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Hi, VSG friends!! I know this question has been asked a million times but every one of us has different circumstances! So, here I go, and I apologize for this being kinda long to begin with! My name is Dana and I've been married 12 years to my wonderful hubby! We have 2 gorgeous girls (ages 9 & 6) who I homeschool! We've been trying to have one more baby over the last 5 years, but have been unsuccesful. I have PCOS and have been on fertility meds off and on and every time I take the meds, I gain 10 lbs. So, I started out 5 years ago weighing about 225 lbs and I now weigh 288 lbs. We've decided to leave the fertility drugs alone forever, choosing VSG instead and if we have another baby when I get healthy, we'll be overjoyed.....if I don't get pg, we'll count our blessings and move on! I had a friend ask me the other day if we were still trying to get pg. I paused before I answered her because I just didn't want to tell her about WLS!! So, I told her we weren't trying anymore, but I was going to see a dietician in January (not a lie, I am to meet my pre-op requirements!) and see if I can get some help losing weight. Ok, I don't mind telling people I'm having WLS AFTER I've already had it. It's the before part! My hubby is chairman of our church's deacon body and although our church is loving and supportive, I will be the FIRST person to have VSG or gastric bypass in our whole church, not to mention as a person who holds several leadership positions. I'm not at all sure of what reaction I'm going to get. I KNOW a few people would try to talk me out of it and tell me I just need to pray for more self-control....just a few, but I'd really rather avoid any negativity altogether! Do you agree?? If you were me, would you wait until after to tell? The other issue I have is when to tell our parents. With my in-laws, I'm not worried about them being unsupportive necessarily. They won't be thrilled, but I don't think they'd discourage me. It's more that my MIL worries and when she worries she gets horrible migraines! With my parents, it's a bit stickier. I don't have a good relationship with my parents right now. My mom tried to committ suicide for the second time a year ago and it was then that I finally realized that we've had a co-dependent relationship my whole life. I started setting healthy boundaries, my parents didn't like it, so we only see them on holidays/birthdays now. Their choice, not mine, but I decided a year ago that I would be healthy mentally and this year decided that my body needed to reflect the new health on my insides!! Anyway, what would you do? I was thinking about calling and telling both sets of parents the night before my surgery. I think they'd all be upset if we told them after the fact!! I'm having my sleep study done on January 5th, my diet consult and psych eval on January 12th, then we submit everything to my insurance company and I should have a surgery date in February! I'm so excited and feel so blessed that I have a hubby that is so incredibly supportive. I can't hardly wait to start my new life!!! Thank you to those of you who made it through all that!!

I went to the initial seminar in October and had my first doctor visit at the end of November (it was rescheduled due to a snow storm). I got the list of pre-op requirements that I had to complete at that visit and that included blood work, EKG, chest X-ray, and psych eval as well as attend a support group and a pre-op education session on exercise. I finished all this by January 14 and the only reason it took that long was because the holidays delayed things at some offices. My info was sent to my insurance company about two weeks later and was approved in one day. I then got my date, which is March 18. So, the total time was about 5 months, but it really could have been sooner, I just wasn't in a huge hurry. I used that time to do my research and make sure this was something I really wanted to do.

Welcome to the site Brian. It's awesome that you and you're wife are going through this together and I wish you both lots of success. I myself should be getting banded in November, due to a 6 month insurance diet. I am excited too and of course scared some. All surgeries are scary. I wish you luck on your journey and again welcome to LBT.

I should have been more specific. My question is for gastric bypass forum. I am particularly interested in hearing if things improve and when I might be able to expect that. My last episode with being stuck (this morning) happened after I ate 1/4 cup of flaky tilapia in a thin sauce. I used a baby spoon and chewed every bit at least 30 times. Directions are being followed. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I had rny bypass surgery a year and a half ago and I had a couple questions. First - other than the sutures in the small bowel and proximal stomach is there any reason I would have had actual surgical clips left in me - and not been told about it? Second I just had to have a ct scan done with contrast and my proximal stomach shows as highly prominent and measuring 9.6 x 6 cm. the er doctor at first thought this might be normal from a recent surgery but my surgery is far from recent so they weren't sure what to think...

