Gastric band v gastric bypass - your thoughts

CrimsonHellkite

Please forgive me for answer, which you won't like!!

Neither!! U don't need surgery, you need desire, motivation, and support!!! Sorry but that's what I thunk!!!

I agree.... sorry, but it's an easy math equation: Calories out (RMR + exercise) minus calories in (food) = a positive number ... you have to burn more than you eat.
Good Luck~

This would be great if it worked for everyone. People quickly forget that everyone isn't the same. There are many factors that not only cause weight gain, but inhibit, sometimes severely, the ability to lose weight.

its true there are many factors, like lack of motivation, lack of self control, lack of support, lack of discipline, fear of change, fear of failing, laziness, lack of willpower(which comes from self control) and tons more factors....but if you want it bad enough anyone can do it....and honestly the surgery may be a risk and may be unhealthy but if its what you wanna do is get sick when you even think about food or look at food then thats fine i wish you the best of luck and its gotta be better than the risks being obese bring.

rbrount

I had Gastric Bypass. I was 270-280 pounds, on a 5'4" frame. I"d do it again in a heartbeat.
You don't seem to weigh enough for bypass. There are incredible amounts of testing you have to go through for both surgeries.

I'll be 5 years out in Feb. I am at 150. I am looking to lose 10-12 pounds. I need major skin removal surgery (Which i cannot afford to do) I have major body issues. Sagging skin, boobs, stretch marks. I do think alot of that is heredity, and the rapid weight loss.

I was not unhealthy when I had the surgery. NO major issues. However, two-three years ago, I had pancreatitis, which was a bummer. I have a bit of IBS, which can also be a pain. But is not hindering my life - I just wanted you to know everything.
My hair fell out, and is slowly growing back.

I am on anti-depressant meds. I thought weight loss would make me happy again. Nope. I still am the same person. Just a little more male attention, and female jealousy.

ANyhow - just a little 'fill in' for you. Every one is different. Feel free to ask anything you'd like.

cownancy

If your only fear is the actual surgery, address your surgeon and speak to the anesthia people. The procedure, without a hernia operation is about 45 minutes and is done laproscopically, so it is minimally invasive, which cuts down the risk of infection. My cardiologist did a venus doppler test on my legs to check out the probability of me having clots in my legs. They looked great. He also scanned my carotid arteries to see how they looked. We tested everything you can imagine pre-surgery to do the best we could at determining risks.

It is not nearly as invasive or detailed as the bypass. If there is a problem, they can remove it quite easily. BUT, you need to have your doctors advise you about potential risks for your individual situation. Remember, a properly adjusted band will help keep you from being hungry, but you have to invest the time and effort to get to that point.

With little ones at home, I totally understand your concern and only you can make that final determination. I'm happy that you don't have to worry about insurance as many here in the US have to do. I was lucky because my doctor agreed to accept what the insurance company paid and it was quite easy for me. It is very, very economical for me because I have free nutritional advice for life now and I only have to pay $15 per doctor visit for the rest of my life, whether I have insurance in the future or not. It's just the way my doctor sets it up.

You have time to do your research and make your decision! Take your time.

pugs4eyes

add me as a friend. I did the bypass and have kept the weight off for 6 years. Many of my friends did the band and gained all the weight back. I have pics on my profile.

123smudge

I so agree you dont need a op, my starting weight was 332lb it took me 18months to shed 140lb this was after 20 some years of yoyo dieting, I have done this by a change of life style, healthy eating and after my first 56lb lost being brave enough to join a local gym. My biggest challenge has been maintaining the weight loss over the last year I have gained 19lb and that is one of the reasons I have recently joined fitness pal. I go to the gym 6 times a week this includes a session with a personal trainer once a week. My aim was to be half the woman I was and I'm nearly there. Please take heart be strong and do it for yourself.

