HI, im an ex lap-bander, and had it removed in 2015. Unsurprisingly the weight has gone on. My surgeon has offered bypass as an option for me, but after the bad lap band experience im very worried.

Clearly the best thing about bypass is the weight loss...… but.....

I'd be keen to hear about all your "bad" experiences just so I can work out if these things are OK for me - the bypass seems much bigger and more permanent! is there anyone who regrets having this done years later?

Thanks in advance for your help.

I also had a lap band years ago. It did not work at all. I had it removed just 2 years after it was put in. I had RNY bypass In Sept 2018. I am down about 60 lbs and I don't regret any of it at all. I feel great. My husband feels like he has his wife back. My weight was killing me I could do almost nothing. I was exhausted, depressed and hated myself. Things are so much better

ahh that's fab news!! thank you very much for sharing. It seems such a big step!!!

First let me say I wish you good luck on any procedure you choose to do.

After careful consideration and many research, I am leaning towards the bypass. ( I need to talk with my doctor about my decision). From what I've read on here and my online research they both are beneficial and they both have pros and cons. For me the reason I am leaning towards the bypass is that based on what I have read from my own research and **this is my opinion ***I found many people are either regaining some of their weight or have stalled. I also understand that it is a tool and some may not follow it to the letter causing regain or stalled weight loss. The sleeve is also a big procedure as it includes removing at least 80% of ones stomach.

The good thing is that this forum is available with loads of information and many people experiences from both surgeries that can be a teachable opportunity and I am grateful for that.

HI, im an ex lap-bander, and had it removed in 2015. Unsurprisingly the weight has gone on. My surgeon has offered bypass as an option for me, but after the bad lap band experience im very worried.
Clearly the best thing about bypass is the weight loss...… but.....
I'd be keen to hear about all your "bad" experiences just so I can work out if these things are OK for me - the bypass seems much bigger and more permanent! is there anyone who regrets having this done years later?
Thanks in advance for your help.

I am a revision from lapband (2009) to mini-gastric bypass (oct 2018) and I genuinely have absolutely no regrets. Wish I'd done it years ago. I don't feel any different in my body (I can't tell my internal plumbing has been rerouted) except now I'm too wussy to eat icecream or anything with a high sugar or fat content coz I have dumped a few times. However it's certainly not as bad as the sliming, PBing and pain on not chewing properly with the lapband.

I really really love my bypass, it means I can eat and lose weight like a regular person rather than a compulsive food addict.

I had my revision mid Jan. Not sure what the worst part about the bypass is.

So far I haven’t thrown up whereas with the band I could get stuck a couple of times a week even though I didn’t have a lot of fill and some of the foods were soft and shouldn’t have got stuck.

I haven’t really been hungry. Yes sometimes I start feeling as though I need food but this is generally close to when I should be eating anyway.

I haven’t had any real cravings. I can walk around a supermarket filled with chocolate and not feel the need to buy and eat it.

I am not constipated!

Apart from the first week when I was on liquids and the body trying to readjust to food I haven’t had any dumping episodes. This could be because at this point I am trying extra hard to avoid sugar.

7.5 months post op. Only complaint is the constipation.
Otherwise, I tolerate most things (in moderation). The only things that get me sick are when dry meats get stuck.

thank you very much everyone for sharing your stories. I've heard dumping is terrible news, some feel sick all the time and lots of references to hair loss. It's making me a little nervous!!

There were the same stories about hair loss with the band. Some lose it , some don't.

I had Gastric bypass 3 weeks ago and I am soooo happy that I chose this one .. but everyone is different so no matter what surgery you decide to get you can have different symptoms from anyone .. the good thing about this surgery is that if people have complications later down the road then that person can get a reversible meaning they can operate again and put everything back to how it was ..

Good luck on whatever you choose, you’ll do great !!!!!

I had the sleeve last time and it just didn't work for me. Besides having a leak, I just felt hungry all the time! I came around from surgery and felt hungry. It just did not work for me. Having the bypass has been great! I am not hungry. At all. I know it's early days (just over three weeks), but this feels so much better. Recovery has been slow, but that's to be expected after a big operation. My stomach felt like I had a hundred bee stings on my skin. So strange. I have a seroma that's being stubborn, but is starting to heal. I am DYING for a bath! But in the grand scheme of things these are all pretty minor things.

11 hours ago, froufrou said:

I am DYING for a bath! But in the grand scheme of things these are all pretty minor things.

Froufrou, did your surgeon tell you how long after your surgery you could take a bath? Can you shower more or less immediately? (I'm having bypass on March 4 and am starting to think about life on the other side!)

I had bypass 3 weeks ago, my surgeon allowed me to shower after 48 hours as long as I didn’t wet my incisions and no bath

I had the SIPS 3 months ago and my wife had gastric bypass 5 years ago. She doesn’t seem to be hungry, ever. I’m hungry all the time. I know it’s only been 3 months but my 2 cents would be to consider the bypass. She eats smaller meals and only has dumping when she doesn’t behave. Good luck.

48 minutes ago, Webster said:

I had the SIPS 3 months ago and my wife had gastric bypass 5 years ago. She doesn’t seem to be hungry, ever. I’m hungry all the time. I know it’s only been 3 months but my 2 cents would be to consider the bypass. She eats smaller meals and only has dumping when she doesn’t behave. Good luck.

That's very good to be 5 years out and still no hunger

19 hours ago, bariutiful said:

I had bypass 3 weeks ago, my surgeon allowed me to shower after 48 hours as long as I didn’t wet my incisions and no bath

That's a relief--I was envisioning three weeks without a shower!