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Ugh! So frustrating! So sorry that happened! Your doctor was just looking out for you but I cant even imagine the disappointment. Glad you have a hepatologist. Definitely a good place to start. I think 2nd opinion from another surgeon might be a good idea. And I don't want to derail you but I just wanted to pass on what little I know on the subject... My aunt had fatty liver / Cirrhosis and she proceeded with bypass (back in 2010). Her doctors advised her liver was pretty far gone at this point, so they did the bypass as a last ditch effort to get the weight off. (This is really before sleeve was widely practiced.) She was a diabetic and while she did lose weight, she didn't really follow any of the food instructions and she stayed sick. Knowing what I know now, I think she was dumping constantly. I am very sorry to say that she passed away 3 1/2 years after surgery, but I really don't think the bypass had that much to do with it. It was more that she didn't change her lifestyle so her diabetes got worse which upped her insulin and therefore made her liver worse, etc. Fast forward to this year and my mom has been very worried she would have liver issues (also diabetic) and she has asked several drs but they never did anything. Finally got a new dr and they did an ultrasound and sent her to a hepatologist who told her she had Cirrhosis. She was telling dr about her sister (my aunt) and the dr said that they used to think bypass would have a positive result on cirrhosis but now they have found that it can actually make it worse and strongly advising her not to pursue weight loss surgery. Seriously not trying to discourage you at all. Just wanted to advise what I knew since it was recent. I think seeing someone at Johns Hopkins who seems to be at the top of their game for research is a great idea. Plus if your hepatologist didn't seem that concerned about it, then maybe my mom's dr was just more conservative. Hopefully you can do some more research and others from here with similar will give some advice. Keep us updated!

I chose sleeve because my BMI was 35 and I didn't think I needed the more drastic procedure. Plus, with the sleeve, you have fewer malabsorbtion issues, and if I ever needed another procedure, I can always have the bypass or mini bypass, but once you cross those bridges, you're done...nowhere to go after that. Sent from my SM-N920P using the BariatricPal App

I'm 13 days out, still can't sleep on my sides : ( in had bypass not sleeve, but still can't sleep on my sides. Back only and it's sucks lol

I had my gastric bypass almost 5 weeks ago. I have seen my NUT and surgeon and they both said my weight loss is good (30) pounds. My problem is that I haven't lost any weight for almost two weeks. I have even varied between UP a pound and my stall weight. I suppose I'm just flabbergasted that not only am I not losing anymore, but that sometimes the number on the scale is higher. I always weigh at the same time every morning. I have type 2 diabetes and my blood sugars have been great, very few spikes and working on tapering down on insulin. My average macros for a day are less than 800 calories per day. 80-90g protein. 25-30g fat and 20-30g of carbs. At my post op check up they told me I was in ketosis and to up my carbs. This is also confusing as I thought being in ketosis was a good thing. I felt awful (fatigue, nausea) for a few days before my post op appointment, not to mention being stalled or almost a week at that point, and they told me upping my carbs would help. So now I average 35-45g carbs. The symptoms have subsided but the stall continues. I guess I'm wondering if a stall this long and this early on is normal and if upping my carbs to 35-45g is going to derail me further. I can't seem to find any answers and I don't have any friends to talk to about the stress of not losing weight. If you're reading this, thanks for listening. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hi everyone. This is my first post here and i just have a question. Well first of all i am scheduled for gastric bypass surgery on 10/28/15. I havent received my approval yet, my packet was sent to them today. I have staywell medicaid of florida. I was told by the coordinator on the phone at my surgeons office that they are in the middle of "negotiations" with staywell and she might have a hard time getting my approval. Has anyone gone through this or heard anything about this? I have been anxiously awaiting my surgery date for almost a year and it would be my luck that this happens now!