galpals00

I had th4e lap band 3 years ago, I would not recomend it to anyone. I have had a horrible time with it. If you say that you are addicted to eatting the "wrong" foods, well that doesnt change. You will still crave them and eat them. I throw up everyday, sometimes from just water! I feels like you are dying. People try to convince me to not have the surgery but once I heard that I could get approved there was no stopping me. Please listen to everyone on here and do it yourself. It is actually harder when you have surgery because you will feel like **** and then have to change your eatting habit,excersise and then go to appt. I have not lost any weight and kept it off. Now I am starting from scratch like everyone else on here. Eat healthy and excersise!!! If you have any questions please email me: galpals00@yahoo.com

cownancy

I had th4e lap band 3 years ago, I would not recomend it to anyone. I have had a horrible time with it. If you say that you are addicted to eatting the "wrong" foods, well that doesnt change. You will still crave them and eat them. I throw up everyday, sometimes from just water! I feels like you are dying. People try to convince me to not have the surgery but once I heard that I could get approved there was no stopping me. Please listen to everyone on here and do it yourself. It is actually harder when you have surgery because you will feel like **** and then have to change your eatting habit,excersise and then go to appt. I have not lost any weight and kept it off. Now I am starting from scratch like everyone else on here. Eat healthy and excersise!!! If you have any questions please email me: galpals00@yahoo.com

Gals, if you are throwing up from water, your band must not be adjusted properly! Has your doctor done regular follow ups with you? I have heard that there is a very, very small percentage of people who do not tolerate the band, but having mets hundreds of people with the band, I have never heard anyone with a properly adjusted band that had that much restriction. At the very least, they could remove all of the fluid to give you total freedom from it. I've only had the band too tight for a few hours and I could still drink water, I had no hunger at all, but I had a hard time eating without getting stuck. I called the doctor back and came back into the office for him to remove a bit of the fluid. But, once he does an adjustment, he hands me a bottle of water and watches me drink at least half of the bottle to watch how I do. I would never be permitted out of the office if he didn't like the way I handle the water. Then, I am supposed to sit in the waiting room and finish the rest of the bottle. If I have problems at all...excess burping, trouble drinking, pain in my shoulder, etc., back for readjustment.

cownancy

...and honestly the surgery may be a risk and may be unhealthy but if its what you wanna do is get sick when you even think about food or look at food then thats fine i wish you the best of luck and its gotta be better than the risks being obese bring.

I'm afraid this is a very, very biased point of view and is not at all the norm with either form of surgery, particularly lapband. Remember, if you were able to go to support groups across the US, you would find that the majority of people who have problems with the surgery are either those who choose not to comply with the guidelines they were given PRIOR To their decision to have surgery or they are part of the minority who actually had complications or their bodies do not agree with the surgery, but if you read the statistics, the people who were naturally not compatible with the surgeries are very small compared to the successes and after so many years of research, experience and statistics, the surgeons are much better at identifying those people prior to surgery.

For some people who are extremely obese, injury, heart attack, stroke, etc. are perhaps higher risks than the risks of surgery. I do know that the main reason the insurance companies actually support weight loss surgery is because they have determined that STATISTICS prove that weight loss surgery is so successful that the companies reduce their exposure by paying for the surgery. People only tend to gripe when things don't work out as they planned, especially here on MFP where there are so many haters of WLS. Again, the best place to get REAL information is a large weight surgery support group. You can talk to the patients themselves.

stubbysticks

Everyone has their own opinion about whether to have surgery or not & only you can decide if it's right for you. My husband had the band & I did try to discourage him from it at first, though after really trying to understand what his reasons were for it, I did support his decision & I believe it was right for him.

That said, you need to be aware that whether you have surgery or not, you will need to change the way you eat to get the weight off. The surgery will just force it upon you. And you can eat your way around any surgery. Whether you have bypass or a band, if you don't follow your nutritionist's guidelines, you can stretch out your stomach & be right back to those old habits that made you overweight.

I chose not to have surgery, though my dr did offer it up as an option at one time, & I did it "the hard way." Diet & exercise, nothing fancy. Both my husband & I have lost significant amounts of weight.

A huge difference I have noticed is that I care a great deal about the nutrition that's in my food. I make a point to be very aware of it, because my weight loss is dependent on what I eat. In his case, his losses post-op would have occurred no matter what he ate due to sheer restriction in quantity. Not to say he doesn't care what he eats, but he's not going to place the same value on nutrition as I do because his weight loss isn't hinging upon it. This is something I appreciate about having lost weight naturally...I've developed an appreciation for nutritious food that I didn't have before, & have a firm grasp of the connection between what I eat & how it impacts my weight.

