Lap band? or Gbp?

Kendra · April 22, 2005

I've noticed alot of people here, trying to choose between the gbp or the lap-band proceedure. Im not a specialist, but let me just tell you a story about two people I know personally. One got the lap-band, and the other the Gbp, both two years ago.

My partner Dawn, and her cousin John were both very overweight as children. Johns parents decided they were going to pay 25,000 dollars and get John who was then 400 pounds gastric bypass. John did it..and came out with no problems. His surgery went well, and he was after only a few weeks starting to lose weight. Great right? We will see. Then theres Dawn. Dawns parents were also looking into getting Dawn gastric bypass, but decided it was far too risky and found a newer proceedure called the Lap-band. They found a surgeon and had it done. Dawn lost about 20 pounds in the first month. Not as good as john who lost 50...right?

So lets speed this up 2 years. Dawn lost her weight at a slower pace..which gave her skin time to keep up. This minimized the excess hanging skin. She is now down a total of 130 pounds.. John on the other hand has lost significantly more..in fact he weighs about 120 pounds now. He has trouble keeping weight on, and is going blind at age 21 because of a Vitamin deficiancy. His body wont absorb most of the things he tries to get down. Though he reached his goal weight, and passed it..he also has mass amounts of hanging skin, because he lost soo fast.

Once again..these are true stories. I just wanted to share that with you all..in case anyone was considering this.

-Kendra

vinesqueen · April 22, 2005

thanks for sharing Kendra.

My buddy is seriously considering the gastric bypass. I don't DON'T don't want him to have the bypass. I'm afriad for him. I know it is his journey. And i know i have to support what ever decision he makes. I'm going to have my DH talk to him about how the band has worked for him...

paula · April 22, 2005

Thanks Kendra, for this wonderful comparison.

I am so sorry to hear this about John. But this is a very good example of why me and numerous others have chosen the band over GBP.

With that being said, I must comment about the hanging skin. I think its more genetics then the fast/slow weight loss. My friend Ann had her GBP in May. Her starting weight was 270. I saw her when she had met her 100lb goal, and NO HANGING SKIN ON HER ARMS! Her stomach was in bad condition, but her upper arms looked awesome. She walks daily, but not with weights.

Me - other the other hand- I have serious batwings.

So???? Fast OR slow, alot of it depends on genetics as to our skins elasticity.

Kendra · April 22, 2005

your right paula. It definatly could be genetics. I know not everyones skin is the same..

Batwings..thats cute. Im going to have to remember that one lol.

Im glad to hear of your friends sucess with Gbp!

-Kendra

Kendra · April 22, 2005

thanks for sharing Kendra.
My buddy is seriously considering the gastric bypass. I don't DON'T don't want him to have the bypass. I'm afriad for him. I know it is his journey. And i know i have to support what ever decision he makes. I'm going to have my DH talk to him about how the band has worked for him...

I know what you mean. A few friends of mine are considering the gbp, and they condemned me when I got the band lol. Its ok to show your opinions right? as long as you are supportive in the end. I would seriously be warning this person, and sending them as many helpful links as I could...to me gbp is scary. I once considered it, but there were too many complications. I hope your hubby can get through to him.

hagerteresa · April 23, 2005

I had a good friend who got the bypass and she had terrible results. She's lost a lot of weight but she has also gotten weaker and even more crippled than pre-surgery. I kind of feel bad because before I had even heard of the band, we were talking about wls and I insisted I would have it hell or high Water if my insurance would cover it (which it wouldn't). Her insurance would cover it though and she had it done partially due to my emphatic desire to be thinner. She was heavier than I was and a lot older but it definitely didn't turn out to be a postive experience for her. Her surgeon was a complete jerk too. He actually made fun of her when she went back to him about constantly getting sick. When she had had the surgery (which was something like 8 hours long) that night somehow she ripped all of her internal stitches so they had to go back and reopen her and fix all that which was another 6-8 hours. Poor thing... I've lost touch with her in the last year but she definitely regretted her decision. I know another girl who had the duodenal switch and she seemed pretty happy with it.

Margo · April 25, 2005

I had a wonderful discussion yesterday with an aquaintance of mine who had the gastric bypass surgery in February. She has lost about 45 pounds already and looks great, but she told me that her doctor has her on all types of Vitamins which she has to spray in her nose, has her on a ulcer mediciation and is going to check her gall blander to see if it needs removed. All this and she only had the surgery in February...but, she said if she had to do it again, she would go with the bypass. Me...no way! I have my consulation on Wednesday and will not be talked into the bypass!

Margo

Janieh123 · May 2, 2005

Lapbanding will take the weight off much slower then a gastric bypass person. There really is no camparison when it comes to that. They are two totally different surgeries and diet tools so to speak. Both come with pros and cons. I however like the fact that we have control with the band for the future when our ideal weight is lost we can keep it at that. If we notice it starting to come back on we can adjust it with a fill. However, what they both come down to is a life change......after all it is just a tool to use. If used incorrectly you can fail both gastric and lapbanding. The lap banding is much safer as you don't have to re route your instetines and such. It is also a comfort to know that it can be reversed if something life threatening should happen in a person health. But to compare the two as which one will lose weight faster...........gastric bypass will win every time. Lapbanding goes off slower but healthier and gives the skin time to go back to somewhat normal and your body adjust to it. The weight did not go on overnight nor should it come off overnight.

Nykee · May 3, 2005

My lapband nutritionalist where I get my fills said the gastric bypass probably was a better option for me becasue I am addicted to milk and juice and prebanding drank up to a gallon of each per day.

I been thinking about it and realizing that she is right. I can get away with so much liquids where I never would have on the lapband.

At 415 pounds.. I shouldnt have been so scared of the gastric bypass. I needed something extreem.

I didnt realize about the drinking and the lapband and how it worked with liquids and the people talking to me about the lapband didnt realize that I drink, not really eat so much..

anyway..

I gotta work with what I have.

I ate a grilled cheese sand today with nothing to drink for an hour after!

THAT WAS A FEAT!!!

I am proud of myself.

I started today with some rules.. band rules, finally gonna really try to follow!

Cuz with the band YOU HAVE TO WORK WITH IT.. (another reason I shoulda had the bypass)

Alexandra · May 3, 2005

Nykee, don't think for one second that you don't have to work with the bypass as well!! When all is said and done you will be better off for having had the band, because you will have kicked these addictions and habits that you know are keeping you from getting healthy. The bypass would make you lose weight, initially, but unless you got a real grip on those harmful habits the weight would come back on after the first year or so.

Why not try substituting calorie-free liquids for your milk and juice? Breaking the kind of drinking habit that you have will be hard to do all at once. (I mean between meals--you really do want to NOT drink at all for an hour after eating.) Lots of liquid is a good thing, but not if it's loaded with calories. Try those great flavored waters! They're really delicious and you can drink three gallons of them if you want. Propel and Fruit2O are two brands, and there are loads of others.

Nykee · May 3, 2005

I know it's a simple thing to do.

But I am addicted to milk like a baby on a bottle and to the sugar in juice like a crack head.

I literally cry when I cant get juice when I really crave it. (sometimes we cant get to a store or I dont have the moey or I am on a low carb diet)

And when I go without milk for a week, I start to crave it like mad....

The low sugar and low carb juices taste ok but they just dont saticefy the cravings at all.

There is a slurpee of crystal light.. its real sweet cuz its frozen and all and it taste very very good.. BUT it does NOT get rid of the craving. weird.

Its extremely difficult for me. Doesnt seem like it should be..

FACT is I just have to DIET! How can I wasnt this only chance I have at life?