Search the Community

Thanks everyone for the input. I'm still not certain, but I am leaning toward the sleeve. Neither sleeve, nor plication is covered under Tricare, only Gastric Bypass and Banding, which I think is ridiculous. Can't wait to get this party started!!!

October I sat and spoke to a woman who had gastric bypass, and I decided right then this is my next step to trying to get this weight off. By December 22 I had my surgery date set on 1-12-17. I found a great company called Belightweight who arranged all I need to have it done. Since it was out of my pocket I need affordable price With quality. I had RNY done for $8900. It was like being in a really nice hotel room. I was alone during my stay for surgery. Everything was there I needed and so friendly and nice staff to help with anything I needed. Surgery was two hours, and recovery was 45 min. Then they put me back into my room. First thing I said was can I get up! And I did, I felt like crap and a little nauseous but I pushed through and keep getting up for the first three hours after surgery. By the. Third hour my pain level was very low and it stayed that way the rest of my time there. I was ready to leave before 24 hours after surgery but stayed another night because my flight did not leave till then. Had a really great experience and am so glad I did not have to hump through hoops and wait long time. I am five days post opp and off pain med. I'm feeling good and am so hopeful for future. Right now I am taking day to day and breaking some old habits in this season so when I can eat food again it will be easer. My starting weight 294. I I'm going to wait to weigh in again until two weeks out. I hope you can find some encouragement to those who are have not had their surgery done yet. . My biggest advice is to get out of that bed asap after surgery. Even if it is only one or two steps. Best of luck to you all. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Spice, good luck to you on your journey. I also have a lapband with plication, however, I am a revision patient. I was originally a banded in 2001. You can read more about it on the blog in my signature if you want more information. I have lost about 65 pounds so far and would like to lose about another 40 more. My band is completely empty and I plan on leaving it that way. Take care and please let us know how it goes.

I think we're all at this mindset at one point or another. I just try to console myself that maybe our slower weight loss will mean less loose skin in the long haul. I think 30 lbs is great! I am three weeks out and stuck at 12 lbs, so I would take 30, LOL! I know what you mean though. I have definitely had to revise my goal dates. Hang in there!

Also there is a Gastric Bypass Meal Plan App for your phone

I have a 14cc band. My first fill was 3 weeks ago (when the dr had to revise my port due to it flipping) and he put in 6.5cc. I go in today for a second fill. I dont know how much he is going to put in today, since I can still eat a fair amount and still hungry quite often

I'm six years & +30 lbs post op. Incredibly frustrated and disappointed in myself. I watch what I eat and exercise daily but find my thoughts revolve around food and I don't get that 'full' feeling I once did. I've considered a revision of some kind but it's embarrassing to admit I failed... Again. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Yes, I've had laparoscopic surgery before my gastric bypass (gallbladder about 15 yrs ago) and they use the belly button for one of the incisions. I think that's where they insert the camera to see inside your abd. The other incisions are where they put the instruments to do their work. I only had 4 for gallbladder but 6 for bypass. The only site they used for both surgerys was the belly button one so I have a bunch of tiny abd scars. The gallbladder ones are pretty light now but I can still tell where they are.

Name........Start......Current......Goal......To Go CindyG......................190....................190.............175................15 Momto1plus1..............178...................178.............159...............19 Shortgal......................176...................176..............168...............8 Shalee04...............178...............178..........168...........10 Ok I will jump on this spring bandwagon. I wasn't a very good bandster during the holidays and ate wayyyyyy to many goodies and gained 6-7 pounds. Also being on bedrest for 5 weeks after my tummy tuck didn't help either. I finally broke down today and scheduled a fill for next week. It has been a year since my last one, I know my band Dr is going to chew me out for waiting so long. Sigh. it's ok tho I still weight a hellof a lot less then I did a year ago when he last saw me. I have started back to the gym, my wound is almost healed and I will have a revision to fix the scar tissue probably in April sometime, I'nm not looking forward to that. But in the meantime I want to tone my legs back up, they haven't had a good workout since October and boy does it show, :eek:especially now with the tummy gone.

Hi everyone! I had my band to sleeve revision on July 9th - feel great! Just a little sore and walking helps. I did gain 7 lbs from surgery but lost that plus 2 more. I am trying to figure out what to eat on the puréed foods portion for 2 weeks. Any ideas?

Band-RNY revision age 49 5'4" Starting weight: 260 Surgery weight: 244, Current weight 140.2 Pre-op-16lbs (size 18/20) M1-16lbs (size 18) M2-15.6lbs (size 16/18) M3-10lbs (size 16) M4-11.4lbs (size 14) M5-10.8lbs (size 12) M6-8.4 (size 8/10) M7-6.4 (size 8...165.4 lbs) M8-11.6 (size 6...153.8) M9-5.6 (size 4/6...148.2) M10-5.8 (size 4....142.4)

Banded 12/29, I went home about 8 hrs after surgery. I didn't know I got the plication until after I woke up. The procedure is very new here and my doctor adds it at no charge. I am so glad he did. I love it! I chose the band because the bypass and sleeve scared me. I felt the health issues associated with them made it too risky for me. Good luck in whatever you choose.

<p>yeah, i've been doing terrible.</p> <p> </p> <p>i haven't worked out in 2 weeks (1st week had a sick child, last week..no excuses). i haven't been logging my food. i get my first fill tomorrow.</p> <p> </p> <p>i'm revising my goal of items to do before December 27 (approx 2 months post op):</p> <p>1. go 3 whole days without any sugar or simple carbs</p> <p>2. work out 15 times at Curves</p> <p>3. log my food 25 out of 30 days.</p> <p>4. go on one family/friend outing that does not involve food. </p> <p>5. read a book (i used to love to read, but i'm not a big fan of fiction, and some of the non-fiction stuff is really dry, maybe i will find a self-help book for head hunger..lol)</p>

Brian, 5 years ago I had open heart surgery; 2 years later I had my gallbladder removed; and now I'm looking at the band. At the time I had my gallbladder out I haden't heard about the band or I most definitely would have done both at the same time. By the way I'm a 63 yr. old female. Age is just a number. I had durabond and steri-strips for my gallbladder and was up and around the same day. I came home the same day as a matter of fact. I had little pain and I can eat anything I want. I personally think given our option I wouldn't hesitate to have both done at the same time. Why get cut twice? It makes no sense. They are both laparoscopic surgeries. I'm not sure where you got the Medicare info if it was Medicare but it is gastric bypass that they don't want to do after 65. As of right now Lap Banding isn't even covered, although it probably will be by the first of Jan. Regardless, we will have to pay what Medicare doesn't. All the surgeons I've consulted have told me that. You on the other hand might get the gallbladder surgery paid for and the anesthesia and OR. That would be a great help to you I'm sure. This is just my opinion, but trust me you aren't going to miss the gallbladder and while they are getting it out let them band you. Good luck to you.

He prefers the bypass because it has long term success and they know that. If you want a sleeve and you know your reasons and are fine with the fact that there isnt long term info for the sleeve he will do what you want. He will tell you what he thibks is best but ultimately it is your choice.

Already posted this in the pre op category, but I think it belongs here more! I'm Nicole, I'm 19, and I'm waiting on approval for my RNY! You are probably thinking, “Wow, she’s only 19, why they heck is she getting a Gastric Bypass surgery so young?" so I just wanted to make this post to kind of give you guys an idea of why I am getting the surgery, why I think it’s the best choice for me, and what has been happening lately! So, originally I opted for the Sleeve Gastrectomy, because I liked the fact that they didn’t mess around with your intestines and all that jazz like they do with the bypass, so I went to my surgeon, and I did all of my pre-op stuff, like my nutritionist visits and psychiatrist visits,and it turns out I was diagnosed with binge-eating disorder, so I had to do a month of group therapy before she would clear me for surgery. You have to make sure you are mentally prepared before you put your body through anything, which I get. I started this whole process the first of December. After all of my tests and appointments and stuff got finished, and I had lost enough pre-op weight, they sent away to the insurance company at the beginning of May. I waited and waited until just this week when my mom was finally like we should call and see what’s up. So she called the insurance company, and it turns out that my insurance doesn’t cover sleeves, but I was a clear candidate for bariatric surgery so I would have to re-submit for the bypass or the lap-band, So I made an appointment with my surgeon and we decided to go ahead and switch to the Roux en Y. So now I have to wait for this approval and to schedule a surgery date! As for my age, and having surgery, I have a lot of medical problems that no 19 year old should ever have to deal with. I take 7 pills in the morning and 4 at night. I have high blood pressure that I am on two different types of medication for, just to maintain it, I have asthma, I have poly-cystic ovarian syndrome, which causes me not to ovulate, and my OB-GYN said I may never be able to have children. I’ve been medicated for it in the past, but bariatric surgery has been proven to take this away in most cases. Also, when I was 18, i suffered from kidney failure and was in the hospital for almost a week. It just sucks to know that your body is so unhealthy that your organs are beginning to shut down. At this point, I know if I don’t make a change I will just end up getting worse and worse. I’m going to have to work my ass off every day, and my new stomach pouch is only going to be a tool to help me get to where I need to be, not an easy way out, and everyone who thinks that is horribly wrong. It’s not going to be easy, but it’s going to be worth it. Peace & Love

