Search the Community

I am 16 months post op and I do not regret the decision to have gastric bypass surgery RNY. Its a struggle with managing food intake, Vitamin requirements, liquid requirements and Protein. But I have lost 110 pounds and my health has improved dramatically. It took me 6 months after surgery to reach my "happy state", when everything seemed to click. Good luck on your surgery. I guess its natural to be scared. But if you don't have the surgery and your life is shortened because of it, how will your daughter feel all alone.

I guess i've never heard of a bypass being revised to a sleeve.

Absolutely zero regrets. I was a band to sleeve revision. It was the best thing I ever did. I had horrible complications, extensive recovery, and I would do it all over again to be living this life that I have today. I'm 15 months post revision and loving life.

I said.... and I quote.... "Thank you Everyone for your prayers and thoughts yesterday. I had surgery yesterday, it was something I had only shared with a select few, more because of the nature of the process. I started the process in January and had my surgery yesterday. I had the vertical sleeve gastrectomy. It is a bariatric surgery that is intended for weight loss. I am usually quite open with what is going on in my life but because of the sensitivity of this type of surgery I chose to keep it quiet until post op. So first thing: I started this process in January. It took me 6 months and 27 days to get my surgery. I had to go through extensive medical and mental testing including blood work, sleep studies, EKG, and much much more. It is a surgery I have debated for years. As much as I did this for me, I did this for Caleb and as a future nurse, my future patients. Why this surgery? I had gone in wanting the gastric bypass (the most common weight loss surgery) my surgeon recommended the sleeve. The brief story of a Vertical sleeve gastrectomy is... They remove 75-85% of my stomach completely. It has left me with a banana shaped stomach that will allow me to consume from a few ounces to start to 1/2C later on down the road. Some may feel this is the easy way out, but the surgery is easily manipulated. I have to choose everyday to wake up and follow the rules (no drinking and eating together, Protein first, veggies second and avoid slider foods which are foods that easily make it through the sleeve such as ice cream, chips and Cookies etc...) the average weight loss is 60-75% of your excess weight. An example is someone who is 100# overweight would expect to loose 60-75#. It is not uncommon to see 100% of excess weight, the sleeve essentially does the job for the first 6 months worth of loss.... I will have to remain proactive for the remainder. I made a FB page so I can keep my FB page focused on me and not annoy people daily about this. https://www.facebook.com/SleevingIt I would love for you to go like the page, but more importantly, thank you for being a part of a special event in my life." I was totally high on narcotics at the time ha ha. I think I did pretty good though reading it now lol.

Since you have a case of GERD, I would encourage you to rethink your choice of the sleeve. I am no expert but my doctors said GERD will most likely not get better and may get worse with the sleeve. I have both GERD and diabetes so the bypass is the clear winner for me.

I was sleeved 2014, never met my goal weight and gained over half my weight back [emoji17]. Being revised to rny on 11/8 due to horrible GERD! My surgeon stated the revision will correct my GERD and well as jump start my weightloss. Would love to hear some revision stories. V4

What did you find most difficult with the revision? I am going to revise sleeve to bypass 11/22 and would live to hear others experiences.

I'm 4 days post from my gastric bypass and I'm having the hardest time with fluids. When they released me they said my upper GI test was clear. Now that I'm home when ever I drink water or protein juice/shakes it's leaves me in such discomfort. It feels like I swallowed rocks and they just sit on my chest. They make me feel like I'm so full even though I take the tiniest sips. I also don't know how much fluids I should consume in one day. So far I've been sipping a small amount of broth and the premier juice with protein cause the regular protein shake was so harsh on my stomach I was in tears. I could use all the advice I can get thank you in advance

Good luck Helena. I sometimes wonder if I should've gotten bypass because of my tummy issues, but I know I couldn't deal with dumping syndrome so then I feel a little better. $650, woah! I'm so sorry!

I am scheduled to have gastric bypass in September. What I wanted to know is once I get home will I need someone with me for a week or two? My husband making plans to take time off from work, he also having my nephews come up to stay and baby sit me lol I'm like I know this is a serious surgery but I don't think I will need all these people. Just wondering how was it for you all and if in fact you yourself did need someone with you at home for a period of time. My family is so afraid something bad will happen to me. They hearing all these stories about others who surgery was not a success Tyani P.