Best of luck with your decision.

cownancy

Everyone has their own opinion about whether to have surgery or not & only you can decide if it's right for you. My husband had the band & I did try to discourage him from it at first, though after really trying to understand what his reasons were for it, I did support his decision & I believe it was right for him.

That said, you need to be aware that whether you have surgery or not, you will need to change the way you eat to get the weight off. The surgery will just force it upon you. And you can eat your way around any surgery. Whether you have bypass or a band, if you don't follow your nutritionist's guidelines, you can stretch out your stomach & be right back to those old habits that made you overweight.

I chose not to have surgery, though my dr did offer it up as an option at one time, & I did it "the hard way." Diet & exercise, nothing fancy. Both my husband & I have lost significant amounts of weight.

A huge difference I have noticed is that I care a great deal about the nutrition that's in my food. I make a point to be very aware of it, because my weight loss is dependent on what I eat. In his case, his losses post-op would have occurred no matter what he ate due to sheer restriction in quantity. Not to say he doesn't care what he eats, but he's not going to place the same value on nutrition as I do because his weight loss isn't hinging upon it. This is something I appreciate about having lost weight naturally...I've developed an appreciation for nutritious food that I didn't have before, & have a firm grasp of the connection between what I eat & how it impacts my weight.

Best of luck with your decision.

Wait a minute....with the band, your nutrition has everything to do with your weight loss! If you eat cookies, ice cream, soup, or any of a zillion liquid calories that easily pass through the band, you will NOT lose weight. The band restricts, but there are so many sugary, carb-laden foods that can prevent you from losing weight that you HAVE to keep to your nutritional goals in order to lose weight. I watch every gram of carbs, protein, sugar, fat and sodium that goes into my mouth. We have to log our food for the first 18 months, at least, and many of my friends from the office, still log, years out from the surgery.

I'm sure that there are some people like your husband, who doesn't keep track, but those are the people who are not following their doctors' instructions and they are very likely to gain the weight back eventually. The stomach doesn't "stretch out" with the band,beacause you do NOT have a pouch, but it's very easy to gain weight if you DO NOT watch what you eat.

I'm sorry to keep posting, but it is so difficult to read the misinformation, or lack of understanding that can be posted here!

stubbysticks

Wait a minute....with the band, your nutrition has everything to do with your weight loss! If you eat cookies, ice cream, soup, or any of a zillion liquid calories that easily pass through the band, you will NOT lose weight. The band restricts, but there are so many sugary, carb-laden foods that can prevent you from losing weight that you HAVE to keep to your nutritional goals in order to lose weight. I watch every gram of carbs, protein, sugar, fat and sodium that goes into my mouth. We have to log our food for the first 18 months, at least, and many of my friends from the office, still log, years out from the surgery.

I'm sure that there are some people like your husband, who doesn't keep track, but those are the people who are not following their doctors' instructions and they are very likely to gain the weight back eventually. The stomach doesn't "stretch out" with the band,beacause you do NOT have a pouch, but it's very easy to gain weight if you DO NOT watch what you eat.

I'm sorry to keep posting, but it is so difficult to read the misinformation, or lack of understanding that can be posted here!

I get the frustration, & I applaud you for being one of the people who had the surgery & is diligent about following through on how you're supposed to eat afterward. But you know as well as I do that the people who gain the weight back from eating all of those things you mentioned didn't eat them in large quantity (if at all) immediately post-op. The vast majority did experience some significant losses within those first few months because they could only eat small quantities of food, whether it was healthy or crappy.

Over time, if that effort isn't made to stay on track, those old habits gradually make their way back in & unfortunately that is what my husband has struggled with.

@cownancy, I actually agree with everything you said, what I was getting at is that I view nutrition differently than he does. For me it is the cornerstone of my weight loss, & for him it's more of a follow-up or peripheral item therefore our motivation is a little different in that regard.

