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I had a similar issue. I was told initially that having done WW in the past year for 6 months would cover my 6 month medically supervised diet. They said it in the seminar and the surgeon said this when I first met him. I went to my second appointment and they said they weren't sure about that it would suffice, then a few days after the appointment I got a call saying that it wasn't usable and I would have to do the 6 month diet. I was really pissed off, as I had planned to be able to get my surgery in September. Well, now the earliest I can get it is in December, (my last appointment will be late November).

Good Luck with everything. I have RA as well and was recommended to do sleeve over bypass. My surgeon said my overactive immune system would essentially kill the band, so that was out from the beginning. I manage the RA with a low dose of Mobic right now. Hoping that removing excess weight off my joints will help me step away from it completely.

@@VSGAnn2014 and @@lose4life - thank you for your replies. The NSAID question is one I've had several conversations with my surgeon about. In my particular case, he is allowing them. I know everyone's situation and surgeon are different. The reason I said I'm getting the VSG is that it can possibly make esophagitis worse, but I'm not a candidate for bypass. My biggest concern right now is the polyps. I'm over my shock now and am confident they will come back benign .

Quite a bit has happened since my last post and I have been mentally exhausted making it difficult to think about anything but how much my job is stressing me out. Enough about that... Well last Sunday I talked to my husband about the surgery. I told him I was having the surgery and would like his support. He told me no and I shrugged advising him it would not change my mind. I proceeded to tell him how this was something I had to do for myself and how it was unlike the gastric bypass my coworker had (he thinks she looks horrible) and he pretty told me I couldnt sell him on it. I told him I wasnt trying to and explained how it would give me a better quality of life. Blah Blah Blah Blah. Once Mr. Wilson makes up his mind about something, there is no changing it. He has to come around on his own after he SEES himself disproved. I know this about my husband. He has always been this way which is why I told him it would be nice to have his support, but my mind is made up. He even told me to let him know when I was going to do it so he could have "the papers" (meaning divorce) for me to sign. I totally ignored him, knowing it was the only "weapon" he thought he could use. But I didnt care and figured it became truly THAT serious for him, then I will cross that bridge when I get to it. Besides I know my husband and despite what he may see as "defiance" he loves me and will not refuse to help me when the time comes. For a moment I could see him pondering more over my stance than my words. He seemed to want to get angry, but he couldnt because I had a calm but determined attitude. As the hours and days passed since our conversation last Sunday afternoon I noticed something different about Mr. Wilson. It was as if a lightbulb went off in his head and he began to show me affection in ways that were very touching. Light kisses as I slept. Smiles and compliments were more frequent and I began to wonder...Did Mr. Wilson have a sudden epiphany of sorts remembering how I looked when we first me 8 years and 30+ lbs ago? Did he began to imagine the image I have been seeing in my dreams for years of myself as a stronger, healthier, happier more confident woman? I am not sure what happened, but it was obvious something clicked. :thumbup: So for now..it is what it is. By Thursday, my routine had returned and I struggled through my work week looking forward to Friday. When I began to create the weekly schedule for my office, I noticed one of my assistants was off the day I was scheduled to see the surgeon again (8/17) so I called the office to see if I could possibly have my appointment pushed up hoping someone cancelled. I felt a little discourage when I had to leave a message but lo and behold, I got a call back an hour later from the very helpful and excited office manager that was glad I had called in. She had been on vacation when I had my last visit so my appointment was scheduled in error. She advised that I actually was scheduled to come in last week. (it would have been nice if someone would have called me) I told her I was not aware of this appt and she apologized asking if I could come in on Monday. I told her yes, advising I was looking forward to it because the winds had been let out of my sails waiting all this time. I also told her about my sleep study being scheduled later this month with a possible 2nd one early next month, but the appointment to discuss the results were not until the first week of October. She said she would try to get it changed for me realizing that I wanted to get the surgery "yesterday" which I agreed with a chuckle. She told me she would schedule me for the psych appointment on Monday when I came in, also taking me closer to the end of the processes. If all goes well, I hope to have everything done by the end of October so it can go to my insurance company for approval and I can prayerfully get a date. I felt my excitement return and it put me back on cloud 9. Only problem is, I know I have gained weight. I am not sure how much, but I know its most if not all of the 8 lbs I had lost. I have been doing happy hour more often with other stressful workers filling my body on a Grey Goose laden pink lemonade cocktail I enjoy always with a side of buffalo wings. I feel like crap. My back aches from the slight gain and my clothes are tighter. In fact a favorite pair of jeans I purchased a size smaller (it was the last pair and they were on sale) that I was fitting well, can not be zipped.:thumbdown: Yeah guess who feels crappy about that?! One of my assistants is prepping for gastric and she just finally finished the last of her testing yesterday. We promised we would try to set our dates where they wont collide, especially since her surgery is going to require more recovery time. It looks like that is going to be impossible at this point and she will probably get to go in first. I cant worry about it or her because I still have a very long way to go and alot more work to do, but my level of excitement has come back and I am looking forward to Monday so I can find out the result of my tests and prepare for the next phase. Please keep me in prayer.

at the age of 19, (which was 22 years ago), I was 328 lbs, and I got the gastric bypass surgey. I was successful at loosing 80 lbs, but then started putting back on weight and I've been stuck at 275 for years and years. I continue to have issues with reflux and it's not consistent. I'm wondering if this new surgery is a different venue for me that might work better. I'm really considering my options as I've never been at an ideal weight. diets after diets just haven't worked. anyone have advice as I ponder this decision?

I can sit here and name at least 10-15 stories of things going wrong from people who had bypass. You have to do the research and then make your choice, it's all about what you feel more comfortable doing. Good luck on your journey!

I was able to attend one of my surgeons bariatric presentations to the physicians at me healthcare system, because I work closely with them for diabetes and he did say that has has put a band over bypass when the opening from the pouch to the intestines has stretched to provide restriction. I would talk to your surgeon. I know it has been done, but I don't know the details. Good luck.

Embarrassing, Humilating, Why I hate going out in public and eating... I think there is something very wrong with a person who never wants change. Cenophobia or Centophobia- Fear of new things or ideas. Decidophobia- Fear of making decisions. http://phobialist.com/ The Fat Lady is Tuning Up [20 Dec 2006|10:05am] [ mood | bouncy ] Last night was my mother's 75th birthday. There is a special seafood restaurant on the edge of the Cotee River that serves their dinners with shiney oak floors, high polished brass shipboard props and taxidermed fish floating through the air. We do love our appetizers. Vidalia onions, sliced medium, dredged in cracker meal and fried right. Here came this plate heaped high and hot. Out of the six people at our table, the other server placed the dish directly in front of me and not blinking he looked me square in the eye and asked if I would like a refill on my tea. "Sure", I said. I looked at the rest of my family and they didn't see what I saw. The server automatically thought the food went to the fattest person at the table! Being my usual sarcastic yet jovial self, I hunched over that plate like a dog on a meat wagon and annouced to the waiter " I'm good " while I grabbed a hot ring. My husband immediately picked up on it, my sister didn't, my mother was more wondering why HER rings were not down at her end of the table. It's that assumption. Like it never goes away or it goes so far away assumption has crossed the space-time continuum and will meet me sometime next year. Like the booths at (Belly Deli) restaurant. Who believes that the average human has the body circumfrence of a medium sized vase? So I got to the point of asking for a "Belly Booth". Hey, who wants a gastric bypass with your dinner? Reflux with your dessert? "No thanks, I'm good".

After my surgery (November 2009) I bought myself Troll/Camillia Bead Bracelet (similar to the Pandora) and for every 5 pounds I lose I buy myself a bead. I've got 14 beads as of today and because these beads arent the cheapest, it's definitely a treat and at least once or twice a day I get a nice comment about my braclet - which lets me brag about my 70 pound weight loss!

Hi, I am booked for a Gastric Bypass on June 10th. It's something I have dreamed of for years but I am also so scared of the op and the future! Would love to chat to others in the same position. Thanks.

I had my bypass surgery on June 9th. The liquid diet was (is) very hard because Im so tired of sweet stuff. I want something savory. Tastes bother me more than hunger. Now that Im a week post op there is no real hunger, just emotional hunger of not having something tasty to look forward to. Walking helps a lot! I have no post op pain, except for where my gallbladder came out. Emotions are just hitting me hard today. I can tell things are changing!

For me, it's that I have so much of a self insecurity that I don't want to put myself out there to be judged. I don't like people giving me negative feedback, I don't like to be told I'm wrong, and I usually take things personally. I'm a major introvert. I hear all the time about how someone got WLS, and I don't even know the person. It's like sometimes that makes a person forever THE bypass girl, and not just who you are as a person. I've told my mom, my sister, and my husband - and have asked for tight lips from them. If I didn't need their support, I probably wouldn't have even told them. On the other hand, if nobody was public about it, I'd never know the benefits or disadvantages of having WLS. So, I'm very thankful for all the you tubers - bloggers - instagram people - putting themselves out there. It has really inspired me. Being public or open about it, however, just isn't for me. It just puts me in a position of anxiety to even think of what comments would be made to me or behind my back. I've always been "the fat girl", I don't want to become "the WLS girl"...

I was 280 at first dr visit 249 day of surgery. Surgery November 5th got down to 152 and now 165. Put on 13# of muscle spending a lot of time in gym.

I am not sure how many sleeves he has done but he is doing more of these I think then bypass and bands now. I was only in the hospital for one day-insurance approved one day. I was at the hospital 5:30 am for surgery and left the next morning by around 10 am. I was off work for one week-I have a sit down customer service job working from home. They have a website http://www.alabamawls.com/ you can check out. If you want to send me a private message you can email me at kelly.stricker@att.net.

I had people at work pull me aside...they actually called it an INTERVENTION. One was banded with only 40 pounds lost. One was banded with about the same then changed to bypass (without stellar results). I watch them both make poor eating choices. For me, i opted for the band in the end: 1. adjustable 2. not permanent (although I plan on it being for me) 3. No malabsorption of what I do eat (for me this is mentally healthiest---to learn how to properly eat) 4. fewer issues with malnutrition down the road 5. No dumping syndrome 6. Less invasive with shorter recovery time Just a note that with the band weight loss tends to be slower, but long-term compred to bypass they pretty much equal out (Australian15 yr studies). I think it's sfe to say for us that are banded, we tend to just realize it's not a race. It's a lifetime of change. Whaatever your decision, I just really encourage you to take your time in researching and really be sure. :-) There's no right or wrong as a whole, just what is right or wrong for YOU.

I went to my Psych evaluation was in November and I haven't seen a bill yet. I believe she and the surgeon are in together and the whole thing is kind of in together. I haven't even seen a bill from my first visit to the surgeon, which was November 9th.

You are correct. I had to have my band removed due to complications and was thinking of a sleeve revision. During my reading, I discovered that many bypass and sleeve patients are going back to get bands to control the hunger...which comes back after their 'honeymoon' period. When I spoke to my surgeon about this, he said that the band is considered a tool for getting rid of hunger. The sleeve is considered a tool for restriction only. .

I went to the seminar the end of November which was on a Saturday and I called the office the following Tuesday to get the ball rolling. I was banded January 25th so the hoops and jumps I had to go through took roughly 2 months. I personally would call and see what is going on... maybe even try to get the first appt scheduled.... Good Luck:)!

I am kind of going through the same thing. I found out my surgery is on November 12th and my pre-op visit with the surgeon is November 9th. I will have to be on a no/very low (less than 20 grams) carb diet for 2 weeks prior to surgery. Well, this past week and weekend, I kind of went nuts, mostly with Mexican fajita nachos and some Chinese food. I had been on a three-month diet and lost 12 pounds. Once that was officially over, I relaxed a bit and had already put on 5 pounds before the weekend. Then, much to my horror, when I got on the scales this morning, I found that I had gained 14 pounds since my last doctor's visit!!! (Note - this is a 9 pound gain within 4 days!) He is very very strict about not gaining any weight before surgery and will even postpone it if you do. I am praying that the low carb diet will take this weight off of me in time. Another thing I am stressing about is the fact that my primary physician just changed my blood pressure meds, taking away the diuretic. That means that I am about to puff up like a frog, on top of the weight gain I have already had. If I gain weight from that, I don't think it should be held against me, but I don't know what will happen. I can't believe that my surgery will be in 20 days! (Well, if I can get this stupid weight off again, that is.) Worse part of it is - there is a pizza shop across from where I work that keeps calling my name. I know that, once I have the surgery, I will be fine. It's just that there are a couple of things that I feel like I am really going to grieve over if I don't get it out of my system beforehand. I feel like a little kid in a candy shop who is being pulled out by the arm screaming! :pizza: :hurt:

