When I went to see my surgeon the first time he asked me which procedure I wanted... I told him that I didn't know; that one of the reasons I was seeing him was to discuss my options with him.
I did mention that I wasn't necessarily interested in a fast weight loss. I said that "slow and steady is fine with me". I then mentioned that was I was concerned about was not where I would be in 6 months or a year but where I would be in 5 years --- 10 years.
As soon as I mentioned that (the long-term consideration) he immediately said that I would want the lap-band.
And that was the "path" I began upon.
As a part of my pre-surgery consults my surgeon wanted me to see my endocrinologist (I have some thyroid issues) for a surgical clearance. My endocrinologist asked me which procedure I was considering having and I told him the lap-band. He said "Good, because I would not approve you for gastric bypass." When I asked him why he said that because they bypass so much of the first part of the gut, in addition to the stomach, that I would have calcium problems. I already have a problem with calcium metabolism; I certainly do not need to place myself in a deficit with calcium absorption.