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Oh nooooo. Stick with the lap band. It is so less invasive than the gastric bypass and so much safer!! My husband had a gastric bypass way back when they first started them and he almost died. Also, years later he had severe complications, really painful complications that required even more surgery. Listen to the others on here... you'll see that weight will start to fall off faster when you get your fills. I put off getting my band filled because of other things and my weight stayed the same. As soon as I got the right fill I definately saw a difference. I know, those darn needles hurt!! Especially when the dr. can't find the right spot. I get so frustrated with not being able to keep solid food down. I just resort to drinking slim fast for Breakfast and eating lots of homemade chicken and vegetable Soup and I drink lots of Water and Crystal Light Pink Lemonade. If I even attempt to drink a carbonated soda I burp like a man! It's horrible. I stick to my pink lemonade. The Crystal Lite Peach Iced Tea is really good too! Oh and don't forget to take a Vitamin every day!

I would start the process, by researching what type of surgery would be the best fit for you. From my research and experience (I am a nurse, working in the ICU). I have seen more complications with the lap band. The seminar I went to, the Doctor said the #1 surgery isn't the lap band or the sleeve, it is the conversion from the band to the sleeve, because of complications. The band is NOT intended as a permanent process, at some time, you need a second surgery to remove it. I am not trying to persuade you in any direction, but informing you of the process I took. Having bariatric surgery is a personal decision and a LIFELONG commitment. I wish you all the success as you start your journey and welcome to the guys room.

Hi, I was banded in Jan 19th, 2009. I was doing really good and lost 71lbs by my bandiversary, but I got sick. The weight lifting and exercising i was doing tightened my band by itself to the point I couldn't even get liquids down. In Jan this year my dr. unfilled my band so that we could start readjusting it. My life got complicated and I never went back in for the readjustment in Feb. I had noticed that some of my weight has came back on, so I made an appt to see my dr asap. I went Thursday 08/12/10 to get my fill. I found out i had put back on 41lbs of the 70 that i lost. I don't know how I let myself go backwards so much. Right now my dr has my band tightened so i can only get down my shakes, but I am already feeling like hope is lost. Has anyone gone through this? :cursing:

All I can say is, "Wow!" I have this voice in my head that is telling me that messing with my insides might not be the smartest thing to do. Your experience seems to echo that. For anyone reading this, I'm not knocking the band, the sleeve or gastric bypass. It's not a easy decision, a quick fix or the "easy way". If there were just one solution, we'd all take it. Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised at my band issues as my body also rejected the initial attempt at breast reconstruction; the tissue expanders had to come out a week after placement! I know the battle of weight - tougher for women just based on being women, but also by way of society's narrow definition of what is beautiful. It still chaps my hide that you can be an obese man and be a respected politician(Gov. Christie, NJ), business leader etc. but by and large, an obese woman won't get the same respected or success. And let's not even get into the attitude to being over age 30 - heaven forbid a woman in her 40's or 50's be considered "sexy" - why it's a fluke that requires multiple magazine articles and conjecture on how much "work" she had done. See any guys in the same age range getting the same treatment? I'm sure I'm not saying anything new; I'd thought that with WLS I'd not be thinking about food as much. Are you kidding me?! It's all I think about...can I eat this? will I get enough Protein? is there a bathroom nearby in case I get sick? It looks like regardless of choice, food will always be the monkey on my back. It also appears I will always be dealing with people like my husband, who's answer to all of this is for me to have the band removed and just, "try harder to diet and exercise" and my sister-in-law who's all for me having it out, "before summer so you can eat summer foods" - frustrating any way you look at it. Trying to weigh(no pun intended) both sides of the health issue (obesity -v- complications), the fear of gaining the weight back, the annoyance of regardless of which path I chose, knowing I'm going to have to think about food far more than someone without a weight problem - for the rest of my life. Somehow it feels like I'm going to be damned if I do & damned it I don't! I do appreciate everyone's thoughts and input - gives me a lot to think about.

I found an article that had two patients with leaks at 6 and 9 mons out. Leaks this late or rare but still scare me because I had a very rare complication during surgery (small bowel cut) so now even the rare seems like a very real possibility!?!?