I picked bypass because of how much I had to lose! I started at 340. My surgery weight was 311on 4/23 & I'm currently 276. Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app

My BMI was down around 37 when I had surgery but my doctor actually suggested the band and still does to this day. Post surgical care such as fills, follow up visits and consults regarding any complications are just as important as having the band placed around your stomach. We see so many patients who fail to lsoe due to their surgeons unwillingness to support band patients for years after surgery. Don't make the mistake of allowing a disinterested surgeon place the band and kick you to the curb. You sound like a good band candidate? Although, we have many many banders here who are quite successful and had BMI's up around 45-55. For me, I didn't want my stomach removed, period. I think the sleeve and bypass and DS are all very good surgical techniques and on average produce faster and better results than the band. But, all I really wanted was a little help with reducing my hunger and allowing me to feel satisfied with less food. That's what the band did for me. And that's all I wanted. If you think you might need more from the surgery, you might not be a good candidate. If you need a tool that will only allow you to eat 4 ozs of food at a time, the sleeve or bypass might be a better choice. Because I still have my lower stomach, I can still eat a lot of food, IF, I want to. But I don't, because the band helps me feel satisfied with less and keeps me satisfied for hours after a meal. Good luck and I look forward to many comments to your topic. tmf

I had a gastric sleeve over 10 years ago. I weighed 320 and was 5'2" and 54 years old. I also have asthma - life long and I needed a surgery that would allow me to take oral steroids and other life sustaining medications that also cause weight gain... but breathing is an important concept. I could not have a bypass surgery, as my pulmonary docs said that the surgery would make the use of oral steroids impossible and I am prone to pneumonia from years of impaired airways. (And yes, I am working from home right now !!!) I went from 320 pounds to 180 pounds. I unfortunately gained 40 pounds back in the last few years, mostly due to not being able to exercise much and well.... life. I got pissed off at myself last July and went back to high protein, and low carb and more veggies and cut out the slider foods... and I have lost 25 pounds. Yes, I am still obese, but for me, who weighed 320 pounds, I now weight 193. (27 pounds down actually) since this July. At 64 years old I will probably stick around the 180s to 190. Yes - it could and should be less, but my doctors are pleased and I have been pretty darn healthy for me. I take care of my critters, keep up a house, a career as a social work supervisor, I garden and am active. For me, I have kept off over 100 pounds and now am back to having lost 137 pounds and holding. I highly recommend it. Oh, I was in the hospital 2 nights after surgery. Mostly to stabilize my lungs. And I had surgery at 54 years old

There is already one in the gastric bypass success stories board!! See if you can find it in there! Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk

You stated you have very serious health issues. I have no idea what they are, but I have serious issues of my own. I've had 5-way-bypass heart surgery and cannot have RNY if I wanted it (which I don't). My doctors would not allow it. I'm curious as to your health issues, because whether we like to believe it or not RNY is a very complicated and serious surgery and you should be up to it. If your weight is the major problem and it has to come off quickly, than that decision has to be yours. I just wondered what you are facing, because RNY isn't for everyone.

Personally, I never considered WLS until I discovered the lapband. The biggest reason for me was the complications brought on by having the bypass and knowing the band is reversible. I have 2 small children and this is what is best for me. I don't know of anyone that has had the bypass and converted to the band, but I do know of people with the band converting to the bypass for whatever reason.....something to consider. Keep in mind that statistics are just numbers. You can't say that you will only lose 50% of your needed weight. You may lose more or you may lose less than that....each case is different. This I know to be true.....more people have died from the bypass surgery or complications than the lapband.....a huge factor in my personal decision. Another issue for my was praying. I have no idea of your religious beliefs, but for me personally, this was a tremendous help in guiding my decision. Now I have no doubts. :biggrin1: Oh...thought of something else....the bypass surgery makes food decisions for you IMO. The lapband requires more of an effort to make good food choices. I do wish you the very best in making the right decision. Look at the BIG picture and do what is best for you personally, not what someone else has done. :gluck: