So heres the story, yesterday I was in a plus size chat room and a woman said she was getting the bypass surgery. Another woman was bitching at her (even tho she was fat as well) saying how she didn't even look big enough to have the surgery.

So I was talking to the woman who was getting bypass and I said to her I had the band and she said that her surgeon told her bypass was the better option because the lapband was being phased out as there werent alot of success stories. So naturally I defended lapband because I dunno about her surgeon but really who gives misinformed information like that? It's wrong and unethical.

With each surgery there are success stories and failures, you hear about the failures more of the other surgeries more than the success'.

So has anyone ever heard something ridiculous about lapband that has made you defend it? Particularly against people that have bypass.

There's too much information missing from this.. or is it really as simple as her Dr. prefers the bypass over the lapband?

Here in the states there's no real need to defend the lapband, it's the much more preferred method and people understand and even skinny people go "Oh yeah I heard about that, it's totally safe unlike the bypass thing"

The only defending I've ever had to do is explaining why I was getting it, when I've successfully lost over 100lbs on my own. - Some people are just NEVER happy LOL

You know I'd gone to several seminars with various surgeons (while I was interviewing them) and all, with the exception of the one I chose, stated that the band did not have as high of a success rate as the bypass. Not surprisingly, they were pushing hard for the bypass. Since I know a number of people who've had bypasses...and who are still rather fat and no longer losing weight...I asked them what criteria they used to determine 'success'.

Apparently a 'success' is when a person loses at least 50% of their excess weight...and a bypass patient will typically lose at least that just by virtue of malabsorption and just in the first year.

The doctor I finally chose was extremely neutral and unbiased in putting forth all options (bypass, sleeve and band) and said that there were pros and cons to all of them and our needs would determine which we should choose.

He also passed out copies of research data that showed that while bypass patients appeared to be more successful initially, it all leveled out by the end of the 2nd year...and by the 7-8th year, band patients had actually lost more of their excess weight than bypass patients.

I think this may be due to attitude. I've heard many bypass patients state that they chose the bypass because they knew they didn't have the self-control to curb their eating and needed the malabsorption. Many will admit that they don't change their eating/lifestyles at all. If true, then while they may lose 2/3 of their excess weight through malabsorption, at some point, they level off and even their doctors will tell them that they'll still have to take off the last 1/3rd the old fashioned way.

Obviously this is not true of everyone that gets a bypass but visit one of the many bypass forums and it's a pretty prevalent attitude. And, by the way, I'm not making a judgment...just an observation.

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There was a 12-year study of morbidly obese and super obese patients who all had gastric banding. The study is online at http://www.obesitylapbandsurgery.com...eryArticle.pdf

Good results for long term weight loss and life expectancy.

I don't see how lapband can be considered unsuccessful given the long-term study's results? Weird.

All the time. Usually by people that are either sicker than they realise and so f8ked up about eating that they cant work with a band. They need hard stops, need to be forceably restricted from certain foods, need their bands so tight that they suffer a raft of other problems such as constant pbing, and reflux etc.

then they usually start banging on about what a failure the band is, how it should be off the market. They get revision surgery and get strident about how superior their surgery is.

They dont realise that bands only work for some people, people that can work with them in the way they were intended. Not people who are morally superior, just people who's set of issues and symptoms make them good band candidates.

I just let them go. I'm four years out, no problems, healthy weight, couldnt be happier. If someone wants to feel they made a better decision for me then let them.

Then there's people who have never had a band that think they're experts. I dont bother much with them either.

I think we all have done a lot of research about the lap band before going through with the surgery. We all know that it works but you have to 'work it'! My doc questioned me in depth about my eating habits & what I ate all of the times I lost weight. THEN he asked what surgery I was thinking about getting. After I told him Lap band he agreed that it was the appropriate choice for me. Because even though I'm fat I do not drink high calorie drinks and I don't keep slider foods in the house. My health couldn't be better except for my weight & he felt gastric bypass was too drastic for my current situation.

