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@@StephieG I'm an 8.5 year RNY Gastric Bypass Post-Op. Just sent you a private message.

Nobody has been tracking the results of the sleeve as a WLS that long yet. Give it a bit more time. I'm not certain but when I was researching I think someone posted a five year study - you might do some searching and see if you can find anything on VST about it. Regain is possible with any surgery. The big benefit the sleeve has over bypass (what most people are probably thinking of when they talk about regain) is that there isn't a honeymoon phase or window where loss is easiest. Once you're sleeved and healed, your capacity only increases a small amount. Unlike a short window where malabsoption is guaranteed, or a pouch that is likely to stretch (or a band that requires fills and unfills, for that matter), your sleeve is going to restrict you immediately after surgery and for the rest of your life. I am two years out and maintaining beautifully. I'm currently pregnant and while I have hormone bloat and the start of a rounded tummy, I'm not having a problem with weight gain (nothing more than I'd expect at this point) despite the fact that my capacity is increased now that I'm pregnant. All surgeries come with the risk of regain. Using the sleeve like a diet that will someday end is the biggest cause of regain I've seen - people just stop being diligent at goal and fall into denial about bad habits, ones they didn't fix while losing in the first place. That said, I have seen very few regain posts in the three years I've been here. I've seen plenty of "I got out of control over the holidays and gained a few but took it off quickly" posts, though. If you weigh daily in maintenance and actually learn how to eat like a healthy, normal person during the first few months post surgery, there is no reason you can't reach goal and maintain for life. ~Cheri

UTGal99, he did not. He began to say and then my mom said she had the Gastric Bypass done a long time ago becuase of our Family health. He said well I would need a diary of everything you eat the time weight and amount and I need blood work but I strongly believe this can be changed with good eating and working out. I brought in all the diets and workout plans I had been on since elementary school and he really had nothing to say. So I found a new doctor which I see in a month. I am preparing myself for a long battle.

Here's a story! I was ON THE TABLE, put to sleep... SURGERY DAY (this was just in September) and they woke me up 20 minutes later and said "sorry, we can't operate. You have a huge mass in your stomach and we don't know what it is." YEAH. So I'm more-than-half drugged... confused... asking everyone who will look at me "DO I HAVE CANCER??" and getting answers like "we don't know what it is, yet. The doctor will talk with you when you are awake." I clearly remember replying OH I AM AWAKE NOW. They referred me to OBGYN and I found out a few days later I have a huge cyst on top of my uterus. I am heading back into surgery this coming Thursday for a hysterectomy and, if there are no surprises or complications, I will also receive my gastric bypass surgery at the same time (the two surgeons coordinated and are working together). So there's a story for you! : )

there was no blood draw at all, he told me to start again at 4 weeks, but that I would over saturate my body with vitamins and cause it to stop absorbing....he said that with this surgery it is not as necessary to take vitamins as with the bypass or switch. he's not a big advocate of vitamins and says that they are marketing of doctors trying to sell vitamins....doh!

I find that very interesting my surgeons nurse Practitioner was almost MAD when I said i wanted to do the band and not gastric bypass. She told me about what a failure I will be if i do it... and then when the surgeon came in i explained that i am leaning towards the band and he didn't either seem to pleased. I recall someone once told me that surgeons prefer gastric bypass over the band because they do the surgery, make the $$, and never need to see you again. Whereas with the lap band they have to devote a lot of time on fills which is not a real moneymaker (btw, to me that sounds insane...)

Well I was all set on the LapBand and then I met with my nutrionist who started to sway me towards the gastric, because I will lose more, and lose it faster. So I met with the other surgeon and I told them I wanted to ponder my decision and so I went to work and talked to three people who had had gastric bypass (2) and one person who had the lapband. One of the two people who had the gastric looked sickly and emactiated and the other one was ok. However, she told me she did not "mean to" lose all that weight but she did, the bottom line is that you can't control the weight loss. How much or how fast, and with lap band you can control both so I decided to go that way. I have 200 lbs to lose and that seems to be a challenge on the lapband, but I know it's possible, So that's why I chose to have it...August 16th is my surgery date.

Ok, so I went to the weight center in the fall of 2011 and went through all the classes, psych eval, nut, weigh ins, etc and paid my surgery track fee....Then found out that my husbands bcbs ppo national account had an exclusion on bariatric care. I even went and was was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, which i am glad i got the CPAP as I am sleeping better and my husband says I am not snooring as much as in the past, plus on this account! So, I wrote a 6 page letter outlining my history....Please don't worry after you read this, but when I was almost 20 I was crossing the strret in college, of course in the middle of the night with all the athletes before spring break trips for sports and I was hit by a 55 mile an hour car crossing the street. I broke my back, pelvic, had Filled up with fluid in my legs and the hip I was hit on, plus fracturing my skull and damaging my neck. No worries, I survived, but was told I would never be able to play sports like I did because of the injuries and were bad, but that didnt stop me. i learned to re-walk and care for myself....then the following season I wanted to just try to play soccer knowing I had ,issed softball all varsity sports, so I didnt want the driver to determine my fate.....Coach and the team were so excited to see me dressed.....I walked out on the field took one pass to me and as I crossed half field to kick it in the goal, which would have been easy for me....i kicked and felt a horrible pain through my body...shruuged it off, asked for another one thinking I could pass and low and behold body told me H..LL NO. I hugged the team and said sorry I just can't do this. The trainer drove me back to the lockers and that was the last time I was ever on the field until I had children...but before children I had surgeries to remove fluid off my hip and legs, but it will always be there. I was healthy at 180 lbs just not as muscular as I was in the past. So having children, wasnt sure that could happen based on the drs reports. So my husband was told this on our first date because I decided I didnt want him to get connected unless he was aware, yes he laughed...i already went through a long relationship and he was different than anyone I had ever been with..he says its because of the accident and I say its because he made me laugh. Ok, got preg for our first, deemed high risk...now the drama, the found a fibroid growing beside our baby...i was watched every week. Anyway was put on bed rest, the day of the c-section was def a comedy show, i had 2 surgeons in case I needed emergency hysteroctomy but when they said our new son was fine, they asked if they could take pictures of the fibroid as it was large, we asked them to remove it, but it was too dangerouse and I could die from blood los, etc so they tucked it back in my uterous and my life has never been the same. I couldnt loose the preg weight due to the pain on my back...so the dr told us if we wanted another child now or never...so they helped us get preg for our second...the fibroid grew, we ended up aving an emergency c-section 7 weeks early and our daughter was 5 lbs, again too dangerous so tucked fibroid back in. Anyways, i finally had enough....went in for an eval for the hysterectomy and after them saying no more and we couldnt get preg again, surprise of our lives we were. Thought we lost the baby cause I was bleeding and they didnt expect the baby to make it. A nurse at my work gave me shots to help me along....needless to say, our third was taken emergency c-section if you couldnt guess but she was over 8 lbs abd healthy...me on the other hand not so much....the re-oppened me that night as I had a major infection. I was then packec at home for months to heal, but we had our last baby...tubes tied as well. Now to heal, 2 yrs ago I had an ablasion to stop the horribly female cycles due to the fibroid, but it didnt help with the size....i am getting to my question, but figured you needed this background....so now its been 10 yrs, our son just turned 10 but had the fibroid for 11yrs, now its pushing on my bladder and I drip all the time, uterous is pushed uo as its inside the wall, constant back pain and it pushes on my pelvic and back.....so, this 6 pg letter was just captured in this paragraph...but it was to my husbands company as we would out there is an exclusion for weight loss. Needless to say, I self paid all the previous apts but stopped going as we wrote the letter to see if they would waive the exclusion...YES after 5 months of follow my husbands HR team overrode the exclusion and worked with BCBC to approve me. Now my letter said verticle sleeve, but they wrote a note that after review they approved the bypass......NOW what...they are working on how to notify the drs and Heres my question.....what are my chances of getting the sleeve? Can i loose over 100 lbs?? Also my uterous is enlarged so i am worried about bypass and only wanted sleeve! I dont know when I will be able to go back to the dr, but now that I have ben waiting and got the news wasnt sure what your thoughts are on getting them to agree to sleeve versus bypass. Thanks for listening! I read all the discussions and guess this is my largest post. Thanks again for your time.

