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I'm 5'3 230lb, HBP (on two meds), back pain lumbar scoliosis, reflux(meds) PCOS (meds) just started my bypass journey don't have a date yet, still doing the checklist waiting on appointments and referrals Sent from my N9518 using BariatricPal mobile app

I had the sleeve not the bypass and I haven't experienced that. However, my cousin had the bypass within a few days of mine and he also tells me that things taste different (and not in a good way). I don't have any insight into what causes that but you're not alone.

I actually told almost everyone at work (about 10) individually that I was having the surgery. This was after I had a date set and was getting ready to be off. They were all thinking I was preggo because of all of my "dr appointments". LOL. So, I handled each peron directly so that if they had any questions they new I was there to answer them. Also, if I told everyone myself, I didnt have to worry about others telling. I know that this kind of thing just gets out so I started it myself. ONe funny thing: The monday after I came back to work there was a huge article agains bypass surgery on the front page of the newspaper :w00t: so, everyone was like, did you read? But, everyone is very supportive and it is nice to have people constantly telling me I am doing good

Well, I guess it officially depends on what you define "dumping" as. I think like the term "flu" it covers a lot of miladies when used colloquially from gastroenteritis to the actual pulmonary illness of influenza. I was under the impression that "dumping" is when whole food that has not been rolled and processed in stomach acid exits the stomach too early via the pyloric valve into the small intestines and causes the immediate reaction with the symptoms previously listed. Now I guess this MAY be paired with a reaction to sugars or carbs but not always. And being that all it is is the valve opening and dumping fairly raw food too soon ANYONE can get it. WLS patients are more prone to it, especially bypass patients because of the small size and limited acid in the stomach. Sleevers can have it - especially early on - because of the trauma done to the stomach. Whereas something that might pass as a bit of "tummy upset" with someone with a full stomach we get a case of full blown dumping. Maybe someone from a doctors office or a bona fide NUT can fill us in.

I had the sleeve, and I have loved it. My understanding is that if you have gastric reflux or indigestion issues, the sleeve might not be for you. Also, if you have emotional eating issues, the bypass may lead to more success. I did not have any nausea issues. Ever. My eating plan through Emory Hospital in Atlanta was aggressive. We were eating solids (pureed) within a few days, and it never bothered me. I think I was chewing my food within 10 days of surgery, and could eat just about anything by then. I was back to work in less than a week. I was actually out house hunting within a few days, but I had already taken the week. I could have gone back by the Monday after my Wednesday surgery. This site was a huge help, but there are plenty of great articles on the subject. Get in with a good bariatric program, and they will give you all of the information you need, as well. Good luck.

Im just curious to hear from others who have had gastric bypass. How much food were you able to eat at 3 months post-op? Gastric Bypass 2/19/2018

I think most people just don't know the difference between gastric bypass and gastric sleeve. I feel like most of the world thinks bariatric surgery is a big huge terrible horrifying thing you do to lose weight because you give up. People are just not informed and even the media screws up the message. Ugh!

Hello! My name is Lupe and I am from Ventura, California. I am pre-op with a surgery date of March 16th. I am having surgery with Dr. Chen at UCLA. I am still undecided on the type of surgery I am getting. My surgeon said I would be a good candidate for the sleeve but he said the bypass is also ok with him. I have met two people who personally have done the Sleeve and did not have great results with weight reduction. I also have two friends that had the bypass who are both struggling. One with transfer addictions and the other with anorexia. I am trying to learn as much about the process as I can. The good, bad and ugly. Look forward to getting to know everyone. I am happy and scared about this journey. As backwards as this may seem, as I am learning to prep my body the hardest thing is eating 6 times a day. I am typically someone who doesn't eat in the morning and find myself having a really late (3-4pm) lunch and late (7-8pm) dinner. Changing that and forcing myself to eat smaller meals/snacks several times a day has been hard for sure! But I'm getting there! My Water intake is getting better too! Warmly, Lupe Lane (Picture is of me and my support team. Hubby & 4 children)

