Hi I've been reading this forum for awhile however, this is my first post. I would like to ask everyone this: How did you decide between gastric bypass surgery and lap band surgery? I realize the risks are greatly increased with GBPS than with lap band, however, after reading so many posts, I am more confused than ever. Any insight would be helpful. Thanks for your insight and help with your experience.

for me it was an easy chose,I was not willing to reroute my plumbing and the risk involved with that as well, noway not me.

For me it was easy. 1. I have heard of too many people (ie Carnie Wilson, personal aquaintances, and people on the WW chat boards) who had bypass and then gained most, all, or more weight back. 2. My husband is a nurse and worked in a GI lab where a LARGE percentage of their patients were post bypass patients with problems like ulcers etc 3. There is no way I wanted my guts cut up and rearranged 4. the thought of having a stomach stitched up and closed off but still just sitting there, making acid...ewww (and that's another reason GBS patients have trouble)

What I liked about the band 1. It is reversible if necessary, and I can get "unfilled" if I have a medical necessity that requires eating normally 2. Down the road I can always get more restriction if necessary. (bypass patients can't get their stomachs tightened) 3. Three years post op, in the USA, lap band patients lose only 50% of their excess weight on average, while bypass pts lose 80%. BUT in Australia? Both groups lose about 80% average 3-years post op. That tells me we Americans are more overindulgent. i plan to work the band and be more like Australians! Because it can be done! 4. I'm 53 and older people have trouble absorbing and processing nutrition from their food anyway. I know B-12 supplements are supposed to take care of that problem for older bypass patients, but I don't trust it. Furthermore, bypass patients are more likely to develop anemia. I didn't want to trade one disease for another. and finally 5. WHile I'm not a big sweet eater, I don't want dumping syndrome. With the band I will be able to eat more normally than people with the bypass. If I want a little piece of birthday cake on my birthday, or a Christmas cookie, I can have it. By pass? probably not, at least not without risking palpitations, sweating, and symptoms like a panic attack that may land me in an emergency room.

For me it was a no brainer.

Based on the research and information that I have seen, Restless Monkey provided an outstanding explanation of the reasons why the Lap-Band procedure is an excellent choice for many people over the gastric bypass.

I would say the main reason to choose the Lap-Band is that it can adjust as your life changes. So many things can happen in life depending on one's situation. Job changes, pregnancies, lifestyle changes, etc can all make eating habit alterations necessary. Perhaps you need a certain size of stomach when you first get the surgery, but need to tighten or loosen that size as your life/goals change. The Lap-Band gives you that flexibility, which can be invaluable.

If you want more information, read the following article:

Lap-Band Surgery Article - Comparison w/ Gastric Bypass Included

This article goes into pretty good depth on the entire subject. It is meant to be an overview of Lap-Band surgery and has a comparison with gastric bypass, as well as a focus on aftercare. Hopefully it helps!

Good luck with your decision. :-) Whatever you do, just make sure to get as much information as possible and make the choice that will fit in best with your goals and personal situation. That is the most important thing. I think more and more people are finding that the Lap-Band is more conducive to their goals now and gives them the flexibility they want for the future.

After much research and lots of soul searching. I decided the risk and the thought of having my insides moved around (re-plumbing) the Lapband was for me. I also agree with RestlessMonkey comments. Good luck!

I know people that have had bypass and not only did they gain their weight back but now their insides are rerouted, they are vitamin deficient and they are heavy again. OIY! No brainer for me LB it will be.

Restless Monkey has described a lot of the reasons I chose not to have GBPS. I also did a lot of research and given my current health I felt that I did not need to rush losing the weight. The other thing high on my list was all of the loose skin that requires plastic surgery and I am not for that at all. Another thing on my list was three of my doctors told me that they would not support me in anyway for GBPS. They did not make up my mind for me but I took a lot of what they said into consideration.

There's a lot of information out there on both so do not let anyone sway you one way or the other it's completely your choice no one can make that choice for you. I hope to have surgery by the end of the year so I cannot tell you what to expect afterwards. I am sure you know that there are several links here containing post-op information.

One thing I would highly recommend regardless of WLS you choose. Make sure you have aftercare available. Like support groups, and nutritionists that will be there to help you once surgery has been completed. Available aftercare is one of the reasons I chose my surgeon.

I wish you all the best in whatever you decide to do :tt1:

Edited September 15, 200817 yr by bklyn1984
changed wording in a sentence : )

for me it was an easy chose,I was not willing to reroute my plumbing and the risk involved with that as well, noway not me.

My thoughts exactly. If there are issues the band can be removed........

