Feel Like a Sell Out!

kbinaz · May 14, 2008

I had basically the same thing happen to me and I stuck with the lap band. You only have 75 pounds to lose. The lap band is going to allow you to eat pretty much normally, except in very small portions. Gastric bypass patients have trouble when they eat higher amounts of fat and sugar. Personally, in the 6 months since my band surgery I have eaten quite a few bites of cake, ice cream and other sugar filled Desserts (I know, I'm bad, but I bet everyone out there has done the same thing) Add this to the other facts about bypass -totally permanent (no unfills later on down the road) and I just think the lap band is the way to go- especially for lower BMI patients. I am VERY VERY glad I had lap band surgery and only wish I had done it sooner. It has allowed me to finally start losing weight and I honestly don't feel like I am suffering one bit. All of us second guess at some point, I think, but once you make the decision, embrace it and don't look back! I think you will be happy if you stick to your original plan.

hollyberries · May 14, 2008

Thanks everyone... Those are the exact reasons I chose the band! I mentioned those concerns and was told basically I was a surgeons dream for either surgery... young, very healthy, able to exercise, etc. Then he said with the band I would expect in a year you would get down to maybe 165 (which usually thrills me to death), but a year later with a bypass I could be 135... I said I was in middle school when I weighed that! It was like dangling a cookie in my face... like do it, do it, you know you want to, you know you like it! Ugh!
Then I asked about complications and he said with the bypass the complications are up front and basically if you make it out of surgery you will be fine... but with the band the complications come later, slippage, port problems, infections, esophagus (sp?) problems,etc. Now as I mentioned I have been coming on here for quite some time and it seems like the problems are really minimal in comparison. Ugh! This is so frustrating... I wish I was never in the room with all those people for hours... they all said they eat what they want, they don't experience dumping syndrome,etc. I wow really surprised by their reactions.

Rascal76-

I noticed that you are from Dracut MA. What hospital are you going to? Who is your doctor? I am from MA and go to Brigham & Women's and have Dr. Lautz. I must admit that when I chose the Lapband no was going to talk me out of it. I was dead set against RNY because of the side affects and I wanted something reversible. I had heard that the RNY would be pushed instead of Lapband but my Doctor actually said that I was a good candidate for Lapband. I had no medical issues and was as healthy as a horse..LOL! Funny thing was he asked me why I wanted to have WLS and I responded, "Have you looked at me...I friggin fat." He laughed and said your going to do well with the band.

He was right. 6 months out I have lost almost 100lbs and I feel great. It was the best decision of my life and I do know if I have a problem in the future that it can be fixed or I can do another procedure. I can't tell you what to do but go by your heart...it won't let you down. You know deep down what you are comfortable with.

Best wishes,

Cindy