Surgery Choices!

[ginarf 0]

Hi Everyone! I my name is Gina and I am new on this forum. I wanted to introduce myself, ask some questions, and meet some new friends who can relate to what I am about to go through.

I am a 37 y/o female 5' 8" tall who wt. 248 lb at the beginning of my WLS journey over a year ago. I originally was turned down for surgery by my insurance due to BMI if 38-39 (I can't remember) with no comorbities they considered to be comorbitities. I have had back surgery and chronic pain for 14 years (did not count to them) and take anti-depressants for depression (did not count either). But, the long story short is that I ended up getting approved based on having PCOS which then leads to the co-morbidity's they do recognize such as high BP, type II diabetes etc... I am the first person to be approved based on the PCOS for WLS by my insurance company and I am very excited to show them how much it is going to assist me in having a better quality of life and healthier life.

My concern is this... I have the choice between lap band and GB. Now I know this is a lap band site so maybe I am asking for biased opinions. But, I would like any advise you may have. This is my situation...

I have lost 26 lb (currently wt. 218lb and have a BMI of 33) since December 2007 and I am scheduled for surgery Sept. 3rd 2008. I have always based my decision to have lap band on the fact that it is the least invasive and the safest WLS. Also I know I can loose wt.... but I need an extra tool to help me loose it and keep it off. No matter what surgery I have I know I have to do the work.

That being said I want good results and I do not want it to take forever. I am also concerned about the foreign body causing problems in the future.

I am just having doubts about my surgery choice! I am thinking of calling my Dr. and telling him that maybe I should go with the GB surgery. I want to make the right decision and I have felt due to the fact that I have under 100lb to loose that I should go with the milder surgery. But, the reasons I think GB may be better is that...

1.) I have a sweet tooth problem more than I eat a lot (although I do that too).

2.) It is 2 hours to go get my fills (inconvenient and gas is pricey).

3.) I will have results quicker with GB

4.) I can't excercise as much as I may need to with LB because of pain so I may need the more extreme surgery.

Cons for GB=

1.) More invasive and more risky

2.) what if I get too skinny and look sick?

3.) What if I ever get really sick and need the extra cal. intake.

My Dr. says that the choice should be based on lifestyle choice. The driving so far for fills all the time is the main thing. The surgeries are fairly equal in most other categories. He also said that I will not get too skinny. I also met a guy last night who had GB 5 yr ago. He only had 75lb to loose and he looks great and does not regret it one bit! He did say that he got thin fast and it took him some time to regain to his optimum wt. OMG! What would that be like I have no clue!!!

Sorry for the running on and on. But, I am open to advise or direction of how to make this final decision in the next couple of weeks. I am going to email my Dr too and let him know my thoughts and see what he says.

Thanks,

Gina:confused:

[meredithrock 0]

hi Gina, I also have pcos, my BMI was 34 on the day of my surgery and I lost about 26lbs before surgery. It took me almost 1 year to loose that because I have PCOS. I had my surgery on july 7th and I have lost 8lbs since then. I also had my first fill on august 5th. I am a nurse and mother of 3 small children(twins age 2 and a 4 year old). For me, I went with lap band because the statistics and complications of GB scared me. Traveling 2 hours for a fill sounds hard (I only travel about 25 minutes each way), keep in mind that you will probably only get the fills for about the first year or so.

I will tell you that sweets do pass right through but you have to keep in mind that it is mind over matter. I personally would not put my self through surgery just to sabatoge my weight loss by eating sweets and other unhealthy foods. I also do not have anything like that in my house. Good luck and feel free to contact me if you have any other questions.

[ginarf 0]

Sounds like we have a lot in common. I have little ones too and but one of my daughters has severe special needs. I used to be a nurse when I hurt my back many years ago and I am choosing WLS to get healthier so I can get stronger, so I can take better care of all of my children.

I read your post and have thought the same way about the safety issue especially with small children to raise. I also read your post and initially thought... in a month if I really followed my plan I could loose 8 lb without surgery. But, then I probably could not keep a steady loss or it off permanently, so I think that is really good! I just wonder after surgery and being on a liquid diet or soft diet why we do not loose more in the beginning with LB? I think it has a lot to do with our bodies metabolism and trying to hang on to the wt. Plus the PCOS on top of it, plus all the yo-yo dieting??? Do not get me wrong I would love to loose 8 lb my first month after surgery! I am just anxious to see big results after such a major procedure.

