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I felt the same way you did! I thought it and re-thought it a thousand times. I had gained and lost the same 100lbs ten times in 15 years. I could lose it, but could not keep it off. I had to do something to ensure that I would not regain and lose, regain and lose!! Gastric bypass was never appealing to me, but this surgery was. I researched it for over a year and decided I would chat with my dr. He sent me to see my AWESOME surgeon and we decided it was a good fit for me! I can not say enough good things about my sleeve. I would recommend this surgery to anyone that wants and needs restriction with food. This is the best gift I have ever been given in my entire 36 years!! I can have anything I want, I just have a smaller amount of it. If I want a cookie, I could have one, but I would eat one and not 10! I can have A piece of pizza and not 5. You will not get fat eating like that. The insane thing about it is, it is almost like they operate on your stomach and it fixes your brain!! Weird, but true for me. I don't want to eat **** anymore. I eat on plan and I am good. I haven't had a fast-food, cookie, pie, cake, pizza, bread, rice....nothing since before my surgery and I really don't want to! I am sure I will, but at this time, I have not! All you have to do is look at everyone's stats. This surgery works if you do what you are supposed to do! Now, you can't sit and eat bon-bon's all day and expect the weight to fall off. I have to work very hard for every pound I lose, but it is worth it and a lot easier now that I can only eat 2-3oz of Protein at a time!! Good luck to you! Kelly

You can take ANY medication with the sleeve. There aren't restrictions of ANY type. That is the bypass that you can not take them. My dr. asked that I not take Ibuprofen for 3 months post-op just to give my stomach time to heal, but I can take them now. Kelly

The other factor on the RNY/NSAID issue is the suture line between the pouch and the intestine - since the part of the intestine that is joined to the pouch is not used to being exposed to stomach acid like the duodenum (which gets bypassed along with the stomach) that joint is very susceptible to being irritated. It also tends to never fully heal as a result and continually weeps a bit of blood, compounding the Iron absorption issues of the RNY

Thank you to you all. I was in such a bad moos yesterday due to several more reasons but the move just set me over the edge. I'm better today and concentrating on my upcomming wedding in November!

OK so i am seeking imformation on how to get approved with state insurance, if possible bypassing the 12 month program. i know its a far chance but i fear i dont have a year to waste doing programs i have already failed at. im starting the process any how but help is well welcomed

I drink a lot of hot tea, and usually have a cup, or sometimes even 2 or 3 cups early in the morning. Normal for me is eating my first "meal" sometime between 10:30 and 2:00. Anything earlier hurts, because I'm very tight early. Fortunately, though I am not hungry early on, and the tea does the trick. Lots of people use the Protein shakes, but I can't consume anything cold. My fill doc has a band, and she told me that for her it is usual to wait until maybe 1:00 in the afternoon before she is able to eat. So, morning tightness is perfectly normal for some, and for others "normal" seems to be a little different. You'll do great!!! I've just hit the 40 pound mark! Losing slowly but consistently, and I'm very thankful! (I was banded on November 12, 2007 - 40 pounds lost in 26 weeks) Kristine The Woodlands, TX

@@NoMoreWeightNJ I am scheduled for bypass on may 21 as well! I wanted sleeve then after meeting with surgeon he convinced me otherwise. I feel confident in my decision now but am currently doing my 14 day full liquid diet. Day 5 today. I'm anxious excited and scared. I am 43 from Ohio hopefully we can keep in touch

