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I would really love some success stories as well. Had sleeve 8 years ago. Went from 260 down to 166. After about a year started gaining it right back and with this crazy year I'm back to 250. I'm going for a sleeve to bypass revision but the doctor said the results typically aren't as good. I'm having trouble finding much on the internet specific to that. Thanks Jean

Hi Everyone! Super new, seeing as I just started my 6 month countdown for gastric bypass. I have not met with my dietitian yet, but I'm trying to get a head start on some things. I've tried calorie counting in the past through weight watchers and individually with the cronometer app. Even after all of this time, I still really struggle to track. I know its a wonderful and helpful tool for me to use, but I forget, don't feel like it or feel quickly overwhelmed. I'd appreciate any advice or words of encouragement. I've been working on cutting out sugars, carbonated beverages, coffee etc. for the time being. Its like I forget what I'm supposed to be doing because I let all other aspects of my life get in the way. When truthfully, this should be the most important.

I am almost three months post op with gastric bypass and I struggle with water too. At first it was easier but the last couple of weeks I have had a hard time

VSG - 3+ yrs ago so slightly different than what maybe happening this year: I called the local Bariatric Surgery practice to inquire about how to start the process and was told to attend an in person seminar where all of the information would be discussed After the seminar I called to set up an appointment with the surgeon. At the appointment my insurance was processed, weight taken then official first meeting with the surgeon where we discussed my health & medical history as well as my options. I chose to move forward with surgery ASAP. The head nurse/office manager set up my first nutritionist appointment for the same day because the NUT was available right after my consult. I was given info on the diet I needed to begin to follow (I needed to meet just once or twice more with the NUT prior to surgery for more instructions and weigh ins). At checkout from the initial consult, I was handed a huge packet of info on the next steps/appointments. There were some the office set up and some I needed to do on my own. I needed to meet with my primary for insurance authorization & prior weight loss history. Next was the psychologist, cardiologist, gastroenterologist , sleep study, and my neurologist (case specific) Final steps were endoscopy and barium swallow test then the final required WLS seminar. Once it was all complete, all materials were submitted and I waited for insurance approval. Once approval arrived I was given options on surgery dates. Prior to surgery I needed to complete pre-op lab/paper work including meeting with the anesthesiologist about 1 week before surgery. No pre-op diet required but I did one for ~ 5 days because I was nervous. Day of surgery (5 am) was just more paperwork then briefly meeting with the team one more time. Administered light sedation then headed into the OR suite, met the surgerical team, placed on surgerical table, wired with monitors/leads, IV placed and then placed under general anesthesia. From initial call to surgery day ~4 months. *Revision to RNY (1+ yr ago): At one of my regular follow up appointments I told my AMAZING Surgical PA that my GERD symptoms had increased significantly. I was scheduled to see the new Surgeon immediately (original one left the practice). At the appointment with my new Surgeon it was suggested to conduct an endoscopy immediately. It was scheduled for the same week. My new Surgeon conducted the endoscopy to have first hand info on my anatomy since they were not the original Surgeon. A few days later we met again to discuss my options (revision or several months of repeated balloon dilatations) I choose revision and was scheduled for 12 days later. Please note that I was "fast tracked" and I didn't need to repeat any of the initial prerequisites because I was at goal weight and demonstrated significant need for the procedure. No insurance issues either for the same reasons. But this time I had to do the 2 week pre-op diet. The day of revision surgery the same as first surgery. Good Luck with your journey ❤️

Hi there - I live in the GTA and I am getting the lap band taken out and thinking about the mini gastric bypass. I see above ppl saying OHIP covers? I paid for the lap band back in 2009 out of pocket. What is the process for OHIP? Many thanks!

