Gastric Bypass Vs. Lap-band

Lorianny

Surgery scares me to be honest, Have you thought about any other options? I am on medifast, I have lost 24.6 lbs and 10.5 inches in 4 weeks...Best of luck with whatever you decide to do.

Lorianny

Wow.. Hitmewitdarock, ...I understand the point that you are trying to make, But you might want to soften the edges a bit? Just saying..

kidskart

This is the best answer on this page!

Lapband = foreign object in your body

Sleeve = No blockage causing like lap band, the portion of the stomach that controls hunger pangs is removed! Faster healing, faster weight loss

Yes, there is alot to the equation, but that is what it boiled down for me. I choose the sleeve, I am 6 days out of surgery and elated!!! I followed everyone of the doctors instructions! I feel great, no nausea, no gas, no diarea, and I stopped pain pills 4 days ago!

Alot of it also depends on the doctor, too.

Hope this helps, good luck!

hitmewitdarock

sorry.. dont mean to be harsh... just being honest...

lap bands ARE a quick fix and are very bad for you because they give you the illusion that you can eat whatever and be thin..

sure the it gets old hearing about diet and exercise but they dont have a tab on MFP for lap bands...
its cheating... its the easy way out...

Partyofpugs

I looked in to the band because I felt I need an extra tool to help me achieve permanent weight loss. Unfortunately my insurance wasn't going to pay because I had lost over 60 lbs. 5 years ago. It didn't matter that I gained it all back along with 40 more. So I continued to struggle with eating less and exercising and continued to spiral downhill medically. I found a clinical trial for a new type of device. It had plusses I was looking for: losing weight by counting calories and exercising, a 5 year commitment to being accountable and tracking required. The device interrupts the brain/stomach communication and so I don't feel hungry or have cravings. This was the tool I was looking for! I'm losing weight and making changes in the way I eat. For the first time in my life I can feel true hunger and am in tune with what my body tells me. I still have to exercise willpower and turn down most of my "favorite" foods. But after 6 months this is becoming a lifestyle change and I can live with it.

Look for what you need. Be determined to do the work. There isn't one "correct" way to lose weight. What works for you may not work for someone else. You will find you solution and then commit 100 percent to it. This will make you successful.You are so smart to do the research first. Good luck! Let us know what you decide! Keep friends with those who will support your decisions and not tear you down because of them.

paigemarie93

I'd do serious research before considering WLS.
There's nothing you can do with WLS that you can't do with dieting & exercise.
If you can't stick to dieting & exercise then who's to say that you can cope with restricting yourself after the WLS?

I recently read about a woman who had a bit of her stomach taken out to make her stomach smaller, then the small part of stomach healed itself up & she starved to death

Redapplecandie

I can't tell you to get this surgery or that surgery, or whatever. But I can tell you my story.

I did all the fad diets before, but as soon as you stop following the diet, the weight comes right back on.

I had RNY Gastric Bypass May 3rd, 2011. I was over 300lbs. I had a textbook recovery, no complications or anything.

With my RNY, I have a small (4-6oz) pouch where my food goes. This works for me in portion control, as I can only eat small amounts, instead of gorging myself on food before. I used to eat a 12-16oz steak, with loadad baked potato and veggies, plus soup and dessert. Now, I can order the same thing, (sans dessert) and it will last me for 4-5 meals.

I do have issues with large amounts of process sugar, (the dreaded dumping syndrome) but this makes me not want to eat sugary foods. I haven't had ice cream in forever. High fatty foods are the same for me.

I've lost 110lbs since May and I've never felt better. I didn't do this surgery to "look good" or "take the easy way out". I currently have lots of loose flappy skin, especially on my upper arms. I affectionately refer to it as my "batwings" and my fiancee doesn't care about the loose skin at all. I did this surgery to give me another tool to help with exercise and proper food choices.

Right now, I am holding steady at 190lbs. My body just likes the way it is for right now, and I am OK with that. Eventually I would like to lose 20-30 more, but if I am stuck at 190 for the rest of my life, that is fine with me. I can still bend down to tie my shoes and take long walks without getting winded.

Yes, I have to take vitamins for the rest of my life, but that is OK with me. I was taking vitamins before surgery anyways, so nothing changed there.