I have switch surgeons post approval. I was originally going to have my lap band done in Baltimore but my Dr. tried to convince me to have the bypass done. As a result I was going to switch to the sleeve but my BMI wasn't high enough to have it covered by insurance. While doing research about the sleeve I found out about sleeve plication in addition to the band. Unfortunately there are only a few doctors in the country that do it so I ended up switching to a doctor in Hollywood, FL. At the point the point that I switched, I had pretty much all of the pre-op tests and requirements done and had scheduled my surgery, The process of changing was very easy, I had the original office send all of test results and documentation to the new office prior to my first consultation. The only thing that I had to do over was meeting with the new office's nutritionist. I was also lucky that I was able to do the consult via Skype. I also had to do a sleep study as part of my Pre-Op and I'll second the importance of having the sleep study done because I although I felt that I didn't have any sleep issues, I was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea. It is minor enough that I don't really need any treatment and just need to try to sleep on my stomach to prevent episodes but I think that knowing that I am prone to episodes on my back is important information for the anesthesiologist during my surgery. When I scheduled my sleep study I was also told that it would take several weeks to get my results back and they even scheduled my follow-up when I made the original appointment but I was also told that it usually doesn't take that long and that they may move up the follow-up appointment which they ended up doing. I think there might have been no more than two weeks in between appointments.

Hi DebiC! Not everything. Down below is what is listed in the manual for my surgeon's patients and also, he actually told me to add Iron and Vitamin d to the already listed vitamins. All the other vitamins and supplements I took it upon myself to add....like for example, Biotin (helps with hair growth), Vitamin C (helps with hair growth and a number of other things), etc. The generic Pepcid AC Complete was recommended by him also. I hope this helps. Oh, and FIBER! I worried about the same thing. So I use Benefiber in my coffee every day and normally I drink 2 cups of coffee so I add enough between the two to give me 6 grams of fiber. I also eat almonds, peanuts, cashews, etc. every day and this definitely helps to add in the fiber. I wanted to also say that the Benefiber unflavor is truly unflavored. And it's supposed to dissolve in most things. I've only tried it in coffee and tea. In coffee, it works wonderfully. You can't tell it's there. But in the ice cold tea, it wouldn't dissolve completely and I kept getting little chunks of it in my mouth. I couldn't taste it but the texture was too much. From my bariatric manual: It is important to supplement your vitamins and minerals after weight loss surgery. Your diets are changing and the quantity is much less, therefore you must take supplements. It is additionally important for gastric bypass and sleeve patients to take sublingual vitamin B12 supplements since the new pouch cannot use vitamin B12 from the diet. We recommend: • liquid or Chewable Adult Multivitamin (Begin upon release from the hospital) Two doses daily, may be taken together • Iron (only if recommended by your physician) Ferrous Fumerate 18-29 mg Ferrous Gluconate/sulfate 300 mg Ferrous Sulfate is most common, however it is NOT well absorbed after Gastric Bypass or sleeve surgery. • B-12 – 500 mcg sublingual daily or 2400 mcg sublingual every week (Begin upon release from the hospital) Sublingual (under the tongue) - This can be purchased over the counter at your local health food store or pharmacy either in a spray or melt away tablet. OR IM (intramuscular shot) can be prescribed and administered by yourself or your physician Nasal Spray available by prescription B-12 should not be taken in pill form, as there are not enough acids in your new system for absorption. • calcium citrate 1000 to 1500 mg Daily (Begin with your soft diet) Calcium Citrate products are best absorbed with Vitamin D and magnesium. Calcium Citrate can be taken in liquid or chewable forms and should be taken in 500mg. doses with at least one hour between doses. Do not take Calcium at the same time as iron. Do not use calcium carbonate, as it is NOT well absorbed after bariatric surgery.

My doc sends you home on 3 tablespoons of puréed meat 3 times a day, for two weeks. No veggies for 8 weeks, no fruit for 3 months, no dairy for 6months and no starches for 9 months. I'm going to ask about some of that as they give gastric bypass and band people the same guidelines. I know that because the last NUT class there were people getting all 3 procedures. I want to follow my docs orders, but I'm getting the sleeve to avoid the issues the other 2 have!

Hello everyone!!!! So after months of appointments, copays and pre-op diets, the date is finally here!!! My surgery is tomorrow, December 8th, I am so nervous/excited to start my new life. Its funny because my grandma and I have the same surgeon but are having different procedures, sleeve for me, bypass for her, and they are both tomorrow. Hoping to have the same room or at least a private room, I dont mind paying alittle extra lol. So here is my checklist, any suggestions please feel free to add, thanks!!! Comfy clothes to go home in Toiletries Gas X Strips Chapstick Phone/charger Nasal spray I feel like I am leaving something out.....