Rae57

I'm new here, I just joined a few hours ago. I am an RN (recovery room). We do tons of bariatric surgery here. The band is much safer. Really, I could say so much about this, but Ididn't read all the responses yet. But I will say this, I see very fewppl keep the weight off more that 5 years By-pass , well, I've seen some pretty scarey things. lots of them.

cownancy

Welcome Rae57!!!

cownancy

Stubby....I'm sorry that your hubby didn't take advantage of the opportunity afforded him with the band. Thanks for your clarification. I am sooooo afraid that someone who could REALLY benefit from the surgery will not go for the information because of something they read here that might not be a prominent problem, so I spend my days defending and trying to get out as many facts as possible. I hope that you both do well with both of your plans!

shaybug21

Wow I've been reading through all these posts (although I can see this topic has died), because my doctor has me on a 1500 calorie diet and in 6 months will refer me to a bariatric surgeon for gastric bypass. For those who say that its as easy as eat less burn more, I beg to differ. I am at 294 pounds, and I'm 5 ft 9 in. I have hypothyroidism, which even with medicine causes me great difficulty in losing weight. I've been trying for the past 6+ years to shake off my 115 pounds (the doctor recommends I be at 180 because of my large frame), and I just can't. I've done weight watchers, lost 30 pounds in a year's time, but when I could no longer afford to go, I gained it all back plus 15 more. I am a very busy person so while I may not have actually been able to go to the gym (I work full time, go to college full time working on my undergrad, I have a 7 year old daughter, I'm a volunteer firefighter, and I was planning my wedding). I don't get the chance to eat a lot because I'm so busy. My husband for my birthday upgraded his membership to the Ymca so I could go. My birthday was friday, I went yesterday and today, and I really feel hopeless when I do go. other than to go under the knife and get that extra help I need, I'm out of options.

Hypothyroidism causes the bodys metabolism to drastically slow down, and the body comes resistant to losing weight, or even to insulin, which can cause diabetes if the body doesn't use insulin properly. It causes you to feel chronically fatigued, sluggish, and even depressed. Having gastric bypass would alleviate a lot of these problems for me.

gwenmf

Just in my opinion, you;re not THAT overweight enough to require surgery. Plus, I'm anti-gastric bypass since a co-worker died after having it... and I know 2 other people who did as well

I started out at 302 on May 10th of this year and as of this morning I am 2.6 lbs from losing 50lbs. I work full-time, 12 hour shifts and I am a single mom. It's hard work, but it is SO worth it!

I also work in healthcare and have had people die and nearly die living in the hospital in icu and then rehab for 9 months following the surgery...I agree that you can do this. Unless you get control, you'll re-stretch your stomach and regain anyway. the risks are too great in my opinion - and if you give yourself 3 months on here you'll see results easily.

In any case, I wish you huge success in whatever avenue you take...in the meantime until your surgery, try this and take your measurements...see how far you come fast er than you expect. Best luck

cownancy

Fact check: You can only stretch a pouch from gastric bypass. There is not real "pouch" with the lap band. The mortality rate with the band is much lower than the mortality rate from the many co-morbidities of morbid obesity. Also, I repeat, if a person is constantly getting sick from the band, your doctor can adjust it so that it is not as restrictive. If you CHOOSE to live with your band too tight, than that is YOUR fault, not your doctor's or the operation.

Bariatric Centers of Excellence have very strict requirements for their doctors and hospitals, so if you are considering weight loss surgery, settle for nothing but a Center of Excellence.

Check the current mortality rates on both operations and the difference between the risk for the surgery itself, vs. having surgery of ANY KIND with some of the co-morbidities of the morbidly obese.

Loves2snack

Hi,
yesterday i went to a seminar to decide if i wanted to opt for a bypass or a band. ive been under the hospital on a programme for this for the last 6 months and originally i wanted a bypass but the risks are much higher so it seems.
both are done laparoscoply.
i was far from the hugest person there. i weigh 227 pounds at present.
battled with my weight my entire life and never get very far.
after several years ive come to the conclusion that i need a helping hand. not an easy answer, just some assistance to help my achieve some serious weightloss or i WILL only get fatter. i just know it.
i'm 33, have 4 young kids. the eldest is 8. no health complications and i dont smoke.. bloody love vodka tho!
so i was basically wondering if anyone has any thoughts or experiences on this topic??
thanks

I had gastric bypass back in 2009. The best decision I ever made. I suggest you dont ask people who havent experienced it to tell you that you " shouldnt" do it. www.obesityhelp.com is an awesome way to research your options. Me personally had been extreamly obese most of my life. So I did it to save myself. I still have to watch what I eat. I did go to rehab after gastric I became a raging alcoholic. When I was in treatment there were 3 other girls there that had also became that. You can message me or check out my profile if you have any questions!

jayne51998

Please forgive me for answer, which you won't like!!