An interesting summary of the 'state of research'. I normally post a link, but that does not work. So here is the full thread. Full disclosure, I drink coffee, and my program does NOT like that. I really DO follow my program in most things, but coffee is the ONLY drug I've got left... _____ Dear Ontherighttrack, You’ve asked a great question. What is the effect of caffeine on sleeve gastrectomy? To answer your question, I did a search of the medical literature on PubMed, the index for the National Medical Library. I couldn’t find any articles that address your question directly. Incidentally, there were no articles that addressed the effect of caffeine on gastric bypass either. Next I searched for both sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass and coffee. Again the medical library search engine did not return any articles. Thus, so far there have been no studies performed on sleeve gastrectomy patients or gastric bypass patients that would permit or discourage caffeine or coffee use. Most surgeons recommend that gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy patients avoid caffeine or coffee. These recommendations stem from research work that has been done on non-weight loss surgery patients. Before looking into this further let’s distinguish between caffeine and coffee. Caffeine is an alkaloid chemical that has stimulant effects on the central nervous system as well as other parts of the body. Caffeine is a moderate stimulant of gastric acid production. In some studies it has been shown to decrease lower esophageal sphincter pressure and thus potentially promote reflux. In other studies, the effect on sphincter pressure is not so clear. Coffee is brewed from the coffea plant. Coffee contains numerous biologically active chemicals including caffeine. The degree to which these compounds are present in a given cup of coffee depends on the specific species of coffee plant as well as the roasting and processing methods used to bring the coffee to market (see article by Van Deventer below). Even the type of filter used in a coffee maker will change the types of plant oils that remain in the brew. Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD or GORD) is reflux of stomach juices into the esophagus. GERD can cause heartburn. There are several full medical articles attached at the bottom of this reply. Please download these for further information. Coffee/caffeine and gastric acid stimulation There is general agreement that caffeine and coffee are two factors that stimulate stomach acid production. According to Cohen and Booth (1975) “Decaffeinated coffee gave a maximal acid response of 16.5 per hour (mean)which was similar to that of regular coffee, 20.9 mEq per hour, both values being higher than that of caffeine, 8.4, on a cup-equivalent basis.” Thus there are chemicals in coffee aside from caffeine that have potent acid stimulatory effects. In this study, decaffeination did not reduce acid stimulation. Further information about decaffeinated coffee was put forth by Feldmen et. Al (1981): “At equal concentrations, decaffeinated coffee was a more potent stimulant of acid secretion and of gastrin [an acid stimulating gut hormone] release than peptone [a Protein meal acid stimulus]. The ingredient(s) of decaffeinated coffee that accounts for its high potency in stimulating acid secretion and gastrin release has not been identified.” Coffee, caffeine, and esophageal reflux There is considerable controversy in the medical literature as to the effects of coffee and caffeine on esophageal reflux. Here are the conclusions to three articles on the subject. The full article summaries are added below. Wendl (1994) writes, “Coffee, in contrast to tea, increases gastro-oesophageal reflux, an effect that is less pronounced after decaffeination. Caffeine does not seem to be responsible for gastro-oesophageal reflux which must be attributed to other components of coffee.” Boekema (1999) and associates came to an opposite conclusion: “Coffee has no important effect on gastro-oesophageal acid reflux in GORD [GERD] patients, and no effect at all in healthy subjects.” Zheng (2007) conludes, “In conclusion, this large monozygotic co-twin study provides evidence that BMI, tobacco smoking and physical activity at work facilitate the development of GER, while physical activity at leisure time appears to be a protective factor. The association between BMI and frequent GER symptoms among men may be attenuated by genetic factors. In addition, heavy coffee intake may be a protective factor of GER in men and lower education may be a potential risk factor in women.” CONCLUSIONS Caffeine, and more so, coffee and decaf coffee stimulate gastric acid production. Caffeine and coffee may promote gastroesophageal reflux. Caffeine