Now my friend went to the same doc just recently & he questioned her just the same. When she said she too wanted lap band he disagreed with her. She would have to drastically change her diet, get rid of the Mountain dew & freezer full of ice cream. She also is close to 400# and has several co-morbidities.

I think it depends on the situation. (Hmmm...just thinking....bypass is a much more involved surgery, therefore the doc gets more money. Sad but some are motivated by the money!) The five year success rates of both surgeries are about the same. Bypass is quicker weight loss in the beginning. It's more obvious to me now more than ever that lapband isn't for everyone!

Just smile & nod & move on to another discussion!:biggrin:

Hi HeatherR, I noticed our starting weights (me-259) and surgery dates (me-10/19/09) are pretty close. However, you have 4.8 cc's. Right now I have 2.5 cc's after one fill and am sad to say no restriction. I see you've already lost 40 pounds. Can you tell me when you started experiencing restriction. Right now I can eat just about anything and I know I'm still eating too fast. I am scheduled for my second fill on 1/5/10. I really hope it helps as I don't feel like I've been even banded at this point. I guess I'm just looking for some encouraging news. Thanks and congrats on your 40 pounds lost and gone forever!

Hi We3601!

I have had 2 fills now & am up to 6.8cc. This last fill on 12/21 was the first time I have felt anything. My 40 pound loss is including my pre-op diet. It has been since July. I was 250 in July. I have only lost 20 since surgery but I refuse to leave that out of my total loss!! It's been hard! I am going in for another fill on 1/6. I'm hoping this will be the one, I think I'm getting there!

My surgeon was a proponent of both surgeries and said that if you are a grazer then the band is not for you. He also felt that dumping syndrom with bypass is a good thing as it is a deterrent to high carbs and sugar. But he was also very clear that 3 years post-op the results are comparable. I think it is just a personal preference and I'm glad I went with the band for my own personal reasons. I don't knock anyone who has had the bypass as it was their own personal choice. The slow weight loss can be frustrating, and he recently reminded me that the band was slower, but I am so encouraged by folks on here that reach their goal weight. For some it seems to take 1 year, others 2 or 3 years, but I feel that I'm making the right lifestyle changes to get to goal some day and I feel like I will stay there. One of the biggest reasons (no pun intended) I didn't want the bypass is that I've seen far too many people put their weight back on and once they've stretched their pouch they have no recourse. I feel like the tool will help me for life.

Hi WE201,

I had my band put in 2/4/08 and it took me a while to get a fill where I was not hungry. I had my consult two months before surgery and lost 30lbs between by consult and surgery then I only lost an additional 30 lbs in the next 6 months just by following the diet and being hungry. But I knew the band would kick in eventually. Most of us heavy people are good at dieting for 6 months or more, it's keeping the motivation up and keeping the weight off. After the first 6 months my restriction was good and I lost 40lbs by my one year anniversary and had reached my goal of 150. I started out at consultation at 250. Now I'm a month away from two years and down to 138. It is totally worth it! I had a lot of health issues that are either resolved or much lessened. I also love shopping for 8s instead of 26s.

I feel the real benefit of the band is the tool effect. You practice good eating but also are much less tempted because your not that hungry all the time. Do I cheat? Sometimes but not that often and when I do it might be 2 or three Cookies and then I don't want anymore. Before I could sit down and eat a whole box or batch of homemade in a sitting or a day. I also think the slow approach lets you get your head around the whole process and adjust to your changing body.

My surgeon also said he prefers bypasses, but feels that bands are successful if they don't eat a lot of liquid or soft calories.

