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Hi sweet I was on that antibiotic 7 days after surgery. I ended up very nauseous and heart palpitations and oral thrush. Keep in mind that it was only 7 days after my surgery and was through a complication post op. As far as having the surgery antibiotics for anyone should be fine. Just read the leaflet in the packet about side effects. Everyone is different and I gather my situation was a little different. Hope your feeling better soon! Sent from my SM-G925I using the BariatricPal App

In your shoes, what I would really want to know is just how malabsorptive he made it, as that influences both how you supplement in the future, and how you need to eat to lose the weight, as both will likely be somewhat different than with the mainstream procedures like the RNY or DS. The old purely malabsorptive procedures like the JIB worked fairly well, but had a lot of nutritional complications which is why they were abandoned. The RNY went the other way being primarily restrictive and works well with only moderate nutritional consequences from its mild malabsorption, but weight maintenance is only so-so. The BPD/DS hits something of a sweet spot in being moderately malabsorptive with a similar level of nutritional quirks and a more moderate restriction. The old Scopinaro was more malabsorptive and had more problems than the typical DS (that usually had about a 50cm common channel, compared to 100+ for the BPD/DS). One of the general rules-of-thumb that we discussed in the DS world is that with the DS, the sleeve (restriction) gets the weight off, while the switch (the malabsorption) keeps it off. The implication of all of this (from an amateur/non doctor perspective) is that if there is enough malabsorption to effectively take the weight off by itself (a la the old JIB or Scopinaro) then there can be excessive nutritional problems, or if the malabsorption is moderate enough to not cause significant nutritional problems, the weight loss may be marginal. I would assume (hope) that this is the case with what your surgeon did, and that you will have to work harder at the loss part of the equation, but will have typical DS/distal RNY nutritional quirks to work around. This is something that you really need to understand in working with your surgeon in the coming follow up visits. Good luck!

Did he just not do any stomach reduction at all, or did he make a pouch type structure like a traditional RNY gastric bypass? If he made a pouch, even a larger one, and connected it well downstream to provide DS-like malabsorption, that would be what is known as a distal RNY, which is rarely done, but is a cousin to the traditional RNY which is primarily a restrictive procedure with a minimal amount of malabsorption added. Another possibility is that he did a DS type of intestinal routing but with a large stomach pouch similar to an RNY, and this would be a Scopinaro procedure, which was a precursor to the standard or traditional BPD DS and was rarely done in the US. Another possibility from your description is something like the old jejunolileal bypass which was a purely malabsorptive procedure done in the 60's and 70's that kept the stomach intact along with the duodenum and some portion of the small intestine but bypassed the majority of it, reconnecting things down near the colon. It was abandoned owing to a lot of complications though he may have done some less malabsorbing variation. It was mostly replaced with the now traditional RNY gastric bypass. I'm sorry that you didn't get what you were expecting, but you should be able to make this work. It is important, however, that you get a clear understanding of what exactly he did (get a copy of the surgical report for your records) so that you, and any doctor who may need to work on you in the future for whatever reason, has a good understanding of how your insides now work.

My revision was a bit more... complicated than most. Due to unforseen issues (basically one anastomosis was not done right), the surgery in March had to be aborted after 3hrs. New surgery was scheduled for June to allow for healing. 2nd surgery, the surgeon discovered another surprise. My common channel was only 25cm and the configuration of my intestines was not the rny configuration. He had to back my common channel to 300cm, cut out a portion of my pouch and small intestines due to necrotic tissue. This surgery took 8hrs! So almost 9months post op, I do have better restriction than I did with my surgery 22 years ago, but I'm absorbing more. I'm down 50lbs so it's been slow going, but I'm still losing. Thanks for asking, Hope you are doing well on your journey.

