This is my first post. I have decided on the lap band surgery and attended a seminar on weight loss surgery. I was so upset; the staff tried their best to persuade everyone toward the roux-en-y vs. the lap band. Can anyone tell me why? I have already contacted another bariatric center in my area (AtlantaGeorgia) - and will now need to attend yet another seminar before I can get the process started.

I understand that with the lap band (per the seminar) the weight loss will be slower. I don't have a problem with that - does anyone know why some Dr's don't seem to like the lapband? Shouldn't it be my decision?

I think the #1 reason that Dr's seem to push the RNY over the band is a simple issue of money.

From what I understand insurance companies pay towards $40k for the RNY vs. under 20k (in most cases) for the band. On top of that, with the RNY it is often called 'cut and run'. Meaning....the surgeon does the surgery, gets his $40k and there is very little follow-up needed. With the band, a good portion of Dr's offer up to a year of follow-up visits, fills and de-fills, etc in the original cost. So in reality the band is less cash and more time with the patient, and some Dr's just are not into that.

This of course is probably only one reason they seem to push RNY and it is also only my personal opinion.

I wouldn't trade my band for anything.....and am thankful every day that I didn't chose the RNY !!!!

Patricia

11/16/06

306/202/175ish I think !!!

Money, and "guaranteed" success with RNY.

Well, guaranteed malabsorption, but guaranteed loss of some sort.

Also, later down the line when you've regained your weight from the RNY, they can band you and get more $$.

Sorry, that was waaaay cynical, I guess. For some people, RNY *is* the best choice. But again, it has to be YOUR decision, with some good input from the Dr., of course. But you are the one who ultimately has to live with it.

Some insurances only pay for one bariatric procedure per lifetime and MD's think that if you "fail" at LapBand then that's your one shot.

I can't speak to why they would lean that way for a group of you. At my seminar the doctor himself did the presentation and he presented equally on both procedures, pros and cons. In the packet there was a question of whether we had already chosen what we wanted and if we had, why? He said that after an individual intensive exam he could make a recommendation but that it really depended on a lot of different factors to which one was best. Size, how much to lose, health issues... Hope this helps. Sounds like another opinion is a good one. Maybe that physician is better practiced at the roux-en-y? My doc also said that surgeons can go to a one weekend seminar to learn these procedures but the drs I chose did a one year fellowship, only doing bariatric surgery before going public. Check credentials and experience.

This is my first post. I have decided on the lap band surgery and attended a seminar on weight loss surgery. I was so upset; the staff tried their best to persuade everyone toward the roux-en-y vs. the lap band. Can anyone tell me why? I have already contacted another bariatric center in my area (AtlantaGeorgia) - and will now need to attend yet another seminar before I can get the process started.

I understand that with the lap band (per the seminar) the weight loss will be slower. I don't have a problem with that - does anyone know why some Dr's don't seem to like the lapband? Shouldn't it be my decision?

i live in atlanta,ga too and i'm scheduled to go to a seminar tomorrow for the gastric bypass and tuesday for the lapband before i make my decision. a friend on mine went to the seminar and wanted the band vs the gastric and they tried to do the same thing to her talk her into the gastric. i think it's a money and time issue as well

Thank you so much for all of your input. The seminar I attended, the Dr had been called away for an emergency so his nurse conducted the meeting. But it really turned me off. She didn't even go thru the Lap Band slides, and I felt like if I have the surgery at this office - the support staff would not be supportive at all since I had a surgery they didn't believe in (the lap band).

The new center I've checked out has much more experience and one of the Dr's actually is on the teaching staff of the lap band.

I have over 100 pounds to lose - but to me it isn't so much about how fast I lose the weight - it's the changing my life. Also, don't you have a better chance of not so much loose skin if you lose at a slower pace?

Thanks again for your input. I'm excited about my decision, and just want to get thru the process and move on. But in reading all the post - it does take time and I need to realize that!

All the best

I think CanadaGirl said it well. I would add that post op the GBS patients lose so quickly that they are very happy when they visit the DR as they are getting fast results. Then their appts taper off and trust me GB patients can gain weight back as well and well the Dr doesn;t know they have gained and maybe aren't as happy.

Both methods have pros and cons and my Dr let us each decide for ourselves which method we were most comfortable with and that makes sense to me.

But Dr's are humans and they can be influenced by factors just like we patients are and they end up with their own opinions, too!

Get informed and get the facts and decide what's best for you!

