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Hi Marisol, Everyone is different, but I can honestly say that gastric bypass was never an option for me. Because: 1) It's a more dangerous surgery (more complications/risks possible) 2) It's permanent (unlike lapband) 3) Causes "dumping" and horrendous smells (by gas and/or "dumping") 4) Like any weight loss, if you don't maintain your lifestyle changes you WILL gain the weight back (but at least with lapband it's again not permanent, so your risks associated with weight gain are lower at least) 5) If you don't follow the proper diet (ESPECIALLY YOUR DAILY VITAMINS), you are really setting yourself up for serious problems (I have a personal story about a family member to back this one up - but I won't post it here to avoid upsetting anyone. If you want to know it, just let me know and I'll send you an email with the details) Anyhow - those are just the primary reasons I felt lapband was a choice and gastric bypass was not. Hope that helps.....

Just in case anyone wants to take a copy of the Changes regarding Lapband to their Dr.s appointments, here is the link to the PDF file - it is quite awkward to manipulate - so I copied and pasted the text into this post also. Tricare Manual Once it pulls up, choose "Section Affected by Change 66" Then Download the one named "C4S13_2". I also saved it as an attachment at the bottom - I hope it works. TRICARE POLICY MANUAL 6010.54-M, AUGUST 1, 2002 SURGERY C-66, December 10, 2007 CHAPTER 4 SECTION 13.2 SURGERY FOR MORBID OBESITY ISSUE DATE: November 9, 1982 AUTHORITY: 32 CFR 199.4(e)(15) I. CPT1 PROCEDURE CODES 43644, 43770 - 43774, 43842, 43846, 43848, 43886 - 43888, S2083 II. DESCRIPTION Morbid obesity means the body weight is 100 pounds over ideal weight for height and bone structure, according to the most current Metropolitan Life Table, and such weight is in association with severe medical conditions known to have higher mortality rates in association with morbid obesity; or, the body weight is 200% or more of ideal weight for height and bone structure. III. POLICY A. Gastric bypass, gastric stapling or gastroplasty, to include vertical banded gastroplasty is covered when one of the following conditions is met: 1. The patient is 100 pounds over the ideal weight for height and bone structure and has one of these associated medical conditions: diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cholecystitis, narcolepsy, Pickwickian syndrome (and other severe respiratory diseases), hypothalamic disorders and severe arthritis of the weight-bearing joints. 2. The patient is 200% or more of the ideal weight for height and bone structure. An associated medical condition is not required for this category. 3. The patient has had an intestinal bypass or other surgery for obesity and, because of complications, requires a second surgery (a takedown). B. In determining the ideal body weight for morbid obesity using the Metropolitan Life Table, contractors must apply 100 pounds (or 200%) to both the lower and higher end of the weight range. Payment will be allowed when beneficiaries meet all requirements for morbid obesity surgery including the ideal weight within the newly determined range. 1 CPT codes, descriptions and other data only are copyright 2005 American Medical Association. All rights reserved. Applicable FARS/DFARS Restrictions Apply to Government use. TRICARE POLICY MANUAL 6010.54-M, AUGUST 1, 2002 CHAPTER 4, SECTION 13.2 SURGERY FOR MORBID OBESITY 2 IV. EXCLUSIONS A. Nonsurgical treatment of obesity, morbid obesity, dietary control or weight reduction. B. Biliopancreatic bypass (jejunoileal bypass, Scopinaro procedure) for treatment of morbid obesity is unproven (CPT2 procedure code 43645, 43845, 43847, or 43633). C. Gastric bubble or balloon for treatment of morbid obesity is unproven. D. Gastric wrapping/open gastric banding (CPT2 procedure code 43843) for treatment of morbid obesity is unproven. E. Unlisted CPT2 procedure codes 43659 (laparoscopy procedure, stomach); 43999 (open procedure, stomach); and 49329 (laparoscopy procedure, abdomen, peritoneum, and omentum) for gastric bypass procedures. F. Adjustable gastric band (open or laparoscopically) (CPT2 procedure codes 43770 - 43774, 43886 - 43888, and 90772). V. EFFECTIVE DATES A. Laparoscopic surgical procedure for gastric bypass and gastric stapling (gastroplasty), including vertical banded gastroplasty are covered, effective December 2, 2004. B. Laproscopic adjustable gastric banding is covered, effective February 1, 2007. - END - 2 CPT codes, descriptions and other data only are copyright 2005 American Medical Association. All rights reserved. Applicable FARS/DFARS Restrictions Apply to Government use. C-66, December 10, 2007

This is my story Hi everyone I am a 37 year old man and I have remortgage my house so that I can have a gastric lap band that I get on the 10th of November in London. I am nerves and scared but I no that am killing my self being this weight. My mum died at 47 with a cancer that the Dr said was an obese cancer. I don’t what the same for me. I have been over weight since I was 10. And have done every diet that there is. At least ones but I have done some more than 10 times. well i went my surgery on the 15th of November as was cancelled on the 10th I also had travelled to Chichester and could tell you about the day had my operation and what happened I hope this helps people. Hi everyone well and home safe and sound and still very sore but I'm glad it's over. When I arrived at the hospital on Wednesday morning I was told I was first on the list I had blood taken my medical history taken, had enough time to change in to the pyjamas then the anaesthetist turned up he was fantastic. He listened to everything I told him and told me not to worry. Then I was told that Mr Somers was stuck in a traffic jam and they did not know when I was going to go down . Lucky for me it was only 15 minutes and he was in my room. He asked me lots of questions and reassured me that I was making the best decision of my life. As soon as he left the nurse said it was time to go down to the operating room. I was very nervous couldn't stop shaking my leg, there was no going back. Couldn't work out why I could not stick to a diet and that I could die was all that was going through my head. I almost started to cry even as I write this it reminds me of the way I felt and makes me cry. When I got to the operating room the anaesthetist was waiting for me He made sure that I did not hang around when they were putting me to sleep, he gave me a pre-med as we got into the operating room and I don't remember anything until I woke up. The next thing I remember I was in recovery room. The first thing I noticed was I needed to pee, I looked down and saw a catheter I did not expect to see it. I asked the nurse why I had one and he said I would see the doctor soon. About 30 minutes later the anaesthetist came to see me and said there had been complications and I had to have open surgery. I was not sure what he meant, he said my liver was so big that when they tried to reach my stomach it ripped part of my diaphragm and they could not have fitted the band . He and Mr Somers had decided that if I had been awake I would have asked them to go ahead and open me up. (AND THEY WERE RIGHT) I had been bruised and battered about a bit around my kidneys and they wanted to make sure that they were working properly that's why they fitted the catheter. I asked him if I could have it taken out (I hated it) he said yes. Within 15 minutes of it being removed I was more comfortable. But he said that if I could not go to the toilet on my own that they would have to refit it. I went down to theatre at 9 a.m. I was taken up to my room about 3 p.m. I was allowed to drink water, I was still very uncomfortable but nothing I could not cope with. About 5 p.m. my surgeon Mr Somers came to see me, he asked me how I was and told me that I was the first person after four hundred surgeries of this kind he has done he has ever had to revert to open surgery. He said I gave his hand pins and needles because he had to try and put the band in using one hand, he said my liver was one of the biggest has ever seen and that it covered most of the front of my stomach. He said I was the reason he had gray hair! He also asked me how my pain was; I was given morphine and told to take things very easy. Later that night I was worried that I had not been to the toilet and knew if I could stand up I would be able to go so I asked the nurse if I could have a bottle I got out of bed and spent the next 15 minutes trying to go, I did! Thank God I would not have to have that catheter in. I spent much of the first night awake. In the morning Mr Somers came to see me again as did the anaesthetist. They checked my drugs to make sure they were working. I was allowed out of bed to have a wash, the pain was quite severe I was feeling very sick. When I got back to my chair and as the nurse arrived I started to be sick. I was terrified that I might split open. Every time I was sick a lot of air came out and nothing else. This happened for about a minute. What a relief, most of the severe pain I had was caused by air. And because I had a very tight restriction the air could not get past the band with out me being sick. The rest of the day was spent in and out of bed and changing my pain medication to one that suited me more. In the end i settled for volterol and tramodol they worked best for me. At lunchtime I had half a plate of soup and jelly and drunk lots of water Cranberry juice and oasis juice. I can feel the liquid going through my band it bubbles very weird sensation I had soup and jelly for tea as well. I slept better that night but wanted to go home. Mr somers came to see me in the morning and said I could go home as long as I had someone to look after me which I do. Stuart picked me up and it took us five hours to get home. I have never seen rain like it it was horrible I could not wait to get into bed. I slept so much better in my own bed and the next morning today when I woke I felt a lot better. If there's one thing I wish i had taken it would have been the windeze. That's what caused me the most pain, if it hadn't been for another lady called Sam having the same operation as me I would not have had any till I got home. Also if they give you pain killers make sure thay are not dissolved ones that fizz in water they just make it worse. Make sure you stir them till the fizz is gone. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10/12/06 Im glad i had you all to help me and thanks to you all for asking after me. I hope Carol is going to be ok i did think about you in the middle of all that and still am. It has taken me all day to write this i hope it makes sense. One thing I would like to make clear is I did not stick to my pre-op diet as I don't like yoghurt I was told I could do a 1200 cal diet a day. Even with the diet I would have probably had to have open surgery But I was just very unlucky I have a very large liver. so to all the people that the message to me worrying about the operation been cancelled don't out of 400 operations my surgeon has done laparoscopic I was the first one to have to revert to open surgery. And to tell you the truth I'm not feeling that bad considering. I do feel I was very lucky to have the surgeon I did I would have been devastated if I had woken up and he hasn't done the band. I guess I'm very lucky as I have someone at home and don't need to go back to work for as long as I like. I am self-employed. my surgeon was a right gentleman he really knows how to look after his patients and I believe that if it had been anybody else I would not have my band in you would think he was paying me to say all this but I can't thank him enough. And you for all your support thank you. 10/12/06 Hi everyone how are you all? Isn't it funny how we have all stopped worrying so much, and trying to live with our bands? Not posting so much on the website well I'm still here learning how it works, what I can eat and what I can't eat. What it means when you regurgitate the last mouthful of food, how easy it is to cheat and drink at the same time as you eat and how I automatically look for ways of cheating. For instance I never was one to eat crisps but because someone said they melt in your mouth I ran out and bought a pack of 12 and ate 6 of them all on the same night! It has now almost been four weeks since my operation and I still have lost one stone but I find I don't have much restriction. I am determined that I will not put the stone back on before I get my first fill. I had discomfort up until about a week ago almost like being winded. I think maybe because I had open surgery I was a bit more bruised but nothing I could not handle. I think I'm very lucky as I'm my own boss so I don't need to lift or move anything. Or do anything strenuous. I like the fact that I have a port and I can feel it every time I put my hand on my side and I do every time I laugh or cough. . I have noticed that I am not eating the quantity of food that I did before I had my band, but I still get hungry more ad more as the day goes on. I can't eat foods like cold chicken or cold ham. Any kind of cold meat is difficult to swallow but I can still eat a good size meal so I am looking forward to my first fill. I get it on the third of January Something else that I have noticed is that people who know that I had a band fitted keep asking me if I'm losing weight yet and I feel a little bit of a failure because I have not lost much more than I did a week after my operation. I have started telling them that is not switched on yet as it's easier than trying to explain how it all works. So I told them that it gets switched on the 3rd of January and it seems to work. Next Saturday the 16th I'm going to be meeting up with the group from the weight loss web site in Bristol for Christmas dinner and I am really looking forward to that. I am lucky once again as I have decided to go away for the first time in my life for Christmas and New Year. I am going to New York and have booked eight Broadway shows to go and watch as well so I don't have to be cooking Christmas dinner this year. I'm really excited about it. And one thing I know about New York is they know how to do good soup and you can get it at almost any corner. I don't get back to Bristol till 8 a.m. on the third of January and I get my first fill at 12 noon on the same day, cant wait. Well good luck everyone over the next three weeks because we need it with all the chocolate, Christmas puddings, sweets, biscuits and all the things that make us slightly rounded there to tempt as. Resist, resist, resist, resist. And I hope we all have a losing Christmas and Santa is good to you all. Merry Christmas everyone. Take care, --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------22/09/07 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I WROTE THIS ON THE 01/05/2007 A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE THEN AND I WILL WRIGHT IT ALL OUT FOR YOU TO READ SOON . AND I AM VERY SORRY FOR NOT GETTING BACK TO EVRYONE THAT EMAILD ME I HOPE TO SOON I HAVE NOT LOST ANYMORE IM STILL BIG AND FAT IM 128 KG SO I HAVE PUT ON 8.7 KG. Hi everyone here I go again trying to remember everything that has happened to me since the first week in January first of all let me apologise to all those who have e-mailed me asking me how I am. I am dyslexic and find it very difficult to write without the use of my computer at home. I have been in a Australia for the last six weeks. ( Lucky me ) Everywhere I went over there they knew all about gastric bands and everybody I met knew someone who had had one it works out that they have been doing it for over 10 years and you can get a fill for as little as $60 that’s about £25 as you are covered under their Medicare system. Ok I went to up to see the dietician at the hospital group on the 3rd of Jan and to have my first fill to be honest the dietician did not tell me anything I did not know. I was sent to the BUPA hosp about 20mins away from there to have a barium meal and x ray and to get my 1st fill I was nervous as hell they asked me to change into a dressing gown which didn’t fit. you would think they would have dressing gowns for big people . Anyway I had nothing to worry about the doctor that did my first fill find the port very easy and put five Mils in . I also used emla cream which numbs the skin around the port so i didn’t even feel the needle (big baby ) I couldn’t wait to see if I had any restriction but I knew I had to leave it a few days before I try to eat anything other than soups and sloppy stuff . I was finding it very hard because I was so hungry and sneaked down to the kitchen on about the 5th day and had myself if sandwich and the a bowl of soup I managed it without any problems. I find I could eat large amounts of food without any restriction but certain foods made me sick like cold meat or chicken and chips but I didn’t eat many before anyway. I was getting very depressed because I thought after my first fell I would not be able to eat as much as before on the Saturday evening after this I went to my first support meeting of the weight loss surgery website and met some very interesting and friendly people who all had gone through weight loss surgery of some sort. They told me to stop worrying and that sometimes it takes 3,4,5 fills before you get a decent restriction and I was worrying over nothing I left there feeling so much better (thanks guys and girls) It really does make a difference when you have people to help you and I have gone through the same thing. I booked my next appointment to have a fill and that was the 23rd of January one week before I went to Australia . I arrived at the hospital group near Birmingham and was met by some very nice friendly staff a nice lady called Tony took me in to a room and had a chat she told me to be patient and to remember that the band is a tool to help you lose weight. And that I need to work with it. It worked out she was the one who was going to give me my second fill i jumped up on the table and she got it first time I believe she put in 1 ½ mils and then told me to go into the waiting room and have a few drinks. It was just as well as I could not get the water down so I had to go back in and she took out ¾ back out. Had another drink and everything worked properly. In the next couple of days I take things easy and only drunk soup and sloppy food. On the 20th I flew to Hong Kong where I ate lots of soup and noodles when I got to Sydney a week later I found I had lost another kg I decided when I was Australia that I would start going to the gym every other day for four weeks I went to the gym also started to realise that I could not eat certain foods without me being sick things like beef steak and chips burgers most things fried apples oranges peaches and watermelon I find hard to eat.. The gym I went to in Sydney was on third-floor. With no lift so you had to walk up five flights a stares by the time I got to the top I was so out of breath that I couldn’t speak to the receptionist. So I would make sure that there was no one behind me before I would start to climb the Stares just so I could stop one flight down to catch my breath. So I did not feel embarrassed when I got to the top four weeks later when I left I could almost run upstairs and still have my breath at the top. The day before I flew back to the UK I weighed myself I was 120 kg that means I have lost 20 kg since January the 23rd not bad but it has been hard I have good days and bad days sometimes bad weeks like this one I feel I can eat anything and have no restriction then out of nowhere I eat some omelette or shepherd’s pie and I’m full halfway through it. Are starting to find it very difficult as I work for myself and leave the house at eight in the morning and sometimes don’t get home until midnight one o’clock I can’t cook for myself and have to rely on a Café around the corner from me and I have knot been to the gym for 10 days now. I weighed myself this week and have lost three more kg so that means I have lost 23 kg so I guess I’m losing 1 kg a week that’s fine with me it’s great that my smallest shorts and now my biggest and the belt I ware is to big and I have had to put two new holes in it. J SHAUN 17/10/2007 i have put back on 17 kg and am having a bad time but i will sit down and wright :ranger:it all out over the next week and post it :whoo:

Hey, Amy! On another thread, Alex said not to give up on Aetna. if you have any of the following, Aetna DOES cover LapBand: 1. Hepatic cirrhosis with elevated liver function tests; or 2. Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis); or 3. Radiation enteritis; or 4. Demonstrated complications from extensive adhesions involving the intestines from prior major abdominal surgery, multiple minor surgeries, or major trauma; or 5. Poorly controlled systemic disease (American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) Class IV). Here's the link: http://www.aetna.com/cpb/data/CPBA0157.html Sue

Thank you Marie, Alex, Vicki and Donali for your replies and support. I feel so strangely. LIke 2 people fighting in my head. One calm and rational, thinking " I knew it! I was right!" and angry that my doctor chose to think of me as a hysterical hypocondriac. I know at some level that I can't wait, and I know I don't have to tell if I don't want, and I know what comes next so I should be less scared. And then, there is Ms. hysterical hypocondriac ( which means my doctor must have been dealing with her and not me all this time and had no choice but to think I was exagerating) wanting to run away and have this magically fixed without going through surgery again, wondering whether I should have the band removed instead, rather than going through this again in the future. I wanted to have another baby next year and now, with this "complication" it just seems that my band and pregnancy dont mix (specially when last time I was throwing up all day every day for 6 months, and a horrible retching attack while changing a diaper moved my band 2 months ago). Then the guilt of "lying". I read Gail's post and thought "she shouldn't feel guilty! She doesnt have to tell!" But now, after avoiding lying the first time, I get to go through this again! and instead of just dissappearing for a few weeks, i will have to avoid and tell them im having the reflux fixed, which is true, if not the whole truth. I am working on my husband, explaining that if he sticks to " fixing the reflux" its not actually a lie. But his mother is so nosy! Called the Dr. and told him what happened. He sounded a bit annoyed, but said he highly recomends this surgeon, so I guess thats a good thing. Talking to him, I felt like a child, terrified of dissappointing a parent. I have serious issues! Thank you all. Sorry I made it so long! Tellie

As a person who has suffered just about every potential complication and none were my fault!!! I can say clarify with your docs and get it in writing!!!! I have had a tubing disconnect, 3 port flips, 4 band slips one band replacement.. things happen you can't predict what will happen with you. When my docs went in to repair my band slips and take my band out there was no reason it should have slipped all the stitching was in place and it looked perfect but it had slipped badly. I know innamed historically has been fussy about replacing or repairing bands. And yes I can say that from personal experience and from dealing with Innamed/Allergan directly. I know TLBC has never had any problems getting replacement bands from midband or J&J. But clarify clarify clarify and make sure you are happy with the answers.

If everything goes smoothly with surgery you should have no problems as long as you have the relatives to help out. I couldn't drive for 5 days post op so my hubbie was in charge of going to the store if I needed something. However, if one of you has complications, the other would be in a very weakened state and probably unable to provide the support they would want to give. Statistically, it probably wont happen, but it is a consideration. Good luck to you both! (BTW, I have Aetna insurance and was in for one night)

An update Well.. surgery was about six months ago now or a little more! I'm still doing well and in the six months, I've lost 80 pounds. I still have about 50 to go to get to my goal, but 30 would be within the goal the doctors set for me (I wanted to aim for the lowest possible healthy goal which was 130). Most all of the surgery issues I had have gone away. I don't really experience dumping anymore. Occasionally rich food still churns my stomach and I toss my Cookies so to speak... but other than that.. no complications.. my constipation resolved on its own with time etc. I'm still losing hair even though I meet my Protein goals, but I've heard that can last quite a while. I don't measure my food, but I also only take tiny portions when serving myself and I stop before I feel full - there's a happy "comfortable" feeling right before full that I've learned to identify that tells me I've eaten enough. I figure as long as the scales are still steadily going downward that I'm eating correct portions I no longer have any temptation to over eat. My sleeve is perfect at telling me exactly how much and when to eat! Hopefully that will never change I don't notice much loosening in my restriction. I eat high protein and moderate on carbs with a lot of fruit and veggie. I found that eating very low carb made me lose energy, so my dietician said it would be fine to be more moderate on carbs. I don't aim for a number.. I get my protein in first and veggies and then carbs can happen. I get my protein in using a lot of dairy and also some meat (lots of chicken and seafood) I do drink diet pop without any issue. It doesn't cause me pain or make me tempted to eat other sugary foods. I do sometimes eat Desserts, but a lot less often than I did.. I don't feel the need for them the way I used to. I can pass up a cupcake sitting on the counter and just not care.. which was never something I could do before. I regularly exercise, which was something I never did before and I feel good about that. My energy is huge now and I've gone from a size 22 to a size 13 ish. I can wear skinny jeans for the first time and feel great about it and I feel healthier too. I can do so much more than I was able to once upon a time

Melissa, i am sorry you have had such a difficult time! Do you mind sharing more about your complication - what went wrong? I have not yet been sleeved, but had my band out in late Sept and plan to be sleeved before the end of the year. I read alot of people who are very happy with the sleeve, even when they had a rough start like you.

Update I was sleeved on March 26th. Since then I've lost 76lbs and feeling great with no complications

I had a DS last week with Dr Wilhelmy as well. So far, so good. It's a real hospital, but it is not a U.S. Hospital. Dr Wilhelmy doesn't have a bad accent, but I think he may have a limited vocabulary in English (Dr. Campos acted as a translator during the pre-Surgery consult, though Dr Wilhelmy came by himself for the daily checkups post-op). No serious complications so far.

In your shoes, what I would really want to know is just how malabsorptive he made it, as that influences both how you supplement in the future, and how you need to eat to lose the weight, as both will likely be somewhat different than with the mainstream procedures like the RNY or DS. The old purely malabsorptive procedures like the JIB worked fairly well, but had a lot of nutritional complications which is why they were abandoned. The RNY went the other way being primarily restrictive and works well with only moderate nutritional consequences from its mild malabsorption, but weight maintenance is only so-so. The BPD/DS hits something of a sweet spot in being moderately malabsorptive with a similar level of nutritional quirks and a more moderate restriction. The old Scopinaro was more malabsorptive and had more problems than the typical DS (that usually had about a 50cm common channel, compared to 100+ for the BPD/DS). One of the general rules-of-thumb that we discussed in the DS world is that with the DS, the sleeve (restriction) gets the weight off, while the switch (the malabsorption) keeps it off. The implication of all of this (from an amateur/non doctor perspective) is that if there is enough malabsorption to effectively take the weight off by itself (a la the old JIB or Scopinaro) then there can be excessive nutritional problems, or if the malabsorption is moderate enough to not cause significant nutritional problems, the weight loss may be marginal. I would assume (hope) that this is the case with what your surgeon did, and that you will have to work harder at the loss part of the equation, but will have typical DS/distal RNY nutritional quirks to work around. This is something that you really need to understand in working with your surgeon in the coming follow up visits. Good luck!

I love, love, love Dr. DesCoteaux. (no really :confused_smile:). He has done 2 surgeries for me (emergency ileostomy and the lapband). He also got stuck with me being in hosptial for 2 weeks in the fall after I had some complications, so I feel I know him as well as I could know a surgeon. He has always treated me with the utmost dignity and respect and is really encouraging (in a quiet way). He spends the time you need, and even if he is in a rush, he never projects that. I am sure he doesn't remember everything he is told, but I always feel very important to him. He is the most unsurgeony surgeon I have ever met (and I have had lots of surgery). He has a very gentle touch - others write how they want to be "numbed" before a fill and I have to say, I don't even feel it when he does one for me, and last time my port had flipped so he had to work to find it!!! I have also met with Dr. Church once for a second consult before surgery and I really liked him. I am not sure how involved he will continue to be in terms of follow-up, since I had the impression he is not as invested in the program as Dr. DesCoteaux and Dr. Mitchell. I have never actually read anywhere that he does private fills. I have never met Dr. Mitchell, from what I have read people either really like him or really don't. I don't know anything about Dr. Debru. The rumors I have been hearing is that Dr. Mitchell is trying to open a private lap band clinic in Calgary that would be associated with one the TO clinics. If it happens and you were banded in TO by that clinic, your fills would be covered here as well. I think it was Dr. Coburn, but I am not sure. There is also a family doc in Calgary that does fills for one of the TO clinics, but his name escapes me. What I have read about him has been positive. You might want to search historically on this forum, because it would have been here that I read about him.

I'm scheduled for May 11th and my daughter will be 5 months old. I am planning on breastfeeding through it. To complicate matters I am going to Mexico to do the surgery so I'll be gone for 6 days without her. I'm planning on pumping and dumping (since there is no way to freeze it and carry it with me on the plane) but my husband has a supply at home to feed her while I am gone. I expect my success depends heavily on my Fluid intake and how my body responds to just pumping and no suckling. I know there are different hormones involved between those two means of getting breast milk I'm hoping my body will be too preoccupied with the stress of surgery to bother with the hormones Everything I read says your success depends on fluid intake more than calories (think 3rd world countries and their calorie consumption!) As BIG girls we have plenty of calories to share even while shedding weight. However, if our Water isn't sufficient then the body just can't produce the milk. So, watch the water! Even if I have to stay up all night to get it in I'll be sipping water... I don't think of it being selfish since I am already a ticking time bomb. Even if I have to stop breastfeeding she got 5 months AND I'll be alive long enough to see her children, God willing, but if I die it won't be because of weight related issues!! Right now I think my life expectancy is only about 20 years if I continue on the path I am. My body just can't hold up to my metabolic issues and my overeating.

It's a common thread I see running around this forum.. people asking why they didn't do this years ago. I'm even young and I'm finding myself asking the same thing. Though I'm only 25.. I wish I would have done it at 18 or 20.. admittedly, maybe I wasn't ready then.. maybe I still needed time.. especially because part of my story is finding out at 24 that I had bipolar II without the usual "standard" symptoms of women docs normally see in their 20's so I was very hard to diagnose and went through a period of about three years where I alienated everyone but my very closest friends because I was so hard to be around -- with a low of winding up needing to be admitted to a psych ward to get it all figured out. I definitely learned who my friends were (and who, surprisingly, weren't...) I am also social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and depression.. so I spent the last year and a half in counseling trying to get my mental self to match the well-put together self I present to the world thanks to years of being on stage growing up. I learned to show myself as put together - graduating magna cum laude and being responsible even if I was falling apart inside. So I needed to deal with all of that first before I felt ready to confront my weight. But finally I was ready. It started about 1 year ago. I had been feeling bad about my weight for a while. I was overweight during my childhood. My grandmothers both grew up during the Great Depression.. so for them.. giving me food was the same as giving me love.. especially high calorie foods. For them eating wasn't about hunger.. it was about enjoyment and thankfulness to have food to eat. (One was thin, one was overweight). But from them I learned to love all the wrong types of food and to love them in gigantic portions.. My stomach was already way stretched by the time I was 7 or 8. I remember weighing 85 pounds in 2nd grade because we did a math thing where we all weighed in front of the class. There was only one student, a boy, who weighed more.. during school I dealt with a lot, I mean a LOT of bullying because I was mature and just different - I'd rather read a book or write a story than go out for recess and I was reading Romeo and Juliet while they were reading Junie B Jones (For the Record I like her too even though she's a huge spoiled brat). Basically I had a generation gap with my peers since my parents were born in the late forties and early fifties and their parents were much younger.. so I was already -extremely- bullied. I didn't make my first non-internet friends until college.. and those were some of the people I found out weren't true blue friends when I went through my emotional break down a couple of years ago... So yeah.. and it didn't help that I was overweight.. that was just something else to give them to make fun of me about. As it turned out.. even though I wasn't doing even as good as I am now in therapy one year ago.. I was doing better than I had been in years and that gave me time and energy to turn my thoughts to the weight I'd been unhappy to be carrying around for years. Before college it bothered me.. but I didn't think about it a lot.. it was in early college when I hit 200 and started having trouble finding clothes that would fit me in your typical stores both like Macy's but also stores that people my age like - Aeropostale, Am. Eagle etc.. that I started to have a personal crisis about my weight and be super unhappy with it. Shopping became my least favorite thing because it was an exercise in taking whatever would fit rather than whatever I liked. And by a year ago I had started to notice I couldn't do or keep up with the same types of activities most people my age do. I love showing my dog Riff in conformation and was learning that I couldn't keep up with her jogging on our down and back (jogging beside the dog so the judge can see his or her movement properly) and that getting on my knees to present her not only hurt but was nearly impossible. I started to be even more unhappy because I couldn't do the hobbies I loved that people my age are doing. And in the meantime for the past 5-10 years I'd been trying every diet known to man.. I didn't feel like any of them were sustainable for a life time because I was unhappy with them. And rather than yo-yoing I just didn't lose. Didn't matter how well I stuck to a diet, I'd find myself losing maybe 5 pounds in 7 or 8 months of hard work.. and finally I gave up.. I was near the point of accepting I was just going to be overweight forever and that was how it was going to be. I knew my issues - I don't eat for emotional reasons, I don't eat when I'm not hungry.. but my stomach was super stretched from years of eating too much and I like big portions and the wrong kinds of things. I could go and polish off a huge plate of food enough for three meals and feel "Just about right" and I didn't have the self control to starve while I waited on my stomach to shrink naturally.. I just couldn't do it. I had heard things about gastric bypass that made me say no way never.. things like "You'll never be able to have any sugar again." or "You'll never be able to have fried foods again." While I'm happy to make lifestyle changes, things like "Never again" aren't something I'm capable of. So I ruled out surgery for a long while. Finally, a year ago I looked into it again and read about gastric sleeve for the first time.. and it was a fit.. not as serious as gastric bypass.. less prone to things like dumping syndrome.. and all about moderation rather than "never agains" more healthy choices.. less bad ones.. but I didn't have to promise I was never eating Pasta or never having a fried chicken leg again - which was something I knew I couldn't agree to. There was less risk of serious complications and it was a plan I thought I could actually live with and be happy and it went right to the root of my issue - shrink my stomach so I can get used to a normal portion size again without having to starve. Something I haven't had since I was 6-7 years old. Within two days of researching I was ready to commit. But of course getting my medicaid to pay for the surgery wasn't as easy as deciding I wanted it - even though I looked over the qualifications and knew I met them - I still had a lot of hoops to jump through. In October I started my 6 month phys supervised diet which only convinced my doctor and I that I needed the surgery even more. I ate 1500 calories a day and walked my dog most days for 30+ minutes (which was a significant step down from what I had been eating and step up from my sedentary lifestyle) and lost only 11 pounds in all that time. And part of it came back! Getting cleared psychologically was a battle too. They wanted a psychiatrist who didn't know me to evaluate me even though my own had already sent a letter of approval.. and the psychiatrist who I did see didn't really want to clear someone who was bipolar.. it was a battle, but finally I got cleared. That by itself took over two months and delayed my surgery which should have been in March 2016. I also had to have blood work, a number of physician check ups by my program's docs and so on. But finally all the hard work paid off.. on the first submission to insurance, I was approved within a week! How excited was I! And my surgery was set for May 31st 2016. However, the roller coaster wasn't over.. I had little contact with my bariatric program from the get go... they share a department, nurses, etc with general surgery.. so calling to talk to someone there is always a nightmare.. it's a 30 minute wait to get a human on the phone, calling to talk to a nurse means a 5 hour or more wait for a call back.. and it also means a very unpersonalized approach.. they're so busy and have so many people through their program that they want everyone to be a cookie cutter mold and don't want to offer people any individualized advice because "others in the program might want the same advice." Well number one - others in the program shouldn't know what -I- discuss with my doctors so how could they want it and number two healthcare isn't supposed to be about squeezing people into a mold and making the exact same treatment work for everyone... so I began to be unhappy with my program from early on.. especially when their psychiatrist and my psychiatrist got into a fight over the phone about whether I was going to get cleared. Their psychiatrist had met me only once and knew nothing about my case history while my own psychiatrist has been working with me for about a year and half.. who do you think was more qualified to say if I was stable or not? But aparently their program couldn't understand that.. However.. I was stuck.. Medicaid wanted me in state and this program was the closest to me and already an hour and a half away.. the only other options were double or triple that commute time (Chicago). So I just kinda had to stick with it.. I've gone on to be further disappointed by them at numerous occasions - namely when my surgeon said that Water aerobics is a joke of an exercise program and only for people who can't do anything else and that I couldn't hit my weight loss goal of 130 pounds doing water exercise of any kind (there's a thread floating around about that). Clearly he's never taken a hard core water exercise class or he would know that is so not true. I took my first one Friday and I was sweating in the water! Finally I did get to have my surgery though! Before surgery I had an 800 calorie diet for two weeks focusing on Protein and lean meats and veggies and reasonable on carbs. It wasn't too hard of a diet to follow beyond getting hungry because my stomach was huge. Surgery day came but I was excited rather than nervous. especially because all of us May 31st sleevers from the forum (there was about 10 of us) made a facebook group so we could keep in touch and that really helps to have other people who are exactly where I'm at in the recovery stage. I didn't have much trouble recovering from surgery. I never had any gas pain and even though I was in pain in general the first three days they gave me lots of morphine and kept me very comfortable. While my program as a whole is somewhat disappointing - I do have to say that the nurses who took care of me in the hospital couldn't have been better. They helped me walk. They helped me get up to go to the bathroom and helped me adjust positions in bed since I needed help doing all that for the first 2-3 days. I brought my laptop to the hospital with me and spent time here on the forums and doing other stuff I like -- even played some Sims. My recovery was uncomplicated and three days later I was able to go home. My internal swelling went down fast and by a week out I was so sick of liquids that I couldn't help but try a little puree and it worked just fine to help supplement and keep me from going nuts. One thing that's been very helpful to me is Fairlife Milk. it's heightened protein milk with 13 grams of protein for a cup. I drink it straight and also add it to my Soups. It helps a lot in getting in my 64 oz of liquid and my 60 grams of protein. I've been using an app called Plant Nanny which lets you grow plants based on how much Fluid you consume then you can plant them in your garden and harvest their seeds to get more diverse plants.. it makes drinking at least slightly more fun. I also wear a fitbit flex and it's synced with My Fitness Pal. I log my calories on MFP and my exercise syncs there from my fitbit automatically and tells me if I've earned extra calories from exercise (though I rarely use those). I was never given a calorie goal to shoot for but I set a goal of 800 for myself based on the pre-opp diet and what I can eat and get in 60 grams of protein without feeling too stuffed/ too deprived. I'm on my own for a lot of it because I've only met with the NUT once for 30 minutes pre-opp about 2 months and I won't see her again until in July so... I just read and do the best I can. So yeah I'm 3 full weeks out from surgery on Tuesday and also down 20 pounds since May 18th (the start of my pre-opp liver diet). I faced the three week stall at about week 2 instead of three and I was down to a new low for the first time in a week today so I'm hoping that it's broken and I'll have a bit of smooth sailing for a while from here. So.. that's my story so far. I don't know if people post in these to update but.. every once in a while I'll post back and let you guys know how I'm doing.

Did he just not do any stomach reduction at all, or did he make a pouch type structure like a traditional RNY gastric bypass? If he made a pouch, even a larger one, and connected it well downstream to provide DS-like malabsorption, that would be what is known as a distal RNY, which is rarely done, but is a cousin to the traditional RNY which is primarily a restrictive procedure with a minimal amount of malabsorption added. Another possibility is that he did a DS type of intestinal routing but with a large stomach pouch similar to an RNY, and this would be a Scopinaro procedure, which was a precursor to the standard or traditional BPD DS and was rarely done in the US. Another possibility from your description is something like the old jejunolileal bypass which was a purely malabsorptive procedure done in the 60's and 70's that kept the stomach intact along with the duodenum and some portion of the small intestine but bypassed the majority of it, reconnecting things down near the colon. It was abandoned owing to a lot of complications though he may have done some less malabsorbing variation. It was mostly replaced with the now traditional RNY gastric bypass. I'm sorry that you didn't get what you were expecting, but you should be able to make this work. It is important, however, that you get a clear understanding of what exactly he did (get a copy of the surgical report for your records) so that you, and any doctor who may need to work on you in the future for whatever reason, has a good understanding of how your insides now work.

Hi Eva and welcome. I think we all had some level of anxiety before banding. The recovery time varies from person to person. I went back to work to a fairly physical job in just under a week. Others have been off for only 2 or 3 days. For me, day to day life with my family is not much different. I cook all the same things, I just eat much less of it. The incidence of erosion is quite small. Remember that you will hear more of the complications on this site than you will of the people just doing alright with their bands. The best thing to do is just read everything you can here and ask lots of questions. You won't find a more supportive bunch anywhere.

well the good thing is if there are complications, it will surely make the news.

I was scheduled for one night with my RNY. I had no surgery complications, but could not keep liquids down so spent an extra night. Felt great the following day! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Yes thank you so much for that. I'm flying out Monday (tomorrow) and I'm going alone so I'm very nervous about complications. Reading your story made me feel better. I am having my surgery Tuesday the 18th and I will definitely post details also. I cannot tell you how helpful these stories are to people like me. They help so much in making my decision.

Hi, I used Dr David Kim in Colleyville, TX. He also has a office in Frisco. Not sure where you are located. He did my inverted sleeve 3 years ago and he is a great doctor. His staff has been extremely helpful to me as well. I haven't had any complications at all other than having to have my gallbladder out. The after surgery support has been incredible. Kim Bariatrics has monthly support groups, fitness events, yearly patient Christmas party, 5k/10ks, along with many other get togethers. If it wasn't for the after surgery support I would have not been successful. If you have insurance with a bariatric exclusion there is a Making Bariatrics Affordable discount program for $4900 if you have a hiatal hernia. Do you have insurance? He also works with travelers as well. You may give them a call to get more details.

I am new to this web site - a friend recommended it when she heard I was getting the gastric lapband. Well, that time has come and I will be admitted to the hospital here in Italy (we are military stationed over here) on Wednesday. I am at 5'6" and 252lbs and I have a goal to lose 100 lbs in a year. If you have gone through the process allready, please tell me what to expect. I have the added complication of being a Mom with 5 kids from ages 12 to 7 months, and the 7 month old I am still breastfeeding. Should be a fun adventure!

Have you considered getting the gastric sleeve? Especially since you are self pay. Don't forget that with the band, you will have to pay for fills until you get to your "sweet" spot. You will also need to have follow up EGDs yearly to check for erosions, etc. Lastly, contrary to what some say, the band isn't always "reversable". I spent nearly $40,000.00 after I had the band dealing with the problems that the band caused (this is not including the original surgery which my insurance paid for). I am not trying to scare you but just think about it. The sleeve is the same thing as a partial gastrectomy, which they have been doing for years for other issues such as cancer, severe ulcers, etc. It is considered "experimental" for weight loss because of the "newness" of doing it for weight loss. Kind of like when they use a medication for one thing and then a few years later find out that it helps other diseases than just those that it was approved for. There are many people who I know that have had "partial gastrectomies" for years. The only problem they have is that they are "skinny". Once you get the sleeve, you are done. No going back and paying for "fills". No having multiple surgeries to correct adhesions and other issues caused by the band. No paying for yearly EGDs. No worrying about finding another surgeon to take care of you and do the fills if you move away or your surgeon decides to "retire" or close his practice. I could go on and on but I won't. As I said, I'm not trying to scare you or piss on your parade so to speak. Just giving you something to think about. This is especially true since you are self pay. Just trying to let you know that there is a cheaper, safer way to achieve weight loss through surgery. Just go to verticlesleevetalk.com and obesityhelp.com to the revision sections/complications section and read, read, read, read before you have your surgery.

ISABELLE290, Dr. Huacuz in TJ did my surgery. While I was there another nurse had surgery at the same time. She had complications due to a hernia repair. She was sick vomiting all night and tore her sutures holding the band and damaging her hernia repair. Dr. huacuz did her surgery over again the next day and repaired the hernia as well as placed a new band and did not charge her a cent. If you want to know more, please email me a private message and I will be as honest about my experience as I possibly can.

Well - first Dr. Miguel Alessandrini is a wonderful Family Phyisician -my surgeon was Dr. Corrbiou sp? - he too was excellent and competent - I was unable to have my band placed laproscopically so boy oh boy was I shocked to wake up with all the pain in my abd. 27 sutures on the outside and I WILL HAVE A SCAR - Plastic surgery was not their forte!! They told me my liver was very enlarged and prevented them from doing laproscopic - I was in surgery for 4.5 hours. The Nurses were nice - Olga has a little attitude - and is rather crass - she did not like having to help me out of bed or getting me water or broth - the other nurses were angels - Dr. Miguel Alesandrini stayed with me all night of my surgery and the next night as well - I had lost a lot of blood and it was very scary. I was intubated after the third try and two of my teeth were chipped. I woke up from anesthesia in mouth pain as well. They did send a dentist over to fix my teeth - but since home the area has chipped off. I was in hospital for Tuesday surgery done left Friday am to go home - Dr. Carlos is very unorganized - my sister and friend went with me to have this procedure - after the second night at Hotel Lucerna they were told they had to leave - Dr. Carlos "forgot" to make arrangements for the extra days we had planned on a month in advance and I reminded him of a week prior to surgery. After 2 hours of getting that sorted out they let my sister and friend stay at the Lucerna. Friday am the day we were to go home - Dr. Carlos came by at 9:00am he was going to get my sister and friend at hotel and drop them off - go to the States pick up another patient and drop her off then take up back to airport - our flight was scheduled to leave at 2:00p.m. By 11:30 Dr. Carlos had not called nor could he be reached so we had to demand that a taxi pick us up and take us to the airport - Olga informed us that it would be $60 - I said ABSOLUTELY NOT - so the decision was made that the clinic would pay for taxi but it would drop us off at the border we had to walk thru customs out the back door up a huge hill to a parking lot behind McDonald's WITH ALL OF OUR LUGGAGE - there was a lot - by the time we got up the hill - I thought I was going to pass out with pain!!! We get to airport - just in time we no longer got to our termial and the plane started boarding!!! BOY was I mad. I would not do business with Dr. Carlos again. So far though no complications with the band. I am having to follow up on the enflamed liver and my md here ran a liver function test and my enzymes are elevated - so next week we do a ultrasound - and possibly a biospy. I was not charged extra for anything - the tooth problem I understand perfectly - I have had experience with intubating and it is hard especially when you are afraid someone is crashing. So that is nothing - the call bell they gave me was one of those $20 door bell thingys and they laid it on the nightstand - and left my rail up - I could not get help - that was inexcusable. The surgeons and md were excellent though. I have requested my medical records so that I can take them with me to my appt. with the liver specialist and Dr. Carlos said he would send ASAP. So we'll see. As far as recommending anyone - I liked my acutal doctors - it was the travel arrangements I have problems with. OH yeah and Olga. We didn't mesh. I wish you the best and DO RESEARCH!!! The clinic is not as nice as the pictures - it was clean though!!