I am 6 weeks post sleeve. Today I had extensive hemroid surgery. My hope is that I will heal quickly and my body will get back to loosing weight. I am getting water and protein in. First 2 weeks post sleeve I lost 15 pounds. Past month I have lost 3-4 pounds. Does this seem low? Could constipation be contributing to slow lost? GVS 210 7/23/19 CW. 192 New_Me 2019

I never said it was gone, it has improved dramatically. Prior to surgery I was on 40 mg Nexium and eating Gaviscon dual action tablets almost after every meal as well as the liquid Gaviscon so yes it has improved as my surgeon said it would as he believed my weight was a big factor in my reflux. I am yet to try to come of the nexium although I have been advised to but I remember how awful re-bound reflux is and I am happy with just taking 20 mg. Prior to surgery I had that big side effects fear and wanted to get off them right or wrong but I am comfortable where I am now in regards to my reflux. I didn't want the risk of possible complications that come with a by-pass which is why I opted for a sleeve. Don't worry I had a melt down just before being wheeled into surgery because of my post op Gerd fears ( that I had read about on the internet ). My surgeon reassured me I would be fine and so far I have been.

Well i was meant to get sleeved on the 19 August but ran in to complications n ended up being closed up unsleeved.was told to lose a another 15kg. I was so angry i let 2 hrs after waking up. I was so determined but they sed take couple days then get bk into it. I had been in liquid diet 3/4 weeks prior. Now the problem im having is getting bk into the diet successfully. No please no judgement cause i know i really want the surgery and know what a difference it will make but for some reason im just not able to kick myself in the butt hard enough to do it. I need a push but feel like so much is going on and food has always been my comfort. I was 205 now im 210 going bk on myself already Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

It's a great list for surgeries that go well, which is most of them! But, in cases where it goes wrong, not only is there the whole "risk of death" thing, but there are a bunch of other possible complications. Not that it's something to focus on pre-op, but if you really want to know what you could be getting into, best to cruise the complications forum. A leak could mean months in the hospital. A stricture could mean multiple procedures to dilate. Complications could lead to revision to another surgery. Just something to keep in mind when going over "worst case scenarios."

I after to agree with one of the other posters. Lap Band is something to take very seriously. You have to be commited in everyway to be successful. On that note, being diagnosed with pcos myself, I can understand your struggle. Metformin also did nothing for me. None of the pills and diets worked. With so much stacked against you its hard to lose weight. Trust me, I totally understand. Then trying to throw getting pregnant in the mix.... forget it. My Dr at one point told me that we would not help me get pregnant until I lost X amount of weight because the risk of sever complications was high. I did have to agree with him but it was horrible the first time he mentioned weight loss surgery. I was 271lbs at that point. I too have never had a regular cycle and had little hope after 17 years of getting pregnant. After more depression and more failures in dieting, I finally got the band. #1 to be healthy. I had given up having children especially since I was pushing 34. Each time I went to the Dr, something else was wrong. High blood pressure, high blood sugar, sore knees, bad skin.... the list goes on and on. I had surgery 10/2009 at 291 lbs and do not regret one single moment!! It has been the best decision I have ever made. Within 4 months I stopped all 7 of the medications I was taking. I never actually had cysts in my ovaries and was cleared of pcos. Fact: most people diagnosed with pcos do not actually have cysts or they can clear up. So I went on birth control because I was still having irregular periods. I stopped taking my BC on Nov 24, 2011 and found out on 12/26 I was expecting my first. I understand that each situation is different, but after 17 years of heartbreak and tears, I can finally say "I'm gonna be a mommy"!! If you are prepared to work hard nothing is impossible!!! Good luck and keep us posted on our decisions!!

