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RNYTalk Newsletter By Hey, RNYTalk members!Happy New Year! It’s time to leap into 2013. You might have slipped a little during the holidays, but January is a great time for a fresh start! Of course, RNYTalk.com is here for you as you work to lose weight and get healthy. Allow the January Newsletter to motivate you to get back on board if you lost your focus in December, or to inspire you to keep up the good work if you were able to stay on track during the holidays. Here’s what we have in this newsletter. Looking Ahead to 2013! Member Spotlight: Meet Jenneliza! New Year’s Resolutions that Work! RNYTalk Member Challenge: Make Your New Year’s Resolutions! Casting Call: Looking for RNYTalk.com Members to be in a Book! As you get back into the swing of everyday life and your commitment to your health, we hope you continue to make Alex Brecher Founder RNYTalk.com Looking Ahead to 2013! 2012 was a phenomenal year for Water skiing. Then, as she says, “it was a no-brainer” when her daughter told her “she was being teased for having a fat mom.” She got her bypass surgery in July and is already down 104 pounds, from a high of 286, less than six months later! Since getting the surgery, she feels more motivation to exercise because it feels like it’s helping. This time, she’s confident that she will lose the weight! Her son already has more room on her lap, her children can wrap their arms around her and she loves seeing herself in the mirror – without the double chin! Jen’s biggest challenge is staying hydrated every day. Another challenge is going to the grocery store and seeing all the tempting and forbidden foods! Jen uses RNYTalk.com to get information and find support from members. As she says, the “forum is full of great people who offer all kinds of viewpoints and discussions.” She loves using the app for iPhone because it is so convenient. Jen’s advice for members who may be struggling with their weight is not to give up – the journey is tough but worthwhile! Thanks, Jen, for sharing your story and offering your advice. Congratulations on your own weight loss! The Protein per day so you feel more full. Make them doable. Keep your resolutions realistic so you’re not setting yourself up for failure. Nobody’s perfect, and your resolutions’ success shouldn’t depend on you to be perfect. Instead of resolving to drink more water, resolve to drink an extra 8 ounces of water in the morning at least 5 days per week. This resolution gives you some room for error just in case you forget your water a couple of times in the week. Plus, the resolution is specific, so it fits with the first tip! Make them controllable. You can’t control whether you lose a certain amount of weight within a certain amount of time. What you can control are resolutions such as sticking to your diet or exercising to burn off an extra 300 calories per day, 3 days per week. Keep these tips in mind when you’re making your own New Year’s resolutions. Solid resolutions together with your best intentions can help you make 2013 a great year for your health, weight and happiness! RNYTalk Member Challenge: Make Your New Year’s Resolutions! This is the part of the newsletter where we challenge RNYTalk.com members to take a step forward by doing something new. The experience can help you grow and gain confidence when you do something you hadn’t even thought about before, or you find out that you can do something you hadn’t even realized that you could do. This month, we’re sticking to the theme of New Year’s resolutions. The challenge for this newsletter is to make one or more resolutions based on the advice in this newsletter. We challenge you to make your resolutions specific, doable and controllable – and we’re eager to see what you decide to do in 2013! Tell us about your resolutions in the recipes to share, let us know! All you have to do is contact Alex Brecher (username Alex Brecher) via RNYTalk.com’s private messaging system. We’d love to hear from you no matter where you are in your bypass journey, even if you’re just thinking about the surgery. Thanks! That’s it for this month’s newsletter. We invite you to head on over to the forums and get a head start on a healthy 2013. Again, Happy New Year to you and your loved ones! May 2013 be the best year so far. Take care of yourself and each other. Sincerely, Alex ==============================================================If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: {unsubscribe}

Hi- I have a very very big sweet tooth, as well. I was able to detox during my pre-op diet two weeks ago (my surgery is next week). I had a horrible migraine for 5 days, chills, fever-like symptoms, and couldn’t be around ANYONE because of the grumpiness. And day 6, it all disappeared and I felt *amazing*. Haven’t had any sugar for a week and a half and I feel so good. Perhaps it’s worth trying to detox and seeing how you do. You may find you don’t need the stuff anymore, which will take away some anxiety about the bypass (it sure did for me). Good luck! :)