I really wanted to have the bypass and I was upset that it was contraindicated for me (due to unrelated medical issues). But I must say, dumping sounds awful so maybe it worked out for the best!

wow.... congrats. You are a success. We have the same status.. pretty much. I'm 5'2" and started my journey with LB 2009 @ 232lbs. Got and stayed at 143lbs for years.... band removal 2017. Was able to keep my weight with in 10-15 till i hit menopause at 50-51. I tried everything to get it off. Didn't have much luck. I had been looking for a dr. that would do a revision, but they all said i didn't weigh enough. The end of 2018 beginning of 2019 i packed on more weight. Got to 173lbs. I was at my wits end when i found my dr. here that agree to do the Sleeve at a 31Bmi. In May we took a pre-honeymoon to Italy and i felt terrible. (plus i had hurt my ankle 4 weeks earlier at crossfit falling off the ab machine). That same May i finally got my property settlement from my ex and i took 14k and invested it in ME..... So 8/28/19 i had the sleeve done and i went from 173 to 120 in 10 months. I sure hope i have the continued success you have. I can honestly say that i think if you do the liq diet for one week you will lose that 10lbs..... but you should go to your GYN and maybe look into hormone replacement. I'm on Estradiol tab. 1mg

Can you gain all the weight back with bypass? I know you can gain some based on what you eat but I would think it comes right back out? I am more worried about future issues when I am older. Malnutrition. Am I paying a lot of money to bring on other issues. Have I learned enough from the band to do this a second time.

@Danny Paul, did your surgeon approve the use of Salonpas patches? I looked into those and found out that they contain an NSAID (methyl salicylate), and although they are topical, the NSAID is absorbed into the bloodstream and can increase the risk of an ulcer. It is probably less of a concern for gastric sleeve patients than gastric bypass, but still a good idea to ask the surgeon.

I dumped a couple weeks post RNY revision with a protein shake. I’ve also dumped on eggs. I don’t have any experience with bananas because I developed an allergy a few years ago but I do miss them.

I had gastric bypass 3 months ago. I had really hoped to be the kind of person who never felt hungry, and could go half the day without remembering to eat. That hasn’t been the case. I’m hungry every couple hours, and on top of that, I don’t always feel my restriction when I’m eating. Sometimes, I’ll eat 3 bites of something and know I have to stop. I wish that happened more often, because other times I don’t feel it at all. For example, I just ate almost a whole bag of popcorn, and I feel just fine. Physically, not mentally. Mentally I’m feeling mad at myself for doing that instead of eating some chicken. Mentally, I’m worrying that the way I was in the past is going to win out and my surgery will be a failure. I’m terrified that my “last resort” won’t get me where I want to be. I guess I’m just wondering if anyone has had a similar experience or any tips. I do know I should be sticking to a Bariatric diet, and I’m working on that. Just had a moment of weakness.

Yes, I'm on track for bypass sometime in November. I have my endoscopy still to do next week. However, I have had 5-cections, a tubal reversal, and a complete hysterectomy, so that's a total of 7 abdominal surgeries. I am so worried about lesions/scar tissue in small intestines making the bypass a problem. Anyone else have any of these issues that has any input? Id greatly appreciate any information.

I'm only three months post-op, so I can't speak to the long-term life of a gastric bypass patient, but based on what I've seen of my experiences and what others have said on here, most people live a fairly "normal" life after gastric bypass. As The Greater Fool said, not everybody gets dumping syndrome, and a lot of the people who do see it as a benefit of surgery because it deters them from eating certain foods. I don't even know if I get dumping syndrome because I haven't tried eating anything that would cause it (I was told to stay under 15 grams of sugar and 15 grams of fat in any meal to avoid dumping). If you are someone who gets dumping syndrome, it's not something that happens every day; you can control it by not eating the foods that cause it -- which are often the same types of foods that cause weight gain. Hunger varies a lot from one person to the next. "Head hunger" is a thing for any type of WLS, and you may already know about that from your lapband. Most gastric bypass patients maintain some amount of restriction for life, and most say that if they eat the foods they're supposed to eat (focusing on lean protein and veggies) and follow the rules about not drinking with or right after meals, they get full with a much smaller amount than they used to. There are certain foods that people call "slider foods" because they go down easily in larger quantities, and you have to be careful with those because they can cause weight gain. I don't think "accidents" are all that common. "Accidents" are associated with dumping syndrome, so if you eat the wrong things (foods with too much sugar and/or fat), it can happen, but again, for most people, it's not something that happens all the time. The opposite problem is actually much more common. Drinking can be an issue. Alcohol has a stronger effect on gastric bypass patients, so we can't drink much, and drinking at all is generally not recommended (especially in the first year). After the first year, you probably could have a glass of wine, but you'd need to be really careful not to drink too much. I just had family visit and they don't know about my gastric bypass surgery. I was able to serve "normal" meals all week and eat small amounts, and my family didn't seem to suspect a thing (maybe they did and just didn't say anything, I don't know -- but they raved about the food I served). Omelets and low-fat chicken sausage for breakfast. Grilled chicken salad for lunch. BBQ chicken and ribs (with sugar-free BBQ sauce on mine) for dinner. There are some things a gastric bypass patient probably won't be able to eat, like fried foods or bread, but there's lots of "normal" food that we can eat. All that being said, your weight is relatively low. I don't know your BMI since you didn't enter your height, but my highest weight was 341 pounds and my weight the day of surgery was 270, so I had a lot more weight to lose than you. On the other hand, GERD seems to be a big factor for you that wasn't an issue for me. Only you can decide if it's worth the risks for you based on your own situation. Even at my high weight, it was a hard decision for me that took a long time to make. Maybe you could have the band removed and see how you do on your own before you make that decision?

Hello I am getting a revision from a lap-band to sleeve and don't drink dairy. I'm sensitive to milk proteins and lactose, I get an immediate breakout of cystic acne and bloating. The hospital I'll be going to mainly stocks premier protein post-op. I currently use a protein powder KOS, its vegan and offers 20g of protein with minimal carbs, fat and is low calorie, it is just very thick for post-op. I've looked around on amazon and found some already made vegan shakes but many have a ton of carbs, are high in fat, high calorie and don't offer at least 20g of protein. What I'm looking for is a protein shake that doesn't have milk or lactose. These tend to be vegan. At least 20 g of protein per serving, 5 or less carbs, no more than 180 calories, and low to no fat. Oh and if it used a natural sweetener like stevia or monk fruit instead of artificial would be great. I don't think this shake exists but any suggestions would be great.

Hi Everyone! I am new to this site and looking for opinions. I have the lapband currently (surgery was 2009). I have had many problems since day one. It was hard to navigate around the restrictions. One day a food would work, the next I was throwing up. Years of throwing up has caused scar tissue and GERD. At surgery date I was 220 and the lowest I got was 157. I had all liquid taken out of the band and I have now gained - I am 190 now. So, I am now having the band removed. I am debating just having it removed and carry on with life and try on my own (diet and exercise). Or, get the Mini Gastric Bypass. The mini bypass because of the scar tissue (they bypass that part of the stomach) and because of the GERD. I want off of medication and I never want to feel heartburn again. However, as I go through these threads, I am hearing about "dumping" that sounds crazy awful and that people are soooo hungry all the time and can eat and eat and eat? And people saying they have "accidents" in their pants? I don't understand. Can you live a normal life with bypass? Can I go to a work function and have a glass of wine, eat a proper meal (a quarter or half of it) without worrying I am going to be in major pain or have an accident? And will i be able to stop eating?? Thanks for any information you can provide me so i can make a decision either way!

So glad I have found this community, it’s exactly what I have been looking for. Surgery date 17 Nov. revision from 15 yr old lapband to sleeve.

I am having my lapband removed and laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery on 24 November. I am excited, but also nervous about the removal part of the surgery. I really hope it is a smooth operation. I feel much better prepared this time around because I have been working with a therapist since February who specialises in emotional eating and uses a mindfulness approach. She has helped me unlock the why and I have had several Aha moments in discovering why I have been an emotional eater since I was a child.

Hello, I am new to site and I'm not even sure if I am posting this where I should be? Anyway here goes. I am 55yo and I have had 5-cesections, 1 tubal reversl, and then after all these abdoninal surgeries I had a complete hysterectomy. I first went in thinking sleeve, but all my life I have battled my weight. I am currantly at 282lbs, but highest was 290lbs. I am on track for surgery sometime mid to late November. Now my worry is, I have been doing lots of research and I'm so concerned and scar tissue/lesions on my small intestines making a the bypass surgery impossable? I have a neighbor that just had bypass surgery with same dr as mine on the 6th this month and she wasn't home 24hrs and was rushed backed to hospital to have more surgery to stop bleeding she said for having so much scar tissue? I'm not sure how much of the information she told me would relate to me, because I know everyone is different. Anyone that has mybe had c-sections and other abdominal surgeries or even knows about this issue could give me some input, I'd sure appreciate you time and help. Thanks in advance.

Resolution rates per Research for both diabetes and hypertension are also best with it. These factored in for my decision as well., Another thing I learned in the process I asked almost this exact question of my surgeon the morning of at the hospital. Basically I said is this too much?? His reply made a lot of sense, he gave his reasons (partly due to this being a revision and therefore not going full deal right out the gate at my lower BMI. Etc The main point I wanted to give is that he explained that he was going to titrate my DS to match my specific current goals and needs per my BMI. In the end I agreed and went ahead and had it done that day.

Not many people here from the UK! I'm having RNY bypass next Thursday at St Mary's in Paddington. We used to live in west London and I know the hospital well tho we moved a couple of years ago; where we live now is quite rural and not near hospitals, so travelling back to London for the surgery. I have to admit I'm getting nervous now. When's your surgery due?

I am finally feeling like myself again. I was expecting to recover much quicker than I did. My revision surgery was done 9.17.20 and I was so uncomfortable and in pain. Now I can sleep on my side (with pillows, I'm a belly sleeper and this is a struggle lol), the Omerparzole has helped so far with GERD, and I can stand and walk for longer periods. I have been doing good on staying hydrated and continue to work on my eating habits and meeting my protein goal (120g). The Premier Protein water taste like chalky cough syrup, as I thought this would be a hack to meet my goal and the unflavored powders do have flavor if that makes sense lol. I can finally bend down and tie my shoes (but it has to be quick lol). The weight loss is slower this time around as we all know with revision but my main focus is my eating habits, exercise, and mental health. Sent from my SM-N950U using BariatricPal mobile app

I had my sleeve surgery in 2013 and have had GERD 6 months after the surgery. I have been on omeprazole for 7 yrs. I went from 40 mg once a day to twice a day. My surgeon now feels that a revision is necessary to resolve this issue. I just meet with him on 10/14 and I am scheduled for surgery for 11/19 upon approval from my insurance company. I will have the revision and repair the hiatal hernia I have too. I did not think it would be this soon. I'm a little worried but looking forward to not having to worry about taking these pills and the effects if I dont. Alot of my family does not know I had the sleeve so now Im concerned about Thanksgiving when I will still be on pureed foods. Not sure what I will do but just praying all works out well. Sent from my SM-A205U using BariatricPal mobile app

I am having my lapband removed and laparoscopic bypass surgery on 24 November. I am excited, but also nervous about the removal part of the surgery. I really hope it is a smooth operation. I feel much better prepared this time around because I have been working with a therapist since February who specialises in emotional eating and uses a mindfulness approach. She has helped me unlock the why and I have had several Aha moments in discovering why I have been an emotional eater since I was a child.

😃Took Aetna less than 2 weeks to approve my bypass! Appointment with Surgeon next Thursday. Hope I get a surgery date on that day!

So I did the deed two days ago. Had it done in Mexico and still recovering in the hospital. I’m so ready to go home I can’t stand it. However, so glad I did this. I went from band to sleeve to bypass in an 11 year stretch. I’ve made a lot of mistakes and learned a lot about my body. My goals going forward are to take my food addictions a lot more seriously, and love myself enough to continue my level up phase in life. I’ve gained the Covid 19 (pounds) like everybody else, now it’s time to lose those as well as the other 70-80 lbs I need to shed. 😏 I’m looking forward to this new journey. I know a revision doesn’t take off as much weight as a virgin surgery. Luckily I don’t have a lot to lose.