I have had the band for 13 years now. It's doing nothing inside me. I have it loose so I don't get complications. I trying to find out if and when it should be removed, especially if it's doing nothing. I don't want to find out 5 years later that I need surgery and it started to cause internal issues. To remove or not to remove?? How long does the actual material last or deteriorate inside ? Help! I am in Ontario and need some real honest answers if anyone can direct me. Thanks.

Had surgery on the 19th, came home 3 days later( Thurs). I was hospitalized on Monday for complications( Fluid on lungs). I went to my local hospital, not the hospital where I had the surgery. They had no Protein shakes, other than ensure( 9g of protein). I didn't want to waste calories getting so little Protein. They knew I was on a full liquid diet and would bring me oatmeal or cream of wheat in the morning. To me, it was better than nothing. It actually made me feel better to have a bit of carbs. No biggie, its not like she sat down to a full turkey dinner.

Sabredy12 and Quenny, First congratulations to you both on your upcoming surgery. I too thought something would happen to me. I told my surgeon the first time I met him that if anything weird was going to happen I would be the patient. I also knew that if I didn't have the surgery that the ultimate end would be death because of being overweight but before that happened I could have a lot of other thing happen like stroke, poor quality of life. I also knew that my surgeon was very qualified and helped develop some of the procedures that are used today in laparoscopic surgery. I had faith in his skills. With any type of surgery there are risks. I was nervous going into the operating room because I had never had this surgery and was worried about pain afterwards. It turns out I was worried for nothing. I had no pain from CO2 used during surgery, I had some pain which was totally controlled by my pain medication. I had surgery on a Friday and stopped pain med by Monday. I was a band to sleeve revision in one procedure. I had so much energy the next week went walking every day and even saw other doctors with whom I had previously scheduled appointments. They were all amazed at how well I was up and moving around. Do what your doctor asks of you before surgery to help increase your chances of no complications, and follow their post-op diet instructions also. Don't try to rush foods before they say you can have them. Good luck and hope to hear your stories after surgery.

I have been in a polyamorous relationship for 2 years....I'm married (for 25 years) to a wonderful man, and he has a partner of 2 years who I like very much. I just celebrated my one year anniversary with my partner; the four of us get along very well. It's a little complicated at times, but so are monagamous relationships and ours is very loving and respectful. After 25 years of marriage, my husband and I love each other very much, be we have found in our partners very important aspects that we never had with each other. Like you said, there are many different forms of this type of life. But for us, it's working. Good luck and always keep an open mind.

I went into surgery with no blood disorder. Still I had those ow up leg balloons while in hospital and was on blood thinning shots for 2 weeks. I would ask PS their experience in operating with patients with your condition as well as how many complications they experienced in the subset of Stoney's. Stella

Be careful ladies. With VSG we will need to avoid NSAID's for life as these can cause issues with our new tummies. This should be in your VSG preop/post op instructions or in the complications section. Luckily as MsShauna said, Tylenol is not a NSAID. Saying that, Advil is a NSAID. You could have headaches due to: Lack of caffeine or not enough liquid, so try to up you intake of Water if you are not getting enough. Good luck and I hope you feel better soon!