Lisa, I just sent a FB friend request. After orientation, most of you questions will be answered. You have 4 nutrition classes, 2 exercise classes and 3-4 behavior classes. I did not have to have an endoscopy before surgery. They had me do a 2 week Optifast diet. I decided to do 5 weeks to have a bigger weight loss before surgery. It was also 1/6 when I started and I wanted to have a weight loss New Years resolution . I chose sleeve after talking extensively to the surgeon. I do not crave sweets and I do not have reflux. Those were the two big things about sleeve vs bypass.

Hello!! I am new to this page, I just joined today. I have so many questions about lapband and what to do, I do not know where to start. How many of you have had it and love it? Hate it? How well did it work? How long ago was it? I am 29, I will be 30 in November, and I do not remember when I weighed less then 200lbs. I need to do something and I want to do it. But I am nervous. Can anyone give me some advice?

Hi I'm 23 post op gastric bypass and looking for a bypass buddy. Having trouble keeping foods down. Help! 23 days that is

I'm pretty lucky because I work for a HCA hospital and have Cigna. Everyone I know here who had had either sleeve or bypass have all been approved. Maybe they figure it's cheaper for them in the long run.

I was approved for surgery on October 15th and I had my surgery on November 11. I did pre-op lab work on November 7, which consisted of an ekg, blood and urine tests, and a chest x-ray. I had completed several other lab test requirements prior to insurance approval. My insurance is Blue Shield/Hills Physcians.

OK, that's alot of info you are requesting...plus everyone's journey has been different. What I can tell you is that I started with a seminar last July, a meeting with the surgeon in August, several pre op visits...to the psychologist, the nutritionist, the cardiologist, blood work, etc. During the whole process, depending on your insurance carrier, you have to show anywhere from 3-6 months weight loss attempt under doctor's supervision. I also had to show proof of weight loss attempts over the year prior. Then if you are approved and you get a surgery date, you have to be on a mostly liquid diet for anywhere from a few days to about two weeks to shrink your liver. Then you are on all liquids for a week or more after surgery, then you graduate to very mushy foods, and then you start on regular foods. I was banded on January 14th so that give you an idea of how long the process took. Just a disclaimer though...I was supposed to have my surgery in late November but the hospital I was going to was shut down after Sandy and didn't open up again till January. So...figure unless you are self pay, that you will need at least 6 months from start to surgery. FYI, this was the best thing I could have done for myself. I've dropped 41 lbs. and am feeling fine and adapting to eating a fraction of what I used to eat. Good luck on your journey. I

@@Djmohr -- What you said really helped solidify the decision to follow through with my surgery. I was struggling with this decision, and my doctor told me my insurance will only pay for lap-band or RNY & like you, I was devastated thinking about how extreme bypass seems. However, like you said.. if I am going to do this, I only want to do it once. Thank you for your input!

Day 2 home 5 days from surgery. I did 2 laps around walking trail. No problem getting fluid in. Genepro protein what a lifesaver. 30 grams from one tablespoon and tasteless. But am bloated wasnt with band or sleeve. Pain is more but overall bypass is much easier then others. Not one moment of gerd

It just hit me that I have 12 more days of "normal" eating before my 2 week liquid diet and then surgery! I've been on a 1200 calorie diet since November so my eating habits have already changed drastically, but I'm feeling a bit freaked out right now! No more using food to fight boredom, make me feel better, or to celebrate with. My relationship with food will be forever changed in 12 days!! It's kind of like saying goodbye to an old (yet toxic) friendship. Anyone else sharing these same feelings?

First I like to congratulate you on your choice to be healthy, the above comments are true, but you can also research both on line on buy both the sleeve book and gastric bypass book they both are great I bought both. I had the choice yo get either one but my husband reminded me about all of the tums I pop from early ulcer so it was recommended. For me to get the bypass because the sleeves makes ulcers worse . Good luck .