“I respectfully have to disagree with you. “ As many people do. “First off all I do believe that no Doctor in their sane mind would deliberately hurt another human being or intentionally install a Lap band the wrong way.” And just where did I say it was intentional or deliberate? I am certain that it WASN’T either. I believe he WAS incompetent. And, my biggest problem with him was his REACTION to me when I presented the problems. It’s that simple. “What happened to you is a rare exception and I am not in the position to judge you or your Doctor because I only know your side of the story. I am very careful with the information that I read in forums.” I have stated quite repeatedly that I KNOW that my experience was rare and unusual. But that doesn’t mean it DOESN’T happen to other people. Here’s a simple and unscientific, but legitimate observation. Take a look at this forum. Go to the front page. Look at the listing of all the various subtopics that are presented. Look for “Lap-Band Success Stories”. You’ll see that there are 47 threads and 448 posts Now, go further down. Look for “Lap band Complications”. You’ll see that there are 2,003 threads and 21,084 posts. It would appear that the Complications outweigh the Success Stories by a margin that could only be described as “vast”. Now, there are MANY reasons for this, and this is NOT an accurate measurement, but it DOES suggest that there are problems that ARE encountered by people. And my “message” to people is not to AVOID having the Lap band, rather make sure you do your homework THOROUGHLY so that you can mitigate the potential of there being problems in YOUR procedure. It’s that simple, and there should be nothing objectionable in that. And, one of the components of creating a successful surgical experience for yourself is CHOOSING the RIGHT SURGEON…..AND the RIGHT FACILITY. I am not clear AT ALL why anyone would find that concept objectionable. “At any rate, please do not take my candid words as a sign of disrespect or insult, I am just being honest.” No, I understand that, and I understand your concerns about the things I am saying. It’s not easy to hear this stuff when you are contemplating this procedure. “When I researched lapbanding I was so cautious about the entire procedure that I never thought I would actually find someone that I could really trust let alone agree to the procedure. “I am not some naive little teenager that is SOLD a surgery,” Understand that many, many people ARE naïve about this. It is an INDUSTRY. With billions of dollars at stake. And the Lap Band is the “darling” of the industry at the moment. A lot of people like to make the whole process sound very easy and rosy. Most often, it is. Sometimes it’s not. THAT is a reality. I am a highly educated woman that lived in several countries and cities and therefore carries suitcases full of life- experiences with her anywhere she goes. What I am trying to say is that I appreciate your concern and your advice but I truly believe that I can make an educated decision and distinguish between a money hungry crook and an honest, genuinely caring professional.” I never said that you WEREN’T capable of making a good decision. However, your responses in this thread would indicate that you DO have some reservations about it. And you should. It’s SURGERY. You should ALWAYS think twice or even three times before you have ANY elective surgery. And, I never said that MY surgeon was a “money hungry crook”. An incompetent brain-dead buffoon who should be slicing turkey at Subway perhaps, but not a money hungry crook. However….there ARE money-hungry crooks out there, and you do need to be aware of them. I suspect that Dr. Feiz is NOT one of those. He is probably a fine Surgeon. He probably slices turkey MUCH better than MY surgeon. “Again, I do not mean to offend you.” And I am not offended. You would know if I was. “As someone that searches for "Los Angeles" and "Cedars" I had to read at least 15 to 30 of your very detailed posts in this forum.” “I am sorry for you, I feel bad what happened to you and I wish you had a great experience like many other users on this board had. Please understand where I am coming from. I am a new user on this board and I am here to absorb the positive energy and spirit from positive people. I did not come here to be lectured about unethical or incompetent Doctors.” I often hear people say that they come here for “support and encouragement, NOT to hear bad things” or something like that. I need to point out that this forum is called “Lap Band Talk”, not “Lap Band Happy Land” Or “Band Nirvana”. People here talk about EVERYTHING with regard to the band. Not just the good stuff. You can find PLENTY of “positive” information about the surgery here, tons of terrific information about “good” doctors and positive outcomes. But I would have to seriously question your sense of reality if ALL you want to hear about is the “good stuff”. Choosing a WLS is the same as most anything else, really. When I buy a new car, I want to know its safety track record. I want to know if there have been recalls. I want to know if there is ANYTHING about that vehicle that might preclude the possibility of it being wise choice for MY requirements. Now, there MAY be something about a particular car that is a little negative, but if the GOOD outweighs the bad in an appropriate proportion, then I will most likely buy the Car because it fills some particular NEED for me….even though it might have some quirk that will annoy me. Now, with surgery, it’s a little different, but not THAT much. It’s still about your SAFETY. But if the potential POSITIVES outweigh the POTENTIAL negatives in a proportion that is comfortable for YOU, then you need to go for it. Plain and Simple. You CAN, however, have an IMPACT on those proportions by making the RIGHT CHOICES. And that’s what this about for me….making the RIGHT CHOICES. “I have arrived at a point in my life where I do not need to have EVERYTHING under control, I can very well live with the uncertainties of life itself and rather focus on the positive things and positive outcomes than to waste my time and life with worrying and negative thoughts.” “When something should go wrong I will deal with it with the same positive outlook.” You CANNOT control EVERYTHING in your life. It does take some people many years to arrive at that conclusion. It is often very liberating when you learn that important lesson. You CAN, however, significantly mitigate the possibility of something going wrong by making GOOD choices. You may not be able to change the OUTCOME of something once it is in process, but you can certainly have an impact on the way it turns out by the choices that you make going into it. “You really need to know how down lifting your posts are, especially for someone that is new here and was (until a couple of hours ago) very much looking forward to the journey she is about to embark on.” “Down lifting”? If you searched my posts outside of the Cedars references you will actually find many posts that are “Up Pushing”. I’m not an opponent of the Lap Band. I heartily encourage people to GET one, if they have determined that the Lap Band is what will help them with their particular issue. But PART of that “self-education” process HAS to be a “reality check”. Knowing the BAD stuff will HELP you make the decisions that will lead you to the GOOD stuff. I could spend the next few hours pounding out metaphors, examples, stories, etc, but the bottom line is that knowing the reality is NOT a bad thing. And knowing it should NOT keep you from having the surgery if you have determined that it IS what you need. I am VERY supportive of people moving forward on this. There are some WONDERFUL success stories in this forum, and some terrific people that will HELP you get to that “good place’ that you want to be. “I have to excuse myself now and have to take a very long shower; this negativity was just too much.” I also have to run and take a shower. But for an entirely different reason. :thumbup: Again, no disrespect intended... we just seem to be VERY different people and I don’t think lap-band-forum-life is the kind of support that will do me any good. And no disrespect was perceived. And, I think that if you knew me, you would find that we more alike than you might guess. We all have the same goals, dreams, and desires. For most of us, that includes good health. We are ALL on that path. “I am a highly educated woman that lived in several countries and cities and therefore carries suitcases full of life- experiences with her anywhere she goes.” And I have a suitcase as well. Unfortunately, mine contains a couple of half-empty bottles of Jack Daniels, some melted ice cream, some monkey food, a thong with the initials RS embroidered, and a citation from the Tucson Police Department for “lewd and lascivious conduct”. It’s a long story. Best of luck, and enjoy your journey! HH