I also think loosing a little slower would cause my skin not to sag as much as I lost wt. Do you think that is true?

Thank you so much for writing me. I would love to keep in touch, and I will be watching your wonderful journey! Sounds like you are going to do great!!! You have the perfect attitude!:tt2:

[snowbird 2]

Gina, two hours to go for fills doesn't sound that inconvenient to me. I have only needed two fills total to reach goal (or close to it) and even if I had needed twice as many, a four hour trip isn't that much.

I also thought I had a problem with sweets only and didn't each that much. I was wrong. We as a society just about always eat too much, and once I was banded I was absolutely appalled at how much other people ate.

Start switching away from sugary things NOW and use sugar free stuff if you need the sweet taste. You will find that you get much less hungry and don't have the urge to binge on the treats as much. Russell Stover makes good Sugar Free Chocolates, and while they aren't calorie-free, I found they satisfied my urge for chocolate but didn't make me want to eat the whole package at once.

Following this advice would help you regardless of which surgery you choose, but I always knew I would not consider GB for myself--just too risky for the amount of weight I had to lose.

[ginarf 0]

That is not too bad! I thought I would have to get fills every six weeks and maybe more for a very long time (months or years even). Hopefully I will be like you and not need too many.

I agree that the band is only a tool and that the lifestyle choices have to be made by me. I believe I can do it, I have lost wt. before I am just having my doubts about my past failures and gaining wt. back. A lot of my friends and family do not think I even need the surgery, but I know I need something extra as a tool so I can commit for a life time to my choices not just for months or years but forever. So, I think considering the risks vs the benefits that LB is best for me. I just fear rest ricing my calories with the band vs being committed to eating the way I know would make me continue loosing wt. and that is small meals high in Protein, veggies, and fruit. I lost my 25 lb in just over a month eating this way, it really speed up my metabolism. But, since I hit my pre-surgery goal I have not followed that plan unless I start to gain a pound or two. So, since Feb. I have maintained the wt. loss I needed to have the surgery. Doesn't this sound stupid when I know it would work if I just stuck to it? I guess I know if I put myself through any surgery that it is a huge commitment... so I would not go through all of the risk and not stick to the eating plan. What I am asking myself is... why can't I stick to it without putting myself through having a band around my stomach? Grrr! It is mind over matter and everyone can talk themselves up that they are going to stick with it NO MATTER WHAT after surgery, but the fact is you still have to use will power and most of us have not had that in the past or we would not be on this forum. Right?

I am just venting my thoughts blah, blah, blah,:thumbup: so you can ignore me or share your thoughts too. I am 99% sure I want to have WLS but now that it is getting close I am having second thoughts. I do not think that I would ever decide not to do it just rather which WLS to have has become a little blurred. I guess I am just doubting myself because all I really want is to have a good out come. Good results, no side effects, and I want to have no regrets!:thumbup:

It may seem silly that I would even consider GB at my BMI and WT but I have seen the results of that and I know know one who has had LAP BAND. But, again it is what I felt was the correct choice when I was further out from surgery and it may be that the date nearing is bringing up these doubts.

Thanks for your advise!

Gina:confused2:

[ginarf 0]

Thanks again for all of your responses and encouragement. I am a very analytical person and I second guess myself way too much. I was reading my WLS book from the Dr. and after really reading it again I feel much more confident that I do not want to go with the GB surgery.

I wanted to comment on the metformin issue. I know everyone is different but if you feel like the medication could help you before surgery to loose some wt. and with your PCOS I have some advise. It can be very upsetting to the stomach. But, if you start the medication very slowly those side effects will not be a problem. I took only one pill per day for a week or two. I know a lot of women who's doctors did not know to advise them to start at a low dosage for a while and they too got sick.:crying:

Well, I will be on here a lot just reading and learning myself. So. please feel free to say hi!

Thanks again!

[Miss Undastood 0]

Im 200% against the bypass. Let me tell you why. Its not the pain, or insicions that bother me. I think, well its proven that the band carries less complications than the bypass for one. Its also proven that the bypass has a higher death rate.

Now, yes the bypass cause people to lose weight shockingly faster in a short amount of time. Whereas the band helps you to reach max weight loss in about 18-24months. But after several years the pouch with the bypass can stretch thus making you eat more and regain weight. If u eat more with the band than you should, a simple saline injection is all you need.

Weight loss is slower with the band its true but the heavier you are at surgery...the more will come off that first month or two. I just wanted to give my 2 cents.

The decision is up to you. Good luck with your choice.