I had bypass surgery on jan 19. I lost 18 lbs on my 2 week preop diet. I came home from surgery the next day. I was super bloated and had gained 18 lbs..took 3 days to lose it..walking and even burping helps w the gas

Got sleeved November 19th! Day 5 and I am feeling great! Only took 1 tsp of Roxicet for pain at bedtime. Hope to not take any pain meds today! And I'm down 4 pounds too! Also my heating pad has been amazing!

Hi everyone, so last year August I spoke with my primary care doctor about getting weight loss surgery. We both agree its the best choice for me.I did all my classes with my nutritionist & got approved for gastric bypass surgery. My surgery date is April 19 but for some reason I'm scared. I read a few entries about people regretting doing surgery & some horror stories. I read stories about people gaining back weight & others in n out of hospitals for various things.I'm scared. I'm terrified and honestly don't know if I should continue this journey. I'm 5'7 273lbs. I try so much different weight loss pills/diets and none work. I want to get the surgery so bad to save my life but at the same time I'm scared it's going to make it worse. I'm having mix feelings about this, anyone ever felt this was before surgery? Please help!!!! Sent from my SM-G925T using BariatricPal mobile app

I know I felt like you on and off for a a couple weeks before surgery. I was scared and tempted to back out, even at the hospital I was ready to run for the hills. But I didn't and I didn't have any complications with the surgery. I followed my pre op diet to the letter to ensure my best possible condition before surgery. You've obviously researched the gastric bypass surgery, you've taken the courses and you've made the decision to proceed with the surgery. I stopped researching and reading threads about complications when I started to worry, because I knew they would scare me. Also people don't tend to start threads when everything is going well and they have no complications. I think we all go into it with that fear in the back of our minds that we will be one of the ones with complications, not just for WLS but for any surgery and that's natural. In the end it's only a decision you can make for yourself.

One thing to consider with a band and no insurance is after-care. With a band, you have to have fills or the band does you no good. Many surgeons offer fills for a period of time in their fees, but after that, you are on your own. Fills can cost a few hundred dollars per. My surgeon wants me to have an Upper GI each year. That would be another cost. Bands are not a set-it and forget-it procedure like bypass is. Should you have a complication down the road and need the band removed, such as erosion, it is another full surgery. If your band should slip, treatment starts conservatively, but can end up back in the operating room. If all goes well, banding is cheaper than bypass. I've seen amounts around 10K in the states for a band, I don't know what after is included in that price. Bypass would be substantially more as the procedure takes quite a bit more time to complete. There are many self-pay people here who are extremely happy with their choice. But be sure you can afford the aftercare. If you cannot have fills, then it isn't worth it. And empty band is like an empty gas tank...it just sits there going nowhere fast.

Hi! well...you have a lot if medical issues going on, and as you already realize a very high BMI. Your first step when you get your insurance coverage is to call them and make sure there is no "exclusion" for weight loss surgery in your particular plan. The next step should be to go to an informational seminar for a surgeon in your area who accepts you insurance. There you will learn a good deal of information to help make your decision. Then you will need to have the eval with the surgeon to see if #1 you are a candidate for the surgery, and #2 if this is the best choice for you (ie band vs gastric bypass). In the mean time, continue to read these message boards...you will get a wealth of information from people who have had the proceedure and what their sucesses and challanges have been. Good luck in your journey.

I am considering a revision from the band to bypass. I know little about the process, and bypass in general. I don't know if my insurance will cover it, and right now I am in that awful catch 22 of weighing too little for surgery but too much to have a healthy lifestyle, so there are a lot of ifs there. Assuming all the planets align though, what questions did you have for your doctor? My family is pretty much convinced bypass means I am going to die, so I'd like to calm their fears. Thanks!

I think it really just depends on your doctor and schedule my surgery was approved on November 20. When my doctors office called to schedule the earliest that they had with the December the 19th.