I would be more than happy to answer any questions you, or anyone else, may have.

cjwalker81

My sister and cousin both had the gastric sleeve. I think it is the less invasive of all the surgeries. She did really great with it and lost 165 lbs, but as with the other surgeries she was able to gain some weight back, so it definately has to be in your head to change your lifestyle and let the surgery assist you. Good luck!!!!

DanielleHodgins

I had Gastric Bypass 9 years ago. I can't speak for Lap but I can tell you that surgery is just as temporary as a pill or fad diet or anything else. I wish that I had known then what I know now and I would have just changed my lifestyle instead of surgery because it is what has to happen anyway. But now I struggle with maintaining healthy vitamin/nutrient levels even though I eat very clean and healthy and take supplements and vitamins. I still track what I eat, workout 6 days a week at home both strength training and high intensity cardi, and teach Turbo Kick group exercise classes 5 times a week. And I have to do this to maintain my weight and feel my best. Had I just done this from the get-go, I could've lost the weight without any repercussions. Think long and hard doll!

Wishing you a FIT day!
Danielle

liroez29

do you think people will think you are heroic for losing all the weight on by cheating?

get your butt out and start waddling... then work you way up to walking...

lapbands are a quick fix and most of know that quick fixes to weight problems never go well...

you cant just shove a box of ding dongs in your mouth and set on your butt all day and expect to be a size 3...

And WHY exactly are you on this thread? It's not CHEATING. It's not EASY. For many it's a last resort. Exercise and eating better? *facepalm* Geez, no one has EVER though of THAT before! *rolls eyes*

Thank you! It is not easy! And it is not cheating! The people that think it is have not done any research on the matter and have no idea what people that have WLS have to go through! I had WLS (vertical Sleeve) on 5/31/11, since I have been working out 5 days a week, training for my first 15k this June, I choose the right foods. I just have a tool that helps me control how much I eat. I am working very hard to get the last 40 off. Just makes me so mad that just because I had surgery, people think I don't have to work at it! I work harder now then I have ever worked my whole life!

cdnclovr

I couldn't agree more. My sister travelled for 2 hours both ways more times than I can count for nutritional classes (mandatory for the lap band) and tests (some were absolutely awful). Surgeon told her to lose weight but wouldn't tell her how much. She lost about 30-40 lbs. Her appointment was booked for last Fall (a few months away) and at her last test the head nurse came in and told her she couldn't have the surgery because she didn't lose enough weight and there was no way she would be able to lose it in time for her schedulled surgery. She did a LOT of research on it and it definitely IS invasive. It is NOT safe and the expertise to have one installed and the filling/draining of the lapband may not be local.

She's now on a 2 year waiting list for the VSG. In the mean time another mutual friend of ours outrightly paid for the lapband. She has been very sick with it.

"You have to get right (whatever's wrong) in your head and in your heart, then use your brain along with this site and take the weight off." -Absolutely 110% correct in my opinion!

Neither!!! You can lose weight without having your body altered in such an extreme fashion. Yes, my cousin's husband had it done and he struggles to eat what little food he's allowed to eat and he still cheats and he's still heavy. I also had a friend who did the lap band a long time ago, and she's still heavy too.

You have to get right (whatever's wrong) in your head and in your heart, then use your brain along with this site and take the weight off. It's working for plenty of us on here already - it will work for you. Sorry if I sound harsh, but those options really tick me off. But if you don't listen to advice and have your body altered - good luck to you, you will need it.

JustLena75

Every surgery has risks. It is true enough, some people have complications, some people it doesn't work for, but that is not the majority at all. Being obese is far more likely to kill you. Yo-yoing can just as adversely impact your long term health. I went from 280 to 170 on my own, and then gained back all I lost and then some until I was well over 300 lbs. I had been overweight my entire life, with exception of my 2lb birth weight. Obesity has too many causes to apply a blanket statement to all overweight people. Now jump down off your high horses, I can see your undies from down here.

1shauna1

I had the lap-band in august 2010. It has been more difficult than I had thought, but I am down over 30 lbs that aren't coming back. I have tried almost every diet out there, as well as exercising (had a personal trainer 3x a week for a year). I need more help than I can do myself. The thing I liked about the lap band is that it can be removed and they don't alter your anatomy, meaning my stomach is still intact. As with many things it's only a tool and I still have to do some work. PM me if you would like more information or have questions; I will try to help!

teeniemarie619

I am currently going thru classes for Bariatric surgery. The gastric sleeve is a newer choice that seems much better. After hearing the stories of malabsorption and dumping from the bypass - I decided to get the sleeve. You are left with a stomach about the size of a small banana and have to really watch your portions. Like they are telling us in the classes - any bariatric surgery is not a miracle! They are merely tools to help in your weight loss. Unless you change your way of thinking about food and your whole lifestyle - any diet / fad / surgery will fail. Numerous people have regained the weight after the bypass / lap-band / sleeve... I finish my classes in March and am hoping to get my surgery before June 2012. I've already lost 55 lbs on my own, but am going to go thru with the surgery to use as a tool for my success - but ultimately, I know my success depends upon me!

