Gastric band v gastric bypass - your thoughts

Any surgery has complications, even having a tooth out can cause a bloody clot, does that mean we shouldn't visit the dentist either

....but I think any sane person would agree.....comparing a pulled tooth to something like a lap band or gastric bypass....does...not...compute.

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~

honestly , do you think if it was as easy as that obesity would be such and epidemic??? just saying

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~

honestly , do you think if it was as easy as that obesity would be such and epidemic??? just saying

Umm...I do. The human species is currently more sedentary as a whole than at any other point in recorded history. That, combined with the fact that high calorie, unhealthy foods are available for pennies on the dollar and accessable to every member of our society regardless of income...yeah, it is about calories in and calories out.

Think of the shift in America in the past 30 years - we've gone from an economy where we produced products and our labor force was made up mostly of jobs that required physical labor, to service based economy where sedentary desk jobs are the new norm.

People in the 50's, gasp, actually had to go outside and do stuff when they were bored and wanted to talk to people...today, you can spend hours in front of the television and surf the internet for your every need and desire.

No i disagree the surgery is done by laprascope and some dental treatment is done under anaesthetic, and as i said tooth extraction can cause blood clots so why is it different?

Since you've been under a program for the past six months, it sounds like you aren't really going to be swayed to simply NOT do it. However, I have to be honest and say I'm of the opinion that you should reconsider it.

In 2008, I went through the whole process of orientation and did quite a bit of research on the how the lap band works. I was pretty dead set at the time that I was going to do it. However, a road block came up.

The psychiatrist evaluating me was wanting me to go to support groups for a few months before he agreed to sign off. At that time I was going to college full time and had night classes, so the groups were impossible for me to work in my schedule then. From what research I did, I had never heard of anyone having a problem there. I believe at the time I was concerned one or two people in my family would give me a hard time with it. Which I told him. Looking back , I believe if they thought that's what I wanted to do, they would have accepted it. However, at the time I was VERY angry, thinking that was my only shot and I couldn't do it on my own. By the way, I'm 5'0" and weighed roughly about what you do (maybe a bit more) at the time. So I understand your situation in that regard.

Flash forward 3 years and since then I gained 25+ more pounds. But I couldn't be more happier? Know why? Because I proved to myself the past several months that I could do it on my own. Because I've nearly lost all that I gained since that orientation in 2008. I learned that I had to come to a place in my life where I could commit 100% to making this change. Before I was unable to be honest with myself that my desire to lose weight was half-hearted. I convinced myself that is just wasn't possible. Now, I know without a doubt that with patience and commitment, I will reach my end goal. This is a lifestyle change, not a diet. If you are dieting, that might be part of the skewed mental perspective.

(I do know several people that have had the surgery and busted their band and regained the weight, had to go in for additional surgeries, etc. The risk, was pretty scary to me. For people that are immobile,older, medical circumstances, I think it's a wise option. But for someone so young to make such a drastic change, it's premature imo.)

i'm 5'2 so...yeah.....very wide for my height! lol

I'm 5'1 and 223 - so we are about the same. I go to the gym every day and have been successful in the past with weight loss. I could have surgery too, but if I don't change my eating habits, then no amount of surgery will cure what my head is telling my body. I know 4 people who have had surgery - 3 gained all teh weight back and more, the other nearly died becasue they didn't hook her intestine back up corretly... and she weighs more now than she ever did.

I wish you luck - you will make the correct decision for yourself. No one can make that for you....

I had RNY just over a year ago and I wouldn't change a thing! I have been on so many diets, lifestyle changes, exercise routines - you name it I had done it. Nothing worked! I do highly recommend the RNY as opposed to the lap band. I believe that it works better and that the lap band as a higher failure rate. In addition if you have ever had any problems with acid reflux then the band is not for you. It tends to make it much worse. A few things to keep in mind if you decide to do this:

- It is not the easy way out!! I hate it when people say this, there is nothing easy about losing weight after this surgery. You have to work hard. You have to track what you put in your mouth and you have to exercise a lot!

- You will have to follow all the rules strictly or you will not see the results you are looking for. This means not drinking during or after a meal, introducing foods back into your diet slowly and eating lots of protein.

- There is a huge mental aspect to this surgery. You need to be mentally prepared. There is a big commitment to your health afterwards - you have to take vitamins every day, you must drink protein shakes and you have to put in the work.

All this being said, it's totally worth it. I am now at my lowest weight ever as an adult. I feel better then I have ever felt in my life. Also, I only had to take two days off work. I do have a desk job, but the recovery time wasn't horrible. The worst thing about it was not being able to drive and cooking for my kid. That was tough because I didn't want to get anywhere near food the first few weeks! Make sure you have lots of help for after the surgery as you won't be able to lift your baby for a few weeks.

