They make me rethink having the band. They are so PRO gastric bypass here. They do the band too, but they prefer the bypass. They keep pushing that you loose so much faster with bypass than with the band. They say if you want the band, they'll do the band, but gosh I just feel pressured to do the bypass. I don't wanna do the bypass because 1) I wanna have another kids 2) I don't wanna be dependant on Vitamins for the rest of my life 3) I don't want my stomach actually cut up 4) I don't wanna worry about getting really sick later on and having a hard time because of the bypass 5) I don't wanna get to a size 1, I just wanna be healthy and if healthy is a size 12 then that's what I wanna be

MY ONLY reason for even thinking about bypass is the rate of the weight loss!!

Please remind me why YOU chose the band over bypass.

I felt the same & wanted the bypass because of how they pushed & praised it. When I asked my lap-band doctor(who also does bypass) why many do this he said because after bypass their job is basically over. There is no real on going follow-ups they have to do like fills, monitoring, etc. That sold me on lap-band!

well you just basically listed every reason I didn't want the bypass. I mean actually it wasn't even an option for me. I researched the band decided that these were risks I was willing to take. Bypass was just not something I thought about, I realize that the weight comes off alot quicker with bypass but I think, and this is from just knowing people that have had bypass that its easier to go back to old habits and gain a large portion of the weight back. the band being adjustable means I have control for the rest of my life. Its everyone individual choice I just wasn't willing to take all the downs of the bypass surgery for the quicker weight loss, it will come off in time. Good luck

I agree with Alicia totally!! I have not gotten my band yet, I am hoping for early August, but the few main reasons for me is the adjustablitiy of it. Also, what if something crazy happens in your life, you can take the band out, there is no reversing bypass. And lastly, and probably most important for me is, I don't want to lose the weight super fast, I want my body to adjust to the loss and my skin to shrink on its own. I have seen people that have the bypass and their looks terrible...okay maybe I am vain but for me its a big deal.

All: I hear your concerns and very much support your choice of which surgery is best for you, as only you can decide what is best for your body. While my surgeon was equally partial to both surgeries, I really liked the idea of great weight and rapid weight loss with bypass, but didn't like the idea of being completely rerouted internally. However, instead of gastric bypass, I really wish I had known about VBG or the gastric sleeve as both of these procedures produce great weight loss with less complications than bypass. I am by no means trying to sway you into a surgical procedure, only stating that I myself only thought there were two bariatric options (being bypass and lapband) and wish I had known there were other options that were combination restrictive/malabsorptive. Bottom line: learn about as many options as you can and make the decision that is best for YOU, regardless of what the surgeon wants/pushes.

First of all - RAPID WEIGHT LOSS IS NOT HEALTHY! Period.

Like some of the other's have said - once you have bypass - that's it. There is no follow-up for the surgeon, which is why many push for bypass surgery. Remember too it is not reversable. Your stomach can stretch and a lot of the people that have had bypass end up gaining back the weight they loss. The mortality rate is much higher as well. There's also malaborption and many have the dumping syndrome if you eat the wrong types of foods. Yes, you lose the weight rapidly, but at what cost?

With the band, it is completely reversable, you are more in control of what you can eat and not eat. Remember, it is a tool and only a tool - you can have the surgery and still not lose the weight. If you look at bypass patients and LB patients three years after surgery - most people have lost the same amount of weight. With LB you lose at a slower rate and learn how to change your lifestyle. It's not a quick fix. Eat right, exercise and control your portions - the band will work.

They make more money with the bypass. It is their job, just like a car dealer makes more money selling a luxury car than they do by selling an economy model. I guess it is a good thing for some people, but after all the research I did, I viewed Lapband as the only option for me. I really like the fact that the band is adjustable.

Good luck with whatever YOU choose.

db

Stand by what you believe in! I chose the band for several reasons. The main one being that my intestines won't be touched! You're just about my age and right now we're pretty healthy. But what happens down the road when we do get sick with something like cancer (god forbid)? We won't be able to absorb the extra nutrition with the bypass, but with the band, we will. I know that bypass seems so tempting because we just want to get this weight off (trust me, I've considered it!). But, in the long term, I just feel we're better off with the band. The recovery time is shorter, it is reversible, and it gives your skin time to catch up. Maybe you should discuss these things with your Dr. or perhaps find another surgical group? Good luck in whatever you decide. :drool:

Bypass surgery became an ethical issue for me. I couldn't, with any clear conscience, surgically remove and discard a perfectly good, functioning organ, that God blessed me with. Your stomach works just fine..... It was ME that wasn't functioning properly and I NEEDED to learn how to do that. The band gave me the tool to do so without chopping up the body God gave me. If my stomach was diseased, okay, but it wasn't. You cut out things like cancer, tumors, gangrene, cysts and fybroids..... Not your perfectly functioning stomach. I also agree with KDlee..... If I end up getting really sick down the road, I want every option available to me to fight it. ie: cancer.... And we're all mature and informed enough to know that your diet helps you fight cancer. I may need the extra nutrition someday. You never know. Why eliminate the options? Not to mention carrying a healthy child to term..... I'm no longer child bearing age, but many of you are. I COULD NOT without feeling horribly guilty and selfish, carry a child for 9 months with serious absorption problems associated with bypass. That's irresponsible and just plain cruel. If you choose to breast feed afterward, what kind of quality of milk would you have??? Poor babies......

