What is the difference between "banding" and "bypass" surgery? My dr. recommended...

What is the difference between "banding" and "bypass" surgery? My dr. recommended banding.

Below is a link that might help, I got it from the main forum board... http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/amos/a,messageboard/action,replies/board_id,4856/cat_id, 4456/topic_id,3199837/ Debra P

Hi Noreen What I tell people about the difference between Bypass and Banding depends on the individuals eating habits and whether or not they want something foreign inside them or there insides all twisted around. First you have to look at your eating habits. If you have bad eating habits such as sweets, junk foods, cakes etc, and feel that you have no control, then the I personally would not chose the Band. That was my issue. Because with the band you can still have all that stuff and not get sick. With the bypass, having that type of eating habits could make you very sick. I personally felt that I wanted something to control me. FOr the first 7-8 months it worked. If I ate something that I was not allowed to have, I would get sick and get the dumping syndrome which comes in different types of symptoms. After that, I discovered I can eat junk food and tolerate high sugars. But that is not the case for everyone. Some people go through life never able to tolerate sugars. So everyone is different. You basically have to figure out what type of eating habits you have and what will work best for you. That you should discuss with your surgeon or nutritionist. Plus you have to factor in, your age. My cousin had 200 pounds to lose. Today is his one yr anniv and he has lost 97 pounds on the band. He chose the band only because of his age. He was 68 at the time. Good luck on your choice and if you have any questions, please feel free to email me anytime. Thanks, Marie

Weight loss surgery can be broken up into 2 main categories: Restriction and Malabsorbtion. Restrictive surgeries, reduce the amount of food you eat at one time. The lap band and the VSG both restrict the amount of food you can eat at one time. They require strict adherence to a diet and exercise regime for the rest of your life to make them successful. Then there is the RNY which is mostly restrictive with a bit of malabsorbtion. So not only are you restricted to eating a smaller portion, but some of what you are eating doesn't get absorbed by your body, because part of your small intestines are "bypassed". After 2 years (what is referred to as the honeymoon period), strict adherence to diet and exercise are necessary to make this surgery a long term success. Just like any other malabsorbtive surgery, suppliments and annual blood work are a lifetime commitment. Then there are malabsorbtive surgeries that have a bit of restriction. The Duodenal Switch is a combination of the VSG (the stomach is made smaller), and an intestinal "bypass". Initially after surgery, the stomach size is small, due to swelling, but after the stomach heals, people can eat normal size protions of food. About 80 percent of the small intestine is bypassed, therefore only about 20 percent of the fat you eat and 50 percent of the protein you eat are absorbed. While the long term successs of this surgery is statistically better then all of the other WLS currently available, strict adherence to suppliments and annual blood work are required for the rest of your life. Scott