Nologoz

Taco Time deserves to be shut down for butchering Mexican food. What kind of Mexican Food Restaurant serves Tater Tots as a side, but doesn't offer tortilla chips?? Also, they put ranch dressing on some of their burritos, instead of sour cream! No bueno!

Had both done at the same time about 6 months ago. It was not easy. I needed help (especially the first 5 days), mainly because I was paranoid about the drains. I had four total. One in each arm, and two in on either side of the pubic area below the abdominal incision. After 5 days it got a bit easier because the arm drains came out. I had the stomach drains in for almost 2 weeks. I didn't feel comfortable being left alone for long periods of time until all the drains were out. Whatever you do, do not wait too long to take colase. Constipation is a b***h. I didn't start the stool softener right away because I was worried about getting diarrhea and not making it to the toilet on time. Big Mistake! Instead I became very constipated about 5 days post op. When you can't use your arms, you don't want to have to use a suppository. The colase wont work right away if you start it too late. I added Metamucil to my protein shakes and that eventually helped get things moving. If I had to go through the surgery again, I would have started the colase right away. Here are the things I did right: 1. I rented a lift chair for $150 per month. Look for a two motor chair that offers zero gravity. You don't want to use your arms to get in and out of bed. A lift chair will basically pick you up, and lay you back into a sleep position with ease. 2. Get an Amazon Echo Dot and some Phillips Hue bulbs if you can afford it. In my chair, I could verbally (instead of physically) turn the lights on and off whenever I wanted. It also kept me entertained when I was alert (news flashes, podcasts, audio games). When I was high on the pain meds, I would tell Alexa to play lo-fi meditative "zone out" relaxing, trippy music. Haven't been that "stoned" since my college years. You might as well enjoy the high since its legal. Looking back, I wish I could have had a nest thermostat, so I could have controlled the room temperature with Alexa. You tend to get hot and cold quickly when you sit around in a chair for days on end. 3. Toilet seat riser with handles on at least one side, for obvious reasons. 4. A Medicine Log Book. Write down the time, every time you take your meds. Its especially important with the pain meds. You will be very out of it and you don't want to OD because you forgot that you already took your pain meds. I would also use the timer/alarm feature on Alexa to remind me when the next dose of medicine was due. 5. A good quality blender for making fruit/protien smoothies. Get a Vitamix if you can afford it. If not, a Ninja or a Magic bullet should suffice, For some reason after surgery, prepackaged foods taste horrible. Getting high quality protein is essential for a fast recovery. I blended bits of fresh fruit with Nectar Protein Powder and ice. Flavors like Fuzzy Navel, Grapefruit, and Kiwi Strawberry blend nicely together with bananas, pineapple, etc. Tastes like Jamba Juice, but without the refined sugar. 6. Be as active outdoors as much as you can, the weeks prior to surgery. Do errands, play sports, go hiking, take a walk, go shopping. Get out of the house as much as possible. For 2-3 weeks after surgery, you will likely be stuck inside, in a chair, bored out of your mind. Don't watch TV at all prior to surgery. DVR your favorite shows and save them for after surgery. Trust me, you will have all the time in the world to catch up on your TV shows after surgery. Hope all this helps. Best of luck with your surgery and recovery!

For me it was all about GERD. The lapband caused me all kinds of problems with acid reflux, etc... My doctor said that the sleeve was not a good choice for me because it was more likely to cause GERD issues than the RnY. For the record, I have had no complications and the acid reflux and GERD are gone. The RnY has been a total success for me. That being said, there may be very valid reasons why your doctor is recommending the sleeve over the RnY. Every patient is different. Best of luck to you on your upcoming surgery!

I know this is an older post, but I think it deserves to be revived for others with the same question. There are definitely times when a "higher than normal BMI" can have plastic surgery for loose skin. In my case, My high weight was 385lbs. I'm 5' 7". When I had Tummy Tuck and brachioplasty a few months ago, I weighed about 220lbs (35 BMI)...still firmly in the "obese" category. They removed almost 9 lbs of skin during surgery. The way I was told how it works with massive weight loss is that they want your weight stable...ideally for a year. Ideally you should also be as close to goal as possible for the best results. Although I was still 40 lbs from my goal weight, I went ahead with the procedure. I don't regret it. Since recovering, I have found it easier to lose weight and feel great with my new silhouette. Ask your bariatric doctor for a referral to a plastic surgeon who can handle "body reconstruction". If you have lost a massive amount of weight, it's not gonna be a simple "nip tuck". A reconstructive surgery is very different than the average plastic surgery.

