I had originally wanted to have bypass surgery. I didn't change my mind until shortly before the surgery. The band is less invasive, can be reversed, you still have all your parts and don't have to live on some form of vitamin pills for the rest of your life. I know a lot of people that have had the RNY. I don't know one that hasn't had complications. I'm not saying that some people don't have complications with the band, but I don't hear the stories that I hear with RNY.
The band can slip. Nothing is perfect, but you follow what you're told by your doctors and dieticians. The surgery was not a problem and lasted less than an hour. I didn't have pain, well very little.
Lap band patients over 18 months to 3 years on average loss the equal weight as bypass patients. Bypass patients just start off lossing a lot faster than band patients.
Good luck to you on your decision. Get to know everything you can about both surgeries and discuss with your doctors what is best for you.