Why did you get the LAP-BAND and not the sleeve or gastric bypass?

[WrenBird 11]

Hello!

I just wanna know your stories. I'm going to guess that some, if not most are going to be similar. I'm just curious as to why you didn't get a gastric bypass or the sleeve? Why did you go for the LAP-BAND?

For me personally I was a little worried about the restriction being permanent. At some stage I'd like to have kids and having a good amount of restriction while pregnant worried me a little. I think the adjustable side of things makes me feel a lot more comfortable.

I'd love to hear your stories, opinions and experiences!

[Cangel76 1]

The surgery for the lap band is less dangerous. My doctor said that the other surgeries have higher risk for infection, or leaking, even stretching to the point that hte pouch is huge again. Though that is a risk with the band usually it is more rare. Also the dumping syndrome, I want to be able to enjoy a small piece of cake once in a while or something non sugar free. I think if I limited myself so drastically I would have failed miserably and regretted my decision.

[pixistix 1]

I don't know much about the sleeve, but I felt that bypass was more traumatic and nutritional absorption can be a problem. With the band you lose more slowly, which is healthier physically. Emotionally and psychologically, I knew I would need to get used to the change slowly over time. Also, it is my understanding that both procedures have about equal success rates at the 5 year mark.

If a person has health problems that are an immediate threat and a great deal of weight to lose, I believe bypass is preferred, but since I only (ONLY!) have about 100 pounds to lose, I felt the band was the way for me to go. I have been very happy with it so far.

[emjay 8]

The band was the only option I even considered. I was one of those people that thought I would never go to such drastic lengths as to have WLS. The band seemed like a minimally invasive surgery, with a short recovery time, and with less serious side effects.

I consider myself one lucky SOB right now, and very thankful to the good Lord for helping me achieve my goal.

My feelings may be a bit tainted, but I really believe that bypass gives those who do it a false sense of freedom by their ability to lose weight without necessarily eating healthier. That "honeymoon" period of 18 months or so where weight loss is from both restriction AND more importantly malabsorption can lead those to believe that they can eat that way forever and maintain their loss. But eventually the body adapts and if dietary habits aren't changed, the weight gradually begins to come back on.

I guess I like the fact that I can eat anything I want, but yet I am accountable for my success by eating the right foods and exercising to maintain. I wanted to be and feel "normal" when I started this journey and feel like I "blend in". Now I do and I am very happy.

[Mardot 0]

I went with the lapband because it was outpatient surgery, much faster recovery time and it seemed to be less drastic. I also wanted to lose 75 - 90 pounds. So...after talking to the surgeon, this is the one we agreed would be best for me. Everyone is different. I have had fills and un-fills and there have been times when I wondered if I would have been better off with the bypass. Then I remind myself that I have to take reponsibility and the problems I have had are due to eating too fast, taking too large a bite and allowing myself to get too stressed at work (the stress has caused heartburn at night and resulted in needing an un-fill).

[WrenBird 11]

Is the sleeve and or GB more expensive than the lap band?

[MaineJackie 3]

I didn't like the thought, with a bypass, of re-routing my intestines. I like the fact that *IF* something bad happens to me, this CAN be reversed.

[beernut 0]

I don't know much about the sleeve, but I felt that bypass was more traumatic and nutritional absorption can be a problem. With the band you lose more slowly, which is healthier physically. Emotionally and psychologically, I knew I would need to get used to the change slowly over time. Also, it is my understanding that both procedures have about equal success rates at the 5 year mark.

If a person has health problems that are an immediate threat and a great deal of weight to lose, I believe bypass is preferred, but since I only (ONLY!) have about 100 pounds to lose, I felt the band was the way for me to go. I have been very happy with it so far.

What pixistix said!

We're probably done having kids, but since there is a chance of maybe having more, I wanted to make sure I could get adequate nutrition if I were to become pregnant.

