Bandsters...wish you did Bypass instead?

[Guest Debbie1956]

Hi everyone,

I my first DR appt on the 11th and I haven't decided what I am going to ask for, LB or Gastric Bypass. I have about 90 lbs to lose and a BMI of 38.

Do any of you with the band wish you'd done something different like bypass? Anyone discouraged at your weight loss so far? My readings on this list seem to show that weight loss is kind of slow with the band.

Any comments would be really helpful!

Debbie in GA

[faithmd 14]

This is a question that has soooo many threads about it, please use the search function and look for band vs bypass or rny vs band

I do understand your desire to lose weight fast, but did you put it on overnight? Think about everything you have learned about weight loss. Is a loss of 1-2lbs a week healthy? Yep, and that's the average with the band. I can't tell you which to choose, but I can tell you that there is no way on earth I'd have bypass unless my health were so bad that I HAD to get the weight off NOW. Bypass is FOR LIFE it is NOT reversible. They say it is, to a point. But you can never put back the intestine that was removed. Eventually your body regrows the ability to absorb the things that it would normally have dumped with bypass. But it still won't absorb nutrients. Yes, loss is fast. But not totally permanent. thinking of all the folks I know who have had bypass I don't know a single one of them who has maintained their loss. all of them have regained something. Granted it isn't all their weight, but if I'm going to only end up losing 50-60% of my excess weight, I would much rather have it be with something totaly reversible (band) than have my insides rerouted and all that entails.

It is a VERY personal decision. Take some time and please don't make it based on speed of loss unless your health is so bad it must comeo off now. And if that's the case, my guess is your doc would have you on some liquid diet now. I can't imagine rerouting my insides for 90lbs. Sorry, can't.

[Chris61 0]

I have been looking at doing sometime of WLS surgery for the last 5 years. Iam going to do the lapband. I feel that its a lot safer and could not think of being cut up inside.

Chris

Pre band

St. louis

250/

[Dave01 0]

Lapband, the only choice for me. I like the shorter recovery time, adjustability and the fact that although its not ment to be removed, it can

[dietfailure 0]

I also have my first dr. appt. on 9/12. I am not sure what surgery is best for me. My intention is to have the LapBand. I am afraid to get the bypass. I have several family members in the medical field and they have all told me to do the LapBand. It seems that patients w/ByPass have chronic stomach pain. Have you heard anything different or been given some advise from family?

[mylapspirit 2]

Well said Faith. I know several people that have had Gastric Bypass and they have gained all their weight back. I know one lady that had the bypass and never got to goal and gained back 30 pounds. She says she wished she would have had the lap band because it can be adjusted for up to 5 years(I think that is correct info). I have seen some of the gastric bypass patients at support meetings and they look like death warmed over. They have deep dark circles under their eyes and just look like skin stretched over a skeleton. There is also one lady in our church who had it - she does look good - but she developed an Iron defiency and now has to go for Iron transfusions once a week or maybe once a month.

When I was researching WLS I said to myself that if the lapband didn't work for me then I would later have the gastric but now I know it will work for me, its up to me to make it work and now I know that I will never have the gastric bypass. The lapband is a tool and if you follow all the bandster rules you will reach your goal! I think the gastric IS the easy way out - but to me it is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy tooooo scary--------------

Good luck to you and hope you will make the right decision for yourself.

shelli:)

[Guest Debbie1956]

I appreciate all the comments everyone has left. I am leaning toward the Lapband but wanted to get some other views. I do think losing slower is better for your body and skin, I just think I need to see results to get my motivation to kick in.

So what happens after a few years when you've been banded. Do you have it removed? One comment said after 5 years you don't have it filled anymore? Does it wear out(which would make sense)? Any of you 5+ years out and have a comment?

:clap2:Thanks again, you all are the experts, not the Dr's!!!

