What helped you make your decision??? I am torn between both procedures!!

What helped you make your decision??? I am torn between both procedures!!

Mind you, I have not decided. However, see: http://www.lapband.com/en/learn_about_lapband/compare_lapband/ (specifically: one procedure looks to be radical and extremely hard to reverse, if at all, while the other looks more conservative and easier to reverse). Stated differently, a stomach is an important thing to have. I'd like to keep most of it, if at all possible. --TnB

Hello,

I wondered about these two procedures also. I ended up getting banded back in February of 2011. For me I realized I could lose weight well enough with the band and I liked that I needed to check in more often with the doctor to get fills, etc.

Being held accountable to someone whomever it is, for me is important, so having to check in with my doctor helps me.

I've lost over 80 pounds so far and hope to lose 20 more by my 1 year anniversary, Feb. 7th.

Banding has worked well for me, I've had no problems and I have been able to lose a lot of weight with the band. I also had a sweet tooth before banding and was told banding might not work as well because of that, but it has worked wonderfully for me.

People lose a lot of weight with the band. For me, I consider my band my best friend because it helps me know what foods are good for me and which foods aren't so good for me. My band helps me make better food choices, healthier food choices and helps me not overeat. All the things I always wished I could do on my own, but never could. I no longer have high blood pressure, I can keep up with others better, I am more active, I am less self conscious, I feel normal in my every day life. I can buckle seat belts and fit into booths easily. I no longer worry about being able to fit into seats. My joints don't hurt much at all unless I walk for hours and hours, then I might feel a pinch, I don't have to take any Advil and before banding I was taking 8 Advil a day and taking more to sleep. I have had many health improvements so far and I will continue to feel better as I keep losing more weight. I can walk up a flight of stairs now without heavy breathing.

With the band, I lead a normal life with food. I no longer obsess and I don't feel cheated or deprived beause I feel my band protects me from food dangers. I didn't use to be able to control any of my overeating, but now with the help of my band, checking in often with my doctors, being accountable to others, I manage my food rather well. I'm proud of myself for getting banded because it was a huge decision for me. It's definitely not the easy way out.

For me, banding was the best decision I ever made. I have no regrets.

Thanks.

For me it was recovery time. I have 3 small children and could not be laid up in bed for a month. Plus I like that there was no big change to my anatomy and physiology. permentally changing how my body works,that scared me. The by pass had a much greater heal time and lifelong changes. My sister DID a bypass in Sept. She was in hospital for 3 days and out of work for 5 weeks. Said she felt like she was hit by a truck, and then it back up and did it again. Today, she looks amazing. She lost about 60 pounds in less then 4 months. She dropped from diabete levels to normal at her first follow up blood work. She went from a 24 to 16 pants. She also had her hair falling out in clumps at 2-3 months out, felt lighthead, and couldn't consentrate at work, couldn't get enough food down or getting it in at all, and has to take b12 shots and vitimans for the rest of her life. Once she her protein up and vitimans level normalized she stopped losing hair. She said her taste changed after surgery, she can not tolerate anything really sweet. can get junkfood - but only a tiny bit at a time. She would do it again in a heartbeat. Very happy with her choice.

I had lapband on Dec 19th. Between the preop and post op liquid diet I have lost 30 pounds. I have about 90 to go to goal. I do not feel bad at all. I was up and about a few hours after surgery. I did stay over night in hospital because my surgery was later in day and given the choice I would rather recoop at hospital over night instead of with my 3 little children jumping all over me. I feel fine except for a bit of soreness at port site. With the band you need to get fills and have band adjusted til you get to you ideal fill level. (my sister likes that she doesn't have to be monitored and adjusted on regular basis- one shot deal) Take a bit of time from what I have gathered to get it just right and start having some restriction in the amount you can eat. Biggest risk for me with band is that you can cheat or eat things you shouldn't and it will let you. It doesn't make you make right food choices, that is still up to you. You need to be more honest with the band. I haven't had a fill yet, I am a little worried with the idea of things may getting stuck in my band. I like that we can have control on how much food can pass thru and therefore better control the rate of our loss. I like that is something happens, illness, or pregnacy the band can be loosened or even that it can removed if really needed. I am very glad with my choice. so it is an indivdual choice and as you can see I had a lot of infomaiton to think about when I decided on my lapband surgery. It is important to really look at what is best for you and, your lifestyle. Both will change you life forever. I am extermely happen with the choices that both my sister and I made. Good luck in your journey. hope this helped. Suzi

just to add, you need to take your vitimans with the band too especially if you are not eating a balance diet, with bypass there are some that are not absorbed by your body. also I have read on here, that banded patient can loss hair too if that don't get enough protein in too. good luck.

