Jengo825

I have been using the ProCare BariatricPal Vitamins (90 capsules) for about a year now. I take only 1 a day and it covers all of my doctor prescribed nutritional needs. My many blood tests taken for my on year check up were perfect. My calcium citrate supplement is Bariatric Advantage chewy bites 3x/day but needs to be taken 2 hours or more after the ProCare Vitamin. The chewy bites are really good!

My surgeon would not do the sleeve for me because he said my GERD would get much worse. I had the gastric bypass revision from Lapband last July and the GERD is completely gone!

I revised from Lapband to Gastric Bypass. Couldn’t do Sleeve because if GERD. The Lapband was a nightmare. I love my Bypass and no more GERD, stomach illness or pain! NO regrets!

ProCare Health. Only one pill a day has all of the Iron (45 mg) and the daily requirement of D (3,000 - calcium citrate contains the other 1,000). It has a lot more in it. ProCare can be ordered online. It’s about $45 for a 3 month supply.

I had an emergency revision from Lapband to RNY on July 5, 2017. I had my Lapband placed 1/2010 and in 7 years went through a LOT of misery and pain (too many details) and only lost 32 lbs, then gained 12 back. Since my RNY last July, I am thrilled to have lost 43 lbs. I can even eat without being in pain for literally hours every day. I have very little hunger - and sometimes eat to live ... and not live to eat. I am now under my goal in less than a year. Don’t be nervous. I’m sure that one day you will also be saying it was the best decision of your life. It certainly was for me!

Insurance is covering mine (besides the $100 co-pay). I'm having my band removed on Feb 5th. I had no issues getting it approved. I haven't had a slip or erosion, but I had alot of inflammation in my throat and stomach, but I'm sure that's due to the fact that I've thrown up on a daily basis for almost 2 years because most foods were getting stuck and it progressively got worse. All the Fluid is out of my band which has helped that but I've gained weight. I'm back to where I started pre band (and then some). But I would eat foods that I knew I could tolerate (which were typically not the best choices....but I was hungry and tired of vomiting). My surgeon won't do the revision at the same time....so I have to wait 3 months to have that done (pending insurance approval for that one). I wish you the best of luck!

I feel your pain! I had my torture device band revised (same surgery) to gastric bypass in July as an emergency surgery. I feel great now, no more pain, throwing up, etc.! Good luck with your surgeries! I’m on Medicare with a BCBS supplement and it was 100% paid.

I had my lap band placed in 2010. I have lost and gained a lot of weight. Sometimes, no restriction, sometimes with extreme. I also had all my Fluid emptied by one Dr because of emergency and then my regular Dr removed 4.5cc and it was yellow. She then added 1.5 for a total of 6cc. I can home in terrible pain ended up returning and when the Dr went to pull all Fluid out he was only able to remove 1cc. So where there was 6cc and it was slightly yellow now there is 1cc. I dont understand. I keep having a pulling and pinching on my left side. The radiologist said that the tubing inside was too long and could maybe causing a bend or kink in it. It has also been said that the metal at the top of band could have eroded at the place it joined. Has anyone had a similar situation? I am lost and debating on having the lap band removed and gastric sleeving.

If this was an emergency revision, the denial could be due to incorrect billing codes. I had the same problem with my revision so I contacted my surgeon’s office to check the coding. When they recoded as an emergency (which it was) insurance paid for it. I am on Medicare so they don’t pre- approve, so when I got the bill, I was shocked too! I also found out Medicare doesn’t pay for more than one surgery at a time and mine involved 1)LB removal 2) Bypass 3) and hernia repair. The bariatric center recoded and gave reasons why it had to be done at once. So anyway...have your Bariatric center help you. Best of luck getting your sleeve....and with your approval.

BTW, my secondary is BCBS. However, any secondary should pay the remainder if it is approved my Medicare.

I had a Lap done in 2011, 5’3, 292 lbs and a 34 BMI. The LB cause a LOT of problems and I did not I had a Lap done in 2911 with a 34 BMI. The LB cause a LOT of problems and did lose much weight. In July 2917, I had an emergency revision to Bypass with a BMI of 30. BMI is now 22 and I weigh 132. I go for my 6 month checkup tomorrow. So far, I am very happy with this surgery and SO happy to have the Lapband torture device out of a much thinner me!

Good luck in your journey. I hope you are as happy as I am.

My breast reduction surgery was MUCH worse than my bypass surgery ... for pain and healing time. Bypass was easy compared to that!

I had a Lapband emergency revision to gastric bypass on July 5th. At the time of my surgery, my BMI was 29.5 and is now 23.5. I am down 37lbs. It doesn’t sound like a lot but for my starting weight it is. I was in a tight size 14 and am now beginning to fit into a 6. I don’t need to lose more than 5-7 lbs. So, to answer your question, yes! The sleeve and gastric bypass are much more effective and so much easier to eat without getting sick and in pain all of the time.