Wow!!! Just recently I had changed my mind from band to gastric bypass. I am scheduled for March 9th so I know I am ok. I could never have afforded to pay for fills. I am glad I changed my mind now... Helena

Hi Everyone! I'm having gastric bypass on April 17th. Would anyone like to be my buddy? Someone understanding but strict would be super helpful for me! Starting to feel a little nervous. Thank you! ~Shannon

I'm having gastric bypass rny on April 19th. I need a surgery buddy too! Want to be surgery buddies?

I have my first follow up tomorrow...but not with my lapband surgeon...with my bypass surgeon. I had bypass in 2008, got to my happy place, and then gained 45 lbs. I went to Mexico and got band over bypass. My stoma was enormous and I was hungry all the time. I tried and failed over and over again, trying to lose the regain. I went to Mexico for band over bypass. I called my local surgeon before I left and generically asked if they do fills for patients who didn't have the band there...they said yes. So I'm hoping tomorrow they follow through. I'm so worried. I'm eating like I was pre band. I guess this is banister hell. I'm always hungry. I hope I don't fail at this...I hope the band works for me...so nervous! Prayers, positive vibes- Whatev! Please send help. Lol :-) Thanks for listening.

I am about to be 23 and I can't help but think to myself, "How did I let myself get like this?" Of, course there are many people who ask themselves this question on a daily basis. And yes, I do know how I got like this - food and sedentary (sort of) lifestyle. Now that I have come to this realization I have the ability to choose change-which I have. I am very excited to go to the seminar about this procedure, even after the ridiculous amounts of research I have done about the Lap band. I also have this feeling of "Hurry up and get this done". But I need to realize that it will take time and I know I am doing the right thing because for the first time in my life I can talk about my weight and what I am going to do about it without crying. I believe that in order for me to get through this I need a support system. This, for me, is a select few I have told about this procedure. My best friend and my roommate are the two I can trust the most and feel great to have the ability to talk to them about my feelings and not be judged. These two are accompanying me to the seminar for support which I am so excited about. I know that this is a life changing procedure and I am more than ready for it. My aunt had gastric bypass a few years back and looks great. Obesity runs in my family - a.k.a we all love food and having a good time. Everything we do revolves food and drinks. I am also worried about diabetes because many of my overweight family members [not direct family but aunts/uncles] have diabetes which was basically caused by being overweight and I do not want that for myself. I am sick and tired of being yo-yo with my weight. I have gained 40 lbs in over 6 months and have been gaining and losing it for as long as I can remember. This weight is ready to leave for good! While talking to my roommate about the lap band I came to the realization that my whole entire life I have never experienced how it was to be "normal weight". I was telling her that I was an overweight 3 year old, 12 year old, 18 year old and now an over weight 23 year old. It will be something so new feeling "normal weight". I do not want to be "skinny" I want to be healthy. I want to be able to run half marathons (maybe even whole marathons since I live in Boston and the Boston marathon would be something to strive for), I want to not have to worry if I will be able to fit in the airplane seat and worry if my thigh is touching the person next to me. I want people to stop saying, "you have a pretty face" - I want to be beautiful all over. I want to be healthy for my family because I want to be a good role model for my "future children". I want to be able to walk up to my apartment and not be out of breath. I want to look forward to taking walks, be able to walk at a faster pace and not worry about the beads of sweat running down my body, feeling self conscious about my RED CHEEKS and be able to have a conversation while walking. I want to feel sexy is a t-shirt and jeans (because c'mon there isn't anything sexier than that). I want to walk into a store and not worry about if the clothes will fit and stop having the feeling like people are looking at you thinking, "nothing in here is going to fit her so why is she in here". Bottom line - I want to feel as beautiful and sexy on the outside as I do on the inside. She is in there - it now comes down to me making the effort to make sure she comes out!

Sandy, You've answered your own question. You can't do it without the band because you get tired of being hungry...and that's what the band is supposed to take care of. Cleo is right. It doesn't work for some people but they don't know what percentage are failed by the band (like Cleo) and what percentage fail the band. All you can do is go into this with the hope that you will be the one the band works for. I've struggled for the better part of a year with my band but I did finally find that sweet spot. Some people have a shorter learning curve and are successful from the day of surgery. I wasn't one of them. I ended up being overfilled, then completely unfilled and was actually on the verge of a revision to a vertical sleeve. The only point I'm trying to make is that I never gave up and I actively worked at making this band work for me. Now, not only do I not have hunger for about 4 hours after a meal but I've even lost the desire to eat. I eat my 3 oz of Protein and 1/2-1 cup of vegies and I'm content until my next meal. *That* is what the band does for me. It gets rid of that all consuming, constant hunger that I've lived with for most of my life which means I have a much better chance at controlling the eating. .