For me it came down to not wanting to make a permanent change to my body. I know that there is a chance that the band might leave a lasting effect but is more likely that if I needed to have it taken out it is easy to remove. Also I did not want to deal with the issues that came along with the bypass like dumping, I wanted to know that I could still enjoy a drink or a dessert on occasion without worrying that my body would rebel.

My original surgeon tried to push me towards bypass but that just ended up making me consider the sleeve, after all if I'm going to make a permanent change I might as well go for the one that would leave me with the more normal life, but I was told that my insurance wouldn't cover me because my BMI wasn't over 50. Fortunately I found out about the band with plication which gives the benefits of both the band and the sleeve

For me it was all the cutting. The higher risk involved with internal bleeding, re-routing how your insides work, and the fact that after bypass surgery food is not longer passing through the duodenum (which absorbs Vitamins, minerals, and nutrients).

In addition, I worked for a healthcare corporation once and gastric bypass was free. I had about 10 girlfriends and co-worker do it years ago and saw all kinds of complications from it. I know only 1 person in all 10 who's kept the weight off. My best friend has had 2 hernia surgeries because she's gained all her weight back and her insides are just shot. It isn't worth that to me.

The band seems like the best, most responsible decision with the least drama...for me...and that's why I'm considering it. :-) These forums are a huge help in my research and decision process.

I considered them all but like most other people on here, I really wanted the least invasive surgery. I got banded with plication. As you can see from my ticker, it is working very nicely for me. (I was banded on Aug. 11) Not only is the weight dropping off at a very consistent rate, but I have not had one problem.(knock on wood!!) NO sickness what so ever, recovered quickly from surgery and I feel absolutely wonderful. Scars are hardly noticable.

For me the difference of which one to get comes down to what your eating issues are. I am not a big sugar addict - I simply like to overeat!! Dont know when to stop. The band is helpful in setting limitations on how much you can eat but you can still pretty much eat anything you want to eat. So if you are a big sweets addict or love ice cream and milk shakes it might not be the right choice for you. Talk your eating habits over with your doctor to decide which options he or she suggests for your situation.

Good luck!

I can't thank everyone enough for their replies. I have about 120 pounds to lose and I hope the band can do that for me.

I totally agree about not having to cut. I like that too and having a one year old I really can't be off my feet for long. I like that the band is a pretty quick thing. I also feel like others that it is good to be monitored by a dr. Thanks everyone so much for your insight

I wanted the least invasive and nothing rerouted or cut out. It was a very easy decision for me. I needed to lose around 300 and stil chose the band, down 165 so far and love love LOVE it.

For me, I was on the lower end of the BMI range of qualifying for WLS. I consider bypass to be very drastic, and my health was not bad enough to need something that drastic. Along with other points made earlier about not wanting the rerouting and malabsorption, I didn't have diabetes, else I probably would have done bypass, as it works wonderfully for sending it into remission.

The recovery period was not an issue for me, a few extra weeks when it comes to the rest of my life is not really a factor. It was a bigger picture issue for me.

I also didn't like the idea of the honeymoon period that bypass has. When that is over, if you haven't changed your habits, it is easy to regain. I know myself, my habits don't change that easily. While my food choices are not bad, I knew I'd still want the treats now and then. The band provides me the guidance I need to easily maintain my weight.

The downsides of the band? More follow-ups, getting fills. You have a foreign object in your body that can lead to complications down the road, from erosion to leaks, to who knows what in 20 years or more. You have a port to deal with, placement can cause issues. For me it is near my waist, and waistbands on some pants can be quite painful.

Cocoabean,

No issues for me on health either.

Wayne hOw long for you to lose the 165

Wow Wayne, that is remarkable! I have been told by so many people that the band won't help me to acheive my goal because of the weight I need to lose, but coming here and reading everyone's story gives me very high hopes. I have about 150 pounds to shed and I know that I am going to have to work very hard at this.

Patty I am right behind you. I have 120-125 to lose. It was uplifting to read how many people lost so much!