The insurance thing I am quite certain needs the specific type of surgery listed as I know people that had their surgery denied because they changed their mind and therefore their surgery was delayed until the switch was made. As far as which one that is a 50/50 choice. Agree with previous post that if you have any kind of acid reflux then lean is definitely towards bypass. I had no issue with it previously but now post sleeve it was horrible for me for the first 4 months and has tapered off dramatically but can still be an issue now and then. If you have a very strong sweet tooth then the bypass is the preferred option as I could graze on sweets all day long and my sleeve wouldn't argue. Although some sleevers do experience dumping. I have no regrets with my choice, but also have friends who had bypass that are thrilled with their results. Good luck, just do your research and take your doctors lean into consideration.

Hi! I have had two appointments so far for weight loss surgery and I'm still not 100% sure which surgery I want to have, the sleeve or the bypass. I have Aetna in Ohio for my surgery (I work for the State) and was wondering if anyone here had bypass surgery and could share with me what their out of pocket was for the surgery? Thanks! Taking a lot of things into consideration with this process. Second question: what are you realistically able to eat? Is this going to be a funeral to food once this surgery is done? I've heard of people a year out eating a handful of almonds and a water for lunch and being so full. Is that the extent of the eating experience I will have? I'm kind of a foodie and live in an amazing culinary city. I know all things in moderation and all that, but will I literally not be able to dine any longer once I have this surgery? Thanks for all the feedback, extremely new at this, and appreciate anything you'd be willing to share. Thanks!

I actually have bc/bs hshs through the hospital where I work. And they better not pull that crap!!! I've already had to change programs because of the contract with my hospital. I'm hoping my situation is different since I'm revising from band to gastric. However, if I have learned nothing else, it is a money game!

This is perfect. I believe that everything happens for a reason as well. I now believe that I was not meant to go to the surgeon I initially consulted with. He has done gastric bypass, is very pro GB, and has not done many Lap Bands. I think my wait has been to find the others who have done the procedure. I have.

My surgeon told me to have the band. LOL! For me, it was mainly the lower complication risk and being less invasive that were important for me. I had other co-morbidity issues (mainly heart issues) and keeping blood loss to a minimum was important, since I had to stay on aspirin and I take plavix, although I did stop that for the surgery. I'm sure that rules out plastic surgery for me! :cool: I have a lower BMI, too. At this point, I'm really glad I had the band. Yeah, it's tedious dealing with restriction and whatnot, but I love the idea that it's adjustable to handle different phases of life. I don't know what will come my way and being able to adjust the band to meet different nutritional needs was very attractive to me, especially since I will most likely have to deal with severe heart problems down the road. I also like the slower weight loss. It's healthier and I don't want more wrinkles than I have to have! You have to do what's best for you. I know quite a few people with bypasses. Some love them. Some wish they'd had a band. The same is true for people with a band. Some love them; some wish they'd had bypass. Check back with me in a year or two and see if I still love this. :eek:

I am really horrible at keeping up a blog, but I am really going to try to with this one, because this is an important journey I am about to embark upon! So many things will start to happen once I really get started, and I want to keep record of it. I had heard about the LAP-BAND® when I saw the commercials on tv, but never really gave it much thought. I was once thinking about having a gastric bypass, but the idea scared me so much that I never pursued it. Last October 2009 I was at my Dr's office, and I saw that there was going to be a seminar about the LAP-BAND®, so I decided to go and see what it was all about. It was a really informative seminar, I got to see and hold a real LAP-BAND® in my hands, and I learned about the differences between gastric bypass and the LAP-BAND®. That really cemented the idea that a bypass wasn't for me! But.... when I found out about the cost of the durgery, ($16,000), I was thinking that there was absolutely NO WAY that I could pay that on my SSDI income. So I went home kind of dissapointed. I again put the idea at the back of my mind. In January, I found the folder that they had given me, and I started reading the information inside....my interested renewed once I saw that there was a way that I could pay by CareCredit. I talked to my SO about it, because he would have to be the one to sign up for the credit, but he was not at all receptive to the idea because of the cost of the surgery. I kept bringing it up, but to no avail, he wasn't going to listen! Then last week, he was reading our insurance benefits, and saw that surgery for morbidly obese people was covered (at least hospital costs) and the other diagnostic procedure would be covered like regular benefits. At that point, he has been supportive of my starting this process. I have even convinced him to go to another seminar with me on April 1st, so he can get the information on the LAP-BAND® himself! I have made an appointment with the WLIA already, for the 6th of April to go over with them exactly what the insurance will cover, and I imagine they will tell me what the precertifications are that I will need to complete. After I know all that, I am going to hit the ground running.!

My doctor is pushing me to attend support groups. I attended a couple meetings pre-op and two more after surgery, but they were terrible. Each one I went to was all angry women complaining about their husbands and men in general. Plus, 90% of them were gastric bypass patients. I felt totally out of place. It seemed they looked at me with disdain because #1) I am male, #2) have a Lap Band, and #3) don't have as much to lose as many of them. There is definitely no support, and I will not be going back. Is this typical, or have you found groups that are more accepting of men?

Hello Fellow Michigander- Do not give up, my friend. You were given a tool, and you have forgotten how to use it. Go back to a week or two of just liquids, then do mushies, start all over again. Write down all the reasons you decided to have the surgery in the beginning. Did you think about the flabby skin when you made your decision? I did. I knew I was going to have some body image problems along the line. For now, I can cover everything with clothing. Later, when I am closer to goal I will start looking for solutions that I can afford. Are you exercising? Drinking enough Water? Go back to the beginning, get out your pre-surgery literature and just commit yourself to using this tool to your best advantage. If you still can't muster up the resolve, you may want to ask the surgeon to take the second step and give you a gastric bypass. Lots of super obese people start with the sleeve, and work toward bypass. Don't give up on yourself!!!

Hi all. I'm from Mississauga. I just had my doctor referral today. So the journey is just beginning. Don't know if ohip will cover sleeve or bypass for me, and every day, I change my mind about which one I'd prefer. So confused!! Looking forward to knowing you through this journey.

Definitely ask for more clarification on what he means by "too large" for the sleeve - he may have some valid reasons. At my first appointment I weighed 442lbs and was worried that because of my extremely high BMI the surgeon would say I had to have bypass and instead he was quite the opposite. Said I was the perfect candidate for sleeve. He did go into the history of the sleeve as being the first step in a 2-step process where the second step is to add in the maladsorption factor BUT he said that so far his high BMI patients had done so well with the sleeve that almost all of them didn't need the second step. So basically, be open to hearing your surgeon's explanation and give it some thought but at the end of the day, it is your body and your decision.

Traceyringo, My bypass is scheduled Feb 27 in WA. For months, we were sure I would revise to a gastric sleeve. My first appointment my surgeon recommended gastric bypass, but we were set on a sleeve. It wasn't until my pre-op appointment for my band removal, 3 months later, with the surgeon, that he explained the detailed risks of a sleeve given my history. Realizing I might have the same issues or worst with GERDS and acid reflux, we agreed with his recommendation to do a bypass. This site has helped me better understand what I will face with bypass. Honestly, I am comfortable with the decision and looking forward to the surgery.

IDK who all is still here from when I posted often - but I got banded in February with Dr. Aceves in Mexico. Surgery went great - LOVE Dr. A - but I am one of those XX% of people that the band has not worked for. That was my NUMBER ONE fear going into this - that I would be one of the very few individuals that this simply does not work for - I soothed myself by saying don't worry - it's just normal to have this fear - EVERYONE thinks that they'll be the "one" it doesn't work for. Well here I am - 6 months post op and am still at my pre-op weight. The most I was down was about 10 lbs and that was due to just post-op stress and liquid diets. If I didn't have a scar and if I didn't see the band when I had my fills and fluoro done I would bet my paycheck that nothing was inside me. I now have about 7.25 cc's in my band (I have the big one) and feel NOTHING. Had about 6 fills. There is no leakl. I don't "eat around my band" - I don't abuse my band - I am simply the exact same I was pre-op - except even more depressed now. If I felt like a falure before - I can now magnify that by 100%. I feel like I am doomed to be fat my whole life. My only hope now is to somehow save up enough $ to get a revision to the sleeve. I wish I would of had the money to do that in the first place.