Edited June 18, 200818 yr by aubrie

Kelly I really believe as women we are given the gift of intuition or gut feeling and if your gut is telling you band do it! I agree with all these other wise women who posted before me why chop up your body if there is an alternative. I have 2 cousins (sisters) who through Kaiser have had bypass the first lost 60 pounds but I already see her back to her bad habits and eating everything because there is nothing stopping her and the other had her bypass last Wed. well guess what I got a call from her yesterday from ICU she was bleeding internally and they are opening her up today to find out where it is coming from. She is only 210 pounds why did she choose bypass? fast weight loss and Kaiser was pushing it. Don't think she is too happy with that choice now.

Good luck on your journey!

I have three friends that have bad bypass and one that has had Lap Band. The one with the Lap Band lost her weight SLOWLY (she's 4 years post-op) she still has like 30lbs to go (she's lost about 120lbs). The three that have had bypass:

Friend #1 - has gained all but 40lbs of her weight back (surgery was in 2002, she weighed 425lbs)

Friend #2 - has gained back 25lbs but has issues because she "dumps" after almost every meal (surgery was in 2004 or 2005)

Friend #3 - Has done well so far, she's only 6 months post-op

All my friends that have had bypass throw up regularly, and slime at least occasionally. They all had LONG recovery times, and two of them wished they had opted for the Lap Band instead.

It was a no-brainer for me, there was no way I was letting someone staple my stomach closed...no way in hell. I've never had surgery and I'm scared as death as it is....I couldn't imagine going through all that for faster weightloss.

The surgeon I'll be using ONLY does Lap Bands, he is in an office with 3 other surgeons only one of them does RNY's.

**I'm not saying RNY's don't work, because I've read many stories where they do work for a lot of people. However, for me the risk of RNY is not worth it when I know I have a safer method available.

mphsmommy I agree with you completely

I'd say find another dr.

My dr. educated me about all 3 procedures. It was the dr. that said I would do better with the band.

I have 70 pounds to loose. A friend of mine had 200. In her case, he suggested the bypass and she did it. In the process, she had a few health concerns, and even started to look really "baggy".

Ultimately... it should be YOUR decision. You are the one who will make yourself succeed or fail.

I chose the band because it was a slower weight loss which forced me to radically change my eating habits. I ate way too much fast food, sugar and carbs. Now.. I think about everything I put in my mouth and for me that's really a good thing. :smile2:

Good luck on your Quest.

I wanted my weight loss to be slow and healthy

My husband is military and I have Tricare so if I want the surgery, I have to have it done here on base. There are 3 surgeons here. I like the surgeons so far, they just really push bypass but say they will do LapBand if that's what we want. My gut is definately telling me LapBand, so that's what I'll stick with. Next time I start questioning it, I'll just come back to this post and read it again, it has helped a ton!! Thanks everyone.

Wow, there are so many mistruths in this thread.

1) GBS can be reversed, they just sew back together what they cut apart.

2) The drs do have 1 week, 1 month, 6 month, 12 month, 18 month followups.

3) Going back to old habits is a risk with both surgeries so that shouldn't even be a factor.

4) Even if you lose weight slow, there's no certainty that your skin will be normal. Depends on age, how long you were obese, how much you exercise, Water intake, Vitamins, lotions, and luck!

5) Death rate for both surgeries is about the same, which is actually the rate for most surgeries. 1%. Also varies GREATLY with surgeon experience.

6) Vitamins. Both major WLS options leaves their patients lacking in proper nutrition. ANY 'diet' you start that reduces coloric intake is gonna require you to take your vitamins. GBS people just have to work a bit harder at it cause they absorb 25% less than a normal person.

Meh.. there's more but I'm tired. I'm not defending GBS cause it is truly a big step. I'm just saying .. don't believe everything you hear.

1) GBS can be reversed, they just sew back together what they cut apart.

It's not that easy. Scar tissue will have formed. It's a big hairy operation and it's rarely done.

5) Death rate for both surgeries is about the same, which is actually the rate for most surgeries. 1%.

Absolutely not true. The mortality rate for GB is about 0.5% (1 in 200). The mortality rate for lap band is around 1 in 2000 or 0.05% -- ten times less likely to die.