Hi all! Tomorrow marks my fourth month post surgery. What has this journey been like? Well... 1. No leakage or any other serious complication- thank God! 2. I never expected the post surgery experience I had. Anxiety and depression, like I've never witnessed in myself or anyone else. kicked in about two weeks post. Uncontrollable, snowballing, unexplainable, irrational fear, sadness, and regret. I went on tranquilizers, developed a mild dependecy on the benzo, had to follow a tapering process, but all ended well. This experience is unforgettable to me and my family! Everyone entering this surgery process should be aware that this is a possible reaction to surgery. I'm not sure if only to this type of surgery, or all. The more the time passes, the more I see posts that relate to my experience. So far I've contacted six people with less, exact, or worse anxiety and depression after the sleeve. Be aware of this possibility. Know that it can debiliate you, thus you need a safety net. However, also be aware that it passes. Thank God, all that is in the past. But the experience I don't think I will ever forget. 3. Because of #2, an improved appreciation for God, life and for all my loved ones. 4. Weight loss: forty pounds down- yay! 5. Besides #2, the most impacting part of this experience is accepting the fact that the surgery did not rid my addiction to food, nor my unhealthy eating habits. I completed a mandated five month program before surgery. The instructor endlessly stressed to start working on our eating patterns and habits before surgery, to ease the transition and have more success with the procedure. As much as this was emphasized, I didn't do it. It was also emphasized that the surgery didn't cure our addiction and relationships to food, this too I ignored. To me, surgery would cure my addiction to food, would for ever change my eating patterns, and never again would I experience the vicious cycle of binging, guilt, shame, weight gain, etc. etc. etc. In my mind I figured I'd be forced to change because my body wouldn't tolerate overeating. I ached for a change, and surgery would force the change on me....problem solved! I awaited surgery with glee and faith. Well, the story goes otherwise. I have changed some of my eating patterns and you will find plenty healthy veggies and fruits, plus lean meats in my fridge. I joined the gym for the first time in my life, and through therapy am trying to sort out my relationship with food. However, surgery hasn't forced a change on me. You know those stories of having to induce vomit (or it naturally occuring) due to overeating? NEVER happens to me, NEVER! I cannot eat as much as before, but defenitley more than I expected. I can eat a full cup of spaghetti with cheese and sour cream in one sitting. I'll finish it, feel full, and stop eating. But thirty minutes later my pouch has made room, and I can take some more in. This especially happens when I eat out and we usually sit around chatting for a while. Time passes and I'll start nibling at my food again. I can eat about half a cup more--without being hungry. Why do I do it? I'm working on understanding it. Those stories of no longer tolerating fatty, sugary, lactose, or other foods- not I. I can eat EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING. Dumping syndrome? I don't even know what that is. Having to chew food to mushy consistency- not I. I chew, but never to the consistency I thought I'd have to. Taste buds change post surgery- not mine. Not one of the billions of taste buds have changed- at all! Bottom line, this surgery didn't force any change on me. I have gone up and down in weight, and can't seem to break the 40 pounds mark. It's been this way for the past five weeks. I still experience the disappointment in myself over food choices and behavior. The shame and guilt sneak up, and soon I'm angry and feel defeated. All the emotions, habits, and challenges I faced with food and weight pre surgery I face now too. I thought I'd be facing these issues two years after surgery when my pouch has relaxed and expanded a bit, and many regain the weight. I thought that by that time my life would be extraordinarily wonderful- that I'd never regain the weight and give up my success and joy. Well, it's only been four months and I'm facing reality already. Everyone considering surgery needs to know this. I think those who've had success with the sleeve have had it because they've made changes that have yielded the success. The sleeve itself will not yield it. Maybe everyone already knows this, but I have been known to be a late bloomer. Do I regret having had surgery? Honestly, there is nothing to regret. I had (and pray that it continues) zero complications, I still enjoy food, have a very active social life, have gone down a size in clothes, and experience no pain, vomit, nausea, or anything of the sort. I feel blessed that my surgery has gone so smooth, pain free, and complication free. I pray that it continues to do so. I prefer to deal with my current issues, than any physical complication. There really is nothing to regret. On the contrary, I believe this surgery has a higher purpose in my life. It isn't yielding the weight success I imagined, but it is forcing me to look deep into myself and work with what is out of balance. I can't run away from it anymore. I refuse to have gone through this experience and continue on the road of addiction, caught in that endless dark cycle. This is the change my sleeve had brought to my life. My progress comes in baby steps, but I'll get there. God bless you all!

