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I have Bipolar 11, and take Riperidone which when i first started made me gain 20 lbs in 3 weeks!!! I kid you not! I had had my gastric bypass July 2009 and had lost 60 lbs by Nobember then i had to be put on Risperidone and it basically reversed the whole surgery. So i go in for lapband surgery next Friday now that i am almost weened from it. Abilify is a weight gainer but not as bad a risperidone. Here is a link to a study about Abilify and other of the same kind of bipolar meds. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/28/business/28psych.html?_r=1&

Why did you have to have your band revised? Slippage? Is there anything we can do to avoid this?

Going with both responses above with an emphatic agree! I was scared beyond belief with any of the surgeries but never even considered sleeve with my surgeon as soon as he said it had even a little chance of gerd worsening. I was stage 3 and having my esophagus widened every year with swallowing problems-with a real fear of Barret's Syndrome for real. I had tight fists of air in my chest that didn't hurt but were so scary and disturbing with a lot of breathing problems. My surgery had some complications but minor in the long run. I am 15 weeks out now and down 100 lbs as of today! Not gonna lie-my GERD is not completely gone but my Dr said with the severity I was at, it can take a good 6 months for it to be so much better. He still has me taking meds for that but it is much better and more so day by day. Dumping syndrome is not fun but I also feel it's a benefit to learning how to eat differently for long term weight loss and control. I really feel like a new person and am ok with what I need to do and the after-effects of the bypass. It's not an easy recovery but not as bad as I thought it would be either; I still have some bruising as the complications made it more difficult the first month. Even with that, I am, without even a tiny shred of doubt. so happy I went with the bypass. Yeah, I wouldn't want to just 'gamble' with surgeries as a 'just in case'. Especially with GERD-it's a very serious thing to have.

I don't know about you, but I chose the sleeve over gastric bypass because I don't want to never be able to eat another piece of birthday cake! Forgive yourself. The fact that you feel guilty about it is a good sign. You wouldn't have cared about it a year ago, so consider the progress you've made. The only problem is now you've seen the danger of being able to eat slider foods. Why can't they just fill us up like chicken does! Why do they go down so easy and why did the whole piece of cake fit in my sleeve! (This is how I feel about popcorn). We should all enjoy birthday cake once in awhile, especially our own. They key is "once in awhile" like normal folks do! Congratulations on your weight loss so far.

Yeah...you have become a winner! Thanks for the information. Did you have a sleeve or a bypass. I am scheduled for surgery on 12/27...anxious and excited in the same breath. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

This is another of those "it's anybody's guess" things. There is a different Blue Cross organization for each state, and they will all vary on their coverage details depending upon local market conditions and state laws. Then there is a difference between individual plans, ObamaCare plans and employer provided plans - all of which can vary depending upon what options the employer chooses to buy. Some plans don't cover WLS at all (even if they did in the past) while others limit the benefit to only one WLS per lifetime. Muddying the waters further, if the revision you seek is due to complications of a previously covered surgery, then it is not a WLS procedure but is treating that complication (it sounds like it to me, but it isn't my decision.) There should be policy bulletin for your BC policy online that spells out what applies to your policy - what they cover or exclude as relates to WLS. You can call their number, but don't take their answer as the last word, as the customer service reps have been known to be wrong. When you find a surgeon to handle your case, their insurance coordinator should be able to tell you exactly what your policy covers, as it is their job to know the lingo and understand all of that fine print. I understand that some surgeons are averse to working on other surgeon's patients (fixing others' mistakes...) but that is not an exclusive thing. One of the docs that I associate with (he runs out support group now) does a fair number of RNY to DS conversions, which as he doesn't ordinarily do RNYs, means that he is fixing other's mistakes (as well as fixing wonky sleeves that others have left behind) so they are out there - you just have to look. Thinking about that a bit more, if a surgeon doesn't want to revise other's patients, then he is either making a lot of mistakes himself that need revising, or he isn't very experienced in doing revisions, so you are better off searching for someone else. Good luck,,,,

