So I have been working on getting the lapband for the last few years(long story) and now I am getting close to having all my paperwork submitted for approval with my insurance company. In the meantime, I am undecided on which surgery to get.

I went into all of this thinking I would get the lapband, but every doctor I have spoken with is leaning towards gastric bypass. I KNOW in the end only I can decide, but I would love to hear some thoughts.

I love sugar so I am thinking that is why the doctors are leaning towards the bypass. I am, by no means, a volume eater. I am just a little over 100lbs overweight with a BMI of 42.

I want to make the best decision for me. I dont want to get the band and have it not help me out. I dont want to go through bypass surgery and rearrange my insides if I dont have to. I am just sooo confused. The more research I do, the more undecided I become:confused:

Debbie

You can come here and read all the happy stories of people doing well with their band or you can go to the complications section and read all the people having problems with their band doesn't mean it's right or wrong for you.

I started with my journey in the spring of 2005 and was going for RNY-gastric bypass laproscopically. Then boom, my dad got ill and died, my sister developed breast cancer and my beloved beagle (Brandy) of 12 years got cancer and died so I put it on hold as I was needed in many directions.

Then about 2 years later after I decided it was "my time" and went back to the surgeon who now offered the lap band and I started thinking about all these reasons I should do that instead. Even thinking at my age, I was 47 then, that I could get cancer and wouldn't it be better if I was banded instead of going through RNY, plus I was scared like many people of rearranging the insides etc...

Well to make a long story short the lap band didn't work for me, I love sugar too and am type 2 diabetes, insulin resistant, hypothyroid, on antidepressants and just a hormonal mess and of course at my age perimenopausal so after developing acid reflux it was removed last october and I'm now in the beginning stages of revising to RNY. I've gained back my confidence in myself and the surgery and hope this time it will work for me.

It can be a difficult thing to figure out whether or not this is the right surgery for you personally as we're all different. But in your gut you usually know but read as much as you can and that will help you with your decision, good luck Nancy.

I first contemplated bypass surgery. In the end, the decision maker for me was the complications rate. Bypass surgery has a 10% complications rate that includes some serious complications like malnutrition and death. The lap band has only .01% complication rate and those complications are usually fairly minor (slippage, which can sometimes be corrected by going back to a liquid diet, for example). Then, the recovery rate for bypass is a couple of weeks at best and can take longer. Lap band is nothing near that. While you may be tender, experience gas, etc., you can return to your normal life within days. I had surgery on Tuesday and went back to work on Friday -- yes, I have a sit-down job, but I'm betting you probably do too. With bypass, eating sweets can trigger dumping syndrome, which I hear can be pretty awful. I ate a bite of birthday cake yesterday, frosting and all, and it didn't make a bit of difference. And one other thing is that lap band is aiming for 1-2 pounds per week weight loss, which isn't crzy fast and is less likely to leave you with a lot of loose skin; not so for bypass surgery. So now you know what helped me make my decision.

I started this process in 2005 and my insurance would cover RNY-gastric bypass but not the lap band. I have 2 friends that both had weight loss surgery. One had the lap band and the other had RNY-gastric bypass. The one that had bypass lost weight very quickly but after a year she stopped losing and is now gaining it back and looking into getting the lap band. She has malabsorbsion problems, her hair is very thin. (She had really beautiful hair) and she has to get iron transfusions every few months. She has had several cosmetic surgeries for sagging skin. The one that had the lap band lost more slowly and reached her goal weight and is still keeping it off. She does not have any health problems and did not have to have cosmetic surgery. I was really desperate to lose weight and thought I would do anything to achieve that goal, but after researching both I decided to wait until my insurance covered lap band surgery. I will be getting the lap band in May.

I was actually approved for the bypass at first. I got sick with my colon and had to have colon resection surgery first I wasn't happy with the idea of the lapband. I wanted to lose weight fast. However my surgeon was more comfortable with my getting the lapband instead of the bypass. The two people who referred me to the bypass have had problems with it. My sister's mother died from complications of it, one had a heart attack on the table during surgery, she didn't die but has some serious regrets about the surgery. Another woman I know had to have emergency resection surgery and the other is going bald. I am sure people have their horror stories about the band. I was banded on march 3 and so far haven't had any problems with it. I am losing fine. I dont know how to update my ticker or I would...lol..Just pray about it and ask God to lead you to what He wants you to have. He will take care of you. Much love

I too love sugar and have done fine with the band. The thing that really sold me on the band was the fact that if something went wrong it could be removed. You can't put back your intestines. Plus I know several people who had gastric bypass and have gained back all of their weight. Go with the band.

Thank you to each and everyone of you who have responded. I really needed people to share their thoughts and experiences and it has helped big time! I have done research and even prayed about my decision and was 100% for the band. My only confusion came when I started having appointments with all the various doctors and they added their input.

I have decided on the band. I feel good about it. I dont want to change my mind just because of the doctors personal opinons. Thanks for helping clear my head. Sometimes too much information is not a good thing

You guys rock!

I first contemplated bypass surgery. In the end, the decision maker for me was the complications rate. Bypass surgery has a 10% complications rate that includes some serious complications like malnutrition and death. The lap band has only .01% complication rate and those complications are usually fairly minor (slippage, which can sometimes be corrected by going back to a liquid diet, for example). Then, the recovery rate for bypass is a couple of weeks at best and can take longer. Lap band is nothing near that. While you may be tender, experience gas, etc., you can return to your normal life within days. I had surgery on Tuesday and went back to work on Friday -- yes, I have a sit-down job, but I'm betting you probably do too. With bypass, eating sweets can trigger dumping syndrome, which I hear can be pretty awful. I ate a bite of birthday cake yesterday, frosting and all, and it didn't make a bit of difference. And one other thing is that lap band is aiming for 1-2 pounds per week weight loss, which isn't crzy fast and is less likely to leave you with a lot of loose skin; not so for bypass surgery. So now you know what helped me make my decision.

I would have to disagree that there is only a 0.01% complication stat. That isn't even close to accurate. Erosion happens 1.3% of the time, slips are still on the rise per Inamed at over 7%. Infections... less than 1%. Then there is pouch/esophageal dilation/damage. Band intolerance is on the rise, port infections are a risk with every fill.

Slips... there was a conference in the US recently for bariatric surgeons and if you slip and require surgical repositioning there is a 70% chance for another slip within 5 years.

Re-ops are 30-50% within the first five years of surgery.

That's not all of the stats, just some. No way are risks and complications for banding 0.01%.

I struggled with this choice for many years. For me the tipping point was when I cared more about taking care of myself and in turn my family, than I was concerned about what others thought. No one can tell you if it is right for you. It is like asking someone if you should get married? Or are you in love? If you can’t look inside yourself and know…no one else can either. However, I can tell you, once you make the commitment to get it done, some doubts will always surface, but the conviction that it is the right thing to do will overcome all of the objections and concerns.

Thank you Cingulus :smile2: