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The bands by themselves on a normal stomach don't work well and tend to be complications in escrow - they go in easily and with minimal complications, but the complications (typically slippage and/or erosion) pile up over time. I haven't seen much about such complications with the BOB (band over bypass) but the overall success rate is fairly poor; likewise with the various stoma tightening procedures. Here is one bariatric surgeon's perspective on the value of various revisions: Check some of this other doc's videos on addressing regain problems - his solution may or may not be something that works for you, but it is something to think about and see if you can craft another approach that is to your liking. Your hunger is not likely to be much affected by the band, as there are no hormonal changes being made to address that issue. There may be some dietary tricks that can be done to reduce hunger (going back to the classic "protein first" bariatric diet is a start.) Have you seen an RD (registered dietician) to see what can be done on that front? That should be a first step before going into a revision. Another surgeon's perspective is that with a BOB, you are taking a failed surgery (your original RNY) and applying a high failure rate device (the band) and expecting great results - disappointment is the most likely result. Sorry.

Hi everyone. I’m new here. I’m going to have a Lap Band put in next month (August). I have a Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass in 92’ and lost about 200 pounds. After two pregnancies and many years I gained about 100 pounds back. Currently I am about 60 pounds more than my lowest weight with the Roux-En-Y. My pouch lost its shape and the opening is stretched out so I am hungry pretty much 24/7. I meg with a doctor who said the Lap Band would give me my pouch back and I’d be able to be full again. I was super excited to FINALLY get approval (just waiting on the surgery date). I’ve been reading this forum and read all the horror stories. Am I making a huge mistake? Am I making the right decision? Has anyone had success with the Lap Band with no complications? ANY input would be GREATLY appreciated. Thank you! Kimberly

Ladies, don’t be nervous! You’ll be in good hands. For me, surgery was easy. Even the minor complications were worth it. I’m over 15 pounds down 11 days out. You all got this! I was terrified that I wouldn’t be able to stay hydrated. I spoke to the therapist about it. But things are working out well.

H. pylori is the last thing you need after surgery. If there is even a hint of it now, kill it and be glad that you have done one more thing to help ensure a positive outcome post-op. Many of us had hoops to jump through to get our surgeries done but, in the end, they were designed to help prevent complications afterwards. I had to have a sleep study and start using a CPAP, had a stress test and heart cath, and had an EGD with biopsies. My surgeon likes to be proactive in preventing whatever complications he can. I'm very grateful for that stance!!

According to the internet: Nausea and vomiting are the most common complaints after bariatric surgery, and they are typically associated with inappropriate diet and noncompliance with a gastroplasty diet (ie, eat undisturbed, chew meticulously, never drink with meals, and wait 2 hours before drinking after solid food is consumed). If these symptoms are associated with epigastric pain, significant dehydration, or not explained by dietary indiscretions, an alternative diagnosis must be explored. One of the most common complications causing nausea and vomiting in gastric bypass patients is anastomotic ulcers, with and without stomal stenosis. Ulceration or stenosis at the gastrojejunostomy of the gastric bypass has a reported incidence of 3% to 20%. Although no unifying explanation for the etiology of anastomotic ulcers exists, most experts agree that the pathogenesis is likely multifactorial. These ulcers are thought to be due to a combination of preserved acid secretion in the pouch, tension from the Roux limb, ischemia from the operation, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use, and perhaps Helicobacter pylori infection. Evidence suggests that little acid is secreted in the gastric bypass pouch; however, staple line dehiscence may lead to excessive acid bathing of the anastomosis. Treatment for both marginal ulcers and stomal ulcers should include avoidance of NSAIDs, antisecretory therapy with proton-pump inhibitors, and/or sucralfate. In addition, H pylori infection should be identified and treated, if present. So several individuals experience severe nausea after bariatric surgery. Nipping H. pylori prior to surgery, will relieve a major problem after surgery. It is a common infection. About fifty percent of the world's population has it. It is also difficult to kill. It is somewhat antibiotic resistant. I may take a couple rounds to kill it off using various cocktails of antibiotics.

