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I had my revision surgery on 11-14-2012 after surgery they told me the band removal went fine and they were able to repair a hiatal hernia , that was a surprise to them ( and me ) and sleeve me in one procedure. I was SO relieved to have had it done in once procedure. The day after surgery I started throwing up Water and unable to keep it down . After a couple more tried they ordered an EGD for me . They told me if the scope went through easily then and showed no obstructions I should be fine and not need another surgery , but if it did not I could have excess scar tissue from the band and I could need another surgery . WHAT !! Yikes . So they did it and it showed no obstruction some swelling around the band area ( where the band was ) they told me to take liquids slow . For several days I was still throwing up just water, in fact it freaked me out because it looked like I was throwing up some blood as well. Finally around day 3 or so the water was staying down . So finally I was able to go home today . NOT an easy process that's for sure , but I am glad its over. The doc told me to progress my liquids slowly , as long as I was keeping liquids down I was fine , the minute i started if i did throwing up liquids I needed to come back . But to just take it slow . Now 10 days out and I hae had a few instances of throwing up since i got home. But I just back track and go on Clear Liquids again and It gets better. Since I was unable to eat prior to surgery due to my band i sometimes wonder if I will ever be able to eat solids again , but this HAS to be better than the band and the pain and issues i had with them .

this article appeared in Slate yesterday. it always strikes me as odd that people find it best bizarre and at worst shameful that there is a surgical cure for obesity and that people are taking advantage of it. anyhoo, happy reading: Radical Reduction The benefits of stomach stapling for teenagers. By Amanda Schaffer Posted Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2006, at 7:27 AM ET Last month, the already grim prognosis for heavy kids took a turn for the even worse. A study of more than 100,000 women, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, found that those who were overweight at age 18 were more likely to die prematurely in middle age. And research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that people who develop type 2 diabetes—a condition associated with obesity—before the age of 20, as opposed to later, are at greater risk of end-stage kidney disease and death before the age of 55. Obesity at any age is associated with health woes like sleep apnea, fatty liver disease, atherosclerosis, loss of vision, and some types of cancer, in addition to diabetes. But when these conditions appear in the young obese, the long-term ramifications are just scary. How about a radical solution—stomach stapling for teenagers? It may sound crazy and desperate, but several major children's hospitals, including Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Texas Children's Hospital, and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford, have started offering obesity surgery in recent years. Nightline recently followed a 16-year-old Texas girl who underwent stomach stapling and lost 129 pounds in six months, down from a starting weight of 368. The worry is that such stories distract from workaday efforts to improve school lunches, promote exercise, and establish good eating habits for kids. Critics also point out that stomach stapling is expensive and can cause serious complications, like intestinal leakage, bowel obstruction, and nutritional deficiencies. But for extremely obese teens—especially those who already have a related health problem—less radical treatment options may not work, or at least not work fast enough. Surgery, by contrast, can not only lead to dramatic weight loss but also improve or reverse conditions like sleep apnea and diabetes. Only a small group of kids should be eligible for the surgery, but for these few, it can be a very good thing. In a stomach-stapling operation (the medical term is gastric bypass), a small pouch is created in the upper portion of the stomach, and the small intestine is rerouted to connect with it. The benefit is that a downsized stomach will hold less food and may release fewer hunger-inducing hormones, causing patients to feel full more quickly and stop eating. To be sure, obesity surgery is a risky proposition. One small study, published earlier this year in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery, found that roughly 40 percent of kids who underwent gastric bypass experienced some kind of complication, such as intestinal leakage, dumping syndrome, bowel obstruction, wound infection, or a nutritional deficiency. (A similar complication rate has been found in adults.) Nutritional deficiencies, especially of Calcium, Iron, Vitamin B-1 and vitamin B-12, may occur partly because patients are eating less and partly because the operation bypasses