Hi! Would love to hear about your experience with Dr. S when you're up for it! I'm in the planning phase for LBL, inner TL, revising old arm lift (fingers crossed it can be done!), possible BL with new implants, and possibly UBL later on.

I just wanted to share with yall the great experience that I had when I chose to have my revision with BP Team MX. From the very beginning Bill was the best! The customer service I got from the first moment I contacted them was super! The whole process was so easy and rewarding. From planning the surgery, to paying, to all the communication! I would absolutely recommend this team to anyone and everyone that is thinking of going to Mexico to have surgery. The hospital (Oasis of Hope) was clean, well maintained, and comfortable. They mopped the floors in what seemed like every few hours. It smelled clean, appeared clean, and was clean! The hotel was very nice. I stayed at the Pueblo Amigo Hotel and Casino. It was clean and inviting. We were in suite and the room was very spacious and comfy! We enjoyed having the dining room in the hotel for our meals and the casino. We played the slots a bit and enjoyed that very much! We went site seeing with the Valet guy and he was very knowledgeable and gracious to us. We even had a valet guy come on his day off and offer to take us to Walmart for a few supplies. His name was Robert. We took him up on his offer! Went to the mall in Mexico The valets seem to really enjoy their job. Always smiling and very helpful no matter the need. This was the second time I went to Mexico for surgery and this was an absolutely rewarding experience. Stacy and Bill were there and answered any and all questions no matter what they were. This is the best company in my book because of the EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE!!! IF you choose to go to Mexico to have surgery, use this team and you will be so glad you did! I already want to go back! P.S. I even met THE ALEX of BP! (I had surgery 11/24/16) TOP notch-A rated team and you will not go wrong using BariatricPal Team MX!!!

I met with my surgeon yesterday to discuss band removal/revision. He recommended a sleeve because there are fewer complications and it is a simpler surgery. He also said that if it is done correctly, the weight loss is close to the bypass. Because I have worked hard the last 3 years to lose 80 lbs and get down to 230, he said I can reasonably expect to get to 175, more if I exercise and work hard. Next I have to go for an EGD test to assess the condition of my stomach and esophagus. I'll be swallowing a tiny camera! Luckily, there will be some sedation. They don't submit paperwork to insurance until after the test. My band can be unfilled at that point. I really like this surgeon. He removed my daughter's gall bladder 2 years ago and I researched him thoroughly. I'm starting to get excited, even though he expects surgery to be 6 weeks away. This week I need to ask my GP and therapist for letters saying I'm a good candidate for surgery and can be expected to follow my post-op diet and be successful. I'll keep you all posted! Sent from my SM-N920P using the BariatricPal App

Try getting at least some, if not all, of your fill out of your band and see what happens. It might resolve some of that acid reflux and regurgitation. My band is totally unfilled. You can always start the process of looking into whether your insurance will pay for your revision and what their criteria is.

I had the same regurgitation issues you mentioned. I got my band in 2010 and was revised to sleeve this past October. The sleeve has been a breeze. I really enjoy not having that port. As for insurance, my revision was covered due to the acid reflux problems without meeting BMI requirements. Each insurance is different though. I do not regret my decision at all. I liked my band, but had extreme anxiety about eating around others for fear of getting stuck. The sleeve has opened a new world.

Hi there -- will answer some of these: We are roughly the same size, although i am 64 years old. What procedure did you chose and why did you chose it over the other options? Chose Gastric Bypass (4-21-15) four weeks ago. I chose it because it has the best track record on diabetes remission; has the best track record on avoiding eventual weight regain. ' What was the general reaction from family and friends? Support from 90%, the remaining 10% were the ones who always said "Gee, you are really not that fat". My wife knew my mobility was challenged and the diabetes was worsening. What was the biggest surprise during the process? It took me a year to get my insurance to pay for it. The surprise was how overall easy the surgery was, and rapid the recovery. How long was your recovery? At four weeks, I am still two weeks away from being able to resume normal life, which is heavy gardening and woodworking, and lots of swimming. How fast did you lose the weight? I have lost almost 40# in a month, I expect to lose 150# in the first year. With the smaller stomach pouch and the re-routing of my innards, I will lose weight very fast, period. It is possible to defeat this rapid weight loss, but as my Dr. says, you have to really work at it. After 18 months to 24 months, about 20% begin to gain again, but my Dr. says it is primarily due to carb loading and drinking soda and beer. How has your life changed since having the procedure? After dozens and dozens of failed attempt to lose weight, I know that this will work, and I will achieve a normal weight. This really helps my attitude (ask my wife). Would you do it again? Absolutely. Like you, I was always a great big giant, a farm kid who even though overweight, could do about anything physically. I was 200 pounds overweight and still active. BUT at 60 years old, that stopped being true. My ankles got swollen, the diabetes got bad, and I had a heart attack...but now, this should add 20 good years to my life span, at least. Any regrets? Just that I did not have the guts to do it sooner What should I be aware of? There is so much to learn both pre-op and post-op. It is like getting a degree in bariatric surgery. Huge amounts of reading. What, if any, foods do you miss that you can no longer have? My stomach pouch, although bigger than most, still gets full very fast, and you have to eat your Protein first -- leaving no room for carbs, but honestly, I miss carbs but can have very few... just a few crisp crackers. Good luck, man!

What procedure did you chose and why did you chose it over the other options? I chose gastric bypass. After researching the 3 main types of WLS and consulting with my surgeon, we agreed that it would be best given the amount of weight I needed to lose and my lifestyle and diet at the time of the consultation etc. What was the general reaction from family and friends? Initially my parents were apprehensive about it. I took my mom with me to my first appt and I explained the procedure and the pros and cons to my dad. They came around and are two of my biggest cheerleaders. My boyfriend was supportive from the start and he is in the pre-op phases of WLS himself. All of my friends have been supportive and excited for me. Surprisingly a lot of them already knew someone that had WLS. Most of them gave that attempt at flattery "Wow really you're not even that big!" which I know is mostly their way of playing nice but nobody was against it or tried to talk me out of it. Everybody who knows about it has been nothing but supportive and excited to watch my journey. What was the biggest surprise during the process? How relaxed I was going into surgery. How minimally uncomfortable and in pain I was after. How long was your recovery? I took 3 weeks off from work but truthfully I could have gone back after two. But I was very fatigued during those first few weeks and having difficulty with getting in my liquids and with some foods. I didn't want to be sick at work. How fast did you lose the weight? I've lost 66 lbs so far. I lost 30ish in my preop and the rest since surgery 8 weeks ago. I'm averaging about 3 lbs a week, sometimes more. How has your life changed since having the procedure? I no longer need to shop in specialty stores for clothes. I enjoy exercise more. I'm more confident. I'm happier. I dont wake up with back and knee pain. I don't huff and puff on a walk or hike like I used to. I'm appreciative of little victories, like touching my toes or being able to cross my legs comfortably. I no longer feel trapped in my body or enslaved to food. My social life has slowed down unfortunately. A lot of my friends are foodies and love to go out and eat and drink and party and I can't eat the way I used to with them, and though alcohol isn't prohibited, it's not recommended since gastric bypass patients have increased absorbtion of the alcohol and because it's mostly empty carbs/sugars, i choose not to drink. To be honest, I'm a little afraid to. Would you do it again? In a heartbeat! Any regrets? Only that I didn't explore this sooner. Or visit the world famous San Diego Donut Bar What should I be aware of? Just because your body restricts your food intake doesn't mean your brain will follow it. You will still want foods. Things will trigger you. You'll test the waters. Know what affects you. If you're choosing RNY, know what makes you dump. Know what you're "i'm completely full can't eat another bite" feeling is. That one extra little bite can be the difference between your meal being done and your meal being spit back up and wasted. Don't compare your progress to others. Some people seem to lose 10 lbs overnight. Some people go over a year and don't hit their goal. Your journey is your journey, don't try to put yourself next to others. What, if any, foods do you miss that you can no longer have? Regular sushi rolls (with rice, sauces etc). It sometimes is hard to find a place that can do riceless rolls without having to show them a picture or without being charged extra.

