Gastric Bypass Vs. Lap-band

If i could go back i would not have any surgery (had gastric bypass) but if I had the choice i would do Lap Band, recovery is better and it is less invasive. Feel free to email me is any othe rquestions

My neighbor is having a lot of trouble with her band. Seeing that, it's not something I would consider.

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!

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.

Lap band isn't really less invasive. You will forever have a foreign body inside of yours which will eventually have to be revised, replaced, or removed during your lifetime. They need constant adjustment and attention, and many lap band patients eventually turn to a more permanent answer for weight loss. So, if you want to commit to a lifestyle change that is permanent and final, you'll want to look at the sleeve or bypass. The gastric sleeve procedure is laproscopic, leaves a smaller version of your own stomach intact, but it's much smaller (80% smaller). This surgery has less complications, and does not involve removing or re-routing your intestinal system.......thus you have less intolerance to foods and other malabsorption issues. If you have a large amount of weight to lose, 100 pounds or more, you'll do better in the long run with one the sleeve or bypass. Good luck in your decision!!:bigsmile:

Also, I'm asking for people who have had either surgery, not for the opinions of those who are agaisnt it. If all you're going to do is tell me not to get the surgery, then kindly keep your comments to yourself. Thanks.

^^ Agreed! That irks the hell out of me!

I reccomended Obesity help above. I had the sleeve September 2010. It was the best surgery choice for me. I did not want to deal with the complications of the band and did not want to deal with the malabsorption of bypass especially since after a few years your body compensates and stops malabsorbing calories, but malabsorbs nutrients for life..

I did get off to a rough start. I had trouble following all the reccomendations because all of the weird things that can happen did happen to me. I developed acid reflux, lactose intolerance, my body did not tolerate ketosis, my palate could not stomach the taste of artificial sweeteners, especially things like crystal light, I did not tolerate the supplements, plain water hurt my stomach for months.

Even with all these challenges and slow weightloss, I would do it all over again. My only concern is that the sleeve is not reversible, but I am pretty sure I do not want any portion of my stomach back!

I work at a weight loss surgery office. If you have a large amount of weight to lose, you will want to look into the sleeve or bypass. They are much more effective. So many of our patients have "buyers remorse" after having the band placed due to slow or not much weight loss. Previous posters are correct, the band requires much more maintenance than the other two procedures.

I would however suggest that you really look at the root of your weight problem. As someone else stated, you still need to change your mind set toward food and adopt great discipline for any of these procedures to work. Good Luck!

I have a close friend who did the sleeve and has lost 160 and looks great! Its only been 6 months and he has completely changed his life

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!

AGREED! There are hundreds of people on MFP who have done this without the help of surgery. You can too!

Have you heard of the gastric sleeve, it has less side effects than the gastric bypass and better results than the lap band. My insurance required I see a dietician for 6 months before having any surgery. She recommended I log my food with MFP and I now have hope I won't have to have surgery with all the inspiring people I have for motivation on this site!