a portion of the digestive tract that efficiently absorbs many Vitamins and minerals. The potential for deficiencies means that patients must adhere to strict guidelines. All patients must eat more lean, high-quality protein; exercise; and take vitamins and minerals for the rest of their lives. Teenage girls must take additional calcium and iron. Critics argue that teens are less likely than adults to follow these rules and are too young to make a decision to undergo major elective surgery. They also argue that the surgery takes on a different social meaning when performed on young people: It seems like giving up and is hard to reconcile with the cherished notion that kids can always grow and change. There's no sense in soft-pedaling these issues. But Thomas Inge, co-founder of the obesity surgery program at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, points out that when teens are more than 100 pounds overweight, the chances are vanishingly small that they will shed the necessary pounds on their own and keep them off. Programs that focus on changing diet and behavior may work for younger children whose eating habits and behavioral patterns are less ingrained; for teenagers, though, the results are often disappointing. Inge has developed guidelines to identify the small group of teens he and other doctors think should be eligible for stomach stapling. (Here's a brief summary.) Preliminary data show that surgery can really help these adolescents. In one study, teens who underwent gastric bypass lost an average of 37 percent of their body mass index by the end of the first year. Other research suggests that the procedure can reverse or improve sleep apnea and type 2 diabetes. Similar health gains have been noted in adults. But that's not necessarily a reason to delay the surgery. Inge points out that the longer a patient has had diabetes, the harder it may be to reverse the condition. The same may turn out to be true for cardiovascular disease, though the data on this are not well-established. Stomach stapling also seems to get riskier the more obese a patient is. So, an extremely heavy teen who is likely to grow into an even heavier adult might be better off opting for surgery sooner rather than later. A procedure that's less risky than stapling, known as adjustable gastric banding, may also soon make surgery a better option. During this procedure, a flexible silicone band is placed, inside the body, around the upper part of the stomach. At follow-up office visits, the band is progressively tightened (here's how). This appears to suppress appetite (perhaps by stimulating stomach fibers associated with feeling full). Gastric banding seems to cause adults to lose weight more gradually on average than gastric bypass. But it has a lower rate of complications. And it's reversible. In 2001, the Food and Drug Administration approved adjustable gastric banding for people over 18. Now a small number of researchers have received permission from the FDA to study it in teens. At NYU Medical Center, about 100 teens have undergone the procedure. About 5 percent have required a second operation because the band slipped out of position. But according to NYU lead surgeon Christine Ren, that's the most frequent complication. To date, there have been no deaths and no hospital readmissions for acute complications. Patients, who weighed 300 pounds on average before surgery, report a decrease in appetite. And they appear to be losing a lot of weight—an average of 95 pounds in the first year. Ren says that adolescents who undergo gastric banding seem to lose weight faster than adults do, perhaps because of differences in metabolism or because they're more, not less, diligent about following the post-surgery rules. There's a lot we still don't know about stomach surgery and its long-term effects when performed on young people. But for kids whose obesity is likely to be life-shortening, not to mention a source of diminished self-confidence and opportunity, the benefits may well outweigh the risks. It's heartening to have a possible life raft to offer them, however bizarre it seems. sidebar Return to article According to Inge's guidelines, teens should have a body mass index of more than 50 kilograms per meter squared or a BMI of more than 40 kg/m2 along with a major medical condition, like type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, or pseudotumor cerebri, which can cause progressive loss of vision. For a typical obese teen who has stopped growing, a BMI of 50 corresponds roughly to a weight of 300 pounds for girls and 335 pounds for boys. A BMI of 40 corresponds to 250 pounds for girls and 275 pounds for boys. sidebar Return to article During surgery, the band is connected to a small reservoir placed deep under the skin. At follow-up visits, saline solution is injected through the skin and into the reservoir, which causes the band to inflate and tighten around the stomach. (Think of a blood pressure cuff being tightened around the arm.) Amanda Schaffer is a frequent contributor to Slate.