hi there and welcome! I will do my best to answer your questions. What procedure did you chose and why did you chose it over the other options? I chose Gastric Bypass RNY. I went this route because I suffered from reflux/Gerd and I was told RNY was my best chance of resolving this issues where the lap band and the sleeve could make it worse. I am 7.5 months post op and down 99lbs and have not had a single episode of reflux. My type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, sleep apnea and stage 3 kidney disease are all in remission as well. What was the general reaction from family and friends? My family and friends have all been very supportive. I have told everyone that asks that I have had WLS but I make sure to explain the hard work it takes to lose the weight. What was the biggest surprise during the process? This was easy. I was surprised that I have not had a single complication. I am one of those people that if there is a risk no matter how small I always fit into that group of people. I have had NO complications. No dumping syndrome and I can eat whatever I want just in very tiny portions. How long was your recovery? I had surgery on Monday evening, came home from the hospital Wednesday morning and was done taking any pain medication by Thursday night. I felt pretty weak for that first month post surgery but nothing I could not handle. I learned very quickly that the most important thing was to stay very hydrated, it made that weak feeling disappear. At 6 weeks I went to Vegas for 10 days and felt fantastic! How fast did you lose the weight? In the beginning the weight comes off very rapidly, as you start reintroducing regular foods into your diet the loss will slow down. I average about 2.5 lbs per week. Of course there are stalls to contend with. I define a stall as NO weight loss for more than 10 days. It happened for me around week 4 the first time. It lasted 3 weeks. I have had several stalls since but if you stick to the plan, they will resolve. How has your life changed since having the procedure? My life has changed so drastically that sometimes I cannot believe it. First I actually enjoy eating good quality Protein and vegetables. I don't like junk any more, it does nothing for me. That is a massive change. I can literally run up the stairs, walk for miles, sit cross legged on the floor, keep up with my family and most important my grand children. I exercise every other day for an hour a day. I fit in an airplane seat with no extender. I can shop in regular stores. All my comorbitities are gone which U.S. The reason I did this in the first place. Would you do it again? There is no question that I would absolutely do it again in a heartbeat. Any regrets? The only regret I have is not doing it 15 years ago before I did so much damage to my spine. I have severe arthritis and dusk degeneration that has caused spinal stenosis in my cervical spine. I am awaiting approval from my insurance to undergo a 3 level cervical spinal fusion. I have already had my lumbar fused in 2001. I am not looking forward to it but there is too much pressure on my spinal cord so I need to get it fixed. What should I be aware of? Be very aware of your part. I believe I had no complications because I follow the rules for the most part. Especially in the early months allowing your tummy time to heal. I gave seen a lot of people jump into some foods too fast and they cause themselves problems. What, if any, foods do you miss that you can no longer have? For me there is no such thing as foods I cannot have. There are a couple foods that make me uncomfortable and no longer satisfy me. eggs are too heavy for me. That would be the only good that I have given up that I wish I could eat more of. I keep trying though. Bread has been one food that makes me uncomfortable and if I eat it, I don't stay full for long. I choose not to eat it because of the way it makes me feel. Hopefully I answered your questions. Feel free to reach out if you have others. Good luck to you!