My oldest sister had a gastric bypass in 1995 (21 years ago) add has not gotten any kind of cancer.....rather it cured her of several maladies typical to obesity. Bypasses have been around since the 1950's where the first one was performed at the University of Minnesota.

That sounds horrible, I had reflux for about 6-7 months non stop with the lap band I could barely take it anymore. I did not have reflux prior to the lapband. I am concerned about the reflux I have now and converting to the sleeve. Have you ever heard of the linx system? I talked to a surgeon about it already. It may prevent you from having to convert to bypass due to reflux. Awesome on reaching your goal. I have done all the tests you have done. I had a scope, gastric emptying, manometry, and today I did an upper GI. They do see I am refluxing on the upper GI. All other tests came back normal. I hope it just may be a hiatal hernia that is to small to see because there is currently no real explanation for it. Best of luck!

I was quite concerned about acid reflux as well. At my consultation, my doctor told me to go with bypass if I had regular acid reflux. Otherwise, he'd recommend the gastric sleeve. I had a very large hiatal hernia. He said he was 99% certain that was what my occasional reflux was from and that after the repair I should be fine. I'm on PPIs for 6 months during healing. But, it is widely known that it is possible to have bad reflux about 2 years after. However, most of those cases are from unhealthy eating habits. I'm 2 weeks post op with no reflux issues right now, but I'm on meds as well.

I am sorry you are dealing with this. It is an awful problem. A lot of surgeons will tell you to convert to bypass for bad reflux and a hiatal hernia, but you can try fixing the hiatal hernia and see if that works. For some people, just fixing the hiatal hernia is enough to help the reflux. Since most of our stomach is gone, we can't have a Nissen fundoplication (the usual procedure to fix a hiatal hernia and control acid) but they can still just pull the stomach down into your abdomen and stitch the diaphragm closed. The main reason that is not always their first choice is because that may have a higher failure rate. Another option if your esophagus is strong enough for it would be to get a Linx device, since that seems to help keep hiatal hernias from coming back too.

As a recent sleeve to bypass patient - specifically to resolve the terrible GERD, Gastritis and Esophagitis caused by chronic acid reflux - I can so relate to your comments. I had acid reflux disease before I even had the sleeve, and my surgeon never told me that GERD could be a complication following sleeve surgery. In all fairness, I think that this has really only come to the surface over the past 5 years. Now surgeons, and GI doctors, seem to be more versed in GERD following sleeve surgery and more prone to advise patients to choose the bypass. On a positive note, I've had ZERO acid reflux since my bypass surgery October 2020. I stopped taking any PPI, and my primary care doctor is thrilled. Long term use of PPI's can also lead to bone loss in women. Best decision I made was choosing the revision surgery.

I have read the 'rules of the pouch' and they mention 'water-loading'. Is this for bypass patients or for lap band patients as well. Does anyone use this technique between meals?

I have Blue Cross of California PPO, and they are paying a portion of the Lap-Band surgery. They didn't even mention bypass as an alernative for me. They do require you have the procedure done at a "center of excellence". In order to get authorization, I had to have my primary and psych doctors write letters about my ability to understand and commit to the program. I also had blood testing, EKG, treadmill EKG. I also had to meet with a nutritionist and a life coach. To tell you the truth, I was really surprised how quickly it all came together. Now I'm worrying (of course) whether akk the good news was bad info. But we'll take it a day at a time.

My GERD just got worse with time after my VSG in November 2015. After all the diagnostic tests were positive, I had a bypass done in October 2020 to resolve GERD, Gastritis and Esophagitis that no longer responded to medication. I have not had one episode of GERD or heartburn since. The results have been remarkable nd I'm so glad I had the surgery.