How Do You Know When You Hit a Plateau? Simply enough, a plateau is when you stop losing weight even though you want to. It’s not just a day or two without weight loss. It’s a period of a few weeks or more when you keep trying to lose weight, but the scale does not budge. You think you are doing everything you can and should be doing to lose weight, but still you do not see results. That is a plateau. It can be frustrating and discouraging and seem to be unfair. Stay Positive Plateaus can be maddening, but the absolute worst thing you can do during a plateau is to give up. If you decide that your diet is not worth the effort, you are almost certainly going to gain weight. Going back to your old, pre-surgery diet habits, taking oversized portions, and eating high-fat, high-sugary foods will not just make you gain weight. These bad habits can erase your health gains. Worse, they could cause some of the weight loss surgery complications that you already know about, such as the following: Stretching of the sleeve in vertical sleeve gastrectomy Dumping syndrome in gastric bypass Esophagitis with the adjustable gastric band (lap-band) Feeling nauseous or having diarrhea Another reason to stay positive is to keep up your motivation to continue all of the other healthy behaviors in your lifestyle. Don’t fall into the trap of “all-or-nothing,” in which you decide to give up all of your healthy efforts just because your weight loss isn’t quite what you want it to be. These include: Taking your daily vitamin and mineral supplements Getting enough protein and fluids each day Following your regularly exercise routine It Could Be Worse And it will be worse if you give up. It may sound strange, but you can stay positive by thinking about how much better your weight is now than where it could be if you gave up trying. If your careful diet is not leading to the weight loss you had hoped for, it is still preventing weight gain. If you give up, you will gain weight, and probably be pretty disappointed in yourself. Measure Success in Other Ways Another way to stay positive is to stop focusing on the scale. Find other ways to measure your progress. Tracking your body measurements, for example, can let you know that you are shrinking and building muscle even if your total weight is not decreasing right now. Tracking behaviors instead of measurements is another strategy. For example, you assess your success according to whether you eat well, such as hitting your protein goals or sticking to your planned menu. Other successful behaviors to be proud of yourself for are planning and preparing meals ahead of time and making sure you drink enough fluids at times other than meal times. Be Honest and Go Back to the Basics “Why me?” That’s a natural question when you hit a plateau, but most people don’t ask it seriously. However, if you think seriously about what is causing the plateau and how you can fix it, this question can actually help you break through the barrier and get back to losing weight. In many cases, you can figure out “why me” by asking yourself these questions. “Am I logging every single bite that goes into my mouth?” “Am I following the meal plan my nutritionist or surgeon gave me?” “Am I measuring – not eyeballing – all of the foods I eat?” “Am I exercising as much as I am supposed to be?” “Am I getting in my protein each day?” “Have I been too busy or preoccupied to plan my meals and snacks in advance?” If you answer these questions honestly, you might discover that you have slipped up and are not keeping up your good habits quite as well as you thought you had. Go back to the basics of meal planning and nutritious eating, and you are almost sure to see the scale move again within weeks. You’re in Charge! Plateaus are frustrating and nobody wants to experience them at some point, but almost everyone does. These steps can help you when you notice that you are in a plateau. Stay positive and keep up your healthy behaviors. Focus on other measures of success besides the scale. Assess your diet honestly. Make any necessary changes. You can get over your plateau, and you will be stronger for it! Just be patient and do what you know is right for your health.

Ok this is a moan, but I am sick of having the same conversation with my surgeons dietician. When I went for the op I had done what I thought was fairly extensive research, I looked at the bypass and the band, and I had decided that apart from the fact that the bypass scared the living crap out of me, the band was better suited to my eating habits. Although I do like treats my problem was always portion control and the lack thereof. I had a long discussion with the dieticians explained that with such a large family I cook loads of one pot meals ( think coq au vin, spag bol, pot roast etc) I just eat too much and get hungry 1 hour afterwards. During this discussion she mentioned trying crackers/raw veg etc if that happens as it will stay in the band longer. Since I had the band I have cut out nearly all the Snacks, I allow myself one low cal bag of chips a day and that is it, BUT I dont eat my food dry. I follow all the rules, take 20 minutes to eat, dont drink with meals or for an hour after, and I exercise. My weight has stayed pretty static in the last 4/6 weeks even with the fill, and I eat way more than I should be able to. My clinic are telling me that is because of the pot roasts and tomato sauces (apparently it just slides through the band???) and that if I want it to work I have to eat grilled/steamed meats and plain veg. WTF??????? If I ate that without the band I would lose weight!!!! The whole point of the band for me was the fact that I could still cook the things that I enjoy cooking, and the vast majority of what I cook is healthy, and have portion control. She is right, when I do eat the dry food I do get full much quicker,but from what I have read on here I should get full on spag bol just as easily. What gives???? I ended up asking her what I had spent £8,000 on becuase I have already made the healthy choices, started excersing etc, if I have to change the healthy stuff that I eat so radically then to me I just feel like I am on a diet, not that I have changed my attitude to food. She mentioned me getting another fill, but again I am worried, in surgery he had to put in 4cc as the band was so loose, my first fill did nothing and in order to get any restriction on the 2nd fill I had to go to 9cc in a 10cc band, there is only 1cc left FGS!!! That worked for a couple of weeks but now it seems to have loosened off, I can eat pretty much anything (but not white bread), and if there is any sauce on it I can eat loads! Can the band loosen off if you dont lose weight? If I cant eat white bread then surely I have restriction, so why am I condemmed to dry foods only in order for it to work? I feel like I have met the band half way, I have made huge changes and embraced them and it still isnt enough :wink: At the moment the way I am looking at it it is 70% me, 30% the band :tongue: I just feel like I was missold. Friends keep saying to me that my diet is no different to their weight watchers only I am not allowed the sauces and that they cant see why I spent all that money, %&)&^(&^%&$!!!!!! I am sooo hacked off..... Nina x

I totally know its a safe surgery with less complications then most others. I know all of the logical things that you great ladies have told me are true but that doesnt stop the irrational part of your brain from being scared. I've had 13 surgeries to date, and 1 was abdominal which was gallbladder. Of all my surgeries that was the hardest...I ended right back up in the er a few hours later, sick as a dog. Maybe that plays into my fear, knowing I have to deal with that again. The gas pain is absolutely terrible for me. I am sure many of us say that! To answer your question Pandora... It isn't the band procedure or plication that is freaking me out. I chose the banded plication because while bypass and sleeve are just too drastic for me, I am totally fine having a few stitches thrown in. In fact, I like that in many cases bandster hell can be eliminated because of the instant restriction it creates. Also it lessens the chance of a slip, and I like that. I saw a post earlier about intense vomiting and the band....that does worry me, as I do get bugs/flu and get pretty intense vomiting at times. Do you just get an unfilled or....? How hard can you really vomit before causing a slip?

Bayugirmrsc, Thanks for sharing Jake.... by the way, Jake is one of my fav. names....js. anywho... My friend and "lapband" mentor had to have her band removed last month and she opted for the sleeve. I talked with her yesterday as a matter of fact and she is SOOOOO happy with the sleeve. I hope and Pray that you have great results also. Please keep us posted. _________________________________________________________________________ As of May 4, my band is out and I was sleeved during the same surgery. My sleeve doctor will do both removal and sleeve if there is not a large amount of scar tissue and if the band/stomach is in good shape, where other surgeons will not do two in one. All went well for me. What I can say is that for me, this one was quite a bit more painful than the initial lapband install surgery, but, my doc warned me. The incision where he removed the port was the worst as far as pain! But then, It was like over night and the pain got better and manageable. I'm down 23 lbs. already which includes the 2 week pre-op diet til today. I'm at the gym again at turtle speeds and feeling great! I needed to tell someone and you asked if I would keep you posted and I went forth, Thank you for that. BTW, Jake is my middle name and I use it because I also like it very much. If you noticed I've changed my display name from jakealta to NoMoBand making it an official name change, but, jake is out of the name :-( So, so far so good, Thank God!!!! Should you ever find yourself in a predicament with a possible revision and have questions, please do ask. I'm here to help. God Bless and thanks again. Jake

Agree, it sounds like maybe that's the surgeon's preference -- just went to my seminar and the surgeon was very open to either sleeve or bypass, depending on patient's needs/medical issues, etc. It wasn't one is way better than the other -- definitely get a second opinion!

I had one surgeon tell me that I needed bypass not vsg. I wasn't comfortable with that. I found a different surgeon who performed the sleeve. I wasn't too keen on having my intestines messed with and he was a great help and supporter.

If there were no urgent reason for a bypass, or a complicated hernia situation to consider, this would smell like the old bait-and -switch trick. Given that, I would think that the surgeon just simply has more experience with the bypass and is more confident in his/her surgical skills in that regard. Who knows? Maybe you will get a different answer. However, if the second surgeon also feels that a bypass would be a safer procedure and give you better long-term results, then that is probably the way to go. I went to the bariatric clinic expecting a lap-band and ended up with a sleeve.

