lapband or gastric bypass

Went to my 1st weight management class and I'm finding myself torn between the lapband and gastric bypass.  I went into class wanting lapband, but not getting the warm fuzzies I needed to hear from our educators.  Anyways, I thought I'd just throw this out to all of you brave souls that have gone on the have surgery.   Thanks! Joyce 

I had the bipass (RNY) myself.  I did speak to my surgeon (Dr Fedorak) regarding the lap band... however, the first thing you need to think about is that the Lap-band is relatively new.  No one has been walking around for years on end to know what the life long risks (if any) there are with the lapband inside of you.   Now something that easily made me choose the standard old RNY gastric is that the LapBand results aren't comparable to the gastric.  With the LapBand your weight loss is slower, and the end result usually isn't as great as it can be with the gastric.   They say with the LapBand you have really good recovery, however, speaking for myself I felt FANTASTIC within days after leaving the hospital.  So I'm not so sure about the LapBand having a faster recovery time. Now one reason that my girlfriend is thinking of doing the LapBand is that with gastric I can't take tylenol or alleve, they're too harsh on my tiny tummy pouch.  And for her when she gets migraines Alleve is the only thing that helps her.   So these are just some additional items to think about and to discuss with your surgeon. I wish you the very best of luck regardless which path you decide.  You'll know what's right for you!!! : o)

Thank you so much for your input.  It help alot.  I will definitely discuss this when I meet with the surgeon, but you insight has helped me so much!    = :  )

Hi, Joyce, A few questions:  Who's your surgeon?  What insurance do you have?  I'm also from the Denver area, insured by Kaiser, and I just learned there's a new surgeon being credentialed who also does the vertical gastric sleeve.  After reading up on the surgeries and their various benefits and drawbacks, I'm pretty well convinced the VSG is the best option for me.  Kaiser doesn't  officially offer VSG yet, but I just met with the Doc at the Weight management center and he tells me that if Kaiser approves me for WLS, the choice of procedure is up to me and my surgeon.   Don't know if you really wanted to have to think about a third option, but there may be one.  The more I read about it, and the more I read the VSG message board and how happy those who've had it are with their procedure, the more convinced I am that this is best for me. Lisa

Oh dear!   A third option?!??!?!?  Well, Dr Chae is one of the surgeons.  I'll be attending my 2nd class on Monday night.  Oy!  Decisions, decisions, decisions!  I  have Kaiser so I may do a little more follow up on the vsg.  Thank you so much for your input. Joyce

Hi Joyce, This is a decision only you can make, but I can tell you my experiences with the lap band. I love it!!! I am 6 months out today, and am down about 64 lbs.  The things I love about it is that I can still enjoy some sweets every now and then, it is adjustable so if I am able to eat more and not stay full for several hours I can go get alittle fill.  It is less dangerous( in my opinion). After 2 years, the weightloss is the same with Rny and the band.  It can be slower in the beginning but I like that people who don't know me well aren't shocked to see me after several months.  They think that I have been doing it without surgery.  Some people just don't need to know.  If for some horrible reason I had to have it removed, it is possible.  I would put up a fight though! They have been doing the band in other countries alot longer than here in the US, so there are long term studies for the band. I am able to eat most foods, but do have trouble with breads and pastas.  Which is ok with me, since that was part of my problem in the first place. After care is very important with the band since you will have to go back for fills so make sure your dr. is good about that.  Do all the research that you can and talk with your dr to decide which surgery is best for you, and like another person said, check into the sleeve too.    Good luck with your decision! Chrissy

Thank you for getting back to me.  All the info I've been receiving has just been wonderful. I'll keep everyone posted on my decision and progress. Thanks again! Joyce

Usually when this question is brough up there is battle! Gastric bypass - RNY patients are vigorusly for their procedure. Lap band patients are vigorusly for their procedure. It is a very personal decision and an important one. Read as much research, personal stories, talk to your doctor and your surgeon. Also remember that if you are talking to a lap band surgeon...then the information will lean in that direction, the same for a gastric bypass patient. I had orginally wanted a lap band also...I decided to have the gastric bypass because most US surgeons are not experienced enough with the lap band surgery for my comfort. Most lap band patients do not lose as much as the average gastric bypass patient. The lap band can be un-filled and is too flexible in my opinion...I don't want something I can turn off, I need something that is permanent, so my weight loss will be also. The lap band's manufacturer's website specially states that they do not know how long the band will be able to stay in someone's body and there is a likelyhood that it will have to be replaced or removed at some point due to rejection issues. I didn't like the idea of a foreign body inside of me. But it is werid to have two stomachs! In RNY they do not remove your old larger stomach. I still like the aspect that the lap band is an in and out procedure. I had intense pain with my RNY. Both are still surgeries and have complication risks. Both still require dramatic life style changes. I think which procedure you will be most comfortable with living with is the most important thing. I think most people are happy with the choice they make...but there are alot of cases where people had a lap band revised to a gastric bypass. There are also TONS and TONS of sucess stories of lap banders (and with gastric bypass). Good luck with your decision.

Thank you so much for your input.  Today I decided to go with the RNY...but I'll probably change my mind again.  It seems the RNY is the way to go.  I'm not too thrilled with having a foreign object in my body and having to do all that follow-up with the saline fills.   Thanks again.  I'll keep ya posted!! Joyce  : )

Well it's ok to change your mind. But make sure you are 100% sure before you have whichever procedure done. Either procedure requires alot of changes and hard work after the surgery date is past. Good luck with everything.