I'm ok with taking things slow since there was no need to take the weight off quickly. For me, rapid weight loss would be disorienting and I worried I would feel out of control. For me, my weight and food has always been about control and the lap band lets me have that.

[Dave_NW 92]

The band is my second choice. I was going to get the sleeve, because I felt for my needs it was a better option. (My age, severely arthritic knees with degenerating joints, and other problems where formal exercise will be an extra challenge.) But I found out (kind of late into the process) that my insurance company rep had misinformed me. My insurance will NOT cover the sleeve after all, which changed my plans right in the middle of everything. The band was the only realistic option available to me. Bypass isn't something I'd want to do - malabsorption, dumping, and rerouting my intestines just isn't appealing to me.

So I'm going to try the band (surgery date is December 6th) and if it doesn't work well for me, I may look into self-pay for the sleeve at a later time, unless my insurance changes their rules and will pay for the sleeve at that time.

And to answer your question, the band is generally least expensive, sleeve is next, and bypass is the most expensive. At my surgeon's, it's a range of about $14,000 to $20,000 to $28,000, respectively.

Dave

Edited November 13, 2010 by Dave_NW

[elcee 3,343]

Surely you still need to exercise with the sleeve?

[WrenBird 11]

Surely you still need to exercise with the sleeve?

I would think so too...

[ElfiePoo 109]

Surely you still need to exercise with the sleeve?

My internal medicine doctor's nurse had the sleeve the same time I had my band. A year later and she's down about 150 pounds. She lost weight so quickly that I originally thought she had the bypass. We talked for a bit last time I was in and exercise came up because I was a bit frustrated that I was walking 3k a day and still getting nowhere with my weight. She said she wasn't exercising at all and didn't plan to until she was either within 50 lbs of her goal (still had 100 pounds to go to goal) or stopped losing weight.

So it sounds as if it's typical of just about any weight loss method. Depending on the person and/or how much they have to lose, they might not have to exercise 'at first' in order to lose weight, but at some point they will.

.

[Poppyred 0]

I chose lapband because it is a more gradual weight lost. It just was important to me that no one suspected I had something done to help me lose weight. I also agree that it is easier emotionally to adjust to the "new me"! It always provides the opportunity for my close friends and family to adjust to my new lifestyle as well.

Ive lost just a little over 50lbs in 11 months and am very happy with the results and expect to be to my goal by next summer! I don't stress about losing weight anymore, I know its coming off..and its not an obsession about dieting all the time. I feel I change different habits every day, till Im too the point that it doesn't feel like "change" anymore!

Great comments...I enjoy reading them!

Poppyred

[Mardot 0]

I didn't tell anyone other than my kids and my fiance. I didn't want his kids to know or anyone else. I'm a pretty private person. I think that's why I like this site so much. It's a place to talk with others who have had the surgery, No judgments made here! My insura10.00 per visit for the fills. Changed insurance and now have to pay $38.00 per visit but BC/BS has covered everything else. I had never heard of the sleeve until recently.

[Jachut 487]

I think with anything, you'll maybe do fine at first without exercise. But exercise is really the difference between a good and a spectacular result and anyway, you exercise for reasons other than weight loss too. But many people DO suffer from various problems that prevent a lot of weight bearing exercise and for them, they might get better results with a sleeve or bypass.

Anyhow, I got a band because that's pretty much the most common surgery here in Australia, I was borderline at a BMI of 36 anyway and I dont think I'd have been able to talk my way into a bypass, nor did I want to do something that "drastic".

The adjustability of the band, hmmmmmm. Its a plus, but its a double edged sword, I have to unfill next week for a surgery and really really really dont want to. I'm absolutely terrified. I find myself wishing I'd be sleeved so that I couldnt be told to do something like this!

Now that I have a band and have lost weight, I dont really want that "out". I wouldnt care now if my insides had been rerouted, because being a healthy normal weight would be worth that to me - in hindsight. I didnt feel like that pre band -when even banding seemed like a crazy and extreme measure which took me a lot of courage to go through with.