I am starting a blog for myself to have a way to look back and keep a log of my feelings, attitudes, struggles and triumphs. I am Canadian living in Manitoba. Our system in Manitoba anyway is very different than many stories I see on this site. I started out putting myself on the surgery wait list it takes approx. 2 to 2 1/2 years to get past that. Then you go to a large group meeting where they go over a in broad terms what the next levels/steps will look like and give you a info package and a in depth questionnaire regarding your current health. It was then 3 months after that I had my first one on one meetings. I do mean meetings you do 1 hour each with a kinesologist, dietician, psychologist, and surgical nurse - they go over your current status and set goals for your next meeting if you are accepted. It was again 3 months since the first set of meetings this past Aug 18th that I had my next set of meetings. I am still waiting to move to the next step - my iron levels are not at the right level for me to move on and this is not negotiable. Your Iron levels must be a minimum of 50 before you will get to move to meeting the anesthetist, surgeon, and start the classes for pre-op and post op diets. My iron levels were 45 close but not close enough. My next blood work is around the 21st or 22nd whenever I wish to go to the lab. I will hear the following week if my blood work passes. I will admit though up till I went to my individual meetings I was extremely naïve about this whole process and what to expect and how intense/involved this all is. I have done a lot of self education in the last 6 to 8 months. I suppose its a good thing I do not frighten easy and really do not shy away from hard work, but I will say I thought it was simple surgery and recovery would be a breeze. I also thought we would be given more of a choice into the type of surgery. Not in Manitoba 99% of have bypass that is what has the best overall long term weight loss results and if in the future medically things need to be undone you are able to. The sleeve may be done depending on your health. There has only been one patient once inside that they just closed back up without doing anything- that was because of health related issues and an exceptional case and that is all they can tell us understandably. I am excited and nervously awaiting moving to the next step. I don't think any of this will be truly real until I meet with the surgeon and anesthetist. Heres hoping for good news when they call at the end of September.

After I had my port revision I had pretty good restriction but I could take a bite or two and it would sort of hurt but then if I waited a few minutes I could go ahead with my meal and to me was eating too much so I decided to go and get another fill. Well when I did this he moved me up to 1.6 and the rest of that day and most of the next day I couldnt hardly even swallow liquid or even saliva was uncomfortable and I was burping up acid so by the next afternoon I decided to go and get some taken out. The medical assistant went in and tried to get it and she couldnt get it out so she called the nurse in and she tried and by then she could only get like less than one cc to come back out and now I have no restriction at all. My question is has anyone experienced this? I am scared that somehow the first girl somehow punctured the tubing or something and all my saline leaked out. I am scared now because I just recently had the port revision and I dont want to have to go back in now and have something else fixed. Can anyone advise? I cant get another appt with the dr until December 20th when he is back in town.

Well, I just had the informational seminar at the bariatric center tonight. It's a smaller center, they only do about 2 wls a week, but their program is top notch. Lots of pre-op education and support and a very comprehensive post-op schedule with the dietician, nutritionist, personal trainer, etc. I was very surprised when the surgeon said that 80% of their patients are Roex-en-y bypass and only 20% are suitable candidates for lap band. It's all determined after the consult with the docs and filling out a long questionere. I'm hoping for the band, really don't want to take on the risks of bypass, plus I would prefer to lose slower and I'm not done having kids yet. So what made you choose the band over bypass? Did you consider bypass at all?

hi janie & everyone. i just signed up yesterday. this is my first time to get on anything like this although i've been banded over two years. i lost 95 lbs in 15 months & my life has definitely changed. size 20 - size 8.....i now have 3.1 cc's in my band but don't believe i would ever have another one. food gets pretty limited when you have this much in your band. i'm still fighting my way through all the emotional eating habits that i have owned for 49 years, so that in itself has been a struggle for me. i had my band done in canon city. dr's wagner/brown were the first surgeon's in colorado to do the band, & i thought this is my last chance at being thin. i never did any research or even considered the gastric bypass. i just did it we started a support grp here & i have made a lot of good friends. we cheer each other and struggle together but we are all bonded together. we know and understand all the stuff. its so great to get into this group though. thanks for asking about me.....

Hi I got my mgb on 23rd jan. Recovering great and managing and tolerating most foods etc. My surgeon told me the day following surgery that he left my pouch bigger because it was no longer safe to operate. Also said he bypassed 2 m .....does anyone know if this will effect my weight loss.

That’s only a little over 6 ft. I had the MGB on 3/1. My surgeon bypassed 11ft. I’m nervous that it wasn’t to much but he said I shouldn’t have problem losing now for sure.

Hi - I am new to this forum and need some help. Weighed 348lb in March 2007, had Lap Band surgery in Feb. 2009 and date of surgery weighed 258lb. After surgery lost another 85lb. and my lowest weight was 173lb in Jan.2013. Became ill in Jan. 2013 with pneumonia and esophagitis and to make an extremely long story short, had to have all Fluid from band removed so esophagitis would completely heal and it did. Had several endoscopies and band showed no signs of slippage and was in the right place and appeared there were no other problems. Was checked for a lot of other stomach, esophagus and band problems all negative which was great! Except for that I have gained 80 lbs. back. With no restriction in my band it was a free for all with eating and food. I forgot how great it was to eat and I have to admit I love eating and love food. I my lifetime, I am 56, I had twice lost over 100 lbs. and always gained them back and more, so when I decided to have the lap band surgery I was determined to lose the weight and keep it off, never, never gain it back. The band was great, even if the food looked and smelled great, I would just eat a little and be satisfied. Now starting to have band refilled, have had 3, and even at last fill had a fluro fill to get a precise fill. I still feel no restriction at all and am still eating. Is it possible that once the fluid is totally removed and then gradually put back in you won't have the same restriction or results as before? I know that going back to healthy eating and lifestyle are the key, I am trying, but the band was such a tool and a help before and not now. Wondered if anyone else has experienced this type of scenario and what was your outcome? I know some who have taken what I think is a drastic measure and have had the band removed and had either bypass or sleeve surgery, but I never want to have internal organs permanently re- routed or changed. Any advice and hope would be greatly appreciated! Thanks Snoops

I would definitely be sure that I was following all of the rules for eating and getting adjustments before I considered another surgery. Frankly, gastric bypass has rules, too, and you could find yourself not losing again if you're not following them. I agree with kacee that you should see your doctor and discuss whether you need an adjustment. Good luck!

thanks so much for the replies... I know the surgeon's comments are controversial, and while his attitude pisses me off when I'm in a vulnerable state (- i.e. lying on my back with a 6 inch needle sticking out of my port), he doesn't bother me too much as I researched long and hard before making my decision to have a lapband - I had given up the gastric bypass route long before I even knew about the band. Also, he is very european, very candid, and will always tell me the truth, - I am 36 years old - i rely on my husband for emotional support and my brain for complex decision not my doctor! So he can just bleep off with his opinions - I really just deal in actual facts! Which are: he (doc) put the aspiration issue down to (a) a leak ( a kinked tube (of which he has only seen one before!) © tube and port are disconnected. He wants me to have a barium swallow thingy done her and send him the films for analysis....in case of erosion/slip (which as Alex pointed out, I don't have any symptoms of). I read all of Vera's old posts about her kinky port and she eventually had to have her band replaced - most tube/leak issues seem to be eventually resolved with rebanding so this is why I am worried I will lose my band - maybe not this week but eventually. I am really concerned about leaks which equals opening which equals often infection - I am pretty worried about any emergency care this may lead to as there are NO BAND DOCTORS in Ireland at all - Also the cost of all of this is an issue - I was self-pay originally - the fills cost about $185 plus plane fare/car hire etc - band surgery in the UK costs about $15,000-$18,000 so I can't afford to do it again right now! Going back to my original surgeon isn't really an option - I don't know how he can help more - he has hardly any english, and my french is'nt fantastic - I found it pretty difficult to go through surgery over there where none of the nurses understood me etc - I would hate to have to go through any procedure there again... I am really wondering if I can just pretend none of this happened, and go on as I was with a kinked tube....? How do they even find out if I have a kinked tube by the way? Does the tube need to be injected with a liquid that will show up on the x-ray? The doc didn't suggest doing that....??? Thanks again to everyone who replied Hugs to old buddies Alex, Leatha & Paula - so good to talk again! Leatha: think the depression thing is ok for now - am waiting to see a counciller person - building up the courage!!! thanks xx Sorry this is so long by the way

