Why do they keeping saying this won't work?

[NewDadMiami 0]

I currently weigh 365 lbs. I have yo-yo deiting for the last 10 years. I have called 3 surgeons and even attended 2 information sessions. Everytime I talk to a doctor or the office assistants, they say I need Gastric Bypass, not the band. I am paying for surgery out of pocket, the band is cheaper and safer with a lower risk of complications. (Complications I'd have to pay for!)

I do not want Gastric, I feel like I need a tool, not a fix. I have NO co-morbidities.

Has anyone on here lost 150 lbs or more?

Does anyone have any insight as to why they would try to get me to do Gastric instead of Lap-Band?

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

Could be largely due to your eating habits? I would have said your co-morbidities but you mentioned not having any.

There are many options out there, all tailored to different needs. I would research all before making such a commitment.

[LeighaMason 19]

Never ask the car salesman which car to buy!:thumbup: But in my opinion the band works best for people with Portion Control issues. It will not help with junk food eating, grazing or sweets.

[John337 2]

I currently weigh 365 lbs. I have yo-yo deiting for the last 10 years. I have called 3 surgeons and even attended 2 information sessions. Everytime I talk to a doctor or the office assistants, they say I need Gastric Bypass, not the band. I am paying for surgery out of pocket, the band is cheaper and safer with a lower risk of complications. (Complications I'd have to pay for!)

I do not want Gastric, I feel like I need a tool, not a fix. I have NO co-morbidities.

Has anyone on here lost 150 lbs or more?

Does anyone have any insight as to why they would try to get me to do Gastric instead of Lap-Band®?

Is Portion Control your problem?? It was mine. I lost over 120 lbs and feel great. You should challenge them when they say bypass vs LapBand. Ny Doc at NYU in NYC would argue the reverse.

Good luck......

[Sixpoundsawayfrom100 0]

I don't know why they keep suggesting gastric. I know the support group I go to, we have had a few people that had gastric and now is having lap-band.

When I first started this journey years ago, I thought of gastric, but when I went I felt it was like a meat market. I was not yet a hundred pounds overweight, but they would tell you how to add pounds on by using weights. I was not comfortable with all the side effects and the high risks. I left there and never went back.

Five years later, I had lap-band and I am so happy with it. I had a few problems, but I believe its myself causing them. I only have to loose one hundred pounds and now I'm only six pounds away. Go with your gutt feeling. Good Luck

[bella71 0]

If you snack on candy and junk food during the day, then the Lap Band may not be for you. It seems like the people on this site who struggle the most are the ones who love to indulge in "slider" junk foods like Cookies and cake. They slide right through the band and you will always be hungry.

But if Portion Control is your problem, then the Lap Band will most likely work for you, because it goes to the heart of the problem and minimizes your portions.

So, which surgery to have is not strictly based on weight or BMI. There are so many people on this site who have lost 150+ lbs. I believe I will be one of those people, and you can do it, too!

[rockylinx 0]

Hello NewDadMiami,

They said the same thing to me. After a year and 3 months with the band Ive lost 130lbs.

Everyone must remember the hard and fast rule!!! This rule, doesn't care how you eat- what you eat, or how often you eat.

Rule #1

You gain weight if you consume more calories then you exert.....

Get the band! eat fries milkshakes in moderation. Consume 1200 calories a day and start living an active life!

you will be successful- your on your way, follow your gut and for Gods sake don't believe experts are actually looking out for your best interest.

Does anyone have any insight as to why they would try to get me to do Gastric instead of Lap-Band®?

You cant fail with the bypass, eat sugar-you dump, eat too much- vomit city, if you get bad food past the 2 above blockades, it wont absorb because they removed some intestines.

Most signs of failure appear after the 3 year mark. The new pouch gets stretched.

band, eat milk shakes and sliders sadly you'll gain, unless you go to rule #1 and work your butt off in the gym. that's not a great plan so don't bank for that option.

