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I'm not sure about the beautiful young lady that passed away in vidor. However, I can tell you that this is not the first problem with the Medical center in this area. Me and my soon to be husband were looking at homes and we found a nice realator in the area. We found a house but it had major problems and we just decided to wait for a while. We did not her from her but I heard she had gastric bybass and was in the hospital. I ran into her daughter and asked her how her mom was doing and she said that she died. This wa a couple of weeks later. I have heard of other storeis similar to this. But I knew this person. Maybe the young lady had gastric bypass. I am considering surgery but I thought the lapband was safe. I know your body may react differently and that probleems could arise but I didn't think it was major. This is scary. I'm considering Dr. ortix in mexico.

Here in Bismarck, ND, it is just part of the program. The classes start one month after surgery and are then once a month. You pay $249 in total and can attend any and all classes after that for life. They say it is a must and I guess you have to pay the money, but I don't see how they can make you attend. However, I had some good advice from my chiropractor. She told me "if they tell you to do something, do it." Her mother had gastric bypass and lost over 100 lbs initially. However she didn't do any of the classes or support group things and has now gained back 50 lbs... I don't want to be in that spot, so I'm going to take all the help I can get. I figure you go and glean what you can use. Not everything they say will fit every person in every way. I already have some pretty strong notions about what I will and won't do to lose this weight. One of them has to do with artificial sweetners that are reportedly so bad for you. Why would I want to contaminate my new and improved body with that junk. So I won't be using them. A teaspoon of sugar won't kill me. But......... I'm betting that they will have lots of useful information about much more than food and I plan to take advantage. My way of doing things hasn't worked very well for the past 55 years, so I had better listen to some new ideas. I plan to be successful........ Thanks for listening.

Hey my bypass date is this Tuesday. Tomorrow I have a full liquid diet. I don't like Jello any suggestions? I only like red Gatorade but can't see myself drinking that all day! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App Instagram: @bsweetness snapchat: @b-sweetness

I just started the Puree stage of my diet. I made a batch of Pureed Chicken thighs made from skinless boneless chicken breasts with every iota of fat removed. I thinned it with low sodium chicken broth until it came together into a paste. I combine this with pureed hard boiled eggs and a little light mayo and greek yogurt to make a simple egg/chicken salad. I also mixed the pureed chicken with broths and strained cream soups to add a little protein and flavor. My body seems to be tolerating the chicken in pureed form just fine. I was a little concerned about introducing chicken back into my diet after talking to a friend who had Gastric Bypass about 8 years ago. She said Milk and Chicken were nightmare foods for her. I understand how you feel about chicken wings, and that crunchy fried texture. (I love my air fryer too). I have a few pounds of chicken wings, 2 wing-ettes per zip-lock bag, in the freezer waiting for the 'regular food' phase of my diet to start, after soft foods. My plan is to slow cook them in a sauce of some form until they are tender. It wont be crunchy, but they still will be wings. I have them in pairs of 2 for portion control. I'm going to treat them as, well, a Treat, and consume in moderation. Good luck on Soft foods, and your weight loss journey!

I started my journey at 271 pounds, I considered the lap band many years. Then this last year my daughter had bypass and I began to look into it and then came across this forum. After reading here and in other places I had absolutely no doubt this surgery was the one for me. I did not like the slow weight loss, less weight loss and host of complications that come with the lap band and I just felt bypass has the ability for regain and in the long run causes more illness with the nutrient deficiencies. I am now about 3 months post op and I can tell you it is the best thing I have ever done! I am down 76 pounds and I am feeling so much better and off all my meds. I too had been overweight all my life, 47 years worth. I had experienced all the things with kids and amusements parks ect. I was not living! So many many things I have not done because of my weight in life! I will never again go on vacation and NOT truly vacation. I will go swimming, diving, lay on the pool deck on the cruise without feeling self conscious, if I want to zip line I will without worrying about what others see from the ground, I may go para sailing behind a boat and no longer worry about the fat person being pointed at. Simply I will LIVE! You are doing the best thing ever for yourself. I do have one regret though,,,, I regret that I did not have the ability to have this done 20 years ago!

