Lap-Band Vs Gastric Bypass – All You Need to Know

Studies evaluating Lap-Band vs gastric bypass surgery have found very similar health improvement for diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, and most other obesity-related health problems, depending on which study is referenced.

These surgeries can improve joint health. For every pound of weight lost, there is a 4 pound reduction in pressure on the knee joint (8). This improves mobility and reduces pain in the knees.

Both surgeries were part of research on cancer that included over 88,000 participants. Patients who undergo weight loss surgery have 33% less risk of developing cancer (9).

Risk rates were even further reduced for obesity-related cancers, including (10):

• Colon cancer
• Postmenopausal breast cancer
• Endometrial cancer
• Pancreatic cancer

Diet: Gastric Bypass Vs Band

Your Lap-Band vs gastric bypass diet transition is virtually identical:

• 2+ Weeks Before – Practice your post-surgery diet
• 2 Weeks Before – High protein, low sugar, low carbs
• 1 Week Before – Stop or change some medications
• 2 Days Before – Clear liquids only
• Midnight Before Surgery – Nothing to eat or drink
• In Hospital to 7 Days After Surgery (Varies by Surgeon) – Sugar-free clear liquids only
• Day 1 to Week 2 After Surgery (Varies by Surgeon) – Add thicker drinks & smooth foods
• Day 2 to Week 3 After Surgery (Varies by Surgeon) – Slowly test pureed foods & soft solid foods
• Day 3 to Weeks 4+ After Surgery (Varies by Surgeon) – Slowly test solid foods

Following are dietary guidelines for both gastric bypass and Lap-Band:

• Test one food at a time to make sure you can tolerate it
• Eat proteins first, in solid form (e.g., not protein shakes)
• Eat healthy “whole” foods
• Avoid processed foods
• Avoid sugary foods or drinks
• Eat slowly and chew thoroughly
• No starchy foods like rice, bread, and pasta
• Avoid any food that is difficult to digest (may be able to tolerate over time), such as:
  • Fibrous vegetables like broccoli, celery, and corn
  • Nuts
  • Seeds
  • Skin of any meat
  • Tough meats
• Avoid whole milk products
• Drink 64+ oz (2+ liters) of fluids spread throughout the day
• No drinking 30 minutes before or after meals (other than gastric balloon)
• Alcohol only in moderation

Diet issues unique to gastric bypass include:

• Most gastric bypass patients (about 80%) will experience dumping syndrome when they eat the wrong foods. Conveniently, the wrong foods are the unhealthy ones, so while dumping syndrome symptoms are unpleasant, they help you keep your gastric bypass diet in check
• Patients who undergo the bypass procedure are at especially high risk of developing Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) (14) (15) (16)

See the following for more information:

• Bariatric Diet – Compare All procedures
• Gastric Bypass Diet – All You Need to Know

Vitamins: Gastric Bypass Vs Lap-Band

Weighing the upside of extra weight loss after gastric bypass with the downside of potential vitamin deficiency is a big part of choosing the right procedure. For example, if you already have vitamin deficiency problems, that may be the deciding factor for going with the gastric band

Due to gastric bypass surgery’s higher levels of malabsorption, gastric bypass patients:

• Are much more likely than Lap-Band patients to require Thiamin (Vitamin B1) supplementation
• Must be more vigilant in confirming no vitamin or mineral deficiencies

Some of the vitamin requirements that are the same for Lap-Band and gastric bypass include:

• Daily multivitamin
  • 1 to 2 per day, forever
  • Chewable or liquid versions are best (instead of tablets)
  • Take with food (except dairy) to maximize absorption
  • At least 200% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of iron, folic acid, thiamine, copper, selenium and zinc
• Daily calcium supplement, in the form of calcium citrate
  • Must be calcium citrate (NOT other forms of calcium)
  • 1000-1500 mg. daily, forever
  • Chewable and liquid versions are best (instead of tablets)
  • Try to find one that includes Vitamin D
  • Take 2 hours apart from Iron supplements (or Multivitamin that contains Iron) to maximize absorption

For either procedure, you may be required to take one or more of the following depending on your vitamin levels:

• Folate (folic acid)
• Iron
• Thiamin (Vitamin B1)
• Vitamin D

Exercise: Lap-Band Vs Gastric Bypass

After you’ve fully recovered from surgery (4 to 6 weeks), recommended exercise is the same for both Lap-Band and gastric bypass patients: 2.5 hours per week, spread out over 2 to 4 days.

Following this regimen will cause you to:

• Lose more weight
• Be more physically and mentally healthy

Learn more on our Exercise After Weight Loss Surgery page.

Food Addiction: Gastric Bypass Vs Lap-Band

Food addiction could be a problem after both gastric bypass and gastric band.

Our bodies secrete certain hormones, like ghrelin mentioned above, that tell us when we’re hungry and full, but hyperpalatable food (like junk food) may be overriding those hormone signals by overstimulating our reward centers, much like our bodies and brains react to an addictive drug.

You may have a bona fide food addiction if your desire for food takes priority over other parts of your life that you acknowledge to be more important, such as personal health, family, friends, work, your appearance, or avoiding obesity related health issues like hypertension, sleep apnea, or diabetes.

If left unchecked, food addiction can lead to obesity. For weight loss surgery patients, if not addressed prior to surgery, it can also lead to weight regain.

To find out if you may be suffering from food addiction, take our Food Addiction Quiz.

Relationships After Weight Loss

Significant weight loss after any type of bariatric surgery can lead to big changes with everyone around you.

While many of those changes are positive, some can also be extremely challenging and unexpected.

See our Relationships After Weight Loss Surgery page for important changes to prepare for.

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