I am still trying to decide which wls to have. Band or bypass. It's driving me nuts! I've asked this question an my bypass forum site too so please don't think I'm picking on banders. How much weight have you lost in how long? I will not be happy with losing 1 pound a week. I need to lose 155 lbs. If I have to deprive myself and watch every morsel I put into my mouth, I'd like to think I saw some rewards from it at good pace. I've been weighing the pros and cons of both surgeries. Both can be undone so that's good and both have scary complications that's bad. I'd like some insight from this site. Bypass forum site answered and with the exception of one, everybody loves their decision.:thumbup:

I was hoping to get some feedback from this site. I got about 25 replies from the bypassers.

Edited January 4, 200917 yr by inuit

I know you probably want to hear from people who lost more - I was just banded on the 22nd - I have lost almost 10 lbs so far....plus the 13 from my pre-op diet :tt2:

I would like to hear from anyone no matter the loss. thank you for being the first and so far only one to respond.

Wow, 10 pounds is a great start. Plus what you lost pre-op. You are on your way.Feels good to see the scale numbers go down.

I've been dieting on my own since June and so far at my lowest I had lost 38 lbs but now as I always do, I am starting to climb again.

I lost 170 lbs in about 17 months. I have maintained that same loss for over 18 months now. No regrets at all for me with the band.

I'm down 101lbs and about 45lbs more to go or so getting the band was the best think i have every done. I wish i did it 10years ago but better now then never My life is totally different.

This forum isn't very busy, so you'll have to be patient. Plus it is holiday time, so people are likely still busy with family.

Anyway, I've lost 55 pounds. It's taken me a year, but I have a very slow metabolism and this is a victory in my books.

I'm thrilled with the lapband in that it is adjustable. You can have fills and liquid taken in and put in to get to the ultimate level you should be at. My own GP had a bypass and she lost over 100 pounds, but has now stretched the little pouch and is gaining some of it back (I'd say 40 or more). It is also a lot easier to get it reversed if it is a lapband.

You are possibly right, if you have a bypass, the weight does come off really quickly from what I've heard, but I liked that it was so much less invasive.

Don't just go by how quickly you will lose the weight, think of the stress on your body from the surgery, and from the diet you have to be on with whatever WLS you choose. I also only considered the lapband as I wanted to lose weight but I didn't want to live on liquids for my whole life. I didn't want to exchange being strange because I was fat, to being considered strange because I couldn't eat anything any more.

Good luck in your decision.

Mary

Thank you guys for your informative input. I appreciate hearing from you.More food for thought. Pardon the pun.

I lost 85 lbs. in about a year and am still losing.

I chose the band because it is far safer than RNY. The worst of the complications of the band are in no way as bad as the worst of the complications of other weight loss surgeries. I did not want malabsorption.

The best part of banding, for me, are the fills. This is what makes the system adjustable.

Once I made the decision to have WLS - I was ready to begin. I was able to get banded almost immediately (self pay) and the wait list for RNY was about 3 years.

Best decision I have ever made in my life.

I lost 132 lbs. in twenty months roughly and an average of 1.54 lbs. a week. I have been maintaining for one year.

Hi,

I was banded on 8/29/08 and I started at 335 lbs with no pre surgery diet required. As of today 1/6/09 (a little over 4 months) I am down to 278.5 which is 56.5 lbs!!! I am more than happy with my results thus far. Still struggling with mourning food etc but I am willing to make that sacrafice to be happy. I havent starting exercising yet which I know will get the ball moving quicker. I also have been eating bad stuff here and there which I can improve in as well. But overall it has helped me tremendously and I am so glad that I have taken advantage of this oppourtunity.

Good Luck!!!:wub:

I was banded on 12/28/07 and have lost roughly 55 lbs. I did not have to lose a whole lot from the beginning so I think it is slowing down for me. I have not regretted my decision once on getting this done. It has been life changing for me. I have a friend that had RNY and after a year had lost a lot of weight but three years out he is back to his old weight and eating the same. I am not trying to be antiRNY but it is just something to think about.

Jaymie72,

What does your stats mean? SW/CW/GW/SHGW? Can you tell me what those short forms stand for? You've done really well.

Mary

SW/CW/GW/SHGW mean the following:

starting weight

current weight

goal weight

smoking hot goal weight

Now it does say that I started at 230 but after thinking about it I actually started at 240, I just had lost 10 lbs before I got banded. I keep meaning to change that but whatever, lol!!!

I lost 150 in about 18 months and have maintained that loss over 5 years now... that is a big thing you need to talk to people about on top of how much they have lost... maintenance

Almost all the bypassers I know have regained weight and some significant weight at about the 5-7 year mark... their body has adjusted to the malabsorpation and the reduced calorie intake and they tend to gain.

Ask about maintenance and regain it is a biggie for me... I can always get my band adjusted there is no adjust a bypass

Good luck with your decision. I can say I love my clinic and my surgeon and he has been great with me. If you want more info on the clinics I can tell you about Slimband.

Heather

Wow, thank you all ever so much! I see there are many happy bandsters out there. I am glad that you took the time to answer me. I appreciate it. :thumbup: It makes my decision a bit easier.:cool: