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Hello All I Need Some Input and/or advice, Had Lap band in 2007 did really well on it and lost 122 Pounds 288 down to 166! Last 18 months My weight has gone up, but was unable to be adjusted, Radiology MD said I was to tight and would not adjust me. I attempted multiple adjustments and every time the Radiology MD said no Im to tight. Went to my Bariatric surgeon and he finally removed all the fill and said rest 30 days and lets try a fill. That was before Thanksgiving. From then until Mid January I packed on 30 pounds! Finally got a fill of 1.5 CC (my band holds 4CC) and... nothing. It should be noted that I have no problems with GERD, reflux or any other issues - just no weight loss. Went to a new doctor (only changed because he is closer to work/home) recommended revision to BY-Pass, but I was thinking sleeve. He says if I want to get back down to 166 by-pass is the way to go. I know some people that had By-pass started off great and then gained weight. Here are my questions: Which way to go Sleeve or By-Pass? If you converted from band to sleeve how much did you loose in total? Did you loose as much as you had with the lap band? If you chose By- pass how much did you loose in total? Im not worried about the surgery or recovery - Im just worried about living with my choice how it will affect my eating and possible weight gain - I do not want to have a third weight loss surgery. Thanks in advance for your help.

My understanding is the DS is a very high risk SX. And if this doesn't work you have no other options. With the band you can pretty much do any of the other WLS Sleeve you can go to MGB, RNY, DS, SIPS RNY you could do the band over BP or you can even to a revision to the MGB, DS or SIPS... But i'm not 100%

No. I had the bypass first. Then the band over the bypass(pouch)

There actually is a procedure called banded-bypass but I don't know how effective it is or if it is even done today. IIRC it is (or at least was) sometimes also done because of severe dumping before the overstitch came around.

I got a band in 2009 for much the same reasons as you are contemplating it. It was reversible, I wasn’t fat enough for serious surgery etc. It helped me achieve my goal weight and maintain it for about 6 years and then I started regaining . There are a lot of things they don’t tell you preband , the reality of living with it is very different to the marketing. You get told if you overeat it will make you sick, you don’t get told that you may get sick on your first mouthful of healthy food because for some reason it didn’t go down right today. You may have taken a small bite, chewed it well and it could be something you have eaten multiple times before but for some reason today it’s not going to work. You wish that being sick actually meant vomiting because that would be over quickly and a lot less painful than being stuck. Being stuck causes pain in the chest, you think you are having a heart attack, you can’t swallow anything, not water and not your own saliva. In extreme cases you end up going to emergency to get an unfill and put on a drip to rehydrate you. They don’t tell you that healthy food is really hard to eat yet high calorie unhealthy food will go down really easily. Be prepared to say goodbye to steak, chops, chicken, corn, lettuce, raw carrot etc all whilst cursing candy, cookies ,ice cream etc. You will never feel full or satisfied like a “ normal” person again. Instead you will feel a horrible pressure in your throat and or chest. You hear about this magical sweet spot. Well that can be as elusive as the holy grail. Not enough fill and you are still really hungry, too much and you can’t swallow your spit. The difference between the 2 can be O.01 ml and for some reason you still can’t get that sweet spot. Be prepared to spend lots of time in restaurant loos instead of chatting with your friends ( see my comment above about getting stuck) Then there is the reflux. Waking up in the middle of the night choking on acid is no fun. In spite of all this I loved my band as it helped me keep the weight off ( until it didn’t). I was horrified when my surgeon told me they have a limited lifespan and that it was unlikely to do what it was designed to do any longer. He suggested a revision to RNY and I was horrified. That seemed way too extreme. I went home and did lots of research. Came back into these boards and other facebook groups and asked lots of questions. I decided to go ahead and my revision to RNY in Jan 2019. What can I say, the difference is like day and night. My RNY does what the band was supposed to do. I can eat small portions of healthy food and feel satisfied. Hello steak, chops, salad etc. When I’m full I feel it like a normal person would, no more horrible pressure in my chest. I can still eat cake, cookies etc but in much smaller quantities as too much sugar makes me feel gross( which is a good thing). I can go out to eat and spend the time chatting to my friends, food doesn’t get stuck and I haven’t vomited since my revision. So with the benefit of hindsight if I had my time over I I would not have a band I would go straight to bypass. If you still feel the band is for you, good luck, do lots of research, be very aware of what you are signing up for. Also start saving so you can fund your revision surgery at some point within the next 15 years.

I am pretty sure the band was first, then the hardware was removed and a bypass was performed,

Very interesting. I think you are the first person I've read who had a RNY to Lap-Band revision. All the ones I've read was the other way around. Also, I didn't know that they were still performing Lap-Band procedures.

why so many revisions if you don't mind me asking?

Imaginegirl, like people have already said, you might have trouble finding a surgeon who still do bands. Also, long term about 50% of people who got the band 10 years ago are having difficulty and getting them removed. There are LOTS of us here who have had to get revisions done. I went with the band those 11 years ago with the same reason you did, I just wish I knew then what I know now, and I'd have gone straight to the bypass and not wasted 10 years fighting with my band. Of course it's your body, but do your homework and be sure the band is really what you want. Either way, good luck!

