Band or Bypass???? Please help!!!!

[cheekymonkey]

Hi

Got my funding approved just over a month ago and I had my 1st appointment last week at Salford Royal (Hope Hospital) and met Dr Syed, didn't get to meet Dr Ammouri as he was called away from clinic.

I've got a BMI of 48 (started at 51 but as i have a condition called intercrainial Hypertension, so I was fast tracked to get the surgery done asap). I think i have decided to have the band, but Dr Syed said the bypass would be better! But i have heard so many horror stories about the bypass.

So please can anyone tell me the positive and negative stories about both the band and bypass to help me make a final decision.

 

[Sambucca]

Hi Clare and good luck with your decision.

I'm a bypasser and when I was deciding on surgery I chose bypass to help me with the volume of food I can eat and also because I like sweet food (cakes, chocolate etc) and with bypass there is the risk of dumping syndrome (feeling really poorly after eating sugary foods). I felt I would cheat the band by eating chocolate with no consequences.

Now post surgery, I have never suffered dumping syndrome and I do occasionally have chocolate etc, but such a small amount satisfies me now that I no longer have to gorge on it.

Ive lost almost 8 stones in 10 months. Ive had no complications. My before and after photos are in my profile album here



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[gillabean]

Hi Clare,
My personal experience is that I originally wanted the band as I thought the bypass was far too 'serious' an operation for me. My surgeon suggested the bypass in order to battle my sweet tooth. I am soooooooooooo pleased I followed his advice. I know now that I'd have failed with the bypass as my will-power is tissue thin and with the bypass the weight has just fallen off. So all I can say is that I love my bypass. Good luck with deciding, it's a very important decision, so take your time.

 

[Gail-michelle]

I went for the bypass as I had 100lb plus to lose, It does come off far quicker than the band and like sam says it depends if you are a volume eater, sweet tooth, etc. Mr Ammori is a god on this forum and you certainly wont go wrong in what he advices. I originaly was opting for the band but he adviced me for the gastric bypass. Any op including the anasthetic is ify but just stick to all the rules given to you and I can assure you that you will not go wrong. I was out the next morning with no pain and I took no morphine whilst in the spire, But like everyone says no two peeps having surgery are the same. Good Luck on what you decide. Kind regards Gail x

 

[angie790]

I think i have decided to have the band, but Dr Syed said the bypass would be better! But i have heard so many horror stories about the bypass.

So please can anyone tell me the positive and negative stories about both the band and bypass to help me make a final decision.

Hi there, firstly welcome to the forum! I'm waiting for a bypass, so I can't really offer advice from personal experience !
This question is quite a hard one, as a decision like this is highly personal.
However, what I can say is, if you take the time to navigate yourself around this forum, you will find oodles of positive accounts of people who have kindly taken the time to share their experiences of their successful bypasses. Of course, there are some who had had bad experiences & complications, but agin, shared in a positive way & I personally feel it helps those of us waiting to make a more informed decision. Generally though, I think even those who start out with bad bypass experiences eventually end up luuuuuurving their bypass!
You could look at it a different way. What is the driving factor behind you having the surgery? Ok, I know you are thinking: stupid bint...to lose weight of course!!!, but what I'm getting at is, is it health-driven or is the WLS because you have had enough of being big without health-related problems? You mentioned intercranial hypertension, which I believe can be triggered & exacerbated by obesity. If this is the case, then a bypass may be preferable. The reason for this is although over a 2 year period, the actual weight loss acheived with a bypass or band can be very similar, generally weight comes off quicker in the first few months with a bypass, so it would be of better health benefit to you to therefore choose a bypass.
Despite all that, really the best advise I can offer is to go with what your surgeon suggests. He really is the most qualified to decide what would be best for you based on your medical history & current needs.
Good luck in whatever you decide & keep us updated! xxx

 

[phatmomma]

I had my bypass 4 weeks ago and although it was done 'open' i have never once wished i hadn't had it!

Years ago i wanted a band and at the time Mr Paul Super over in Birmingham advised against it and said the bypass would suit my volume eating and the fact that i can eat sweets n chocolate till they are coming out my ears! As Sam says the fear of 'dumping syndrome' has kept me away from them. I also am type 2 diabetic and within 10 days of my surgery my blood sugars had gone from 13 to 9, my gp will test my hba (bloods cant remember all the letters lol) again in Sept when we are both expecting for me to stop taking my metformin as my diabetes is in remission...

Not to be negative against the band, there are some awesome banders on this site. But knowing a band can fail and the fact that weight loss with the band is 30% band and 70% you were a big indicator for me. With the bypass the figures are reversed....

I love my bypass xx

 

[seawaves]

Hi i first went into wls wanting a band but after having several meetings it was clear that i would cheat on a band, i have a major sweet tooth!!
I also have around 12stone to lose so all round the bypass seems the better option, my op is in september, best wishes with whatever u decide

 

[Mazza]

Not to be negative against the band, there are some awesome banders on this site. But knowing a band can fail and the fact that weight loss with the band is 30% band and 70% you were a big indicator for me. With the bypass the figures are reversed....

