If I could do it over, would I get a lap band??

[Woodstock girl 0]

No, I would have gotten gastric bypass. The reason is because I am a sugar addict and with the bypass, you absolutely cannot eat sugar without vomiting. We were talking about this at our support meeting last week, and many of us agreed that bypass is better for sugar addicts because you can just about eat anything you want with a band, including sugar.

Another reason is because I cannot stand the way I feel after having fills in my band. The feeling of everything stuck in my throat, the nausea, yuck. Plus there is always a chance of the band eroding and having to have another surgery to get a new one. More insurance hassles. With bypass, the weight comes off faster too.

So knowing what I know now, I wish I would have had a bypass. I realize not everyone agrees with me though. I'm losing weight with the band,

[vow 0]

I chose the lap-band over gastric bypass for several reasons.

The Lap-band is less invasive than gastric bypass surgery.

Gastric bypass is physically altering your stomach forever.

Gastric bypass surgery does cause you to lose more rapidly, increasing the chance of hanging loose skin... yeah I'd love to have all my weight melt off in a few months, but the idea of looking like the saggy-baggy elephant afterwards... not so appealing.

You CAN eat sugar with gastric bypass, I work with 2 people that have had it done in the past 6 months.

Talk to some other folks with gastric, like several posters I've seen that lost all that weight, then started gaining and went in for a lap-band.

[Cocoabean 430]

I read that only about 30% of bypass patients experience dumping with sugar. So, it isn't guaranteed that you could not eat sugar. But it was a strong contender for me in my decision.

At 2 years out, the weight loss is similar, but bypass folk lose it quicker to start.

When I am hanging over the sink trying to get something unstuck I wish I had gotten bypass, but other than that, I am very happy with my decision.

That said, if the band fails me, I'd be OK with revising to bypass, also.

[adagray 1]

Even for those that get dumping syndrome, though, it goes away within two years. So, eventually, all sugar addicts have to deal w/moderating sugar (without the help of dumping).

Rather than say one surgery is better than the other for sugar addicts, I would highly recommend another strategy for sugar addicts... I challenge you to give up all sugary foods AND sweeteners (artificial and natural) for one month. You will be amazed at how much the sugar and sweeteners you are using are DRIVING your addiction for more sweetness. Artificial (or even natural low calorie sweeteners) are the worst because they lull us into thinking that they have no effect on our weight. But, studies have shown this to be totally false. When you eat something that is no or low calorie, but very sweet, your body is expecting calories. And, when it doesn't get it, it looks for more elsewhere through what else, but more sweets. Also, highly sweetened beverages (like crystal light) deaden your tastebuds to how good natural non-sweet foods taste.

I know, I know, this sounds like a bunch of health scare propaganda. That's what I thought when my younger friends would tell me how bad all my diet coke and sweeteners were for me. But, when they told us in our pre-op class that they wanted us to cut out all sweeteners (artificial, natural, low cal, high cal) for the month after surgery, I took the challenge (very skeptically, I might add). And, was so pleasantly surprised that they were right. I no longer crave sweets or feel compelled to eat sweets regularly. I do occasionally ENJOY a very small portion of dessert, but I am not pouring on the splenda, nutrasweet, agave nectar, sugar all over everything anymore. And, I drink plain Water and enjoy it.

[Woodstock girl 0]

I'm off sugar, but I still wish I had gotten bypass. As one lady said, when you are trying to get something unstuck or vomiting because you started eating before your stomach was ready for real food, it is a good wish.

[BetsyB 9]

Bypass is a great surgery for some people. But it causes significant lifelong malabsorption of nutrients--which is something we are thankfully spared.

And once the initial honeymoon period, the rate of weight loss success generally equalizes with ours---at a far greater lifestyle and health cost, IMO.

You know, if you really want a revision, you can go the bypass route. But I think it's probably more constructive to let go of the grass-is-greener idea. On one hand, you're saying you wish you became ill in response to sugar, and on the other, you're saying that vomiting after being stuck is part of your rationale for wishing you'd had a different surgery. So---which is it? Is vomiting good (keeping you from sugar) or bad ('cause it happens when you get stuck)?

From what I've observed, dumping makes stuck look like a walk in the park.

I'm sorry you're having buyer's remorse. It's really common--and usually fleeting. I can tell you, we all wish our weight was gone, like yesterday.

If, after really giving banded living a good try, you still are dissatisfied, you always can revise to bypass. You wouldn't be the first.

As an aside to the poster who mentioned skin sagging: It has very little to do with rate of loss, other than it appears faster in those who deflate faster :smile2:

[Woodstock girl 0]

The malabsorption and permanent alteration of my stomach is why I didn't do bypass.

I'm sure I will like my band more when I feel better. This is the hardest fill I've ever had.

Neither bypass or band is a cure - it's just a tool and we have to work the program in order for it to work. Both procedures have pros and cons.

[Cocoabean 430]

Don't bypass folk get food stuck from time to time?

My PCP had bypass and we were talking about getting food stuck. He spoke of some incidents he'd had with chicken.

Maybe not as often, but it sounds as if it occurs.

[soooconfused 0]

I registered to the site just so I could post on this thread. I just wanted to point out that my best friend had a gastric bypass 6 years ago. One of the first things she ate post-op was a slurpee. (full of sugar) To this day, she has no issues eating sugar or candy. She only got dumping at the VERY beginning. Also, she is always getting food "stuck" and trying to either get it to come back up or go down. One of the very reasons I am not a big proponent of gastric bypass is having watched her and others who have gone through one. She doesn't eat right, and im worried for her in the long term as far as nutrients and Vitamins are concerned. She lost a lot of weight, yes, and she's very happy and consideres it the best decision she's ever made. Im happy for her, but I just wanted to point out that she can eat sugar and gets things stuck..................

[Woodstock girl 0]

I guess I should just be happy with what I have.

[Cocoabean 430]

Woodstock,

I think if you'd had bypass, you would be having moments of, "I wish I would have had Lap Band!"

It's the way we are. I do have moments where I second guess myself. Like last week when I was urping into a public toilet.

I think you are having some fill issues right now. That is a rough time to question your choice.

Hopefully when you feel better, you won't feel so bad about your choice.

[Woodstock girl 0]

I'm sure you are right Denise.

[LuvNMe77 0]

At this point i think i would have gotten the bypass.i was banded in sept 16'09. The only reason i got the band is because it was reversable. i didnt plan to lose my insurance so now i have to pay my fills out of pocket $150.00 and to top it off my damm port flipped upside down and thats another 5000.00 more that i have to come up with. if i dont get it fixed i would have gotten the band for nothing. also i cant still eat hings i shouldnt. i need restriction .. at times i do wish i could go back and get the bypass.

[Woodstock girl 0]

I agree that the lap band is more expensive in the long run. You've had a lot happen in a short time!! So sorry to hear about your port. Your doc sure charges a lot for fills - mine are $70.

[dizlizd 0]

Woodstock, I went over a year with no fills because of the problems with food getting stuck, but I lost 86 lbs. in the process. Then I started being able to eat more with no restriction. My doctor wouldn't give me a fill right away because of all the problems I had before. He kept saying "Come back in a month and let's see if you're still losing". Well when I went back, I had lost a couple of lbs. so he still wouldn't agree to a fill.

So 2 more months down the road I'm at the same weight and he finally gave in and agreed to do a fill under flouroscopy. He ended up putting in 3cc. I went home and two days later, couldn't get fluids down, so I had to go back and have 1cc taken out. Now I'm back to where I was before the fill and can't get another one until April 20th. What I'm saying is, if it takes fine tuning and maybe another year for me to lose this last 30 lbs., I will be happy with that. Because at least my bowels are not permantly altered and if there ever is a problem with my band, it can be fixed. Even with the band I have had some difficulty getting enough nutrients. I can't imagine what it would be like with the bypass.

I agree with the others about the sugar cravings and the sweeteners. For a long time I was sweetening my iced tea with Stevia Extract (all natural). I got tired of that "not sugar" taste and discovered that I prefer my iced tea sweetened with very little sugar, just enough to take away the bitterness, so that's how I drink it. I put in less than 1/2 cup per gallon tea. And as for other sweets, when I crave them, I go for my favorite fruits. Believe me, I get in my fruit servings daily. That's my take on this whole thing. Didn't mean to write a book, sorry:confused:.