Do you have any chance of having a revision to a different surgery? I think the feeling of "I couldn't have this before but now I can" can cause really big problems, because your current situation likely isn't going to change soon

Well Linda, let me be the first to welcome you to the forum!! You'll find a lot of great information here and answers to all of your questions. I'll answer the few I know about, but I'm currently pre-op so I won't have them all. You can use the search function at the top right hand side of the screen (if you're using a PC) to search for different threads that have answers to your questions- and the ones you can't find, just ask!! Regarding the required tests- my insurance only requires that I see a NUT (nutritionist) for 6 months, but that was the only physical appointment that was required of them. My surgeon, on the other hand, required a sleep study to check for sleep apnea, a psych evaluation, an upper endoscopy to check for h pylori, medical clearance from my PCP and a blood panel- but that's just so far. Once I get cleared by insurance, I'll then need to have pulmonary and cardiology clearance and maybe some other stuff... As far as risks are concerned, yes- there are risks of a leak. Many surgeons do a leak test AS they are operating to make sure there are none- and then after the surgery you do a swallow test to make sure that there are none. Again- I'm pre-op so any post-op people who want to chime in, please do!! The reason I'm personally choosing to do the sleeve is because it's actually less invasive than the DS or RNY but i have the option of doing either of those as a two-step surgery should I choose. (Personally, I'd rather not as I've seen many people that are super successful with the sleeve alone). The Bypass and DS actually require more cutting and the re-arrangement of your intestines so it's not really for me. Regarding your question about the staples, it is my understanding that the staples stay in... I hope I was at least a little bit helpful with your questions- and again, if there is something you need more clarification on, please ask. Everybody here is really helpful and friendly. Good luck with everything!!

I'm going to address your concern about stomach cancer which may or may not happen...I was concerned about this because my grandmother passed away from stomach cancer and that was the first thing I though of when the doctor suggested the sleeve. Here's how I reconciled that concern. The VSG was originally designed as the first step in a two step process for patients that were severely morbidly obese - we're talking the 500 pounders. They would perform the VSG, then once the patient lost some weight, they would perform a gastric bypass. What they found was this was a good surgery for people who weren't as heavy and even some of those original candidates didn't need the bypass. So, my theory is, there is a Plan B if something goes wrong with my sleeve. You can go to a bypass if needed.

My mother has those leg spasms as well she is like 15 years out gastric bypass....but certain things spark her episodes like if she eats alot of salt...i guess thats what kinda contributes to her dehydration..but that is very serious hope u feel better soon

I joined the Gone for Good club...was "persuaded" LOL! They post their weightloss on a Wednesday but I'm used to Sundays. Anyway it works out Ok cos I always have a peek day and that can now be Sundays. Plus, this week I really got going again on Wednesday after my fill so weighing in next Wednesday will make it a good week. The scale is moving in a downwards direction again :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: but then with what I've eaten this week and the work I've put in, I'd be real disappointed if it didn't. I'm gonna wait until Wednesday to see if I lose anymore...watch this space (or the GFG!) I'm doing well with my walking and building up my time. I'm at a good heart rate when walking and build up a sweat by the time I finish. Once I get to a happy walking time, I'll work on increasing the speed a little. Some days this week I haven't taken any insulin and when I have had to it's been minimal...10units most (from 90 before band). I'll chat with my doc next week to see what general revisions he wants to do. My BP has been great except for now..it's my TOM and each month it goes up? It can be 110/68 in the morning and get to 146/80by night. I dunno why other than my gyni said it happens because of hormones. So for now I still need help with this periodically (no pun intended! :cool: ) I'm doing well and feel really upbeat and positive about just about everything I can think of :clap2: Not much more to ask for really!

I'm a Nurse Aide on a heart bypass/trauma unit and my Doctor made me take off two weeks so that I didn't get a hernia from lifting patients.

