Hey everyone! I just wanted to introduce myself and ask a few questions. I'm 36 years old and a lifelong dieter - I've tried everything atkins, weight watchers (6x +), nutrisystem, etc....have always lost but also have always regained my weight back. About 5 years ago I considered WLS and then chickened out and vouched to do it myself and I did lose 50 lbs only to regain it again. I KNOW for certain I need this tool to finally get down to a "normal" weight. I have a lower back injury and severe sciatica that is only aggravated with my excess weight and most recently I have some nasty acid reflux when I lay down at night. I've been reading stories on this site for some inspiration....OK here are my questions

1. What made you decide lapband over gastric bypass? To me I would think less invasive surgery, no re-routing of intestines, less hospital stay, and no need for lifelong meds after surgery. However, I get nervous when I read about band erosion or things getting "stuck" if they eat something and didn't chew it well enough.

2. Also my doctor gave me a packet of information that basically says that on average you can expect to lose about 33% of your excess weight in the first year (by following the program properly) with the lapband, in comparison, to about 77% with the gastric bypass. This is a HUGE difference to me. I am overweight and need to lose @ 110 lbs....33% in one year is only about 36-40 lbs. Was this percentage (33%) true in your case? When comparined the two stats, I tend to wonder if I'm going to make this huge change which is the right choice.....I would like to reiterate I really want the band...but 33-40 lbs just isn't going to get me to where I need to be.

Thanks and hope to hear from some of you!

Welcome!!! I myself have tried everything you have listed and then some. Aggravation set in when I realize my health was beginning to decline. I myself obviously had to go with the "third time is a charm" motto. I considered lapband on two other occassions and backed out. I finally decided that I needed to proactively get my health back in order for myself, my hubby and my two sons. In May, I ran into a friend who I hadn't seen in a year or so. She was so slim compared to the last time we saw each other. She had Bypass. We talked for over an hour in Walmart parking lot. She is the one who told me about lapband considering I exspressed my concern with re-routing and everything. She directed me to Youtube to watch a few videos. I was sold. That same day I contacted Magee's Bariatric Center, did the online seminar, filled out the questionaire and faxed it over. A week later they called me to let me know I indeed was a candidate for weight loss surgery. From then on I have been flying high. I am scheduled for surgery on Feb 7th. I had to complete my six month supervised diet and multiple testing.

But to make a long story short....Recovery time, time off of work, the fact that I have a 9 year old and a 2 year old ( I didn't want to be laid up too long), non invasive, no re-routing, no lifetime supplements, etc....That was an easy decision to make for me...

My surgeon advised me that the lapband will permit me to lose 60% of my excess weight within 18 months. Or 75% with bypass over a year. the 15% different was only a matter of 15 pounds for me. I would rather have the "safer" surgery and forfeit those extra 15 pounds. To me they aren't worth the length of healing and recooperating...(just my opninion)

In your instance...If you are 110lbs over weight, lapband will permit you to lose 66+ pounds....Bypass will permit you to lose 82.5 pounds. (If the doctor is right on his calculations) That is a difference of 16.5 pounds. To me I would rather do lapband instead of losing an additional 16 pounds with bypass.

Ultimately it is your decision and what you feel comfortable in doing. That is just how I decided on my lapband...I figured losing the weight a little slower will permit me to tone up what was lost before more comes off. This way I can try to limit my "sag" LOL

First things first, welcome

To answer your first question, my surgeon asked if I was a sweet eater or a volume eater. I told him volume, if I have a plate or food I have to finish it. So he suggested the band. Band makes you eat less. Bypass gives dumping syndrome. Basically the two different surgeries use your faults to make you productive. He also said because I was so young I could take the weight off working with the band rather than letting it fall off with bypass.

As for the amount of weight loss. My nutritionist reassured me that the diet, mine anyway, with the band is designed to make you lose 1-2 lbs a week. And, that's the diet in itself, so with the help of diet AND exercise you're guaranteed to lose more.

Hope this helps, good luck!

xx Tiana

Thanks you both for your information. I definately have a sweet tooth - always have....but I eat too much, too fast - I feel like a hoover vacuum cleaner sometimes! I'm in month 2 of a required 6 month program for WLS and I don't have to make a decision about which surgery until the last month. I want the surgery that is less severe, but worry about band erosion, slippage etc....and also about their percentage of 33% (I guess it's just an average).