Debbie

[JosieK 120]

hi

of course you will have to make the decision that is right for you but following is how i came to my decision.

there were 2 main reasons i chose lap band....

first and foremost....my anatomy wasnt changed with LB. if i decided to take it out tomorrow,,,,there wouldnt be any sign of the operation.

i know people that had the RNY and have lifelong issues with it that wont go away. i was a little weirded out by having a "foreign object" in my body but my DR explained the actual band is the same material as what they use in hip replacement. if i needed a hip replacement i wouldnt think twice of getting it

second....i read stories that post-weight loss lapbanders keep the weight off better. this made sense to me because we still have to develop eating and exercising skills to lose the weight.

(i'm sure the RNY people that can come up with some same stories to support their surgery choice.)

something i just thought of....lapband can be a first step which isnt so dramatic. if that didnt work..RNY can be done afterwards.

if RNY was done first...lapband isnt an option

i am truly glad i did the lapband. i do find my skin is retracting with the exercise i'm doing. i still hve 38 lbs to lose so i'm not sure if i would need plastic surgery but so far so good...

fyi...i looked for people on this site that seemed successful (in my opinion) and i tried to adopt their habits. (including a healthy food plan and plenty of exercise)

good luck in whatever your decision is

[Guest Debbie1956]

Hey Josie, thanks for the feed back. Looks like you are doing great. We are about the same weight for starting, I'm at 242 right now. and the same age(I'm 50). I'd kill to be at 188, it sounds like heaven. I do think leaving my insides intact is better for me.

Debbie

[JosieK 120]

hi debbie,

let us know how you make out on the 11th.

the only regret i have is that i didnt do this in 2002 when i first looked into it.

good luck

[Ariel 1]

Well for me, I don't want any one to know that I had WLS. With bypass that is impossible, you just lose too fast. But with the band it slow so it looks like you are just dieting.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Put a shout out for Wendell Edwards. He is losing well and I believe he started at around 500 lbs. He is losing well with the band.

I know an extremely huge amount of people that gained all their weight back from the bypass. One lady I know was 450 lbs, had a Tummy Tuck, and now is back up to 350 lbs. The band keeps us from gaining, as long as we aren't eating a steady diet of chocolate.

[amatxlatina 0]

I am new here and just barely was able to be on the boards a few minutes ago. I have struggled with my weight since I was a child. It was only a few years ago I found out part of my problem was an underactive thyroid. I have since then gotten it under control. I still am having difficulties loosing and this is my last resort. I did think about the gastric bypass but it scared me also. Plus I can't afford to be off 2weeks being a single person. After last night and going to my first meeting I am on the bubble as which way I should go now. I too am having major issues in what I should do

[losingjusme 12]

lets see ...

a simple implantable device that can be adjusted (or removed if absolutely necessary)

vs

a anatomy altering surgery where i could have absorption issues for the rest of my life and is not able to be reversed ...

band it is!!!

[Kat817 19]

Several points led me to choose lapband over bypass...some have been mentioned above.

I am also a cancer survivor, if ever need be in case of recurrance, I can have my fill removed, to take in increased nutrition.

Same can be said if someone wants to have a child.

Another point that was made to me, was that scientists study obesity every single day. They make discoveries every single day. With the rate of obesity rising, the rate of diabetes rising, the studies will move forward steadily.

If they come out with a newer, better form of WLS, or find a way to say isolate a gene that causes obesity, I am just as able to pursue that as someone who has never had WLS of any kind. Once they cut the stomach down, and bypass the intestines, your options are drastically reduced.

Recently they have come out with a new band that is adjusted by increments using a remote control as opposed to saline injected into a port. If this is the wave of the future---I can have one!!!

Weight loss is slower for most, but others work hard, and drop it FAST!!! One woman who was banded the same month I was---almost 17 months ago has lost over 200 pounds!!! I personally feel the speed with which I have lost is perfect, it is going pretty quickly, yet I do not have excessively saggy skin, and I feel good, I do not feel deprived of food, nor do I feel run down.

I would repeat my decision over again in a heartbeat!!!

I know a woman locally who had bypass, and she has done remarkably well---but she hasn't lost anymore weight than I have. We joke that we are each others biggest fan!!

Kat