely nn advocate for the band, and for understanding how it works before you get it. That being said, there are some people and some circumstances for whom I believe the band is not the right choice.

I'm also worried that I'll still be ravenous after surgery. I read so many posts with people talking about still being so hungry. I have a thread currently going called something like "expectation vs. reality". Poke around and see if you can find it. I, too, assumed I would have a lot of hunger because everything I read from others reported this. SOOOO not the case. I rarely, and I mean RARELY, feel hungry. As in - a handful of times in the last 18 months.

This makes me really concerned, I know at the beginning I probably won't have much of an appetite, and I understand that as time goes on the feeling of satisfaction won't be as strong, I don't think this is necessarily going to happen. As your restriction loosens it takes more to feel satiated until you get another fill, but I know bandsters 6+ years out who are still illed up with bandster portions. but I certainly want to notice a change over what I have now, or what's the point? Or, am I missing the point? The only point is that - the banding experience is very individual. What you read doesn't indicate what you will experience.

I know a couple of people that had the RNY and one of them had her stomach stapled first and then had to have it done a second time and now she is larger than ever. The other gal had her RNY done 6 years ago and started to gain weight about a year and a half out. Now she tries to tell me it is normal to gain up to 20 lbs back. She also cannot drink milk anymore because it has too much sugar, her hair is falling out and her skin is really dry because she isn't absorbing the nutrients she needs. I have been looking into banding for 3 years and it has mostly been positive. It is reversible (RNY is not) and it is adjustable FOREVER. RNY is not. If you stretch your stomach back out with RNY, that is it. You are back to where you started. I didn't want to take that chance. I need something that will be with me for the long haul. It is definitely your decision, though.