What made you decide on the LAP-BAND^®?

Less invasive.
No cutting of my organs.
Short recovery.
20 years of poor success and continued weight gain on my part.

__________________
Patty in Florida

I don't look like this anymore!


Doctor Gerald Kirshenbaum, Aurora, Colorado
THE FAT GIRL'S GOIN' DOWN!

Pros:
It is reversible
No re routing of the insides
Shorter surgery time
Shorter recovery time
Mal-absorption will never become an issue
Adjustable

Cons:
Weight loss is slower than RNY
MUST really take your time eating/chewing
frequent (once a month or so) appointments to adjust the band.

**one thing about a slower loss is that your skin will not sag as much as with the rapid loss from RNY.. you will still have some loose skin but not as drastic.

As mentioned the band is a tool, not a cure.... eating right and exercise is still a must. You really have to work more to lose (because you absorb everything you eat unlike RNY)..

Thanks for the replys. August 14th is coming and I'm looking forward to the next steps. I too have United Healthcare but it seems that the plan is different for pretty much every company and person. Hopefully mine will fly by with no catches. I would love to have this done and over with by December 25th since I will be a new gramma at that time. I'm very excited about that and want to be well enough and feeling better physically enough to help out with my new grandbaby. Thanks again everyone. Dianne

I chose the LAP-BAND^® because it was less invasive and the weight loss would be gradual. I am trying to avoid a lot of loose skin in the long run, but I've been told that I may still need a tuck. Still, I've lost 24 pounds in 6 weeks, which is okay by me.

Good luck in your decision-making.

Lot;s of research,,LOTS.
I was having the same questions in my mind. I personally communicated with dr.s on both coast., as well as my chosen surgeon. To my suprise, both surgeons contacted me personally.
The one that push ME over the top for bypass was here. Awesome . Only wish I was on the left coast.

Bariatric Surgery by Julie Ellner, M.D., Gastric Bypass vs. LAP-BAND^®

It is a decision we all have to make, we are each our own best judge.
Study, read, and pray if you wish. I am totally stoked on my decision ..I have jumped thru all the hoops..now waiting for a date, at any time now.
Good luck.
ken

Hi:
I had a gastric bypass in 1996 -lost 100lbs & maintained for about 8 yrs. -then these last 3 yrs I've gained about 40lbs. It just creeps back on & I felt hungry all the time. I was banded 7/20 -I worked for the surgeon for awhile and know from our patients - that this will be forever & if I gain -then I can get filled & take care of it before it gets out of control. I know the wt. loss is slower - but I truely believe it's better. Noninvasive -no rerouting intestines, etc... You can e-mail me if you have more questions -
Dawn D_hanson123@hotmail.com

I know a lady that was 450 lbs when she had the gastric bypass. She got down to 140 lbs. and is now over 300 lbs again. It's so easy to stretch the pouch with gastric bypass. I also know a lot of people that have had horrible problems with malnutrition, anemia, etc because with gastric bypass you don't absorb what you need out of food. I know a lady right now that has been hospitalized the past 2 weeks because of complications
from her gastric bypass that she had a couple of years ago.

LAP-BAND^® is so much safer!

__________________
20 lbs lost on Atkins before banding. 75 lbs lost after for a total of 95 lbs.

banded 12-29-06 by Dr. Steven Tersigni Coos Bay ,OR
goal in just under 16 months.

Definition of insanity: doing the same things over and over and expecting different results!

I am opting for the band because the other is so final and invasive. ive heard the weight does come off quicker with the bypass not sure if thats true! but if it is as long as the weight comes off by working together with the band then who cares!! Its up to you at the end of the day! Ive got 150lbs to get rid of and as far as i can work out it should take me beween 1 to 2 years if i work with the band by getting most out of it! I mean by doing all the right things to achieve my goal. I have such a long journey and Im sure there will be good and bad days!!! but from what i can understand from talking to these guys that have already been banded a journey worth taking. My advice to u :)is jump on the chat room and ask as many questions as you can everyone is great and seem really happy to help.:) all the best

I decided on the band because I am in my 50,s and this is a better choice for those of us that are 50 something. We will lose at a slower rate then the bypass Pts and this will give our older skin a change to snap back better. But the real reason for me is that I could always lose weight but could never keep it off. When i went off a plan i would gain and bring aboard 10 more Lbs then I began with. I wanted the band to limit my intake but with the use of normall foods like the ones that I cook each day for my family. I know I will have foods that no longer work for me but thats ok as long as a variety of foods can be eaten .. I also worried about the Gastric Bypass and all of the Malabsorbtion problems many of them have. My goal was not just to lose weitght but to get healtier and be able to maintain a nutricional balance and be able to absorbe vitimins and minerals , staying healthy. The band made sense for me, also I was a lower BMI but Insurance paid due to longterm heart problems that will be made better if I become thinner. Its all a personal choice and what each person needs.

I chose the LAP-BAND^® over bypass because I want to have children in the near future. Although one can have children with the bypass, LAP-BAND^® is better in regards to providing nutrition to the baby without having to take x amount of vitamins and so forth. Also, I know this sounds kind of strange but if there ever was a severe disaster (natural disaster/terrorist etc.) and vitamins were not readily availale for a long time, it would be ok because we still absorb our vitamins from the food we eat. I would be afraid of being a bypass patient in that situation.

__________________
Mary
Ins: HMO-IL (BCBS)
Surgeon: Dr. Ayloo, UIC Medical center
First surgical Consult: 04/13/07
Surgery Date: 07/17/07
First Fill: 08/21/07 :clap2:
Second Fill: 10/16/07 :clap2::clap2:

DLW - never too late. I am 43 and can't wait to start a new life. Now is the time to do it because as you get older things slow down, health issues, muscle and joint things, etc. etc. If you are not as heavy, these things could be overcomed and possibly not experienced at all. Go for and enjoy the next 50 years healthier. Just a note - those doctors are from Texas, not Ohio. Their sister/daughter had surgery in Ohio and had to go to Texas to get unfilled because her doctor was not available to her and the ER didn't know how to help her. I love that show too!!

hi DLW,

I am 51 yrs old and my starting weight was 270 i am now down to 246 in about 2 months. I expect to be down to at least 150 in the time span of a year. I can eat read meat I just have to really chew. Stringy stuff like turkey and green beans is more of a challenge for me and I can eat very little bread.
Rice does not seem to bother me. I now eat very slowly and my band tells me if I am eating too fast or if it doesn/t like something. I am so glad that I was banded!!!!! Almost 25lb ligher and my knees feel so much better. I was baned by DR Needleman at Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus and I just love him. I Would recomend him to anyone. In fact my husband's friend is haveing Gastric by pass done with him.

Banded 6/21/07
First fill 1.5cc feeling some restriction and still loosing.
Second fill in one month

Thanks for all the feedback. The 14th is just around the corner. I'm excited about getting one step closer. I'm praying that my insurance will cover this procedure. My first doctors appointment, which lasted only an hour with the surgeon, was billed to my insurance company at $1300! Wow!! Could you imagine getting $1300 an hour just for explaining the procedure to someone? Of course they were only paid $500 from my insurance (because they are in network) then I had my $30 co-pay. I can't imagine how much the bill will be for the surgery let alone the hospital stay. I really can see why insurance company's turn down some procedures. It's sad but true. :-( Hopefully though I pray that I am excepted. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I venture forward? Thanks everyone. Dianne