Search the Community

sablebby No my bypass wasn't out patient.I stayed 2 days.No complications.Only had to take pain meds 2 times at home.The gas pains are the most painful,but walking a lot gets rid of them.My Dr wouldn't let you go home until you drank enough liquids and Protein.That is why I stayed 2 days.My starting weight for this was 240.I have lost 22 lbs so far.

EKG/ECG is a standard test pre-op. Had to have one back in 2011 for my band and had to have another one for my revision this past March.

Before having children I weighed 135 pounds. I remember weighing 180 pounds on delivery day with my oldest daughter and I was horrified! After I had her my weight went down to 150, but I never really lost the extra baby weight. Well after my daughter, I went on to have 6 more children and none of them were twins. With each pregnancy I'd put on a little bit more weight and I'd never be able to lose those last few pounds. When my youngest son turned a year old in March 2007, that is when I seriously looked into getting weight loss surgery. He had been breastfed but now he was weaned, so I would be able to have this done without interfering with his breastfeeding. I had seen the commercial for the lapband and I got excited- this was MADE for me! I had dieted so many times in the past and the thing that always got me was my hunger. Gastric bypass had been around for years, but the thought of having my stomach cut and rearranged scared me to death.So I made an appointment with my Dr and got an appointment with the surgeon at the military hospital to see about having lapband surgery done. My appointment was in June 2007 and I almost cried when the I heard say the words "Tricare does not cover the lapband yet." My heart sank. I had finally taken the steps to start on this journey and it wasn't covered. He told me that gastric bypass was covered and that he hoped that lapband surgery would be covered in the next year. At this point I was so disgusted by my weight that I thought that maybe I could do the gastric bypass surgery and so I started on that journey. ~The Gastric Bypass Diet Class~ So, I was already at the point where I was ready to have my body cut in some shape or form so that I could finally lose the weight that I had gained over my childbearing years. Lapband was not covered yet, so I actually started the process of getting gastric bypass done. The class consisted of about 7 women, sitting at a table in a classroom setting and was taught by the dietitian. I knew I was not going to be able to eat the same foods anymore, but I had no idea that after you have gastric bypass done, that you will be fighting to get the nutrition you need. Sure, you lose the weight, but you can also lose your hair, become anemic, and you have to fight to eat enough protein every single day. And if you ever decide that you want to have something sweet, EVER again, you may have dumping syndrome. I walked out of the class and literally had to digest all of the information. "Non-reversible" stood out in my head. What if when I got older this was something that could seriousily affect my health in a negative way? The amount of vitamins that I had to put in my system was alarming. If gastric bypass went wrong, then this was a life long mistake that I would have to live with. At 37 yrs of age, that scared me enough to hold off. Fast forward to Feb 2008....Tricare APPROVES THE LAPBAND!!! :thumbup: I jumped on the phone and called my Dr for an appointment for a referral, and that is where my lapband journey really took off!

How did a former athlete who was 9% body fat in college get to this point? Well I was born with a bad heart valve that wore out faster than my body did. In my early 40s suddenly I was gasping for breath, by my late 40s I was type 2 diabetic, at 50 I had surgery for diverticulitus and lost 4" of my colon which slowed me down more. At 52 I had open heart surgery where they replaced the valve and found a aneurysm which would have killed me. However, I came out of this unable to lift weights, play softball or baseball, with a right arm and shoulder with nerve damage in it and a bad knee and hip. Then the meds quit controlling my diabetes, the new meds added weight and now it is out of control, I have nerve damage in my feet and my wife has to look at them every night to make sure I don't wind up with an infection. I was approved as a metabolic Weight Loss Patient on the first go around. I am now on my second doctor because the staff of the first one frankly was incompetent. I was lied to when they told me that they had filed FMLA, and I was pre-approved by insurance, they hadnt submitted either one of them. So being the analyst that I am I checked and found out everything. Added to that the hospital that they wanted to have the surgery in didnt have the best reputation. I should have had the surgery two months ago to keep nerve damage to a minimum. I am very nervous, from my major surgeries I live with pain every day. I was told that while they can do the sleeve that the results are better with bypass. However, the horror stories with malabsorption worry me. I am doing this to be able to have a life again not just to trade one set of issues for a whole other set. So any feedback is appreciated.

Thanks for all the comments ladies, I really appreciate them. I just found out that my sister in law is having bypass surgery in 25 days! We were both talking about it about a month ago, thinking that we might go this route, and now she has a surgery date for a bypass without having to do the six month thingy! (Tricare) I'm very happy for her, of course, but it is so soon! ....I'm so jealous!