I hope I helped! I know there are a lot of haters out there who will tell you never to have a major elective surgery, but sometimes it's just the best option, especially when nothing else works! People did die from the surgery, but it really doesn't happen much anymore. Be sure to research your surgeon thoroughly and check out his/her mortality rates. Make sure they have a good support staff too as that is invaluable. My dietician has made this process so much easier then if I was just doing it on my own.

I had the band fitted in 2007 my heighest weight was 280 lbs at 5'4.5'' but I also suffered from a co-morbidity, I had high blood pressure. Near 4 years on I am within sight of my target weight. The band is a tool that I use in conjunction with watching what I eat and walking upwards of 6 miles every day. I would do it over again if I had to.

i went to quite a few orientations about 4 years ago, but couldn't stick the diet and never went thru with it, and i'm glad i didn't. it's just not for me (at least as of yet), but i support everyone who is interested personally i would have gone for the band, because it's less invasive, adjustable, and reversible.

Whatever you decide your friends on MFP will support you!

amen.

I'm baaaaaack....The continuous voice on the weight loss surgery boards.....
As I always say, DO NOT LISTEN TO THE OPINION OF ANYONE who has not ACTUALLY had the surgery, because SO MANY people have no idea what they are talking about. There is so much involved in making this decision, as you probably know by now, yourself. Whether it's "wrong" or "not necessary" or "cheating" or "the easy way" or "dangerous"........all of these responses are from the uninformed as to why people get the surgery and how it works and the modern statistics with the many new methods being used for surgery.

With that said. I have had a lap band for 10 months, however, the first three months, I could not have any fluid in the band due to a large hernia repair that was performed at the same time the band was installed AND I had the fluid removed for three months due to a mastoidectomy operation. When you have a lapband, you must deflate the band for any form of intubation. When the band is deflated, it does not prevent hunger, which is a huge function of the band. So, technically, I have had a functioning band (through no fault of the band surgery, itself) for about 4 months and have lost 52 pounds.

The best source of information on which method to choose somes from your doctor, because he/she knows your history, you Achilles Heel as far as eating is concerned, etc. BUT, if you are offered both equally, here are some FACTS....

1. The lapband is a simpler surgery for the doctor, but more work for you. It can be adjusted at any time or removed. The ports have been updated. The operation is done laproscopically and you are in the hospital overnight and home the next morning if all goes normally. Some people have one fill and they are properly adjusted, others can take several months. I know of NO ONE taking a year to get the band to the right filling, but maybe I'm lucky to have a wonderful doctor who does close to 3,000 surgeries every year and has been performing the operation for 10 years.
2. The lapband is placed where your esophagus meets your stomach and is tightened to keep the food in a location where it stimulates the nerves that tell your brain that you are full, so you learn to get back in touch with real hunger and emotional/mental hunger. Your stomach, itself, it not touched and your digestive system is untouched. This restriction means that you have to eat slowly, chew your foods thoroughly and learn which foods will gum up and get "stuck" and unable to pass through the restricted opening, which causes you to, perhaps, vomit to dislodge the food. Each person has a different set of foods that gets stuck. Generally, white bread, rice, potatoes, dry meats, etc. are the main offenders. IF you eat liquid calories: milkshakes, mashed potatoes, sugared sodas, puddings, soups, fruit juice, ice cream, etc., the band will not help you because these types of foods slide right past the band without sending the "full" message to your brain. If you cannot control these types of food, then bypass is a better choice. If you are a carb craver, this is a good choice for you. The band will help you control your portions.
3. Complications: Band slippage, band erosion......which would require a surgery (about 45 minutes, like the original surgery) to reposition or replace the band. If you do not intend to make healthy food choices, walk at least 15-20 minutes a day, and log your food, attend support group meetings and read your food labels, do not get EITHER surgeries. Many people do not lose all of the weight to reach their perfect goal, but they lose enough to be healthy again. Some people look at it as if it is a diet, and once they hit a certain point, they no longer practice the program and gain back the weight.
4. Lapband....NO HAIRLOSS (unless you do not eat protein), NO MALABSORPTION (unless you do not eat a healthy balance, and a multi-vitamin), death rate on the surgery pre or post surgery is NOT considered "risky"......that is bunk.
5. Bypass....you will lose weight faster because the doctor is doing most of the initial work with the surgery, but you have to realize that you STILL need to learn the guidelines because you will eventually need your willpower again. Your pouch CAN stretch. You CAN get "dumping syndrome" which is throwing up when certain foods don't agree with you. This is different from the band. With the band, you are throwing up to dislodge food, not because you are sick to your stomach. With the bypass, some people are more sensitive than others. I know many people who don't have food sensitivities, but those people are VERY careful about what they put in their mouths. Longer recovery time, but that is because it is a more complicated surgery.
6. Bypass....by reducing the size of your stomach to the size of a fist or a large egg and then rerouting your digestive system, you can only take in a small amount of food in order to feel full. It works very fast and very well during the first 18 months or more. After that, if you have NOT pushed your portions, it will remain small. Now, since I have a band and not a bypass, I can't tell you how it feels after 18 months, but in my support group, I have heard a wide variety of responses. Many people make it a new set of habits, others still face a day to day struggle with their food addictions. Many people keep the weight off and some people gain it back...some or all. Some weight loss patients transfer their addictions to other types of addictive behavior, like shoplifting, alchohol, etc., but it is a small percentage.
7. Many of the horror stories happened during a time when the bypass was NOT being done laproscopically, meaning it was an open operations which risked a higher rate of infection. Now, there IS still a risk due to anesthesia, infection and pouch leakage. But, most doctors who have earned the rating of Bariatric Center of Excellence, use pouch leakage testing right after surgery to ensure that the pouch is properly sealed.