I think this is a topic that I can help you guys with. Many moons ago (almost 10 years), I got the Lapband. It was put in at my highest weight...385lbs. I lost about 115 pounds in about a year...then gained back about half of the weight over a period of two years. My band was filled way too tight. The only thing I could get down was junk food. I had lost my health insurance at the time...which is why I lived with it for so long. Fills were expensive, I couldnt afford to fill/unfill. I had terrible GERD. I couldn't sleep at night without spitting up fluid. I was taking antacids (prilosec, tums, etc..) every day! Long story short, I got insured again and went back to the doctor. I found out that my band had dilated my esophagus because it was too tight! They unfilled the band and life was good again. I could eat healthy food. I actually lost weight once I could eat other things besides sour cream, ice cream, and salads drenched in dressing. Anywhoo...A few months later, I got the revision to RnY. BEST DECISION I HAVE EVER MADE! The weight has come off slowly since the revision. Most revision patients lose slower than first time bariatric patients. It has been 2 1/2 years since my revision, and I am less than 25 lbs to my goal weight. I can eat healthy food with no problems. Broccoli, steak, chicken, green beans, apples...you name it...I can eat it. I now love whole foods and rarely touch junk food. One word of caution I have for everyone is that the surgery alone does not fix everything. In addition to the support of my bariatric medical team, I also do the following: 1. Psychotherapy: Address the reasons why you are a compulsive over eater. If you need weight loss surgery, you likely have a food addiction. Find out what is causing you to turn to food for comfort. I see a therapist bi-weekly. 2. Diet: Get rid of sugar, flour, pasta, bread, and rice. Those items are for thin people who need to maintain their weight. Not good for people who need to lose weight. Stick to proteins, vegetables, and a limited amount of fruit. 3. Exercise: Find some type of physical activity that you enjoy. Do it regularly. 4. Support: Whether it is spiritual or just a support group, find a community that understands the problems associated with obesity. It could be a church or a medical support group. I personally go to O.A. (overeaters anonymous) even though I don't follow "the steps". I go for the fellowship and the weekly reminder of where I came from...and where I want to go. Another tip... help answer questions on these boards. I don't do this often enough, but when i do, I find it is very therapeutic. Help yourself by helping others.

The Vitamix has been so useful to me after surgery. My doctor recommended that I replace one of my 3 meals with a Protein shake. I use the vitamix everyday for at least one Meal Replacement...usually Breakfast. I use it with nectar Protien powder by Syntrax. My favorite recipe is one scoop "Fuzzy Navel" Nectar with 1/2 cup of Water. 1/2 apple, 1/2 banana, 4 strawberries, a few blackberries, and a cup of ice. Once you have been off sugar for a month or two, it will taste like a Jamba juice....but without all the sugar and calories. Between the supplements and the vitamix, I've never felt healthier.

Hi Duckhnt, I had band to RnY revision six months ago. The main reason my doctor advised me to choose RnY was because of the severe GERD that was caused by the band. The sleeve is usually not a good choice for people who suffer with GERD. Now your situation may be different...but what happened to me is that the lapband was overfilled and resulted in a Dialated Esophagus. Thankfully the esophagus retracted back to normal and I was able to have the revision to RnY. Like you I was awakened every night with acid reflux. My poor husband had to endure my nightly coughing sessions and neither of got any quality sleep. The RnY procedure totally put that to an end...and my weight loss has been kickstarted again. If you haven't already, get to a bariatric doctor asap. He will probably order an Upper GI to see whats going on. Best of luck to you!

Hi Cheri, Your post brings back memories. I was very afraid to have Band to RnY revision before I had it done. Your story is a bit different than mine in that you are only 60 lbs from goal. I was much heavier, which is why it was probably an easier decision for me. That being said, my experience with RnY has been so much better than it ever was with the band. It's hard to believe that a procedure that is so much more invasive has had WAY less complications than the lapband. I am 6 months post op and have had ZERO complications. My 6 month bloodwork just came back and everything is in the normal range. I no longer take Prilosec or Get "stuck". I no longer cough at night and am able to sleep through till morning. The best part...I can actually eat healthy! Vegetables, Steak, chicken, Fruit, etc all go down. I don't need sour cream or condiments to get em down! Here's the deal. In my opinion, the lapband is a quick and simple surgery with a ton of bad side effects and post op complications. RnY is a more complicated surgery, but after the initial healing period (2-4 weeks), things get WAY easier. One word of caution...RnY still requires a ton of effort to lose weight. It is much easier to eat with RnY than the lapband. Like the lapband, gaining weight is possible if you eat the wrong things. The difference with RnY is that healthy foods actually go down (after a few months of healing).