I phoned the receptionist at my Surgeons office and OMG, she was soooo angry! But finally, after two weeks to calm down and trying not think about this, I sent off my objection letter to the insurance company. I explained the surgery and I pointed out that it was not gastric bypass (I understand from the receptionist there can be major complications after gastric bypass). I explained I was healthy before the surgery and healthy after the surgery and that my Doctor's have extensive tests to prove just that! I've asked the insurance company what documentation I would need from my Doctor's to get this insurance. Hopefully I will hear something soon. I will keep you all posted. Thanks for the replies. Suzie Q

Thanks for the encouragement. I think I was just having a pity party for myself and needed to hear that others are out the there too. I guess the other probelm is that so many think that this is supposed to be like bypass and the wieght just falls off. My sister is trying to get bypass but lapband was what I wanted and I need to remember the reasons why I chose the band over the sleeve or bypass. I didn't want malnutrition or my stomach cut. I knew what I was getitng into. I just see so many and have met mant who 6 months out have gone from size 24 to size 8 and that would be a dream come true...but I never have had the time to ask how hard or easy it was to get to that point. I was told an average of 3-4 pounds a week in the first few months then 1-2 when I get to about half or 3/4 of my weight gone. Is this wrong???? I guess I should feel lucky...one person is doing liquids for 21 days...I at least didn't have to do that. That is true will power and I commend all of you on your journey and your help. Thanks

@@Steven1954, thanks for the additional input. The best to you. @@waterwoman, it's interesting how many ways there may be to go about getting revision covered. I hope the person who handles the insurance papers in my practice knows about my plan. The book is organized in a way guaranteed to make a person homicidal, so to speak.

Did he say what the sweets had to do with the choice? I was told with bypass you have a higher chance of dumping syndrome when you eat sweets. But it can happen with the sleeve as well. Sent from my SM-N920T using the BariatricPal App

That's great! Last week I went to the seminar for the surgery and the doctor said "sometimes peoples taste buds change". A lady who has had the bypass spoke to our group and she said she was a big sweet eater before surgery now, cant' stand it! I can only wish!

I am having surgery on June 30. I work in a hospital and we had a co-worker do the bypass about 10 years ago and she gained most of her weight back. I decided to tell my husband and daughter, the people at work and basically anybody I run into. I have decided they probably already judge so let's give them something different to talk about. I decided I really do not care what anybody thinks or says. This is about me and if people think it is the easy way out...that is their opinion. I know there was no other option and my decision has nothing to do with them. I am finally going to take care of me. I am sure the first few weeks will suck but it will be worth it in the end. Nothing anybody says, good or bad matters this is my journey.

What made you choose sleeve over other options? DS or RNY? Looking to revise from band. Thanks!

The sleeve is a great option for lots of people. If you already have gerd, that is one reason to consider a bypass instead. Good thing is if the sleeve is a problem, it can be converted later. A bypass is, for the most part, not gonna be changed. You will already have scar tissue, which could impact your choices.

This is a tricky one, as the bypass is difficult to revise. The most common things that are done are basically minor tweaks to your existing bypass - either putting a lapband over the pouch, or tightening up the stoma to try to restore some restriction. Neither seems to have a very good record of success. The most successful thing that I have seen is to revise it to a duodenal switch, but that is a very complex procedure, and there are only a handful of surgeons (maybe half a dozen) around the country who can do it. The other thing that is sometimes done, as the DS is too complex for most, is to convert to a distal RNY, which basically moves the pouch much further down the intestinal tract increasing the malabsorption, but that seems to be more trouble prone than the other alternatives.

Has anyone had previously had a rny and gotten a revision? In the last 2 years o got pregnant and have since put back on the weight even if I'm watching what I'm eating. I feel my absorption is back to normal. Sent from my SM-G960W using BariatricPal mobile app

In Canada, for these more complex jobs, one doc to look into is Michel Gagner, who I think is in Montreal. I don't know how that works for you on location or on insurance coverage, but he was in on some of the early DS work and does a lot of complex revisions and procedures, so is worth checking out.

Update on Whole Foods Plant Based diet. I continue to lose weight - I think 3 pounds in the past couple of weeks. I am not yet 100% plant based (still using some Greek yogurt, whey protein, and occasional egg in chaffles), but 90 % plant based. This means a lot more legumes, nuts, seeds and whole cooked grains. I am getting plenty of protein - no issues with that. A lot more carbs, which is so counter intuitive with weight loss, but it is still coming off. This morning before my bike ride I had a bowl of Old Fashioned oats, cooked with quinoa, teff, and amaranth. Added some hemp hearts, flaxseed meal, and barrel cactus seeds (like chia). Sweetened with raisins, and a little banana, with soy milk. Very yummy and filling. I ate this 2 hours before my ride. For lunch I had split pea/lentil soup with carrots, celery, onions. Also some fruit (cantalope and berries.) I added half a scoop of pea protein to the soup. Also had a spoon of peanut butter after my ride. Dinner will be a "Budda" bowl with shredded Brussels sprouts, red cabbage, romaine, spinach, cucumber, tomato, avacado. Cashew nut/nutritional yeast "cheese" mixed with apple cider vinegar for a dressing. Topped with slivered almonds, hazel nuts, dried edamame, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, barrel cactus seeds, and hazel nuts. Cooked beans, butternut squash, and cooked buckwheat on the side. If I have room, I will steam some squash and beans from the garden, along with some broccoli. I may also have a couple mini corn tortillas with refried beans and salsa. Evening snack is soy (or Greek) yogurt with mixed berries, mandarin orange, slivered almonds, and homemade granola. Sometimes I have a square of 80% cacao chocolate. I eat about 2 pounds of vegetables/fruit per day (mostly veggies). Legumes every day, seeds/nuts every day, whole grains every day. I am completely full all the time - never hungry. With prepped veggies always in the fridge, there is always something to grab if I feel the need for a munchie. I feel good - mentally alert, physically strong, sleeping well (better, in fact). I don't feel as "heavy" inside as when I was eating more meat. However, I do have to be careful for bloating and smelly gas. I found this to be a problem with raw broccoli and beans that I cooked without draining the soaking water. Even Beano did not help. Canned beans do not do this. It can be a problem with bypass patients, as our gut biome changes, and it is harder to digest and break down those particular foods. I just have to cook the broccoli and be careful with the home cooked beans. So far, so good. My fear about inadequate protein is completely dismissed. I am getting so much good nutrition and I hope inflammatory markers will be way down with my next lab draw in Feb.