What I want to know is if anyone got approved to have sleeve surgery and then went to the surgeon to find out they they were going to try to get you to have gastric bypass instead? I am so upset and I really which I had the money to just take off to Mexico and get it done.

First off, I just want to say this very important thing, if you take nothing else away from this article, let it be this- People’s reactions to you are based on their relationship with themselves, not you. Always. Someone who is living at peace with themselves will have no need to harshly criticize, no desire to humiliate, and no feelings of unresolved jealousy. Sadly, once you understand this, you also realize how many people in your life are unhappy with themselves on some level. It makes it a little easier not to take things personally, but I would be lying if I said those things don’t hurt anymore. So how do you deal with friends and family members who are not living at peace with themselves? What practical steps can you take to be at peace with yourself so that you are able to reject those statements and hurtful judgments instead of internalizing them? Here’s the bottom line- You will always have people in your life who do not wish you well, who want to see you fail. If you do not learn to look past them and stay focused on you and your progress, and live at peace with yourself- you will experience re-gain. I love the words from Eleanor Roosevelt, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” 1) Start with yourself- You need to be at peace with yourself. Who you are, what you weigh, your progress level, etc. Easier said than done, I know. But working towards that will allow you to bypass other’s opinions of you because you know who you are and where you’re going. A simple way to begin embracing yourself is positive self-talk. Start by looking into the mirror as often as you can, and saying things to yourself like, “I am a beautiful, peacefully person and I love me.” Say hello to yourself. “Hi Ash, you are a wonderful, beautiful person and I am SO proud of you.” It’s going to feel super painful and may trigger some emotions. Process those as they come, don’t shy away from the feelings that embracing yourself brings. If you need to cry, do so. If you smile, embrace it. Enjoy yourself. Changing that negative narrative in your head that so many of us carry around, is step one. 2) Be honest- When someone says something that’s offensive, it usually comes from one of 2 places: a poor relationship with themselves, or a lack of education. Use your best judgment to determine which it is. Keep in mind, there are a LOT of myths and misinformation surrounding bariatric surgery. Don’t assume people know more than they do. Think back to before you became an expert on Bariatric Surgery. How many questions you had, how many myths you thought were accurate. Seek to educate. But be honest, if someone makes a hurtful comment, let them know. Keep it simple, “Hey, that was uncalled for.” or “Please don’t say things like that to me.” Try to stay calm and in control. 3) Take a break- If you need a break, take one! Go for a walk, get out of the house, go listen to music alone. Don’t feel bad for needing a break. Family time can be stressful, don’t allow others to jeopardize your progress. When you’re stressed and anxious, you’re more prone to overeating which puts you back on that harmful cycle you’re working so hard to stay off of. Give yourself permission to stay home sometimes too, you don’t need to be at every single family gathering. It’s okay to opt out. People may get offended, they may try to make you feel guilty, but remember- it’s not about you. It’s all about how they feel about themselves. Those who are at peace with themselves will support you and do their best to understand where you’re coming from. 4) Stay focused- This is a tough one. Holidays pull our focus in so many directions, it’s easy for us to lose focus on our goals. Be proactive about making plans for yourself for food and exercising during the holidays. Being ahead of the game and staying on top of your plans will make you feel peaceful and accomplished. When you feel this way, your confidence is harder to shake and you will feel more secure. When you’re focused on a goal, it consumes your focus and the other things that pop up to derail you just fade into the background. Stick to your routine, take your supplements, and stay on track. You can do this! 5) Stay connected- Join a support group in-person or online, find an accountability buddy, hire a coach, or grab a friend who will keep you focused without judgment. Someone you can call, text or write to keep them updated so they can provide you with the encouragement you may not be getting from others this season. Having connection fills an emotional need that many try to fill with food. If you’re getting that need met, you won’t be as tempted to eat for comfort. Connection is something we all need, so make it a priority to have someone in your corner this holiday season. Remember, at the end of the day- this season is temporary. All the food, all the family, all the hustle and bustle. The things that can make or break this season. It’s all temporary. You are what you carry into the New Year. Your health journey is what lasts. Keep your sights on the long term. You can do this, I believe in you!

I am sorry the ER cant/wont help you. Hopefully you surgeon can prioritise your surgery and get you in quick. you will be fine! gastric bypass will certainly help you with your weight loss. I have a freind who has lost 110lbs since jan 5th, 2010. I hope you feel better with your stomache problems. Please let us know how your doing! J

Well, I'll take a shot at this one. Is this the fault of their surgeon? Did the surgeon make mistakes during surgery? Surely it isn't an aftercare issue as everywhere you read it says to set up aftercare before going to Mexico. Did your friends go to skilled surgeons with proven track records? Or did they shop by price and go to the cheapest? BTW, are your friend in AZ? If so, they can get their fills in Mexicali too. Anyone is welcome to join us for our fill trips. Well, our fills (Mexican bandsters) are done under fluoro so there is no guessing. We can see the proper restriction with our own eyes. It's also an opportunity to check stoma issues, band placement, pouch and esophagus size and shape.... etc. So we don't typically need fills every six weeks. Now, if someone has a larger band (10cc+) then I agree with you. Sure, why not? We make it fun. We go as a group. Sometimes we go in the morning and return that afternoon and sometimes we stay in Mexicali for the night. We go shopping in Mexico, go to dinner, and then have a bit of 'girls night out'. We return the following day. With all due respect, you didn't look very hard. There are quite a few in AZ alone, hundreds throughout the country. In Phx we have Orris & DeBarros and two FillCenterUSA locations, soon to be more. Then there is Berger in Flagstaff and I believe more FillCenterUSA locations throughout AZ. Those are just the people I know of, I haven't checked further. But again, most of us prefer to go to Mexico to our surgeon w/fluoro. You were banded in Phx, I assume (Your ID)? If so, if something were to happen to your doc, retire, get in a plane accident, whatever... I only know of one more doc you can go vs. Mexican banded people since you weren't banded by them. So you have one more option than we do and I actually don't care for that doc anyway, that's why I went to Mexico. We have a great support group as well but we let anyone come regardless of where they were banded, we are pretty tight in Phx. Our aftercare specialist in Mexico is a psychologist, they answer the phones 24/7 (as all the better Mexican docs do and at least mine isn't an answering service but the MD staff). I have the cell phones of my docs, the office manager, and the office staff in case I ever need anything. Well, there is Orris and DeBarros and Dr. Fang. That's just in the valley alone. Then there is Berger in Flagstaff. Or, go to Mexico (3 hours) and get care by our surgeon who does not charge for follow up care. Now, if you have to be admitted then there are fees but to go see him for any reason... free for life. Matter of fact I had problems when I was first banded and went back to Mexico for an eval. My surgeon spent 3.5 hours with me doing every test in the book. The hospital charged me $25.00 and my surgeon charged me nothing. I agree, and I do. Was just there Saturday for an unfill. You don't really have much more in the way of options that we do. My aftercare is free for life (aside from what I wrote above), and I paid $8200 for a surgeon with over 4000 lap procedures, 1600+ of those are bands, he's able to do ALL procedures, even the tricky ones such as band after bypass and other complicated procedures, my recovery was not outpatient but I spent two nights in a fully equipped hospital that has four ORs, an ER, ICU, CCU, PACU, PICU, they can do organ transplants, brain mapping, neuro surgery, and of course, lap procedures. Honestly, what is the difference between what you have and what we do other than you got to pay a great deal more?

Start with reviewing your insurance policy. I'm pretty sure Aetna has it posted online, or pull out your manual and look up bariatric surgery. This will tell you what types of bariatric surgery they cover. They should also have a listing of approved providers. Pick 2 or 3 (I recommend choosing at least 2 if possible). Call them and find out what is required of them. If possible attend and informational seminar. Take a pad and pencil. Some people also take a close family member. This depends on the family member's views on WLS. You need someone who is supportive, not a negative Nelly. Once you have looked at 2 different surgeons/programs, then you can decide which one is for you and what type of surgery is for you. Currently the major ones are lap band, gastric sleeve or gastric bypass. There are a few others, but these are the major ones. Currently the sleeve is the most popular. Once you make have that first appointment with the bariatric program, they will pretty much guide you through the rest of the process. My own personal recommendations are: Start an exercise program. Even if you just walking for 30 minutes everyday. If you are smoking, quit. Start keeping a food journal. It will make you more aware of what you are eating. If you drink soda, cut back and prepare to quit. Some people do go back to drinking soda, but initially post-op it will be a no-no. If you drink coffee, cut back and prepare to quit at least temporarily. (this varies doctor to doctor) Some of us can resume eventually but for some it cause acid in the tummy.

Hi and welcome I'm also new to this website (well I was actually in lapbandtalk but switched to gastric bypass) and I also meet my surgeon on the 14th

Here's a BariatricPal Store food and Vitamin haul - 2yrs post-op Gastric Bypass Surgery review video by YouTuber Mellie May.

Do these rays of sunshine understand that you are having lapband, not a gastric bypass??? The pain level is minimal in most cases....I never even took a Tylenol, never needed a GasX , altho many people do.

I had this problem, too. Someone said to me that they think surgeons get paid more for gastric bypass though, so this could be the reason for the push. Just sit back and think about it, lord knows we have enough time to.

I thought about DS when my lap band wasn't working and was considering revision. I had heard that with DS there would be no question that I would lose weight. I don't know that much about DS or BPD-DS but I know many people have definite opinions on the matter and probably a better crowd to discuss might be found at www.obesityhelp.com My surgeon wouldn't reccomend a person for DS unless they were in the 400-500 lb range. There was a surgeon north of me who I was going to see and discuss it with but he was 2 hours away and I didn't want to be that far from a surgeon in case I had complications which can happen with any weight loss surgery. Anyway wondered why you were considering the DS route as opposed to RNY? Good luck with which ever surgery you choose, Nancy.

Hi I'm new just banded feb.19/08. I am from canada and very interested in this site. In my province it isn't covered and bypass isn't done here but will pay for you to go to another province. The travel and time away from my kids wasn't worth it. Thiis is the safer and I like to be near my family and Doctor,so I'm in debt for a couple of years. But feel we made the right decision.

I haven't had the surgery yet but have the same story as you. I am about 95% committed to having the surgery. I was first going to have the lap band but my surgeon discouraged me from that and we focused mainly on gastric bypass. I have really not wanted to do that so I have been doing alot of research and have decided on the sleeve. My insurance will conver the sleeve and hope the surgeon will do the sleeve instead of the bypass. My husband just keeps saying eat less and exercise more and you wouldn't need the surgeryl Yeah I have tried that over and over and in the end Ijust gain back what I lose plus some. I really feel like this is the answer I have been looking for.

