Still doing research so please don’t take offense…
When I first read the literature about WLS, without
reading about the personal experiences of the people
on the lists, it seemed that Lapband would be a no
brainer because as someone said “you’re plumbing
doesn’t get rearranged” and it was a much less
invasive procedure so recovery would be fast.
After spending a lot of time mostly on the bandster
lists (but also this one), I picked out a local
surgeon based on the manufacturer’s site — which
showed which doctors were certified in the lapband
procedure. At my first consult a couple weeks ago, I
was very impressed even though when I said “I think I
want to have lapband,” he immediately told me it was
too early to decide “what kind” of WLS until we
learned more about my health and the other procedures.
He stressed that there was a big difference between
simply restricting food intake and losing weight.
That my body apparently was “good at times of famine”
and over the years doctors have learned that the
malabsorption factor is pretty critical in not only
taking off the weight but maintaining it after the
first 18 months. He urged me to do more research and
set me up with initial appointments with a metabolic
specialist and psychologist. That made a lot of sense
to me. The nurse told me “this site” was our online
support group. I told her I was already reading it
for months, but I dug further and found the duedenal
switch sites and have been reading them all pretty
furiously. I’m on my way out to get some books too
and I’ve shared some conversations with other wls
posters from the other groups. I’ve looked at a lot
of stories on the online sites that post the pictures
and journals of WLS patients.
My point is that now I’m leaning heavily towards
wanting the BPD/DS because from everything I have
read, there are many more long term food choices after
this procedure, and no dumping syndrome. All of the
procedures require life long maintenance of exercise
and good food choices with supplements, but this
procedure is supposed to restrict fat intake better
than any of the others. They all have major risks and
none is a piece of cake. You can have success on all
of them if you follow the program. A lot of the
posters on the BPD/DS sites were revisions from RNY or
lapband and had some bad stories (stories that I could
relate to and have worries about happening to me).
I don’t want to criticize or judge why anyone else
chose the procedure they did and there certainly are
good success stories on all the boards. I’m thinking
that for me and the way I have dieted for so many
years (only to gain when eating much less than should
be normal after losing), that BPD/DS seems like the
procedure that would have the best chance of success
for me. I am pretty healthy despite being MO with a
BMI of 44. I have occasional high blood pressure (my
father died of heart attacks and hd diabetes, my mom
has high blood pressure and is about the same weight
and build).
Am I correct in assuming that this is a site for
practices that mainly do and support the RNG procedure
and that my dr.’s practice will be heavily biased in
that type of surgery even if I want another type
ultimately? I really want to examine everything
before “landing” on a choice but think I have done
enough research to date to rule out lapband for me
(can’t imagine that for the rest of my life I would
ony eat 1/2 cup food 3 times a day and not be
miserable and even if I did that at some point I know
I would level out, maybe way too soon to lose the 130
pounds I want to lose).
Please don’t take this is criticism of any choices
anyone else has or does make. Just want to get my
questions answered. I’ll call my doc next week for
some I have for him.
Hugs to you all and especially the moderators who keep
these lists going.
Ginger in San Diego
Working with Dr. Brunson’s group in Torrey Pines