Why do docs try to get us to do GB?

[merrywait 0]

Just reading Sunnysandy's great thread. My doctor did not go to that extreme but there seemed to be a desire to get all patients to do the GB. six of us who had been deemed good candidates for WL surgery were chatting while we waited for the doc to come in and talk about next steps. We all learned that the doc had indicated that GB would be his preference.

When asked during the meeting why he thought LB was not as good as GB he could not give any concrete reasons for preferring one over the other.

why are they doing this?

[MrsCabes 2]

Actually, my doctor was just the opposite. She would NOT recommend GB but she was 100% supportive of LapBand. (which made me even more confident with my choice)

[Spartan 4]

Many Doctors do have their preferences. And they have them for different reasons.

Some GB-biased Doctors have been doing the GB for many years, and simply do not WANT to begin doing the Band. Many Band surgeons can’t DO a Bypass….it is a more complex surgery, requiring more experience and training. There are many, many reasons why Doctors have their biases, and it is not always because of the efficacy of any particular surgery. As an informed patient, it is your responsibility to take the time to do the research and come to a proper conclusion.

Now, in your case, it does sound like this Doctor has a bias toward GB. And, that is not a bad thing because the GB is a very, very good surgery for Obesity. It is, as he said, the “Gold Standard”. There are many reasons for choosing it over the Lap Band. But, just because he prefers it does NOT mean that it is the right one for you.

Based upon your posts thus far, It would appear that you have decided that you want the Lap Band, and you are looking for a Doctor that will tell that you should have it. I see that in many, many people on this forum. They come here saying that they are looking for information and are trying to decide, but in reality they have ALREADY made their decision and they are looking for support in that decision. The Lap Band advertisements that you see on TV, and on Bus benches and the back of taxicabs make the Lap Band look simple, easy, and fast. And for some, it is. For many, it is anything BUT that. Most people fall somewhere in the middle, losing some weight but not all. For every major Lap Band success story about someone who has lost 150+ pounds, there are literally hundreds of people who lost some, but not nearly all, of their excess weight.

So, if I were you at this point, I would not commit (in your mind) to ANY of the WLS procedures, and do some serious research on ALL of the major surgeries: GB, the Band, the Duodenal Switch, and the Sleeve. (there are a couple of others, but are usually not worth mentioning….) They are meant for different people, with different problems.

You could very possibly make a mistake if you take any single Doctors recommendation as your final choice. Do your best to remove any bias that YOU have in your mind, and begin attending as many seminars and informational meetings as you can. This is not a race, and if you turn it into one, you might be the loser. Take your time in doing this.

S.

[muddieguryl 0]

So, here is my take on this. Your bariatric surgeon should be able to comfortable preform both a gastric bypass and a gastric band laparoscopically with their eyes closed! Secondly, he should want what is best for you, what he thinks will work for you, where you will be more compatible with, NOT what he feels more comfortable with at the table (OR, not dinner). Third, he should offer statistics that show both success and failure rates of patients that choose either procedure. And of course, he should offer some sort of support group meets for recipients of any bariatric surgery.

Sorry, but I feel that it should be your choice not his, and if he reccommends a procedure, I would want to know why this and why not that.

Good Luck!

[Sarah.R 2]

Money is the main motivation, they got more for bypass than lapband

[Spartan 4]

Money is the main motivation, they got more for bypass than LAP-BAND®

That is an asinine point of view.

It might…just MIGHT… be that those Surgeons who recommend the GB think that would be a BETTER choice for their patients. For many, it is.

Some Doctors are motivated by Money. The vast majority are not.

The reality is that while GB costs more, it also takes longer to perform. The Lap band is, comparatively, simple.

The real money is in Lap Band installations. In the amount of time that it takes to perform a single GB, two or three, even four Lap Band procedures can be performed. Do the Math. In one day of surgery, a Lap band surgeon can make significantly more money than a GB surgeon.

It is also a Surgery that requires less experience and skill. No Staple Lines or internal cutting. So, more second-rate surgeons are getting into the business.

I have seen other people on this forum say that money is the reason that Doctors push the GB. Apparently, math is not those people’s strong suit.

S.

[MrsCabes 2]

Spartan - WHY are you on this website? All you talk about is gastric bypass.

[Spartan 4]

Spartan - WHY are you on this website? All you talk about is gastric bypass.

Because the subject comes up a lot, with INCORRECT information....THAT'S why.

On Bypass-oriented sites I talk a lot about the Lap Band in the same manner.

People need to be informed to make the CORRECT decisions about a very important subject. And very often they are not informed, and they make the wrong choice, and they suffer for it.

S.

[merrywait 0]

Hi Spartan~

I looked at your profile. Have you had either surgery?