Any band to bypass revisions with high starting bmi and slow weight loss ever make it to goal? If so, It would comfort me to hear it. Currently only down 60lbs since revision surgery four months ago. I'm 110 pounds down since pre lapband in 2007....but I still have over 75 lbs to go to make into onederland. Would ideally like to get 110 more lbs off to get to a normal bmi. Is this possible? I'm in a terrible stall/plateau/hellish nightmare...and havent lost anything in over three weeks. I know I need to improve on my Water intake. My Protein, exercise, suppliments, and calories are all ok though. Pre lapband I was about 387 lbs back in 2007. Currently 275 (four months after revision). Hoping to get to 160 eventually. Is this a pipe dream? Should I re evaluate my goals to a more realistic number? Maybe just getting into onederland will be the best I should expect? A "friend" of mine is saying I probably wont get under 200lbs. At first I thought she was just envious of my revision. (She had her lapband out - no revision - and is 220 lbs) But now Im worried she may be right. If there is anyone out there who was a high bmi with slow weight loss who made it to their goal...I would love to hear from you. Thanks!

nectar by Syntrax. Best Flavors = Roadside Lemonaide and Fuzzy Navel (tastes like TANG) Both are great Breakfast substitutions.

Hey Tina, Your story is a bit different than mine. I had a dialated esophagus. You have gastroparesis. Although they are two totally different conditions, I thought it might help for you to hear that after my conversion from Lapband to RnY....all my problems with the esophagus and GERD, and acid reflux went away. I don't know how I lived for so long with that band. It was causing me major issues which have all gone away now. I'm sure your doctor is skilled and knowledgeable and is correct when he tells you the surgery will help fix those problems. I know it's hard, but try to go into the surgery with the mindset that this will fix your problem. That is what modern medicine is all about. Be grateful that you are in a position to fix the problem...instead of having to live with it for a longer amount of time. Best of luck to you! Give us all an update when you are feeling up to it!

Veronda, I agree with everything you wrote. It's so empowering to be able to eat broccoli and green Beans instead of junk food all the time. When I go to the restaurant I can order the healthiest item on the menu...instead of having to order something that will "go down''. I finally feel human again now that I can sleep through the night. When I finally had the band completely unfilled I was so relieved. I'm so glad the RnY is nothing like the band.

This is a topic that hits a nerve with me. My mother was the same way. I was forced to go on a liquid diet at 16. My entire life I have had to hear her opinion about my weight. It makes me mad because the main reason I turned to food was to cope with her verbal outbursts. Your Mom sounds like she had her good points, but unfortunately for me, my mother is mentally ill. My mom has borderline/narcissistic personality disorder. The emotional abuse I endured as a child left me afraid, insecure, and destroyed my self esteem. The way I coped with the chaos and the family dysfunction was to "treat" myself with food. It calmed me down and made me feel better. It has taken 44 years to finally understand how I became obese. Sure there are definitely hormonal and genetic factors that cause obesity...but throw in emotional abuse by a parent and you are left even more vulnerable to the disease. I have never heard my Mother say I was beautiful without a "BUT" attached to it. "You are so pretty BUT you just need to loose weight" or "You have such a pretty face BUT you are way too heavy to wear that outfit". You would think after loosing weight everything would be better....wrong! If she can't complain about my weight she turns to other things. When I'm thin I'm either "too young or too old to wear that outfit". No matter how well I do professionally I should always "go back to school to get a better job/make more money" In her mind, I have never been (and will never be) good enough, as is. Now that I understand her mental illness, I no longer care about her opinion. It used to affect me horribly as a child and as an adult. Now it just makes me really mad. I have gone "No Contact" with her and I have no idea if I will ever be able to have a relationship with her in the future. All I know is I feel better now without her than when I was in contact with her.

Got another technical question. How can you change your tagline...the phrase that appears below your user name on your profile? I joined this forum as "Natasha" back in 2008 with the tagline "Post Op Lapband Newbie" I just changed my Display name to Nologoz...but am unable to change the tagline. I want to change it because I no longer have a lap band. It has been revised to RnY. Is there a way to change or delete the old tagline? ................................................................................................................................................................. EDIT: OK.......never mind. Somehow the tagline just defaulted to "Senior Member". I dunno how or why....just glad it's fixed...ask and you shall receive. Many thanks to the gods of the internet.

Hey Susan, I had my lapband for 8 years. Started having trouble the last 3 years. I finally got up the courage to go back to the doctor in May this year. Turned out the band was too tight and I had a dilated esophagus. My doctor unfilled the band on my first appointment and told me I needed to wait 30 days to see if the swelling would go down. He told me if the esophagus returned to normal in 30 days that I could have revision surgery right away. Everything moved very quickly. The esophagus returned to normal and I ended up having revision surgery by the end of July. The lapband came out, a hernia was fixed, and the RnY was performed all at the same time. There was some swelling and scarring where the lapband was attached, but otherwise the surgery went well. The surgery took about 3 hours. I was in the hospital for 3 days. The surgery was more difficult to recover from than the lapband...mainly due to the length of time I was under. Gas pain was the main issue that caused me discomfort. It's been 2 1/2 months since the revision and I feel great. I've had no complications and it's way easier to eat healthy now.