Hello everyone! I have been lurking on on this forum for about a year or so, and it's been invaluable for learning about the procedure so thanks to all you that have been contributing your experiences and ideas. I was sleeved outpatient on Thursday and went back Friday for a quick check-up, and it seems my progress is so far so good. I'm excited to have my sleeve, but at the same I don't think I have fully processed it yet - it's not like getting a boob job or lipo, you can't process it immediately but I'm sure when the lbs fall off I will "get it" I was on clears Thursday, mainly ice chips on Thurs since even swallowing Water was very uncomfortable. Due to the anti-nausea patch I also had the world's driest mouth, it was disgusting! The hotel i stayed at overnight had a free continental Breakfast so I decided to have some heavily diluted apple cider, it was nice to have something that tasted nice after only tasting the disgusting liquid oxycodone the day before. I also grabbed a few skim milks, caffeine-free tea bags and light yogurts to bring home for the next week Today I just had my first Protein drink, a scoop of Optimum Nutrition Double Rich chocolate in 8 oz of skim milk, it's relatively tasty so I'm happy with it! The worst part of my experience are kind of random: it took about four people to get an IV in me - I've known from having to do labs that I have the world's worst veins, but apparently securing a vein for IV is a lot more challenging. They brought in the anesthesiologist and fifth time was a charm, he managed to find a teeny tiny vein in my right wrist that worked for most of the time. I went back the next day to get more fluids and unfortunately the IV popped out a couple of times. The first time they put it back in but then when it started leaking again they spoke with the Dr, who said that I was healthy enough to just get my fluids the old-fashioned way (thank goodness, I hate being a pincushion). Also, I have gotten a few bouts of hiccups, which are very aggravating and painful when they come right after surgery...the Dr I spoke with suggested that I take my valium and alternate between sipping hot and cold liquids. Don't really know the science behind it but I've been hiccup-free today so I'm happy. So anyway, I'm very excited for the future! I had some second thoughts when I was thinking about the sleeve...food has been such an important part of my life (which goes for many others here I'm sure) so I went though almost a mourning period thinking about all the things I couldn't do, like each a McD's happy meal, Indian buffets or an entire Chipotle burrito. Then I guess it clicked with me that I did have a choice - I could eat all that stuff if I wanted to, the tradeoff would be that I would die early from health complications or maybe develop diabetes which would restrict what I could eat anyway. So why not get out ahead of all these things and take the initiative to lose the weight before life forces that upon me? I'll try to participate here more, there's so much insight about post-op care, sustaining weight loss and activity, can't wait to be a "loser" with the rest of you!

DonnaGT, Don't be scared and PLEASE PLEASE don't regret that you had the surgery! You just took a HUGE step to get healthy :clap2: and to take control of your life and live happily w/out health problems, self-esteem issues, etc. Yes, there will be a tiny % of people that do develop problems with the band but you will find that with any WLS. No surgery will work for EVERY PERSON. The band is by far the least invasive and you have a much better chance of remaining complication-free from this than the bypass. If you do have a problem down the road, oftentimes it is fixable. Please take this time to heal and remain positive. You are on your way to a happier, thinner you! :biggrin1: ~Liz~ banded 03/10/06 Dr.Ortiz 241 highest/237 surgery/205/150 5'7''