@sleeversk did you have any complications post op from cheating ? 🤣🤣 Man I will have to finish out with the rest of the days doing liquid until next Wednesday lol

Hey Ann, I was only in the one night (that is all the insurance approved) but I did not have any complications. I also went the insurance route as I could not afford self-pay. My insurance (Aetna) approved me in one day. You may want to call them to make sure they have your papwework and see if they can tell you the status of your case. Good Luck.

I am feeling the same way. I have heard of people having leaks and other complications and it does make me wonder if I am doing the right thing. But, I think positive all the time and vision myself out of the hospital safely at home and adjusting to my new nutritional lifestyle changes. Concentrating on journaling what I eat and when I exercise. I know if I don't do something now I will continue to pack on the pounds till I can not longer control myself or worse become home-bound. I have to say my hubby is really not to supportive in my decision for this surgery as he is afraid of the worse. Life is about taking chances and you take a chance every time you get behind the wheel of a car. As nervous as I am myself, I will be doing my surgery on the 25th of September. Good Luck to everyone

Is your weight loss history standing between you and your current success after weight loss surgery? If you’re not getting the results you want, there’s a good chance it is. In Part 1 of the series, we brought up the idea of learning from your past, not running from it. Now, we take a look at a few more ways your past might have brought you down, and what you might be able to about it. Problem: Depending on Others This one’s not always so obvious, but it may be keeping you from reaching your full potential in weight loss and, frankly, in life. Of course, it’s normal and healthy to depend on others for some things. Maybe you rely on your spouse to pick up the kids from school, and you depend on your parents to parents to take care of your house when you’re on vacation. But what about the important things? What about your health? Do you take full responsibility for it? Or do you do what you did as a kid – depend on someone to make sure you had the food you needed and expect your parents or the doctor would make you better if you got sick or hurt? You’re still living in the past if you have not taken control of your health. You are the one who needs to purchase and prepare healthy food; set aside time to work out; eat the right foods to avoid complications from surgery. Others can help, but you need to be in charge. Problem: Looking for the Quick Fix If you look for a quick fix, you’ll probably find one. You can lose weight quickly using any number of strategies, and you’ve probably used them all from juicing to low-carb to low-fat. The problem with quick fixes is they’re quick to break, as you’ve found out when you went off the diets and gained the weight back. After WLS, don’t look for the quick fix. Be patient, and know you’re in it for the long haul. Looking for the quick fix can be something obvious that you recognize in yourself, but it is not always. Looking for the quick fix can be as subtle as subconsciously thinking of what and how much you eat as a temporary diet or thinking of your exercise program as something with a start and finish. You may be subconsciously looking for the quick fix if you’re unwilling to sign up for a long-term gym membership, or to invest in a kitchen scale or bariatric surgery recipe book. If you feel these things aren’t worthwhile, think about why. Is it because you don’t honestly see yourself needing them for long because you’re not really invested long-term into weight loss surgery success? Problem: Not Building Your Support System Many obese people struggle with late-night eating. Even if they are able to make it through the rest of the day eating reasonably healthy, night-time binges can strike furiously. If you weren’t able to overcome them previously, it may have been because you did not build enough of a support system. This time, don’t underestimate the power of your support system. Include people, such as friends and family, as well as alternate plans. You can set up many layers of protection against late-night overeating. Don’t store junk food at home, and don’t drive home past trigger spots like drive-through burger joints. Have two or three friends or family members whom you can call or talk to if you’re about to make a bad choice, and choose a pre-determined activity to do before eating, whether you decide to blog, sew, or take a walk. Also, have plenty of ready-to-eat healthy food around so it’s easier to grab than any junk. Problem: Lack of Self-Confidence Have you ever heard of a self-fulfilling prophecy? You think something will happen a certain way, so you act as though it will happen that way, and then