Declared yet Undecided

No, I'm not going back to college.

Today I had my 5th medically supervised weight loss appointment. I was up 5lb. That's a whole other story. See below post regarding need to eat birthday cake on a daily basis. Anyway, I have been doing the medically supervised weight loss trial for WLS approval, but had not yet decided if I was actually going to have surgery. Over the past few weeks, the hubs and I have discussed it at length, and he has FINALLY (he hates having opinions) said he thinks I should go for it, because he is concerned about my health. So I DECLARED to my doctor today that I do want surgery and I want the Lap-Band.

And now I'm undecided. His opinion (and I have not done any research yet) is that I should go with the gastric sleeve instead. He said he doesn't like the Lap-band for his patients for a few reasons: 1. not as effective 2. constant appointments 3. high rate of complications (while not serious) 4. Just a lot of hassle after the fact. He thinks sleeve would be a better route for me. He does not think gastric bypass is the way to go either, as I am just so young and can get plenty of exercise in once I get some of the initial weight off. I am a bit terrified of gastric bypass anyway, as I have seen all the media horror stories. Please take no offense of you have had GB, I am just saying my feelings of fear, not that you were right or wrong. He also said sleeve was way less risky than bypass because it is a much shorter surgery, and they do not mess with your intestines at all. So that sounds good.

So now I have declared I am going to do WLS, I am just undecided as to which one. Honestly, the band has appealed to me most because it was least invasive/risky. But reading about things like "sliming" and "PB'ing" have kind of turned me off to it. I want to follow the rules, chew, chew, chew, eat protein first, take small bites, ect, but from what I am reading many bandsters DO follow these rules and then still get sick?

This is a moment when I need my mother so much. She would analyze the HELL out of this with me, and go back and forth with me for hours about what is the right thing to do. She would never get sick of talking about it with me. She would pray with me, She would support me AND give her opinion, which few people seem capable of doing today. My husband will support me, in whatever I decide, but he isn't going to play the "let's discuss this for the next 34 hours straight" game with me. My mom would have. And she would have encouraged me no matter what. I MISS her so much. I know she wanted me to have LB surgery, but we had never discussed the sleeve.

Today when I came home there was a package on the doorstep. My sister-in-law had her church send a prayer comfort blanket for me. Basically it is a blanket the ladies prayed on to give the wearer comfort in time of loss/need/whatever. Very fitting since I need the comfort and advice of my mother, that I received it today. I don't know if it means something, but I am wearing it now, and while the tears have not stopped since I received it, it does feel warm and a bit like a snuggle. Nothing like Mama's snuggle, but still a nice snuggle.


What are your thoughts on the various WLS options? Have you had WLS? What did you choose and why?

P.S. it's been four days since my last slice of cake. That's progress, right?