Hi all I have had all my appointments and will be seeing the dr for follow up on all my test results next wk thursday. After that I see the surgeon and schedule my surgery. I am now confused, but I do want the band, but been thinking about gastric a lot lateley I even had a dream about it last night. I really don't want gastric becuase of the higher risks and the re routing of my insides. The physcologist and dietician both mad me a lilttle upset when I saw them they both had there comments saying that I should have the gastric and that the surgeon is going to tell me the same thing and blah blah blah. So now I am just confused and scared now that what if the band doesn't work for me. How did you all know it would work for you if you loved food so much? Another thing with te gastric I have too many friends that has had it and are now gaining there weight back and that's another thing I don't like about gastric as well. I mean was it easy with the band to eat better and diet please someone help me I feel like tearing up a lilttle cause im tired of being fat and I wanna have success. Please give me some advice what should I do?

HH does that 17K dental bill mean our secret getaway to Cabo is on hold?

Holy frijoles, for seventeen grand, I'd better have Brad Pitt's mouth permanently attached to mine in a perpetual and neverending kiss. :ohmy:

I think I was partially guilty of that, and I apologize. Though we have exchanged ideas and are very much on the same page in certain things, I have to admit that I don't know your story. Is it listed here somewhere so I can catch up?

I have seen others here really shove their thoughts down the throats of others who are confused, and not saying that I thought you were doing that, but after reading EVERYthing from EVERYbody, I got a fuller understanding of why a certain procedure might be recommended, how each one has its differences that may work for or against the patient, and that sometimes I read more into what's being said than I should. I took it that the doctor and the psych and nutritionist were all just blankly saying bypass. I'm sure there's more to it (or at least I HOPE there is).

All I hope is that the OP isn't even more confused and that maybe this thread armed her with some good questions to ask her doctor so that she can make the most informed decision she can for herself.

Oh, Beth!

Don't apologize! The funny part about all of this is that we all pretty much agree. In fact, I had a quite a long response written out to your post agreeing with most everything you said, and pointing out those areas.

In another thread recently, WasaBubbleButt pointed out that sometimes what I say gets a bit lost in the way I say it, and I quite agree with that. In this case, I was merely incensed at the idea that what MIGHT be good advice should be ignored. That's pretty much it. People think I have a "Bypass Bias", because I HAVE a Bypass. That is so untrue. My ONLY bias is that people get it right the FIRST time,....because I didn't, and i really suffered for it.

As far as my story, i'll PM you on that. It's quite interesting what happened, but people like to try and pick it apart...I saw that happening in THIS thread, which is why i decided to post a response other than the one I had written to you.

"I got a fuller understanding of why a certain procedure might be recommended, how each one has its differences that may work for or against the patient"

Yes, the procedures are very different, and my hope is always that people will choose the right one for them the first time out. A revision can be an ugly thing. People often think that the Lap Band is the "easier, less invasive" way , but it's not always the RIGHT way. Restriction and Malabsorbtion are two entirely different things, meant for different eating dysfunctions.

I would characterize it this way. Say I was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. But I say that instead of obtaining the best treatment for Pancreatic Cancer, I’m going to have the Treatment for Skin Cancer instead….because it’s less invasive, and more “comfortable” and “convenient”. Now, I’ll still get SOME benefit from the radiation and other protocols for the Skin cancer…..but it’s not the best treatment, and won’t ultimately give me the best results, because Skin Cancer is NOT what I have.

It's the same with Band/Sleeve vs Bypass/DS. People who NEED the Malabsorbtion MAY benefit somewhat from the restriction of the band/Sleeve, BUT it's not the best solution, not at ALL. And it ultimately ends in Revision, or no weight loss.

Elisabeth, by the way, put it very well, as did Restless, Unforgettable, Nanook, and others.