it does. For weight loss, that can be a bad thing if you let it. “I know my diet’s going to fail, so I’m not going to bother weighing my food.” Then, guess what – you don’t lose weight! “I knew I wouldn’t lose weight.” But self-fulfilling prophecies can be just as positive as they can negative, especially if you have self-confidence. “I know WLS will work for me, so I’m going to hit my protein goals and weigh my portions every meal.” When you don’t even let doubt creep in, you can be more empowered to follow the behaviors that lead to success. Weight loss surgery can be a fantastic tool for weight loss, but it’s only as good as you make it. To make it more powerful, don’t run from your personal history. Recognize your past, identify what went wrong, and fix it. Make sure this time really is different.

You have two excellent descriptions above by Cheri and SpaceDust. Best piece of information I always remember... this surgery is on your stomach, not your head. It is not a cure all, but I can honestly say it is the single best tool I have ever armed myself with. I got my mind straight pre-op and was fully committed to the changes I had to make. Six months out and I have not had a moment of regret. I was fortunate and had a very smooth operation and recovery with no complications. Best of luck to you in your decision.

Hello Everyone! I am new to this forum, although I have been reading everyone's very informative and inspirational posts for many months now! As my gastric sleeve journey is about to take off, I thought I should finally introduce myself to the group as I hope to post here throughout my journey... About me... I am what you would consider a gastric sleeve 'lightweight', although I have never thought of myself as "light" in the past 10 years! I am 5'2" female and 210 lbs, making my BMI 38.2. I am a self-pay patient as my BMI is "too low" (under 40) for insurance coverage. I am "pre-diabetic", have borderline high blood pressure, and ahve a strong family prevalence of diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure. I want this surgery for my health. I used to be very fit. I was never an overweight child, but the pounds started creeping on when I went to college. Faced with buffets at the college diner and 24 hour pizza places, I gorged myself and the pounds slowly packed on. Eating became about "fun" and not nutrition, and I was tempted by sweets, fast foods, fried stuff.... I used to be very conscious about nutrition and have a wealth of information in my head about calories/protein/fiber of different foods. Somehow I am lacking the ability to translate that knowledge into my habits and hoping the sleeve will give me that missing tool I need. Fast forward 10 years later and I have never been able to "control" my weight. I have gained and lost 60+ pounds twice. My highest weight was 230 just after delivering my son... a weight that puts me at morbidly obese. Over the years, I have tried all sorts of diets--- phentermine prescribed by doctor (twice), weight watchers, atkins, medifast, slimfast, other physician controlled diets.... only to lose weight and have it come back. I am sure you are all familiar with this. I am looking forward to this surgery to get me back into a healthy range where I belong, and to give me a tool to help me eat nutritiously, and not purely for taste. My sleeve journey so far... I am planning to be sleeved my Dr. Tiffany Jessee at Suncoast Bariatrics in Tampa, FL. She has excellent reviews and very high patient satisfaction scores/very low complication rate. I met her at her informational session and am very confident in her. I have already attended the info session, nutritional counseling, and psych eval. Next up is my surgical consultation (next week), endoscopy and then pre-op diet. I am aiming to be sleeved n January. My support system is primarily my husband. He is amazingly supportive. He, too, needs to lose 30lbs or so, and I hope that with my smaller portion sizes and healthy choices (as I am the cook for us), this will also help his health. I also want to use these boards for support and plan to attend support group meetings. I realy don't want to tell anyone else in my lifea bout this surgery... I think they may hve a negative attidue about this and I am trying to surround myself with motivation and positive attitudes so I have the best chance at success here. I am really hoping I can get through the next few months fine (pre op diet, surgery and initial recovery phase) and get to a point where I dont ahve to think about the sleeve all the time and my choices are my "new normal". Thats what I am really hoping for out of this surgery. Does anyone have a similar circumstance to mine and want to stay in touch? (e.g., sleeved at the same time; similar starting stats; location in FL)? Good luck to all on your sleeve journey.... I can't wait to be on the other side and on the losers bench!

See, this is why I do not agree with lying about things. ESPECIALLY something as serious as surgery. Lies have a way of coming back and biting you in the ass. She never had to say she was having gall bladder surgery, all she had to do was say she was having a medical procedure and didn't want to discuss it. Simple as that. I am sorry, but part of me does not feel sorry for her, she lied, she lied and got funding for something that was not happening. IMO, that is just wrong. The other part of me does feel bad for her, not only did she have complications, but now her job is on the line. Sad really, but in the end it was her own sword she impaled herself on at work, sad but true.

Hmm, I'm not sure what to say. It specifically says that to get the fund money you do not have to devulge the medical information in order to receive that money (I don't think they can legally ask you). While I do not think she should be fired because of it I do think that she should not have LIED about the procedure. She should have said she prefers not to discuss it and leave it at that. She wasn't required to tell them what it was about so she shouldn't have. When she did open her mouth and lie, she was providing false information so... should she have been given the $1000 for her band related complications? Sure, if they have a program in place to assist medical related stuff. Should she have lied about it, most definitely not. Should she be fired for it? No, the person shouldn't have asked her what the medical problem was.

Thanks for the explanation Dr. Watkins. WASa,...priceless description!! You do have a way with those complicated medical terms.:faint2: I think I will stick with the Inamed !:mad:

A very humble believer here. God, through Christ has been very merciful to me. I am currently revised from lapband to sleeve. I know, beyond a shadow of any doubt that God has intervened in my life several times giving me the opportunity and blessing to enjoy life and family here on earth. Before the lapband I was a very big guy with many medical issues and was given a second chance with lapband by helping me lose 120 pounds and begin to enjoy life and my family. 4 years after the lapband, God intervened again, when by accident I discovered that my esophagus was with issues due to lapband complications and was revised to sleeve. I am very grateful for this tool(s) he has made possible for me. God is good all the time!

@@HanSolo1977 ... hang in there. And congrats on relosing the small amount of weight you'd regained. The rest of this is just a comment on nutritionists and dietitians and the advice available to WLS patients. I realize nutritionists and dietitians must be a varied group. But I haven't yet met anyone in those lines of work who's ever been overweight, much less obese. Maybe what they learn about nutrition helps them not to gain weight. Or maybe their fascination with being naturally slim draws them into this line of work. Based on my interactions with three NUTs (and having another one who's a close family member), I know that their levels of empathy for WLS patients can vary considerably. It's not like the basic nutritional information related to WLS is rocket science. Because it's not. Macronutrients aren't complicated. But after being on WLS message boards for longer than two years, it's abundantly clear to me that everyone's body doesn't respond exactly the same to food. Some of us lose fast, some don't. Some are carb-tolerant, others aren't. Some maintain easily on 2,000 calories a day, others at the same size regain if they eat more than 1,200 cals/day. And these maintenance differences don't seem related to how much they exercise, their ages, etc. What's that about? I truly wish there was more good science done in the fields of nutrition and dietetics that helped us understand what accounts for individual differences. It seems to me that, for now, those who want to be very successful long-term have to perform science on themselves to fine-tune their own long-term nutritional programs. That doesn't mean the basic principles should be ignored. But it means that there's not a cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all program for everybody.

