Band vs. Gastric Bypass

msmommy · 02-17-2008, 10:12 PM

Dones anyone know how much a self-pay would generally pay for gastric bypass vs. LAP-BAND^®?
My price from my Dr. for LAP-BAND^® is $15K. I wonder if the Gastric Bypass is about the same or more?

All of this talk about fills and the port is making me queasy. LOL! I am sure it is alot easier than it sounds though.

My girlfriend is having gastric bypass next month and she will go home the same day as her surgery, like the Band. Has anyone heard of this? I thought the stay was much longer.

How did you make your mind up to have the band instead of Gastric Bypass?

IndioGirl55 · 02-18-2008, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by msmommy

Dones anyone know how much a self-pay would generally pay for gastric bypass vs. LAP-BAND^®?
My price from my Dr. for LAP-BAND^® is $15K. I wonder if the Gastric Bypass is about the same or more?

All of this talk about fills and the port is making me queasy. LOL! I am sure it is alot easier than it sounds though.

My girlfriend is having gastric bypass next month and she will go home the same day as her surgery, like the Band. Has anyone heard of this? I thought the stay was much longer.

How did you make your mind up to have the band instead of Gastric Bypass?

Msmommy
I can't answer your question with fact about cost of bypass vs band - but assume that it would be more due to the fact that there is more involved cutting your tummy and intestines. I think my doc requires 2 nite with bypass.

Fills aren't that bad - my doc does blind fills (you drink water after he inflates band with the saline) vs fluro where you drink baruam (sp) and they watch it under xray go thru your pouch

My doc gives you a numbing shot - the 1st time it took him a bit to find the soft spot in my port - but I was numb didn't fill a thing. The next fill was easier cuz he marked on my chart where the port was - Well this last fill - I have lost quite a bit of weight and the skin/scar from where the port was inserted has dropped (saggy skin) the port now is above the scar not in the middle of - which is typical after losing weight - but again he numbed me and found the port pretty quickly.

I chose the band cuz I didn't want my intestines re-routed and I didn't want the malnutrion issues that you have with bypass -this is why weight lost is so fast cuz you don't absorbe your calories where witht the band we do- I didn't want the dumping syndrome either - this is where you get phyically sick when you eat sugar.

I am not a hugh sweet eater but I do like my sweets - I wanted protion control cuz that was my problem - They say that the band is slower weight - but that's not nessessarily true - I have lost 73 lbs in 7 months - My doc says that I am losing weight like a bypass patient - I am losing weight cuz I eat healthy 98% of the time and I exercise 4-5 days a week.

I think that I have hit my 1st plateau - but that's ok - 7 monts and up until this last week I have lost weight - even during the holidays - I LOVE MY BAND - I LOVE ME FOR DOING THE WORK. I feel 10 yrs younger..

Best of luck to you on your journey

msmommy · 02-18-2008, 01:18 AM

Thank you so much for the information Janet. I am just trying to figure out what is best for me, you know? Congrats on your superb weight loss!

Sunwyse · 02-18-2008, 01:19 AM

I'm with Indigo Girl, I don't want my insides cut up, re-routed or otherwise changed.

As for the gastric bypass, I've always heard you spend 2 or 3 nights in the hospital. Seems strange to me that someone would be going home the same day as major surgery. I'd look into that one.

IndioGirl55 · 02-18-2008, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by msmommy

Thank you so much for the information Janet. I am just trying to figure out what is best for me, you know? Congrats on your superb weight loss!

I totally understand we all have to do what's best for us - I wish you the best on this journey...

ivyrose325 · 02-18-2008, 10:00 AM

My doctor always said that there was an overnight hospital stay for banding and for bypass there was a 4 -5 day hospital stay (it was so much longer due to the intestinal rerouting). I chose to do banding because many bypass patients gain their weight back as their bodies become more efficient at absorbing calories. I had lost 135 lbs on my own before only to gain it all back and more. The LAP-BAND^® is a tool that will keep working with me to help control my hunger.
If you scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page you will see links to other threads where this question has been posed.
good luck to you !!!

msmommy · 02-18-2008, 03:29 PM

Thanks once again for all your replies. I did talk to my Dr office today and the cash payment is $26K for the Gastric Bypass! That is wayyy out of my range! Anyway, it looks like I will still be moving forward with the band. I am so glad I have ya'll to help me through this. Thanks again!

BansterNYC · 02-18-2008, 04:47 PM

Please realize that all the the prices people write about the Band or Gastric Bypass are ONLY if the surgery is without complications. IF you should have ANY complications that require further testing, procedures, or a longer stay in the hospital, YOU will need to pay extra for that.

Medical debt is the #1 reason people decare bankruptcy in the US. You need to be sure you can cover all expenses and scenarios regardless if you select the band or bypass.

BTW, I am 100% behind LAP-BAND^® over bypass.

kjl315 · 02-18-2008, 11:18 PM

Prices vary depending on location.

At St Johns in Springfield, MO, self pay is 17K for LAP-BAND^® and 26K for bypass. The 17K includes one year of fills.