Hey Val, thanks for sharing your journey. It really gives me hope. I just cannot imagine wearing a size 8 so congrats to you! I haven't been under 200 pounds in over 20+ years so the thought of wearing anything in that size range seems impossible. I would be ecstatic if I could just shop in a "regular" store. I'm pretty sure that goal can be met some day

Hey Heather, I also include pre-op weight loss in my total. I don't bother separating the two like most people do because to me it's all part of the journey (plus, too many numbers to remember: weight loss pre-surgery, post-surgery, 1st fill, etc....) Just go with the total--that's all my pants care about anyway

Hi WE201,

I had been above 200 for 30 years and been shopping in Plus sizes the whole time. I actually bought myself a saphire ring when I reached onderland. I think that was as exciting as reaching goal. My rational for a ring was I would wear it on my finger as a reminder of my accomplishments and a reminder to to put my hand in for seconds or Snacks. I has been a good reminder.

I remember shopping the first time in regular sizes. I shopped in Kohl's where the clothes are by brand. In the past the plus sizes were in one small area and was easy to shop. They either had what I wanted or didn't. Now I had to look through all these departments, very confusing! I got use to it though. So many more bargains when your a smaller size. I did a lot of shopping at Thrift stores and consignment shops when I was loosing. Then I wear something for several months and didn't feel guilty when I passed it on.

I also include my before surgery weight loss as I worked very hard for it.

The band was the best thing I've done for myself.

Very few people i work with know i had the band done and i am glad i kept it like that. People that want to put in there 2cents that dont know anything about it at all. Someone i work with just got gastic bypass done. So many of them are again the bypass talk so much trash and untrue information. I work for a large company and 2 people had the band in the past both have cancer ( no proof it is related to the band or even in the area where the band is )... but they are blame the band. There is no studies that show the band cause cancer it actually lowers the risk because of the weight lose. But you try to tell people the facts they only hear what they want to hear.

Regardless it isnt important if u tell no one or everyone just what u are comfortable with. I told the people that are important to me in my life and they are support and want to learn about the band. But not everyone does, some people just want to believe what they want true or not. The band dont need defending but it is a part of me now, so sometimes we just want to let people know the truth.

It does sound as if he would rather do the bypass. The only reason (in my opinion) would be because there is more money he would get from the bypass.

Getting a bypass was never an option for me - a band is as far as I would go. I don't like the idea of something being irreversible and nonadjustable. I also like the fact that I'm still responsible for my weight. The band helps a lot but it doesn't do all the work for me, not by far.

That said, I would never bad-mouth bypass just because I personally chose not to get it. Everyone's different, everyone has their own reasons for choosing one over the other. I came across an anti-lapband site that was being run by a bypass clinic - very one-sided and a lot of the information was simply false of misconstrued. If you trust your product, you don't need to insult your competitor - your product should speak for itself. I now weigh what I weighed when I was 14 years old - the band is speaking for itself.

My surgeon was very unbiased as well...he said in the seminar (and i quote): "I dont' care what surgery you choose, as long as we do something to HELP you."

He spoke about how everyone in the room knows how to lose weight...we've all done many diets and have been successful at all of them. But we can't KEEP it off...he went on to talk about how obesity is a disease and how more people need to be educated on it and it's treatments (ie the multitude of surgical options there are now)....

When we met one on one, i knew i wanted the band. I watched my mom go through gastric bypass and i knew 5 years ago that i did NOT want that done...however since the band is adjustable, THAT was a good option for me. My problem isn't the types of food i was eating..it was how MUCH i was eating..and then band has been AMAZING for me!

The only time my surgeon will suggest bypass over the band is if you have serious co-morbidities that would benefit more from bypass...otherwise, he leaves it up to you.

Most research now is showing that people who are 3+ years out of gastric bypass are GAINING IT ALL BACK...because a lot of them (not all) look at it as a magic surgery and something they don't have to work at...they get complacient and gain. NO THANK YOU. I'm not going to have major surgery and work at something just to gain it all back? I chose the band because it's adjustable and can change with you...and because it's a TOOL, not a magic potion...

That being said, my mom is 5 years post op from Gastric Bypass on the 5th of january..and she looks AMAZING! She works out every day, wears a size 8 jeans (from wearing only stretch pants), and lives healthy :smile2: