LapBand vs. Bypass & weight loss

[sensy 0]

I am feeling somewhat discouraged and I hopefully someone out there will have some answers about this...

I know three people that have had bypass surgeries - their weight is falling off. I, on the other hand, got my band in Feb. and have only lost 30 lbs. Everytime I talk to my bypass friends they want to know how much I have lost, etc. and we compare notes. One of my friends had her bypass done around the same time I had my band and she has lost double the weight I have. I don't think I can take another fill because sometimes I do throw up and my band is restricting the amount I eat. What is the deal? I want to lose more weight like they are.

[penguins4ever 0]

Oh, I know we want instant success. However, comparing the 2 surgeries is like comparing apples to oranges. Our lap band slows the amount of weight loss, for me that is healthier. It didn't come on over night. You can also expect less sagging from the loss. Your skin will have time to catch up with the loss. For so many reasons I chose the band because I wanted a slower loss, you have to weigh the reasons. Remember this is not a competition or a race. It is a journey. Some take a race car, and some will take a horse. We will all meet at the end! Good luck and try to realize the NSVs along the way and try not to focus so much on the scale numbers...

[giveyouthemoon 4]

Because the bypass surgery has a malabsorbtive aspect it causes the person to lose weight really fast. But basically they are losing by becoming malnourished. From everything I've read, with a bypass, the weight all comes off mostly in the first year but in the second year slows dramatically while banded patients lose their weight usually over a two year time frame.

So compare notes with your friend in two years.....

And DON'T get discouraged! 30 lbs is amazing! Don't you feel better with that off? This is not about comparing yourself to others! We do that too often. This is about you taking care of you!!!!

[burnsun 27]

Thirty pounds since Feb is great. Tommorrow is my one year anniversary (and if not for my damm monthly) I would be down 110 lbs in a year. Slow and steady wins the race . I am a few pounds away from goal and really please. It just seems like it is taking forever, however I look back and think- my how quick!!!

and For the record- I feel I would be about the same place weight wise after 1 year with the bypass, but I would have lost the nursing ability with my little girl and our new little one, I would know if I ever get pregnant again- that it would be harder to loose the baby weight and I would be freaked I was going to get some weird Vitamin deficiency

[gordonfamily3 0]

I actually have a friend that had the by-pass Feb 22 and has lost 100 pounds. Which is great for her. I on the other hand valued my life to much. When I was doing my research I read several surveys that were done comparing a by-pass and lap-band at the end of 2 years the lap-band was still lossing weight or maintaining while most by-pass patients had stopped loosing and some were actually gaining. My aunt had it done over 2 years ago and she has already started gaining weight back (15 - 20 pounds) Now I am not saying you can't or you want with the band it's possible. My thinking was if I have to work harder to take it off, then my life choices will be better in the long run. So for me, if I couldn't have had the lap band then I wasn't going to have surgery.

I wouldn't take it back for the world...I think you are doing great...stay strong and just keep working at it.

The "compare in two years" - that is exactly what I would do if I were you.

[Joyce in VA 0]

Sensy,

My insurance would have paid for the gastric bypass but not the lap band. I choose to pay myself for the lap band. I did not want the health risks of the bypass. I have had my band for three weeks and I am thrilled with it. No, I don't expect to lose weight over night. I know I will have to work with the band by making the right choices. I too know people who have had the gastric bypass and have started gaining their weigh back. In order to acheive our goals we have to learn good habits. In the long run I feel that is the right choice. Hang in there. If you do not feel you are loosing fast enough then try to write down every bite you put in your mouth for a couple of days. Weigh and measure it. Are you drinking your Water and getting some exercise. It will come off just be patient.

[Sunset 0]

Wow, You all are awesome! I am preband and wonder between the 2. Sensey, you have helped me! Hang in there!

Forget the scale, I know I say this now, and I guess we'll see what happens, but I plan on not looking at the numbers except for when I go to the dr. Remember, they are just #'s. The real issue is feeling better and not concentrating on what a scale has to say. Learning to make good life long choices. Numbers, if you let them can trigger your day, and thats not what it is all about. We all want those numbers to go down and it is exciting when they do, however focusing on the big long term picture is really what it's all about.

I have thrown at least 4 scales out the window in the past 20 yrs. I will never buy one again.

Hang in there, your doing great, and thanks for helping me.

Be sure to remind me of this in a few months ok..lol..

[vinesqueen 2]

there really is no comparison between the two procedures. There really is no comparison between your band and my band, since your experiences are and will be different from mine.

Please don't compaire your journey with anyone elses, especially not the RNY folk. You will only make yourself crazy, cranky and cause you to second guess yourself.

And as for "only losing 30 pounds"... hello! That is great work and you should be proud of what you've accomplished so far.

[Persimmon 0]

Never ever compare yourself to a bypass patient. They are losing at a very rapid rate (and that's not really very healthy/safe).

In terms of your loss, you're doing fine. If you want to fine tune things, let us know what a normal day of eating entails.

Nancy

394/270/180

[Marimaru 7]

I'm about 13 months out and I've lost between 50 and 55 lbs. I'm on the "slower" end of what they say should be average (1 to 2 lbs per week), but I'm lighter, and I wouldn't have been without the band, and I wouldn't have had the bypass done, so I'd say things are working, even if I do wish they were faster.

Sounds like you are doing fine to me

[piercedqt78 658]

One of my dearest friends had the GBP and we were in Sam's club today and I bought fruit Snacks for my 4 year old DD and I said you know I love these and I can't wait to have a few when I am all healed from surgery. His response was, as he looked at all the candy, I wish I could have them ever again. You see the GBP people have what they call dumping syndrome and they usually don't tolerate sugar very well, and too many sugar free candies have a laxitive effect, so a candy bar or even marshmellows are out of the question for him EVER again. That is a big reason I choose the band, I have a lot of birthdays and hopefully someday a wedding for my little one and I want to be able to have cake and ice cream with her. I know that sounds dumb, but that was my first thought when the insurance said they would cover GBP and not the band, I fought my big butt off and made them pay for my band, I am being banded in just 2 days. ~Mandy

[Fauxnaif 1]

Just think! At three years out, you will most likely be at goal and you can ask your friends how much they have gained back!:cheeky

[Teresita 0]

You guys gave all the reasons why you loose quicker with the other surgery. With the other surgery you can stretch your stomach and gain the weight back. Now doctors are doing revisits to shrink the stomach again and some are even putting the band on patients after the gastric bypass patient has stretched their stomach.

Be thankful you got the band. Just work with the band, eat right and exercise. If you work to get your Protein in that helps. Because as I see it you are going to supplement with a meal with a Protein shake therefore there are less calories taken in at one meal. Go back to the basics and you will see the results.

[psichikel 0]

I think the band will soon take place over the RNY because of all the complications with that surgery. I would rather have something that I can control, and God forbid if I need a revision at least that is something that is possible where as with the RNY it's not the best option. I think replumbing your body is quite drastic, especially since there's hasn't been any long term studies as to the effects of the rny. I've made up my mind to do the lapband because I wont have to worry about the excess skin and possibly have to have another surgery to remove it like many of the rny people have to do. In all honesty, losing weight should not be so excessive but a slow process to allow the body to adjust, being lapbanded you are losing weight at a healthier pace. Don't worry, you'll do just fine

[ReneBean 3]

I am choosing the band due to the mortality rate difference, alone. PLUS the slower weight loss is lots safer. The bypass has 10 times the mortality rate because the surgery is so much more complicated, invasive, etc. I figure I am doing this to extend my life - not endanger it. BE GLAD. I can't WAIT to be depressed about only losing 30 pounds!

:]