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Well I'm a band to sleeve conversion. Now heading to a bypass not because of weight but reflux. I have had 4 dial actions to try to fix it no help. I take nexium twice a day and still have symptoms. I never had reflux before. However beside the awful reflux the sleeve is way better than the band. I don't see how anyone would do the band

My friend a work had bypass and has been buying clothes at Ross, Marshalls, and TjMaxx while she's on the way down. I plan to do the same! What a good idea.

I have not contributed or participated in a very long time, But I hope this may be of some help. I have made wonderful progress with my lap band but it has not been without significant issues. I lost most of my weight by November last year (9 mo). But starting mid May I started having more and more problems with eating. After a month of losing way more food than I was able to keep I finally talked with my nurses. I had to go in and have a couple of ccs taken out of my band. Which I did NOT want to do. But it turns out my sensitive stomach did not go away with lap band surgery. I have a limited capacity to take in the Protein shakes, so I have to use them judiciously. I can use Lactaid to help, but after a few days in a row of one or two, that's it. I tell you that because after a fill I have at least 2 full days when i really cannot eat. Most mornings I cannot eat, but I have to use something to get my Vitamin and meds down without me getting nauseated and I was using the shakes for that. That had to change. Once they got me past 4cc, I really had to work at what I could eat. Crackers worked but they are not what they want me to eat. I found that for Breakfast I need very little, but I have to go with whatever works. The rest of the meals I am able to stick to my plan pretty well. When my stomach is super irritated I have to revert to bland slider foods. if that does not calm things down my next step is to check with my GP to see if I have some kind of stomach virus or UTI going on. More times than not I do. If none of those work, then my final resort is to call my surgeons office and have a little taken out. I always put it back in 2 to4 weeks. I have found that texture is everything, and anything that is cooked dry or stringy is never going to stay down for me. But overall I can eat a wide variety, I focus on the protein, and try to keep it "chunky". I am to a point that I do use fruits for Snacks from time to time, but I don't eat a lot of snacks as a norm. On days when my band is tighter, I sometimes have to eat 4 or 5 very small meals to get enough to keep me going. After having several tests and a couple of upper GIs we can clearly see my pouch is pretty small. I often have symptoms of a slip, but it has been checked many times and I have had no slippage. Its just me. I admit it can be very aggravating, but it definitely beats the alternative. Though there are many struggles, they all seem minor in comparison to being able to achieve a pretty healthy weight. I know I will never be skinny, but I am so much better off than I was. I never thought I would wear mediums as a norm, but Here I am. So if you are having similar problems, just know it is a very manageable situation.

"Days 1&2 are like the basic liquid diet post-op, right?" Yes. Day 3 can be salmon, chicken or most any meat. The diet is similar to the zone diet so it's mainly low or no carbs for 5 days. She recommends very low glycemic foods such as refried Beans on the 3rd day. She recommends shakes as only a snack and not as a meal. Bypass people have real pouches that hold about 4 ozs of food. We have a very small pouch where food stays for a few seconds before it passes through the stoma.

As we all go for our one-year followups, what things did we learn? Here's a summary of mine: My appointment went well. Dr. is very happy with things. I’m at 221 on his scale (218 on mine), which is up a few from the 218 I was at on his scale in July. No surprise, as I've been gradually creeping up since November 1, when I stopped jogging outdoors and switched to elliptical. Plus, the holidays. We talked a lot about the mental issues, the need to not be fixated on the number, the physical changes, etc. He says I’m a model patient, for what that’s worth. He says that it’s largely a head game from here, which I know. He asked about how much I’m eating, which we went over, and he cautioned me about eating to the point of being full. He said that while my sleeve will never stretch out to the old stomach, if I repeatedly eat to full, I will condition it to stretch more. Good lesson. He also cautioned me that I am now in a lifelong fight with my body, which wants to get back up to 362 lbs. He told me that I should not be surprised that in 5 years, I will have gained 40 lbs., although he also said that I’m doing so well, and seem to have the right attitude, plus my age and gender, that I may not. He said that should I gain the weight, we can then talk about bypass but, interestingly enough, he also said, “By then, they will have figured out that much of this is hormone-related, and maybe they’ll treat that way then.” Go to support groups, keep exercising, blah, blah, blah. How about everyone else?

I Had gastric bypass Oct 2017. I was 274 at my highest. Now I am 150lbs and I couldn't feel better then I do now. The amount of confidence that comes with weightloss is remarkable. [emoji3059][emoji3059][emoji3059] Sent from my SM-G975U1 using BariatricPal mobile app

@@checkmeowt Hi thanks for the reply. They've checked my hormone levels and they seem to be okay. I actually need birth control because without it my cycles are horrible. Heavy and lots of pain. I see my gastric bypass doctor this Friday and I'm going to bring it up then. I need something that works without reeking havoc on my life. I don't know if kids are even on the table for me, but like you I don't want to mess up the chance either.

Wow, seems like the sleeve now has better stat's than gastric bypass. Thanks for sharing..

My light bulb moment happened this week. I had my surgery on November 22 and have done pretty well. I have stayed the course and have not swayed from my list of acceptable Protein options prior to this mini vacation. This week I went to San Francisco to care for my aged father. When I arrived in SF I went to the market immediately and bought my Dannon light and fit yogurt, cottage cheese, Light Baby Bel cheese and turkey slices before I even went to my Dad's. I wanted to make sure I continue to make good choices when it came to food. Seven days later....... I am home and food wasn't an issue. For the first time in decades I took control of my eating habits when visiting the family in San Francisco. I said NO to a cannoli, NO to a Joe's hamburger, NO to a Tostada, NO to a crepe, etc.......my response was, "Can I meet you afterwards?" I always carried a Baby Bel Cheese in my purse and always felt satisfied. I came home 4 pounds lighter and the feeling........I GOT THIS!

Ok, went to info session this morning and then had my first appointment with the surgeon. He is recommending the gastric bypass instead of the sleeve. He says GB is the "gold standard" and has been around the longest, people lose the most weight with it, almost immediately can come off metformin. Any one else had this experience?

My surgeon says the exact same thing. He feels bypass is the best option. I wanted the sleeve and he does a ton of them very successfully. So, I got sleeved. If I ad more than 150lbs to lose I would have chosen the bypass.

The three most important elements after RNY gastric bypass surgery are to meet your daily Protein, Fluid and Vitamin requirements. food is secondary because your body is converting your stored fat into the energy that drives your body. Thus you lose weight. Weight loss is achieved after surgery through meal volume control. You begin at 2 ounces (1/4 cup) per meal and gradually over the next year and a half increase the volume to 1 cup per meal. With this minuscule amount of food, it is next to impossible to meet your protein daily requirements by food alone, so therefore you need to rely on supplements such as protein shakes. It is common for your taste buds to change after surgery. Many experience problems drinking protein shakes. You do not have to like protein shakes only tolerate them. There are many varieties of protein shakes available today. Experiment until you can find one you can tolerate. Whatever Protein shake you settle on it should be low on sugar and high on protein.

Try not to eat things that have to much oil it will make u throw up u I got a lot of craving and tried them just to see what would happen and I always threw up my food do t ever drink when u eating either wait about 15 min after u eat I had gastric bypass may 2012 and I still do t eat how I use to eat veey small portions and salads have become my best friend

News.....Didn't get banded....went to the hospital to get my surgery and the surgeon came in to "have a talk". She was concerned with all the health problems that I have(diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol) that the band wouldn't be the best choice of surgery for me. She then told me about my other options...bypass, roux en whatever, and the gastic sleeve. Making a long story short...i put all my faith in the expertise and experience of my surgeon and went with the gastric sleeve. The next day I had it done..lol...surreal for sure! And now one and a half month later, I am so happy to have made that choice! My blood sugar has been normal since the surgery although i've only been off one med so far. My weight is going down...already down 18 kilos-40lbs. And (knock on wood) no bad problems, although diarrhea has been with me the whole time...but is getting better the last couple of weeks. I am now trying to get a grip on the changes and try to feel normal...although ecstasy is what i'm mostly feeling. I want to shout to the obese world...do what I did!! You don't have to be fat and sick anymore!! I am still watching for any adverse reactions but I knew what i was heading for before the operation and I just pray this keeps working for me. Good luck for All...be happy...ttyl

Hello my friends! I'm Trudy Carle and have been on my WLS journey for about 5 months now. Last month I was cleared by dietician & just waiting for surgeon appointment & insurance. It's with a heavy heart that I have decided to put off my Gastric Bypass. I have been falling lately--my knees buckling, I had 2 former minor surgeries on left knee-knew it it was feeling worse-just thought I would take care of it AFTER BYPASS! Sooooo close! The final straw was falling in shower putting knee through the tub! Went to drs and X-ray & MRI showed extensive damage to left knee....so my goal is to fix the left, then rehab, 6 weeks later do the right, rehab, etc. I'll work hard, but will probably have to redo things like nutrition but all is well! I'll still be here, keeping you informed lol! Thanks!

gosh, you must of been in such pain. But the main thing is you are safe and well now. Did you find it easier to loose weight with the band or bypass? x

Hello Clinton6, It has been several years since I had my bypass, but as I look back at what I experienced then and what I know now,I wish that I had done things different. First I would try to get some type of education about what I personally needed to do before I had my surgery. If you surgeon is placing you on a 1100 cal. diet, he may have several reasons for doing it. Psychlogical and emotional after effects are going to happen; food and your tolerance for some foods will be something you will need to experiment with as you try to adjust after your surgery, you will find that even thought you loved certain types of foods, after the surgery you won't. Believe me when I say this, as I found that certain types of foods; milk and milk produts, some meats, especially with an excess of fat, raw vegitable, sweets, soda pop or any carbonated drink plus other foods will make you very sick, especially if you try to eat over the small amount that your new stomach will hold. You will become very nausious, purging can be very painful with you feeling like your going to throw up you whole stomach, at least what is left of it. It will take several minute to several hours before you start feeling like you will live. You are sweating and feeling light headed and you will need to lye down until you start feeling better. They don't explain to you enough of the things you may experience after your surgery. I would check with your physician and the facility where your surgery will be preformed and inguire about any pre-surgery classes or seminars that you can attend. I wish that there was some of these type of support bases when I had my surgery;it would have made things alot better afterwards. Best of luck with your surgery, and be sure to follow your surgeons directions, If you don't understand why he is asking you to do these things. then ask him! It's your body and your future that will be affected. Most physicians and surgeons would be more than eager to explain why they ask you to do certain things before your surgery.

Greetings November Sleevers..... I've had some difficulty getting enough liquids and Proteins, but today is the 4th day and everything seems to be settling down. My sleeve feels pretty comfortable and I'm moving around pretty normally. I didn't have any difficulty finishing my 30g Protein drink this a.m. and am sipping a nice chai latte now. Feels pretty normal. Not hungry, and feeling much more like I will be "myself" soon. But, get ready for this: I went downstairs to weigh myself this a.m. because I am/was convinced I must have dropped a few pounds since I went in the hospital. I have GAINED 4 lbs! I know it must be Fluid retention, no BM yet, but it was a shock, I have to tell you. I have barely eaten anything (maybe 400 calories/day?) so I wasn't expecting this. I am not alarmed but I am shocked. Has anyone else experienced a weight gain after coming home? Jeez.

I've never referred so many people to one website in my life and I own 2 of my own. In these days and times of overweight being the norm, so many people want change and don't know how to attain it. So many people can be changing their lives if they only had the proper knowledge, insight, support and the forums to get all their questions answered. They need real people to talk/write to not just publications from doctors. This was the greatest thing ever and my family and close friends appreciate my ability to feel at home and at peace here since my associates never knew how to respond. This surgery was never a personal goal for me, it was an option from my Dr. and yet, it's become the most important thing in my life at this time. Apparently misery likes company but since I refuse to offer mine, I now have 4 people starting the process who use to think they knew all there was to know and now they know that Gastric Bypass is not your only option other than tummy tucks. I'm happy to be able to share knowledge and help people better their lives in any way and this website should be Award Winning!! I am proud to be a member and truly love my new girlfriends/sleeve buddies that I've met on here. I've met friends for life on this site and love to advocate for our community. All this and haven't even been approved yet..smh...lol.

Had my first dumping episode a couple of nights ago. So now I know what the pouch can't tolerate. Dumping though is nothing new to me, had the issue long before bypass, and it seemed to have corrected itself after bypass, until I ate something or too much of something that I shouldn't have. I was just happy I was home when it happened . My biggest problem is food that the pouch doesn't like, then the elephant definitely is on the chest and until I bring it up I'm miserable, refried beans was one and fish was the other. Moist meat goes down quite well and I haven't tried anything else as I don't like that feeling. This all is so different for me, which is a good thing, compared to the band which I never had an issue with until the doctor found it had slipped. Do I mind these issues, you bet I don't, I wish I would have had this procedure in 2010 and would have already reached my goal weight. But the research was just coming in about that time, and actually not too much. They always say though "hind sight is better than foresight". We just have to remember that this is only a tool and it can only be as successful if used correctly.

The band and bypass are two completely different surgeries. Search on this site for band to bypass and you will see hundreds of people in the same situation you are in. When people ask me what surgery I got I explain to then there are three levels of the surgery. 1. Band 2. Sleeve 3 bypass With the bypass you physically can not eat more than it will allow. The second part of your stomach is just gone. With the band you still have all of your stomach, and therefore can continue to eat. I am 17 months post op. I have lost 125 and have maintained that weight loss. I can eat anything I want. I don't have restrictions on types of food for the most part, what I have is restrictions on quantity. I used to be able to eat a Big Mac supersize meal and two apple pies with a large soda. About two hours later I would be hungry again. Now I eat about half a happy meal and I am full for 6-7hours. It is unrealistic to adhere to a strict diet the rest of your life and never give into "bad" foods. We are all human. This is a tool that will aid in the process of weight loss. It is only part of the equation. Food addiction is like any other addiction physical and mental. My biggest lesson through this past 17 months is that my brain is a powerful machine, but I am a stronger person than I thought I was. I began to look at food differently. I use it for fuel and the feeling I used to cover up with food I take out at the gym or on the soccer field. You just have to be in tune with your body and discover your triggers. When you discover one you need to replace food with something healthy. People say well if it is that easy why do you need the surgery. My answer the surgery allows me not to be so hungry all the time and allows me to focus on the good things. Now that the weight is gone I hardly sit still. I have energy and want to workout or be physical. It is natural for hubby to be scared and I would suggest taking him to doc visit with you. Tell him to ask the hard questions to your doc. Main one being why will this work and the band did not.

This is your struggle. I think the bypass would be a good tool for you. I got the bypass just a few months ago back in July. I know what you mean when you say food addiction. With the bypass though, if you try to eat a piece of cake, you won't regret it a year later when you've regained all the weight. You will regret that cake right that second. I believe the bypass has worked so well for me so far because it has a punishment that is so uncomfortable I'm scared to tempt its wrath. Suddenly that cake or cheeseburger or whatever it might be is not worth feeling so sick. It's hard at first. But once you adjust and experience what the RNY does for you, the diet part becomes second nature. Just the thought of a bite of cake makes me nauseous. Maybe that's what you need too. My mom got the lap band several years ago and has done great with it but she wishes that she had done the bypass instead because the band doesn't have a punishment for going off the diet so she is constantly losing and gaining the same 5-7 pounds because once in a while she folds to her cravings. Hope this helped.

Hello Everyone! So, I got the band in August 2010 lost 30lbs and then suprisingly got pregnant in November 2010. My daughter was born in July 2011 and I gained 40 lbs during my pregnancy. I have lost 20 so far. I had my 12CC band at 7cc while pregnant and did not feel any restrictions while pregnant. Immediately after the baby I felt the restrictions again.I then went back in September 2011 and got another fill which my band was now at 9cc. I lost if anything 8lbs and did not feel restricted so, I went back February 2012 and got another fill my Doctor said it was the max and he could not do another one. So, here I am almost 3 months and I gain 2lbs and lose 2lbs. I am pretty much not losing anything. I can't eat as much because I have days that I feel restricted and days I don't but will feel an uncomfortable feeling after I eat. I am getting my Protein and staying under 1200 calories (I have my fitness plan). Last month I was doing bootcamp and again no weight loss. Has anyone had that problem before? How can I start over? The worst part is that I have days when I feel depress.... My Doctor gave me the option to have a gastro by pass but my company health insurance only covers one biatric surgery for life. Need help and motivation! What do I do?

I do not absorb B12 well through my GI tract so we bypass that and inject the Vitamin in a shot once a month. A lot of bypass patients don't absorb B12 well and some of us were lucky enough to not absorb it even when we had normal stomachs. Low B12 can cause severe anemia, fatigue, and neurological damage. HW 312, pre-op (RNY) 255, current weight 198

Hello All In Band-Land, I haven't been on here in awhile because I thought I could get away with food-murder and I did! I should be hitting myself in the face right now. I was banded in late September and was suppose to have a fill in early November to find out that my port has slipped and now I cannot have a fill until Jan19th. Its like the band doesn't even exist in my body anymore. I was great after surgery and now all I want to do is eat and eat and sometimes I in fact do just that. I am feeling like a failure here. Anyone else on here need to be in the 'Do Over" mode? I wish I could stop my mind from thinking about food.