Lozze

Op please ignore the people who have had no experience with WLS. Do listen to those who have.

I have t had it done, I don't want it done but that's me. If the OP feels she can only do it through WLS that's how she feels. Telling her 'just do it the healthy way' doesn't work.

liroez29

I am currently going thru classes for Bariatric surgery. The gastric sleeve is a newer choice that seems much better. After hearing the stories of malabsorption and dumping from the bypass - I decided to get the sleeve. You are left with a stomach about the size of a small banana and have to really watch your portions. Like they are telling us in the classes - any bariatric surgery is not a miracle! They are merely tools to help in your weight loss. Unless you change your way of thinking about food and your whole lifestyle - any diet / fad / surgery will fail. Numerous people have regained the weight after the bypass / lap-band / sleeve... I finish my classes in March and am hoping to get my surgery before June 2012. I've already lost 55 lbs on my own, but am going to go thru with the surgery to use as a tool for my success - but ultimately, I know my success depends upon me!

Good luck to you! Seems you have you mind in the right state, you seem to understand what the surgery is and the changes that have to take place to succeed! And I believe the right choice is the sleeve, I had it on 5/31/11. I have no absorption problems, or anything like that. It was a good choice for me. I have heard way too many negatives for the band and bypass.

marycmeadows

My friend took money she was going to use for weight loss surgery & instead used it for a personal trainer...that's what I recommend. Even with a lap band or gastric surgery you're going to have to eat healthier & exercise, so why not just do that from the start? It's going to take longer for the weight to come off but I honestly believe it's the better long term solution. Good luck with everything!

totally agree with this!! Was going to post something similar but you said it perfect!!

Chagama

My wife had gastric bypass. On one hand she lost a lot of weight quickly. On the other, she has had a couple of complications from the surgery over the last couple of years and we've had some hospital visits and emergency surgeries. Lately she's been putting some weight back on due to poor eating habits and a lack of regular exercise.

So, my opinion, as a concerned spouse, is that I wish she had not had any surgery and learned to modify her eating and exercise habits. She could have been in the same place without all the complications and life-long restrictions that go with the surgery.

I fear it also sent a bad message to our kids, one of whom is very heavy and doesn't do much in terms of physical activity, that he doesn't need to get his eating and exercising under control, he can just have surgery someday.

Just1forMe

Neither!!! You can lose weight without having your body altered in such an extreme fashion. Yes, my cousin's husband had it done and he struggles to eat what little food he's allowed to eat and he still cheats and he's still heavy. I also had a friend who did the lap band a long time ago, and she's still heavy too.

You have to get right (whatever's wrong) in your head and in your heart, then use your brain along with this site and take the weight off. It's working for plenty of us on here already - it will work for you. Sorry if I sound harsh, but those options really tick me off. But if you don't listen to advice and have your body altered - good luck to you, you will need it.

This!!! You haven't been on here that long...why not give yourself a chance to lose the weight the natural way. MFP is awesome. I know people who have done both of those surgeries and all of them wish that they hadn't. There are SO many complications...it is not worth it! Talk to lots and lots of people who have done it and look around these boards and you will find hundreds whom have lost more weight than you need to lose (regardless of what that number is just by using MFP with diet and exercise. You can do this!!!