Hello, Jenny. I was very interested in your allergic reaction, and that you had seen warnings about this in the manufacturer's brochures. I was not aware of any such possible complications, and had planned to keep my band in for the rest of my life. This past May, I started having severe pain and feeling generally rotten. One doctor (who obviously knew nothing about reading CT scans and x-rays, but who does install lapbands!) said my band was "upside down and out of place, and had to come out). He tried to take the saline out of my band and only succeeded in hurting me. I elected to go all the way back to NJ to the surgeon who had put the band in before we moved. The band was not "upside down," nor out of place, but my esophogus was badly swollen, part of my pouch was above the band, and I needed to have my gall bladder out, plus I was full of infections and had to be on antibiotics before and after surgery. He said he'd try to keep my band in, but had to remove it because of the swelling of my esophogus. I gained 27 pounds quickly and have been filled with panic. However, in one week, I managed to lose 5 pounds, and have been going twice a week to a cardiac rehab class working out on machines. I still attend a bariatric support group which also helps. The one thing that has really helped me food-wise is making homemade Soups, and having a mug of hot Soup to start the day. Somehow, this seems to keep my hunger level down! Plus, making the soupos myself, I know what's in them, and can keep the sodium level way down. I cook a whole bunch of veggies (some frozen, some fresh, depending on my mood) and 3-5 chickn thighs. Then I use a slotted spoon to take out all the solids and dump them with a little of the liquid into the blender. Blend, then dump back into the liquid still in the pot. After it all cools down, I pour some into about 5 containers to put in the freezer, leaving just one out for immediate use. Sometimes, I add a jar of baby food (like chicken,rice and veggy meal) too. It tastes better than the store soup, has almost no salt at all, and I know I have a constant supply in the freezer in 2-day amounts. After hearing what some others have gone through, I am thinking twice about having another band put in after 6 months of healing. Now I think I should use that one year I had (lost 100 pounds) as a wonderful jumpstart, and have lots of soups and drink lots of ice Water, plus several small meals daily. My hope is that I can lose another 75 pounds and learn to live this better way. My NJ surgeon had wondered if I wanted to consider gastric bypass, but I have heard too many horror stories about that to think about doing such a drastic thing and possibly dying in the effort to lose the weight! I too have a lot of allergies but not as many as you have. It has taken me about 2 months to recover from the surgery when my band was removed and at the same time, my gall bladder. I'm starting to feel human again & am determined to do the few exercises I can do (I'm in a wheelchair some of the time, and use crutches to walk the rest of the time, so I can not work out the same way as most people can, but there are some good exercises I can do.) Also, I'm training myself to use commercials on TV as an exercise time -- when the ads come on, I can do all sorts of arm exercises and even rotate my feet back and forth until the program comes back on. Stretching a few minutes upon waking up in the morning seems to calm my hunger too; I have always awakened RAVENOUS! I do hope you will gain strength back soon and maybe find a bariatric support group where you live. Being with people who have experienced this is so helpful. Doctors may have lots of knowledge, but few of them understand at a gut level what this Life Battle is really about for us. Try the soup routine? Take care. "C.J." (user name CJBD)

I also lost my band due to erosion around my 18th month. Something tells me you're going to start feeling better soon. There still aren't enough long-term studies for any doctor to know 100% of potential band complications, and I don't believe the band is for everybody. One of my many surgeons diagnosed me with "band rejection." Even though he isn't the most admired man around here, he has been doing bands for over a decade, so who knows? Maybe band rejection or allergic reactions really are potential complications? Good luck, and I hope you start feeling better soon.

Hi marys. Thanks so much - I am feeling much better now that I've been de-banded. I haven't had a fever since having the band removed. I still get a little dizziness and vertigo from time to time - but it is GREATLY improved and getting better every day. My doctors say it can take years for the vestibular system (the balance system) to get back to normal, so it's not surprizing that I'm still a little dizzy. To answer your question - yes, I have the Inamed LapBand. My surgeon wants to see me again in a few months to see if I'm still feeling better - and to see if my blood work supports my improvement. At that point (if all is well) she said she would write it up and submit my case to the FDA and possibly a medical journal article to let other doctors know of my complication. I must stress that my case is EXTREMELY rare. So far there has only been one case of an allergic reaction to the LapBand - my case would be number two. So I'm six weeks band removal post-op. I've finally been given the go-ahead for exercising. Yeah! I really miss it! Besides, I've been so inactive for the past year or so, that I really need to get my butt moving to try to shed these extra pounds! The weight loss is going slow (I guess that's good in the long run anyway - right?), but I've managed to lose 12 pounds in the past 6 weeks! I'm using Weight Watchers this time around, and I think it's something I can stick with for life. I'll keep everyone posted on my recovery. And I'll let you know if my doctors end up sumbitting my case to the FDA.

I need help. I had my lap band on 12-1-04 and 3 days after surgery I was starving. I stayed up all night hungry, not able to sleep from hunger. I was drinking liquids as instructed by my dr. , but it was not helping. I called dr. office to ask if I can eat something and nurse never returned my call. I ate solid foods already and now I am afraid that I have done damage to my self. I had no problem eating solid foods, no thorowing up or anything. On 12-10-04 I went for check up and nurse just looked at my scar and said you are fine you can go home. I told her i have not been able to do liquid diet and am afraid of complications and all she asked is did you throw up and I said no , and she said I am fine and I can go home. Today is 12 days after my surgery and I can normally eat solids. I cannot eat as much as I used to , I feel full much sooner but I can eat solid food with no problem. Has anyone experienced this? Have I damaged my stomach by eating solids right away? Please help....

