New Here! GASTRIC BY-PASS OR GASTRIC BAND?

[EMPRESS PAULA]

Hi Paula
I had made up my mind what i wanted before i even went to my GP - i was so anxious that they wouldn't listen to me that i felt the need to go armed with loads of facts & statistics etc (i'm sooo anally retentive - lol) As it was, i didn't need to - my GP was great !
I have had my group info session with my surgery team and got the impression that the decision on which to go for is up for exploration and will be made jointly by you and your surgeon based on your weight loss needs & risks but also taking into consideration your wishes / fears etc. Your surgeon will help you to decide, but do lots of research in advance.
I chose the bypass for several reasons
1. i was 21 stone at first and had developed high blood pressure so i wanted a quicker initial loss to get that under control
2. i felt that the band required more inner willpower than the bypass and i just dont feel that i have enough for that - i need extra deterrents ! (also i dont think i could emotionally face another diet failure so i wanted the more extreme option)
I also wanted the option to change my mind (i.e have the band removed) taken away from me - god i am so weak !!
3. although quantity is an issue for me, my greatest vice is my sugar cravings (i have PCOS which makes me insulin resistant). Although the dumping syndrome some people get with the bypass sounds horrific i think i need this to help me to overcome this vice!
Its an interesting subject as there are so many varying opinions and there are fabulous success stories for both options.
Ultimately it all depends on what you and your surgeon think is right and most beneficial to you.
Good luck with whatever you choose - keep us posted

Hi
Thankyou so much for your message. It was great and i can understand your reasons completley, i do also think the by pass is possible best for me, but i am very worried about being so drastic. Like yourself i am concerned about the fact i would not have the inner willpower with the band. Decisions! Decisions! Yes will definatley stay in touch, i realise it is going to be a long road as i have approx 10 stone to lose and i am very grateful for finding this forum xx Have you had the op yet?? xx

 

[thinkbethin]

Hi Paula, I'm pre op for banding as I'm too scared to have the bypass.Its not a sweet tooth I've got its savouries, and I have big portions.A dinner to me is not right if I can see the plate lol, so the band will be the best option for me. I need to have portion control and realise that A small plate will do the job and that I can leave some on the plate when I'm full and not try and cram it all in.I know its going to be hard work but a life time of different diets was hard work. This time I will be able to keep it off so the hard work will be worth it knowing it aint coming back if I work with the band and not against it.I really hope you make the right decision and talking to your surgeon will enable you to do that. Good luck xx Gaynor xx

 

[EMPRESS PAULA]

Hi Paula
I had made up my mind what i wanted before i even went to my GP - i was so anxious that they wouldn't listen to me that i felt the need to go armed with loads of facts & statistics etc (i'm sooo anally retentive - lol) As it was, i didn't need to - my GP was great !
I have had my group info session with my surgery team and got the impression that the decision on which to go for is up for exploration and will be made jointly by you and your surgeon based on your weight loss needs & risks but also taking into consideration your wishes / fears etc. Your surgeon will help you to decide, but do lots of research in advance.
I chose the bypass for several reasons
1. i was 21 stone at first and had developed high blood pressure so i wanted a quicker initial loss to get that under control
2. i felt that the band required more inner willpower than the bypass and i just dont feel that i have enough for that - i need extra deterrents ! (also i dont think i could emotionally face another diet failure so i wanted the more extreme option)
I also wanted the option to change my mind (i.e have the band removed) taken away from me - god i am so weak !!
3. although quantity is an issue for me, my greatest vice is my sugar cravings (i have PCOS which makes me insulin resistant). Although the dumping syndrome some people get with the bypass sounds horrific i think i need this to help me to overcome this vice!
Its an interesting subject as there are so many varying opinions and there are fabulous success stories for both options.
Ultimately it all depends on what you and your surgeon think is right and most beneficial to you.
Good luck with whatever you choose - keep us posted

Hi
Thanks so much for your advice it was very helpful, i also read your blog! (cause you read mine and i am just as nosey!). I am currently in favour of the band still, as like i said the by-pass just seems too drastic for me. In the meantime i realise i may have quite a wait after reading everyones info and wont be sorted in the next few months like i imagined, which gives me time to get my head round it much more and tackle the fact that my food diary tells me i am grossly overeating eveything in site at mo - so i might as well get on the diet tip - now which one??!!! Oh here i go again!! xx Thanks for the friend request , keep in touch

 

[EMPRESS PAULA]

Hi Paula ,

What you have to remember is each and everyone of us are different,we all have our reasons as everyone has already said to have WLS surgery.
For me i went to see my doctor as i was 24 and a half stone and creeping steadily upto 25st,i was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes a few years ago which they said was related to being over weight and i always had high blood pressure,along with regular fasting blood test to check my liver,so enough was enough.
I was refered to see the biatric surgeon and within weeks,there i was sat in front of a total stranger telling him my eating habits and reasons and excuses why i ate that way.
My bmi was border line for a band or bypass and i decided that knowing what i was like i would go for the bypass as i knew the band could be removed and i would get "comfy" again and my bad eating habits could return and i didnt want that.
Unfortunately my years of bad eating habits had a knock on effect for me as when i went for surgery the surgeon couldnt do anything as my liver was dripping fat (his words)so i was sown back up again (luckily op was by keyhole ).
Not too be beaten and determined too lose weight i needed a tool that would help me so i asked if i could have a gastric balloon fitted,he agreed and now 6 months later and 3 and a half stone later,my bloods are fine,my blood pressure is down and i feel i have so much more energy.
I have been back to see my biatric surgeon and he has agreed i can have another operation but this time i have asked if i can have a gastric sleeve as it doesnt seem as obtrusive.
I have my balloon out on the 30th april and hopefully will have lost a little more weight as i have my pre-med in the afternoon so fingers crossed everything will be ok.

