I have thought the same thing at times (why didn't I have the bypass). My sister had the bypass and what happened to her (as the statistics show) is she lost a bunch of weight and then gain a little back. With the band, it is much slower and steady but I don't think there is the weight gain at the end (because you have always been on solid foods). Anyway, my doctor says that after 3 years, the band and bypass end up being about the same weight loss.