Question:
which surgery should i get lapband or bypass i am so confused

   — whitedove (posted on January 13, 2007)


January 13, 2007
youre the only one that can answer that. it depends on how much weight you need to lose and can realistically lose, and your feelings on changing your anatomy or NOT... lots of factors. With lap band i understand the weight loss is slower and you do have to continue to get adjustments as you continue to lose weight, where as with bypass you have 1 surgery (usually) and thats it. but the choice is just something that you have to weigh out to decide.
   — _blue_

January 13, 2007
It's a personal choice and it really is according to how much weight you have to lose. My doctor told me NO to lapband. My health wasn't as good as it should be, so he told me that gastric bypass was what he was going to do. I needed to get weight off and today, not a few months down the road. I am not sorry that I took his strong suggestion, actually I am very glad I did.
   — Diane C.

January 13, 2007
I chose the laproscopic gastric bypass 6 months ago and have been SO pleased with the results! I've lost over 100lbs. (you will lose faster than with the lapband) and I don't have to go in for "fills" that are costly or have an open port on my side for the rest of my life! It's a personal choice, but I just thought you might enjoy hearing why I chose one over the other...Trish
   — zoeysgrami

January 13, 2007
I had rny 3yrs ago and have lost 160lbs.I am glad that I made that decision now because I don't know if I would have lost as much with L-band. I think rny is typically used more for those that have a greater bmi, however there are pros and cons to both that is one of the great things about this journey is , that it is yours! I think just trusting your instincts and good communication with your doctor you and he will come with exactly what is best for you. Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
   — Kissie

January 13, 2007
I had the gastri c lap band done, and truthfully IMO, it's the best choice. I personally did not want my insides rearranged, and I have seen people have to have many resections of bowels done, seen them have svere vitamin deficiencies and generally just look terrible afterward a normal bypass. I have ALSO seen normal bypass patients do just fine. BUT with the lap band, there is NOT an open port, it is under your skin, and it cannot be seen. You do not have a vitamin deficiency, because you can eat properly, even if it's very little. Yes you have to have adjustments, but only until you reach a level zone. I have had only three, and will get one more. Recovery time is A++ I had mine on a Monday and went back to work on Thursday. Weight loss is slower, but it gives your body and skin a chance to adjust to the weight loss, rather than dropping all of it at one time. Which is better. But either way I respect ANYONE who does ANY surgery because we all have made the choice to have a healthier life and body.
   — photomaker04

January 14, 2007
Trudy, I am guessing you find it confusing and almost overwhelming trying to figure out the best procedure for yourself and would love more simplicity and clarity about the direction you want to take. I felt very confused also, going through this process, and at different points was all set on a procedure only to re-evaluate and choose a different one. For better or worse, because it is your body and only you know what is most important to you, only you can make the decision. Are you willing to tolerate more surgical risk for a greater liklihood of losing more weight and keeping it off? You can get some sense of things by reading the many responses of people on the OH Forums for each type of procedure. If you need more time to figure it out, take that time. Perhaps talk it over with a neutral, interested friend to get an idea of what is most important to you. One word of advice - don't overlook the duodenal switch procedure (yes, it is the one I chose). It has many powerful advantanges, including highest probability of greatest weight loss, lowest probability of re-gain, most normal eating afterward, no dumping syndrome and ability to take aspirin and other NSAIDS afterwards. And yes, there are disadvantages - risk of nutritional deficiency if you don't take your supplements forever and surgical risk comparable to RNY. best wishes to you, Jane
   — Jane C.

January 14, 2007
I'll give you the same answer I did for another one who had a similar question. I had lap band and chose it because it seemed less invasive, less drastic and less of a change to my body. Once you have RNY there is no going back, nor is there any way to adjust it. I have lost 60 pounds since April, I'm averaging a tad over 6 pounds per month. I'm losing at a healthy rate, I'm down from a size 30 Womens pants to a 22 and almost down to the 20. I'm exercising (mostly swimming) and feeling great! So far I haven't plateaued, but I'm waiting for that. I process food naturally, I've had no hair loss or none of the other problems that can occur with RNY. I've learned to slow down my eating, take smaller bites and therefore eat much less. I have no idea how small I will eventually get. I started at about 305 and hope to get down to at least 180. If I go lower, great! My knees and hips were the reason I wanted to lose, I could hardly move around or go up and down steps. Already I feel like I'm 10 years younger! The choice is yours, but I'm 49 years old, have no other health problems so this is what I chose. So far I'm happy with my choice. Personally, I DID have about 3-4 days of being VERY sore after surgery, but once the soreness was over, I bounced back quickly. It's different for everyone. My Dr. is renowned throughout my state for this surgery AND the RNY so I could have gone either way. My only irritation is that sometimes when I exercise hard, I do feel a little soreness on the side where I have my port esp. when I do a lot of twisting or turning at the torso. It's a minor irritation, really, but it reminds me that I have a foriegn object in my body. Hopefully, it will continue to work for me and I will not develop any complications down the road. Good luck with whatever you choose. Ultimately, the decision must be yours ( I know, it's hard to choose, it took me a couple years of mulling it over), but no matter what route you take, if all goes well, you' have a new life ahead of you! You're going to lose weight no matter what you choose as long as you follow your physicians advice (at least 90% of the time, I'm not perfect esp. over the holidays) and you're going to feel great!
   — Debra R.

January 14, 2007
I chose RNY over lapband primarily because I'm an "all the way" type of person. When I commit to something of great importance, there's no going back. (Maybe that's why I've been married to the same person for over 38 years -- and it's not all been 38 years of bliss.) Lapband is easily reversible, so I was told. I did not want to get the 'easy out' procedure done so that I could not readily change my mind about the whole thing down the road when things, as they often do, get to be rough going. But that's just me. Maybe you have the opposite personality. Know yourself and decide on whats best for you. Seeking consultation with a professional (e.g., psychologist) on this matter could be very beneficial to you.
   — [Deactivated Member]

January 14, 2007
hi Trudy. This is a question that you must decide for yourself. We can only tell you about our experiences. I had RNY (bypass) in May of 2005 and I am very pleased with the results. I have lost a total of 180 lbs. I am able to eat more than when I originally had it done but still nowhere near what I was able to eat before - still very small portions. I wish you all the best. If you ever need to talk, please email me. - Shannon
   — theroses03

January 14, 2007
I nearly choose the band but went with the RNY, since pre op I LOVED high calorie liquids. like chocolate milk and shakes. Banders appear to do better when they are volume eaters..
   — bob-haller




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