Nanook

BJean, I know you struggled with yours a long time too and I did end up having GERD some months prior to getting mine removed and just never lost any weight with it, not even a honeymoon period. Anyway so after about 14 months of being banded I had it removed and didn't even think about revision until it was removed for a few months and then I started to gain and got even more frustrated/depressed and decided to revise to the gastric bypass. My daughter had it also about a year after I was banded through my same bariatric team and had done well so I thought since we came from the same gene pool I'd give it one more shot. Anyway I had mine last June and this is actually working and I can work with it. So there is hope out there for those that think that they are failures because one procedure doesn't seem to be working there are others. I suppose that's one of the reasons why I've stuck it out here because I was banded for a long time and I knew if I had issues I couldn't be the only one in the world with similar ones. I forgot your other question about how they compare. I feel like from the start I've had true restriction. No working around that one! I'm also able to stay away from sweets whereas before it was really difficult maybe because I had diabetes. There are times when I have had them and too much and felt very ill, just a stomach ache basically which is what my version of dumping syndrome is. I can have some but not too much basically. I do try to eat my Protein first and wait on drinking after I eat and I'm able to follow those rules better now than when I had the band. Can't really explain why I'm able to be compliant more now but it just works out better for me. I don't think I've lost weight super fast either but with my age and all my comorbs I think I've done pretty well and part of it is the surgery and part of it is me. I really needed the "surgery part" for my part to work too. Anyway I wish you luck with what you choose to do. I know it's a scary thing to think about but honestly I feel lucky to have been given a second chance at this and so far, knock on wood, I've done well. Take care, Nancy.

My removal was covered and the subsequent revision was covered 8 months afterward. Nancy

Lilmissdiva, You're right that was a good post. From the beginning when I joined here I was having issues with the band and looking for answers. Was it me, was it the band, was it the wrong procedure for me, maybe all three. It was a very frustrating time especially when I felt like "I" was the only one not losing weight with the band. Anyway that's in the past as it's removed and I revised to RNY and feel like I've really been given a second chance now and still pinch myself and yes there's a lot of skin to pinch especially on them there batwings! Anyway good luck to all who go through WLS and I hope we all pick the right procedure the first time but if we have to do it a second well so be it! Nancy.:thumbup:

I've had it done twice and the first time it did hurt but the second time it was done by a different person and it didn't so maybe it depends on the skill of the tech. Don't watch and you'll be fine! Nancy.

Sometimes it's hard to predict if the lap band is going to be the right procedure for a person. I gave it my "all" and frustration didn't even start until many months down the road for me and then adding GERD on top of things. I wasn't a day 1 get lap band, day 2 wish it were gone type person. I truly couldn't lose the weight with it and struggled and actually gained weight after a few months. I also came here many months after struggling and probably could have picked up a few tips that may have made my decision much easier but who knows. Sometimes once you get an idea in your head it's difficult to be objective. You never think "I'll be the one who chows down on ice cream after banded"! Anyway the way I look at it learn as much as you can before you get banded, know the type of eater you are because cravings don't necessarily leave once banded. Even with RNY eventually things get more difficult to pass up but if you're lucky you have dumping syndrome for a while and it helps limit the amount of snacking one might do. I tried the band first and it just didn't do it for me so I moved on to RNY. I can't change history but at least I can change my future. Good luck to all of you who struggle! Nancy.:tongue2:

momof2boys, I've kept track of my weight since my surgery and if I had a chart it would show that I stall right around ovulation till I get my period. This happens the same way for me every month. I lost much more the first month after my surgery and then much less since then but it's consistent just not every week due to my hormones/cycle. It is probably about 6 to 8 lbs a month for me now and I'm fine with that. Having the surgery is a big shock to your system and to your lifestyle and takes a while to get things working. I didn't lose anything with the band so I was at my highest weight when I got RNY surgery. If you continue to stall or gain a significant amount call your bariatric group. Good luck and thanks for clearing this up for me I can have a really bad memory! Nancy.

Momof2boys, I'm a bit confused did you have your lap band removed? Did you revise to any other surgery? Let me know, Nancy.

I believe mine failed because it was the wrong procedure for me and I also didn't have enough information beforehand. Nancy.

I prefer Garnier's (sp) and usually go champagne blond or ginger ale. I've also dyed my hair before and it was way too brassy and after a day or two would lighten it up with another dye because it would drive me crazy to have it the wrong color and I couldn't wait. A few months back mine was too brassy and in the cabinet was a very bleached looking blond color that one of my daughters had bought for a future use. I took it and left it on for just 10 minutes and that was long enough to lighten it but not have my hair fall out! Good luck, Nancy! Garnier also has an oil that you add to the mixture before mixing and it doesn't smell as bad as some of them do.

Jaffa I appreciate you setting people straight when it comes to other weight loss surgeries. There does seem to be a lack of understanding at times here when it comes to RNY and he sleeve thanks, Nancy.

Not sure what you're wanting to know but if you're asking about revision surgery from a gastric bypass there is a revision section at www.obesityhelp.com and people have revised from every type of WLS there. Good luck to you, Nancy.

I suppose I'll have to research what a "mini" gastric bypass involves but good luck to you, Nancy.

The one thing I have learned at this site is not to take things too personally especially when it comes to choice of weight loss surgery! The main thing is to be proactive with your health care no matter which procedure you pick. I've had both procedures done and know with each procedure there is aftercare in order to stay healthy and to lose the desired amount of weight. So far I have only been successful with RNY and like most people was a bit fearful of having it initially and that's why I went for the lap band first. I personally have a 21 year old daughter who had RNY a year before I had mine, a niece who had it three months before I had mine and her sister will be getting hers done next month. So far we've all be successsful, knock on wood, and know that it take a lot of work and also working with a good bariatric team and taking our vit/supplements and having our bloodwork monitored for deficiencies. We're basically in charge of our own health and should be aware of what we need to do to stay healthy and also what to look out for that could be a problem and be treated for that asap. With either surgery you can have problems, RNY does not equal "death sentence" although everyone seems to have some horror story to share of someone they "know" but usually are not very specific as to what caused it or even if it really was RNY related. Many times assumptions are made. So far I feel great and am happy and even amased that I am finally losing weight for the first time in over 20 years! My daughter has dropped 150 lbs and is a different person now. There are success stories and RNY has been around for quite a while and things have improved a lot. All I know is without this surgery I would not have lost the weight, it was the right procedure for me and it's up to me to continue the work to get off the weight, maintain my health by taking all my supplements, seeing my doctors and getting my blood work done when needed. I also have rules to follow so that my pouch doesn't enlarge or my stoma doesn't enlarge in order to keep the weight off in the future. All weight loss surgery requires work and dedication but we are all different and not all weight loss procedure is right for everyone. Figuring out which is the right one for you is the first and most important step. Good luck to all of us as we all are in the same boat! Nancy.:mad2:

Hey, I responded on another post you had, sorry! I'm happy you've come to a decision on your surgery. Since it's a lap band forum most people here are not going to tell you which surgery to get as they assume you'll go for the lap band. I had it and found it to be just as difficult as any other diet I was ever on and ended up gaining weight as opposed to losing, then developed GERD and it was removed 14 months after I was banded. Most people who post here seem to like and do well with their bands. Just remember to still get as much info as you can on RNY and try to go to support group meetings prior and after as they really help and there's also a good forum for RNY peeps called obesityhelp.com. Good luck, Nancy.

I don't find it scary at all and it's more like a signal my body telling me that I shouldn't eat something and also helps to avoid doing so in the future. Dumping is a term they use to cover a broad spectrum of symptoms like feeling light headed to having major stomach pains and some even vomit or have diarrhea. Everyone is different and I believe less than half the people who have RNY even experience some type of dumping syndrome. I was one of the lucky ones who does and many people who have RNY don't like it but don't hate it either if you know what I mean. Keeps us in check to a certain extent. I suppose you could call it a "tool". Nancy.

denouement, as far as I know from my own experience once the band is removed you'll be back to your old self again as long as there are no complications. The bad part is back comes the old size stomach and the appetite returns. Hence why I revised eventually to RNY. Good luck with whatever you choose to do, Nancy.

Tina, I'm not going to convince you to get either surgery but just let you know that I had both. First the lap band in 2007 and then it's removal due to the fact that it never worked for me and I had GERD bad enough to send me to the ER. Basically the lap band is trying to restrict the size of your stomach to mimic the gastric bypass without the bypass part. If you search through this whole site you will find many people who have done really well and also read the complications and frustrations that can also happen to people who have been banded. I discovered I needed more than just a restrictive device and have finally become successful with weight loss again through RNY. I had/have many comorbs and am nearly 50 years old and found the mere act of losing weight difficult over the past 20 years. There are also more forums like Obesityhelp.com which involve all surgeries and may help direct you to the right one for "you". I know it's not always easy and trust me going through two different weight loss surgeries is not a cake walk but it took two to learn which was the right one for me unfortunately and I prefer others not to have to go through two as I have. Good luck and keep searching, Nancy.

Personally I've had both done and the only one that worked for me was RNY. I know they change your "plumbing" but that's what has helped me with my weight loss. I was at the point when I got banded that I couldn't even lose weight anymore, it wasn't just a keeping it off thing for me plus I had many co-morbs and was easily approved. As another poster has pointed out going to support groups with people who have had both surgeries is a really good thing to do. If you can't find a mixed group than find one for each type of surgery you're considering. Mine is actually run by a nurse who had RNY six years ago and the group has been very helpful to me. As you can read on this site many there are a wide variety of situations going on. From people doing very well to people who are wondering why the weight isn't dropping off and if you're open minded you can read between the lines. No matter which surgery you choose it's a major decision and you want to make the right one for you. Good luck, Nancy.

I've had both done, first the lap band in 2007 and it's removal and then the revision to RNY in 2009. I wasn't the type of person who did well with the lap band and was never satisfied and would eat around it. Also wasn't aware ahead of time all the foods that would go through without an issue. I had type 2 diabetes and always had cravings for sweets which never went away with the band and since they were the easiest to get down I ended up gaining back the weight I had lost on the preop diet. So you have to know what your "issues" are before you choose a surgery. Of course there are risks with all types of WL surgeries but chosing one that will work is also a very important part of the decision process. Good luck to you with your decision, Nancy.

I've been on a variety of antidepressants/anti-anxiety meds for 20 years and if I go off one for some reason or another I have terrible withdrawal symptoms unless I'm switching to another drug at the same time. I don't really feel dizzy but feel like there are weird "brain sparks" going on in my head which is very uncomfortable and hard to describe to someone whose never had them before. I'm still trying to get my drugs straight since my conversion to RNY and now take my Cymbalta at a lower dose but twice a day and that seems to be working. I belive it's considered one of the drugs that would cause the least amount of weight gain but that didn't help me when I was on the band. Wish everyone luck with their situations as it's not always easy to deal with, take care Nancy.

bigmamma78, I forgot to respond to part of your earlier post. I'm almost 50 so my hair started thinning prior to my surgery. I haven't lost any hair since my RNY but my bariatric group puts us on a chewable supplement/vit that we take four times a day and that's it. As far as shots my daughter had a B12 shot once and you get bloodwork done every few months or so to see if you are deficient in anything. Take care and stay positive! Nancy.

Thanks Nora, I understand your fear I had it also and changed my mind at the last minute to have the lap band but didn't know enough about it when I had it done. It does seem to work for a lot of people especially those that are large portion eaters. As long as you gather all the info you can beforehand and know the pitfalls that people can fall into as well as the comps you should do fine! Good luck to you Nancy.:thumbup:

Nora, Some people believe that people who are large portion eaters do better with the band. I was more of a sweet eater and the band did nothing to keep me from eating sweets. Even with restriction and keeping up with my team with fills etc...I still was able to eat around the band and ended up gaining weight. Now that doesn't mean it will happen to everyone but it happens to enough of us that revision to RNY or having RNY in the first place would be a better choice for us. Just discuss this with your surgeon and get as much info as you can before your surgery. Good luck to you, Nancy.

Tina, I haven't gotten any bills or insurance statements yet. I think just the fact that I had to stay in the hosptal two nights should tell you it's going to be a lot! I'm guessing $30,000 to $40,000 but I could be totally off. If/when I get a statement I can let you know. If it's something you really want to do usually a good surgeon's office knows how to word things to get approvals. I had the same surgeon put in the lap band, take out the lap band and do my RNY. Let me know how things progress with you and take care, Nancy.

Peggy1011, Everyone who has revised from lap band to another surgery has a different story, we don't really know yours. I had the band for 14 months, never lost weight, developed GERD and was able to have my band removed and it was covered through my insurance. I was so disgusted with WLS at the time it was removed that I said I would not revise. Had it removed in October of 08 and during that time started putting even more weight on and got even more depressed until I decided to go ahead with revision to RNY still a bit unsure of the results even though my own daughter had it done less than a year after I was banded. I had to go through the same hoops to get the RNY and even more since I was revising so it wasn't easy. I also joined a support group prior to my RNY and found that to be helpful to me. Having a daughter who lives at home go through RNY with ups and downs and being there to take care of her during that time helped also as I knew what to expect and sometimes to expect the unexpected! I've actually done well with my revision and don't regret it a single bit. My daughter had what they call a minor complication with a stricture but they stretched her new stoma during two endoscopies. Removing the lap band was easy revising to RNY eight months later a bit more painful and the recovery is longer. I'm only post-op 10 weeks but have dropped over 50 lbs and I feel much better now. So I waited to revise and so in some ways it wasn't because I was afraid of RNY but afraid of failing at yet another WLS. Now I look at it as I chose the right procedure this time. So take care and it's normal to have second thoughts, Nancy.