Oh yes, my first appt was late October and they wanted to do surgery late November and then early December. I had to wait till beginning of Feb to get the time off I needed. Best of luck for a speedy approval!

my surgeon tried to get me to the bypass. my ins does not cover the sleeve and i was not interested in cutting my stomach. i admit when he was telling me, i felt he wanted me to get the bypass but i stayed true to what i wanted. i know all surgeries run a risk but this one just made me feel the most comfortable and i was honestly too scared to get the bypass. i had my band with plication done on june 6th and lost 40 pounds so far but i gained back alittle self esteem, yeah, i made the right decision.

Monthly Support Group for LAP-BAND and Gastric Bypass The meetings are from 6-8pm once a month Anyone may come to the support group meetings. The support group is provided by Connecticut Surgeons LLC. For more info, please call (860) 714-7447 Website - Connecticut Surgeons :: Patient Support :: Support Group Upcoming Schedule --------------- June 24, 2008 - TODAY For the month of June only, the support group will be held in the Gengras Auditorium on the 1st floor of the 1000 Asylum Ave building. --------------- Location and Directions Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center - www.stfranciscare.orgHartford, Connecticut 06105 Doctors Offices - 1000 Asylum Avenue / Medical Office Building Proceed to the hospital. Park in the garage and enter the hospital on the 1st or 2nd level. Proceed to the 2nd floor and access 1000 Asylum through the connector to 1000 Asylum at Location 1A.

Reversible, least invasive and I would die before my time from morbid obesity. My sister had Gastric Bypass, lost all her weight and gained it all back. With any wls, the surgery is just a tool to help you. You have to be committed to making the lifestyle change. Good Luck on your wl journey!

Same here, Shrinky. I had a good friend who had an open bypass back in 2001, and I supported her whole-heartedly. We were in our early 20's and I knew that I wasn't ready for WLS. I've gone on to lose and regain the same 40 pounds about 6 or 7 times. I lost 110 back in '09 and gained it all back plus 10 by 2012. This is when I knew I was ready for WLS, and only the sleeve.

I have to admit, I was. I was one of those people that thought about bypass, but never did it because it seem so extreme to me. That was in 2003. I loss weight and got to a comfortable 223 (still fat), but lived there and just excepted that was my life. I was active, I exercised and had great labs. So here I am back at 259-260 and going through the sleeve process. I admit I have had several friends that had RNY and I was always supportive, but always stated it was not for me. Now I am dealing with my own hypocritical feelings. I said I would NEVER do this.....NEVER is a mightly long time. I always believe in life everything ain't for everybody. So I am sure some people in my life will call me a hypocrite. I will deal with that when the time comes. Anyone else feel the same way prior to making this decision?

:wub: November 6th will be one year.Hard to belive.But I did it.Wish I knew how to post pitchers. I"m so glad for this site.A place to say I DID IT with out people looking at you and saying well you had the surgery. Its still work. I feel great and thats all that matters. My husband had it done also and has also lost 80#s yea.

I'm now going through my initial consultations and if all goes well, I'm looking to be sleeved in November. I'm reaching out here to find some support. I really want this done but am scared to death of the changes to my life. I would really like to talk to a few people who have been through this.

From your most recent post it sounds like you now have the information needed, but I'll copy and paste below what Tijuana Bariatrics sent me last year (it could have since been updated) in case anyone else is seeking it: Pre-Op Instructions Gastric Sleeve, Plication and Lap Band Use any prepared canned or powdered Protein drink. You may purchase these in any health food store or many grocery stores. Please be sure it contains at least 15 grams of protein per serving. 1 Protein Drink at Breakfast 1 protein drink at lunch Dinner: salad with Protein (chicken, fish, egg, etc), small amount of low fat dressing, or fat free dressing or olive oil and vinegar. 1 protein drink in the evening if needed You may also take 1 Metamucil capsule per day if needed for hunger. Start this phase the day before surgery: Do a light breakfast the day prior to surgery and take only Clear liquids after that. This consists of broth, Jell-o, sugar-free juice, any clear liquid You may have nothing to eat or drink after the midnight preceding surgery or 8 hours prior to it. If you are a Same Day Surgery arrive with an empty stomach and wear compression stockings during your trip. You may take needed medications (such as heart or blood pressure medications) with sips of Water the morning of surgery as directed by our Doctors. Do not take any aspirin, Advil, Nuprin, Aleve or any other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication for 7 days prior to surgery. These medications cause unnecessary bleeding after surgery. This includes baby aspirin and most arthritis medications. If you are not sure, please check with our Doctors.. For headache or minor pains you may use Tylenol. You may restart these medications the next day after surgery. Do not take any herbal medications for 7 days prior to surgery. Bring comfortable shoes and slippers to Mexico, you will be asked to walk several times per day. Please bring your medications in properly labeled pharmaceutical bottles for documentation of dosages. You will be on a liquid and soft food diet for two weeks after surgery. Stock up on sugar-free liquids: Crystal Light, sugar free fruit juices, apple sauce, yogurt, sugar-free pudding, sugar-free jell-o, thin Soups and caffeine-free teas. If you do not like the flavor of chicken broth, make chicken noodle Soup and strain out the solids. Avoid all carbonated beverages (fills the stomach with gas). Avoid sugar (extra calories that fight against weight loss). Caffeine makes you urinate more and can lead to dehydration. You will need to drink plenty of liquids to prevent dehydration after surgery. Sport drink bottles with measurements on the side will help ensure you are drinking enough liquid. You will need to drink at least two quarts (2,000cc) per day to prevent dehydration. You will not be able to gulp liquids so you will want to drink small amounts throughout the day. RNY/Bypass, Mini Bypass and DS Start this phase 2 days before surgery: Take a laxative (any laxative that you usually use). Take only clear liquids after that. This consists of broth, Jell-o, sugar-free juice, Gatorade and any clear liquid. You may have nothing to drink after the midnight preceding surgery or 8 hours prior to your surgery. If you are a Same Day Surgery arrive on an empty stomach and wear compression stockings. *Please follow the pre-op diet as instructed below 1. BMI’s 30 to 31 no diet-only clears liquids the day prior to surgery 2.-BMI's 32 to 39 - 7 days 3.-BMI's 40 to 49- 10 days 4.- BMI's 50 to 59- 14 days 5.- BMI's 60 to 69- 21 days 6.-BMI's 70 and over- 1 month

Sleeve over Bypass? Just curious as to what everyone's reason was?

Rene, I just found your thread here. I wanted to tell you that Medicare paid for my Lap-Band. No qurestion asked and It went through the first time. It paid for Dr., pre op testing, phyc eval., surgeon, Lap-band and hospital. I only had to pay my co pay and of course the 20% they don't cover. The total cost of everything from begining to end was $24,000 and I had to pay $1,500. And not all at once. I paid a little here and a little there and then on some I am still paying on. I know this thread was back in June so I don't know if you got any answers since then. If you have any questions just let me know. My surgery was back in November 04. Good luck,

Hang in there 2boys---there are some serious Disney Addicts on this forum---they can answer your question!!! I know a couple of friends from here, that go with regularity, and are both getting close to goal, and have had no adverse reactions from going. As for your port pier, I would discourage direct bouncing on it, let it be sure it is healed good and strong in there. But also as you lose weight, and it is closer to the surface, your kiddos will be growing up, and less likely to be bouncing on you----sad as it is! As for your direct question about rides--if you don't get much response--try reposting it with "rides" or "disneyland" in the title. A lot of people will see silly question and think someone is wondering about PB's again!!!! And while they need to know, some bypass those questions! Have fun in Disney, and enjoy those little ones while they are little!!! They grow fast! Kat