[Laura Lane 0]

i recommend the sleeve, the recovery is much faster and i haven't had any complications.

[btrieger 21]

i recommend the sleeve, the recovery is much faster and i haven't had any complications.

Much faster than what?

There is basically no recovery time for lapband.

[maryrose 2]

My clinic also recommened bypass, but I refused.

Did they outright "refuse" the band or did they suggest the bypass?

If you feel you can follow the band rules then you should go for it.

I was firm with them and told them I did NOT want the bypass. I felt the same way about the bypass surgery.

Did you get as far as a phychology consult?

[cwm812 11]

I definitely felt the same way that you do about bypass. Although I know some people who have been successful with it, I went to a seminar and knew it was not for me. Luckily, my doctor had no problem with my weight (350 lbs) and the band. He told me that in their practice, the bypass patients lost quicker, but at 3 years out, the weight loss was the same for both band and bypass patients. I'm almost 2 years out, 160 lbs down and I couldn't be happier with my choice.

Do your research and if you still think the band is for you, I'd go for it!

Cindy

[Spartan 4]

You know, if it was merely ONE Doctor that was suggesting that you have a Gastric Bypass, then I would say that it was because that was the surgery that they were most familiar with, and that was what they were trying to sell you.

However, you indicated that you had received the same advice from several Surgeons. Therefore, there must be a good reason for it, and you would be very wise in at least considering it.

You asked “Why do they keep saying it won’t work?”……I’m thinking maybe you should ASK them….?

There are a number of very specific reasons why they might be suggesting a gastric bypass in YOUR particular case. The Lap band does not work for everyone. For many people, a Gastric Bypass IS a much better choice.

There are a number of Weight Loss Surgeries available today in addition to the Lap band. The Sleeve, the DS, the Bypass, and a few more obscure procedures.. All of them work, to a CERTAIN degree. But, for most people, they are not all that interchangeable. They are meant for different people, with different weight and eating issues. Many people (including even some in the bariatric industry) don’t get this. I see people all the time that have had a Lap Band, and they may lose some weight, but not nearly all that they need to. What they should have had was a Bypass, plain and simple. The Lap Band is being sold these days as a one-size-fits-all solution to the problem of Obesity, but it’s not that simple. The Band works miracles for SOME people…but not for everyone.

People say a lot of bad things about the Gastric Bypass….most of it is quite untrue. I have observed of lot misinformation about the procedure being discussed on this forum. But the fact is that it is still considered to be the “gold standard” of Weight Loss Surgery. It has been performed for over 50 years, and if the patient sticks to the rules, then they will lose the weight, and will maintain the weight loss….plain and simple. The problems that a very, very small percentage of people have as result of GB are almost always due to surgical incompetence or misbehavior on the part of the patient. The people who do regain their weight after Bypass are people who will also find a way to “eat around” the band, which is very easy to do. So, regardless of the procedure, much of the responsibility for the success or failure of the surgery lies with the behavior of the patient.

So, do not dismiss the option of a Gastric Bypass, as it might be the procedure that is suited for you. I do think that you need to ask some questions of the people that are giving you this advice, so that you will know exactly why this procedure is being recommended. However, because you have heard the same thing from several surgeons it could very likely be that a Gastric Bypass is what you really need.

[sue in ne 1]

I was 190 # over my IWR, at 320 # and had co-morbidities but had the LBS. A lot depends on not just the surgeon's opinion but also your health, and eating habits. Over 3 yrs, the wt loss between the GBY and LBS are about the same, but the GBY patients lose most in the 1st year. At 365 #, how over weight are you? What are you eating? Are there other health issues? Are you going to be able to increase your exercise level? You must ask yourself these questions. And ask the surgeon why they prefer GBY? I was so gun-shy of the surgery, had 2 consults before I committed. Luckily, they only talked about LAP-BAND®. Do talk to another surgeon

Edited March 18, 2010 by sue in ne