Band v Bypass

[Kathi 0]

To follow up on my initial response...

I have been very slow to lose any weight. All of the weight loss that I have experienced has been due to my dieting and exercising. None of my weight just came off without trying and working at it daily. I do feel the band keeps me from eating too much at each sitting and from eating the wrong types of foods (breads), but I can see that it wouldn't be too difficult to eat around the band and actually gain weight because the foods that are easier to eat are the ones that are not healthy.

I exercise daily. I alternate treadmill and aerobics. I have to diet daily to eat less than 1000 calories, and journal everything I eat to keep track. I sometimes find it hard to find anything to eat that I can eat comfortably. I knew going into this that I would have to give up all breads, pop, rice and some meats, but it is alot to wrap your head around and sometimes you wonder what is left?

The issue of fills is one that cannot be taken lightly. Fills are essential. You may take a long time to be correctly filled, especially when alot of doctors wait at least 4 weeks in between fills to do adjustments. If you are overfilled you can have serious problems. If you are underfilled you will have an even slower loss and can develope a defeatist attitude.

The one thing that I had not considered prior to banding was my port. I am not happy with the port. It causes pain periodically, and I find myself limited in motion and limited in lifting compacity.

I agree with another persons post... that the people who have had a particular surgery generally tend to have really strong feeling for their surgery of choice and tend to be completely against the alternate surgery.

I look at it this way.... So far I have spent over $11,000 to lose 7 pounds. I do have good / comfortable restriction. I have to work at my wieght loss faithfully every day, and I thought that it would come off so much easier than it has. As of right now I do wish that I had an alternate surgery ( even though I do realize that there is NO perfect surgery ).

Best of luck to you and your decision, either way you go.

[gentlespirit 1]

For me the bypass was never an option...I'm just not comfortable with such a drastic rearranging of my insides. I know a man who spent a year in the hospital following his surgery and getting an infection. He still looks like hell. I've had several people comment on how healthy I look when they find out I've had surgery...they have only known bypass patients who look gaunt and ill.

For me the slower weight loss is a plus. I think it's healthier and less traumatic for your entire body. It took me many years to get to this size, and it makes sense to me that it will take time to lose the weight.

I wish you the best of luck in your decision. It's such a personal one, and each of us needs to choose what we're comfortable with.

Emily

[lisah25 3]

Thanks for listening/reading, and thank you for any thoughts that you may have.

Mallorie

I agree with all the comments that you really need to educate yourself. You'll find people who have had both surgeries who love it, and those who dont'.

I personally chose the band because overall, I'm doing this for my health. The band seemed to be, for me, the best way to get there. I'm OK with losing weight slower(not thrilled, but OK) because I really believe that's better for my body. And hopefully will give my skin a chance to keep up better. It's a less invasive procedure, and has less chance of complications.

[HeatherGurl 0]

Well all I can say is I have lost more than my friend who had bypass 6 months before me.... so the comment of bypass patients lose faster than banded just isn't a fact at all. The majority might, but there are tons of us that have lost close to 100 lbs in less than a year.

If bypass was my ONLY option, I would have done it. Thank God I didn't. I absolutely love my band. We get along great. Now that I have lost 90 lbs, I am wanting to eat healthier and exercise, I just love it.

My opinion with the band though are these:

1. Aftercare (fills) is a MUST.

2. EXERCISE is a MUST. (we ALL need it to be healthy)

3. Water is a MUST.

4. Your compliance and not trying to eat around the band is a must.

Basically, not all people are cut out for the band. My DH would be a better bypass candidate, just because I don't think he could do what I do.

Good Luck to you and I hope you do your research and do not let the Dr. sway your decision.

EDIT*******

My brother in law works with a girl that had bypass and I saw her the other day... She used to be over 300 lbs and now I doubt she weighs 130lbs on her 5'-9" large frame. She looks horrible, feels horrible and she can not stop losing weight. They do not know what is wrong with her. She is the #1 reason I am THANKFUL I didn't have the bypass. That doesn't happen to everyone, but she scares me now!

[Carlene 12]

Five-Year Study Of Morbidly Obese Finds Significant Benefits Of The

LAP-BAND® Procedure Over Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass

LAP-BAND® System is less invasive, less risky than laparoscopic

gastric bypass, according to a five-year study comparing the two most

common weight-loss surgery procedures for the seriously overweight

presented at this year's American Society for Bariatric Surgery

meeting by Emma Patterson, M.D., the senior investigator of the study

and Director of Oregon Weight Loss Surgery, LLC (Portland, OR).

"This was one of the first comparative studies of LAP-BAND and

laparoscopic gastric bypass patients conducted by a single

institution," said Dr. Patterson. "It is significant to note that at

the five-year mark there is no difference in the weight-loss results

between the LAP-BAND and laparoscopic gastric bypass patients, yet

the gastric bypass has a much greater risk of operative

complications." The study is an extension of a three-year study

conducted by Legacy Health System published two years ago.

The study concludes:

- LAP-BAND patients have shorter operative time, less blood loss and

shorter hospital stay compared with laparoscopic gastric bypass

patients

- LAP-BAND is less invasive with less perioperative risk to the

patient

- LAP-BAND patients have decreased complication rates

Additional results of the study indicate that patients undergoing

laparoscopic gastric bypass had statistically significant greater

weight loss up to 4 years, but at 5 years, there was no statistical

difference in percent excess weight loss between laparoscopic gastric

bypass and LAP-BAND.

The study also concluded that laparoscopic gastric bypass patients

had significantly more major complications than LAP-BAND patients

(10% vs. 5%, respectively). This observation was substantially

different from the finding in the 3-year report, where no significant

difference in major complications appeared between laparoscopic

gastric bypass and LAP-BAND patients.

As morbid obesity continues to be a global health problem, bariatric

surgery remains the only viable, consistent form of weight loss for

this patient population. "With the LAP-BAND System, there is now a

safer, less invasive and more acceptable surgical option for patients

suffering from the emotional and physical impact of being seriously

overweight," added Dr. Patterson.

STUDY METHODOLOGY

The study compared a consecutive series of patients who underwent LAP-

BAND (406) and LRYGB (492) for morbid obesity over a five-year period

in a single institution. Most patients were able to choose between

the LAP-BAND and laparoscopic gastric bypass procedures unless they

were determined to be high risk (higher age, sex, male, super-super-

obesity ((BMI greater than or equal to 60 kg/m2)), and presence of

significant cardiopulmonary disease). All patients' age, sex, BMI,

complications, mortality and excess weight loss (EWL) were examined.

The LAP-BAND group had a higher mean preoperative BMI, and the LAP-

BAND group had more patients with BMI greater than or equal to 60

kg/m2 (14 vs. 9%; P < 0.05).

All patients underwent pre-operative evaluations by a psychologist,

nutritionist, sleep study and laboratory evaluation at the Legacy

Good Samaritan Obesity Institute. Prior to surgery, patients were

instructed to maintain a low-fat, low carbohydrate diet and

encouraged to lose at least 5% of their initial body weight.

Postoperatively, LAP-BAND patients were seen at three and six weeks,

monthly for the first six months, bi-monthly for the next six months,

every three months for the second year, and then yearly thereafter.

LRYGB patients were seen at three weeks after surgery, then every

three months during the first year, every six months during the

second year, and yearly thereafter.