Xiansalgado

I had the gastric band done at UCSD Medical Center and it was the best decision I ever made. People consider it "cheating" or "taking the easy way", but it's not. It's a tool that is used to help to control the intake of food. You still have to diet and workout with the band, the pounds don't magically fall off. There are many ways to cheat with it, but, in general it's hard work. I started at my heaviest at 261lbs and now I'm down to 163lbs. I had the surgery last September and now my life has taken a complete turn: I run four days a week, I take a weight training class twice a week, and rest for a day. I eat about 5 times a day and I've learned to let the bad foods go, I feel great and I hope you'll feel great too with whatever decision you make. Good luck!

wencho21

ive had the bypass 7 weeks ago and although its still early days for me i wouldnt change a thing! was def the best option for me, in those 7 weeks ive lost 22lb so its not as fast as you think but its consistant at around 3lb per week, just make sure you are 100% aware of all diff ops before hand and this will help you decide which op if any is best for YOU! good luck!

chammich

I also overate at 3 years old. Now I realize that I have a serious carb addiction. My body just goes haywire from anything carby. Whatever you decide good luck! :happy:

Just1forMe

i got my lap band 2 years ago and have had nothing but complications with it for those 2 years. when i told my doctor/surgeon (the one who placed the band) he told me, "that doesnt happen."

UM. YEAH. IT DOES HAPPEN. ITS HAPPENING.

then he dropped me as a patient and refused to see me. i finally got a referral to UC Davis Medical Center and have met with my new doctor there. he unfilled my band, answered all of my questions and then told me that the lap band is being phased out in many places due to the high numbers of complications popping up. He suggested that i consider gastric bypass.

well....im not considering it and i wont consider it. i dont want my stomach altered forever. i wish i had never gotten my band. because i have been losing this weight entirely on my own and now i know i can do this on my own. i wish i had realized that before i let the first surgeon cut into me.

Good for you!!! Sorry you had to go through all that though

vonalj

Neither. I work in the hospital and we always see patients that have those surgerys with so many problems. Its not worth it. I would recommend eating well and exercising over surgery.

Not trying to offend, just my own opinion.

calicat40

actually it isn't a quick fix, it's a tool. much like the patch for smokers and the gum for smokers. you are educated and you cannot eat whatever you want. you have to follow the diet or be sick. you have to be comitted or it doesnt work. i understand that you dont believe it works but many people have it and it works if used the way it is designed, as a tool. everyone is different, so you are able to do it without a tool but some cannot so please stop passing judgement on those that do. and helloooo it's a public site so im pretty sure banded and unbanded alike can use it.

kriskaryl

I had gastric bypass last July. I lost weight rapidly, to date...92lbs...I would do it again in a heartbeat. I tried almost every diet, exercise program, pill, etc and nothing worked. I guilted myself out of everything, thinking that if I ate something yummy, I would be cheating. I finally decided on the gastric bypass. Both surgeries are invasive...what surgery isn't? The bypass alters your stomache by cutting and stapling to create a smaller "pouch". The lap-band is placed around the stomach to constrict its opening and limit the amount of food that can be consumed. The small round apparatus is placed under the skin in your abdominal area so you can go back to the doctor every month or so for fills and adjustments on your band. I opted for the bypass because I didn't want a foreign object in my body or to be driving back and forthe each month for life for band adjustments. Band slippage is also a problem that occurs. There can be complication of pouch leakage with the bypass. Others have commented here suggesting you go to www.obesityhelp.com for information. I agree and did lots of research there as well.

Some people might think you would be taking "the easy way out". Don't listen to them. You are struggling, and apparently have been for a while. Bariatric surgery and the life style changes that follow take determination, dedication, and commitment. To succeed, you must first get it into your head that you have to change the way you think about food and what it means to you.

Good luck to you on your journey. Friend me if you you would like. I'll be a great supporter of what ever decision you make.

jutymo

I had gastric bypass in 2002. I initially lost 130 pounds but never got below 180 lbs. I was wearing size 14s at 180 and I was OK with it. I had few problems once I adjusted to my personal limitations; I still have trouble eating rice for example. It's now 10 years later and I've gained about 40 lbs back. I was eating poorly, bad nutrition, bad habits had creeped back and I've never been one to exercise. I'm now working on those 40 pounds (30 now that I've lost about 10) and hope to go down below the 180. I want to get at a normal weight for my height and MFP has been a terrific tool for me.

I like that to a certain degree my portion control is built in. GB does that because my stomach is still small. I've totally changed the way I eat food, I've stopped most of my bad eating habits, and I've started to exercise again. My weight is creeping down and I hope to keep creeping for months and months and months. I'm in no hurry. I DO NOT regret my decision to have the surgery. I was in poor physical shape for someone my age. Borderline diabetic, HBP, everything out of whack. The surgery got me off all meds within 3 weeks and I was off meds for years. I'm back on HBP meds but hope if I can lose another 20-30 lbs., I might get to stop that again. I had a pulmonary embolism (blood clots) 6 weeks after surgery which they thought was related to the surgery. But then I had another one 5 years later for no apparent reason. So I'm on blood thinners for life and pretty much convinced the first one was not related to my surgery.

But I don't regret it, I'd do it again, and it was wonderful (and still is) to lose that amount of weight that fast. I'm still down about 80 lbs. from my highest weight, I'm just not satisfied to stay where I am and I'm working hard to take off what I've gained and more. MFP is a wonderful tool for me. I agree with many posters; DO YOUR RESEARCH. Obesityhelp.com is a good site with honest information. Talk to your surgeon and ask him about the problems his patient have had and have now. Think, pray, think some more and make the decision that is right FOR YOU, not for anyone else.

Good luck on your journey.

kriskaryl

I had gastic bypass on 12/12/11. Since that date I've lost 62 lbs. Gastic surgery is a life changing event. If you do not follow the instructions given, you will not succeed. I am very pleased with my results and would definitely do it again. I am now off all meds (acid reflux, blood pressure) and feeling better than I have in years. I had a checkup last Friday and my BP was 118/66 without meds! I am now up to 5 miles/day on my elliptical and doing strength training three times a week.

I had lost 100 lbs on three different occasions in the past. Despite working out and trying to restrict my eating, my weight kept creeping up. For me, the surgery was a godsend.

Ahhh...the voice of reason! Congrats on your WLS and your success! I'm 7 months out and have lost 92lbs so far, down from 244 to 152 and in a size 8, still losing. I exercise each morning before I get ready for work and do cardio and weights at the gym 3 nights a week after work. I can ride a stationary bike 8-9 miles without being out of breath. I'm off all meds, BP is under control, no diabetes. I have never been healthier or stronger or felt more positive about myself. Kudos to you! Keep up the good...no GREAT work!

jworth79

I had full bypass in 2004. It almost killed me (Post op infection). I was in the hospital for two months. Still, eight years later, I view it as the best decision I ever made. I lost 170 lbs and have kept 150 off. I also cleared up a number of health related issues that probably would have killed me by know if I hadn't lost the weight.

I have advised a number of people considering bypass, I tell them all the same thing: It worked for me, but it doesn't mean it will work for you. And the first year was very, very tough. I remind them: I ALMOST DIED. I often questioned whether I had made the work mistake of my life.

They key things I tell them:

1. Surgery should be a last resort when all else (repeatedly) fails.

2. Don't do it if your not going to change your lifestyle afterwards. Surgery may work like magic short-term, but the long-term "gain it back" population is pretty big if you don't change the things that led you to being overweight pre-surgery. I again have to watch my weight like everyone else or it will come back. Eating right and exercise is now the key to my keeping it off. (Which is why I'm on this website).

3. LISTEN TO YOUR SURGEON WHEN THEY TELL YOU ABOUT THE RISKS. I heard him tell me 1 in 200 have complications (I fell into that group) and 1 in 400 DIE ( I almost joined that group). It didn't resonate until it happened to me. They mention hernia as a common long-term complication. It is. I have had two since the bypass which required additional surgery. I know a number of other bypass patients who have also had them.

4. Get a GREAT SURGEON. Ask your surgeon how many bypass surgeries he/she has done (I suggest "in the hundreds" is the only correct answer). Mine not only helped me through the surgery, but through the complications.

The last thing I tell people considering this is: "IT"S YOUR DECISION AND YOUR'S ALONE!"

Do a lot of research. Talk to a lot of people, especially those who have had it. There are many bypass support groups. Your surgeon should be able to direct you to one.

Good luck with your research and decision!

SCUBAMomofTwo

I would encourage you to go to Obesity Help and do some research on both forums. As far as the band being less invasive, please research all the complications. They have quit using it in some countries and because of high complication rates and failure rate many surgeons in the US no longer place it.

Good luch researching

Absolutely agree with this. The lap band surgery is not "less invasive"; both surgeries can now be done through the laprascope and require very little time off work for recovery.

If you are looking for the surgery with a proven track record, years and YEARS of post op data is available for the gastric bypass. I had mine 10 years ago and do pretty well maintaining my weight loss; occasionally I forget I had the surgery, eat hershey's kisses 'til they're coming out my ears, and then I gotta focus to lose the 10-20 pounds I gain. But that is TOTALLY my fault and thank goodness even after 10 years my bypass still helps me lose the weight.