I want LB; my doc wants GBPS

[Allformyson 0]

I received a call from the nurse at my docs office and while I still have to do my own research and make my own decision I wanted to see if anyone had any thoughts. I'm going to be reading the post below in great detail too.

The nurse says the doc is going to recommend me for GBPS because my main co-morbidity is diabetes (even though I think it is more pre-diabetes/PCOS but uncontrolled diabetes is what is in my medical record). She said the GBPS eliminates the diabetes, almost a "surgical cure". I wasn't too keen on it because I just really don't like the idea of my intestines being cut. I mentioned the reversal of the LB if needed and she said that no insurance company will pay for it unless it is defective. She mentioned that I don't have to go for the fills 4x a year which is a positive I think but I don't see that as any more than a slight nuisance.

She said the ultimate decision is up to me.

My father was dx with pre-diabetes (on met) at around age 60. I truely believe that in both of our cases it is lifestyle even if it is in our history and who can say what my health will be like 30 years from now. I would be interested to hear what others with PCOS and LB think because it would be nice for those symptoms to go away.

I'm just not convinced about GBPS.

[karen_karen 0]

it really is more of a choice you make then your doctor.

seriously you have to understand both ways the reason why gastric is better in that way is because you cant eat sugar. and you really will lose weight way way quicker. so its a quick fix in my opinion. lapband is more of a lifestyle change well both are changes but gastric gives you no choice you will lose the weight. lap band you have to be mentally ready for it. because you have to make good food choices and change your eating habits all it will control is how much you eat. also you have to be ready to excerise. gastric you will lose no matter what the first year but what happens afterwards? you lose the weight but you havent actually learned to eat the correct way and in like 5 years are you going to be back to the same weight you were when you first started? lap band is alittle more of a hassle but to me its a good hassle. yes you have to get fills and yes you have to work on losing as in eating the right way and also excerising. the band is not a miracle its a choice and will help you along the way to making a better lifestyle change. also think about in 4 or 5 years with the gastric you gain weight what can you do about it? if you are banded you can get a fill and work on it again. its like having a diet there anytime you need it and you can just go get a fill.

[lellow 1,713]

In Australia - where the lapband surgery has been perfromed for the last 15 years - they recently undertook a study that compared lapbanded diabetic patients with diabetics who control their diabetes with diet and exercise. They found that in 75% of the cases where the diabetic was lapbanded, they went into remission.

I looked into the lapband because I have a very strong familial history of diabetes and heart disease. My mother and 6 of her siblings are diabetic. My younger brother is diabetic and my younger sister had GD and is now at a high risk of diabetes.

The study was what spurred me on to having the lapband surgery done. A friend of mine, having followed my journey, got lapbanded 3 months after me and has PCOS and diabetes (she was on met). In less than a month, her blood suger levels were normal. In 3 months, she was pregnant after having her first 28 day cycle in over 2 years the month before.

I'm not saying that GB wouldn't help, I'm saying I don't think the nurse is completely correct in saying that lapbanding won't help with diabetes, and would not 'cure' it. Of course there are no gaurantees it would cure it, but then again there are no gaurantees with GB either, and it's a MUCH bigger surgery.

Google 'lapband' and 'diabetes' I'm sure you'll be able to find some info on the studies around the place.

[OH Juli 15]

I agree with what was said above by the other posters.

But what struck me were your words. You don't want to have your intestines cut apart. That's a pretty good sign that GB then isn't for you.

Let me tell you what I think your doctor hears though when you say, "Lapband is reversable" it translates into, "I'm not committed".

Really, when I said that to my doc he pretty much said that to me. He made me defend why I wanted to be banded with out comparing it to Gastric Bypass. That was a challenge because all my reasoning was based by contrasting the two.

So why banding? It's safe and effective. You have the will and the ability for one more solid push to diet and exercise, but you need a little help from the tool. You like the follow up care with fills and seeing the doctor, you like having a team help you succeed.

You go ahead an answer for yourself too. If lapband is right for you you'll know. And then at the point tell your doctor to shut the hell up about bypass because that's just not going to happen. Oops that me projecting again, because that's what I told mine.

[ladybugchaser 0]

Sounds like LB is the surgery for you....

I had SEVERE PCOS and IR...I won't bore you with my detailed hell but it literally was so severe that it almost killed me. And I am not kidding. My body stopped making hormones all together for many years and 48 hours AFTER surgery, it felt like a major rainstorm inside my body...I knew it was hormones flooding back. I felt alive again. I literally haven't had ANY of the at least 40 symptoms I did before...migraines, blood sugar issues...all gone.

And just so you know (I am baffled that you doctor doesn't know) LB according to doctors prevents/stops Insulin Resistant, Type II Diabetes...that rocks...our IR will never turn in to Type II.

WOOHOO!!!

Good luck in your decision.

LBC