Lap Band vs. bypass

Hey all! I am new here. I have started the process of trying to get Lap-Band. However, yesterday, I did the psychological eval and the nutrition eval and both suggested bypass to me. The PA for the MD did as well. I am really not sure which to chose. I have never had a procedure before, so that whole piece bothers me. How did you guys chose Lap- Band over bypass?

I had a revision from lapband to RNY this past September. You will find on this form that there is a certain "surgery wars" game going on from time to time. As a person who's had both I can tell you I'm much happier with my RNY, then I was with the band, and so far am much more successful. That being said, there are plenty of people out there who've been successful with he band, I wasn't one of them. I would listen to your psych exam and the PA.
  Both surgeries have their ups and downs, but the goal is to be successful.
  Good luck

I choose the CRAP-BAND because I fell for that "least invasive" B.S. Worst mistake I could have made! After 17 fills, I NEVER got restriction. It is very common for bandsters to not get restriction. Most Drs. however do not tell you that BEFORE you get the band! :-(

Also consider that many Drs. now are refusing to do the band because of all the complications post-op. That should tell you something right there!

I would not recommend the band to my worst enemy!

Bypass all the way! I had lapband started having issues/complications 7 months out and suffered for another year before revising to bypass and I'm very very happy.

RUN away from the band and follow their suggestion for bypass!

 I've already been the band route, and wish I would have done more research before going under the knife instead of believing the stuff that the band manufacturers put out there, or the surgeons selling them.

I'm working on a revision to sleeve or DS and wouldn't consider the RNY as it doesn't preserve your pyloric valve, which can lead to a whole slew of problems, and you can't take NSAIDs for pain with it EVER again. No way. The sleeve and DS seem to be the top surgeries now, and it's worth the trouble to research them.

That's a good point you brought up about the NSAIDS. Even if one is not on them now, you never know how soon in the future you might need them. They keep wanting to prescribe them to me now b/c of my back and knees. There are many factors to consider when choosing WLS.

Hope you get the revision soon!!!

I had the lap-band about a year ago and have been very dissapointed with my results, if I had to do it over again I would have the bypass.  Good luck to you and your decision

Hi,
I chose the lapband because I have always been a great dieter, but a huge volume eater.  Yes I even gained weight at WW and Jenny Craig. LOL

I have been very happy with my journey so far.  I lost 100lbs in a year, 16 the next and have gained back 15 due to letting sugar back into my life.  My goal weight is to loose a total of 125lbs and I have no excuse to not get there soon.

I have made a commitment to get sugar out of my life and to cut back on the carbs and the weight is coming off again.  7lbs gone YEAH!!

I went into this surgery hoping to get some help with my dieting effort and the band has been perfect for me achieving this.

All surgeries have there good and bad points.  All I know is that every time I walk out of my local support group meeting - I thank the lord that I have the band. 

What can I say - SO FAR SO GOOD.

 Hi Five Bubbles, I agree!

You'll find a lot of folks here who make it their mission to talk anyone out of having a lap band, ever. In the end, the decision really needs to be yours, not what a bunch of strangers on a message board tell you. All WLS have risks associated with them, from the risk of not losing much weight or regaining weight to the risk of scary complications, such as intestinal strictures, vitamin deficiencies, slips, and the need for revisions. In the end, you need to look at what the risks are for both surgery types and decide what risks and how much risk is acceptable to you. You also need to consider opther factors, such as what kind of eater you are, as those factors can have a big impact on your ability to succeed with one surgery versus another. You also need to talk with your surgeon to get an iea of what they feel is the best option for you and your health concerns. There's no easy answer that any of us can supply. 
Also, lurk around for a few days at least on each forum and try to get a sense of the kinds of issues that get posted about on each. it's not an accurate reflection of either surgery necessarily, but it may help you come up with questions to ask your surgeon to further help you arrive at a decision.