People often fall off the wagon. The trick to success with your band is that you are determined enough to get back on the wagon. So you messed up one day. OK. Next day starts back 'doing the right thing'. If you totally shuck your doctors orders, you may surely pay for that in lack of weight loss or band complications. If you are really serious about wanting to lose weight, you will have to make the changes necessary to allow the band to work for you. This includes a 6 week healing phase to allow you stomach NOT to grind and churn to digest harder foods. A gradual return to solids including hard Proteins, not soft foods that allow more calories to slide by your band, exercise at least 30 minutes 3/5 days a week and Water, water, water. Please be kind to yourself and your band. The stomach 'growlies' are inevitable, but don't necessarily mean you are starving. Pretty soon, they subside and you can get your mind on other things, like riding a bike or shopping for hours because you've lost enough that you can walk for hours. Getting your head in the right place is tough, we can all agree with that, but it will come, if you meet it halfway! Good luck to you!

I watched a video on Ted Talks about a Doctor who criticized a woman who gained weight like you did because of Diabetes and insulin issues. Then it happened to him and he gained a lot of weight and struggled hard to get the weight off. He had a new view point on this kind of situation. You usually do when it happens to you right. I am glad that you know the risks. I knew that I could die. My surgeon made that very clear to me. But I had no idea about complications or how much I would change or what I would need to do to get here. I learned along the way and it is a good idea to research all that you can about the sleeve so that you are convinced 100% that it is right for you. I think you have made a good decision but I say that on the other side of the journey. Lost the weight. Still working on my thinking and life style!

Don't like to lie. But if you must I recommend and ulcer. You will be on acid reducers after for a long time. You will have a modified diet same as an ulcer patient. Ulcers come back for retreating in case of complication. Remember that the sleeve was originally effective as ulcer and stomach cancer treatment

I would like to hear from bandsters who have been banded OVER 5 YEARS?? OVER 10 YEARS?? I read posts from all of you wonderful people, but most of the band dates are very recent. I would like to know what complications?? what successes?? Are you happy with the results??? Are you sorry you did it years ago?? Did you have to be re-banded with a newer lap band model?? I am being banded on Friday March 20, and I am concerned with the LONG TERM consequences. Thank you cc

Please don't take this the wrong way, but if there's one thing you'll here on this site perhaps more than any other it's this: don't compare yourself to others. There's nothing good that can come of it. Even if you found someone that was your exact same starting weight, height, and even had surgery the same day, there are still way too many other variables that could impact your progression. Just some examples: age, physical fitness, %body fat, basal metabolism, diet, bougie size, surgical complications, etc. Honestly, it sounds like you're doing fine. If you're not happy with your loss so far, talk with your bariatric team. They may have suggestions for you such as increasing the amount and type of exercise and/or changes to your diet. Best of luck!

I haven't had the brain freeze part - could it be more light headed or nausea? How fast did you eat? Did you eat the last two bites when you were already feeling a little full? If I eat too much or eat something for the first time, the symptoms are pretty similar. Light headed, nausea, stomach pain. And lots of burping and tummy gurgling! I haven't had Pasta yet so don't know if that could have done it. I can eat shredded cheese on other foods but can't eat string cheese. It didn't settle at all. If it is "just" too fast, too much or a new food - the discomfort will go away. Sometimes it takes me close to an hour tho. Try to relax, get a cold wash cloth, walk around. I even will take a few sips of cold Water. In my mind it might help loosen it up and pass thru the stomach. Use your best judgement. Seems late for a complication but ya never know. an afterthought... if you did eat too much, it may not all be fitting into your stomach and would be backed up into your esophagus. That could account for the chest pain. Be careful and don't wait too long to call your doctor if it doesn't go away. Hope you feel better soon!

Thanks everyone for ur prayers. Surgery went well no complications I should be getting discharged today.