and coffee are just two of many factors that promote gastric acid production and gastroesophageal reflux. Clinical Implications: For sleeve patients who suffer from gastroesophageal reflux, it is best to avoid caffeine and coffee. For sleeve patients who do not have reflux, I do not see any reason not to enjoy coffee or use caffeine products in moderation. For gastric bypass patients, most surgeons recommend against caffeine and coffee because the acid stimulation that occurs may contribute to the development of anastomotic ulcers. Since there are many other factors involved in the development of these ulcers (alcohol, cigarette smoking and nicotine, and NSAID drugs), it is impossible to know how important the role of coffee and caffeine is. Most surgeons are thus saying avoid coffee and be “better safe than sorry.” REFERENCES Good Water, sports drink, and sports drink with caffeine. drinks for gastric pH and reflux during the preexercise, the cycling, and the postexercise episode, respectively. Gastric emptying, orocecal transit time, and intestinal permeability showed no significant differences between the three trials. However, glucose absorption was significantly increased in the CES + caffeine trial compared with the CES trial (P = 0.017). No significant differences in gastroesophageal reflux, gastric pH, or gastrointestinal transit could be observed between the CES, the CES + caffeine, and the water trials. However, intestinal glucose uptake was increased in the CES + caffeine trial. ___________________________________________________________________ lunch, 1 h after dinner and after an overnight fast Reflux and oesophageal motility parameters were assessed for the first hour after each coffee or water intake. RESULTS: Coffee had no effect on postprandial acid reflux time or number of reflux episodes, either in GORD patients or in healthy subjects. Coffee increased the percentage acid reflux time only when ingested in the fasting period in the GORD patients (median 2.6, range 0-19.3 versus median 0, range 0-8.3; P = 0.028), but not in the healthy subjects. No effect of coffee on postprandial lower oesophageal sphincter pressure (LOSP), patterns of LOSP associated with reflux episodes or oesophageal contractions was found. CONCLUSION: Coffee has no important effect on gastro-oesophageal acid reflux in GORD patients, and no effect at all in healthy subjects. _______________________________________________________________________ beverages and of their major component, caffeine, have not been quantified. The aim of this study was to evaluate gastro-oesophageal reflux induced by coffee and tea before and after a decaffeination process, and to compare it with water and water-containing caffeine. METHODS: Three-hour ambulatory pH-metry was performed on 16 healthy volunteers, who received 300 ml of (i) regular coffee, decaffeinated coffee or tap water (n = 16), (ii) normal tea, decaffeinated tea, tap water, or coffee adapted to normal tea in caffeine concentration (n = 6), and (iii) caffeine-free and caffeine-containing water (n = 8) together with a standardized breakfast. RESULTS: Regular coffee induced a significant (P < 0.05) gastro-oesophageal reflux compared with tap water and normal tea, which were not different from each other. Decaffeination of coffee significantly (P < 0.05) diminished gastro-oesophageal reflux, whereas decaffeination of tea or addition of caffeine to water had no effect. Coffee adapted to normal tea in caffeine concentration significantly (P < 0.05) increased gastro-oesophageal reflux. CONCLUSIONS: Coffee, in contrast to tea, increases gastro-oesophageal reflux, an effect that is less pronounced after decaffeination. Caffeine does not seem to be responsible for gastro-oesophageal reflux which must be attributed to other components of coffee. Angeles, California. Abstract This study tested the hypothesis that differences in the processing of raw coffee Beans can account for some of the variability in gastric effects of coffee drinking. Coffees were selected to represent several ways that green coffee beans are treated, ie, processing variables. These included instant and ground coffee processing, decaffeination method (ethyl acetate or methylene chloride extraction), instant coffee processing temperature (112 degrees F or 300 degrees F), and steam treatment. Lower esophageal sphincter pressure, acid secretion, and blood gastrin was measured in eight human subjects after they consumed each of the different coffees. Consumption of coffee was followed by a sustained decrease in lower esophageal sphincter pressure (P less than 0.05) except for three of the four coffees treated with ethyl acetate regardless of whether or not they contained caffeine. Caffeinated ground coffee stimulated more acid secretion that did decaf ground coffees (P less than 0.05), but not more than a steam-treated caffeinated coffee. Instant coffees did not differ in acid-stimulating ability. Ground caffeinated coffee resulted in higher blood gastrin levels than other ground coffees (P less than 0.05). Freeze-dried instant coffee also tended toward higher gastrin stimulation. It is concluded that some of the observed variability in gastric response to coffee consumption can be traced to differences in how green coffee beans are processed. __________________________________________________________________________________ JAMA. 1981 Jul 17;246(3):248-50. Gastric acid and gastrin response to decaffeinated coffee and a peptone meal. Feldman EJ, Isenberg JI, Grossman MI. Abstract We compared five graded doses of decaffeinated coffee and a widely used protein test meal (Bacto-peptone) as stimulants of acid secretion (intragastric titration) and gastrin release (radioimmunoassay) in eight healthy men. In each subject, for both acid and gastrin, the sums of the responses to all five doses were greater to decaffeinated coffee than to peptone. The mean +/- SE peak acid output in millimoles per hour was 18.5 +/- 2.9 to decaffeinated coffee and 14.7 +/- 2.7 to peptone, representing 70% and 55%, respectively, of the peak acid output to pentagastrin. The mean +/- SEM peak increment over basal rate in serum gastrin in picograms per milliliter was 84.8 +/- 4.4 to decaffeinated coffee and 44.8 +/- 2.1 to peptone. At equal concentrations, decaffeinated coffee was a more potent stimulant of acid secretion and of gastrin release than peptone. The ingredient(s) of decaffeinated coffee that accounts for its high potency in stimulating acid secretion and gastrin release has not been identified. ___________________________________________________________________________________ Dis Esophagus. 2006;19(3):183-8. Effect of caffeine on lower esophageal sphincter pressure in Thai healthy volunteers. Lohsiriwat S, Puengna N, Leelakusolvong S. Source Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. sislr@mahidol.ac.th Abstract Caffeine affects many aspects of body function including the gastrointestinal system. A single-blinded experimental study was performed to evaluate the effect of caffeine on lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and esophageal peristaltic contractions in healthy Thai adults. The volunteers were six men and six women aged 19-31 years. Subjects drank 100 mL of water. Five wet swallows were performed 30 min after the drink. The basal LES pressure was continuously measured using esophageal manometric technique. They then consumed another 100 mL of water containing caffeine at the dose of 3.5 mg/kg body weight. The swallows and basal LES pressure monitoring were repeated. The results showed no change in basal LES pressure after a water drink while caffeine consumption significantly lowered the pressure at 10, 15, 20 and 25 min. The mean amplitude of contractions and peristaltic velocity were decreased at the distal esophagus at 3 and 8 cm above LES. The mean duration of contraction was decreased at the distal part but increased at the more proximal esophagus. The heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressures were increased significantly at 10-20 min after caffeine ingestion. This study indicated that caffeine 3.5 mg/kg affected esophageal function, resulting in a decrease in basal LES pressure and distal esophageal contraction, which is known to promote the reflux of gastric contents up into the esophagus. N Engl J Med. 1975 Oct 30;293(18):897-9. Gastric acid secretion and lower-esophageal-sphincter pressure in response to coffee and caffeine. Cohen S, Booth GH Jr. Abstract Caffeine stimulates gastric acid secretion and reduces the competence of the lower esophageal sphincter in man. These effects of caffeine have been used as evidence that regular coffee should not be used by patients with peptic-ulcer disease or gastroesophageal reflux. We compared the dose-response relations of caffeine, regular coffee and decaffeinated coffee for gastric acid secretion and sphincter pressure in normal subjects. Decaffeinated coffee gave a maximal acid response of 16.5 +/- 2.6 mEq per hour (mean +/- S.E.M.), which was similar to that of regular coffee, 20.9 +/- 3.6 mEq per hour, both values being higher than that of caffeine, 8.4 +/- 1.3, on a cup-equivalent basis. Sphincter pressure showed minimal changes in response to caffeine, but was significantly increased by both regular and decaffeinated coffee (P less than 0.05). These data suggest that clinical recommendations based upon the known gastrointestinal effects of caffeine may bear little relation to the actual observed actions of coffee or decaffeinated coffee.

I'm 52 and was sleeved on 2/19/13. I am now down 116lbs and happy for the sleeve. I've had two neurosurgeries in the last 14 months which limited my activity and still lost weight. My neighbor who had Lapband three years ago and lost 100lbs but regained 110 lbs due to complications. He underwent a revision to the sleeve after seeing my success with the sleeve. Good luck whatever you decide. This has been one of my best decisions ever, as I am now the lightest I've been in 36 years.

@@Djmohr Sorry to bug you again..... Do you find your digestive system since having the bypass is affected....,,???? I don't have a gall bladder and i sometimes have issues with constipation. So. I worry with the alteration of the intestinal tract will it cause issues,?????

I am trying to decide between the Sleeve and bypass for my Diabetes I was diagnosed 11/15/13 im 22 turning 23 in November .... only on metformin 1000mg 2x a day ..... theres a lot of horror stories on both the sleeve and bypass bt there are great success stories I guess I want to hear other peoples stories - my husband and I want kids in the future and I want to feel normal again.....- thanks for reading and replying back!

I'm not quite 3 months out of my surgery which is the Loop Duodenal Switch, same as you, but a potential revision is something I was worried about when I agreed to this surgery because I only know two people who got this surgery and BOTH needed revisions. 1. because he got a really bad malnutrition issue so they had to fix him back so it was essentially just the sleeve now (though his was, admittedly the DS not the Loop) and 2. because she went from being over 400 pounds to being 95 pounds in two years! She's 5'5. After her revision she's at a much healthier 123 now. She had originally had the Loop. I, like yourself, very much do not want to go through a revision, but I figure if it happens then they'd just be fixing my intestines so the whole 'phases' wouldn't be necessary. I mean yeah, you'd have to eat lighter meals for a while, but they wouldn't be messing with your stomach for the revision so it's why I still went with the Loop. I won't like it if I have to eventually have a revision, but both of theirs happened in the second year so I'm not going to stress until then. Likely your weight loss will slow down eventually. You just still have some more to lose. For your height you could technically get down to 92 pounds and still be considered in the normal range. And if you don't like what the doctor says... get a second opinion. Especially if it's a surgery you don't want!

I had the gastric bypass May 11,2023. I was doing good with dropping the weight. But once I got to 160 I’ve stalled out. Idk what to do. Can some one please give me advice. It’s getting really discouraging and depressing. My dr wants me at 135. I’m so close.

Firstly, stalls are a normal part of weight loss. Frustrating & stressful though they can be. While on average they last around 1-3 weeks they can last longer. It just depends upon how much time your body needs to reset itself (metabolic rate, digestive hormones, etc.) in response to your current needs at your lower weight. You just need to let your body taker the time it needs - don’t stress it more by making more changes. Not everyone reaches their goal weight. The average weight loss is about 65% for sleeve & bypass of the weight you’re to lose to put you in a healthier range. So, if my maths is correct, you’ve exceeded that average so far - yay! Doesn’t matter what weight your surgeon wants you at, your body will greatly influence your final weight - your new set point. There are also lifestyle & personal preference choices to consider too - what weight are you happiest at & allows you to enjoy your life as you want without you having to restrict your choices to maintain your weight. Our rate of loss slows as we get closer to our final weight. Sometimes it’s so slow it seems like we’re not really losing at all. And remember it doesn’t matter how long it takes to reach your stabilised weight - you’ll get there in the time that’s best for you. Don’t give up yet. Stick to your plan. Stay off the scales for a week or two. You may be surprised when you eventually weigh yourself again.

For most people, this drug is about as harmless as a drug can be. It wakes you up, keeps you mentally sharp, and even helps you burn a little extra fat. There aren’t many serious health risks, as long as you don’t have too much. For weight loss surgery patients, though, caffeine is a bit of a bigger deal. Find out what it can do to your body, how much is safe to have after surgery, and where to find it. Caffeine and Your Digestive Tract Caffeine is an acid, and it can irritate the lining of your stomach pouch or sleeve. This is true whether you have the lap-band, vertical sleeve gastrectomy, or gastric bypass. One way to prevent symptoms is to make sure you don’t have your caffeine on an empty stomach. However, that’s not really possible when your weight loss surgery diet doesn’t allow you to have beverages at the same time as solid food! Limiting your consumption is the best way to avoid trouble. Caffeine and Acid Reflux Acid reflux occurs when acid from your stomach comes up into your esophagus or throat, causing symptoms like heartburn or an acid taste in your mouth. Acid reflux is considered gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) if it persists. Weight loss surgery often helps with GERD, since obesity is one of the main factors. However, you can still get GERD after weight loss surgery, especially if you have the lap-band. What does all this have to do with caffeine? Coffee and other source of caffeine are among the foods beverages that make acid reflux worse. There are plenty of other risky foods, such as citrus fruits, spicy foods, fried foods, and garlic. If you do choose to have caffeine, just be watchful for signs of acid reflux and ask your doctor if you think there may be a connection between caffeine and your symptoms. Does Caffeine Dehydrate You? Staying hydrated is a big deal after weight loss surgery because it’s so important and so tough. It helps keep you full and healthy, and you can only do it if you plan carefully and pay attention to your fluid intake. Coffee and caffeinated diet iced teas and other drinks may seem like a great alternative to water, which can get pretty boring. Unfortunately, caffeine is a diuretic. That means it increases the amount of water your body loses. That means it helps dehydrate you. It’s not a serious problem if you don’t have too much caffeine and if you’re drinking plenty of other liquids, especially water. If you’re already struggling to hit your 8 to 10 cups of water a day, though, you might want to think seriously about skipping the caffeine so you don’t get dehydrated. Caffeine and Your Nutrient Status One of the most serious problems with too much caffeine for bariatric surgery patients is that it interferes with nutrient consumption. This comes at a time when you’re fighting hard to give your body the nutrients it needs through healthy eating and supplements. Caffeine reduces your body’s absorption of two key nutrients: calcium and iron. Miss out on your calcium, and you’re at risk for developing osteoporosis and a high risk for bone fractures later on. Skip the iron, and you could get anemia, making yourself tired and weak. If you do choose to have caffeine, make sure it’s not at the same time you’re taking your nutritional supplements. How Much Caffeine Is Safe? There’s no single recommended amount of caffeine that’s best for everyone. The right amount for you depends on a variety of factors. How it affects you. The type of surgery you have. Your surgeon’s recommendations. A good amount for many bariatric surgery patients who can’t face the thought of quitting might be a cup in the morning to get you awake. Cutting Back on Caffeine If you’re addicted, cutting back on caffeine can be challenging. You can get some headaches, feel groggy and cranky, and get constipated. These symptoms only last a few days, though, and you can use them as motivation to take good care of yourself. That’s because healthy behaviors like getting enough sleep, exercising, and drinking enough water can help reduce withdrawal symptoms. If you’re trying to have less caffeine, it’s helpful to know the sources. Everyone knows about coffee, but there are plenty of other places where you might find caffeine. Hot and iced coffee and coffee drinks. Hot and iced tea. Diet and non-diet energy drinks, including 5-Hour Energy. Some over-the-counter migraine, pain, and cold and flu medications. Caffeine has a lot of uses in everyday life, and it’s not necessarily a bad drug. But, after weight loss surgery, it can be a problem if you have too much. If you love your coffee, ask your surgeon how much you can have to make sure you don’t harm yourself while you’re working so hard to get healthy and fit.