Well, this gives me some hope. I am barely over 40 BMI, and will be on Aetna Choice POS II starting in November. I don't have much in the way of medical history.... I had my first physical in years about a year ago, and I was about 38 BMI then. The only other records I have are the birth certificates for my two children, which show my weights at time of delivery (278 and 254, respectively - I'm about 254 now). I did not have regular medical workups with either pregnancy - both were delivered by midwives outside of the hospital setting. I'm hoping that whatever doctor I choose can help walk me through the process, but I think I will definitely be putting together a photo portfolio or something like described in this post. My best girlfriend of 15 years is also looking to get banded, but she's already been through the approval process with her insurance. I would love to be able to walk this path with her as my 'band buddy', but I don't know if I'm going to be able to wrangle the approval with my insurance being brand-new (to me) and the lack of medical history. eep!!

I went to the info session last night at the U of PA to learn about my options for weight loss surgery. I was suprised to hear the surgeon poo-poo banding in general. He said they are doing less of them now due to instances of re-surgery, complications, weight gain of patients and the wearing out of the band. I was shocked! I went in there having almost made my up mind that the band was for me. He was very much for gastric bypass. Have others experienced this? Is there merit to what he is saying, or do the surgeons have a motive for wanting to do gastric over banding? Appreciate any thoughts!

Thank-you for your thoughts and no...not offended at all! I went to two different places for the lipo..the first was a dermatology office and the second was the doctor who was already doing my lift and augmentation. He has had excellent results, I have read his scholarly published articles, and his reviews online are excellent. He capped my surgery at 6 hours...so fortunately I will not be in there as long as you! I have looked at the before and after pictures and it does seem to be what I'm looking for. I wanted to be within 10 pounds of goal before the surgery, which since I have 2 months leaves me plenty of time to drop my last 20. Also, late August is really the one time of year where I can schedule the procedure around work and I wanted to be fully healed before my birthday in November. I am relieved to know that you did not have a lot of pain, although I'm sure the lipo will increase mine quite a bit. My doctor has also never had any major complications with surgery, but like you, I do recognize the gravity of such a long procedure. I just want all of the misery to be at once instead of dragging it out for months at a time. I'm very active and not being able to do much of anything for at least a month makes me nervous- forget not being able to do anything for longer than that. Thank-you for your thoughts- I appreciate it!

What really matters is comorbidities associated with being fat. If your liver is fine, if you don't have advancing diabetes to a point where you take insulin, have some type of heart condition, etc., I don't see the urgency to get an RNY done. Even with me I had 3 surgeons (my surgeon in particular who, after speaking to many people who work with him, noted he LOVES the RNY) all convince me to go sleeve mainly because my liver fibrosis stage 3 and diabetes (which are definitely a big health risk) were very much under control and quickly improving. Post-op the VSG gives you more freedom without the RNY side-effects, plus the inherent risk to both the RNY surgery, which is greater than VSG, and the risk/complications later on if you require any major surgery in that area, should always be taken into consideration. People in the private industry who push certain surgeries may be doing so for their own benefit and not yours. If your surgeon recommends bypass get a list of why and possibly get a second opinion. If it's based on general assumptions rather than your personal conditions (if any) then it's doubtful that's much of a necessity. Bypass is supposed to be for people with more serious issues necessitating the increased risk of complications. That's why for people aged 50+ I see it's very much more often RNY. Keep in mind too that any good surgeon will offer a follow-up on a VSG so that in the case it doesn't work out as planned an RNY is still an option. This is the case with me.. am offered RNY after 1 year if I don't like the way the VSG is going.

My surgeon didn't suggest bypass, rather I told him why I won't have it. He was ok with it. Ultimately, you know it's your choice. Go with your gut, your intuition, the facts you have for you. I'm pretty sure your surgeon will be on board with you no matter what you decide. Oh, and I have acid reflux now too, I am not a stat either. ?