I'm with Cindy/Mousecrazy. If you've been having problems all along, why did the doctor give you another fill? You need to be able to eat solid protein - chicken, fish, etc. If you're living on shakes (you didn't say milkshake so I'm going to assume you meant a protein shake) and vomiting something soft like mashed avocado, you're too tight. The band wasn't meant to work like a bypass, which does all the work for you. It's meant to work like a tool that HELPS YOU to make better choices and reduce the quantity of food you ingest. You need to get an unfill, maybe not complete, but certainly low enough that you can eat chicken and other solid food. After you've been able to eat normally (meaning normal for a bandster) for several weeks and given your stomach, band, and esophagus a chance to unswell, and heal itself completely, THEN you should get a SMALL fill. Make sure you can still eat solid food with that small fill. After another month, have another small fill. Make sure you can still eat solid food with that small fill. Repeat as necessary until you reach a level of restriction you can live with, which also helps YOU to reduce your food intake. If you keep going the way you are, you're going to cause damage and lose your band. Not to turn into a phychiatrist here but, is that maybe what you want to happen?

Bright, The attitude of the surgeon you're seeing in England is THE reason why I continued my search for a different surgeon. I'm not banded yet. I'm in the process of getting letters, tests, etc. The first surgeon I talked with told me, without hesitation, that he felt I'd be happier with the RNY. He believed I would be disappointed in the lap band and that he had a patient who lost 180 lbs. (!) with the lapband, but regretted not getting the bypass. Needless to say, I was really questioning my decision. After hearing back from some of the people on this forum, and doing further research, I decided to stick with my original decision to get the lapband. This is a big decision, and I want the doctor I choose to support my efforts 100%, not cause me to second guess myself. Do yourself a favor and talk to another surgeon, one who is not biased against the band. You want an objective opinion, not a biased one. Regards, Debi

Just came home from work after two hours. Major dumping, used all my breaktime for the first half of the day within one hour after I got to work. Here is the kicker, my normal Breakfast, decaf coffee with Protein, so haven't a clue if I might be coming down with a bug (was exposed to the flu a week or so ago, but got a flu shot). I don't get shakey, or get the sweats, but major diarrhea (Sp) this morning and a rolling stomach. I'm use to dumping, as have had it with my diabetes for years, but since bypass I'm doing good if I go every other day, but I have discomfort with the colon now. Like it isn't use to the muscles pushing or straining. Since I am use to dumping, I'm somewhat glad when I have it. Constipation was never a problem with me, and that is how I feel now since I have to from 1-7 times a day to maybe once every two-three days. This might be TMI, but totally amazed how our body changes with the bypass.

My surgery is scheduled for this Tuesday--laparoscopic gastric bypass. My surgeons office told me that, if all things go well, they generally release from hospital on Friday. My son has a soccer tournament on Saturday. It is about an hour away and will last for 6-7 hours. There is some walking from field to field, but it is mostly just sitting. I've told my son and husband that I don't plan on going...but I'm wondering if it might be possible. Opinions? It's not a huge deal if I miss it, but if I can go, of course I would like to. Thanks for the input! Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Hello everyone I am new to this page I am 5 months in to my insurance approval process, and I just met with my surgeon here in Birmingham Alabama. Before i met with him i was looking at the Gastric bypass mainly for the reasons of negative reinforcement from dumping. Once i met with him he recommended the sleeve. I know in the end its up to me iI have done a ton of research lately and the sleeve and bypass seem to have the same weight loss percentage just a different amount of time. I also worry about weight gain after the fact i know it can happen with both. My Surgeon told me that a lot of the reason he recommends the sleeve is because of my job which is 75 to 80 percent of the time behind a desk. but the other i might be doing a lot of heavy lifting and walking with heavy loads. I am 6'3 420 currently and not sure which way to go I would love as much advice as i can get I am also putting this on the Gastric Sleeve board as i am confused as ever.