@Offingapp I'm going to disagree with Matt on this. My husband gave up A LOT for me throughout years of unhealthy and spiraling behaviors. I haven't asked him, nor want him to change for me. I did this so that he would no longer have to make sacrifices due to me anymore. This surgery is about *you*, not anyone else. I'm not saying it's right that she stuffs her face with cake in front of you. Perhaps you guys can compromise on the location of goodies, so it doesn't stare you in the face every time you go into your pantry. You can ask your GF to go into another room when she indulges in a tempting snack. But I wouldn't say that she needs to change for you. I never knew how much my husband compromised until I lost over a 100lbs and realized what he used to do for me, and what he gave up for me. Now, on the reverse side of this... people will say... "I want my family to benefit from these changes and be healthier".... well, we can make these changes for our children. But our spouses are grown men and women. We can cook better for our families. We can shop better. We can inspire and set good examples for them. We can't always change them. Just another input in a very complicated situation. I wish you luck.

So, had my GP on the 17th, surgery went fine, but complications afterward (while in the hospital) made it very hard for me and they kept me a bit longer than expected. I had projectile vomiting and uncontrollable dry-heaving. Luckily it didn't last beyond a day. I haven't used any pain killers since being home but have been struggling with one thing - this god-awful multi-vitamin. The first liquid bottle we got literally looked, smelled, and tasted like horse diarrhea (don't ask me how I know that) and I couldn't stomach it. We took it back and got a powder version with a hint of lemon which took the edge off but I am still gagging with it, which makes my stomach hurt. Not sure how to move forward with this one thing. Does anyone have experience with the multi-vitamin patches? My dietitian said they don't work good but I am at my wits end at this point. The rest of the things seem to be going ok, a couple shots in the belly a day of things to prevent gallstones, ulcers, my mutant powers from kicking in, etc. I'm no stranger to multiple medications for seemingly my whole life. Had horrible diarrhea yesterday and was more concerned with making sure I drank plenty of H20. Anyone have advice on something else I could use for a multi-vitamin? I have been pushing the other stuff but my stomach starts rejecting it as soon as it goes past my tongue. I actually haven't had any in the last day. Any insight, advice, experiences, substitutes, etc., would be most greatly appreciated. I'm not hungry, just sore. Not miserable either.

I would live to visit but I won't bring my 2 cats, that would only complicate matters. ❤You both, you are like my bari-sisters and I enjoy your posts.😛🌴😛👍❤

I’m 4 days post op with no complications or stomach pain just abdominal pain were they drain was I work from home and honestly I couldn’t have started back work today but I’m taking a week off and will start next Sunday as long as everything continues to go smoothly but everybody is different I say 2 weeks for sure

4 weeks off for my sleeve. Was hoping for 2, but I had some complications with fluids and other things. My doc wouldn't clear me. I'm glad they didn't, because the extra time has been very helpful for recovery.

Bad News First “Do you you want the good news first or the bad news first?” My weight loss surgery journey is full of good news! With every appointment, support group meeting, and pre-surgery milestone met, I am filled with hope, encouragement, and potential. I’m spurred on by small successes and know that there is much more good news coming my way. I am so excited to share with you guys all the things I’m looking forward to following a successful weight loss surgery experience! But I feel like it’s only fair that we also take a look at the not-so-good stuff. The Bad News I carry experiences as a result of obesity that are/were, at times, absolutely devastating. I’ve spent years yo-yo dieting, emotional eating, and sometimes feeling badly for even existing! We live in a body-shaming culture and it can be absolutely maddening to try to meet societies ideals or to exist having not met them. I don’t know how to fix our culture but I do know how to stop letting what that culture says about my body have any bearing on my choices! Below is a list of 15 ways that being obese has negatively impacted my life. Some of these realities may continue even after significant weight loss, but I trust that some can be put behind me for good! Daily pain in my feet, joints, and back Periods of exhaustion or low energy Fear of having children due to high risk of weight-related pregnancy complications Fear of increased risk of heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, strokes, etc Very poor self image at times Increased depression Increased anxiety Skin rashes from overlapping skin Having a less and less responsive immune system Experiencing repeated bullying as a child and adult Humiliation and pain from squeezing into seats and booths Trouble finding clothing that I like (non-cotton, roomy, affordable quick dry clothing anyone?) Embarrassment when publicly receiving unsolicited weight loss advice Overhearing rude comments about my body I want to make something clear: I love my body today. I’m not having weight loss surgery because I hate my body. My mental health care team and I spent more than a year training my brain to love my body just as it is. It was HARD work. Through that process I realized I feel badly for my body. I would NEVER talk to someone else the way I talked to my body. I have been SO mean to my body for SO long. I have learned so much about self-care in the last two years. I practice being patient with my body and listening to it so I can give it what it needs. I don’t always succeed, but it’s an effort I’m committed to. Yes, I’m having an elective surgery to anatomically change the size of my stomach only because I love my body. I’m get to choose what I do with, to, and for my body because I’m the person who was put in charge of caring for it. If you find yourself hating your body, I encourage you to reach out to a mental health professional today—and keep reaching out until you find one who is patient and gentle with you! Nourishing Heather

Hi everyone, My name is Meridian and I had my surgery almost four years ago. I started at 385, got down to 311 and now I am stuck in the 250s to the 260s. I had my surgery in Omaha, NE and ended up moving to Florida only a month after my surgery. Well, I had a lot of complications (like bleeding, dehydration, etc). I also was an idiot because I was so young and thought I could do this surgery my way. I am now 24 and I am trying to get back on track and finish losing the next 100 pounds. I started drinking protein shakes again, walking more (I even got a job where I move around a lot) and I stopped using straws. I already lost 2.8 lbs and hopefully I will lose more. So I was just wondering if anyone had any tips for getting back on track? Maybe there is something more I can do?

First of all, I have to thank everyone here. I've been lurking the past 2 weeks, looking for answers and have discovered what a phenomenal informational/support system you are. I'm having gastric sleeve/hiatal hernia repair on August 2nd. My insurance won't cover the sleeve, so I'm self-pay, but the hernia repair is covered 100%, so it's not too bad. Since I am self-pay, I've had a short journey of this. My initial visit was late June. I haven't had to jump through as many hoops. Just EGD, seminar, 1 dietician visit and psych eval. I met with my surgeon this past Wednesday, and could have scheduled as early as July 26th, but we are on baby watch for my 4th granddaughter and I wanted to be able to snuggle her like a grandma should, so I scheduled for Aug. 2. (Good thing. We found out the next day that if she doesn't arrive before July 26, she will be cesarean that day. Glad I didn't schedule that day after all.) I will be 59 in a few weeks and have battled my weight since my first year in college. I now have to deal with complications from diabetes. I'm on an outrageous amount of insulin (daily and fast acting) and take a weekly injection also. I suffer from neuropathy that now not only affects my hands and feet, but my intestines. My list goes on and on with the usual sleep apnea, joint pain, asthma... basically everything on the checklist to see if surgery is right for you. My doctors all assure me that all of this will improve. I may still have to take some insulin since I've been on it so long, but hey, I can do that. If I can just keep the neuropathy from progressing so quickly, this becomes a win for me. (and everyone around me who sees what I go through with the pain.) Being given the chance to see my 4 granddaughters grow up is beyond words. I've lost 40 pounds on my own as of this week. It's gotten easier to stick to my diet knowing I've made this decision. I have a wonderful support group with my family and friends. I was hesitant to tell anyone, but they were all very excited for me and have been awesome! I begin the liquid diet on Thursday, then surgery the following Thursday... So, here I go!!!

I was very stressed and anxious about my decision until I really put it in the right perspective. Would I rather deal with eating differently and all of the things that go along with the WLS, or the complications from diabetes (of which I'm hoping will improve after surgery). It was easy for me once I looked at the overall picture. The day I asked my PCP about the surgery, he listed off all the benefits to the problems I already face. It became a no-brainer. Yes, I'm still nervous about this decision, and will be until my surgery in 2 weeks, but looking at the big picture sure helps calm me.

