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Maybe the reflux was caused by a too tight band. Although we think that the tighter the better it doesn't work like that - tight bands mean you cannot eat healthy, satisfying foods so you start eating high cal, unsatisfying sliders and gain weight. Maybe you should look at having your band refilled slowly, it may still be able to help. If not then I am sure you can revise to a bypass or a sleeve if that is really what you want to do.

I'm completely lost and unsure about doing a sleeve or bypass. I am female 37 yes old, no kids in the future, 172cm and weigh 111 kilos. I have a small hernia and the surgeon recommends a bypass. I guess I'm apprehensive because I focused so much on doing a sleeve. I am an active individual who would like to add muscle while loosing fat. I'm afraid with a bypass I wont absorb necessary nutrients to achieve these goals. Anyone out there with similar situation? Is there a success bypass story where adding muscle mass wasnt a big challenge? Sent from my BLA-L29 using BariatricPal mobile app

Hi there LeoButterfly25, I had my surgery on 27 November. I weigh myself every day but only record it once a week - it jumps around so much in a 24 hour period that it is just ridiculous. I found my biggest issue in my Fluid phase and part way through my soft food phase though to be bowel movements. (I know it isn't very pleasant to talk about, but hey, we all do it!!!!!). Don't despair over what the scale tells you today, because it can change quicker than you can blink... Good luck with everything, and I look forward to seeing your progress, especially as we are on a very similar timeline xxx

When I got my very first fill in September I was at 3.6cc in a 10 cc band. Then I got something stuck and I am convinced that was the end of my ability to have fills. That was in November. I had a refill to 2.6 cc in December and had to have it removed to 1.7 in January. Then I thought I could eat too much so I had a fill to 2.3 at the end of February, followed by an unfill to 2.0 in March followed by a complete unfill at the beginning of April. Since then I have been completely unfilled...with hopes of never having to have a fill again. For me it was better to learn good eating habits and stay loose. I think it is healthier and that was the reason I had this surgery to begin with. I can't stand being too tight. If you choose the right foods (Lean Protein like chicken and certain fishes, whole grains, and the right fruits and veggies, you can actually eat a lot of food). I am currently trying to maintain my weight (have been for the last 8 pounds lost!) and am at 1800 calories and the amount of food that I have to eat is almost unbearable. I know who would have ever thought that I would have said that?!?! So basically my opinion is work on your eating habits...that is going to serve you better in the long run then being to tight. What is the purpose of being at goal if you haven't learned to eat right? That is my opinion anyways! For me I try not to think about what or how much I COULD eat, but rather what and how much I am WILLING to eat. And yes...it takes a lot of discipline. Good luck.

Erosion is where the band just gradually erodes a hole in your stomach and works its way through. Its pretty serious, the band must be removed and the stomach allowed to heal, sometimes a new band can be placed, but its not uncommon for there to be just too much scar tissue for this to be possible. Slippage is where the band simply slips down on the stomach, which is what I suspect you mean by twisting. A loop of stomach will bulge out the top of the band and it may cause you to either lose restriction or to make you unable to even swallow Water. Sometimes it comes with only very mild symptoms like heartburn and reflux. A slipped band can sometimes be fixed by unfilling, and the stomach will readjust itself, or it can be repositioned and sewn back down or removed and replaced. It doenst usually do so much damage that a new band isnt possible. Twisting of the stomach on the other hand, major, life threateningly serious but not really a band issue, that's something that can happen with techniques like bypass and sleeving, where the new tiny stomach can twist over on itself, cutting off blood supply. Erosion seems to be one of those things, an infection in the port is very serious as it can travel up the tubing and eventually lead to erosion, but it doesnt often have a known cause. Slippage on the other hand - treat your band badly and you're way more likely to have problems. If you pb daily or even weekly, constantly overeat, and have your band really tight, then you're putting yourself at risk. never ever ignore symptoms like reflux etc, it means you're too tight and that's not good, bands are not supposed to restrict you to eating like a sparrow, they're supposed to reduce the amount you can eat from gargantuan to small and YOU have to do the rest of the work that causes you to lose weight. The high incidence of band problems, I firmly believe, is becuase being a weight loss surgery people AND surgeons simply expect it to perform as well as bypass and expect too darn much of it. They tighten it up and up and up and cause these problems. A moderately firm band that provides portion control but not much else is what is safest and healthiest and that means of course, that there's a lot of people who are just too disordered and unwell in their eating to be able to work effectively with a band. Not a moral judgement in the slightest, but a simple observation. If you treat your band well, dont have it too tight and make up a lot of your calorie deficit with good choices and good exercise, you stand a good chance of being absolutely fine for years to come. But bands are a bit of a problematic surgery, there's a lot of complications that come with them and you can just be unlucky too.

I too have had a few disgusting moments. I just thought that my weight would come off easier than it is. I lost 25 pounds before I even had my surgery on November 14th, but I seem to be struggling to lose the 8 pounds that I lost last month. I've always heard that on a regular diet, for most eople, a 1-2 pound weight loss a week is perfectly normal. But with the sleeve, I feel that 1-2 pounds a week is not enough--especially when I see posts where people lose 60 pounds in 3 months. That's my rant. I just thought it would go faster.....

I believe the increased risk of kidney stones from bariatric surgery is in reference to gastric bypass. However obesity by itself is a cause for increased risk of the stones. Not drinking enough Water is considered one of the main causes. If you are diagnosed with a stone, it is advisable to be checked out by a Urologist as the size of the stone is extremely important as to the treatment required. You don't want to put your kidney in jeopardy.

i hope everyone is doing okay. i had the gastric bypass 12/10/07 and i am already down 43 pounds in 5 weeks:cool2: hugs Ann

Lapband coffee Group – Burlington Tuesday, November 29th – 7:00 p.m. Second Cup 901 Brant St Burlington, ON L7R 2J6 (Just West of the Walmart) The Lapband Coffee Groups are open to EVERYONE who has had Lapband Surgery or if you’re looking into the lapband process, recently banded, or a long time "Bandster". This is a great way to find out about the lapband from individuals who have had the surgery and to ask questions or just listen to individuals share their lapband journey experience. No need to sign up… just show up and if you can’t find the group ask for Tom at the cash register. If you have any questions before the coffee group please contact: Tom - tomander@rogers.com Let’s all “band” together for a cup of coffee!

Premiere protein for me! I like the flavors and it’s an “easy” 30 g of low sugar protein Good luck! HW 242 SW 236- Bypass December 20, 2017 CW 195 GW#1- 199 GW#2- 175 5’6”

Dones anyone know how much a self-pay would generally pay for gastric bypass vs. lapband? My price from my Dr. for Lap Band is $15K. I wonder if the Gastric Bypass is about the same or more? All of this talk about fills and the port is making me queasy. LOL! I am sure it is alot easier than it sounds though. :cheers2: My girlfriend is having gastric bypass next month and she will go home the same day as her surgery, like the Band. Has anyone heard of this? I thought the stay was much longer. How did you make your mind up to have the band instead of Gastric Bypass?

My doctor always said that there was an overnight hospital stay for banding and for bypass there was a 4 -5 day hospital stay (it was so much longer due to the intestinal rerouting). I chose to do banding because many bypass patients gain their weight back as their bodies become more efficient at absorbing calories. I had lost 135 lbs on my own before only to gain it all back and more. The lapband is a tool that will keep working with me to help control my hunger. If you scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page you will see links to other threads where this question has been posed. good luck to you !!!

Julie, My best friend just had her bypass done with Dr. McKeen. She's having a hell of a time. Her surgery was on June 11th. She still hasn't eaten more than a teaspoon of cheese. He extended her work leave until August 11th now. I am wondering what he told her her goal weight should be. She's 5'6".

To the general public, bariatric surgery may be a single procedure that ends as soon as you leave the clinic after surgery. Or, they may think of aftercare as periodic adjustments to make sure your surgery is “working.” As a weight loss surgery patient, you know that post-op care is crucial to your success. Most clinics have extensive mandatory programs to ensure your continued weight loss and pursuit of a healthy lifestyle. Shared Roles of Surgery and Post-Op Care Your care after bariatric surgery, or post-op care, is as important as the surgery itself. The surgery helps you eat less because you feel satisfied on a smaller volume of food, but it is up to you to follow a healthy diet. You can lose 100 pounds or more in the first year, but you may have more to go. The best way to lose weight and keep it off is to carefully follow the meal plan and exercise recommendations from your bariatric team. Consider these facts: A lap band does 30 to 40 percent of the total work; this means that you, the patient, are responsible for the remaining 60 to 70 percent of your weight loss journey’s success. Some banding or sleeve patients have procedures that do almost 100 percent of the work in the first year, and then the patient must adjust to continue that work. This means that aftercare is vital to your success. Components of Aftercare These are typical components of aftercare. They are critical for your success so that you know what to do and stay motivated. Dietitian appointments: You will take several weeks to work up from a liquid diet to pureed foods to your regular diet. The dietitian can work with you to provide meal plans and food choice ideas. Recovery period: You need to ease gradually into your regular activities and an exercise program to prevent poor healing of your surgical wounds. Surgeon follow-ups: Gastric bypass will require more follow-ups and blood tests than other forms of bariatric surgery, but these appointments are crucial for everyone. You want to be sure that you are healing properly and preventing nutritional deficiencies. Support groups: These groups are mandatory for many clinics. You can attend weekly or monthly meetings initially, and some clinics ask you to attend annual follow-ups for the rest of your life. These groups keep you motivated and informed. Adjustment Visits for the Lap Band Adjustment visits. These visits are periodic checkups that can lead to adjustments to make you more successful. Three different adjustments are possible. Your nutrition program: You may need to alter your calorie intake, frequency or volume of eating or type of foods that you choose to make sure that you are getting the nutrients you need. Your state of mind: A session with a psychologist or another member of your bariatric team can help you get motivated if you’re feeling discouraged, or make you more confident if you’re feeling lost. Your band. The Lap Band is the only weight loss surgery option that allows adjustment to improve the procedure’s efficiency. The band can be narrowed to make you feel full faster, or opened if you need to increase the volume of food you eat, such as what might happen if you get sick. Aftercare versus Maintenance Aftercare, or post-op care, is distinct from “maintenance.” “Maintenance implies that you have reached the end of a program, such as a diet program, and you are ready to go back to your old habits. “Aftercare” helps you continue the transition to a healthier lifestyle. People who think of you in maintenance might be waiting for you to regain the weight, as with another failed diet. So what can you do to change the negative perception of aftercare? Being a good role model is always a good start; follow through with all of your appointments, eat well and exercise as recommended. You can be more verbal about your continued efforts, and spread the word online through social media, such as Facebook and Twitter. What other ideas do you have for changing negative terminology disapproving assessments of post-op care for bariatric surgery?

Hi, I am a newbie to Lap Band...I had my surgery 9 days ago but I am a little discouraged that with the Gastric Bypass I didn't want to eat and didn't feel hungry but with the Lap Band I feel a little hungry. I did really well with the Gastric Bypass for 6 years but slowly started eating a little more each day until I gained quite a bit of weight back... My question is ...is it normal to feel hungry already..I am on the mushy food week...

Congrats on the surgery! I had gastric bypass on 8.8.12 an was the same weight for a week or so but now I'm a month out an have lost 28lbs just be patient an it will slowly but surely come off

Just like the sleeve is more properly on here Laproscopical Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy but most people say. sleeve or VSG. The y in Roux en Y. is because the 2 rerouted segments of the small intestines kind of resemble that letter. And sometimes we bypasses well technically I'm only a future one, call ourselves pouchers or kangaroos in defence to our rearrangement. That said, we all love each othet, no matter the rearrangement, we all are members in,the same Bariatric Scheme of things. Are you a little less confused?

Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass. RNY is just a "nickname" of sorts.

The three most important elements after weight loss 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. I had RNY gastric bypass and I have to take many Vitamins but Duodenal Switch patients even have a heavier load of daily vitamins to take. After surgery many patients find it difficult to meet their daily fluid and protein requirement. This is because their body is in a major heal mode. Generally if they just keep trying to reach their goal, they will get there after a few weeks. Your taste buds can change after surgery. This can affect the taste of food, of Water and other fluids and or protein shakes. It is important to experiment until you find something that you can tolerate. You don't have to like it, only tolerate it. There are many forms of protein shakes available and it is important to try these until you find something that you can tolerate. Some people find Isopure to be a good alternative. I tried some and hated it but my wife tried it and liked it. So it is all a function of finding what works for you.

Sparrow specializes more in the Gastric Bypass as did Ingham at the time I made my desicion. I was actually enrolled at Ingham when the cut the Bariatric program there. To get surgery at Ingham you have to go through a place called Minamally Invasive Surgical Associates. Its somewhat small right now, but is growing rapidly!!! My doctor was Dr. Lane and she is a no non-sense Dr. that will give it to you straight! I like that and she is an overall good person. Some people I bet are turned off by her because she stays with you. She just doesn't do operations and then forget about you. I guess it just came down to who I thought would take care of me more and Dr. Lane was it.

Just my opinion, but I wouldn't even consider any weight loss surgery unless you're 100% sure it's the right choice for you. If only half of you says "go for it"- then you're not ready. This is a life changing decision and not one to enter into lightly. Fyi- you did talk about people with the Gastric Bypass doing it again. I've lost 228 pounds in 20 months with my Lap Band and I'd definitely do it again in a heartbeat. I love my band, it's given me my life back.

The sleeve will mean risking worse reflux that can turn into a more serious condition, then you will have to revise to a bypass anyway. SKIP THE EXTRA STEPS. I suggest you speak with your team again but stick with the original plan

I had GERD and went with the bypass because of it. It really doesn't have many more side effects than the sleeve does, and malnutrition isn't an issue as long as you keep on top of your supplements (you have to take some supplements with the sleeve as well). I would not recommend getting the sleeve if you already have GERD. I've seen too many people have to revise to bypass because of it. Maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones, but I'm not sure I'd want to risk it.

Hi. I'm pre-surgery and hoping to have my bypass in January. I have significant GERD which is mostly controlled by Dexilant and Zantac. I briefly flirted with the idea of the sleeve, but my surgeon won't do it on me because of the reflux. The sleeve has the potential to make reflux worse. Good luck with whatever one you choose! Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app

So I got the article from my Dad from their local cutesy paper..."Shedding pounds the old-fashioned way".... his note was ""if you would PLEASE read EVERY word" The lady started at 475 is now 318 lbs. She was looking at BYPASS not lapband (a big difference in my mind, I would never consider the bypass, period, but that is just me...). She was also (in her words) "just fat" no high cholesterol, high blood pressure, apnea, diabetes, etc. (in my case apnea, type II diabetes, depression, cholesterol). She is also doing (it doesn't say OA but she calls herself a 'compulsive overeater' and goes to 'meetings' 3 x week (read OA) I once got a 1 year chip in OA. It didn't really work, for me. (nothing against that group). The article is VERY rambling, I think/guess it took her 5 years? to lose the weight? It also sounds like she went up and down.... and.... I feel like this is an apples and oranges thing...... one I go to my consult I will just bring back the solid info and go from there... I think they think they can whittle me down on this one.....nope.