I am NOT saying that one procedure is better than another, not at all. My "message" is simply that people need to choose what is CORRECT for their situation. That Might be the Band. That MIGHT be the Bypass. Or, it MIGHT just be less Ice Cream.:ohmy:

HH

NEVER less ice cream. :ohmy:

You people are tooooo funny!!:ohmy:

I don't joke about ice cream. :ohmy:

I'm still waiting to hear about Cabo. :ohmy:

I had my 1 year post-op appointment today, and my surgeon had some copies of the Obesity Action Coalition's magazine in his waiting room. The first article Choosing the "Right" Weight-loss Surgery Procedure was, in my opinion, one of the most clear-headed, well-stated discussions about the different surgeries and what you should keep in mind when considering one over another. It doesn't promote any one surgery. You can read the article here Choosing the "Right" Weight-loss Surgery Procedure

I think this should be required reading for anyone considering weight-loss surgery.

HH does that 17K dental bill mean our secret getaway to Cabo is on hold?

Unfortunately, that weekend in Cabo will have to be reduced to a thursday night at a Motel 6 outside of Tucson....

But it will be a DAMN FINE THURSDAY NIGHT!!!!!:ohmy:

HH

SIGH. Ok. For you, HH, I'll manage. And it is a DRY heat. :ohmy:

Holy frijoles, for seventeen grand, I'd better have Brad Pitt's mouth permanently attached to mine in a perpetual and neverending kiss. :ohmy:

I was in las Vegas a few weeks ago, and I had dinner at the Encore, which is Steve Wynn's new "extension" to the Wynn (clever name, I'd say:huh2:). I bit down hard on SOMETHING (think it was a piece of nut, encrusted Sea Bass or something like that). I broke off part of my tooth, and when I got back, i discovered i would have to have a root canal. Well, that led to other stuff. Years ago, I broke off three of my back teeth (I fell off of a stage during a gig in San Francisco), and they had to extract what was left of the three teeth. So, NOW my Dentist is telling me that I'm going to need something put up there to keep my jaw from going all wacky when I get older. And on the OTHER side, in the back there is a tooth missing that was extracted many years ago, but there are still some "shards" or something left over from it, and they need to be "cut" out, AND something put up there as well. The "Something" that needs to be put up on both side is Implants.....about $17,000 worth (Which will include a cleaning and a lollipop, by the way). Oh, and those old shards will be removed as well. I'm told that it's possible that the shards may be responsible for some infections I have experienced over the years.

So, Restless, that's where the cash for our getaway is going. But you can have the lollipop.....

HH

What a sweet talker you are. I'd hate, though, for your jaw to go "all wacky" so I'll, er, bite the bullet and wait for the "secret" weekend. :ohmy:

What a sweet talker you are. I'd hate, though, for your jaw to go "all wacky" so I'll, er, bite the bullet and wait for the "secret" weekend.

"all wacky".....that's a Dental "technical term", ya know.....:ohmy:

HH

Yes, I immediately grasped the "medical-ness" of it. :ohmy:

To restlessmonkey I see you on here a lot and u seem to know a lot. I would like to tell you a little about myself and I would like your advice. I am at the highest weight I have ever been 338 I do have high blood pressure and diabeties runs in my family and high cholestrol as well. I do not want to get diabeties and all other things that being overweight can bring. I also have one child and would like more in my future. I have always been a food eater and I think I over eat. I recently well maybe 4 yrs ago started eating sweets, but not big on them like that. I think my problem is portion control im also not a big snacker. Yes I don't want the gastric becuase I dont want the invasive surgery and drastic weight loss. To me there is a difference where some people here say it isn't. Like I told the physiciatrist im not trying to be skinny I just want to get my weight down to be more healthy and feel good about myself. I want to be able to run and jump and play with my son being this big really makes me depressed. If I were to loose 100lbs I would be so happy for that. All I am saying is I am ready to change my eating and lifestyle, but I do still want a cheeseburger or peice of cake every now and then. I dont think I can just never have those things ever again is the way people here make it sound.