I will be having lap band surgery next Monday (1-14-08) at UVA by Dr. Schirmer. I will let you know how it goes for me. I live in Page County and just about everyone here has had either their band or bypass surgery by him and I have'nt heard any complaints. Good luck to you.

I live in Louisville Kentucky and have Humana HMO KPPA insurance and they require the 6 month diet. I called them and they said the Doc has to send the paperwork to the insurance company. I told them I started the diet in November and would that count, of course she didn't understand me so Iam just going to talk to my pcp and se what we can do to speed up process. My husband is taking a buyout at his job (Ford Motor Co) and once he quits they will give him 6 months of free insurance, so Iam trying to get everything approved before then. I met this lady today who had a triple heart bypass and she had humana hmo and they declined her surgery. I think thats crazy because her heart doc told her she needs it. I wonder why the insurance turned her down. Would any of yall have an idea? I sure hope they don't turn me down after my 6 months of hard work, I going to be pissed if they do. Once my husband doesn't have insurance anymore I can get some from work so if all fails I hope my insurance will approve. Let me know if anyone knows anything about Humana Thanks ~Carmille

Hi Shirley, I know the bypass surgery is a little more evasive than the Lap Band surgery which is one of the reasons why I chose it. The Lap Band has a shorter downtime for recovery as well. As far as longevity, that I can't say. I guess it would depend on a several factors.. if you follow the plans and go for your follow-up appointments, etc. There are people who have had the band and the bypass done that have both gained weight.

after surgery about 900 calories later up to 1,200 for regaining stamina (at least for me heading back to gym as well as slowing weight loss - in month 5 I am near goal) Prior around 800 to 900 to reduce fatty tissue. Get in your Protein 60 to 70 grams as sleeve not as bad as bypass. Try for 64 ounces Water keep skin soft.

Had my consult with a sleeve surgeon and was told that I'm unlikely a candidate for the sleeve. I was so disappointed, I started crying right there in front of the doctor. He said there is a 5% chance someone who has NEVER had reflux will develop it after the sleeve. There is a 10% chance people with reflux that have no symptoms will develop reflux symptoms. Of course I HAVE symptoms, which increases the chance of getting reflux that cannot be controlled with drugs - I have been on an on/off regimen of Omeprazole and Pepcid for several years. He said getting the gastric bypass would completely cure the reflux and I could lose weight, so in essence - "kill 2 birds with one stone". I told him I couldn't wrap my head around bypass at this time. He agreed to re-visit the possibility of getting the sleeve after getting pathology from an endoscopy... Anyone been in my situation and went ahead with Sleeve surgery? PS - The doctor also said he had 2 patients just like me who insisted on getting the sleeve and he revised them to bypass 2 years later (they were already skinny for bypass surgery!) to cure the reflux because it had gotten so bad and could not be controlled with meds. Please reply, thanks!

I agree that some people will require plastic surgery after major weight loss but I have found an alternative that is absolutely awesome. My friend had the gastric bypass and lost in excess of 100+ lbs which left her with saggy, baggy skin. I was getting lap banded and was kinda scared because my insurance doesn't cover plastic surgery because it is considered cosmetic!! She searched everywhere for something to help her and she started using these all natural body wraps at home and she lost over 30 inches in a little over 90 days and has maintained the elasticity in her skin on her lower abdomen, inner thighs, arms, front of knees! I started using them before being banded because I couldn't wait and immediately lost 3 1/2 inches off my lower abdomen in 2 hours. Talk about being sold oh my gosh I was blown away so I took one and cut it in half and put it on my chin and neck and cut the other piece in two and put it on my cheeks guess what I actually have cheek bones underneath the fat! No kidding my double chin was nearly invisible it tightened up my neck in an hour! I want to mummify myself ) I am soooo happy I am using them and will continue to use them through out my weight loss and lap band journey. I have told all my friends even the "skinny" ones LOL and one of them lost four inches off her lower abdomen above her c-section scar she said she had a "saggy pooch" for 8 years and it's gone now! They are about 2ft by 1 ft in size so they cover a large area (I even used it on my back fat!) I am still losing weight with my lap band tool but this is a real motivator when you can see instant results that last it targets fat and toxins not water weight!! They are affordable and easy to use check out www.wraptodaylosetoday.com they run about $49 for four large wraps if you agree to do the 90 day challenge and have autoship but if not they are $89 for four which is still an excellent deal because I have had a seaweed wrap before that cost me $120 and it only dehydrated me and targeted water so poof it came right back! These are well worth it and a great alternative and an affordable alternative to plastic surgery! :scared2: Love them!!

I'm not banded yet so I can't say that I know lap band does work but look all the people on this forum and how successful they have been whether they lost 40 pounds or 100+ pounds, that's something. My surgeon told me out of the three surgeries, lap band would not help me lose as much weight as say, gastric bypass or the sleeve. However, after floating around these boards I know that is up to ME. If I want to lose 100 pounds+ with the band, it can be done if I'm willing to do the work. I am also young (22) and my surgeon said nothing to me about being so young and probably being unsuccessful. He actually was more optimistic that I was so young, after all we have all the time in the world to make this work for us! If you're that concerned that it can't be done, check newtoy4kt on YouTube. (check out bandedwendy's channel also!) They were what pushed me to my final decision of lap band. Whatever you choose, good luck!

Hello fellow sleevers, I am excited and nervous at the same time. I have my pre opt appt today with my surgeon and I'm not sure exactly what to expect. Honestly this whole process has been going by so quick that I can't even believe my surgery is less than 3 weeks away on february 6th. I have already started my short term disability process with my employer so i'm ready to go!! Naturally, i keep going back and forth with myself fearing that I am not making the right decision. Reading your posts about the progress some of you are making gives me hope, and lets me know that I am making the right decision for me as well as my family. Like l've said in previous posts, I have 2 children, a 5 year old little girl (who will be turning 6 feb 3rd) and a 18 month old little boy. I want to be able to live a much healthier life for them. As far as the insurance approval goes, my surgeons office hasn't really mentioned anything about it. I asked one question about it during my first visit (back in November) and he said a lady from his office would take care of that. I called on my own and talked to a customer service rep( I have United Healthcare Choice Plus) who stated that my policy did cover the sleeve with a bmi of 40+, or 35+ with comorbities (i have high blood pressure). There was nothing in my policy about a supervised weight loss time period. My doctors office seems to feel like the insurance approval portion of the process is "easy". I guess I'm a little nervous about being denied for some reason. I really want this surgery. My doctor gave me my surgery date at my 2nd appt with him in December. Has anyone elso gone through an easy insurance approval process like this?? Oh and can someone tell me what I should expect to happen at my pre-op visit today. I know I should just wait since its only 8 hours away but as you can see I am very impatient!

Ditto to what Elcee said - having the sleeve now wouldnt worry me, I've lost half my colon and am doing fine without it, so meh, what's a bit of my stomach I'm not particularly using? You dont get malabsorption with the sleeve, that's bypass. You just have a smaller stomach. Also, it can be attractive to think of having restriction straight away with the sleeve, not finding it so elusive, and not having trouble with random foods. But make no mistake, all bariatric surgeries work best at first, and then you do learn to eat around them, the adjustability of the band is fantastic in that regard. If your sleeve loses its effectiveness, there's no tightening it up! Then again, I had to unfill my band totally for a surgery, have just got retriction back 12 months later and am now looking at an investigative gastroscopy (have bad Iron depletion, and am post menopausal which means a high likelihood of a GI bleed at some point in my guts and my colonoscopy this week was normal) so that means ANOTHER unfill. Groan. I've also endured my colorectal surgeon banging on all year about how skinny I am (I'm really not, I dont think). I'd love to have a sleeve that nobody could make me unfill! I'd love not to have to go back for fills. My band is almost full (only 0.2cc to go) and I dont have anythign like the restriction I had before I unfilled it. A sleeve, once it is done, is DONE. But the band is totally adjustable, totally reversible and it probably makes sense to try it first before you go changing your body irrevocably. In all likelihood, it'll work and be enough for you.

At first I thought I wanted the gastric bypass. My husband was pushing for the band. After doing some online research.. I decided I didn't want my guts sliced and diced. With the sleeve the pyloric valve is preserved so no dumping syndrome which sounds awful! I am pretty sure I don't want to live the rest of my life in fear of that. I teach and I cannot leave my classroom anytime I feel like it ... well that is if I want all the kids to remain alive and want the classroom to be there when I get back. It seemed like the longer people had the band... the greater the chance of complications. With the sleeve, it seems like if there are going to be complications... they occur sooner rather than later. So no living in fear of complications. No adjustments, hunger decreased because gryhellin is decreased... at least for awhile... I am sure mother nature built in some back-up systems. It just seemed like the best choice for me. More pros for me than cons... Not everyone is the same though. Some people think dumping syndrome is great behavior modification. You have to choose what is best for you. Khy

I'm calling doctors in the area to see which ones perform the sleeve. I came upon a local doctor's number and spoke with his nurse. She explained to me that this particular surgeon does know how to do the sleeve but really only performs Bands and Bypasses. He feels there is a higher risk of leaks with the sleeve. She went on to say that he would do a sleeve if I really wanted it. (No thanks) How true is this statement, if at all? Do leaks occur more frequently with the sleeve than the bypass? I then asked her if he over-sews the staple line and her response was, "Like I said, he prefers to do Bands and Bypasses". Things that make you go Hmmmm.... Needless to say, not gonna use him...

You sound very strong. My year has been much like yours. I have learned to put my faith in God or whatever higher power you believe in. I have given up control and my life has become so uncomplicated. I had surgery on September 11, 2016 to repair a ventral hernia. It was supposed to be 2 1/2 hours long. 8 1/2 hrs later after I passed on the table and was brought back. I was told by the surgeon, she also had to revise my gastric bypass. One month after surgery my husband and I became homeless. We have been staying with friends since. I have learned to be grateful for all that I have. Every morning I am so grateful to be alive. You too will get through this. If you need someone to talk to you can message me. Sent from my LGLS675 using the BariatricPal App

I've known my family physician for 20 years and he's the MD of my parents and my brother. He's the one who mentioned WLS, in passing the last time I saw him. Well today I had a follow up with him and I mentioned I was having the Lap Band and he was little annoyed with me. Firstly, before I had stated that I wanted the Lap Band, I told him I was considering WLS which he supported, but he wanted me to have Gastric Bypass. Faster weight lost and it's better for the morbidly obese... Crap, am I morbidly obese? He said the Lap Band are for those individuals who have under 100 pounds to lose... Really?.....So I brought out my research;)... His response: I've forgotten that you love to read.... After, he heard my arguments and my points, he then proceeded to tell me that I can have it done free in Quebec since our provincial insurance pays for it.... I found out this lately but there's a waiting list of 2-3 years...not interested..... He's upset with me because he does not know the MD, so I provided him the name and the phone number to call him, which I know he will never do, he's too busy.... However, he seemed a little irked with me, but, stated he hope I do well, but the failure rate is high... Sigh...I literally had to remind him with any WLS, failure is an option if you do not change your lifestyle, which he agreed, we then ended with if I'm planning to have kids and I realized that this man has been part of my family for too long, my mother is rubbing off on him... Anyways, I remind him not to say anything to my mother, which pissed him off further since, he mumbled he is a doctor and patient confidentiality.... But just to be sure.... So now I have more motivation... A Lil surprise for my MD at my 1 year check up;)

Well for all you San Diegeans . . . tonight (4-7) is Dr. Mueller's office support group meeting which is open to anyone. It's both bypass and lapband people . . . but a good group. I don't know the address of it . . . just know where it is behind Mary Birch hospital . . . across from the parking garage - the Rehab building . . . but you could call Dr. Mueller's office for the phone number for information!