The main reason most people fail with weight loss surgery is that they have NOT been honest with themselves prior to surgery. They expect the surgery to do it all, or figure that once they lose the weight, they can have the pizza and cake and the hidden stash of chocolate. This is a TOOL. It is not without effort and sacrifice. It is not 100% without risk, but most people who choose these surgeries have a BMI of 40 or more and have additional health risks that, STATISTICALLY, pose a higher risk than that of the surgery.

The bypass will require you take vitamins and eat enough protein. Same with the band, but there are more side effects if you don't do so with the bypass.

If you do NOT have a BMI of 40 (35 with 2 or more co-morbidities) or are 100 pounds overweight for your height.....if you have not yo yo dieted...if you haven't seriously tried dieting, then surgery if pre-mature for you.

Falacies:
1. Everyone can lose weight the same way...psychologically. Just set your mind to it. OK, well, if you've lost that same 100 pounds 2 or 3 times over and over......chances are, you can use the help of wls.
2. WLS has a high rate of mortality.....False....I don't have the most recent stats, but bands have a very small rate and when bypasses were being done open, I believe the rate was 1% or .5%, much lower than the risks or obesity.
3. It's a "drastic" measure. The band is a 45 minute operation and both surgeries require extensive testing and evaluation prior to surgery. It will not be performed unless the doctors, psychologists and other specialists feel that a patient will be successful.
4. It's a "bad idea"......that should be left up to the doctors.

If you don't have as much weight to lose and just need a bit of help, I would choose the band because you will have to do more work yourself, which means your weight will be slower and you are more likely to make permanent habit changes. But, ask your surgeon his opinion on both of them and the pros and cons for your unique situation.

Email me if you have specific questions. And, see if you can find someone with a bypass to give you more indepth info from a personal perspective. Ask that person if they still go to support groups, if they plan their meals and make sure that they ARE following the program. If not, and they complain. It's them and not the surgery that is probably the problem. In our practice, we have lifetime nutrition support and are encouraged to make regular appointments (no charge) with the staff of nutritionists after surgery. We can attend as many as 9 support groups per month at different days and times and locations.

Good luck on your decision about whether to have surgery and, if so, which surgery you choose. (By the way, there are many support group topics on dealing with the WLS trolls and jealous friends, non-supportive friends, people who want you to fail, are misinformed about surgery, etc.....you should be sure to attend ALL of these because many people who are uninformed, think that because they have a friend or co-worker or even a few of them, makes them "informed", and do not realize that there is much more than hearsay to being truly "informed" and "educated" on wls.)

I've been to Vegas plenty of times and one thing i do know is that the house typically wins.......

so be honest, is this really something you are doing to be healthier overall, (considering all the possible negative complications) or for vanity?

Wow, is this a non-sequitur! "The House" in Vegas has NOTHING to compare to a medical procedure that has two decades of successful history. Vanity? Then all weight loss must be vanity? I am so sorry, but if anyone is tempted to accept this post as any factual or helpful information, please reconsider. While I respect others' rights to voice an opinion, but it has to at least be comparing apples to other fruits. This is compaing games of chance to a tested medical procedure. :noway:

The bypass will require you take vitamins and eat enough protein. Same with the band, but there are more side effects if you don't do so with the bypass.

If you do NOT have a BMI of 40 (35 with 2 or more co-morbidities) or are 100 pounds overweight for your height.....if you have not yo yo dieted...if you haven't seriously tried dieting, then surgery if pre-mature for you.

Gerawt Post -- just 2 comments:

1. If you have co-morbidities like diabetes, you can get approved with a bmi of 35 and be less than 100 lbs overweight. AND surgery still covers it.

2. This is the perfect time to change your goals here to include higher protein, lower carbs .. I still love protein shakes and 3 years out it would still be hard to eat 100g of protein a day for me, so I drink it.