JoAnn I am so sorry to hear about your problems and wish you all the luck in the world with the decisions that you make. Please do some serious research as to what other form of WLS you will chose if that is the way you go. There are so many more complications with the DS then the RNY if you choose to go that way. There is more malabsorption, higher death and complication rate, among other issues. There are alot of Drs that will not even do that surgery anymore because of the complication rate. Don't get me wrong all surgeries specially WLS have their issues but the DS has more then the RNY. Including severe offensive smells from stools and when you pass gas. That is something that will never go away. I have friends that have had both done and do know that the one that had the DS done now wishes that she would have looked into the two choices better then she did. She just figured she had a larger amount of weight to loose and you tend to lose more with the DS then the RNY. So that was how she went. I am offering you all this information as a friend and someone who has seen the outcomes of both very close up. I also happen to work in a hospital where our Drs will not do the DS because of the higher mortality and complication rate. To me that says a whole lot about that particular surgery. Again, Best wishes in whatever your choice is. I will keep you in my prayers just give it to God with him all is possible.

Very good questions indeed. I don't know if I qualify to even respond to this, since I know many European Bandsters who have had theirs for some time (longer than me, I've had mine 5 yrs this upcoming month). There are also some Mexican Bandsters who are around with longer term band experiences, if not on this forum, then certainly on others. What's a "long" period of time? I don't know. Mine has stayed in (even though almost 5 ys ago, I had life-threatening illness after being banded) partially because no one knew much about the complications back in 2001. Rejection is always a possibility but so far apparently the Band and I have found some truce. I did have my port & tubing replaced 13 months ago but it was done surgically as usual (*shrug*) and I don't think there were signs of me rejecting the band, per se. However, my biggest concern is that after 5 years and 2 LapBand surgeries later, I've only gotten my BMI down to 30 or so. So technically I'm still listed as 'obese' according to BMI charts. That's hardly acceptable to me, and far more important, I still have more weight to use. So to answer your second question sometimes I wonder why " I " particularly went through this. Had I known a year ago that I still wasn't going to lose weight - then band rejection or not - instead of having my band port/tubing replaced - I would have been revised then (*sigh*) to another form of surgery. I wouldn't have gone through all I have done just to get down to this size. I'm VERY frustrated about that. Here's the irony - now that my BMI is down to 30 - I no longer qualify for a revision. So it's a tough position. So now I am undergoing series of tests to make sure the band is still OK. If the band has a defect or needs to be removed - then I would DEFINITELY need a revision to another surgery at the same time. Period. Or else I have to fight it out with the band. I can't lose any more weight with my band being under-restricted but at least it's there. - if I am unbanded and without a restriction, then I fear I will return to my former weight without a doubt. And so help me, I live in fear that I'd get even bigger. I'd be inconsolable. So it makes this a bit tough, but I'm not down yet. Happy Band (and UnBanded) Journeys to all, New Sho

I don't think that I could consider a surgery that many doctors are not willing to do anymore.. Hi, Jo Ann. I just wanted to clear that up real quick. It's not that the Dr's are not willing to do the DS, they are just not trained to do it. It is a more complicated surgery, and required more learning, which most surgeons are quite happy with the status Quo if they are making money with the RNY. For some people (myself included) the DS has many, many advantages over the RNY. I'm not trying to sell you my surgery, I just wanted to say before you decide please do some research on the pros and cons of both, RNY and the DS. The DS still has the highest rate of EWL and the lowest rate of regain. I don't regret revising from the band to the DS, not for a minute. Good luck, and I'm very sorry about your band. I know how it feels, I've been there. Rachele

My work is somewhat physical and i asked my doctor today (I'm 10 day post-op) when would i be able to return to normal physical activity including carrying 20-30 lb here and there and some climbing on ladders and such. He told me to wait about a month post op. This "about a month" rule of thumb is assuming you went through a normal healing process with no complications,