Band or Bypass ???

[deeby]

Hi, i was referred by my doctor for banding and i had an appointment with a rather rude and blunt Mr Hassani ( the surgeon) yesterday, he said that he didnt think the bands worked very well and he didnt do them anymore, he would however do the bypass for me. Im a little bit confused now as i know the bypass is a lot more invasive and a lot more risk.
I have said yes to the bypass but am not sure, im feeling a little confused and worried and not sure which way to turn,
has anybody got any advice on band versus bypass ??

 

[gillabean]

My surgeon said the same thing and I am having the bypass now. I have read up loads about the two procedures and I can understand why my surgeon (Shaw Somers) suggested the bypass. My eating problem is not eating large amounts at meal times. I have a sweet tooth and, as he says, the band will not stop me eating chocolate or sweets as, once melted, they slip through the band as easily as liquid. If I eat sweets and choccies after I've had the bypass, they will go straight into the small intestine which does not like chocolate and stuff. It will tell you that it doesn't like chocolate and stuff by making you feel really ill. Drastic I know, but that is what I need as I have zilch will-power. I want to be able to eat normal food, just not pig out.

There is loads of information on the inter-web, just trawl through it. Good luck.

 

[deeby]

Hi Gillabean
Thanks so much for your advice, it seems my surgeon was right as i, like you, love my sweet stuff !!! i also have no will power what so ever which is why ive got this big in the first place, i'm ok for about a month tops and do really well then i cant do it and i hit the fridge and goody cupboard like a herd of locusts lol.
Oh well bypass it is :S, i just hope i dont die on the op table, couldnt bare to leave my kids mumless
Thanks for your advice xx

 

[gillabean]

Oh Lord, don't get me going on the 'leaving the children' thing. I always choke when I think about my children anyway. When they were little I broke my leg very badly and had to have surgery etc., whenever I thought of the boys I broke down in tears as I was a single parent and thought they'd be little orphans!

 

[fatbutnot4eva]

hi
my dr (mr ammouri) said exactly the same but not because of sweet food as i dont eat it but I have pcos and he said bands dont work well with pcos as they do not cure the other side effects (but I can get over that) i like big portions and savoury food and after a night of heartache and a long email Mr Ammouri changed his mind and will do the Band.
I think that you have to research both the bypass and band and decide which one suits you as a person and what your reasons are for your size etc..... I only wanted teh band but have to say being told NO to it it did leave me thinking oh well I will fight for my band but if I cant have it then it will have to be the bypass.

Many surgeons see people after they have had tehir bands fitted and have to bypass them in the end. BUT this % is not everyone who has a band. When I went to see Mr Ammouri there was a lady in the foyer who had a band and was hoping to have a bypass as she said she can still eat a full packet of biscuits no problem. I didnt say anything to her but why on earth would she want to do that why woudl she go through having teh band to eat a full packet of biscuits ????

good luck with whatever you choose xxx

 

[Caroline101061]

If your op is done laproscopically, which it probably will be, its not invasive, its not particularly high risk - mortality rate is 1/100 and its usually from complications post surgery rather than on the table. I was in and out of hospital in 48 hours and felt no pain - literally! They will do every test possible to ensure that you are as fit as you can be to undergo surgery and if you are not then they wont operate. Just do everything you are told to by your surgical team prior to the op and you will be fine. Good luck.

 

[iinklii]

I thought the band would be less invasive, but as time went on, the more I learned about the band the less did it seem to be the lesser of 2 evils. Firstly you'll always have a foreign body within, secondly all those fills and all the toing and froing that entails. But then I started to hear words like slippage and erosion and ulcers and hernias, and became less and less convinced that it really was the way forward.

I felt that once it was done~with the bypas~ it really was done and dusted, but the band didn't seem quite so... er... sussinct. Also, now I don't know if this is reflected every where, but my hospital support group has a small but vocal selection of unhappy banders trying to get a conversion. Don't get me wrong there are happy banders there too, but the unhappy ones are perhapes just a bit more disconcerting.

I also felt that my surgeon was of the same opinion, but loath to say so, until right at the end when I finally got the big OK apt, he said that the psych evaluation didn't recomend the band, so that was that. I think if I had to do it solo I still woudn't be moving to thinland.

Good luck making your mind up. And remember, there are no wrong desicions only choices

 

[thinkbethin]

This is a personal choice and whichever you choose you will have risks.Research all you can on both procedures and see how you feel then.Good luck and hope you can make a comfortable decisionxxx

 

[deeby]

Thank you alll so much for your advice , its been really helpfull. I think i know deep down its the right thing for me just a little nervous which is understandable i suppose.

I've been big for so long now it almost seems surreal that maybe i wont be big forever, i almost don't want to allow myself to believe its going to happen because i'd be so heartbroken if it didn't work, but i'm starting to allow myself to believe it.

Ive been looking at before and after pictures and am so inspired that it CAN happen and it CAN happen for me too, it would be so fantastic to be able to do things that other people do without feeling really self conscious and like theres a big spot light on me saying 'hey. look at the fatty ' lol. Its going to be a long waiting game as my surgeon has told me theres a 12 month waiting list but hey, ive been waiting for years to finally 'do it' anyway so whats another year
Thanks again to you all , i really appreciate your help xxxx