The Lap Band Zone II: "Dealing with civilian response" By Aaron Grossman, Babyboomers.tv staff writer, "More Salt than Pepper" I had Lap-Band surgery six weeks ago. Since then, I’ve lost 45 pounds and my doctor has eliminated the massive dosage of blood pressure medication I was taking. For more information on what Lap-Band Surgery entails and my reasons for opting into it, click here . I’ve encountered mostly positive reactions to my decision of taking the somewhat drastic step of bariatric surgery in order to arrest my compulsive overeating. Actually, I’ve encountered only overwhelmingly positive feedback to my significant weight loss. That’s natural: I look better; I’m starting to resemble the person I used to be before I blew up into a medically obese creature; and, my sunny demeanor is returning in place of the cynical, clearly frustrated persona I had adopted during my long descent into “fattitude.” However, there are other reactions with which I find myself contending. Most commonly, there are many folks who just don’t know what Lap-Band surgery is. Or, others who mistake it for full-scale bariatric bypass surgery. My surgery was laparoscopic -- 5 small incisions used to insert the Lap-Band itself along with a “port.” Once explained, they silently nod their heads and I can hear them thinking … “Why would he choose this invasive technique just to lose weight?” Or, “What’s the matter, he can’t stick to a diet?” These observations belie the more extreme reaction which I have actually had said to me personally … “Surgery? That’s the easy way out of dieting.” In fact, there are just such reactions to news from Australia that the government is considering paying for Lap-Band surgery for morbidly obese patients who can’t afford the procedure. This, in an effort to forestall the exorbitant medical insurance costs of the consequences of obesity: high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiac conditions, strokes, etc. Click here for more details. But, when you dig a little further or just Twitter reactions to the news from Australia, there is a range of vitriolic (anonymous) email responses: • “Why can’t these fatties just stop their whining and shut their mouths?” • “This is such a f_ _ _ ing easy way out and a waste of taxpayer money for those of who really should lose weight by shutting their traps.” • “Why are governments looking at lap band surgery for obese people? Why not start by censoring what they put in their mouth first???” The diet / fitness / healthful eating discourse has never been serene. Witness Oprah Winfrey berating herself for her recent weight gain in the January, 2009 issue of O: “I'm mad at myself. I'm embarrassed. I can't believe that after all these years, all the things I know how to do, I'm still talking about my weight. I look at my thinner self and think, "How did I let this happen again?" There are many of us who were born into the “lucky gene club” --- they eat as much as, if not more than, the rest of us but their metabolism burns white hot and they go through life without fat (or guilt.) There are others who successfully work hard at achieving the balance of sensible eating, a fitness plan and a moderate lifestyle. However, Reuters reported in January, 2009 that “the number of obese American adults outweighs the number of those who are merely overweight, according to the latest statistics from the federal government.” • Numbers posted by the National Center for Health Statistics show that more than 34 percent of Americans are obese, compared to 32.7 percent who are overweight. Speaking for myself, I had reached my personal point of ‘no return.’ I had been on too many diets only to gain the weight back. While I knew I was capable of great discipline and had spent thousands of hours in the gym, the lure of food as an anesthetic to life’s woes had proven too great for me. After much research, attending numerous support groups and speaking with many post-operative Lap-Band patients, I concluded that the surgery would be right for me. The notion of inserting a tool which could physically signal that I was too full to eat more food resonated with me. So, off I went. To those who say it’s the ‘easy way out,’ here’s my reply: I went through both abdominal surgery and the attendant recovery from its unpleasant discomfort; I no longer drink coffee, carbonated beverages or distilled spirits; I will probably never again eat hard, crusty bread, well-done meat or anything else that can’t pass through an opening the size of a toothpaste cap in my ‘new’ stomach; if I do overeat, I’ll get sick, nauseous or vomit; in the worst scenario, I’ll be hospitalized from eating the wrong food or the wrong amounts. This is the ‘easy way out?’ On the other hand, in 6 short weeks, I’ve lost 45 pounds and have eliminated virtually all of my blood pressure medication; I can walk 6 ½ miles without getting winded or having to stop from joint pain; and, I am happy to do chores around the house again. I achieved this, in no small fashion, with the love and support of my family and, yes, relying on good old fashioned discipline to consume the right foods in the correct proportions. At the end of the day, Lap-Band surgery has empowered me to take control of my food intake and regain my sense of self. It has not always been easy and it is definitely not for everyone. But it’s working for me right now. The very best part … and it didn’t happen as a result of the ‘easy way out’ … is hearing friends and loved ones tell me “Welcome, you’re back again.” F. Scott Fitzgerald famously said “There are no second acts in American lives.” He was wrong – I’m living it right now.