I'm a 59 year old woman. I have a few medical issues sleep apnea, mild high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Otherwise I'm pretty healthy. I'm 175 over my ideal weight. I have gone through all of the pre-surgery testing and was determined to be a low risk for surgery. Originally I was leaning toward the bypass because the Dr said that was my best option for success etc. That was back in May and I have talked to a lot of people online since then and there are some people I know who have had major complications with the bypass. After a lot of talking, research and weighing the info I decided to do the band. My surgery is scheduled for Jan 10th and I just went for my pre surgery appointment yesterday. There was apparently a mix up and they didn't put down that I had decided to do the band instead of the bypass. The Doctor who will be doing the surgery was upset that I had changed my mind. He said that with my age and the amount of weight I need to lose he didn't think the band would give me good results and he felt the bypass would be a better option for me. He made me agree to think about it for a couple of days and said he would do the band if I insisted on that but he felt I'd be disappointed in the results. My insurance will cover both procedures. I chose the band because I felt there would be less complications, quicker recovery, it's adjustable and can be reversed if there is a problem. I know I can loose weight if I eat less, the problem has been my ability to keep eating less for an extended period of time and not feeling full with smaller quantities. I think the band will give me that help. Also I have been doing water aerobics for the past 3 months and plan to continue after surgery. I know I will lose slower than the bypass people but I didn't gain it all overnight. PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR OPINION. I am pretty sure if I let the doctor change my mind and there are problems I will end up resenting him and hating myself for allowing myself to be swayed. Am I too old for the band? Tell me what you think.

Idk about the age part, I think its a lifetime choice so why not extend that lifetime? I don't like bypass from a nursing point for these reasons...it messes with the bodys natural digestion, there is loss of intrinsic factor, vit B12 and lots of other natural ways the body digests and autoregulates itself. Yes, bypassers take pills for these but they are synthetic not natural. Dumping syndrome runs ramped with bypassers and their "fail" rate is onpar with band if not worse. Yes, they do tend to lose more wt quicker then bands but that too has consequences...hair loss, nail growth, metabolism changes ect. Its a personal decision and although it looks like I am anti-bypass I'm truly not, I just feel strongly that u should keep some things natural and some mostly natural (like theband). Good luck with ur choice

Thanks for responding. I looked at all the issues you mentioned and I already have a recurring B12 deficiency. That was one of the reasons I decided on the band. Also I feel if you don't work at it you can be just as likely to regain all your weight even with the bypass and I know people who did. I can't be the only 59 year old considering this. Thanks again for replying.

GOOD TOPIC!

In 2004 and in 2008, I was considering the bypass. I was adament about it. Both times, surgery was postponed because I became pregnant. In 2008, my surgeon was an advocate for bypass more so than lapband. It was very apparant, similar to your doctor. Of course the bypass costed more than the lapband. Bypass was the surgery I wanted so I didn't mind that he was bias. However, when I went in for my pre-surgery appt, he learned that I had anemia. He suggested the lapband as a better solution. Of course I wasn't trying to hear that. I wanted quick results....5 pounds a week gone, not 1 pound. I was furious and toyed with the idea of deciding to find a new surgeon. This is when I discovered I was pregnant, again. That is why my anemia was so bad. I took it as God's way of telling me NO bypass. I started the process over in 2009, this time for the lapband. I had my surgery 2/25/10 and I'm very happy. I know the results are quicker most times with the bypass but weigh your other options (the ones you already mentioned) too. If you decide to have the bypass, let it be because you want to, not because your surgeon's persuasion.

First of all, this should be you decision to make. Your surgeon can give you his opinion, but it I'd your body and your life.

I think a little history is nessasary in order to understand why many doctors feel that the bypass is better than the lapband.

The bypass was being performed in the USA for many years before the lapband was. The reason for this was that the FDA only approved the use of the lapband in the early nineties. That is why the bypass was considered the "gold standard" in bariatric surgery while the band was the newcomer. In other countries like Australia and Europe the lapband had been used for much longer. In fact in Australia now they almost exclusively do the band, the bypass is almost unheard of.

I believe it is for this reason that many bariatric surgeons still have the misconceived notion that the bypass is somehow better than the band. The is no scientific proof of this. Although bypass patients do lose more weight rapidly in the initial period after the surgery, the data shows that a few years out the weight loss is the same.

Add to that the significantly lower mortality rate and lack of complications that come with the band and it really should be a no brainer.

Yes there are some people who the band does not work for and end up needing a revision. But for the vast majority of obese people who are ready to make a significant change to their life the band is more than adequate.

I'm a 59 year old woman. I have a few medical issues sleep apnea, mild high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Otherwise I'm pretty healthy. I'm 175 over my ideal weight. I have gone through all of the pre-surgery testing and was determined to be a low risk for surgery. Originally I was leaning toward the bypass because the Dr said that was my best option for success etc. That was back in May and I have talked to a lot of people online since then and there are some people I know who have had major complications with the bypass. After a lot of talking, research and weighing the info I decided to do the band. My surgery is scheduled for Jan 10th and I just went for my pre surgery appointment yesterday. There was apparently a mix up and they didn't put down that I had decided to do the band instead of the bypass. The Doctor who will be doing the surgery was upset that I had changed my mind. He said that with my age and the amount of weight I need to lose he didn't think the band would give me good results and he felt the bypass would be a better option for me. He made me agree to think about it for a couple of days and said he would do the band if I insisted on that but he felt I'd be disappointed in the results. My insurance will cover both procedures. I chose the band because I felt there would be less complications, quicker recovery, it's adjustable and can be reversed if there is a problem. I know I can loose weight if I eat less, the problem has been my ability to keep eating less for an extended period of time and not feeling full with smaller quantities. I think the band will give me that help. Also I have been doing Water aerobics for the past 3 months and plan to continue after surgery. I know I will lose slower than the bypass people but I didn't gain it all overnight. PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR OPINION. I am pretty sure if I let the doctor change my mind and there are problems I will end up resenting him and hating myself for allowing myself to be swayed. Am I too old for the band? Tell me what you think.