I have the same issue here! I have PCOS and I am 35 years old, I want to have kids and was leaning towards lap-band also. However from what I got from my orientation class was lap-band wasn't worth it. I was told you didn't lose a lot of weight and the surgeon visited the class and inform us they saw more issues than with GBP. In fact he informed us that he was scheduled to remove four lap bands that week from patients who got it from other hospitals cause of issues. His comment was we haven't done a lap bank this entire year cause the weight loss you get from the lap-band isn't worth the trauma of surgery that your body goes through. After hearing from friends who had the lap-band they wished they had the GBP as well. I know its a tough decision but I am leaning to GBP myself.

As soon as I came home, I started reading past stuff on this board along with a few others, and I've read horror stories from lap band, the ports slipping causing issues.. and I don't know. I think I would rather wait the 18 months to have a child than risk it not working or the other side effects. Let me know what you think! Its going to be a long process with insurance, but I need to figure it out!

I know several people personally who had the lap band and had to have it removed...bad infections, all sorts of problems...but, I do not know enough about it. I am thrilled with my gastric sleeve and would not have done it any other way.

@Nikigirl, what made you opt for the sleeve rather?

Jill,

i had the GBP 6 weeks ago and the best thing i ever did,

i had a friend who had the lap band fitted 6 years ago and ended you having GBP surgery done in jan 11

follow your heart and you will make choice

Lucy Lou xx

I debated over the two as well but ended up having gastric bypass. The thing that made my decision was that fact that people who have the lab band can still eat pretty much anything just smaller portions. So eating sugary foods and fried foods it ok with the lap band. You can still end up eating lots of calories even if you do not eat much. With gastric bypass you cannot eat certain foods and most people are more successful with losing. The decision is yours but I am extremely happy with the choice I made. Almost 3 years out. Good luck ;)

RNY GBS worked wonders for me and gave me back my life! You've gone this long without conceiving, whats a little more time going to hurt if being healthy is your reward so you can hopefully welcome a child into your healthy life! Just be sure to use birth control postop until your body is ready! :)

couldn't agree more, what a great gift to give your child, a healthy, happy mom! Good for you for asking the question and do your research and research some more and you'll find the right procedure for you. I choose gastric because of health issues that I didn't feel could be resolved as well through the lap band,most gastric patients leave the hospital off their diabetes meds, now diabetes may or may not be an issue for you but for me it was the deciding factor and the long term statistics show gastric has a higher sucess rate than lap band. Keep doing your homework and you'll figure out whats best for you.

: )

Stephanie

I am pre-op and WAS thinking of the band, but after research, talking w/others who've had it, etc.....too many cons not enough pros for me so I am going w/the bypass.

Foreign object in body, moves around, if you throw up you could dislodge it, they corrode, fills and unfills constantly adjusting, you can have issues w/the port site, infections and you can still drink a large frappe w/a million calories and sugar!!!!

PLUS.....most insurance's do NOT cover the fills.....

Whatever you choose, ask lots of questions, talk and listen...good luck!!!!

My doctor choose the sleeve for me Jill, because I am bipolar and take a lot of medication, he wanted to make sure I would continue to properly absorb my medication, and not have a relapse of symptoms.

I also considered the lap band until I did some research and went with Gastric. I am now 4 weeks out and couldn't be happier. The changes in my body are amazing. Best thing I ever did for myself.

My uncle had the band and gained all of the weight right back after two years.

lap band if you have 30 to 60 lbs to lose.
gastric bypass if you have 80lbs and higher to lose

i've also heard bad news about the lap, but can't give you any facts, I don't know enough about it.

The point about absorbing needed medicine is a good one. That being said, I can tell you that my choice was Gastric Bypass for several reasons.
1. I had friends who did lapband and they did not lose that much weight, they were constantly having to do adjustments or it just plain wasn't effective for them because they ate around it. Also met lots of lapband patients in the WLS office that were back to get another procedure because it didn't work for them. I wasn't in this to lose 40#....I was in this for the whole thing!
2. Sleeve was an option for me but I didn't think there was enough data out there for me to be comfortable with it and it more restricts how much you eat rather than what you eat - kinda like the lapband. My husband is a surgical nurse and I was uncomfortable with the number of times they were having to go back into a sleeve patient to fix something. I didn't want to feel like I was the guinea pig the Dr. was practicing on till they got good at it.
3. Overall, I felt GBS had the most data regarding success and what to expect. If done correctly, one surgery and you are done (not counting removal of skin). Due to absorption issues you have a few months of your body helping your mind overcome the evils of sugar and fat..unlike band and sleeve which only restricts how much you eat at one time. I felt like my best shot was to go for the one that would help re-train me re: food over the longest period of time. This has turned out to be a good decision cause I am still HUGELY tempted mentally by foods but the knowledge they will make me sick stops me every time.

I am 72 days out from surgery and 69 lbs lighter and I feel great!!

Welcome, Jill! So glad you found us and are sticking around!

I also have PCOS, but was fortunate to be able to conceve and give birth to 2 health kids (now 17 and 20 years old). You've already gotten lots of good feedback, but I wanted to add some thoughts on the endocrine effects of GBS. Although they don't understand why, GBS has a profound effect on the endocrine system. It is now considered a cure for type II diabetes...many patients are coming off medications immediately after surgery, results which cannot be attributed to weight loss. I bring this up because insulin resistance is a major component to PCOS. For me, GBS has completely changed my low blood sugar issues. The only time i have problems feeling like I am having low blood sugar are when I eat sugar and "dump"...happened to me yesterday when I had a regular yogurt for breakfast (I was at a conference, not able to make my regular protein shake and yogurt was the best option available).

Anyway, GBS fundamentally changes the way your body process food. Personally, I needed that "re-booting." The band does not change how your body processes anything: it just limits how much you can eat (when it works the way it is supposed to).

I had 175 lbs to lose. The band wasn't going to get me there. GBS did! :)

Good luck making your decision!

JJ