Lap-Band vs Gasteric Balloon

[Katie Hasen 0]

Hello! I have been fighting doing bariatric surgery for a few years now, but my health has gotten to the point where I have started to take medication for pre-diabetic that is going to be diabetes quick and my weight is not starting to effect my ability to be active, which I am VERY active. So I have made the decision to make some serious inquiries and research into it. I know I want something that is reversible, because I want help with the weight loss, but I really want to maintain it on my own. I went to the seminar at our bariatric surgery center to learn about the different types and the two that I am very seriously considering is the Lap-band and the Gasteric Balloon. I would like to step away from the medical professionals and get some real life input on what people's experiences have been with both.

Things I am looking for are... Alcohol consumption (I know its not recommended, but can I really not have a glass of wine here or there?? I take clients out on a regular basis and I enjoy a glass) The Balloon states pretty much no carbs and a lot of veggies are out. So am I going to a liquid and meat diet??? What about physical activity of each??? Are any of you playing sports like softball, basketball, volleyball after you have the surgery? Do you feel any lightheadedness doing these type of activities? Any other issues with contact sports? Anything else that you all are willing to share to help me make a decision I would really appreciate.

[Sosewsue61 3,185]

From what I understand of these surgeries - the lapband is being dropped by most surgeons because it erodes and slips - it works for many people, but more and more are having them removed due to those issues. The balloon is usually for people not as obese as you are, as it is a short term fix for restriction, and I only know one person that had it and had issues so it didn't work well for her.

Also if you are too worried about alcohol and a client's 'opinion' of you not drinking you need more reflection on what you really want/need. Your health preserved or a two minute observation on not consuming liquor. Really?

You ARE morbidly obese. I am not trying to be unkind - I started at 41bmi, so that was me too. There are no quick, handy cute fixes.

[Katie Hasen 0]

I love my life. I am not doing this because I need to look good in the mirror. I am doing this because my weight has started to effect my ability to live my life. I posted my question on here to hopefully get some opinions from people about how they live their life. My doctor is the one that told me about this site and told me to post to ask questions because he could only give me medical recommendations and medical responses.

Shame on you for pointing out that I am obese when you don't even know the reasons why I am and for pointing out that if I want to lose weight I have to give up my life. That is what I don't want to do. And my doctor told me I shouldn't have to, but to ask the questions of people who have had the surgeries to find out how they live their lives the way I do. I never said I wanted to go out and get drunk. I am trying to understand what people's experience is with alcohol so I understand real life limitations, not medical recommendations.

Also shame on your for telling me that I should not do the Balloon because of how much I weigh. I was not asking for an oppinion on which I should get. The doctor and I have been talking about both and are working on making the right decision for me. I asked for people to share experiences with me, not their opinions of me.

[Sosewsue61 3,185]

You risk opinions by asking on a forum, you asked for opinions. I am not shaming you, I don't believe stating you are obese is inaccurate, I put myself in this category. Shaming would be saying 'fatty fatty two by four', ha ha ha.

Permanent success is needed and not more failure. The balloon is not very successful in your bmi range, the band is largely being abandoned by physicians - also facts. If you are confident in your physician's estimation of your choice and success then you don't need opinions on here. If you are looking for just validation then you are insecure in your choice, we are not research scientists, we are opinionated wls patients and everyone is an individual with individual results and individual lifestyles as you may. Some drink alcohol, many do not - amounts vary.

But you will not get it sugar coated.

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

14 hours ago, Katie Hasen said:

Anything else that you all are willing to share to help me make a decision I would really appreciate.

@Katie Hasen

welcome to the group newbie

it is hard to understand how a person is speaking/tone of voice thru a computer monitor.

i KNOW that @Sosewsue61 was talking to you in a normal way/tone - she was giving good

info - that's all - no ill will intent was said/or meant. With a few exceptions - all OP on this

board are obese or morbidly obese - if they/we weren't considered obese - we wouldn't

have needed/had WLS.

most everyone on the board had/will have WLS for their health. diabetes, BP - orthopedic

reasons. due to my weight i had each knee replaced because of my "small" LOL excess

weight. As OP lose weight, they usually do look better - that's the icing on the cake

from WLS. health comes first

doctors are choosing to perform fewer and fewer lap bands. too many problems "might"

happen in a short time - or one year + later. i think the lap band will become extinct in

the near future. i believe the balloon is very new - not that many stats on outcome/long

term success. you can't/shouldn't weigh too much for this WLS . this is a fact too.

OP will drink a little alcohol when their doc approves. could be 3, 6, months, one year. all

docs/NUTS will give different advice. so yes, you'll be allowed to drink. PO many peeps

have different reactions to alcohol. it takes very little alcohol to make you feel tipsy!!

i don't think there are any limitations with physical activities. walking, jogging, running

jogging, football etc. getting dizzy, this would probably occur to anyone who overdoes

activity.

you will be told to drink at least 64oz water/liquids - and then eat Protein (chicken, fish)

etc. veggies are very important to eat. (some diets are diff. - advocating no carbs or.....)

not sure what LOL

ask your questions - read the boards - you'll see posts referring to something you wanted

to also know. you also should explore the SEARCH button in top right hand corner.

knowledge is power !! most everyone here is very nice, thoughtful with their responses

et al - you might see a bad apple on the board - just go to another orchard

good luck with your decision on WLS. we ARE here to help

kathy

[gr8ful1 122]

Welcome, Katie! My program allows alcohol after all procedures, but discourages the consumption of liquid calories in general. So depending on how often you have those business dinners (I used to fly from IAD to SFO every single week), liquid calories may or may not be an issue for you.

I don't have personal experience with lap band or gastric balloon, but the feedback I got from my program indicates that almost everyone who gets a lap-band gets it removed, sometimes with permanent damage left behind. Regarding the balloon, not many have had it, but everyone who has had it at my hospital has regained their weight rapidly as soon as it was removed. I haven't heard about any sports or activity-related restrictions as a result of any type of surgery, but you won't be able to gulp Water after most surgery types.

RNY gastric bypass is considered reversible. My surgeon has successfully reversed it, but has only had one patient (of several thousand) that needed reversal.

[aNYCdb 310]

I'm not aware of many people who were primarily motivated to have a WLS based on how we would look in the mirror, we all approach this from the perspective of how this will help us lead healthy and long lives. I would echo some of the other posters opinions that the Lap-Band is becoming more and more uncommon due to complications and while effective for folks that are 40 lbs over weight I don't believe that the gastric balloon procedure typically has the best long term outcomes for treating morbid obesity.

I am curious why are you limiting your self to considering just those solutions (as opposed to the far more common gastric sleeve)? Are you concerned about their reversibility or are you worried about something else?

I would also add that perhaps its hard to sense these things, but this forum is full of people who have gone through or are considering going through these surgeries so when we say "Mobidly Obese" this isn't meant in any way to judge you.

As for activity I can't speak to the balloon, but for most other WLS not only are you able to get back to regular activity pretty quickly but you are expected to get back. Most surgeries expect you back to 100% (playing sports, lifting weights ect) within a month and you will be resuming most things almost immediately.

Edited March 21, 2018 by aNYCdb

[PasadenaMom 43]

I quit drinking alcohol before my surgery and have not started back. I don’t think I will, because I can really feel the difference abstaining has made. I wanted to change my life and have done that — if I’d been too concerned about preserving the way I was living before, I wouldn’t have done something as dramatic as WLS. I’m so happy that I did! All the best as you work through your decision process.

[sillykitty 10,705]

On 3/21/2018 at 6:27 AM, Sosewsue61 said:

Also if you are too worried about alcohol and a client's 'opinion' of you not drinking you need more reflection on what you really want/need. Your health preserved or a two minute observation on not consuming liquor. Really?

I also find this an extremely judgmental statement. So occasional alcohol consumption = not preserving your health? What about balance and moderation? WLS doesn't mean our lives are filled with NEVER's and CAN'T's.

21 hours ago, gr8ful1 said:

My program allows alcohol after all procedures, but discourages the consumption of liquid calories in general. So depending on how often you have those business dinners (I used to fly from IAD to SFO every single week), liquid calories may or may not be an issue for you.