You didn't explain your reasoning for choosing the gastric bypass.

I just had my first appointment with the surgeon. It went really well, and I’m glad I took the first step. We are leaning toward Gastric Bypass as the procedure for me. It’s a 3 month process to surgery with his office, 3 visits with him, 3 visits with dietician, plus clearance by Cardiology, Pulmonology and sleep medicine. My next visit with him and the dietician will be in about a month and he’s sending out the referrals to the offices for the clearances and working on prior authorization with insurance.

I had lapband for 5 years and rekate to your story so much. Mine was a little different in that the gerd and reflux ended up doing serious damage and last year I was diagnosed with intestinal metaplasia, a precursor to stomach cancer. It was then that I decided to revise to rny or at a minimum take the band out. My highest weight was 267. With the band I got down to 185 and the first two years were great. Then the reflux, heartburn and port pain started. I ignored a lot of the symptoms, like a fool, but wanted to succeed and was afraid to admit I had a problem. The last three years of my band were pure hell. I didn't eat, I played what I call food games where I would eat nothing all day until my band ' warmed up' and ate slider food due to pain and starvation. When I decided in february 2013 to take it out due to the diagnosis I decided on rny because I never wanted gerd or reflux again. My surgeon was at mayo clinic for both so I had the best of best. My revision was in june 2013 and I am now 144, no reflux or gerd and my intestinal metaplasia gone! Rny was the best decision in my life. Good luck with your choice and yoy can send me a personal message if I can help in any way.

Hi, Has anybody out there had a lap band after having an RNY? I had the gastric bypass in 2000 and did very well (130 lbs. lost) for five years. Then, the pouch stretches over time, so my weight started to come back. This, unfortunately, is a common occurrence with gastric bypass. I am considering a lap band as you can adjust it as your stomach stretches. I have heard of people getting the lap band after the RNY (AL ROKER from Good Morning America did it) but would love to talk to someone who has done it. Please can you respond if you have done this. Thanks, Zena

My port flipped, my doctor found this out while trying to give me a fill. As far as I know, this can happen, but isn't "normal". I am his only patient that this has happened to, just my luck. It's been two years since the port revision and I haven't had any problems with the port. I had a lower body lift 6 months ago and the only difference is that my port scar is now much lower than my actual port, as the plastic surgeon took off over 12 inches on my abdomen. Good luck with your revision.

OK, this is my first post. I found this site about a week after I had my band placed. It has been so helpful to me to see what everyone else is experiencing. So, thought I would share. I had my band on 6/29/09. I went for my first fill today. Absolutely hate, hate, hate needles. I waited in the exam room for about 45 minutes and made the mistake of looking at the supplies about to used.....AGH! Tip- DONT LOOK! Anyways, he got me on the table lying flat on my back, had me raise my feet a couple of inches up, poked around my port with his hands a few seconds, and bam! He was done! I swear I was in shock at how simple, quick, and painless it was! I would never mislead anyone. I wanted to share b/c I know I contemplated bypass for a while b/c the thought of fills horrified me! Just want anyone out there to know, it was great! :scared2::tt1:

There is some debate about this, but most surgeons say no carbonation after being banded. Soda passes right through the band because it's a liquid, but the carbonation expands below the band and pushes upward against it. This can cause slips. When I had my Lap Band surgery, the woman who shared the room with me was in for a revision of her band. She had been drinking soda and it not only resulted in a slip but her stomach actually prolapsed up through her band. She also gained back 40 pounds. I can't speak for anyone else, but you couldn't pay me all the money in the world to ever drink carbonation again. It's just not worth the risk.

How far are you in the process? Meaning have you decided which surgery you want? Do you have any medical issues which may dictate which surgery is best?? I have bipolar which made the sleeve more ideal for me but I wanted bypass because of the greater weight loss statistics so that’s what I spent most of my time talking about. But you may ask how many of these surgeries he/she has done and their success rates? What to expect after surgery? If work applies how much time you will need to take off your particular job? Whether you can or are expected to lose weight on your program before your pre op diet?? They should also have their own list of things to go over with you that they think are important for you to know.