Sorry for waffling on but i just wanted to the post my reason for the way i have done things .

What ever you decide to do good luck and keep us posted .

Di

Hi
Crikey! Thanks so much for the info, i suffer from a few illnesses and i had a liver test only last week and i know things are not right as i have stabbing pains in that region. What an interesting story, do they still do the balloon technique then? I thought that was not an option anymore - something else for me to look into!! Congrats on loosing so much weight - you must be so happy! As for the gastric sleeve, what is that is that the same as the band?? sorry if sound dim, i did not knwo about that either. Great to hear from you and you was not waffling, its interesting reading xx

 

[EMPRESS PAULA]

Hi Paula, I'm pre op for banding as I'm too scared to have the bypass.Its not a sweet tooth I've got its savouries, and I have big portions.A dinner to me is not right if I can see the plate lol, so the band will be the best option for me. I need to have portion control and realise that A small plate will do the job and that I can leave some on the plate when I'm full and not try and cram it all in.I know its going to be hard work but a life time of different diets was hard work. This time I will be able to keep it off so the hard work will be worth it knowing it aint coming back if I work with the band and not against it.I really hope you make the right decision and talking to your surgeon will enable you to do that. Good luck xx Gaynor xx

Hello again Gaynor!
Yes i have the same problem with savouries! They will always come first before the sweeties! I have made a decision today whilst waiting for my appointment to start to try and diet again, just deciding which one now! Please stay in touch and let me know how the banding goes and how you feel after. one question - was you NHS? if so how long a wait did you have after your initial appointment with the surgeon before you got a date?? xxx Big love xxx

 

[thinkbethin]

Hi Paula, its a bit of a long story as I got forgotten by the surgeons secretary. I had my initial appointment with surgeon on 11th dec and my pre op on 29th dec. When I had my pre op my bp was really high and they found out I was diebetic.They told me to get extra meds off my gp and let them know when I had which I did.I should have had my op soon after but I was forgotten so had to chase up and now I'm booked in for 1st may.So it will have taken 20 weeks.

 

[thinkbethin]

And yes I'm having my band done on the nhs. Let me know what you decide to do and keep reading and learning on here for if and when you do decide on surgery. Good luck xx Gaynor xx

 

[shelbell]

Hi Paula,

A Gastric Sleevectomy (Sleeve) involves stapling off the majority of your stomach like a bypass does, except it is done vertically instead of horizontally. So with a bypass you get an egg shaped pouch at the top of the stomach, with a new opening to the intestines made by the surgeon. With a sleeve you get a tube or banana shaped pouch, which has the original stomach exit (pylori) in place at the bottom, which if combined with a duodenal switch is then rerouted to much further down the intestines.

Leaving the pylori in place with the sleeve means that the stomach emptys in a natural way, so there is no dumping syndrome, as the pylori is a valve which controls the flow. With a bypass there is no valve, food just goes straight into the intestines.

The sleeve alone is thought to be a slower method of weight loss than the bypass, but faster than the band. The sleeve with duodenal switch is thought to be a more rapid method than the bypass. Both are considered 'safer' as there is no artificial opening made. Both procedures are quite new to the UK and not commonly offered.

HTH

Shel x

 

[BlondeMoment]

Hi
Crikey! Thanks so much for the info, i suffer from a few illnesses and i had a liver test only last week and i know things are not right as i have stabbing pains in that region. What an interesting story, do they still do the balloon technique then? I thought that was not an option anymore - something else for me to look into!! Congrats on loosing so much weight - you must be so happy! As for the gastric sleeve, what is that is that the same as the band?? sorry if sound dim, i did not knwo about that either. Great to hear from you and you was not waffling, its interesting reading xx

Hi Paula

Shel has explained the gastric sleeve proceedure far better than i could have,thanku shel x,
As for the gastric balloon it seems to becoming more and more popular in the uk,and too be honest i have been fine with it but i know there have been people that have had it removed because their stomach doesnt like the invasion and they have been ill,
I must add tho after my experience of not having the op done,i have found that the majority of biatric surgeons do the operation by general surgery as to keyhole surgery so it isnt a problem where the liver is concerned.

Anything else you want to know just ask, we all have different experiences on here and i am sure your questions can be answered .

Di xx

 

[AA1234]

When I first went to see my consultant I wanted the balloon. However, he told me that this was only a short term option as it only stays in for 6 months and was only used for 2 types of patients.

1. THose that only have 3-4 stone to loose adn don't have a history of putting weight back on.

2. Those that for what ever reason need to loose weight before they have have long term WLS.

So with me needing 7 stone to loose and a yo you dieter it was obvious that a band was right for me.