Only one-third of the population of the United States is at a normal weight. The other two-thirds are overweight or obese – or morbidly obese. Most Americans are very interested in finding a solution for obesity. If you’re like most of the population, you’ve probably tried a bunch of methods for losing weight. If you’re still searching, then you probably didn’t find one that worked for the long term. Sure, maybe they worked for a short time, or helped you lose a little bit of weight, but eventually you regained the weight. With so many advances in science and so much interest in an obesity treatment, you’d think there’d be a magic cure for obesity by now. But, there isn’t. These are your current options for losing weight. Each of them relies on eating fewer calories than you expend. Dieting: eating less or choosing lower-calorie foods so that your total intake is lower. Exercising more: burning more calories through physical activity. Dieting and Exercising: naturally, doing both would lead to faster weight loss. Weight Loss Drugs: these can increase your metabolism or decrease your appetite. Weight Loss Surgery: make your includes diet and exercise Weight cycling, or yo-yo dieting, is no fun – but that’s what so many of us are doing! In fact, more than 90 percent of people who rely on diets and exercise for weight loss gain their weight back soon – or don’t even achieve their goal weight in the first place. For most people, the problem with diets and exercise is that they’re temporary; people get bored with them and stop following their programs. Weight loss drugs have their own problems. There aren’t too many options that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They’re not necessarily effective – they may help you lose a few pounds, but probably won’t get 100 pounds off of you. They’re usually only allowed for a short time, such as 12 weeks or a year. Like all drugs, they have side effects. Weight loss surgery is an increasingly well-known option for weight loss. Many patients who have had previous failed diet attempts are able to lose hundreds of pounds and keep them off. Weight loss surgery procedures can be restrictive, which means that they make your stomach smaller or help you feel full faster so that you eat less. They can be malabsorptive, which means that the amount of nutrient that you absorb decrease. Or, they can be both restrictive and malapsorptive. Not all weight loss surgeries are the same, though, so you’d better look at your options carefully if you think you’re interested. Chapter 2 of The BIG Book on the LAP-BAND® describes each of the common weight loss surgeries and how they work. Vertical banded gastroplecty: A restrictive procedure, also known as stomach stapling, in which the surgeon staples shut the majority of your stomach pouch. Vertical sleeve gastroplasty: A restrictive procedure in which the surgeon removes the majority of your stomach pouch and covers the incision with a “sleeve.” Sleeve plication: A restrictive procedure, also known as curvature plication, in which most of your stomach is folded over so you can only use a tiny pouch. Laparoscopic adjustable banding (Lap-band): A restrictive, fully reversible procedure in which a band is placed around the upper portion of your stomach so you feel full faster. Gastric bypass: A restrictive and malapsorptive procedure in which part of your stomach blocked off and your small intestine is resectioned. So what is it going to take for you to lose weight and get healthy? It may seem impossible, especially if you’ve tried and failed so many times before, but one of the most important messages in Chapter 2 of The BIG Book on the LAP-BAND® is that you can get healthy! Successful weight loss requires lifestyle changes and a serious, long-term commitment. For some people, losing weight and keeping it off also requires the lap-band. The important point is that you can do it if you set your mind to it and have the right tools.

You will do great I had the rny bypass and went back to work three days later. Just know when to slow down. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

My RNY Gastric Bypass Surgery My name is Carla! I live in NJ I'm a 35 year old married mother of two. My weight loss journey started in March 2008. My son was one year old and I decided I no longer wanted to live my 300lb unhealthy lifestyle! I wanted to live to be able to see my Son grow and I wanted to be able to play with him and not watch from the side lines. I had my gastric bypass surgery Sept 15 2008. After the usual Two days in the hospital I was feeling good and diacharged. Only to return to the hospital at 4am in severe pain. I had a leak. Had to do another surgery and recovery was very painful I stayed in the hospital for three weeks. With that being said I would do it all over again. I reached my goal weight of 160lbs within the year. I maintained this weight for 5 years I was a stay at home Mom back then and I worked out full time. 6 or 7 days a week 1 1/2 -2 hours a day! I was determined to make all of my pain purpose full. But as life happened I creeped up to 180lbs and plateau there for months until I got pregnant with my daughter. My weight went up to 230lbs on my date of delivery. With some light exercise, ppd, and anxiety my weight toggled between. 215and 230 until one morning I woke up and the scale said 240! I almost died. I did not come So far to just become morbidly obese again. So on June 1 2016 I began hitting the gym hard again! It's not easy working full time. Caring for my 8year old and 2 year old. And still finding the energy to work out like I used to. But I am motivated to get my old self back. So I have been drinking 2 meals and eating one meal daily for the past week. I have my restriction back! And I'm ready to reach my goals! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I am 6 months post op gastric bypass. In my experience with my clinic I have lost 80% of my excess weight so far. I plan on losing the rest of it also. A lot of people do lose more than the average. That's why it's an average. It depends in you and your commitment and dedication.

Hi Cupcake I have met the insurance requirement in the beginning. They just needed proof that I have tried numerous duets and failed. So when I went to visit my bypass Dr that was not going to be a problem. Why do you need clearance from the cardiologist before you can get the EGD done?

Hello Amanda, I had surgery at UPMC Magee on 4/27/18, DR AMED. You will find a lot of details in my surgery story and my profile. They are basically the same story. I highly recommend Magee hospital as I had a very good experience with both my surgeon and the hospital. I gave them very good ratings on my post op survey. Feel free to ask me any questions that you may have and I will give you details of my experience. Are you having gastric sleeve surgery or gastric bypass?