My program is the same. I also am in sales and travel for business nearly every week. Drinking is a big part of the industry and my companies culture. I am also known for liking to drink and having a high tolerance. My first business trip was a week long, and I had about one drink a day. I had beer and Mai Tais (I was in Hawaii). I honestly had no desire to drink, I just did it to be social. After being gone a week, I weighed myself and gained 2 lbs. I was eating fairly healthily and very little, so I can only contribute it to the alcohol and sugar in the mixers. So because I'm not willing to sabotage my weight loss, I'm giving up drinking until I'm at goal (or go on vacation, lol). I'm explaining both my not drinking and my negligible eating on vague stomach problems, so tying them together helps deflect the questions I receive.

20 hours ago, aNYCdb said:

I'm not aware of many people who were primarily motivated to have a WLS based on how we would look in the mirror,

Call me vain, but vanity is my main motivation. Vanity about how I look in a mirror. I'm single and the fact is a much narrower set of men are attracted to me than would be if I were thinner. But also vanity when I'm not able to hike up a hill or climb a pyramid with my friend. I hate the feeling when I'm completely winded and have to take breaks doing some activity that my fit friends have no problem doing. It's not the physical feeling, but this internal cringe and embarrassment of being fat, and knowing I'm being judged for it.

20 hours ago, aNYCdb said:

I am curious why are you limiting your self to considering just those solutions (as opposed to the far more common gastric sleeve)? Are you concerned about their reversibility or are you worried about something else?

I agree with this as well. Why is being reversible the most important factor for you? At first I considered reversible solutions because I thought, I'm not that big, I don't need/want my stomach removed. But then I started reading and found that the VSG was the right fit, and I do want a lifetime solution, not just a temporary one. You said you want to maintain on your own. Maintenance is the hardest part of weight loss. I think most of us at our weight has been successful at losing, but then we go back up again. I want/need the help to do both, lose and maintain. I'd suggest finding a surgeon to talk through your options with. You'll want a surgeon who is patient and good communicator, so you may have to try a few (my surgeon has no patience and is terribly brusque, for example)

On 3/20/2018 at 6:10 PM, Katie Hasen said:

I am very seriously considering is the Lap-band and the Gasteric Balloon.

I looked at both as well. I eliminated the balloons because of poor reviews. On RealSelf it only has a 50% "I'd do it again" rating vs. 100% for the sleeve and 97% for Bypass. The reviews there and other places also spoke of extreme and constant nausea, so that was a deal breaker.

For the Lapband has a 54% "I'd do it again" rating on RealSelf. I also read about all the negatives like erosion, slipping, lack of results. I also have a good friend who had the Lapband many years ago, and still has hers. She says she loves her lapband and has no problems. But I'm with her often and know she has a lot of digestive issues. She may deny it, but I can't help but think they are related to her band.

On 3/20/2018 at 6:10 PM, Katie Hasen said:

Do you feel any lightheadedness doing these type of activities?

I did go through a period of pretty extreme lightheartedness and general exhaustion weeks 2-3. I got a B12 shot and then I felt almost normal. Not sure if the shot helped, or a coincidence, but I know I'm going to get another shot in a month! At this point I probably couldn't do any kind of sustained physical activity. I'm told it's because of my low cals (300-400). But there are many on this board who are very active soon after surgery including running marathons. You'll just have to give yourself time to heal, then long term you should be able to do everything you could in the past, and even more being lighter and healthier.

[johnsons13 359]

I don't see any judgemental statements in the beginning. If we aren't obese, the Dr won't do any kind of wls, also choosing not to have a surgery because of not being able to drink wine does need to be reflected on what's important. I love pizza, chips, pies, etc but I have to give those unhealthy things up for my health. I'm not doing this for looks. I'm 35 and I have diabetes, overactive bladder, high cholesterol, and Migraines. I'd rather learn a new healthier way at life than to die before I'm 40 and leave my boys orphans. I've never seen people judge someone for not drinking.

Sent from my Z983 using BariatricPal mobile app

[sillykitty 10,705]

47 minutes ago, johnsons13 said:

I've never seen people judge someone for not drinking.

You may not I have ... but I have.

I work in sales, in a male industry. My job includes a lot of travel and entertainment. That means closing down the bar and then being good to go the next morning. Would I get fired if I couldn't drink, no. But it would definitely lower my capital in my company. If I just sat there drinking Water while everyone else drinks, I would either be not a team player, or assumed to be a recovering alcoholic. Right or wrong, that is the reality in some companiies/industries.

