I want to have gastric band surgery. However I was watching a programme on bariatric surgery where people who have had gastric bypass were saying that there minds had been altered in relation to food.... they no longer craved bad foods.. did not want to eat after being full... their tastes had changed... they appreciated the taste of food more.. sweet food appeared sweeter etc...

I was just wondering if these feelings were the same for gastric band surgery. I have posted before and heard that people say that it's all down to the individual... that with gastric band, one still craves foods... that it can slip etc...

In the gastric bypass the stomach is made into the size of an egg....... In gastric band the stomach pouch is also a similar size... So my question really is.... Why would cravings for food be any different in band or bypass?

I understand that more weight is lost through gastric bypass... Is this more due to the fact that parts of the intestine are bypassed.. rather than eating less food than a band patient (because cravings are less than those who have gastric band)?

For me, I still crave foods, but I know many don't. However, I generally can't eat the same portions of those foods, so that's the plus. I can have a bit of what I want without overdoing it. There are many who have lost lots being banded....I think the band is more of a tool. Realistically you can still eat anything (I think there are certain things you just can't eat/absorb with bypass), so there is a lot of work on your part still with the band.

My sister had a Bypass, I got a band many years later. She had severe complications which resulted in about 5 surgeries to try to fix and almost died because of the complications. She is thankful she did have the surgery, however they do repipe your insides which if you eat things with too much sugar or something that doesn't agree with you then it can cause "Dumping"syndrome which is a massive case of diarrhea and it just comes out, or at least it did in her case. She also is not supposed to eat various foods, corn, sodas, and some other things too. It alters the absorption of both foods and medications, now when she has to be medicated it takes a Horse's dose for her to feel anything.

Having the band, alot of people can eat whatever they want but you are restricted on the amounts. There are some that cannot eat certain foods, but for every one person who cannot eat something the other 10 seem to be able to. It also does not alter the absorption of medication or nutrients in your food. There is no repiping of your insides, it is just restricted which can be reversed if needed.

She also after a huge depression issues overdosed on a medication intentionally. With the bypass they are unable to pump your stomach in this situation. The Gin she washed down the pills with is what saved her life because that somehow kicked her liver into overdrive to help her body burn through the medication. However she was OUT for several days. I will add that this was after the death of our Dad, her fiance cheating on her and dumping her in the hospital on two occasions (what a winner huh) and being told she would never be able to have children because she couldn't have babies. I will also note that she has son that will turn 5 in October!!

With a band they can remove the Fluid in order to get to the stomach in case they need to pump the stomach.. however.. hopefully NObody needs this info.

My cravings are fairly normal from pre band, so are my hunger levels. It just takes less to satisfy both.

Mind you Im not someone ho was "always hungry" or "couldnt get full" prior to surgery.