Biddy zz 🏳️🌈

Hiya MRSTO I am having band and port removed and revision to RNY in one op. My surgeon only does it in open surgery, not laparoscopic, so recovery is slower because of 8 inch cut through the abdominal muscles. Surgeon says I will be back at work in 4 weeks, although may tire by 3pm in first couple of weeks back. Fine and fully function8ng by 6 weeks. Hope that helps!

Thanks GwennyPenny - this gives me more fabulous pictures from people here to inspire me. Thanks!

I feel very settled reading this. My RNY date is 14 December, miles away from you all in New Zealand! I am comforted to see the nerves, the cold feet, The worry. I am normal then. Or else you’re all as abnormal as me !!!!

I think today is your day - it is 26th here in New Zealand, so 25th in the USA. I will be thinking of you. Xxxx

Hi there My surgery is a bit later - 14th - and I am definitely nervous. And you know, rightly so. It is major surgery! Rerouting your digestive system is big. It is a good reminder, I reckon, of how important it is to get this part of my life in order. And maybe down the track, remembering how hard this bit is (and the post op) will help keep me on my new life path... Good luck, my friend. I look forward to reading your journey.

Thanks for these great replies. GwennyPenny, what was best for constipation? I suffered it a bit after the band, not much shifted it (excuse the pun!) and I wondered what works for others - except trying to eat more fibre...

Hi everyone i had a gastric band fitted in 2009. Was great for a while but sadly, blockages and breakages (from a faulty batch) and I have given up. I started at 260lbs, down to 175 with the band, now back up to 225 so time to stop that growth! i have a revision to a RNY (Fobi pouch type) on 14 December - and today heard insurance will pay 20% which is great news. The bypass involved no special diet, really, so am a bit apprehensive: protein drinks (less variety here in New Zealand I think), dumping, and having the RNY by open surgery not laparoscopic - all make be a bit nervous... Thanks to you all for keeping me company on this journey.

Hi bariatric pals! I have had an endoscopy - not for the faint hearted, but at least now I have photos of the inside of my intestines, for the family Christmas card! Bloods good, ecg good, chest x-ray good, nutritionist visit done - three weeks til surgery, no tasks but to wait! Not even per-op diet cos it is open surgery!

Hi TryingDawn I too am 56 (this week - celebrating by getting my pre-op ecg and chest X-ray! My RNY and band removal is all together in one op, open surgery, in 3.5 weeks. Nervous, much! I had my band put in 10 years ago, but it is 5 years since it worked really well. Back then loose skin was manageable - I also figure it might be a bit worse this time, but way better than sore knees, hips, not running up stairs... Mostly, I dream of scuba diving again...

This whole tread is pretty bad. For a newbie, where my ‘go to next unread post’ keeps bringing me back to this! I was expecting more general support - is it this awful very often?

Thank you so much for posting this - I am 3.5 weeks away, but it is these first few days I am mostly nervous about, so looking forward to the replies to you. stay strong...

It is natural human behavior to talk up the option I have chosen (and notice the good commentaries about it) and do the opposite for the ones I didn’t chose. For example, when I decided to get the lap band, I remember I saw forums devoted to beople getting it out,replaced. I ignored them. It worked well for a while - but now I am ON the forum to get it replaced! Seems to me on these forums, people mostly avoid the pitfalls of that tribal approach humans are wired to take! Just do your research, and yes - follow the post-surgery rules.

Hi there - we are (sort of) surgery twins - my surgery is 14th in New Zealand, which is 13th in most of USA still! My BMI is not as low but in the lower end too. Good luck - I look forward to having someone to share post op recovery and then weight-loss journey stories with.

My surgery is in a month. I will keep looking at your photos, knowing that it is worth it - you look really happy with this journey!

Thanks- I have never heard of Crystal Light but will go hunting...

My other half has kindly bought me a pair of soft pyjama bottoms. They are pink and have tiny slices of pizza and small cartons of McDonald’s chips all over. Funny joke huh? I hope the surgeon doesn’t refuse to operate as I am not taking it all seriously enough...

I’m booked in for bypass (revision from lap band) on 14 December.

Quick update - insurance approved today. In New Zealand we have free (tax funded) universal healthcare, but the threshold for bariatric surgery is really high. So I am going private. About US$30,000 for lapband-to-bypass, and my health insurance pays 1/4 of that. Woo hoo - smaller bump on the mortgage!

Addiction? What do you mean? I am not addicted. I only eat because I am lonely. Or stressed. Or worried. Or celebrating. Or cross. Or busy. Or bored. Or hungry. Or watching tv. Or on the phone. Or tired. Or contented. Or to relax. Or ... oh. I see. 😉 I agree. Unless I get my mindful eating practices back, I am going to have a much harder time of this surgery... Thanks

Hi there, I have my band out and revision to bypass a couple of days after you, on 14th. Like you, I am nervous but pretty excited. Nervous about the post-op week (my surgeon only does this by open surgery) and the recovery from that. But after that the exciting bit starts!

Hi everyone i have enjoyed reading so many posts, thought I should introduce myself. I got a band put in 2009, weight 260lbs. It worked pretty well, and I held a weight I was happy with, 175lbs, for some time. Then, a cancer diagnosis and imminent chemo led me to have it emptied. Ended up not having chemo, just surgery, so began the process of getting filled about three years ago. By this time I lived two hours away from my surgeon, by plane. So, after fill after fill he realised the port was broken and leaking - a faulty batch. Two years ago, port replacement. But I have never hit that ‘sweet spot’ again. I now have no restriction at all, but a fill leaves me with chronic shoulder pain, with no taste or other symptoms of reflux. Two years of this, plus an internal port abscess, and I have given up. My weight is up to 230, and it is time for action. Those lovely 175-lb-body-clothes are crying out for me!! So, 14 December, RNY surgery of the Fobi Pouch variety. Bit nervous - the surgeon does these only with open surgery, not laparoscopic. So 6 days in hospital. Anyone here have open surgery so you can tell me a bit about the recovery? I have some nervousness!! xx

Hi there. Not quite the same but I have a pretty visible public job in a big city, often standing addressing large groups - certainly can’t afford to have that dumping either. I am booked to get rid of this bloody band in 5 weeks. I have tried, succeeded, failed, had a broken port replaced, shrunk, had reflux, suspected erosion, and now it seems the band has come unbuckled and is pressing on my diaphragm and I am growing once more. So, I am converting to RNY. Yes, I know I might get dumping. But that will be in my control - I will quickly learn what I can eat safely, and what I cannot. My way of looking at it is - I need this operation to change the way I eat. It is either that, or be fat. I chose to change my food. And the RNY will remove the choice. I have cheated my band with chocolate, etc - although not a lot, in truth. I know that is harder again with RNY and I really really hate being fat. Especially in an airplane! Good luck working your way through the decision making process.....

I am 226 today, being careful before the op. Worried about this bloody band, but a gastrectomy today (swallowing a camera is NOT fun) showed no band erosion, and no s new surgeon inks the band has come undone and is pressing my diaphragm! Been out on a Protein Tasting journey today, getting ready. 5 weeks til op. I hadn’t heard that revisionists loose weight slower that first timers. I know we shouldn’t want to rush, but that is hard, huh?

So exciting. I am having lap band revised to RNY as well, on 14 December. I look forward to reading your first month of posts so that I know more about what I am in for!!

Hi there. I am 5’7 and 230 lbs so pretty close. I am having lab band revision to gastric bypass, on 14 December. Bit nervous but looking forward to getting back to the healthier, no knee-pain, clothes off the rack position I was before band failed, 5 years ago.