Do you regret choosing the Band over Bypass?

[che4u 0]

Hi all!

I have a few friends that have had bypass surgery and one who's had the band.

My friends that got the gastric bypass all dropped a lot of weight but many of them had issues, (1 didn't heal properly and had to keep going back in, 1 became an alcoholic, 1 is losing muscle mass due to the rapid weight loss and gets dizzy spells etc.).

My friend that got the lap band had no ill effects, (beside the normal food restriction adjustments), but she feels like she hasn't lost much and her band is almost full.

I am really torn because I definitely need to lose. I have been heavy my whole life, (literally, for as long as I can remember), so I relish the thought of losing weight but, at the same time, gastric bypass makes me very nervous. My mother knows a woman that can't *stop* losing and is skin and bones now.

Have any of you had problems losing with the band, (while following the basic instructions and food program)?

What made you choose the band over bypass?

What has been the key to your success?

Have you had any loose skin issues? (I have heard that lap banders have better skin "snap back" because of the slower loss... have you noticed this)?

I am not a sweet eater, usually. My issues are late night snacking, a love of all things starch, (especially bread, Bagels etc.) and a sedentary lifestyle, (both for work and hobbies).

Any insight you can give would be GREATLY appreciated! I don't mind losing a little less if the surgery is safer, (and I feel Lap Band IS a less invasive and, therefor, safer options on the whole), but I don't want to go through the whole process only to feel hungry 24-7 or lose only a small amount of weight.

I have looked to impartial studies comparing the 2 processes but most of them are by one or the other school of thought, thus making one wonder if they aren't skewed. If you know of any recent, accurate, comparisons please let me know.

Thank you, in advance!

Shannon

[bandongal 0]

if you are like me--into starchy late night Snacks then the band should do it for us:smile: I will be banded on the 26th and am nervous about the surgery itself but would be so freaked about gastric bypass!! It has a lot more risk and more long term problems with absorbtion, losing too much sometimes, and saggy skin. I think lap band is a bit slower so less saggy skin, no absorbtion problems and the restriction can be adjusted! Maybe your friend who has the band who is not losing is eating liquid calories?? -or does not have enough restriction. If one sucks on chocolate, drinks milkshakes , drinks high calorie coffee drinks, eats ice cream or high calorie Soup then those things "shoot" right through and the band is not being used properly. good luck

[cwm812 11]

You are asking all kinds of good questions, but you will definitely find us "skewed" on this website as well. I've been successful and I love my band. I never seriously considered the bypass. I went to a seminar for it and I left thinking that there was no way I would ever do that. I do have a friend who is exceptionally happy with her bypass, but I don't want that life. I knew I wanted to eat normally and for the most part I get to do that. For me the only negative about banded life, is getting stuck. It still happens to me sometimes, and I handle it much better than I did 2 years ago, but I still hate it. For the positives, I really don't have any foods that I can't eat, although there are some that are challenging, I don't diet (I don't count anything!) and I feel great.

As far as the skin issues...yes, I've got loose skin, but I've lost 171 lbs and I just turned 50! Even my thin friends have some loose skin at 50. Although my arms look just awful, I was surprised to find that the rest of me, really isn't that bad. I do think about plastic surgery, but I'm really not sure that I want to deal with that. I figure that if I get my arms done, my breasts and stomach will bother me and then I'll want the Tummy Tuck and the breast lift, too. Financially and mentally, I'm not so sure I can handle all that.

Good luck on your decision. You have made a wise choice by doing your research.

Cindy

[BetsyB 9]

Nope, not for a second.

[Moquarius 3]

Bypass wasnt an option for me because of the possible side effects and rapid weight loss. I chose the band because of the fact that you lose weight slowly and you have the choice to make it work for you.

Its been 3 weeks since surgery and I am not disappointed. I have lost 21 pounds in 4 weeks and I know it would not have happened without the band.

Good luck on your decision!

[rkwilliams1013 0]

As a nurse, I chose the band because I have taken care of a lot of bypass patients and needed to make an informed and educated decision on what was right for me.

here's why I chose the band:

1) I didn't want the long-term mal-absorption issues that bypass patients have. I needed more control over what and how much I lost.

2) Its not completely permanent. While I'm a strong believer that the Lap Band is a life long decision, if I ever need it removed for any reason, its possible.

3) I don't have kids. I wanted a means to lose weight effectively, but still safe for baby when the time comes.

4) The weight comes off gradually, allowing me enough time to change lifestyle habits, and adjust psychologically.

5) I didn't want a "quick fix", but a tool to help me get healthy. Lap Band won't change what you put in your mouth- its up to you to change that, but it will train you to make healthy choices.

Hope this helps. Every person has their own individual reasons for choosing the band/bypass, but like I said, As a nurse, I felt this was right for me.

Good luck with your journey!

[che4u 0]

Thanks very much, all!

Sugary drinks and candy aren't my issue, so hopefully the band will be better for me. I will keep researching but am still leaning toward the band, having my insides cut apart and reassembled makes me very nervous!

Thanks again for your input, please feel free to add more if you think of it, any suggestions and thoughts are helpful.

Do you all exercise a lot more then pre-op.?

Have any of you had issues with punctures? I just saw a few videos about that, (I hadn't even heard of it being an issue). Does anyone know if that's a common thing or a rare case?

Talk to you soon! Congrats to all of you for working so hard and making such giant leaps! 171lbs is probably going to be the minimum that I'll have to lose, (I am not sure the the doctor's goal is based on their sheet, my own personal comfort level or a mix of the two...?).

Shannon

Shannon

[cwm812 11]

Since you asked, I do exercise more than I did preband, but it's a whole lot easier once you lose some weight. I didn't start exercising until I had lost 100 lbs. I couldn't bring myself to do it at my starting weight. For exercise, I workout on a elliptical 50 minutes 3-4 times a week. I also try to move as much as possible throughout the day, especially since I have a desk job.

[che4u 0]

Thanks, cwm812, I was curious about that. I am trying to start becoming more active now, and getting better habits, before the band... to "set myself up for success", so to speak.

I like Wii sports and wii fit, just need the kick in the pants to use them more regularly!

thanks again everyone!

Shannon

[zeniada 9]

I'm not banded yet but i would never even consider the bypass to risky and my kids need a mom for a long time that's why i am choosing the band. so what if i have a foreign object in my body i already have an IUD and rods in my back what harm would another one do...Good Luck All!!!

[btrieger 21]

As a nurse, I chose the band because I have taken care of a lot of bypass patients and needed to make an informed and educated decision on what was right for me.

here's why I chose the band:

1) I didn't want the long-term mal-absorption issues that bypass patients have. I needed more control over what and how much I lost.

2) Its not completely permanent. While I'm a strong believer that the LAP-BAND® is a life long decision, if I ever need it removed for any reason, its possible.

3) I don't have kids. I wanted a means to lose weight effectively, but still safe for baby when the time comes.

4) The weight comes off gradually, allowing me enough time to change lifestyle habits, and adjust psychologically.

5) I didn't want a "quick fix", but a tool to help me get healthy. LAP-BAND® won't change what you put in your mouth- its up to you to change that, but it will train you to make healthy choices.

Hope this helps. Every person has their own individual reasons for choosing the band/bypass, but like I said, As a nurse, I felt this was right for me.

Good luck with your journey!

Well put but you left out the mortality rate and the fact that even though bypass patients post impressive numbers for the first year or so; more than half of them gain almost every pound back.

You couldn't pay me enough to have bypass or the sleeve.

[Llyra 3]

I chose the band for many of the same reasons listed above, especially the lower rate of complications and mortality.

[Sooz 0]

Not banded yet, but I never considered bypass. I have considered gastric sleeve (VGS), though. It seemed as though it might work better in my case, as I have dentures and I don't think "chewing food to paste" is as critical with the sleeve. Still leery of having my stomach stapled and cut though, even though intestines aren't cut and pasted.

[va_viv 3]

Hey Shannon! Like many others I never really considered the bypass because it seems toooo extreme for me. I'm also worried about loose skin and I think the bypass would definitely leave me with some. My dr told me, in his professional opinion, the band is better for younger people (I'm 25) because it gives you the AIDE you need to change your life NOW before it's to late, instead of having a "quick fix" and never have really "learned our lesson" prompting many young folks to gain the weight back (with the bypass). And he also mentioned that it helps a lot in not having loose skin because we are able to exercise better/easier. I have a friend who was banded about 3 yrs ago and now she says that she wants to go back and get the bypass (I don't know if that's even possible) she lost nothing with the band and I think it definitely has to do with her not making a life style change and now is looking for that quick fix.

That being said, it is of course a personal decision/preference. My brother in law is also getting WLS and he feels like the gastric sleeve is a better fit for him.

So, my advice is don't rush and give yourself enough time to make a decision that you will be satisfied with forever. Tons of luck and wish you the best. I'm getting banded Oct 6th so I'll let you know how it goes :thumbup:

Edited August 19, 2010 by va_viv

[Catherine55 43]

What made you choose the band over bypass?

For many of the same reasons mentioned above -- I didn't want to alter my anatomy in a permanent way and I didn't want to deal with malabsorption issues.

What has been the key to your success?

Following the bandster rules more often than not, taking joy in this process, blogging regularly, being proactive about my care (getting fills, etc.) and exercising.

Have you had any loose skin issues? (I have heard that lap banders have better skin "snap back" because of the slower loss... have you noticed this)?

No, but I had only 75-85 pounds to lose and am in my late 30s. For me, everything (and I mean everything. .) snapped back into place. Thank God!! But even if it hadn't, I'd still feel better now than I did with 80 extra pounds on me!

Do you all exercise a lot more then pre-op.?

Yes -- and I love it now. So much easier to do once you take off some of the initial weight.

Have any of you had issues with punctures?

No. I haven't even heard of anyone having that. I've been lucky to have no complications (knock wood), but I do know a few people who've had to have a flipped port fixed. None of them have said that they wish they hadn't gotten the band though -- they just get it fixed and get back on track.

I hope that helps! There's a link to my blog below if you want to check it out -- you can read about what the whole process is like, and how the surgery went (go to the very beginning for that) if you're interested.

Good luck with your decision! I hope that you wind up enjoying this process as much as I have. It's such a pleasure to feel free from feeling badly about my weight.

Best wishes,

Catherine