Neither!! U don't need surgery, you need desire, motivation, and support!!! Sorry but that's what I thunk!!!

I agree!

Someone I know nearly died twice on the operation table 2 weeks ago because of an enlarged liver.
She is going back to get a balloon fitted.

After the first time, I would never have even thought of going back for more.

I'm 238lb and would never consider surgery, I just get off my bum more now. :happy:

stubbysticks

Wow I've been reading through all these posts (although I can see this topic has died), because my doctor has me on a 1500 calorie diet and in 6 months will refer me to a bariatric surgeon for gastric bypass. For those who say that its as easy as eat less burn more, I beg to differ. I am at 294 pounds, and I'm 5 ft 9 in. I have hypothyroidism, which even with medicine causes me great difficulty in losing weight. I've been trying for the past 6+ years to shake off my 115 pounds (the doctor recommends I be at 180 because of my large frame), and I just can't. I've done weight watchers, lost 30 pounds in a year's time, but when I could no longer afford to go, I gained it all back plus 15 more. I am a very busy person so while I may not have actually been able to go to the gym (I work full time, go to college full time working on my undergrad, I have a 7 year old daughter, I'm a volunteer firefighter, and I was planning my wedding). I don't get the chance to eat a lot because I'm so busy. My husband for my birthday upgraded his membership to the Ymca so I could go. My birthday was friday, I went yesterday and today, and I really feel hopeless when I do go. other than to go under the knife and get that extra help I need, I'm out of options.

Hypothyroidism causes the bodys metabolism to drastically slow down, and the body comes resistant to losing weight, or even to insulin, which can cause diabetes if the body doesn't use insulin properly. It causes you to feel chronically fatigued, sluggish, and even depressed. Having gastric bypass would alleviate a lot of these problems for me.

A few comments:

1. Have you ever considered trying a low-carb diet? Not necessarily Atkins, but even reducing net carbs to 100-150g can make a huge difference for some. Just a thought since you mentioned the insulin.
2. You mentioned feeling hopeless at the gym. That's because you don't have a plan. With any Y membership you get a free orientation with a personal trainer. You need to schedule that & have him/her walk you through the weight training & cardio machines to show you how they work, & help you figure out a routine you can live with. I can tell you now that if you go any less than 3x a week, you'll have a hard time sticking to it.
3. Everyone's busy. If you make time to do all that stuff you're doing, you can carve out 30-45 minutes 3 times a week to improve your health. How much more effective do you think you can be at all of those things you listed at a healthier weight?
4. Although your fatigue is partially a symptom of your condition, it is also easily improved by a better diet with sufficient protein & regular exercise. I used to drag my >300 lb *kitten* out of bed every morning & still be tired. Now that I've cleaned up my diet, I'm rarely tired or sluggish & my overall energy level has skyrocketed compared to a year & a half ago.
5. I'm not saying surgery is the wrong choice for you. But think carefully about why your other attempts failed. Pretty much any diet program works for at least a while if you commit to it, & having surgery requires a commitment to be much more diligent about your diet than you've ever been before, & there is little room for error. Nancy is a success story but I assure you she works very hard at staying on track & that is exactly why she IS a success story.

My doctor has broached the subject of gastric surgery to me before, I guess after seeing me stay fat for so many years he figured I wasn't going to do anything about it & something needed to happen. I knew that if I wanted to, he would support me going through the process, but I knew in my heart I hadn't given it an honest try on my own. I hadn't put 100% effort & commitment into a weight loss program & stuck with it long enough to say OK, I did try & it didn't work, so let go the surgical route.

So last May I finally did buckle down & decide I was going to do it for real, no matter what, no excuses, & I was just as busy as you are. Work, school, kids, in a wedding, sick relatives, deaths in the family, you name it. MY HEALTH IS TOO IMPORTANT TO BE AT THE BOTTOM OF MY PRIORITY LIST. I'm no good to any of my loved ones as a tired old fat lady who isn't even old.