Any form of WLS can 'fail' and all require commitment to follow a healthy eating / living regime to suceed. The percentages lost over a two year period are very similar, bearing in mind that most but not all bypassers tend to be heavier to start with:

Studies show that on average, people lose between 66–75% of their excess weight in the two years after gastric bypass surgery.

What Are The Adverse Health Effects Of Roux Gastric Bypass?

Health complications after roux bypass are not uncommon, but the severity is lower than after many other bariatric procedures. Health dangers and side-effects of roux-en-Y bypass may include: premature death, anastamotic leakage, anastamotic stricture, nutritional deficiencies, problems with gastric staples, dumping syndrome, diarrhea and temporary hair loss. All these post-op health complications must be balanced against the known risks of morbid or super-obesity, which the roux gastric bypass helps to alleviate or cure.

About 10-20 percent of patients undergoing stomach bypass require follow-up operations to correct complications, the most common complaints being abdominal hernias.
More than one-third of patients who have gastric bypass surgery develop gallstones.
Complication rates in the early post-operative period, such as infection, dehiscence, leaks from staple breakdown, stomal stenosis, ulcers and deep thrombo-phlebitis may be as high as ten percent or more. However, the combined risk of the most serious complications (gastrointestinal leak and deep venous thrombosis) is less than one per cent.
Over the long term, the health complications of gastric bypass may include a variety of conditions and problems. According to one 14-year follow-up study of stomach bypass patients, the morbidity rates were as follows: vitamin B12 deficiency (39.9 percent), incisional hernia, (23.9 percent), depression (23.7 percent), staple line failure (15 percent), gastritis ( 13.2 percent), cholecystitis (11.4 percent), anastomotic problems (9.8 percent), dehydration malnutrition (5.8 percent), dilated pouch (3.2 percent).

Studies show that on average, people lose between 50–65% of their excess weight in the two years after placement of a gastric band.



What Are The Health Complications Of Gastric Banding?

• Possible post-op complications include:
  - Ulceration.
  - Gastritis (irritated stomach tissue).
  - Erosion (the band may erode the tissue on the outside of the stomach and enter the gastric lumen).
  - Incisional infection
  - Incision pain
  - Leakage from band.
  - Port site pain
  - Port displacement
  - Slippage/Pouch dilation (part of the stomach may prolapse over the band causing an obstruction).
  - Constipation
  - Dysphagia
  - Diarrhea
  - Gastroesophageal reflux
  - Nausea and/or vomiting
  - Productive Burping, regurgitation of swallowed food

I had a band because I had a relatively smaller amount to lose, I was a volume eater and I dont really have a sweet tooth. I have lost over 65% of my excess weight and Im still losing, Ihave no regrets about my decision.

Good luck with what is ultimatley your decision x

 

[Gavspark]

Hi hope this might help you, I was advised to have a bypass back in 2008 but like you
I decided it was to serious an operation and opted for the band against some peoples advise, this cost me dearly not only in money but in mental tourcher, after 8 mnths having been banded it seemed to stop working I stopped getting restriction, and began to pile on the weight, now as I said I was advised by some wls providers that banding was not the right option for me but then the provider I went with which at the time only did bands talked me around by saying as long as I worked with the band it was a fine option well wat he really meant was really I had to but as much effort into the band as a conventuals diet would take well the reason I was having op was I had the will power of a nat And after exploration into the non restriction of my band descovered by my malladaptive eating and continued over eating I created another stomach above the band rendering the band useless !! Yes my fault effectivly but all the other wls providers were right they know the signs they know the best for use listen to them, well I in the end had to go to Italy to have an experimental procdure done call a bandinario or billio pancratic diversion without gastric preservation with a band!! So I still have a band for 65% restriction and no stomach and stortened intestines for 90% malapsorbtion in total the 2 operation with everything has cost nearly £30,000 were as if I had listerened to the 99% of advise icwould have had a straight forward bypass costing £10,000 and the added stress of a high risk operation with some very unfriendly side effects and noone having had this operation other than another one person before me to giveme any information wat to expect!! If you really want advise mine to you is " listern to your consultant" he or she really will only be advising you for ur best intrests !! hope all goes well mate gav

 

[poo bear]

Hi , welcome to the site i hope you find it helpful.Good luck with your decision Marie.:welcome2:

 

[keeley86]

Hi, i was just reading your post and noticed you have intracranial hypertension. i also have this disorder. i have my first appointment at royal derby hosital on tuesday to disguss surgery. at 1st i was thinking more along the lines of a band but as time has gone by and ive looked into it more and more im swaying towards a bypass and i am also a chocolate loverand have no will power to be able to work with a band, i feel i would cheat a band and i dont want to go through the pain of surgery and then to cheat it. is the pressure putting strain on your eyes? add me on facebook if you like im keeley newton it would be nice to have a chat. x

 

[cheekymonkey]

Thank you all so much for all your advice, i really have a lot to think about it......i know i must think long and hard, as i've got to make the right decision.

Thank you all again

xx