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Eat ice cream all day long... you could get over 4000 calories easy. Drink juice... eat cake..... eat cheese puffs.... eat and drink at the same time. Remember, bypass patients no longer have a functioning pyloric valve, so if they eat and drink at the same time, everything just flushes straight through their pouch into their intestines. I'm pretty sure I could get over 4000 calories a day just by eating slowly all day long, eating slider foods, and drinking at the same time.

lots of people revise to the sleeve. I'd caution you though, that if you have any reflux with the band (as many do) your best revision option will be bypass.

Yay! I had my crapband out on May 23 and was sleeved... so far so good just on the thirsty train as well, sipping and sipping ever so slowly although today (8 days out) I noticed I can definitely take a bigger sip and I don't feel anything negative like I did the first few days... I spent 1 night in and then my doc paid for me to have a visiting nurse over the holiday weekend for hydration for 3 days, it was the best move ever, it made me way less stressed about drinking when it was painful and I was able to get back on feet easier. I was back at work on the 29th and here I am I'm down 14 lbs since surgery and no pain (though I think this is mostly due to the fact that my belly button to top of my thighs are numb from my plastics in November - blessing in disguise)...I am longing for something salty that isn't broth however...I ventured to a creamy potato soup and that went ok today i just left the potato chunks there but probably could have eaten them given that my chewy vitamins and jello are going down quick and easy. AMEN for popsicles

How are you doing Nicmarie75? HW 242, SW 236- (Bypass 12/20/17) GW#1- 199 [emoji736] (2/11/18) GW#2- 175 CW 184 5’6”

I dont have a time frame on mine...My surgeon just told me that if I fell lower than a loss of 4-6 pounds for a months time to come in for a fill...The last time I scheduled one it was about 6 weeks after the first...I didnt want to wait until I went under that weight loss limit so I went in anyways and got it with no problem...I feel that if I wait that long then I am going to fall behind on my loss and I dont really want to do that...So I just waited about 6 more weeks now and am going to go in again for another one November 17th

Quick recap- I had the sleeve on 2/5/2014 and had tons of complications. I was in the hospital a lot, I had a PICC line and then a feeding tube. It was a rough 6 months. My stomach basically didn’t tolerate food or drink, so there was a lot of puking. Fast forward to needing a revision to bypass on 6/26/2018 due to severe reflux and damage. The surgery went great, I healed well, no nausea. I was rocking it. I am doing great on full liquids but am failing miserably on soft foods. I don’t know if it’s psychological or what. I can do one cheese stick a day if I chew very well. I am okay with yogurt, just small amounts. I get sick on refried beans, cottage cheese, eggs, etc. I just keep going back to full liquids. Anyone else? Any advice?

As far as I know I don't have Barrett's esophagus, at least the doctor has never indicated any need for biopsies. I also would prefer the sleeve but was told that is not really an alternative given the situation of the esophagus. I still seem to get food stuck in the pouch in the esophagus occasionally and have to vomit to get rid of it. At least I assume that is what I assume is happening. Good luck with your surgery. What differences between eating with the band and eating with bypass do you expect to deal with? What complications do you expect, i.e. dumping rather than vomiting?

Welcome. I too had a band for a few years and lost around 85 pounds and then just stopped. I could not have any more water added as I was at the max fill. I was constantly vomiting due to food getting stuck due to the high fill of my band. I went to the doctor after about 6 months or no weight loss and talked to him. I still had another 100 pounds to go. He said that due to the amount of weight that I had to lose initially that I should have probably gone for the sleeve in the beginning and not had the band. Well it is a little late now. At the time I had the band insurance was only paying for the band or the bypass and I knew that I did not want the bypass. My insurance denied my request for the band removal or the sleeve and they wanted over $40,000 here in the US and it would have had to been done in 2 surgeries about 3 months apart. There was no way that I could afford this so I started to check into other options and found surgery in Mexico. After doing much research and talking to several people on the phone I decided that this was my only option at last winter. I called and scheduled surgery with Dr F Garcia in Tijuana, Mexico. I bought my ticket and on Dec 10, 2011 I left for San Diego. They picked me up and took me to Mexico. I can not say enough wonderful things about Dr Garcia, his team and the staff at Mi Hospital. I would do it again in a heart beat. They took out my band and did the sleeve in the same operation. I hope that you have good luck with your insurance. Keep pushing ahead.