[BetsyB 9]

Doctors, like everyone else, have preferences. Their recommendations may be based on what they think is best for a patient---or they might be based on the surgery they think is more fun, or produces the fastest (and most gratifying, for them) results, or because they don't like the level of long-term followup required with the band, or even because they make more money one way or the other.

My doctor did NOT recommend GBS for me. In fact, he said he would recommend against it. He does perform bypass routinely, but he believed me to be a better candidate for the band because of my history, my eating habits at the time, my obstacles to loss (I had already identified that I lose at 800-1000 calories, and significantly changed my behavior, but needed help with hunger), and I was "only a little morbidly obese" (in his words LOL).

If you trust your surgeon---know his reputation and have built a good, trusting rapport with him, then perhaps his recommendation is a good one.

Perhaps it is not. If you get the sense that your surgeon does not support banding, it might be a good idea to find one who is. It is NOT unheard-of for less-than-enthusiastic doctors to make the follow-up period, during which you seek to achieve restriction, really difficult.

Better to have a doctor who is behind YOUR decision and will do whatever is necessary to help you succeed.

(And yes, I would flat-out ask. I'd say, "You've indicated that you would prefer to do bypass. If I choose banding, are you committed to helping me achieve success with it?")

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

Because the subject comes up a lot, with INCORRECT information....THAT'S why.

On Bypass-oriented sites I talk a lot about the LAP-BAND® in the same manner.

People need to be informed to make the CORRECT decisions about a very important subject. And very often they are not informed, and they make the wrong choice, and they suffer for it.

S.

This is absolutely true. I believe anyone looking into ANY of the WLS need to be truly thorough in research. Do not make your mind up before you've noted all your options.

The Lap-Band is not for everybody. It's not easy. It's not a miracle diet device. I will not do your workouts for you. It will not make your food choices for you. Sometimes it doesn't even keep you from feeling hunger or true fulness. Just stating some facts you may want to think about.

Just know what you are up against, everyone.

Also, may I remind everyone to remain respectful of any/everyone's else's opinions on here. Not everyone is going to agree, and we should all remember that.

Everyone is allowed to be here unless the Site Owner/Admins/Moderators think otherwise, regardless of motives or point of view.

With that, happy posting.

[LarraineM 6]

I am 6 months out with my Lap Band. I noticed my Dr presented both the GB and LB although I made it clear why I was there. He even asked again at my second visit if I had given any thought to the GB ? I said NO and that was the end of it. I have sneaky feeling there are more bucks for all with the GB. Thats just me I believe it all boils down to the money......

[CurvyCat 0]

My Dr. performs a whole variety of bariatric surgeries. At the initial seminar I went to, there were about 8 of us there, I think. Four of us were interested in LB, and the rest in GB. By the end of the seminar, I was the only one left still looking at LB.

However, this is not because he was pushing GB, but because he was very blunt about the fact that LB is a TOOL and that it will very likely NOT work if the patient is unwilling to be very compliant and make the lifestyle and diet changes needed. He made sure we were clear that the LB was a restriction-only surgery, and that there was no malabsorption factor involved - and he laid out the pros and cons of that. He showed comparative risks of the various surgeries, rates of weight loss, etc.

Most of the questions that the other potential patients had were all about making sure they could still eat fried foods, bread and Pasta, sweets, etc. He said that most people *could* eat those foods easily with the Band, but that those who did were less likely to lose.

It was very strange seeing the difference in perspective that I had from the other prospective patients. I was completely put off by the risks involved with bypass, with the idea of dumping syndrome, and by the idea of having part of my body permanently removed. The other folks switched to bypass because it required less compliance because of the malabsorption factor and had likely faster weight loss.

I made the switch to a healthier *quality* of food a long time ago. My interest in the lap band comes from a desire for help in controlling the *quantity* of food I eat. My surgeon and his staff agree that I am a great candidate for the band. But he knows that it is not for everyone and I think would rather see people who are less likely to succeed with the band take a different route.

[sunny day 0]

in my journey i have found that most Doctors push bypass because its more effective and takes less compliance from the patient. My Doc said that most people who have the band do not follow up like their suppose to so the ability to lose all the excess weight is greatly reduced. He said lap band is good for patients who need help with Portion Control but for the most part make healthy choices gastric bypass is better suited for people who like sweets and make poor food choices most of the time.. In the end he said that he recommends GB over LB because you will lose more weight at a faster pace. i personally am waiting for approval for lap band.

[L12 13]

My doctor used to perform GB, but switched over to only performing LB surgery; he said wasn't happy with the long term results of GB patients as many of his regained weight and stretched their pouch. So I knew when I went to him that he only did LB. Another doctor I had considered wouldn't take my insurance (Tricare) for LB, only for GB; I was told he gets reimbursed more for bypass surgeries. I am going to assume he would have been gung ho for GB in my case. :biggrin: