Search the Community

When I was making the decision between rny and gastric sleeve I was going to the bypass based on that extra few % of excess weight loss but ultimately I realized that I needed to have the least invasive surgery possible that would still get the job down. I'm not sure why people are so gung ho about the DS. Is it all about the weight?

I am a band over bypass patient. Had surgery 2/15/10. Yesterday 3/18/10 I went to get my first fill. Stood in front of the fluorscopy machine, drank some barium (nasty stuff) watched it run down to my stomach. She sprayed my stomach with freezing spray. stuck that gigantic needle in which thankfully I did not feel a thing. She filled up my band. Then released it all back out. Then she said why isn't it going down any faster than that. I was like huh? LOL She told me to take a deep breathe that did not help. I could see the barium drink in my esophugus and it was releasing into my pouch but very very slowly. So she was saying I had some good restriction and decided not to give me a fill. She said since I am a band over bypass patient there may still be some swelling in there which is casuing the restriction still. Now I have to go back in 2 weeks to try again. I sure the heck hope that nothing is wrong. The Dr. was quite surprised while she had me standing in there going thru this, so when they are surprised that makes me worried..anyone else go thru this type of ordeal ? Robin in Cincinnati, OH banded 2/15/10

First Congrats on your amazing weightloss!!!! I also have BCBS of MA but have not yet been banded. I have had many interactions with them and the only advice is to keep on them, and if you have to, ask for a supervisor when calling. I finally did that when looking for my approval.. I hope your revision goes well and you have a quick recovery!! ~Christina~

I had a lap band and it's slowly working. but i often wonder if the bypass would have been a better option. i just saw this... http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3935926914857694794&q=lap+band to late for me to investigate the claims, but if i was considering surgery, I would check it out

Hi gayle. i was looking at a thread you posted on, you said you followed the same food plan, as someone who had a gastric bypass, please can you tell me more about this food plan, you're weight loss has been amazing.:whoo: many thanks Toots2. xx

You think there are complications with the band? You need to do more research into the bypass. Yes, there are complications with the band, but, in general, they are fewer and less dangerous than with the bypass. Good luck in your research.

Hi there, I went in for a second opinion this past week and the doctor said if I experienced reflux with the band then I will experience reflux with the sleeve. She said that most patients with the sleeve have reflux and will be on medication possibly for the rest of their lives. I'm starting to lean towards the bypass with that information. So my question is, do you have reflux? And if so, is it as bad as when you had the band? Can you sleep at night or it is minor? Any help would be great, thanks!

So then it is easier for food to get washed through for bypassers, and hence we can't drink while eating or the food will just flow through with the liquid, enabling us to overeat. Right? That's the point of not drinking while eating. Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app

I had severe port pain when I had the Lap Band. When I would complain, the surgeon would always tell me that the Lap Band was on the other side and that the port shouldn't hurt. As soon as I revised to sleeve, the pain immediately subsided. I'm just glad that I had the revision!! Good luck on getting approved. Don't give up!!

@@LessOfMe0503 @@fitme Congrats on your decision to improve your life! As I mentioned earlier in this topic, I often attend support group meetings where there are every type of surgery patient's in attendance. I see people ( even some I consider friends ) who have had Sleeve and bypass surgeries who are as big (or bigger) than pre-op. Not to say every band patient is 100% sucessful either, but at least we have another option except being told to diet. You'll see people on this site who get on here and say things such as "my surgeon doesn't do lapbands anymore because they don't work", yet EVERY one I've personally contacted ( and I have contacted several over the years ) tell me quite the opposite. I'm sure there are bariatric surgeons who don't perform band surgeries, but the reason isn't always what is thought. This site used to let you see each person's surgeon, experience level, etc....not anymore. Best wishes!

After suffering from a slipped band with some erotion I had my band removed and a revision to RNY. I was kind of sorry to lose my band, but the hell it put me through after being my best friend for over 3 years was more then I could bear. Now as far as RNY, it's really not as "evil" as some people make it out to be. The best part is that I have NO more reflux, PB'ing is just a bad memory, and NO more fills and unfills in my life anymore I'm also happy to report that I'm a member of the century club again!!!

There are no skilled surgeons in the KC or surrounding area at revisions, particularly with experience of revising from a VBG unfortunately. I hate to say it, but most of them only want to do virgin surgeries here or at the most converting a lap band to the sleeve. I've been to 3 seminars locally and they are all pretty much scared of the VBG due to high risk for leaks. It's frustrating, but at the same time- at least they recognize their limitations. I even went to Topeka where they do DS procedures thinking they would have more skilled surgeons there and they just wanted to convert me to the GB- said I was too high risk for them. So, off to TX I go.

The reason I chose bypass (RNY) was the estimated weight loss was 10-15% higher than the sleeve, as well as it being by far, the most practiced surgery. Obviously, as more and more people have the surgery over the last 20 or so years, the more they know about it and what works and what doesn't. I didn't want the band as I don't want to have the constant follow up- I am 7 months post-op with 93 lbs lost, I would like to lose between 10 and 18 more pounds! Good luck!

I had my choice of all three. By pass band or sleeve. My friends had the Rny bypass an she has gained back almost all her weight. A band friends had issues with erosion and others had the port problem. I researched and choose the sleeve. I am 5 years out on the sleeve. Started at 285 dec 2010. Now I am at 164 I got down to 130 at my lowest but looked like a skeleton with skin so I opted to adjust my goal (which I hit). I have since gained above my goal of 150. So I am back on a closely watched meal plan. I take Vits daily just as those with bypass. So there is really not a big difference in the meal or life style after. I did suffer from all the reflux, heartburn an such prior toy surgery. Haven't had any since 2 weeks out. I can eat 4-6 oz per Meal and have never had a issue. I am off all meds and I took about 8 prior to surgery. Regardless of what is Gold standard or not. In my region no one is even Doing the by pass much any more. Due to complications With the stomach that is left inside the body. I always advise research then research again and ask people in your area who have used your medical experts and staff. Get their actual feed back. Good luck. I wouldn't change my decision.

I had the band in June 2009, I lost 25 lbs and that was it. I wanted the sleeve but my doctor said it would be best for me to do the bypass. I got the bypass in Oct 2014 and have lost down to 194 from 250, my goal is 130 and I'm sure I will get there by my surgeversary. Good luck on your choice.

I had Gastric bypass in May b4 my surgery I had heartburn all the time couldn't lose a pound now feeling better no heartburn losing weight slow but steady my back is feeling better I can walk more then a few steps I would do it all again to feel like this so glad I did it.

I'm having my band-to-bypass revision on August 24th (1 more week!). I also had a choice between the bypass and the sleeve. Originally, I was leaning toward the sleeve, but I changed my mind after doing some heavy thinking and research. I have PCOS, and that, combined with the way I had to eat with the band, has really screwed up my metabolism. I need the malabsorbtion component of the bypass to jumpstart my metabolism, since it's already used to me eating very restricted amounts of food. The sleeve is just like the band in that it's a restrictive procedure with no malabsorbtion. I've done the restriction-only route already. It worked fine for the first year (once I had some heavy-duty restriction), but eventually your body gets used to it and you have to work really, really hard to keep the weight off and/or continue losing. One of the most common side effects of the sleeve is GERD. I already have severe GERD whenever I've got restriction from the band, so that leads me to believe that I would likely suffer severe GERD from the sleeve, as well. GERD isn't anything to fool around with. People say, "Oh, it's only some acid." Yeah, well, that acid wears away the enamel of your teeth, it damages your vocal chords, you can aspirate it at night if you aren't really careful (and sometimes even if you are), and it can cause damage that leads to esophageal cancer. It's miserable when it's uncontrollable. With the band, I was eventually sleeping on a high wedge with two other pillows behind me, and still waking up choking at night, and that was WITH the proton pump inhibitor that my first surgeon prescribed AND not eating within at least 5 hours of bedtime. The sleeve doesn't have that many long-term statistics available as a stand-alone procedure. Sure, it could be hugely successful. I got burned with the band, though. When I had my band surgery, it was being promoted as the next big thing, with projected long-term results that rivaled or exceeded those of the bypass. After a few years, though, the crappy results started pouring in. Sure, I could take a chance that the sleeve is going to be great. But I've had two band surgeries (the original and then a replacement when the original had a massive slip), and I don't want to do this again. The bypass has proven long-term results that are really good, and are still looking like they're 10-15% better than the sleeve. And that can be quite a bit of weight, when you think about it. Plus, there are more and more reports coming in of people having to revise from the sleeve to either the DS or the bypass, so in my view, it's following the same pattern that the band had.

My lap band port pain is increasing daily as I jump through the insurance hoops to get approved for revision to sleeve. But I have my EGD tomorrow and nutritionist visit on Weds., then I'm done. Is anyone else going through this? Sent from my SM-N920P using the BariatricPal App

Hey everyone. I wanted to thank each and every one for your continued support with my gastric bypass journey. I am almost 2 weeks out and start the puréed diet next week. My doctor says I can have flaked fish, eggs, and other things. I was wondering what other flaked fish I can have and how did some of you prepare it and what other foods did you have during this diet? I am excited to start trying new things cause soups get tiring after a while. Also, I cannot muster putting things in a blender so I don't think I will be doing that.

Mine was a 32. I was a revision from the band.

So I have had my band in since 2011, about 6 years. Nothing is wrong with it, I had an upper GI and all was fine. I have gained all but about 20 lbs of the weight back, and I never lost as much as I wanted to from the beginning. My doctor won't give me a fill as food gets stuck all the time and he says my band is at the correct restriction. He wants to do a revision to a sleeve, but I am worried about the long term complications of having over half of my stomach cut out. I haven't heard of anyone with the sleeve for 20-30-40 years or even longer. I am 37 so I would have to live with this for a long time. I made the wrong decision before and I don't want to make it again and end up on the operating table again in 5 years. Anyone out there who has had the sleeve for a long time, or anyone who had a band to sleeve revision longer than just a few months ago?

Hi there, I recently had my band removed due to several issues since placement in sept 2008. My insurance company revised there policy on their revision surgeries. I had appealed it all the way to the state level in 2012 and denied, they said not medically/clinically necessar . Gained all my weight back since the after having 2 babies. Made an appointment to see my surgeon in July after I found Priority Health's revised policy on a fluke.fHe mentioned the BPD with DS is an option for the "super obese". I had to decide after my appt on Tuesday so they can submit for approval. I went for long term success over safety. With 2 little girls at home, I hope I chose right! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Got my date, 6/8/15!!! I'm a teacher so summer works best. I am 28 years young but have had bad diabetes since I was 18. The band worked at first, lost 80lbs from my highest weight...but I hate it now. Gained almost all weight back and didn't help my diabetes like I was promised. Was looking at the sleeve revision but my Dr recommended RNY instead...I am hoping RNY helps. Anyone else diabetic with some encouraging words?

I would check with your doctor to see if you're even supposed to be taking Vitamins yet, which may be why they're making you sick. I had my band to sleeve revision on the 14th and I'm not allowed to take any vitamins until my 2 week post op appt on Tuesday. And then, it supposed to be in liquid form since I'm on liquids only for 3 weeks. Your post op instructions may be different, but just a thought.

When I had my band removed I had a revision done at the same time. For me, in my case... I know me and I would have regained. So I revised to a sleeve in the same surgery.