[RickM 1,747]

Some basic questions and points to consider:

What is your current weight situation - are you gaining, stable or losing some?

Have you been able to lose in the past but regained it, or never been able to lose any substantial amount?

Do you know approximately what your current calorie consumption is? How much can you lose at?

Have you had any weight control success in the past - lost some and maintained the loss, or does it always come right back?

A reversible procedure is very desirable, but comes at a cost - the lap band is removable, but the damage it can do (and often does) to the stomach is usually irreversible, leading to a revision to a sleeve or bypass instead of a simple removal. There is also the aspect that most cannot maintain a lower weight without the long term restriction that is provided by the more permanent procedures (the bypass is theoretically reversible in that all the parts can be surgically put back where they were, but it is rare to do this.)

Consider that it will take fewer calories to maintain a lower weight than you consume now (you burn a less moving 140 lbs around all day than 280lb) - assuming that you can lose the weight on your own or with a temporary mechanical device, can you do this on your own? For a ballpark guesstimate. figure on 500 calories or so per day less than your stability point now.

The approach that I took to all of this starting about fifteen years ago when my wife and I started getting seriously into WLS thoughts, and started the semi - usual six month insurance mandated diet/exercise program, was to look at what I could do for my diet/lifestyle that was sustainable - what could I do for the rest of my life - rather than what was ideal according to some fad or book diet. Most of us know generally what we should be doing (cut the crap and junk foods, leaner meats, more fruits and veg, whole grains instead of white processed flours, etc.) It wasn't perfect, but it was what I could do and it yielded a loss of about 50lb, or about a third of my excess weight, over six months or so - though that was incidental to the longer term goal of sustainability. Turned out that as my wife went through her WLS, loss and maintenance, I managed to maintain that loss for several years. I learned a lot about myself with that exercise, and that gave me the confidence to go with the VSG once that started getting insurance approval rather than something stronger like the RNY, or with better regain resistance like the DS.

Suggestion to think about (if you haven't tried this already...) see if you can lose a moderate amount on your own and maintain it for a year or two - if you can't lose and maintain at, say, 250, how do you expect to maintain at 140 without some kind of recurring physiological help (like a somewhat restricted stomach)? Work on the habits that will help you with long term weight control first before going to a mechanical device to help lose it, and then trying to figure out how to maintain it.

Social eating and restaurants do not make weight control easy - but a bit more on that later - I've blithered on enough for now

[johnsons13 359]

There's nothing wrong being a recovering alcoholic, I've been in recovery 7 years. Your sales job shouldn't have anything to do with how much you can drink or "hang with the boys". Sales is about how good you can pitch your product. There's numerous reasons not to drink, not including health reasons. A woman could be pregnant, it could be a religious moment (lint and Ramadan), people that fast to cleanse their body, don't enjoy alcohol, etc.

Sent from my Z983 using BariatricPal mobile app

[Sosewsue61 3,185]

There are creative ways to look like it's a real drink if you get to the waiter/bar tender ahead of time - twist of lime in sevenup, etc. You could say you are on antibiotic because of xyz (dental work, ear infection, sinus) and cannot drink alcohol. And attitude goes a long way - if you act like someone kicked your puppy because you can't drink well that is on you....if you yuck it up and make jokes, then no one is wizer. And I worked in IT - a very male dominated field, not to disparage my own sex but men are easier to get along with 75% of the time.

[gr8ful1 122]

20 hours ago, johnsons13 said:

There's nothing wrong being a recovering alcoholic, I've been in recovery 7 years. Your sales job shouldn't have anything to do with how much you can drink or "hang with the boys". Sales is about how good you can pitch your product. There's numerous reasons not to drink, not including health reasons. A woman could be pregnant, it could be a religious moment (lint and Ramadan), people that fast to cleanse their body, don't enjoy alcohol, etc.

Sent from my Z983 using BariatricPal mobile app

I agree. I was in consulting and consulting sales for 14 years before I decided I wanted to sleep in my own bed every night and got a new job that allowed me to do so. My drinking habits consist of having a single glass of champagne on New Year's Eve, if I can stay up that late. It sometimes *felt* like I stuck out like a sore thumb when my colleagues and clients were drinking with/after dinner, but I was rarely questioned about it, and I always made my targets and got my compensation just as consistently as anyone else in my organization.