Hi, I'm debating having weight loss surgery. It is something I have thought about doing for the last fifteen years but have never had health insurance that covers it. I recently got new insurance and was surprised to find out that they cover surgery. I just started doing research and am unsure what surgery to get? My doctor suggests either the endoscopic sleeve or bypass. What does everyone recommend? Also I really came to my first forum ever to get real answers on this question. I recently had my gallbladder out and experienced almost three months of severe nausea. I'll be honest I would rather be obese than have that kind of misery again. I have always had a very weak stomach. What is the nausea like post op and how long does it last. From what I'm reading it seems to only be a problem if you overeat, but I want to know if you've experienced uncontrollable long term nausea before I have a permanent surgical procedure. This is a HUGE fear. Also I'm confused by what I'm reading on what you can eat. I have a friend who talks of drinking 100 ounces of water pay day and eating lean meats and nuts six months out. What realistically can you eat at what phase? Thanks so much! I really look forward to hearing from people who are post op and their experiences. Oh one last question.... how long should I expect to need off work to recover. I think my fear comes from expecting a short two day no big deal surgery with my gallbladder removal and being shocked at needing a month off and months to recover from the unrelenting nausea. My surgeon told me to not worry ,but I want to hear it from you!

My research doesn't support that...for one thing, the sleeve is a relatively new procedure, especially compared with RxY bypass...only in recent years has the sleeve been performed routinely, so there couldn't possibly be a valid 15-year success rate yet for the sleeve...what I have read is more such that it's believed the success rate will be very similar for the bypass v. sleeve

I just had the gastric sleeve . And my mom had the bypass 10 years ago and from judging there's more intolerances after surgery with the bypass .

I know how you feel, I was all set on the lap band, then I went to my "required" seminar, the doctor who presented it was the doctor my insurance was suppose to cover, so I thought great I will get to meet "my doctor" and be at the seminar all at the same time. Then he spoke how the sleeve was his favorite between all the surgeries, he feels the results are better, all I keep thinking is they will be taking a big part of my stomach away and that really scared me, so I thought ok I will stick with lapband, then he started talking about the downfalls of the lapband how it is a foreign object and how some peoples bodies reject it, or there could be erosion where it is banded, or it could slip, or have to be replaced way down the road, then the case manager chimed in and says if you have to have it removed the insurance companies will not pay for another procedure, won't pay to put another one in, and or won't pay to do a sleeve or bypass if the band was not successful, I defineatly don't want the bypass, so now I don't know what to do, then on top of it all, they made me an appointment for next week for my first visit with the doctor, so that scared me I wasn't expecting to make an appointment at the seminar but I did, thinking ok, I have a doctor a hospital so I just need to decide in a week what I want to do, my husband went with me to the seminar and after hearing what I heard, he says well it's your body but if it were me I would go with the sleeve, so I lose sleep all night trying to figure what's best for me, the next day, the case manager called me from the seminar and said my insurance only covers a center of excellence and they are not, even though my insurance case manager said due to the distance I live away from a center of excellence that this hospital and doctor would be covered, well that wasn't good enough for the hospital case manager so she told me from past experiences she would refer me to another hospital which is even further away for me to drive, and wished me luck, she didn't want me to get started with them then have to start all over again when the insurance company said no down the road, I see her point, but now I am starting all over, trying to decide on what procedure to do, and trying to find a doctor and hospital, not to mention the cold feet I am getting, so I don't know what to do, I just know I am bigger than I have ever been, and I have got to do something, but nothing else has worked.