Hi Athena! personally I went back and forth trying to weigh out the differences and what was best for me and I guess that's what it comes down to. I take a medication that I have taken for years and I was afraid of malabsorption and I really need the medicine, so I decided that the band was reversible if I needed to. I don't plan on reversing it, but if I need to it's an option. I think that if you incorporate exercise into your daily routine then you will lose a lot more. It is a tool, not a fix. I have also been to support groups where people had gotten gall stones with gastric bypass surgery and that scared me. I don't need more problems than I started out with. That's why I chose the lap band. It's not easy either way. I think you are making the right decision either way. Good luck and stick to your decision to lose weight either way. Good luck!

From what I've heard, I don't get my band until the 27th but word of mouth has said you'll still feel sick if you have anything too high in sugar or fat.

The average I believe is up to 40% you'll prob find that number anywhere. But there are always people that do better, that's how the average is so high, obv, so raise that bar girl!

Honestly the me now would prefer GBS because I'm lazy, I ultimately made the decision for myself to do the band because it's about making changes, all around no just eating right. It also has to do with my pride, one of my lovely deadly sins. I'd rather go around and tell people I had a band than to say I had gastric bypass. Idk not the prettiest ring to it I suppose.

You may want to also to consider the band with plication. Although plication as a weight loss procedure is relatively new, initial studies show that you get much better EWL when compared to the band alone (I'm only 4 days post surgery and I've unofficially lost about 16 pounds and about 24 pounds since my pre-op clearance appt). In case you haven't heard about the band with plication (also called iband) it is a procedure when in addition to getting the band your stomach is folded into itself to form a sleeve and sutured. As a result you have a sleeve and similar weight loss to a person with a sleeve without having your stomach removed. In addition plication should help prevent lab band complications like erosion and slippage, also you usually need to go for fill less often if at all.

Guess i beat the averages you have been quoted to me if you have the right mind set and are prepared to put the work in then it 'should' work for you and how hard u work and restrictions you place on yourself will help you beat those averages too. I know the averages sound a little low to you but to me this was a decision for the rest of my life , if it took 2 or 3 yrs to lose all the weight that i needed too i was prepared to do it. I researched the band and bypass and was much happier with the complications that could arise from a band than what can happen with a bypass.

Do your homework and reach an informed decision based on all the factors, how fast you lose the weight is pretty low on the list really, how long have u been overweight compared to maybe taking 2 years to lose it, if i only had 100 lbs to lose it would have taken me 6 months so it can be done faster

Good luck and do what you need to do that will give you the best outcome in the long term !

_{Cazzy, you are absolutely correct with everything you said. I have been doing a lot of reading on here and I beleive that no matter how much you weigh you can reach goal no matter how long it takes, its getting there. We have been heavy all of our lives if we have to wait 2-3 years to accomplish it, I would take that any day!!}

_{Nice post}

I agree with the lap band and plication. I had that and I have done great. I don't have to get fills in my band. I had mine in May 2011 and I have lost 77lbs. I weighed 239 and I now weigh 162 and I am 5'9". I think I have lost enough. I am thrilled.

_{Cazzy, you are absolutely correct with everything you said. I have been doing a lot of reading on here and I beleive that no matter how much you weigh you can reach goal no matter how long it takes, its getting there. We have been heavy all of our lives if we have to wait 2-3 years to accomplish it, I would take that any day!!}

_{Nice post}

Too true patty

Never heard of the plication part of it...I'll have to ask my doc about it at my appt next week...maybe someone in the support group meeting I have to go to on Thursday will mention something about it. I'm not looking to lose all the weight I've gained over the years in one quick swoop - I WANT to do the work but need the proper tool to help me get there. Maybe I misunderstood with the 33% - maybe that's just the first year and again she did say it was an average...but then somewhere I else I had read that 1 in 4 who get the lapband have it taken out. Congrats to all of you who have had successful weight loss journeys! This decision to have a "tool" took me several years to come to...so I just want to make sure I research ALL of my options and take the course best for me.

Best way to do it and come to an informed decision

Where are you located? There aren't that many doctors that are doing the band with plication so if you really want it you may need to either switch doctors or possibly travel (I live in Maryland and had my band with plication done in Florida)

Also another thing to keep in mind with those stats is that they probably include people who failed the band or had the band fail them. I'm sure when you just look at successful banders the EWL at the one year mark is probably higher

My surgery is scheduled for Feb. 8th- regular lap band. The surgeon never mentioned plication but she's a specialist in this with tons of experience, so hopefully it's the best choice. I'm going with the Realize band only because the surgeon mentioned it's a little more forgiving. I took that to mean there is a little more leeway if you overeat so as not to cause immediate vomiting/reflux.