Thanks for letting me know i'm not the only one with an obtuse family...lol...seriously, i think you are right with the sleeve instead of the bypass as far as i can tell from my research also. Keep in touch, sounds like we'll have a close situation!

I had RNY gastric bypass surgery over 3 years ago and I consider it to be one of the best decisions I ever made.

I know regular gastric bypass usually cures GERD, but I don't know about mini-bypass. It might (usually, anyway), I just don't know enough about that surgery to know one way or the other. I'd let your clinic know what's going on. Hopefully it's just a flare-up and bumping up for PPI for a while might help - but ask them before doing anything (I'm not a medical person...)

I had a revision from lab band to sleeve by Dr. Aceves for $10,000. I can't recommend him highly enough. He has sleeved over half the people on this board and you won't find anyone who has anything but wonderful things to say about him, the staff and the beautiful hospital.

I was sleeved on Wednesday:) My swallow study showed things weren't moving through my sleeve as fast as they should be so I have not anything to eat or drink since Wednesday morning. My doc is talking about worse case scenario being re-operation with conversion to bypass if things don't start working soon.. Turns out my stomach and now my sleeve is shaped like a letter J and the contrast is slowed by the loop at the bottom of my sleeve I have had no nausea or vomiting so my Doc is going to let me try some liquid to see how it goes... Pray for me that everything passes through well and I don't need re-operation...

I am sorry you are having all these difficulties. I would imagine your BMI would be too low for approval but I am not an insurance person or a Dr. You may not get the fullness you are looking for in a 2nd surgery. If you have not read what is being said you may want to go check out some of the revision threads out there. Have you tried the 5 day reset ? Its suppose to help shrink your pouch back somewhat and get you back on track like a pre op.

Hi, I am on day 6 of my revision to RNY (laparoscopic). The healing process is amazing quick compared to my VGB. I'm still on liquids and will be moving to purée any day know. My story began 15 years ago when I had VGB surgery where I was cut wide open from rib cage to below the belly. I lost over 80 pounds but never reached my goal weight. Eventually I became pregnant with twins in 1999 the gradually regained almost 100 pounds thru the years! My goal this time is to just be healthier!

Hi Sarie. That's wonderful on your weight loss. You're doing great. I wasn't banded, but rather I had gastric bypass. I experienced the "stopping when I felt full" vs "stopping when I was satisfied". I too hurt and was beating myself up for not stopping when I knew I should. I found that the days where I didn't feel satisfied (and this is just me) I found an emotional trigger. Something happened to me and I ate beyond where I should have because I wanted to get rid of the feelings (I didn't figure it out until after I ate - I had to take the time to think back and figure out what happened.) It has taken me awhile to be able to see my triggers and be able to stop myself from eating to much. I had to be mindful and ask myself: "Diane, why are you eating? Are you truly hungry or what is going on?" I don't know if this has helped you or not, but I hope it does. Keep your chin up. You haven't failed, you just hit a bump in the road.

I am in the process of ordering my Vitamins so I have them all here when I get home from surgery. There are so many options!! For those of you who have already had bypass, did you have trouble with any of the chewables? I think that would be easiest for me, but there are so many different ones I have to take that I just wonder if it will be hard to manage. Some of my options come in a powder to be dissolved, but I don't know if it is worth the trouble. I would love to hear your stories and also know what brands you prefer for each type. My dr wants me to take two multis, 1 Calcium citrate with D, 18 mg Iron, and sublingual B12. Thanks!

Hi. This a Lap Band site so most of us have no experience with gastric bypass. You can go to Obesityhelp.com and they have forums specifically for bypass surgery. From all that I've read you will lose weight more quickly with the bypass. That being said, you have to realize that you commit to a totally new lifestyle whichever surgery you have. I weighed well over 300 lbs before I was banded and 6 months later I've lost 50 lbs and anm still losing. Lap Band is a much less invasive form of surgery but I feel that I have to work at this every day and it's something that I spent a lot of time preparing to do. Best of luck on whichever way you go. Losing weight will make a big difference in your quality of life.

Doubts are normal. There is a lot to consider. Every single one of the doctors I've been seeing over the past year for various maladies have all said the same thing...WLS is what you should consider. I listened to them and got things in motion. This time next month should find me healing up from my bypass and losing at a great pace. Positive outlook will be needed to get through the no fun liquid diet I'm starting tomorrow. You'll do great. Lots of great advisors on here