Hello! I new here and going through the process with the bariatric center and now at the decision of lap band or bypass. I first inteaded to do lap band but now am in the middle. Have anyone wished they did gastric bypass instead why? and if not what are you reasons for lap band? I need people that are going through the process cuz right now i can only hear what the doctor and my family are saying:redface:

I did Lap Band b/c it has a very high success rate with a very low mortality rate. It's easy and completely reversible. Plus it's adjustable.

It was a very easy outpatient surgery and I really had no pain from it besides the gas pain. I was back caring for my 3 kids within 2 days.

I did LAP-BAND® b/c it has a very high success rate with a very low mortality rate. It's easy and completely reversible. Plus it's adjustable.

It was a very easy outpatient surgery.

I totally agree!! Sure the fast weightloss would be nice, but not worth the risk.

Cheri

I did the lapband due to the lower risk. I was banded on March 29th and have been extremely happy with it. In addition, there are a lot more restrictions with bypass that I did not want to deal with.

I have been very successful with the lapband- lost 107 pounds in about 10 months, and reached goal. However, there have been times I wished I had bypass- all that waiting for restriction, needing to go in for unfills when I was too tight. Overall though, lapband is much less risky and you don't have the absorbtion problems that gastric bypass can cause. It is also a much safer surgery. Best of luck in your decision. Either way- you will do great!

When we go through the screening process for LapBand, they continually talk about your willingness to do the maintenance and I really couldn't understand this part before now. The reality is, as said before me, there is a lot of maintenance, back and forth until you find that sweet spot. But, considering the risks and the side effects of bypass, this was a no-brainer for me. The mortality rates in bypass were too high to be acceptable for me or for my family.

PLUS...I have read that with bypass, the weight loss is faster but then most people have a little bit of a rebound....honestly, my psyche couldn't take that. Get down to 150 and then bounce back to 175.... no thanks. Slow and steady is nice!

Thank you all for your input with you experiences it going to help me alot i think im more scared about the future and maybe not having insurance that will cover the replacement removal or fills... im only 20 and currently doing this through my parents insurance.

... ahhh it really is a tough decision!!!

Hi,

Let me tell you what helped me decide between RNY and Lap-Band. I was schedule for RNY and the week before surgery I was having a really hard time dealing with anxiety (always doubting myself if that was the right decision). So, looking for information on the internet I found a video on You Tube that helped me decide. (if you want the link send me a private message, I don't know if posting the link would get me in trouble).

Basically, the doctor was saying that if you have to loose over 90lbs. and have comorbidities such as diabetes, severe hypertension, sleep apnea, etc., RNY would be a good option. Basically you could be trading in some medical issues for other.

If you have to loose 90lbs or more but you don't have very serious medical problems then the Lap-Band would be a good option. I falled under that category that's why I chose Lap-Band.

Keep in mind that the outcome of each surgery depends on how much you are willing to work.

That's how I decided it.

Hope it helps.

I decided on lapband after watching a friend have bypass. She had severe complications and was in a coma for two weeks. Even after all that, she only lost 40lbs. She later went on to have lapband.

I had LapBand on 1/5/09 and since then have lost about 90 lbs. I have been stuck at the same weight for over a year now and have the last 25 - 30 lbs to lose. When I go to support group and see the gastric folks there all skinny it makes me wish that I would of had the gastric instead. I'm mad at myself for not being able to push forward and lose the last part and sometimes I do wish I would of had the RNY. I do know that this has been the best gift that I have ever given myself and whatever decision you make it will be the right one.

I choose the band because I was too scared to have my stomach cut and switched and what not. I liked that the band is less risky procedure. The down side is now I am always in fear of something going wrong with the band and it will have to be removed. Since I paid out of pocket I think the fear is a bit worse. I also don't like having to wait for proper restriction with fills. I have, however, lost about 60lbs in 8 months and feel great about that!

Sometimes I wish I had looked into bypass a little more. But I am sure there are things that I don't know about that they have to worry about.

Best of luck.

Nope, not even for a second. My rate of loss has been great, and I don't have to worry about malabsorption issues.

Before you decide on a bypass, find a bypass forum (e-mail me and I can direct you to the one I frequented before I found this forum) and read all the posts.

If my only choice is to be fat the rest of my life or do the bypass...I'll take fat. I've known too many bypass patients that have had major medical issues after the bypass. Yes, some do well but you never know which one you'll be until it's too late to do anything about it.

Also, bypass is no more reliable than band...unless you 'work' it. Read some of the bypass forums and you'll find a rather large (no pun intended) contingent of people who lost most of their weight and then gained it all back. My surgeon said that a bypass patient will lose 2/3 of their excess weight as a result of the surgery, but it's still up to them to learn new eating habits and control their eating. Unfortunately too many people choose bypass because they think they can continue (and do) eating the way they did prior to surgery and end up stretching their pouch and gaining back all their weight.

At 20 years old, bypass seems kind of drastic.

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Because I am in "Bandster Hell" I often wonder if I should have gone with the sleeve. But I know that after I reach proper restriction I will be happier that I got the band. I dont want to deal with all the problems that come along with bypass or sleeve. So far I am happy with my band but know that I will luv my band after I get some fills under my belt.

A couple of people at my work has had the gastric bypass. One has had her's done a month after I was banded. She has lost a lot more weight than me, but she's so saggy looking. It's like everything (fat and loose skin) is falling down. I congratulate her on her progress, but she looks kinda bad.

That is one of the many reasons why I chose the lap band. My weight loss is steady. :rolleyes2:

Nope, not even a little bit. Although I'm only a week post-op I did enough homework prior to surgery to know this was the only option for me.

Keep asking questions and checking out all possible options. Knowledge is power.

Good luck with which ever procedure you choose.