Good luck with your insurance company and on making your decision. I too was concerned about the person I was showing to my child. I wanted to be here to see him grow up and to be healthy and have the energy to keep up with him. I researched the band and the bypass also. I did not like the idea of them rerouting my bowels and I also did not like all the people I read about on the forums that had trouble with the band. There are a lot of people on this board who had the band first and had problems with it. There are many people who then had revisions to the sleeve because of complications. It seemed to me that there were less risks with the sleeve. That was how I reached my decision anyway. Good luck with yours.

Dear Banded, Don't be upset. I had the same exact same thing happen to me. Only I had my band in for 6 years..I found a Dr. and his office that really wanted to help me. I fought for what I wanted and got it. As of May 18th 2015 I got my revision with a better band. You have to fight for everything you want as far as this surgery. Don't be upset about you weight gain because that will help you get on step closer to a revision. Just please fight for what you want. If you live on Long Island perhaps I can really help you. Please e mail with any questions you have. @msannie720@aol.com. I will be glad to help. I know what you are going through and it's not fun. Just hang in there. Your revision will come,

You might want to repost this to the band to sleeve forum on the sleeve side of this forum? Many banders who have had revisions revise to the sleeve. You'll find some angry band haters over there but most are quite reasonable. Maybe someone else with your issue?

My insurance had the same requirement but I was able to bypass it. Luckily, I've had the same PCP for 20 years and he had already seen my numerous attempts.

Hello everyone this is probably going to be long but really could use the input. Nov 2019 I had the gastric sleeve done. Since this I have had nothing but troubles. 10 days after surgery I was admitted due to blood in my belly and a hematoma on my spleen. They fixed that and discharged 3 days later. I have not been able to eat much more then let's say a chicken nugget(less then an ounce of anything including liquids) I got dehydrated was admitted again 29 days post op. Stayed for 12 days got a picc line with tpn since I can not eat or drink much. During this stay had endoscopy and they stretched a stricture lower part of stomach to intestines from 15mm to 25ish mm. Went home no change still not able to eat. Had another endoscopy and stretch this time my stomach was twisted and she tried stretching to 30mm but was only able to get to about 28mm. Went home still no change to eating and drinking. On the 16th of January I had another endoscopy stretch. Stomach was twisted again and was barely able to stretch it at all. I aspirated during the procedure. I woke up to them telling me to keep coughing to get it up. They observed me for 3hrs was on 4liters of oxygen at first then 2. I got up to pee with help my oxygen corrected itself. They said there was no need to keep me I only aspirated a tiny amount. They let me go home (2 hr drive home) I was freezing hole way hubby cranked up heat. Took temp when I got home and found I had a fever of 102.6 went to local er where they did xray and ct found I had developed pneumonia and I also had a pulmonary embolism. They felt I should go back to hospital where this happened and I stayed there for 6 days. 5 days of iv antibiotics and heparin for embolism then discharged on lovonox to continue for 6 months to a yr. I still have no change so now its crunch time it has been 3 months since and cant eat or drink much at all. They want to do another stretch which I would need to come off the lovanox which is putting my life at risk. Not to mention I have had it done 3 times and it has not helped. Also if it doesnt work i would need to have the bypass revision which means 2 procedures putting me at risk 2 times) Surgeon says only other option is revision to bypass(unless he sees scar tissue and can fix. But i have to agree to bypass incase there is no scar tissue or it cant be fixed) My family is up in arms it's hard either way. I dont want anymore procedures but I need to get stomach fixed and I need to get back to work. 3 months no pay we cant take this financially anymore. So for me I feel like they need to do the bypass and I hope for the best and have minimal complications. However the rest of family is worried I will have more complications than I have currently. Plus my sister had bypass and has had to have 15 different repairs(this makes them more worried) I could really use some insight on this what would you do? What do you think I should do?

I think I'll post this in the insurance area Just wanted to see if anyone has found a way around this...I've been referred for a band removal (Big Surprise, NOT!). I was hoping to get referred to the nearest MTF so I could hopefully revise to the VSG because if I have to go civilian I can only get RNY due to the Dr they want to send me to. I will not even consider RNY, severe malabsorption, stricture risks, the five year failure rate, etc. it's just not for me. Help

2wks post op and running,wtg. One question, Has your dr ok'd running? I know they encourage walking, but I'm not sure on running. You're still healing. Reason I'm concerned is b/c I had a flipped port, that need revision at 3mths post op. If dr ok'd it, you go girl!

