why lap band ... as opposed to other surgery

[mariem 0]

Wow! You look great! Congrats! Have you had any complications at all?

Zero complications for me. My labs have all been completely perfect.

Doesn't mean nobody has complications, I just havent experienced any at all. However most are like me.

I also like the fact that there is dumping syndrome with RNY. It keeps me straight. If I didnt have that I'd probably be drinking Wendy's frosties and Starbucks drinks. The fear of dumping keeps me right.

[mariem 0]

I feel the same way. That is why I am pursuing LB.

Number one is absolutely correct. My "guts" are totally rearranged but then again that's the beauty of the surgery and why I am a "big loser" I used to see that as a bad thing. Now I just see it as no big deal.

2 and 3 are a bit questionable. I know people do die from GBP surgery however I've yet to find anyone who has. My surgeon has done over 500 of these surgeries and his stats are one death. That was due to pulmonary embolism. Something that couldve happened with Lap Band or any other surgery. The larger you are the riskier this surgery is. That is true with ANY surgery. Just being on a table under general anethesia puts you at risk if you are obese, and the larger you are the riskier it is. (I had mine done lap) Personally if I found a surgeon with the death rate of the national average I'd run the other way!

The issue of complications is debatable. I look at both boards and it seems there are a heck of a lot of comlications with lap band. So that's sort of a wash.

[paracelsus51 0]

My doctor suggested the band as a GERD treatment. The band creates a sort of artificial sphincter to help stop acid. Bypass wouldn't have done that. I also have a problem with having my innerds rearranged and sliced and diced. Both choices are going to have potential problems. Also, if you go with bypass and it doesn't work or you stretch out your pouch and start gaining in a couple years, you can have the band put in or have the stretta procedure as options. I am hypoglycemic and have experienced dumping even without the surgery. I go way out of my way to avoid it.

[kossde 6]

Frankly, I dont like surgery and wanted to limit the risks as much as possible. I had 180 lbs to lose and I'm down 172 - I'm 8 lbs from goal so obviously the band was the right choice for me :thumbup:

[mariem 0]

Frankly, I dont like surgery and wanted to limit the risks as much as possible. I had 180 lbs to lose and I'm down 172 - I'm 8 lbs from goal so obviously the band was the right choice for me :thumbup:

Yes, it was the right choice for you and for others too. But there are other options out there for those who it's not for. That's all I was saying :skep:

[Paulo 0]

At first I had the anxiety over the digestive tract being re-arranged, and was also persuaded by the reversibility of the band. But I have been shopping my surgeon and going to the seminars. After listening to them I am concluded that reversibility is a less desirable feature. The crowds always asks about reversibility and surgeons inevitably respond by discouraging that sort of thing with lectures about the lifelong commitment and how reversing even a lap band can lead to complications.

I no longer feel that either option of the band or a bypass is clearly preferable. But after listening to the seminars I am going to discount reversibility in my decision. There are still a lot of factors for me to consider. Both options have their drawbacks.

You know what else I realized. The insurance told me to go to at least one seminar as part of becoming educated about bariatric surgery, even though you can get all this information on line. And while the doctors play along with the “education” line by making you take a test over the material, the seminar is really a sales presentation. It is an infomercial! They go on and on about how wonderful they feel about their work and then talk up the risks of not having surgery, because everyone has that anxiety over the digestive tract being re-arranged. It made me I realize that the seminar is not primarily educational rather it is persuasive communication. The experience is just like listening to someone sell insurance or time shares.

[mariem 0]

At first I had the anxiety over the digestive tract being re-arranged, and was also persuaded by the reversibility of the band. But I have been shopping my surgeon and going to the seminars. After listening to them I am concluded that reversibility is a less desirable feature. The crowds always asks about reversibility and surgeons inevitably respond by discouraging that sort of thing with lectures about the lifelong commitment and how reversing even a lap band can lead to complications.

I no longer feel that either option of the band or a bypass is clearly preferable. But after listening to the seminars I am going to discount reversibility in my decision. There are still a lot of factors for me to consider. Both options have their drawbacks.

You know what else I realized. The insurance told me to go to at least one seminar as part of becoming educated about bariatric surgery, even though you can get all this information on line. And while the doctors play along with the “education” line by making you take a test over the material, the seminar is really a sales presentation. It is an infomercial! They go on and on about how wonderful they feel about their work and then talk up the risks of not having surgery, because everyone has that anxiety over the digestive tract being re-arranged. It made me I realize that the seminar is not primarily educational rather it is persuasive communication. The experience is just like listening to someone sell insurance or time shares.

I went to 4 weight loss seminars from 4 different surgeons. 3 of those felt like an infomercial and it made me discredit those surgeons. I felt like they were on a hard sell for patients.

The first one would only do band surgery and would not talk about RNY at all. He just discredited it as the evil surgery.

The last one was the surgeon I actually choose. He let us ask a lot of the hard questions. He did all of the WLS surgeries and was very knowledgeable. He didn't make us feel as if we were on a hard sale. In fact before I was even scheduled to see him for the first visit I was asked if I attended the WLS seminar. I told them yes. They wanted the date to verify it. They said it was part of the puzzle piece for the surgery that had to be done.

Edited July 27, 2009 by mariem

[ParrotheadCathy 0]

Well, for me, "reversibility" doesn't mean I can get to goal and have my band removed. Far from it, since my problem was never losing weight but keeping it off after I lost it. THAT'S what my band is for. However, if you have unforeseen health problems, gastric bypass is a done deal but they could remove your band if need be. That's reversibility to me. I've heard there are a couple of surgeons who are experimenting with reversing gastric bypass but I can't imagine it would be a simple or inexpensive procedure so for now, I do not consider it reversible.

Truthfully, neither surgery is perfect. Neither surgery is foolproof. Neither surgery comes with a written guarantee, so to speak. It still comes down to YOU, YOUR DECISIONS and YOUR COMMITMENT.

[stephleon 0]

The same for me. Im scared to death to have the sleeve or gastric with complications for the rest of my life. I knew that if the band gave me severe complications I could have it removed.

Me too! I paid for the lap band out of pocket even though I could have had the gastric bypass paid for through my insurance. There are way more problems with bypass and its permanent:eek:.

I knew with the lap band I could get it out if anything went wrong. The lap band takes work but it is worth it. I am losing at a study rate and I have complete control. I have control. With the other surgeries you do not get to control the amount of restriction.

I am happy with my choice and I would do it again if I had to!

[Paulo 0]

Well, for me, "reversibility" doesn't mean I can get to goal and have my band removed. Far from it, since my problem was never losing weight but keeping it off after I lost it. THAT'S what my band is for. However, if you have unforeseen health problems, gastric bypass is a done deal but they could remove your band if need be. That's reversibility to me. I've heard there are a couple of surgeons who are experimenting with reversing gastric bypass but I can't imagine it would be a simple or inexpensive procedure so for now, I do not consider it reversible.

Truthfully, neither surgery is perfect. Neither surgery is foolproof. Neither surgery comes with a written guarantee, so to speak. It still comes down to YOU, YOUR DECISIONS and YOUR COMMITMENT.

That is exactly what reversibility meant to me as well. I doubt that anyone thinks the benefits of a lap band would continue if it was removed.

[Headhunter 6]

I've heard there are a couple of surgeons who are experimenting with reversing gastric bypass but I can't imagine it would be a simple or inexpensive procedure so for now, I do not consider it reversible.

There is no one "experimenting" with a reversal procedure. It is, in fact, an established protocol that is being performed regularly on those who NEED it. As far as being "simple" or "inexpensive", NONE of these surgeries are, first-time or reversal.

There are way more problems with bypass and its permanent:eek:.

there are NOT "way more problems" with the Bypass. There are DIFFERENT problems of a DIFFERENT nature, but to characterize them as being "way more" is simply incorrect.

And no, it's NOT permanent.

HH

[Nanook 2]

I have had both surgeries, first the lap band in 2007 and it's removal and then the RNY. Bottom line I had GERD with the band and since it's removal it's gone. I also gained weight with the band because the only food that would go through it were the high sugar/fat foods.

One size does not fit all in the world of weightloss surgery and the more you know the better off you'll be.

I consider myself a "newbie" with RNY but I'm also a "revisioner" and feel that's a totally different ballgame, like Headhunter above. I know my limitations as a human being and if I could have resisted eating sweets before the band I wouldn't have needed the band. RNY has kept me from craving them like I had before and also due to dumping syndrome, though not everyone has it, keeps me in check like Mariem said. I'm off my diabetic meds now and hopefully will continue to stay off them. Good luck to whatever surgery you choose, Nancy.

[Paulo 0]

I have had both surgeries, first the lap band in 2007 and it's removal and then the RNY. Bottom line I had GERD with the band and since it's removal it's gone. I also gained weight with the band because the only food that would go through it were the high sugar/fat foods.

From one seminars I have a handout that indicates RNY has the effect of retarding hormonal hunger. Have you noticed this effect?

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Well, I had never heard of GSV as a stand-alone procedure -- I'd only read where it was used as a step 1 in extremely heavy patients who doctors didn't want to do bypass on because of the risk. What I'd read was after 100 to 200 pounds, they revised the GSV to RNY. And that was as far as I went with that. After all, they make your stomach tiny and remove part of it. I didn't want anything that drastic.

VSG has been a stand alone procedure for over 10 years now. Very important when doing research to read current data.

I needed to lose 134 pounds and I thought I wasn't fat enough for RNY. How many times did I hear the phrase "the first 100's a gimme"?

That's not really true, bypass folks work for their weight loss. People with a BMI of 30 get bypass.

The risks were part of it for me, and others will tell you that RNY is safer than lap band but I wasn't buying that (and still don't) but that's a personal decision in the end.

No, it is not RNY that is safer than the band it is VSG.

My hospital paid for my entire surgery and only the lapband was offered. Even if the bypass or sleeve where offered I wouldn't do that. Just something about the fact that a bypasser can loose up to 100lbs in 3 months is completely unrealistic and sounds dangerous to me. Also I never want my insides rerouted and the fact that your stomach is cut off but still producing acid and what not while it's sewn up in there is kinda nasty.

That is not your standard issue person, that is a person that has 400+ pounds to lose. And if they get a band they can lose just as fast if they are a very high BMI.

mariem "He explained that with gastric bypass the complications are generally within the first couple of months then the complications go way down. With the band it's the oposite, very few in the beginning and then from one year and beyond there are many."

What are the side affects after a year for lapband patients?

Esophageal spasms (I had that)

Esophageal motility problems (I have that)

Esophageal damage (I have that)

Esophageal dilation

Stoma spasms (I had that)

Pouch dilation

Port infections (a risk with each band adjustment)

Slips

Erosion

Band intolerance (I had that)

Reflux (I had that)

Scar tissue growing under the band causing too much restriction with an unfilled band

Mechanical problems such as:

Port flips

Tubing disconnects from port

Tubing disconnects from band

Leaks

Kinked tubing

(all mechanical problems need to be repaired surgically)

My doctor suggested the band as a GERD treatment. The band creates a sort of artificial sphincter to help stop acid. Bypass wouldn't have done that. I also have a problem with having my innerds rearranged and sliced and diced. Both choices are going to have potential problems. Also, if you go with bypass and it doesn't work or you stretch out your pouch and start gaining in a couple years, you can have the band put in or have the stretta procedure as options. I am hypoglycemic and have experienced dumping even without the surgery. I go way out of my way to avoid it.

Actually, it would. If someone has severe GERD that is not caused by a Hiatal Hernia and they are obese bypass is the surgery of choice. The other surgical option is a Nissan Fundoplication and once that is done there is no WLS to be had. So if someone is obese and has severe GERD bypass is the best option.

[AirKuhl 1]

There are a lot of options out there. They all have their pros and cons. For my own personal reasons and seeing the issues that one of my friends had with another type of surgery, the band was the only surgical option I would consider.

IMO, the KEY is finding a great doctor. Don't shop doctors on price! A good surgery "A" is always better than an average surgery "B", no matter what "A" or "B" are.