Actually, the classification of obesity as a disease by the AMA was not a slam dunk. There was plenty of opposition. There's a 14-page document out there that argues against obesity-as-a-disease, but I couldn't find it. Here's one journal article that asked the question, "Did the American Medical Association make the correct decision in classifying obesity as a disease?" (Oddly enough, this was written by an Australian medical journal). "Obesity has reached pandemic proportions, is strongly associated with myriad co-morbid complications, and is leading to a progressive economic and social burden. However, being obese does not necessarily equate to poor health, and evidence suggests individuals may be fat but fit. Perhaps most importantly, labelling obesity a disease may absolve personal responsibility and encourage a hands-off approach to health behaviour. This knowledge raises the question of morality, as individuals must now choose whether they will invest effort into maintaining a healthy lifestyle in order to free society of the healthcare burden associated with obesity. Given the myriad issues surrounding the decision to classify obesity in this way, perhaps a new question should be posed in order for society to continue this discussion: who benefits most from labelling obesity a disease?" Go to: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4259211/ https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/806566

Hi there..... Still exploring options myself. As we expect any diet plan / life change is going to encourage diet and exercise. Plus I imagine just being on a liquid diet a few days before and after will cause anyone will lose weight, regardless of the balloon. Thus, why most people experience dramatic results the first month then get frustrated after that. I had 2 friends do it, one said it was worth it, the other did not think so. They both wanted to lose about 50 lbs and they each lost about 15 lbs the first 2 months and then only another 10-15 lbs the remaining time. One changed habits enough that she continued to lose. The other gained the weight back and then some already. Both said that overeating is a common mistake in the beginning and that it is literally painful, not just feeling full. They both reported really bad cramping, doubled over in pain and could barely walk. But it certainly did teach them not to do it anymore. One of them considered Mexico but said there was not much savings when taking into consideration all the added expenses of flights, hotels and requiring two trips. I don't know of all the places she explored or if she researched Mexico Bariatric Center Given the mixed results, I am stuck on what to do myself. I only have a BMI of 30.2 so I don't want anything drastic. I refuse to have part of my stomach removed because my sister was morb ob and had a DS done, which was botched. Two years of many life-threatening complications and a corrective surgery by Mayo to save her life. I'm considering the Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, but it costly and can't find anyone in Mexico to do it. I would love to be a candidate for the vbloc but I am under the BMI for it. Good luck in your research and journey!

I had mine out 13 years ago, but it is a big concern with a lot of doctors. My friend still has hers and had to take these insanely large pills for her gallbladder to protect against complications with it.

It's possible that being a cash pay you're a more complicated case, making you less attractive as a patient. Were you going for a bypass or sleeve

That is a terrifying story! I'm 15 days out and really hope to avoid this complication. Thanks for helping us to know what to watch for and I'm glad you are doing so much better!!

Gastric bypass about 13,000 That’s for surgeons fee and hospital. I’m adding complication insurance that’s 2000 extra. Dr Foreman is doing it at Crestwood Hospital