Hi OilSooner, My previous banding experience was with an inexperienced surgeon. He was young, and I believe I was his 22nd band placement. I don't think he did it right to be honest. My whole experience was miserable and it failed big time. So, when I decided to get revised I went out of my way to choose a Dr. who was very experienced, especially with my revision circumstances. My personal opinion based on my experiences is that I preferred to have an experienced surgeon this time around. My sleeve is perfect and my choice turned out in my best interest. That being said, just because a Surgeon is new doesn't mean they are not worthy. Everyone starts somewhere, that including my Surgeon. Someone was his first patient... know what I mean? Just have 110% confidence in your choice and decision. Good luck!!

Hey B, My wife aka MY RIB is a blessing to me everyday of my life, she was dead set against the bypass but, very supportive about the lapband. She is in good shape and is happy to prepare healthy meals rather than the soul food that I love soooo much of. I am definitely doing this for all of us. Our church was on the Daniel fast the week before last and we had a week of refreshing services. God blessed us greatly all week long. We feasted last Sunday as well. Blessings, Chris

Thank you everybody ! Your input meant alot . I called my insurance today they so cover baractric surgey and revision surgey it just up to my doctor's notes on what they do . my appointment has been moved to friday the 16 or 17 th not surs what day lol . I now going around getting my diet doctor notes who I have seen every month for 2 years and lost a grand total of 12 lbs in two years lol ya after I had the flu which thank god she documented . Also have to get proof of my gym memembership and my personal trainer notes that I had for one month . Notes from my denist about how years of threwing up is really start to destroy my teeth and notes from my obgyn about my prenancy diabeties and the other weight related issues and also blood work and see my primary care doctor. I also have my husbands insurance as a secondy insurance so maybe they might step up where my insurance won't . Sorry I feel like I am a pain with all the questions . I just went into the lap band without thinking or doing my homework . Which I regret so bad now ! I have been heavy for 20 years now all I what is to finally be free from this weight ! And tyi dye best of luck with your surgey !

My question maybe stupid but I was wondering if they do this band over bypass surgey will they leave your band on and do the sleeve or bypass just been wondering because I want this so bad and I am affarid my insurance is going to not approve me for both band removal and sleeve

Revision has gotta happen.

I'm pretty lucky because I work for a HCA hospital and have Cigna. Everyone I know here who had had either sleeve or bypass have all been approved. Maybe they figure it's cheaper for them in the long run.

thats wonderful chicagochic i hope u reach ur goal! what does ur nut say about ur revision? technically im not doing a pre-op diet cause im just doing induction phase till i go on vacation. ( i wanna fit in to a few outfits) but then i plan to go right back on atkins till i have to start my liquid diet 1 week before surgery.. its been hard but last night i tried on a few things and im starting to get the loose feeling in my clothes .. and that feels great!! I have a whiteboard that im using as a goals board .. with insprational things and my daily weight.. feeling good about it all so far.. lol but talk to me in a week when i havent had cheetoes.. its my addiction lol i cant wait til im 5 mos post op and need to go shopping for new clothes!! i always tell my self im gonna go in to debt when i get to goal cause im going to go clothes crazy!

Im june 23. Band to bypass revision. Sooo excited but cant wait to get rid of this band so i can get a good nights sleep again. Reflux sucks

Pendulum, I understand your frustration.. have you looked into the other surgery options? Alot of people who have the bypass like it because it makes you so sick to eat the sugary stuff - i havent gotten the band yet but i have reached that point where i have eaten enough in my life and I AM READY to not eat garbage anymore...the band is an excellant *tool* to help you on your diet journey...you can still eat things you want once in a while. In the end, we all know what we have to do to lose weight...its a question of if you really want it or not...and if you dont want it right now, thats ok...you will reach that point when you are ready and you do want it. I totally get the whole "eat whatever you want" mentality...i think it happens to everyone when they starts a some sort of diet...but the one thing that most people here have in common, is that they are ready to have this tool to give them the extra push they couldnt have before. Decidiing to get the band is sort of like an A-HA moment. Do more research on the bands...and DEFINETLY go onto youtube and look up lapband stories - there are so many and they will inspire you!! i watch them for fun - it gets me so AMPED!!! Theres a girl NewToy4KT i think thats her name look her up on you tube - Im at the very beginning of my journey as well. PM me if you like! Best of luck!