That’s why we’re here, no?

The following is an ongoing list as I continue to learn and remember things.

Pros:

Reversible- this is not recommended if based on a whim or inefficiency. The band is most certainly reversible, however, scar tissue around the stomach can make a conversion to the bypass or another surgery can very difficult. If you and your doctor can determine that removing the band is the best option for you (particularly in the case of illness) then it can be done.

Less invasive – no cutting of stomach or intestines. Faster healing.

Gradual weight loss – The adjustable nature of the band touts a number of benefits, namely, gradual weight loss. Gradual weight loss can impact a number of areas – it can help to avoid gall stones, allows the skin time to contract (fact check please!), and for many people, the sudden loss of weight can be frightening. With the adjustable band you can lose weight more slowly if this is your concern.

Adjustable – if you become ill and need to take particular medications that cannot be crushed or if you need to adapt your diet to an illness, the band can be loosened to allow for a greater intake. For bypass patients, some medications need to be increased due to the patients’ inability to absorb. That’s more chemicals you’re pumping into your body. It is very important to remember that you should not get an adjustment because you are going away on vacation and plan on indulging.

No dumping syndrome – I have heard a number of band patients say that this is untrue, however, medically speaking, dumping is impossible with the band. Dumping occurs when sugar or fat that has not been fully digested passes from the stomach and into the portion of the intestine that is unaccustomed to breaking down sugars and fat too quickly without it being properly digested. With the band, your entire stomach is intact; therefore, the acids have time to fully break down the food before it passes to the intestine. The dumping-like effect that LapBand patients experience is due to the body being unaccustomed to foods you have left out of your diet for a while. This, like dumping, often goes away with time.

Much less /no risk of vitamin deficiency – no matter how nutritionally they eat, bypass patients still cannot absorb the way they used to. If a bypass patient does not take their vitamins and does not eat nutritionally they run the risk of becoming vitamin deficient. This has a wide array of issues (e.g. – an iron deficiency requires daily shots. That rather defeats the purpose if you are an insulin dependant diabetic who wants to get off their shots, no?)

Vomiting – vomiting is caused by eating the wrong things (e.g. things that do not go down very easily, like bread or beef) and not chewing your food properly. You may hear LapBand patients say that because of their vomiting the enamel on their teeth has worn away. This is erroneous. This is NOT your typical vomit. A more accurate term would be regurgitation. It is merely chewed food with saliva. This food cannot pass through the top pouch and into the lower portion of your stomach where acid is created so there is NO ACID in this food that you vomit. ‘How can vomit be a benefit?’ you ask? You can use this extremely effective tool as a barometer for your own habits. Keep throwing up when you eat something specific? Perhaps you should stop eating it! Now, if you are consistently regurgitating food, no matter what you eat, see your doctor as soon as possible. Your band may be too tight or you may have an obstruction due to swelling or a foreign object.

Pregnancy – some studies show that it is safer to have the LapBand if you plan on getting pregnant. The band can be loosened so that your stoma can be as open as possible allowing you to consume enough food for you and your baby.

No mal-absorption – One of the reasons bypass works so well is due to mal-absorption – the inability to fully absorb what we consume. Since LapBand patients still have all of their internals in place they will not experience this.

Cons:

Implant – I struggled with this issue for a long time. I was a bit opposed to having something foreign implanted in me (sayeth the girl who had a lip ring for 5 years). Eventually, the more I learned about the LapBand, the more my perception and willingness to have an implant increased. Many people fear that in the event of an emergency where you have to be intubated (spelling, please!) that the paramedics will shove the tube straight down your through and push hard at the first sign of resistance. While I know of no known instances of this ever happening, you can imagine in this situation the kind of damage that can cause. This is discussed rather often in my support group. Others have reported that most paramedics they know will not check your ID or wallet for signs that you have a LapBand. I have to say that if this is a deciding factor for you, and you are otherwise strongly opposed to bypass, consider the likelihood of you getting into an accident where you’ll be put into this situation. It’s impossible to determine if this will ever happen to you and you may end up making a choice you regret for something that may never happen. If you are still concerned about this, get a medical alert ID.

Vomiting – hey, no one likes it. Vomiting is caused by eating the wrong things (e.g. things that do not go down very easily) and not chewing your food properly. See pro rebuttal. If you become ill with a stomach virus or something else that makes you vomit, vomiting can be difficult. If this occurs see your doctor immediately to have your band loosened.

No dumping syndrome – like vomiting, this painful experience can tell you if you are eating the wrong things. One or two episodes of dumping can be enough to cure you of wanting something sweet ever again. This is why the bypass is so effective for patients who have a sweet tooth. In fact, many facilities do not recommend the LapBand for this very reason. Sweets melt quickly and pass right through the band. And since LapBand patients absorb everything they eat, it will stymie the weight loss.

Dislodging / slippage – the band can slip from the stomach and travel down on the stomach. This is caused by excessive vomiting and is characterized as painful.

Band erosion – band erosion is when the balloon portion of the band continually rubs against the stomach, causing the stomach wall to erode. This occurs when you overeat.

Gradual weight loss – Some patients get discouraged when they do not see immediate or drastic results with the LapBand surgery. This can lead to problems breaking bad habits. See pro rebuttal.

Adjustable – The LapBand is rather high maintenance. In order for the LapBand to be effective in the long term, you must have adjustments. You will most certainly loose weight after it is implanted, however, you will hit a plateau if you do not get your fills and become aware of the changes you need to make. Many people want to have surgery and be done with everything. They may lead very busy lives or not have to worry about the other complications a LapBand may come up with. It all depends on the person’s choices and lifestyle.

Less weight loss? – studies show that LapBand patients loose up to 40% less of their excess weight than their bypass counterparts do on the onset. What doctors don’t always remind you of is that your excess weight is determined by calculating your current BMI against your ideal BMI. I don’t know about you, but there is no way I can imagine myself as 132. However, studies also show that over a period of 5 years both bypass and LapBand patients loose the same amount of weight. Bypass merely has more immediate results.

No mal-absorption – One of the reasons bypass works so well is due to mal-absorption – the inability to fully absorb what we consume.

10 years life of band -