I was one of the unlucky few that developed a leak. They are life threatening! I want to tell my story to be a resource for anyone who has this type of complication. My surgery date was 5/1/18. Non- smoker, good health, surgery went smooth. 3-4 weeks post surgery, something was definitely off. I had rigor, trouble regulating my body temp, foul smelling burps. I called my surgeon's office daily that Memorial week. I took myself to the ER thinking I was dehydrated. They ran a CBC and my WBC count was 30,000. They sent me home to follow up with my surgeon. Next day, took results in and according to the nurse, my surgeon wasn't concerned. Next day 6/2, had trouble urinating and pain under my diaphragm. So at 9pm, my husband took me back to the ER. They thought it was kidney stones, but the CT scan revealed a leak. They transferred me via ambulance to a larger hospital. My surgeon was out of town (I refused to be seen by him again- so it didn't matter), and I got blessed with the on-call surgeon. I was in the hospital 9 days. He did exploratory surgery 6/7due to the location of the leak. Mine high up like 85-90% are. Thank goodness, I did not have an abscess like the CT showed, but I did have inflammation that he cleared out. All of the samples they took were negative. He also installed a drain that remained in line 7/10.They did an upper GI on 6/8 that showed the leak was still there. Up until this point, I was NPO and on round the clock antibiotics, Saline bag, and potassium bag via IV. On 6/8 picc line was installed and began TPN. They sent me home on 6/12 with TPN, antibiotics and Home health. On 6/20 back into the hospital with surgery to place a stent. Discharged next day. I could have clear liquids, but had to remain on TPN for 1 more week until X-ray showed it had not migrated. 6/27 X-ray showed it hadn't so off TPN and allowed food. Living with the stent was tolerable. Your esophagus is open, so acid reflux is a big issue. I never took a pain pill and found heating pad helped with the upper back pain. I could drive, do small outings with my kids, etc... I even went on a girls trip to see Smashing Pumpkins. This made it easier on my kids mental health, because mom didn't look sick and could do little things with them. I took everything really easy. On 7/19- stent came out and leak healed!!! I'm now on liquids for 1 week and then can advance my diet slowly as tolerated. My new surgeon was with me every step of the way and family and friends were very supportive. They even took my kids out of town on fun adventures. My faith in God strengthened. Luckily my Insurance covers bariatric surgery and complications. I would easily be out $120,000 or more for the hospital stays, home health, 3 additional surgeries, TPN - $1000 a bag, etc...Thank goodness I'm a teacher- so I didn't miss any work. I'm down 50 pounds and regaining my energy daily. If you are diagnosed with a leak, please reach out to me and remain positive. This is a very isolating time, but they do heal. Be assertive, listen to your body, and switch surgeons if necessary. I messaged a recent leak survivor on here and she was a great resource. Everyone's story and experience is different, but knowledge is power. I would love to be a support for you.

Ok... first and foremost if you are having an issue with your prescribed pre-op diet, the **ONLY** people that are going to be able to give you answers or approve adjustments are the people that are in control of your surgery. Yes, everyone seems to have different diets both pre and post-op. But no one here on this forum is going to cancel your surgery because you didn't follow some instructions. Your surgeon however, can. So if your pre-op diet is giving you issues, then talk to them and ask if they can make changes. If you make your own changes, and your doctor isn't aware of them... there is a chance that your doctor postpones or cancels your surgery because you didn't follow their guidelines. You say you are mentally ready for this surgery. Well, part of this whole process is dealing with felling "starved, angry, emotional" at least until your body sorts stuff out. The pre-op sucks. But you REALLY REALLY REALLY need to follow your doctors instructions and no one else's. How horrible would you feel if you took someone's advice here, followed a different diet than what was approved and then you had some complication or had your surgery canned because of it? Not worth the risk. Talk to your doctors, let them know you are having issues with the food and let them give you different options.

Minority opinion here, but I'd look for another surgeon. I'm from NY and don't know which doc you're seeing, but there are plenty of them in this area who are skilled, he is definitely not the only one. If there is any sort of complication down the path, I would not want to be talking it through with a guy who's already proven to me that he's dismissive of me and my concerns/opinions. If he's dismissive now, he will continue behaving that way when you're a hell of a lot more vulnerable than you are pre-op. And frankly I'm concerned that your surgeon appears to be focusing ONLY on the scale number and not on overall health. He doesn't want you to build muscle because it "sabotages" your weight loss? What?! I'm trying to imagine how my surgeon would react to that sort of medical advice (hint: not well).

Trust me the recliner is where I had to sleep for two weeks the bed is still hard. I use pillows to sleep on my side since I’m a side sleeper but because of the angle I have to sleep it causes pain on my hip and shoulder so sleeping is complicated the first month.

I stalled after week 4 for the entire month. In fact, I even gained 10 lbs. Eventually, the weight loss started back up again and I'm losing a pretty steady pace of around 5lbs a week. Losing weight really comes down to calories in, calories out. People try to make it more complicated than it has to be. The amount of weight you loose at first also has a lot to do with how overweight you were to begin with. I was 375lbs, so I had quite a bit to loose and my initial weight loss would be much more than someone who only had to loose 50-100lbs. Don't get discouraged. You're very likely eating more than you should, even if you don't recognize that. Your body may still be going through an adjustment period. If you're eating fewer calories than your BMR, you will lose. Also, be happy with a slower, progressive weight loss vs. a rapid weight loss. You may find that your skin has more time to recover and won't be so loose.