Was the Lap Band Your First Choice?

[GoBanana 6]

I went in wanting gastric, then i decided that the lap band would be better for me but now, as a person with no discipline, i am thinking gastric is better because i will eat less. I feel the Lap Band is more lenient and you dont lose as much and you are still able to eat the bad stuff...i have no will power thismight not be for me :/

Have any of you had a different "first choice" ?

[brenda62 47]

1st and only choice for me. I did not want something like gastric which is not reversible. I am very happy with my lap band and as for losing slow, not me I am doing great,

[GoBanana 6]

Thanks for your reply. Im just nervous because I know with gastric you really cant have sugar because you get dumping syndrome and thats good for some people because it acts as a deterrant. With the lap band, you can still have those foods and its as if you are just on a regular diet. Unless certain foods make you sick with the band of course...

Ugh decisions decisions....

[JerseyGirl80 12]

After 10 years of thinking about it, it was my first and only choice. I didn't want anything cut out of me that I couldn't get back, the side effects of that were too risky for me. I didn't want to lose my weight quickly, and I wanted to feel like I was doing it, not just my surgery. (even though bypass people struggle too) I feel that with my band I'm still in control for the most part and I can still be accountable for what I'm doing. I know how to eat healthy and did for the most part before surgery, but I was also an over eater and a binge eater, the band restricts me from doing that anymore and I'm so thankful to modern science for that lol.` Don't get me wrong, I lack discipline and I'm lazy most of the time still lol, but this band was just that extra push that I needed. It's helping me relearn how to eat and I love it. It's making me feel better, and that's making me want to work out, which was the kiss of death before lol. My feeling is that, I'm young and healthy enough to work out and push myself, so to me the band was the right choice.

(no offense to anyone at all, I'm just being honest) But I just feel that the bypass is more for patients that are incapable of doing as much, whether it be age, other ailments or extreme weight, like over 400 or 500lbs, but that's just my opinion. Bypass is the right choice for some as is the band.

[bromo 17]

For many years my oldest friend tried to get me to have a bypass. She worked for a well respected bariatric surgeon and he did not do the lapband. I thought about it a couple of times but decided that option was too extreme for me. As I started to educate myself about WLS I realized that the band was the perfect option for me. So I took steps to make it happen and am glad I did.

[Corrigan 75]

Many of the negatives you've read are based on a study done

in 1997 in Europe with a band substantially different than that

used today. The Lap band does take a bit of discipline, but

it makes the effort much easier. I've only been banded

a little over a month, but my appetite is much less than it was

before surgery. Other WLS surgeries cause faster weight loss

initially, but after a year or two, they are about equal.

What ever you decide, best of luck.

[zabber 0]

Boy you took the words right out of my mouth...I am in the process of the 6 month visits and have the same feeling that the Lap Band can be removed if something should go wrong, I like the option of not having permanent stomach surgery and very little chance of it being reversed...I am going to be banded in late Feb or early March and just did the sleep study and do have mild sleep apnea, so c-pap fitting next week...oh the joy's of being overweight, I AM SO EXCITED TO FINALLY be able to get the help I need and hang in there, I think you will make the right decision for you!

[angiewin 0]

I went back and forth between LB, the sleeve and Roux-n-Y for a while. What made me decide on the LB was the fact that you have to change all those bad habits from the beginning in order to be successful. That, along with not feeling comfortable with unneccessary changes to my anatomy. Only 30% of bypass patients dump. With the bypass, many folks can cheat and still lose weight because they have that benefit of malabsorption, and don't suffer the consequences of making poor food choices. Then after about 18 months, they start to gain the weight back because they've made few if any lifestyle changes. Though, my insurance only requires a pysch eval before surgery, I made myself start a diet and exercise plan a few months before my surgery, which I believe will help me in the long run. Hope this makes sense.

[LB4Me 35]

I am pretty similar to Victoria. I know how to eat healthy and do. But I need to control portions and binging. The LB was the only thing I ever considered. When motivated, I have the willpower to stick to a plan. I believe the LB will give me that motivation. I will find out for sure in 5 days.

[Dulci 108]

I researched all of the procedures and decided that both sleeve and bypass are just too drastic for me to seriously consider. I am in my early 40's and I hope to have least 40 more years on this planet. As my great aunt aged, she had a lot of issues with nutrition because of diminished appetite. If she had undergone a WLS in her 40's that resulted in malabsorbtion, I suspect that she would have died much younger than 93.

I am getting a band because I want to live a long and healthy life. As I researched all of the available options, both the band and bypass seemed counterproductive to that goal.

Good luck your decision.

[Lollicatt 36]

I agree with all of the above. I have no interest in being cut open, out and rerouted. Plus, I like the idea of it being noninvasive, reversible. I know many bypass patients personally that are sick and back to square one.

[Ababy 0]

The band was my first decision. One of my hardest problems with losing weight is tackling down Portion Control and I feel that the lap band will help me with that .

[Texasbandit 8]

Me too. I'm trying to have another baby next year so I never considered a bypass. I want something I van have removed if need be.

[D_1710 1]

I considered the sleeve but I decided the lap-band was a better choice for me. The lap-band will require more work by me and maintenance by my doctor but I feel I will have more responsibility for my success and more control over my weight loss.

D

[DebHart71 3]

I went in wanting gastric, then i decided that the lap band would be better for me but now, as a person with no discipline, i am thinking gastric is better because i will eat less. I feel the Lap Band is more lenient and you dont lose as much and you are still able to eat the bad stuff...i have no will power thismight not be for me :/

Have any of you had a different "first choice" ?

My mother had the gastric bypass. She was supposed to be in the hospital for one week and with complications was in for 4 months. She almost died from the mistakes the surgeon made. She also had to have about 2 months of rehab since she laid in a bed for 4 months. I never considered any procedure that would cut my stomach. Also, my mother has gained most of the weight back because she didn't follow what she was supposed to do. So no matter what procedure you decide on there is a way around it. Good luck to you no matter what your choice is.

Debora