My thoughts exactly. If there are issues the band can be removed........

what a wonderful amount of thoughtful insightful sincere information! i thank each and every one of you for taking the time to write back with such passion. {sigh} thank you from the bottom of my heart, where ever that is. i will post again. with more questions, no doubt. thank you again.

You are most certainly welcome. You've made the first crucial step to decide on weight loss surgery. Choosing between Bypass and gastric banding is the next very important consideration. I am sure everyone is excited to help you gain as much information as possible.

I stressed in my earlier the post the importance of aftercare. As you choose what kind of surgery you will have, making sure that you find a provider who will guide you through the aftercare process is imperative. To wit, this article from Medical News Today, regardless of if you go bypass or banding:

Bariatric Surgery - Following Doctor's Order Results in 35% more weight loss

And I just did a very basic rudimentary google search on some terms relating lap-band surgery aftercare. The following link is from a provider in Dallas that came up often. I actually know a few people who work for this provider (they are actually in Plano, just across the Dallas Metroplex from where I live):

Example of Lap Band Surgery Aftercare Program Main Areas of Focus

There really is a wealth of information online that has helped me to better understand Lap-Band surgery as well as the alternatives. Make sure that you choose your sources wisely...but google almost makes it impossible to not be informed. And it certainly sounds like you are doing your homework!:tt1:

Check this site out - maybe it will help your decision:

Compare Gastric Bypass Surgery to the LAP-BAND Procedure

For me:

1. Lower risk death risk with surgery and afterwards

2. Minimal hospital stay

3. No dumping syndrom -- I can eat sugar!

4. Reversable & Adjustable.

I haven't regretted my decision - todate.

These posts were very helpful to me as well. It's important to research your options but also make sure you know the research is unbiased. Some websites are obviously biased toward one procedure.

I'm choosing LB because of the same reasons outlined by Restless Monkey.

Dee

Good point excarolinagirl. If you go to the website for a lap-band provider you will probably get a different story (or at least a different slant to the story) than if you go to a bypass provider. The key is to research independent sources and then see how much the evidence corresponds to the websites of providers you are choosing between.

I haven't seen anything to suggest that the bypass is a better option than the lap-band, even though bypasses can be done laparoscopically now.

Credibility of sources is huge! :tt1:

i'm like a lot of people here. i've been dieting for decades. at 48, i am petrified if i go into menopause at this weight (215/5'6") i'll never lose it.

the post op page is full of people who have issues with "fill" and slippage and spouts in the wrong place or wrong angle, with hunger issues and throwing up and 4 weeks of liquid dieting. and it promises you 1-2 pounds a week. WW promises you that and you can eat. i think if i'm going to have surgery, i want faster weight loss.

i'm grateful for the candor with the downsides that we all need to know about to make educated decisions. that's why we are here reading. i've thought about this -- i know that gastric bypass has higher risk, higher results? overall, permanent. and i know the disadvantages of being permanent.

i told my friend, i want to get sick if i eat what i'm not supposed to eat. i want it to be a metabolic change. i think i need that. she said "get gastric bypass surgery - my friend did it and lost 100 and now she hates to eat." perfect, i thought.

i am a carbaholic to a detrimental extent. if i'm hungry and can't think of what to eat - carbs. when i'm sick, all that appeals to me is carbs. when i exercise, all i want is carbs -although i admit protien tastes best then.

there are too many times when most Proteins make me sick to my stomach. Unless carbs make me sick, i can't think of any other way i'd be able to stop eating them.

in 1981 (193 - 139) and again in 1993 (pregnancy 225 - 185) i was successful on Physician's Weight Loss Center "system 4" original 700 calorie ketogenic diet. supplemented with 2 protien drinks a day, it was an extrememly limiting food list. but at least it was food.

would you believe i'm thinking if i can do this pre op surgery thing, i can certainly do PWLC. but then again, i need to lose 80 pounds this time. the most i ever lost with them was 54 pounds in 1982 when i was 22 years old. 14 weeks x 4 pounds a week - it was the toughest diet i'd ever been on and the rapid success kept me motivated. and it was amazing. i can't do this for 80 pounds. i really don't think i can.

now what???

i'm still reading and thinking and reading. i'll post again.

I have known patients and coworkers that have had Gastric bypass and they have not be successful or have had trouble. I chose Lapband because of the flexibility, the slow steady weight loss, and the lower risk of vitamin deficiency. Also, if I have problems, it can be reversed.

for me this was a easy decision, lap band is much less invasive and and fewer side effects. Recovery time is 1 wk compared to months of unable to eats solids and throwing up. I am 3 mths post surgery and have lost 34 pounds and look and feel great!!! Lap band was the best decision i ever made and i am now happy with myself and looking forward to looking and feeling better every month. Good luck and read all you can about both procedures and choose the one right for you!!