I do not respond to posts very often, but when it comes to this topic I like to share my experience. I was very active, worked out, danced and was in shape in high school. My mother died 2months before I graduated HS, and I started gaining weight. I then moved from CA to NV and my life changed drastically! I then met my husband a couple years later, I was 190. By the time I got married I was 300lbs. I was okay with this for awhile, we tried to have kids, doc told me to lose weight, did WW, lost 40lbs in 3 months, got pregnant, had my son. Well then I was miserable, when he was 2 I had Lap Band, I was SOOOO SCARED of Gastric Bypass, Everything seemed great, lost 40lbs in one month! Then realized I could eat less and less everyday without even getting a fill. Went to the ER, I was dehydrated, very weak and sickly. They put a camera down my throat and the hole for food to go down was the size of a ball point pen! The Doctor nicked me and I had scar tissue on the inside and out of my stomach. Had the band removed and was pissed! Had another band put in 6 months later. Lost weight VERY slowly, even with following diet to a T, if not everything comes up, so I was very careful! Got down to about 230lbs, after 2 years, then got pregnant again. After she was born, I wanted to get back on track right away, starting getting fills and NO weight loss, started the process to see what was wrong, my band had moved from the pregnancy. I then got scheduled for the Vertical Sleeve, had the surgery and because the band had destroyed my stomach so much I then had a hole in my stomach and an infection thru out my entire body. I was now on my DEATH bed, with tw kids at home! I was in the hospital for 6 weeks, very sick, nothing tio eat or drink, just hooked up to IV! I had drains in my abdomen, down my nose, and one in my back to drain fluid out of my lungs! I was drugged up all day long, dry heaving all day! Then had a splint put down my throat (another surgery), had 2 more surgeries while in the hospital to try and repair my stomach. I lost 40 pounds sitting in the hospital bed. Then got to come home with the care of a nurse and a pic line in my arm, to feed me at night. Was still on antibiotics thru a drip 6 hours a day, could not move off the couch! Still had a drain that I had to clean everyday! I did this for 3 more months while they could not figure out why my stomach would not heal! Still at home, I could not EAT or DRINK ANYTHING for 3 months. The END result was Gastric Bypass surgery, they had to remove most of my stomach to get all the destroyed section out. I then got to start eating and drinking, weeks later. I now have an incisional hernia, on the scar on my stomach that is 1 inch thick and 10 inches long, along with the other FOURTEEN scars on my stomach. I am DEATHLY afraid to have surgery again to repair the hernia, so I live with this GIANT thing coming out of my stomach, looking like I am 8 months pregnant. Sorry for the LONG story, but just wanted to give you some history as to what happened to me. Moral of the story, I am CONSTANTLY on a DIET, STILL! I am now 240lbs, and counting calories and it is working! I STRUGGLE everyday being a Stay at home mom and all the temptations, but I would rather do it the old fashion way than EVER go thru that again! Whatever you choose, I hope it works for you and you succeed, losing weight is so hard, and I wish the best for all struggling with it everyday!!!

Option 3: Gastric sleeve. The Dr. actually removes about 2/3 of your stomach leaving you with a stomach about the size of a small banana. Lap band is a foreign body that your body could reject and it could move or detach inside. Gastic bypass seems pretty extreme and the "dumping" syndrome doesn't sound like fun either. I am currently going thru classes so I can get the gastric sleeve. Have already lost 50+ pounds on my own, but want the sleeve to help for the rest of my life.

I will tell you that I had the RNY Gastric Bypass in 2009 and I lost 140 lbs rather quickly. I was a regular on the California board in Obesityhelp.com and had so much support and continue to maintain friendship and support with many of the people there. In fact I am visiting with them in a meeting this Saturday morning.

I did a lot of research between the 2 surgeries as the Gastric sleeve was not covered by my insurance since it was so new at that time. I chose gastric bypass because of the immediate benefits it presented to my conditions. I came out of the hospital off my meds. If I had had lap band, I would have had to lose the weight first to get the same results. It is some biological factor in the re-routing of the organs.

I had 2 friends do the lap-band and in both cases, had trouble with it and in the last year have had the band taken out and had the sleeve surgery. The band slipped , they got super sick and it just didn't do well for them.

My RNY saved my life, literally since I had so many co-morbidities (high blood pressure, severe sleep apnea, just turned the corner for diabetes) and at the time and could barely walk or sleep. I don't think I would have lived much longer had it not been for the RNY.

It is true that the surgery is not a miracle cure, but it is a very helpful tool to get you to a place where you can actually walk and exercise and put it all into a daily routine. I still have more to lose and I am working on it diligently though the further out from surgery you are, the harder it gets. I have met some people that lost tons of weight, had plastic surgery, looked and felt amazing and then regained the weight again. It Sucks!

But as for RNY.. though 2 years out I had a complication of an internal hernia and had to have it fixed through laparoscopic surgery, I would do it again if I had the choice. I am now caffeine free, soda free, coffee free, mostly sugar free and can exercise 5-6 days a week. I can walk, I can even run, I can dance, I can fit in booths and airplane seats, no extension belts.. Life is so much better!

Even though people say you can do it without surgery.. maybe you can but that is your choice, I know I couldn't have at the point I was at and it gave me my life back... now I intend to never get where I was again because I like it too much! It is a personal choice! Best wishes to you!!

Jackie