You look beautiful!

Great job! I can see a big difference! Don’t be sad eating less, especially if you are satisfied with the smaller amount. You will be even more satisfied with your new, smaller sizes! Hang in there, it’s worth it! You look great! Keep us updated!

Women should also have 60+ grams of Protein per day. We were told over and over again that is a requirement for life before and after surgery in our educational classes. My Lapband to RNY surgery was done in July at the Honor Health Center for Bariatric Excellence in Scottsdale, AZ.

That’s what happened to me!

I had a Lapband revision to bypass surgery laparoscopically in July. The surgeon also found a hiatal hernia that was removed. I was in the hospital for 2 nights and off pain meds the day I got home. My pain was not bad at all but was extremely fatigued for a few weeks. I personally am happy that I had it all done in one surgery.

I had GERD pre-surgery and none post Bypass. My surgeon suggested bypass over sleeve if you have GERD because the sleeve usually makes it worse if you have it already. Imm5 months out and very happy with my Bypass.

Feel better soon! If you don’t, see a reputable Bariatric surgeon. I went to a different surgeon referred by my gastro and so happy I did. The doc that placed the band kept telling me the band was fine. It obviously wasn’t. I have restriction now with the bypass. Very seldom hungry but have to eat to get my 60g Protein a day.... and no more night coughs, GERD, fills or unfills. I hated that! I hope you feel better soon and wish you the best!

I had a band placed in 2011. Worst medical decision I ever made. I caused major problems ... Acid reflux, night coughing, and more. In the last three or so years I had horrible doubling over pain at least 3-5 days a week. After a gastro did an EGD on me he found gastritis and esophagitis to where my pouch opening to the stomach was nearly closed due to inflammation. He referred to to a Bariatric surgeon suggesting a revision the the sleeve. I ended up having an emergency revision to gastric bypass. I did not choose the LB removal only because of weight regain. My surgeon said that the sleeve would make my GERD worse so I chose the RNY. No More GERD! No More Pain either! I feel great! During the surgery he found my stomach high in my chest due to a hiatal hernia caused by the band. He also did repairs to the esophagus (was in an S shape). Also my port was nearly detached. My new bariatric surgeon’s Center for Bariatric Excellence no longer places Lapband... but does a lot of removals and revisions due to serious so many complications.

I've had a lap band for almost ten years, and I've been 20 pounds over my starting weight for years. I am scheduled for revision to bypass on 12/14/17. My surgeon says it all depends on what he finds in there. He's hoping to do both on the same day. If I have too much damage from the band, I will have to heal for three months and then go back for bypass. I can not wait to have my band out. It was the worst decision I ever made. It's been miserable and unsuccessful. I can't even eat scrambled eggs without getting them stuck. I paid $17,000 out of pocket for that band. Insurance is.
Covering this surgery.

Oops! Lapband our 2011 not 2029!

I had my Band January 2911. It turned out to be a nightmare and caused so many health problems. It caused extreme pain 4-5x a day to the point it kept me up mist nights and U was doubled up in pain. After several doctors in several years, my Gastro did an EGD, found many serious problems and suggested a Lapband revision by a Bariatric doctor. The revision to Bypass was done July 5 in one surgery. All went fine and I had minimal pain. Off meds in 2 days. I was just very tired the first month. My surgeon, on top of everything else, found my stomach in my upper chest from a hiatal hernia, loose port, and what gastro found.
No more pain or sleepless nights in pain or daily losing my food. The revision is the best surgery I ever had and wasn’t bad at all.
203 - weight at banding - 1/2011
170 - weight at revision - 7/5/2017
136 - current weight
Best of all, I feel great again!
Best wishes on whatever decision you make!

Does the Constipation issue ever go away or is it something we have to live with for the rest of our lives? I’m hoping it goes away in time.

If u have GERD, the sleeve is NOT recommended because it will continue or be made worse with that procedure. GERD is all but eliminated with RNY because the part of the stomach causing the GERD is removed.

Next, no way would i get such a major surgery in Mexico when u have insurance in the US. I too have Aetna and among other things, the only way they would pay for my RNY is if I chose a facility and doc that was certified as 'Institute of Quality'. Reading all the threads showing such drastic differences in post op care, diet, education, etc, I am so grateful Aetna guided me to the facility and doc they did. My surgeon was director of bariatrics at mayo for many many years, for example. My point is, jump thru the "Aetna hoops"! You won't be sorry AND you'll have your doc in your town, not in another country, esp if something goes wrong after.

Good luck with ur decisions!

The GERD/acid reflux is the reason the Bariatric surgeon would not do the sleeve on me. I had the Gastric Bypass and my GERD/acid reflux is 100% gone.