Is there anyone out there that has recently had a lap band over an existing bypass surgery? I had gastric bypass in 1999, lost 160lbs, and in the past 5 years, have gained 70lbs back. I am seeing Dr. Freidman in Pensacola and he is going to "try" to see if he can do the lapband. He has concerns with scar tissue!

Thanks.

Mary

I have not heard of anyone doing this but I have heard there is a new procedure called Stomaphyx to help gastric bypass patients whose weight loss has stalled or who have regained.

StomaphyX - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

StomaphyX - Bariatric Revision for Gastric Bypass Surgery

If you have gained weight back the lap band ( even if they can do it ) will be no use to you. You may consider seeing a counselor to see if you can notice an eating pattern. The reason the weight is coming back on is the choice of foods your putting into your body, and maybe you stopped working out . Wishing you all the best of luck!! If you want it... you can do it!

~~jessica

I agree with the above! If you gained the weight back with the bypass, no way in hell will the lap band work for you. UNLESS, you get a huge change of heart and a giant burst of will power. The lap band is harder than the bypass, no offense. My boss has the bypass and she will even tell you that she has had it way easier than myself and she is 30 and I am 18. The bypass takes the weight off and than you have to change your eating habbits to keep it off. There are ways to eat around the band. Friends I know who have had the bypass say its like starving your body without starving yourself. I know if i could eat the way my boss does, I would have gained my weight back as well. Junk food for me is like crack. I can't just have a taste. So I stay away from it period. If you can do that, than you should have the lap band. i have heard of peope getting both but I never did hear the ending results.

You need to focus more on your mind set and stop looking for a surgery to do it for you. Get your ducks in a row and than consider having lap band.

The Band CAN be done over a bypass. I have 2 friends here in town I know personally that have done it and are being successfull with it. I also have seen a dozen or so here on LBT that have discussed they were banded over the RNY.

This site is so large it is sometimes difficult to find a small subset of people as you are discussing. If you don't get responses from enough people that have done this send me a PM and I'll ask my local friends if they would be willing to log on and respond.

Good Luck no matter what path you choose!

Look...everyone must realize that whatever method of surgery that you choose, it is still ONLY a tool to help you be successful in losing weight. It is not a "miracle drug" or "the Fountain of Youth". It is a tool. Therefore you must know how to use the tools for the purpose you have been given them. With any of the methods, YOU can cheat and YOU will gain the weight back. My wife has had the lapband and lost over 100lbs and my dad had the bypass and has lost over 200lbs in less than a year. WOW!!! However, they both get greedy every once and awhile and "cheat". They pay for it, but they "cheat" at times.

Any WLS doctor in their right mind will tell you in advance that this is a tool that is used to HELP you. The only way that it can be successful is if YOU use it correctly. Eat the right things, excersice, etc.

I don't see how having the bypass and then deciding afterwards to have the lapband helps. To me, it's overkill.

Out,

BigDaddy

I have just had this done. I too gained a bit of my weight back and I had not lost all that I wanted after bypass, so after talking with my doctor he agreed to do the band over bypass. There are more risks involved but the weight gain out weighed my worry for the risk. I had a lot of scar tissue and the surgery went a bit longer but I did very well. I hope this helps.

Thanks for your response. How was your friends experience with the band over bypass? Were there any scar tissue issues? Was there a special endoscopy procedure

Thank you for your response. I am in the test phase and was concerned about scar tissue. At the seminar i was told that it will probably add an additional 30mins to the procedure but the recovery time should be the same as standard banding.

My doctor does lapband over gastric bypass; he actually switched from bypass only to banding only because so many of his bypass patients were stretching out their pouches and regaining their weight, and has not run into that problem with the band.

Can it be done? Yes. Will many surgeons do it? No. Since your surgeon is willing to try should you? Only you can answer that. I will say it is true you have to get your head hunger fixed first. The disappointment from failing the bypass will be 2x as bad if you fail the band. You will also be out of options at that point. Psychologically that would be a big blow. If you want to do this, set your self up to succeed - get conseling about your eating or go to Overeaters Anonymous (I went to OA for 6 months). Let us know what you decide.

I have also heard of what I think is called the "ROSE procedure" for gastric bypass patients who have gained back some weight. The advantage it that it is done endoscopically with out incisions. It reduces the size of the pouch. My Dr. does this procedure as well as the lap band on gastric bypass. Good luck with whatever you decide. I think it is great that you are getting help now before you gain any more weight back.

Edited October 15, 201015 yr by zandile100