I was weak and in pain for almost 7 weeks after my revision. I also had left sided pain. I brought mine up to my surgeon and he sent me for an upper GI with barium swallow. So definitely bring up the pain. It’s worth investigating.

Oh wow! This is one thing I didn't know I'm glad I joined this forum! as I'm learning so much before hand, ( I'm due for gastric bypass + hiatal hernia on the 27th of April) thank you all for sharing your experiences with us[emoji120][emoji120] Sent from my SM-N981B using BariatricPal mobile app

I work for a huge company and I personally know about 15 people who have had gastric bypass in the past 12 years. I was the fat person who heard all of the judgmental and snotty comments about these people behind their backs. There was one situation I will never forget. They had a pizza party and the pizza was the type that was cut into the little 2 x 3 inch pieces. The woman on the team who'd had wls about 2 years earlier ate 1 piece then took 2 pieces back to her desk. Well you would have thought she'd been caught in the bathroom with 2 men, instead of two little pieces of pizza. The same people who sat and stuffed their faces whispered about how she was just going to get fat again by "having to take pizza to her desk and hoard it". You are right. They didn't know what they were talking about. She was doing the safe, sane way to have a little celebration. But they were chewing her up behind her back. I heard so many of these kinds of conversations I knew that if I ever had wls, I would keep my audience very small. I know there is a lot of discussion about whether or not you should do this privately. For some reason, even within this community there is the opinion that if you choose privacy, it equates to shame. For me, it was above all else, about privacy. But I completely agree that maintaining a lie is not easy. At least I think we should be glad that for us it's not easy. I know you feel bad right now. But you are doing all of the right things. And you told them in your own time which is how it should be. Behind a 7-11 cracked me up. At least you are keeping your humor about this. In some respects, it may be that they felt excluded. They may be jealous that you were able to make such a big decision and follow through on your own. Don't expect a lot of pats on the back for your success in the next months. But they will get over it and you' are on your way.

@ccjll: First of all, I'm so happy you were seen quickly and before damage had been done. And I'm thrilled to learn action was taken immediately to get you out of pain and back to normal. Your post is important and I agree should be read by all. I'm not sure what forum this is under but you might be doing everybody a favor by reposting it in Fills and Adjustments? Just a thought... I totally agree that fast weight drop is too high a price to pay for those who love to keep their bands tight. I just shake my head at the lapband blogs I read when the blogger describes loving being too tight to do anything but Protein shakes, or PBing with each meal but "hey, that's ok", or the daily vomiting. This all leads to (at the least) band failure/revision surgery or worse, damage to one's body. Glad you are babying your band and out of pain. What a relief, right?

Need a little more info. Did you have RNY gastric bypass surgery? How long ago was that? This doesn't sound like dumping syndrome. Generally with dumping syndrome you either throw up for a couple hours or you have an upset stomach that leads to diarrhea. Apparently others have experienced these symptoms. http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Weight-Loss-Alternatives/stomach-pains-after-gastric-bypass/show/602284 Might be related to a gallbladder attack. GALLBLADDER ATTACK SYMPTOMS specifically Please note that if you are in severe pain and particularly if your attack symptoms are accompanied by fever DO SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY. The following symptoms are typical of a gallbladder attack. * Moderate to severe pain under the right side of the rib cage * Pain may radiate through to the back or to the right shoulder * Severe upper abdominal pain (biliary colic) * Nausea * Queasiness * Vomiting * Gas * Burping or belching * Attacks are often at night * Attacks often occur after overeating * Pain will often but not always follow a meal with fats or grease * Pain may be worse with deep inhalation * Attacks can last from 15 minutes to 15 hours