Thanks for the welcome. When I got my band, my only options through insurance were lapband and bypass. I was too scared of bypass. I could not afford to be self pay so I went with the band. I sometimes wish I had waited until the sleeve was an option, but I may have lost my nerve at that point. My insurance has recently added the sleeve as an available option, but when I called they basically said I would have to start over with the 6 month diet visits. I am hoping that the regain along with my history of high blood pressure will help with my approval process. My doctor thinks we have a good case. He is planning to do the band removal and sleeve in one surgery if I am approved. So I have a question... Did having the band before help you with learning to eat with the sleeve? Did you have a hard time after being sleeved? Or was business as usual?

Welcome! I was banded 03/2010,lost 90 lbs. Band slipped in 2011, after a series of unfills, fills, unfills, we discovered that I have a non-functioning band. My choices were gastric bypass, sleeve, or revise the band. I definately didn't want to revise my band, based on the poor stats. I just revised to a sleeve 8 days ago.

My surgeon recommended bypass from the get-go, and I insisted on the band. I thought, based on the little patient information, that it would be a great fit for me. I couldn't have been more wrong, and just like Suzy, I was basically bulimic for four years. A very SMALL bulimic woman - but bulimic! I struggled, thinking "I failed," too, then finally it was so bad that I had to let go of my stupid guilt (really stupid since I had done everything right!). I had it pulled out in November, and an RNY February 10. My surgeon does it in two surgeries because he said the stomach needed time to heal. Money-making scheme or not, that's the only way he would do it. I was scared I'd gain a ton of weight in the months between, and did, but either way, I had to wait. The bypass in February has been a great success. I have absolutely NO food intolerances, no throwing up, NOT ONCE, no problems with anything. It is a very different feeling, though, from the band, and takes some getting used to. And, since it was revision surgery (and my body is basically saying, "um, enough of this starve me routine, I'm holding on to this weight!) I am losing FAR more slowly. But I always lose a pound or two a week. I am not suffering AT ALL, and I never have reflux or gird or trouble sleeping. BUT ... with the band, even in those few good months, I really could only eat maybe a half cup TOTAL of anything. The bypass is different: I'm not about to puke because I've eaten too much, not ever. So I think I have to work a lot harder with this surgery. People have shared that the experience changes as the bypass heals, too, and that I will feel full more easily and the feeling will be more pronounced. I also DO feel hungry, often! But since the entire bottom of my stomach has been cut off from my pouch, I realize it's my brain telling me I'm hungry, NOT my stomach. I try to ignore it and drink a lot of water! The Vitamin thing is a pain (which is why I chose the band in the first place), but ... I've learned to schedule taking them all and manage it in the not quite three months since the surgery. No regrets - I'm very very very happy with the new surgery and it's milder results!

I still have the lapband and my esophagus is the same as yours. I started gaining weight and went to wl doctor and discovered this. We did a scope and the biopsy shows I have Barrett's esophagus, which is precancerous. I wanted the sleeve cause my sis n law had it 2 year after removing her band with great success. The doctor told me if u have been throwing up or have Gerd/acid reflex or esophagus issues it can make it better by doing bypass. It can get rid of Barrett's also. I am schedule for May 7 th.

Dumping happens when sugar and or simple carbs reach your intestine at an area unused to it (due to being bypassed in RNY). Your body's reaction to this is to send Fluid quickly to your intestines resulting in abdominal pain/cramping, cold sweats, light-headedness, shaking, and severe diarrhea. It can happen a little while after a meal (my first/only dumping experience happened a few weeks ago and was about thirty minutes after eating) and can last hours (I spent a long painful miserable hour on the toilet, followed by another hour/hour and a half of shaking and severe weakness). You can avoid dumping by avoiding sugar, foods containing over 10gr of sugar, simple carbs (almost anything white - bread, rice, pasta). If you follow your teams instructions and read food labels this won't happen often, if at all. Food getting stuck/eating too fast/eating too much causes food to back up. This is very common and can happen very frequently. Your body's response to this is to create bubbly saliva to try to ease the problem. The saliva builds up and either does help or causes severe nausea resulting in vomiting, which also solves the problem. Taking small bites, chewing thoroughly, and eating slowly can help prevent this. chicken or other poultry can be very dry, as is pork, and many people can't tolerate these foods (I'm over one year out and have never been able to keep chicken or turkey down). Each individual may have foods they can't tolerate but others can. It's trial and error.

