Sitting on the fence

[Guest broker1221]

Hi! Let me introduce my self. I am chris, 40 year old male. I currently weigh 450 and am considering the lap band. Several friends had the RouenY but I am a big chicken. I went to see a doctor who had been doing the Y exclusively but added the lap to his services but as soon as I got in there he made me out to feel like a fool for even considering the lap over the Y. He said the lap was just as dangerous, less effective and required total self control becuse he said that their is no physical consequence for eating inappropriately as opposed the the Y. I left his office in tears upset and angry. I have really heard some wonderful things about the lap but now I am all confused. Any thoughts?

[lloyd 0]

yes, your dr is an idiot. My dr in dallas does both. The choice is yours. I work with a lady that had the gastric bypass and wishes she could do the lapband. It takes just as much control if not more on the by pass. She has found a way to drink beer and is now putting her wieght back on. Both ways can be failures. The band is less invasive and you can be back to work in a couple of days!! I am 48 and just had the band put in on april 22. I have lost about 30 lbs so far, i feel better and my clothes are getting loose. So go for it man!!

[the best me 6]

Change doctors. Any doc who has you leaving his office in tears is thinking about his business and not you, the patient. He should be fair-minded and give you the facts on both sides, then support your decision either way.

So you are a chicken because you don't want your insides re-routed, re-plumbed, cut apart and rearranged? Waaaaaaaa!!!

Just about every person on this board who has chosen lap band must be chicken, too. Like I said, waaaaaaaaa! I'm not ashamed of that one bit. Sounds like you aren't either.

And the Band does, indeed, require self-control. The RNY doesn't? What's up with that? And tell your doc there are thousands of bandsters our there that get very physical consequences for eating inappropriately. PB's, stuck, heartburn. Sure makes a good case for having a little self-control in my book.

Sounds like your doc is grossly misinformed about the Band. Do some reading here, it'll sink in.

Chin up, Chris. You aren't crazy. And we are here for you. Don't sweat it, you just need a little time and a place to ask your questions. Glad you showed up!

[Mita 2]

First let me say that NO Dr. Should make anyone who comes to see them feel like an idiot. It should be your choice Broker do what is best for you and what makes you feel comfortable. I agree with Kathy change docs he is working for you!!!

And Welcome to LBT continue to do your research so that you feel comfortable and have alot of info to back you up if you continue to see this doc. That way you can knock his socks off when he tries to persuade you to go the other route.

[Guest blueydtreefrog]

hi there chris....i wonder if your doc has even heard the latest statistics on the r&y....did you know that one out of every 50 pt's who have the bypass with die on the table and one in 10 will die from complications within a one month span. we just lost a very amazing 33 year old woman at one of the hospitals that i work with....she went through ok...and then was readmitted (as are so many others) with leakage that ended up poisoning her and took her life. to me....anyone who thinks that the lap-band system is more of a danger than the r&y is just grosley ignorant.

look....you realy just need to sit back and really weigh out your options and your reasoning for wanting surgery.........do you want a "quick fix" or a live changing aid to a better/healthier life.....

i appologise if this comes off a little one sided or harsh...but i guess with this woman just passing and having to hear everyone i work with talk about what a waste it was and her 7 year old son left behind...i just get a bit worked up about this topic.

[princess_n_thep 2]

There is no physical consequence for over eating? Quick, someone tell my band!

[YELLOW ROSE 0]

Hi Chris, I Have A Friend Who Had The Bypass About 2 1/2 Years Ago, She Lost 150+ Pounds. Well She Has Started Gaining Her Wt Back Because She Can Eat Whatever She Wants And Is Stretching Her Pouch Out. Just Aa Few Days Ago She Said She Wants To Have The Surgery Again. I Told Her To Look Into Lap Banding. I Don't Know If You Can Do Lap Band After The Bypass But It's Nuts To Want To Go Through Major Surgery More Than Once. The Band Is An Outpatient Surgery... Need I Say More?

[g curtis 0]

Hello Chris

I live in the UK and had to do a lot of research myself as my own doctor was not at all familiar with the procedure, I suppose obesity surgery is still pretty rare over here. Anyhow after a years careful research I decided to go for it on Jan 29th this year. I have lost now 51 pounds and am absolutely delighted with the results.

Yes you do have to work with the band to a certain degree, but my god it makes it a hell of a lot easier to lose weight.

Keep looking at all the info on this wonderful site

Good luck

Gaynor

[leatha_g 4]

Actually, the band has been the 'gold' standard in the UK for some time now. I believe the procedure has been being done for at least 10 years or more.

[g curtis 0]

You are probably right Leatha, but the vast majority of people over here know a little about Gastric Bypass Surgery but not a lot about the band.

[Guest PhoenixRising]

Haven't had my banding yet (october), but I have a good friend who did the R&Y and HATES it. That was a year ago. He is still fighting problems with complications and has started to regain weight. How can this physician argue with reversability, adjustability, fewer complications, etc...?

[CCBSTX 0]

I've been to (2) consults w/ different doctors. They both have given me the same statistics, even though one does primarily gastric bypass. RNY has a greater chance of complications and death, at the beginning. The lapband is the primary weight loss surgery, in Europe and elsewhere. RNY deal with restriction AND malabsorption (your body absorbs less calories). The Lapband just deal with restriction. Keep reading these message boards and gathering your information. You'll figure it out. Doctors who make you feel like a moron, should not be your doctor in the first place. Best of luck, Shawn

[Tropicana 0]

Your doctor may be tactless but isn't he correct in a sense? I thought people with extreme BMIs responded better to gastric bypass than to Lap band. At 450 lb (dependent on your height, of course) it seems as though you be a better candidate for bypass. Maybe if you could lose more weight (get down to 375 perhaps?) lap band would be a safer choice. If I'm wrong, please educate me.

Regardless, your doctor should not have upset you enough to make you cry. As with anything else that pertains to your health...get a SECOND opinion.

[banded&tattooed 3]

Your doctor may be tactless but isn't he correct in a sense? I thought people with extreme BMIs responded better to gastric bypass than to Lap band. At 450 lb (dependent on your height, of course) it seems as though you be a better candidate for bypass. Maybe if you could lose more weight (get down to 375 perhaps?) lap band would be a safer choice. If I'm wrong, please educate me.

Regardless, your doctor should not have upset you enough to make you cry. As with anything else that pertains to your health...get a SECOND opinion.

I can't say that you are wrong but I was banded on Feb 25, 2005 and I weighed in at 426(I am 6'3") as of July 6 I have lost 70 pounds.

[Marimaru 7]

Patients with higher BMI's typically lose faster at first with the lapband. With the band, there's none of that "window of opportunity" stuff to deal with, so you don't need to worry quite so much if you have a little plateau a few months out. Sure, it'll make it take a little longer to lose the weight, but it'll still be lost, you know?

A couple of thoughts on the doctor from me; a) a doctor shouldn't do a procedure if they are only going to say bad things about it and find a doctor who wants YOUR opinion and wants this to be YOUR decision. Also, you'll need to find a doctor with experience with higher BMI patients, because sometimes they need different equipment, etc, and some centers will only do surgery on people up to a BMI of 50 (this speaks of inexperience or fear as well).

Good luck!