Weight Loss Surgery/Bypass

[jfpruitt]

There seems to be alot of recent threads about Weight Loss surgery and Bypass. I wanted to add my comments to everyone considering this surgery. I recently underwent a new procedure called Lap Band. Its where they place a small band around the top part of the stomach that can be tightened and loosened for restriction. It is all done lap and the recovery time is very short. I was in the hospital for less than 24 hours. It is considered an outpatient procedure. I would STRONGLY encourage you to check into this procedure first before trying the bypass. The bypass is SO permanent and very mutilating. You are literally creating a disease process in your body surgically called BULIMIA. Whereas the band is so much safer and not permanent if something does go wrong. You can always convert to a RNY later if the band doesnt work for you. Or you can just have the band removed completely. There are so many that regain with the RNY once the body adjusts to the new anatomy. The great thing about the band is that it can constantly be re-adjusted to fit the needs of the patient. If your weight loss slows, you can get an adjustment. And when you loose all your weight, you can have the band loosened back out and can eat like a normal person again. There is no risk of malabsorption like with the bypass either. For those younger folks out there considering pregnancy in the future, the bypass will cause severe nutritional deficits that make getting pregnant difficult afterwards. With the band, there is no such worries because it can be adjusted during pregnancy. I'm very happy with my band and have lost 50 pounds since August. Some have lost 80. I have lost slower not because of the band but because I take steroids and have a severe hormonal deficiency. As with ANY surgical procedure, there are risks. However, I was much more willing to risk a 24 hr outpatient, minimally invasive procedure versus a 5 day hospital stay and mutilation of my insides. Please, Please check into this first before the bypass!!! As you can tell, I'm very pro-Band and hope everyone considering weight loss surgery will look into this new procedure as an option. If the band doesnt work, you can always do the bypass later. If the bypass doesnt work, your in trouble. Just wanted to add my comments. Feel free to IM with specific questions.

"The opinions expressed are of those of the author and not intended as medical advice."

[CraftyLPN]

The procedure I had was the rouex -y...My surgeon did not take anything out...just rearranged parts ..so that way if any complications came up he could reverse the procedure...so far so good...3 yrs and still going strong!!!