Hi Everyone, Well I have come full circle, a place I never thought I would be at again in my life. I took the big step on January 15, 2009 to have lap-band surgery with Dr Ortiz. The best thing I ever did for myself, I was young and ready to start living my life. Little did I know 2009 would be a very tuff and awarding year for me, and with that I was not strong enough to continue my weight loss focus. The best thing was meeting my now husband. Problem is we both have the same food demons so it was easy for me to slip back into my old habits. Since meeting December 2009 I have gained 50lbs and my husband has put on 100lbs. I told him a few months ago, I was going to stop loving him to death, and if we didn’t get our demons under control we were going to do just that "love each other to death". Everything we do revolves around food. But we also have dreams and passions and if it wasn’t for our weight we would be living a more active life, I know it, and I know we will. But with change and uncertainty comes many questions. My husband tried to support me in the beginning when we met, I wasn’t quiet a year out from having my surgery, he has seen my struggles, the sometimes embarrassment that comes with not using the band as a tool. When we made the decision to have the gastric sleeve surgery, we made it as a team, but with one big hesitation. We will have eating troubles like I do now with the band? My questions to you are: I currently get food stuck, almost like my band is to tight, although I am completely empty. Do patients with VSG, get food stuck, like Lap-band patients? Do you have to chew the food until there is just nothing left to chew, like you do with the Lap-band? Are there no no foods, like there is with the lap-band? It was years before I could eat a sandwich after having the lapband put in. I still to this day can’t eat dry meat, like steaks or pork. Are you able to drink when you are eating, unlike the lapband, where you should wait at least 30 min. How long was it after your VSG surgery until you could really eat solid foods? How much food can you eat? Let’s say a year after surgery are you still only able to eat 1/2cup of food at a time? I have read that some poeple feel like "they forgot to put the sleeve on". Does that mean that some days you can eat more then you normally can? We know the long term health benefits outweigh all these questions and concerns, but eating is still a part of life. We love to travel and try new foods at the places we go, I would hate not to be able to eat the local cuisine. I guess we need to start looking at food as a survival tool and not entertainment. Thanks for reading, loooking forward to your insights Jnlebean Current: Gastric Sleeve Surgery Date February 12, 2014 Highest Weight 299 November 2013 First Surgery: Lap-Band Surgery Date January 15, 2009 Highest Weight June 2008 – 290lbs Surgery Weight – 270lbs Lowest Weight July 2009 – 242.5lbs Weight Loss Goal 160lbs

November 2012 to January 2013 haven't taken photos since down 36# feeling great

I know it has been a while since anybody posted here, but I just found you! I am in Oxnard, I had my RNY (bypass) on August 1, 2016 and am just getting ready to start my skin removal steps. Is there anybody else who is in the Ventura area?

I just had my first appointment yesterday at a bariatric clinic and was basically approved to do a bariatric surgery. I was given the choice between the two and have been watching videos and reading articles about each of them. I'm just curious, which one did you choose? How did the process go over? How long has it been since the surgery? Has the surgery been successful? Do you regret it? I'm very nervous, but very excited for this new journey and want as much information as I possibly can gather to make the best decision for me. I appreciate all your responses in advance!

So I have been doing really great with my band since I had my surgery in November, but the past couple days it felt like I had no restriction and then all of a sudden EVERYTHING has been getting stuck.... Last night the vomiting was so forceful that i have blotches on my face and nearly almost broke blood vessels in my eyes.... I need to know if this is normal or if I should see a doctor?!?! My first and only adjustment was in January so it's not tight!!!

Yeah, the original plan was one surgery, three procedures in one day. They fixed a hernia and removed gall bladder. They had to stop there and program two corrective procedures before I could get the gastric bypass. Both surgeons took great care of me. I was glad I was able to complete the DS, especially during the same hospital stay.

Whatever you decide I know you can do it. Matt is 100% correct. You need to discuss this with your significant other and both be on the same page. You will need their support 100% after surgery and you need to also know how they feel. As far as the investing in yourself.. it is the BEST thing you can do. All our lives we always do for others and this is now our time. I however did the sleeve, which was half the cost of the bypass, but it is what worked for me financially. I also have done the dieting in the past and have gotten down 120 pounds and gained most of it back. For me, this is a tool that became a rule. The rule states, you cannot fall of the wagon because i will not allow you too. I have the will power, my issue is if i do fall off ( the last time because i traveled for work for 3 weeks and had to eat where the group ate) it was hard to get back on. But once i put my mind to something i am good. My mind was determined to do this, for me, and i went in and even up to the moment of surgery, it was like i had a task to do. I never thought of it is a major change to my body. You got this no matter what!

Hi, I had gastric bypass and am 8 yrs out. I was at 245 lbs and had gotten down to 115 lbs. I was told I was to low and had to introduce more carbs to my diet. Once I opened that door there was no turning back. My "dream" weight is 127 lbs. I was that for a little over a year. I was going to support group meetings and was doing very well. Then my work schedule changed and I could no longer make it to my monthly meetings. Slowly my weight is creeping back up and presently I am 147 lbs. I know it is from what I am eating. Clearly it is from Chocolet. Yes I am a chocaholic. I know the amounts I can have to not get dumping. I need to get back on track. I do attend weight watchers but points system not working out very well for me. Going to start back to basics. Wish me luck

I don't think they will have to go back through the port site. I had 7 incisions from my surgery and I think standard for bypass is 6. Hopefully that spot will be left alone.

Lots of people have had really good success with ESG, particularly in USA and other countries where it has been carried out for a while (as its a fairly new procedure). In Australia there seems to be a higher failure rate due to many reasons: some doctor technique is lacking, overeating, etc...some others lost restriction for no apparent reason. I think in time Australia success rate will improve as the doctors gain more experience in the technique and ongoing the technique is being improved. I am member of a few ESG fb groups where the posting is a little bit more frequent than this subforum. Message me if you would like the links. There is one good site with a lot of people from USA...it a fairly positive site. I had my ESG in Australia over a year ago. No real pain other than stomach cramps for the first few days and I did recover well. At first restriction felt good, and I had good weight loss (lost about half of what I wanted), over time the restriction lessened and I have none now. I have gained some weight back though I haven't reached my pre-procedure weight. An endoscopy showed I have about one suture intact. There is no one reason why my ESG failed and it is possible I contributed with a couple of bouts of overeating. I will be converting to a sleeve fairly soon. The surgeon has done a few conversions and he feels I should be able to convert to a sleeve, if not, he will do a mini bypass. The anchors can prevent conversion to a sleeve. I have been working hard (which help) on what causes me to overeat, it is an ongoing battle but I have made some great progress and feel quite confident going forward. I do regret my decision but only for the fact I wish I had waited until the Australian doctors had more experience with the procedure and ongoing the procedure is being refined to ensure better outcomes. My tips to get the best of your procedure would be to follow all post op guidelines particularly around volumes of food, exercise once you are able to, don't be tempted to test your restriction just because you can eat more than the guideline volumes...once you get past soft food stage, try and get as much protein from food as opposed to shakes (satisfaction and restriction will kick in quicker than with fluids), avoid slider foods and if your doctor/clinic as a post op management program make sure you commit to it and make all your appointments. Don't abandon the program with embarrassment if you have stalls or weight gains along the way...this will the time when you most need to reach out to the experts. One important thing is to work on what causes you to overeat, this won't change with the ESG, those battles will still be there, if you work on them now you will have better outcomes for your ESG. My outcome is but one of many of successes and failures, on the main ESG group on fb there have been some great successes particularly in USA.

Hi All, I m new here . I had my bypass surgery around 15 days ago, but still am sore around incision areas. Any idea how long does it take for the pain to go away completely ? I would really appreciate Any suggestions on making my recovery better. Thanks!

I had my lap band and gall bladder out Jan 2015, I am retired Tricare, I have 5 comorbilities and my bariactric surgeon is requesting approval for the bypass now. Does anyone know if Tricare will cover this as a 2 stage revision after the lap band is removed?