My DH was just telling me about a conversation with a co-worker today about Band vs. Bypass. Of course, he thinks he knows all about the Band! His co-workers sister had bypass 5 or 6 years ago and is very ill. She is thin, but has had so many complications! Right now she is having trouble with her bowels. Because she has lost the enzymes that break up the food, her body is trying to expell food in it's almost solid original form, causing horrible blockages, requiring surgery. She's severely malnourished. Her doctor told her that if you get past 5 years, your odds are still 1 in 350 for survival with bypass. He thinks it's down to 1 in 25 or 1 in 50 for the first few critical months. Scary huh???

I have a banded friend who has a sister that had bypass. Not only is she back up to 250 she's very ill with one complication after another.

Not sure I buy into the 1 in 350 but it's sure up there. Complications are spooky.

I have a banded friend who has a sister that had bypass. Not only is she back up to 250 she's very ill with one complication after another.

Not sure I buy into the 1 in 350 but it's sure up there. Complications are spooky.

I just don't understand why it's performed of often in the US, when there are safer and equally effective (or maybe even more effective, according to recent research). I can understand someone who is in imminent danger of dying, so heavy they can't do even minimal exercise like walking, having it instead of being banded. But for people who aren't in serious danger of dying right this minute, and who can start doing exercise, I don't see why they choose bypass, unless it's because they want easy weight loss that they don't really have to work for. Again, I understand that for some people, they've let their obesity get to the point where they have to take very drastic steps. Take my parent's friend, for example. The man was HUGE. I mean, not just extremely obese, but very tall, as well. Nothing he did would work, in terms of weight loss. Right before he had surgery, you could tell that he wasn't in good health, disregarding the obvious obesity. His skin was gray, he was bigger than ever, and he was constantly coughing and having problems. He finally had RNY last year. Of course, he was also eating at Olive Garden within a relatively short time of having surgery, so who knows how well the surgery will work.

If someone is that close to dying their odds for surviving bypass drop drastically. I just don't understand why anyone would want the procedure. Boggles the mind.

My DH was just telling me about a conversation with a co-worker today about Band vs. Bypass. Of course, he thinks he knows all about the Band! His co-workers sister had bypass 5 or 6 years ago and is very ill. She is thin, but has had so many complications! Right now she is having trouble with her bowels. Because she has lost the enzymes that break up the food, her body is trying to expell food in it's almost solid original form, causing horrible blockages, requiring surgery. She's severely malnourished. Her doctor told her that if you get past 5 years, your odds are still 1 in 350 for survival with bypass. He thinks it's down to 1 in 25 or 1 in 50 for the first few critical months. Scary huh???

That is so sad and scary!

Yes, I agree, I think if your weight is seriously life threatening then its maybe an option for super fast weight loss but in that condition you're not great candidate for surgery anyway.

I've actually never heard of it being done here at all, of recent times. Its all bands here.

If someone is that close to dying their odds for surviving bypass drop drastically. I just don't understand why anyone would want the procedure. Boggles the mind.

I think in the case of super morbidly obese people who eat a large amount of sweets and fat it may be a better choice. The doc can decide the amount of small intestines to bypass based on the patients degree of obesity so optimal loss can be achieved. I think there is no one size fits all surgery and if you are the type that can't stop eating sweets without the dumping thing or if you are the type that cannot stop until you cause yourself to have a slip maybe it's good that there are other options out there. I think it's an individual decision that people need to make with their doctor. Look how hard you have worked to get where you are. If someone is not willing to go down to 600 calories a day and workout for >1hr a day should we just let them stay obese and not offer them another option? Some would disagree with what you have had to do to acheive your goals with the band. But I know that you would tell them what to take a pea sized bite out of

I think in the case of super morbidly obese people who eat a large amount of sweets and fat it may be a better choice. The doc can decide the amount of small intestines to bypass based on the patients degree of obesity so optimal loss can be achieved. I think there is no one size fits all surgery and if you are the type that can't stop eating sweets without the dumping thing or if you are the type that cannot stop until you cause yourself to have a slip maybe it's good that there are other options out there. I think it's an individual decision that people need to make with their doctor. Look how hard you have worked to get where you are. If someone is not willing to go down to 600 calories a day and workout for >1hr a day should we just let them stay obese and not offer them another option? Some would disagree with what you have had to do to acheive your goals with the band. But I know that you would tell them what to take a pea sized bite out of

I understand what you are saying. But... dumping does not typically last forever and with bypass someone can sit on their couch and still lose weight. They never learn to eat the right way, they don't always exercise, etc. Then when the intestinal tissue begins to regrow and they are once again aborbing fat and calories they start gaining again.

I know a guy on another board that started out at 700lbs. He did lose 350 but now he's absorbing fat and calories again and on his way back up. He never learned the skills necessary to lose and he's back to diet and exercise. If he couldn't do it before he can't do it now.

I agree that there are times when it is necessary to do bypass, but I think those cases are few and far between but clearly, that's just my biased opinion.

I understand what you are saying. But... dumping does not typically last forever and with bypass someone can sit on their couch and still lose weight. They never learn to eat the right way, they don't always exercise, etc. Then when the intestinal tissue begins to regrow and they are once again aborbing fat and calories they start gaining again.

I know a guy on another board that started out at 700lbs. He did lose 350 but now he's absorbing fat and calories again and on his way back up. He never learned the skills necessary to lose and he's back to diet and exercise. If he couldn't do it before he can't do it now.

I agree that there are times when it is necessary to do bypass, but I think those cases are few and far between but clearly, that's just my biased opinion.

I have friends that have had bypass and are doing great at 5 years out. I think in the case of one of them it saved her life (actually both of them) and gave her back her 30's. She can eat sugar now but not to the degree that she once could. If it saves somebody and helps them to live a normal life I think it's a good thing. True they many not change all of their negative habits, but how many of us have changed all of ours?

That is really scary considering my 26 year old pregnant daughter had gastric bypass!

Very true Susan, there's loads of bandsters out there that would regain in a heartbeat if they were to lose their bands - in fact statistics say that most of us would.

Its easy to *think* you've changed your habits. The only one I know for sure that I've changed is that I now exercise regularly and that's got nothing to do with my band.

I didnt do bypass for all the obvious reasons...re routing the plumbing etc. But I also didnt do it because I just knew I would regain the weight eventually. Because I know me and If I took the path of least resistance...(for me only I speak) and didnt have to really do anything and the weight fell off....I would get used to that and end of a Randy Jackson or Al Roker....Then what?? My emotional stores would have been used up...and possibly my physical health too.

honestly I think the bypass is a easy way out. Or at least thats how its portrayed to be. And I guess I can see it in drastic cases. But still even in a drastic case you might lose hundreds of pounds in the first year or two but then eventually you end up on the yo-yo string again. Right where you started.

So in the long run how productive is it?

What has changed?

We must be different in our thinking then allot of people I guess. I would much rather lose it slower, have a better chance of reaching my goal. And learn better habits.And keep it off in the long run. Then to lose it fast and then have to go searching for another quick fix 3-5 years later.

I think allot of it comes down to people today not wanting to take responsiblity for their actions. We live in a fix it quick society and people think that it can apply to weight loss also.

Its obvious that the band can be a excellent tool for getting people back on track to more healthy eating/excersise.

All the success stories here and in other forums show that.

But just like anything else in life. Any addiction. True change can't happen till *YOU* Want it to change. And no one will do it for you.

I DIDN,T CHOSE BYPASS FOR FEAR OF RE-ROUTING MY INSIDES, AND THE MALABSORPTION ISSUE, BUT WE BANDSTERS CAN AND DO REGAIN WEIGHT ALSO BY MAKING WRONG FOOD CHOICES, ALCOHOL ETC. I DIDN,T GET THE BAND FOR A QUICK FIX I AM FULLY AWARE THAT I HAVE TO WORK HARD DEALING WITH HEAD HUNGER AND EXCERCISE WHICH ARE THE THINGS I STRUGGLE WITH. I HAVE IN THE PAST DIETED SUCCESSFULLY FOR UPTO A YEAR AND USED TO GO TO THE GYM FIVE DAYS A WEEK, I WAS A SLIMMING CONSULTANT AND HELPED COUNTLESS PEOPLE LOSE WEIGHT. BUT EVENTUALLY THE WILLPOWER GOES AND I AM BACK TO SQUARE ONE. I FOUND IT PARTICULARLY HARD GIVEN MY HISTORY. I AM HIGHLY MOTIVATED AT THE MOMENT AND FOLLOWING THE GUIDELINES TO THE LETTER BUT WORRY WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE AS I HAVE PROVED TO MYSELF THAT I AM UNABLE TO CHANGE MY EATING HABITS PERMANENTLY. I JUST HOPE THAT IT WILL BE DIFFERENT THIS TIME.

I agree with a lot of you here. Why bypass over the band? I have sat in many many support group meetings and heard people say they were going with the bypass because it offered instant results. Sure it does, but at a cost, at least to me that is what I saw and thats why I went with the band. I know people that have had the bypass and were able to make the changes and keep the weight off and I know someone that had it done and is on her way back up. Sure, I wanted instant results, who doesn't but I knew it wasn't the best choice in the long run. I wanted to deal with my weight issue head on once......I don't want to lose all the weight and then start gaining again. I feel that the band works and will continue to work as a constant reminder even after all my weight loss is done with.