Post #20 on this thread, I got you down. Here we go!!!! Okay Gang...here we go, we have 4 new bandsters this week... Jennifer (jrowell) on the 29th gypj on the 31st Isa on the 1st AND Geochic77 on the 1st. Good luck everyone, have a happy and safe surgery and recovery, and puleeeze post when you return, so we know you are safe. Don't make us worry and fret, now. Wanna see your cute avatars on a welcome home thread, okay? Happy Banding!!!! Wait, add 2 more with Saturday surgeries, jeangab and BigDaddy216 on the 2nd...the above instructions go for you two as well...See you on the other side! Editing...I started a new thread for this week's bandsters, go there for the complete, revised, updated and final list...Yay Ya'll!

I just noticed that someone has posted if there is interest in an upcoming bandster luncheon in Mississauga on Saturday, July 28th, at Kelsey's. If anyone is interested please go to the Canadian Lapbander's site and view the message and then vote for it in the poll. Donna VBG/87 Revised To Lapband/06 251/148/125 goal

awesome! Maya is who I met with initially and went over the band with! Glad to hear you like him! I'm looking forward to working with him. Dr. Carmody is my doctor too. I switched to him when I found out my original dr. hadn't sewn my port down completely. Dr. C did my port revision and his NP does my fills. Her name is Maya Paige...she is wonderful! Good luck with your upcoming surgery!!

Hello all. I'm not a long-term vet, had my gastric bypass surgery on October 26, 2015. I take Wellbutrin and Lexapro and have had absolutely no problems with depression since surgery. I make sure to take my Vitamin D every day because I tested low for it and my psychiatrist said a deficiency could contribute to depression. Each day as I track my food intake I do a quick assessment of my mood and make a note of it. If something is going on I will have a good record of it. Best of luck to you all.

I had a bypass so some things might be different but in the beginning they are very similar. I came home 12lbs heavier than when I went in. I was full of fluid. I had no trouble drinking but I found the little cups a bit too much like a shot lol while in hospital I had no problem going to the toilet but when I got home no movement for 7 days. I started to feel swollen and nauseous so they did a CT and found I was impacted further in and gave me an enema. It's happened a few times because I had some other surgeries 7 weeks out and the bowel just shuts down. To keep it moving if you find you are prone to constipation you need to get your fluids in and a stool softener like lactulose syrup. I now take a powdered one I drink twice a day. Some people try pear or prune juice or milk of magnesia to wake it up. I was given Pariet for reflux for 3 months so I've just stopped it. I had a bit of depression in the beginning and the surgeon told me its quite common and quite normal. You have been through a big surgery even though laproscopic surgery makes it seem less severe it is a big shock to the system. Hang in there trust the process and don't give up. I was about your weight and I have lost 112lbs in 16 weeks. Seemed impossible after gaining 12lbs in hospital and being totally blocked up Sent from my CPH1607 using BariatricPal mobile app

hey newbie here and i have a question for the veterans about psych medications with bypass. my surgeon said i would not have any issues and i trust her but i want to get a patient perspective esspecially that first year did you have to lower or up your doses due to the absorbtion issues with bypass. i am maxed out on a couple of my medications so upping them is not an option i know when i go in for my psych eval i need to bring this up but i just am worried i will be dealing with wacked out meds along with the body changes that come with this surgery

Is there anyone who have try to have a baby before having the gastric bypass and was not able then after the bypass and had a baby very easy! Please let me know me and my husband have try for 6 year with no luck and I relly would like to have a baby and I would like to know if it may happen and has this happen to someone else!!! Thank you!!!

My sister loves her lap band. She got it in '02, so this summer will be 10 years. she lost her weight slow and steady, going from a size 28 to a size 7. She had to have a tummy tuck and has hanging skin on her arms and thighs and has not had a single issue with her band BUT has said numerous times that if the sleeve had been an option then she'd have had it. She'd have lost the weight faster and wouldn't have to live with that "stuck" feeling. plus she has seen so many others having scar tissue built up/revisions that it would have turned her to the sleeve.