P.S. Whether you lose fast or slow, you most likely will have excess skin after losing 100 pounds.

Hey there, fellow Atlantan here. :seeya:

I felt like my doctor did the same thing at my seminar, although now I think that it had more to do with the fact that he has done 2,200 RNY surgeries and less than 100 Lap-band procedures, plus he himself had RNY surgery. I already had my mind made up though and I wasn't that bothered about it. I'm using a doctor in Alabama b/c I'm self pay and it's much cheaper.

I don't know if you've checked out the Georgia thread...there are some recommended doctors in our area that folks have raved about.

Best of luck!

Somehow this topic came up at my seminar and it was my surgeon that was doing the seminar. I think it might have been somebody asking which was better, or something. He didn't choose one over the other, he just named the pros and cons again, leaving it up to the patient. He said that usually doctors will lean towards RNY because they've done so many - it is the leading bariatric surgery in this country. He also mentioned the disaster that the original gastric band was some years ago (80's?? I have no idea) that makes some of the older surgeons gun-shy when it comes to the LapBand. Like a lot of them are taking a "wait and see" attitude when it comes to the band.

I was told for my eating habits and weight that bypass would be the best choice. Unfortunetly, my husband won't go for it. He says I can have lap-band only, and I'm cool with that.

Maybe it was due to your weight and eating habits as well.

With my original doctor office, I was told "why do you want to fool with that (lapband) do the RNY and get it over with" Needless to say when it was all said and done, I switch doctors. With my new physican he quizzed me on both and asked which on I was more comformtable with. He only agreed to give me the lapband because of my information on both, how I planned to incorporated the new tool into my lifestyle and what I was comfortable with. For me, re-arranging my "internal plumbing" was not something that I was comfortable with

let me tell you my experience. i will make a long story short. my first surgeon that i choose to do my lapband couldn't do it cause he was not covered by my insurance company. I found another surgeon in a small town. won't metion his name but i wish i had found someone else. i already had approval, just needed a surgeon. got all my information to that surgeon, paid 200.00 for consultation. i had a pre op appt then i get a call from the surgery coordinator, very slow girl, anyway, she tells me that my surgeon may not do the surgery because my insurance company doesn't pay very well for it. she then tried to convince me to have the RNY. i waited two days for them to make a decision. she calls me back and say, oh, it was a mistake, i got the wrong rates. we will do the surgery after all. okay, i am 7 weeks post op. my surgeon is a damn jerk. he hates giving fills and loves making you think you are a failure. i have lost 20 pds and had my first fill 3 days ago and he was disgusted that he had to give me that fill. let's just put it this way, if you are looking into having your surgery in a little town in Alabama called ALABASTER, DON'T DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. you will not get the support you need and you will not get the fills that you need either and they will try to talk you into RNY.

I'm sorry to hear that swstacey. I am having my surgery done by Dr. Freeman in Anniston, Alabama. Why don't you look into getting fills done at his office? He and his staff are all great and very supportive.

Hey there, fellow Atlantan here. :thumbup:

I felt like my doctor did the same thing at my seminar, although now I think that it had more to do with the fact that he has done 2,200 RNY surgeries and less than 100 Lap-band procedures, plus he himself had RNY surgery. I already had my mind made up though and I wasn't that bothered about it. I'm using a doctor in Alabama b/c I'm self pay and it's much cheaper.

I don't know if you've checked out the Georgia thread...there are some recommended doctors in our area that folks have raved about.

Best of luck! :thumbup:

I'm from Alabama and will be selfpay, I need to lose about 70#. I am considering the lap band. Could you tell me the Dr. you used in Ala, approximate cost and would you reccommend your surgoen and the procedure.

Thanks, Rubyred

Sometimes there is a medical reason. Turns out I am not a candidate for the band because of gastroperisus. I think that a good dr will tell you the pros and cons of both and discuss your health and history with you and help you come to the right personal decision for you.

My doctor's office was very good about presenting both sides. I knew I didn't want to have such an invasive surgery with RNY, especially since I'm still so young and someday would like to get pregnant. It's easier to monitor lap band patients than RNY patients with pregnancy. And the cutting and moving around just didn't make me comfortable.

At my first consultation I was told the weight loss is slower, but 5 years out looks about the same. Also, I was told if I'm patient the lap band was a good idea. I was reminded of these things at my last supervised weight loss (before pre-op and everything).

I think it was wise of you to find a center you felt more comfortable with! This is both a scary and exciting thing and you should feel comfortable with your surgical staff.