Greetings from Ireland again - Well, I guess I'm about due for band issues - I will be three years banded in October - I have a 11cc Inamed band, with a 9cc fill capability - it was filled with 3cc during surgery, and I had one (my first!) fill last year - february 2005 - I had my surgery in Paris, France - and now see a surgeon in England for my post-op care, adjustments etc as the language difference was getting to be a problem.... Anyway, I got my first fill - up to 6cc in Feb 2005 - and everything was going sort of ok - I have lost 92lbs, and then started to put weight back on a little - I have gone up ten pounds as I have been suffering from depression - I got over that crappy 8 months, and decided to go for another fill to re-motivate me and get me back losing - I had purposly left my restriction low for this reason. I went for a fill yesterday to my surgeon in the UK - he also does gastric bypass, and thinks this is a vastly superior surgery for weight loss - his first question to me was "Do you really think the band works? BE HONEST!" . He does the fills blind, so I lay on the couch thingy and he tried to aspirate my band to see how much of the 6cc he can get out - well, he got out NOTHING - I was thinking - "oh no, I have a leak" - then he had the idea of putting in 1cc and then trying to remove that - he put it in, but again could get nothing out... So basically he thinks, I coud have a leak ( a big one ) or my tubing is kinked, where saline can go in, but not be removed - we couldn't stay any longer with him as we had flights booked to go home - I am to go get a barium swallow/fluoroscopy deal done and email him the images - how this will show us what the problem with the tubes beats me but that's what he wants. I asked what does he really feel is the issue? He answered (he's Belgian, so add an accent!) "deep in my heart I feel the band is trouble - get it out" :faint: Anyone have any ideas? I'd be so grateful :success1:

thanks for the responses, that really helps ease my mind. this is going to be a journy. im still happy i had the lap band and not gastric bypass.

I had a two step revision gained 20 lbs without my band and finally sleeved aug 5 it's been a journey

I have terrible Gerd. It’s. So. Bad. 😩 Originally I was going to have the nissen fundiplication surgery for Gerd but the surgeon talked to me at length about getting gastric bypass instead. I’m still pre op at this point, but my main motivator in this process has been to try and stop my severe Gerd. (Also I’m quite heavy.) I’ve heard from quite a few doctors at this point who recommended gastric bypass for greatly improving or curing Gerd. I’ve seen some people I follow on Instagram who have had sleeve surgeries revised to a bypass due to the Gerd the sleeve caused them. It’s definitely worth discussing with your doctor.

Hello I had revision 3 and half months ago and everything has been fine up until yesterday. I ate a meal and then drank about 40 minutes after and started to have some burning in my stomach area. It's not heartburn and I'm not sure how to explain it but it feels sort of stretching and burning feeling. Has anybody experienced this? if so what is it? I see my doctor next Friday. If it was a late leak, I would most likely know right? Thank you.

Hello I just want to see if anyone have went from the Lap band to the bypass . I was banded in 2008 weighed 340 had my son in 2010 and my band silped . I'm having my bypass on sep 11 . I was wondering how it went and what was the weight loss .

I had my sleeve done July 2012. I never had reflux issues until I got the sleeve. I am finally going in for tests this month & may be getting a gastric bypass done. I was suppose to have these tests last year but I keep putting them off cuz Im not sure if I want to go thru with more surgery. I also became lactose intolerant after my sleeve was done! I have lost a lot of weight & am keeping it off.. I just get tired of vomiting every time I eat.. It happens every day. I am also experiencing low blood sugar, has gone down to low as 48! my PCP doc says I need to eat every 2 -3 hours, small meals & more Protein. It is still hard for me to get food down. I am not diabetic.. I hope things go well with whatever decision you make!

Hello I live in SE Portland and am in the WLS program at Legacy Health Will be scheduling surgery soon. I still haven't chosen bypass or sleeve. I'm looking for people that are going through this or have done it before. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Thank you all for sharing! It's so nice to feel like I'm not entirely alone, even if reasons are different. I don't know many people in my life who can really relate to being obese and the issues it can cause, so find it hard to address certain things (even the health issues) with anyone really. I have told a very select few that I really trust that I'm getting gastric bypass, and they're supportive, but also don't fully understand.