I'm a few months away from my bypass so I haven't a clue what it's like on that side. I can only guess that perhaps your mind is holding out on you after you've done so much to allow yourself to get thinner....pre-op liquid diet, surgery, healing, post-op liquid diet........now it's rebelling against the act of eating. I don't know....haven't made it that far yet, but I'm sure it's going to be some weird time getting settled in. In many ways I think it was easier, for me, at least, to quit smoking or quit other things. Quitting something altogether has a fianalty about it. Close the book. Learning to eat correctly has been harder for me because it's not something I can close the book on. Have to eat. It's the eating right that is hard. Hope they can help you get things sorted out. its a big change and i wonder if we get the full instruction we need afterwards.

I know how hard it is to eat properly when you don't feel hungry to begin with but if you want to be successful with bypass, you have to go back to the basics. 3 small meals per day, eat slowly, chew your food thoroughly. No drinking anything 30 minutes before or after a meal. You need to build this habit now before your hunger comes back or you will end up with big problems down the road. If I were you, I would start from the beginning again and schedule your meals. See if that helps your situation and if not, then I would seek medical advice because you might have something stuck. Good luck to you! I hope things get better!

Hi All, Just a quick intro to tell a litlle about myself. My wife and I went to the pre appt seminar 9-23-08 in Syracuse.I found it informative although a lot of answers are online. I am concerned about excess skin other than that I'm ready to move forward with all the necessary pre-op steps.My insurance covers the surgery after 6 months.I'm thankful for that.I'm 43,about 100 lbs overweight, male country boy thats looking forward to the lighter version of me.My mom had the bypass and went from 600 to less than 180lbs in about 3 years.Thanks for having me aboard and I look forward to chatting more real soon.

I've gotten some crazy remarks from people, too. I've been very open about my surgery and everyone knows that I've gotten the band. My thoughts were, the more people who know about it, the more I will work to make my weight loss happen. I know it's ultimately for ME, but it's also a good way to keep myself on track. I've had relatives tell me that I was stupid to have the band because everyone they know has gained back their weight. And others think that it's like gastic bypass and when they see me they say, "You don't look any thinner." I just smile and tell them that the band is not a magic wand...I still have to do the work...and I leave it at that. Let them think what they want...they will anyway! Good luck to all of us!!!

It's now come to this: after months of nutrition classes, doctors appointments, and a psychiatric evaluation, I will be having a sleeve gastrectomy tomorrow. As I sit writing this I am both excited and a little nervous. I know what it's like to be put to sleep because I had my tonsils and adenoids taken out when I was seven, but still, this is major surgery and I've not surgery for a long time. I'm having this done at a young age (I'm 19) because I have a bad family history when it comes to heart problems, blood pressure, diabetes, and so on. I'd like to avoid all that. I also don't know what it's like to be thin, so that prospect alone excites me about having the surgery. As of today, I have lost 133 pounds pre-op, but I want to lose about 140 more or so (the BMI calculator says I should be 150-160). The hospital I'm going to is very nice and I have a great surgeon and nutritionist. I do have to stay for two nights, but that's ok, though I kinda wish I could go home the same day. I hope I get a private room. My surgery is scheduled for 7AM and I'm the first of three surgeries my surgeon is doing that day - one sleeve and two bypasses. He told me he's done seven sleeves, so I'll be his eighth. This doesn't scare me though, as he's done countless bands and bypasses, as well as many revisions (he told me he had recently worked on a woman who had her stomach stapled back in the 1980's). He did tell me he had leaks in two but that was because he was using a different type of staple. The hospital has wi-fi and will let me have my cellphone so I won't be disconnected from the world. I've read so much on this site and know what to expect, so I'm ready. I'm hoping my age and the fact I've been exercising for several months keeps the pain and soreness at a minimum. You guys are great, I love this site, I'll try to post more, and look for me in the chatroom that night, as I'll try to be in it (if I'm not too out of it!) Well, I think it's time for this train to load up and await his departure for a whole new station