Am I the only man in this forum? I kid, sort of.

[pixelsmack 0]

I am seeing banding tends to be a trend more for woman and people of generally smaller size. Am I in error?

I know for most massively overweight men Doctors quickly run to bypass surgery and banding seems to be more-off the radar. I am not saying any Doctor I've gone to has forced that particular surgical path on me, though.

I understand bypass is generally used when the patient needs immediate weight loss or faces critical health issues. I am in a situation where, yes, I am hugely over weight. More so than your typical band candidate. But at the same time I am active and mobile. I do have some issue with my knees and my lower back will not tolerate any additional weight for sure.

I am wanting banding over the more drastic bypass because I use to be a more normal level of "fat" for lack of a better term. And if I had focused on staying active and increasing it, may have not ended up where I am now. I also have personal and philosophical issues with redoing my insides.

So can I use banding as a tool to help limit my food intake, give me the energy I need when weight starts to come off, to then try at life all over again? Hit the gym, eat better, and so on? I tend to be a volume eater. Meaning in one day I may only eat two meals, but they are HUGE. I often forget to eat and when I do the result is disastrous.

SO, am I in denial and need to completely retool my innards with full bypass? Or will Lap Band be a tool that can work? I know it can take much longer for the weight to come off and I'm fine with that. That slower loss also helps with the "loose skin" issue too.

Finally, where are all the men? You ladies provide fine and important information but there are men specific questions I have.

[Headhunter 6]

Hi, PixelSmack....

Welcome to the Board. You'll find a lot of varying opinions here.

Looks like we live in the same general area......

Maybe I can be of some help.

First, I'm a man. Except when I am standing on a tall building, looking down. Then i'm a girly-girl.

Second, I've had a Lap band.

Third, I've had a Gastric Bypass. The band Sucked.

Fourth, I've lost ALL the weight I needed to, and I feel great.

Don't "tie" yourself to the idea of a band. There are other procedures that may be more "right" for YOU. It's not about choosing the most "comfortable" procedures....it's about choosing what is right for YOUR body.

Ask any questions you might have.....I'd write more now, but I have an appt I have to leave for.

Remember....it's NOT a "Weight Loss Surgery Buffet" where you simply choose whatever you want......the different procedures are meant for different type of people and personalities.

Good Luck in your process.....everyone is here to help! (except for a few, who are here simply to piss you off.... :wink: )

HH

[pixelsmack 0]

Thanks for the information. What was so terrible about the band is the obvious question. :wink:

[NiceWillSuffice 0]

I'm a guy! my bmi was only 35 though. I have the band and am trying to love it.

there are multiple kinds of bypasses/pouches and pulleys (bands).

If I were huge I would have done bypass.

If you get the band and its dialed in you won't be able to eat huge meals. Mine just got dialed in on Saturday and I’m still chumming up the toilet trying to understand what I can eat and how much. I had half a chicken breast (yuk) 30 minutes ago and half a backed potatoes. It was too much so I burped half of it up (at least).

If your intention is to limit food intake it seems to me the band will do it. Of course you still have to watch what you eat because you can still drink 5000 calories a day in milkshakes.

I choose the band because i didn't want to lose more than 65 pounds total (30 away from my first goal already) but I do want to keep off what i lose. I also like that it is reversible and adjustable.

Having no idea what I am talking about here, i suggest the bypass as well for you. If you are that big you probably love sugar or grease or both (yes we all have slow metabolism and thyroid problems i know ha ha). I am finding and have also read on this site the greasy food and deserts go down smooth, and based on my dinner tonight its clear healthy food does not ha ha. The mal-absorption effects of a bypass my be a good thing for you if you don't think you can abstain from the tasties. Of course if your issue is just volume and nothing else the band will restrict for sure.

everyone i know with the bypass is full active now without restrictions in activity. Clearly a lower maintenance choice after your healed.

So i don’t know man..I like the band for now not sure what to tell you. sorry if i am making assumptions about your situation just trying to help and babble.

I am seeing banding tends to be a trend more for woman and people of generally smaller size. Am I in error?

I know for most massively overweight men Doctors quickly run to bypass surgery and banding seems to be more-off the radar. I am not saying any Doctor I've gone to has forced that particular surgical path on me, though.

I understand bypass is generally used when the patient needs immediate weight loss or faces critical health issues. I am in a situation where, yes, I am hugely over weight. More so than your typical band candidate. But at the same time I am active and mobile. I do have some issue with my knees and my lower back will not tolerate any additional weight for sure.

I am wanting banding over the more drastic bypass because I use to be a more normal level of "fat" for lack of a better term. And if I had focused on staying active and increasing it, may have not ended up where I am now. I also have personal and philosophical issues with redoing my insides.

So can I use banding as a tool to help limit my food intake, give me the energy I need when weight starts to come off, to then try at life all over again? Hit the gym, eat better, and so on? I tend to be a volume eater. Meaning in one day I may only eat two meals, but they are HUGE. I often forget to eat and when I do the result is disastrous.

SO, am I in denial and need to completely retool my innards with full bypass? Or will Lap Band be a tool that can work? I know it can take much longer for the weight to come off and I'm fine with that. That slower loss also helps with the "loose skin" issue too.

Finally, where are all the men? You ladies provide fine and important information but there are men specific questions I have.

Edited June 17, 2009 by phattat
typos

[chicalynn 0]

Welcome PixelSmack. Not a man but wanted to respond to you anyway as I debated with myself for months before choosing the Band. I had to loose almost 200 lbs so obviously the bypass would have been the quicker more immediate route; however, my biggest problem has always been Portion Control. With the band I HAVE to control the portion or I will be hurting. I also wanted something that could be reversed if necessary b/c I have had a couple of friends who have had nightmare medical issues due to their bypass surgeries. I know it will take a longer time to loose but for me it was a better choice. Keep reading around on this site as there is some good info on here. Good luck on your decision, whatever it may be.

[TopTier 0]

Hi, guys!

Of course I'm dying to ask an inappropriate question that originated from another thread regarding people's misconceptions of how the lap band is inserted!

But I will refrain! (chuckle)

[silvers320 12]

Well, as a banded man -welcome. I dont know what you mean by smaller size- pre band I had a bmi of 41.

I will agree with the other guy who said - "Don't assume you know what you want at this point" Consider the pluses and minuses of the band, bypass and GS. Then consider yourself - you know yourself better then anyone else.

I will say that, as a former volume eater - the band has worked really well for me. But I have also worked to change a lifetime of habits. So its not as simple as set it and forget it.

Good Luck - ask any questions we are a helpful bunch

[Jerzyshore 0]

Hey Gang, Another guy looking for some info... I have done alot of research and have my surgery scheduled for July 29th. I know 2 people who had the GB surgery, After having long talk with them, I chose the Band. Same reasons as listed by others. What-ever you chose, it's a decision only you can make. Best wishes.

Jerseyshore

[TopTier 0]

By the way, in the interest of contributing constructively to this thread, my dad, at age 73, was banded last month.

Trust me when I say this man has TWO lifetimes of "Volume" eating!

He is tickled to death with his band and would do it again in a heartbeat.

He no longer sits down and eats 2 large pizzas by himself, or a gallon of ice cream in one sitting! And he LOVES that he doesn't do that anymore! Nor, he says, does he have the desire to do that anymore!

I'm so proud of him! Needless to say, he is my inspiration.

[Headhunter 6]

Thanks for the information. What was so terrible about the band is the obvious question. :blushing:

Well, MY experience with the band was dreadful. It doesn't happen this was with everyone, but it was MY experience.

First, I have to say that I had an idiot for a surgeon. "Dr". Theodore Khalili at Cedars-Sinai. (or Cedars-Cyanide, as it has become known in my family). I thought that by going to a world-class medical facility that I would get world-class care.

Wrong.

I got a world-class idiot. He was an experienced trauma surgeon. However, he was NOT an experienced LAP-BAND surgeon. And when the problems began, he disappeared. Couldn't find him. Refused my calls. He was probably taking his scalpels to the park and practicing on the squirrels. I had to threaten a lawsuit numerous times to get him to respond. I won't go into the whole, long story here, but essentially the port became infected, It actually POPPED OUT OF MY STOMACH while I was on a business trip. I had surgeries to deal with that, and the "Dr" left a tube in me that should have been taken out, and it burrowed down INSIDE of my colon, requiring additional surgeries to remove.

The surgeries, infections, and everything associated with it ruined my health for several years, cost me a ton of money, and i only lost NINE pounds as a result. Damn thing nearly killed me on several occasions.

So, no, the Band did NOT work for me.

The surgeon that removed the band (he is an expert in problems with the band) told me on several occasions that he believes that the Band will be removed from the market within several years due to INCREASING numbers of incidents such as mine experience.

Now, as i have stated, this was only MY experience....most people do not have this kind of outcome. But, many do. Some people have died as a result of their "relationship" with the Band. BUT....other people have died as a result of their obesity. You have to decide what the balance is for YOU.

HH

[pixelsmack 0]

Oh man, that is a load of info to digest. I am working with Cedars right now too! I chose them because I could do everything there.

I am aware of the "New Program" in Newport Beach. They are the #1 place for bypass and band but they are very far and you can't do all your testing/consultations there. But now you are making me rethink big time...ugh.

[Evie71609 0]

Research your surgeon- they should be preforming both the band and the bypass- if you get one that does just one- RUN. They are not properly trained to give you all the information you need to make an informed decision. You can very much "out eat" your bypass (I have seen it several times), you can drinking a ton of calories with the band and do the same. Surgically speaking the band is low risk next to the bypass- the recovery is less but you do lose on a slower (not necessary lose less weight) rate. That does not really help with sagging skin- that has to do with age, condition of the skin, etc. Your mind needs to be in the game to play. So whatever you decide on you need to be commited to 100% or you will not succeed.

The guy who just got his fill and is barfing- you should only be eating 1/2 to 1 full cup at a meal- chew well (20 x's) and cut smaller pieces.

I wish you all luck and stop by the chat room to talk to some expert banders! They answer a lot of questions.....

There are a lot of guys here- you just gotta find them- a few hang in the chats- one has lost 120lbs in a year and another is down 80, I think.

[NiceWillSuffice 0]

Go to New Image Bari in Riverside. they do both and everyone loves them.

Oh man, that is a load of info to digest. I am working with Cedars right now too! I chose them because I could do everything there.

I am aware of the "New Program" in Newport Beach. They are the #1 place for bypass and band but they are very far and you can't do all your testing/consultations there. But now you are making me rethink big time...ugh.

[NiceWillSuffice 0]

Hey Evie71609,

I think that is me. :blushing: My mind tells me you are right but when I see a half cup of food I think no way can that be enough for me! but im tired of getting it wrong so will follow your advice...

...

The guy who just got his fill and is barfing- you should only be eating 1/2 to 1 full cup at a meal- chew well (20 x's) and cut smaller pieces.

....

[Evie71609 0]

Phattat- good try it out and report back to us if that was enough.... Trust me I look at that amount and laugh but I hope it is true.... Good luck!!