I am barely 3 months out from revision. Sleeve to rny. 38 pounds down last time I weighed. I still have 20-30 to go in order to reach goal but I am feeling great! My revision was due to hernia and gerd but I was hopeful that I would also lose more weight.

o I’m about 3 months post op from my last surgery- D-Switch and have only lost 20lbs and even that was lost during pre-op diet. The STRUGGLE is real. Anyone else? RNY, band over bypass, duodenal switch

So I’m about 3 months post op from my last surgery- D-Switch and have only lost 20lbs and even that was lost during pre-op diet. The STRUGGLE is real. Anyone else?

I had a band in 1998 and anytime I ate I would have terrible growling about 30 minutes later, this never went away for me and since my bypass I have the same issue. Seems like it comes from the right side of my abdomen.

Interesting! I had mine out unexpectedly at the time of my bypass. I am not sure if it has affected my weight loss or not. Following.....

good luck finding a surgeon who'll do it. Most refuse to place lapbands any more. Way too many complications, and many people who had them have since revised to sleeve or bypass.

I started at 254 and reached goal of 149 in 7 months. Maintaining at 144-145 and feel great! Bypass surgery was the best decision I ever made.

I had the band placed in 2008. Had to have a slip fixed in 2010. Band removed in 2019, bypass done in 2020. Other than the slip in 2010 i didn't really have any problems with my band. I lost about 60-65 in the first 6 months, then maintained that loss +/- 5 lbs until 2019. Wasn't really having any issues, but decided I should do a check in with my band doctor, in April 2019 I had an upper gi done, they found that the band was causing problems with my esophagus and recommended removal. Removal and bypass done as 2 separate surgeries. I am 6 weeks post op from bypass and feeling great. I would not do the band again and go straight to bypass, bands fail after about 10 years, or sooner for some. Save time and $$$ do the bypass!! Sent from my SM-G930R4 using BariatricPal mobile app

My surgeon will not do bands and neither of my hospitals will do them now. There were just too many complications and the results were not that great. Many resulted in follow up revision surgery. How much weight do you need to lose?

Hello loves, I am so excited surgery is in 2 days and I want to know what should I expect the day of? What is the proccess like from arriving to discharge? I can barely sleep because I am so excited and ready to start my NEW LIFE!

I'm curious about those of you who've had Lap Band surgery or the Vertical Banded Gastroplasty. From what I've read, the band surgeries have a lower excess weight loss than something like gastric bypass. I hesitate to cause my body to avoid absorbing nutrients, which is what gastric bypass does, and the sleeve is bad for people with GERD, so I've been thinking about the band. Do you have any regrets? Any side effects like GERD? Problems with eating certain foods? How much weight have you lost? You're viewpoint is appreciated!

I had surgery 2 weeks ago. Before I even considered the surgery, my PCP mentioned it to me. I then began a 6 month journey preparing for the surgery. I was very lucky, because the hospital I went through (Brigham & Women's in Boston) has an excellent process. I had 2 meetings with the nutritionists in a group, and 3 one on ones. I had an hour long interview with a psychologist who specializes in bariatric surgery. I met with my surgeon 3 times. B & W has a whole lot of on-line resources. I also did my own research. I read all the medical information on the success rate of sleeve v. bypass, side effects, etc. I did a lot of research on what my eating would look like after the surgery. I encourage you to, also. While the amount of food and calories you eat during the phase when you are losing the weight very rapidly is an extremely low number, once you transition to maintenance you will eat more calories, which will also take into account your activity level. You will work closely with a nutritionist to find the right way to eat in maintenance. It is not "medically approved disordered eating", in fact it is the way healthy weight people eat naturally. I did this for my health, but I am not dishonest enough to suggest I don't also look forward to being thinner. I am 61, married for over 35 years in November, and a well established professional woman in my community, so I am pretty comfortable in my own skin, but not feeling uncomfortable sitting in a booth or in an airplane seat, or just being able to shop in non-plus size sections are things I look forward to. I don't think, however, that I came to this decision based upon fat phobia. If you are asking if the medical community offers this surgery as a result of fat phobia the answer is "no". Most people on here have one or more co-morbidities, including diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. I have avoided those, but I have pretty arthritic knees, and the extra weight keeps me from being able to walk any distance or enjoy the things I want to. You are undoubtedly aware of the health risks of morbid obesity, which are absolutely based in science. You don't see a lot of 300 pounds 80 year olds. I want to echo everything @TheAngryMeow said, above, about this being a tool, on a journey. There are lots of support groups for bariatric surgery patients, and that may be a good place for you to start. This is the opposite of easy, it is quite difficult. I am hoping and I believe it will be worth it in the long run, as I want to enjoy my future grandchildren and get to travel with my husband as we approach and get into our retirement years. I took a very different approach to telling people about this; I have been transparent and honest with mostly everyone, except for people who I only know professionally, I have merely told them I was taking a short medical leave. If they were rude or bold enough to ask, I told them. But everyone in my office knows, my friends and family, my neighbors, and many people who I consider friendly acquaintances. I decided I am treating a disease, obesity. I felt and feel uncomfortable at times about this, but only one person (my SIL) gave me much pushback. Most people seemed genuinely interested and wished me the best of luck; some people complimented me on taking this step to be healthy. The more often I tell people the less uncomfortable I feel. I did not want to have people think I was dying when they see me after a mysterious "medical leave". And, it has been my experience that lying, even through omission, has never been a healthy decision for me. But everyone should make their own decisions about their medical care, including how much to share with others, and what other should have information shared with them. Good luck to you! However, I don't think

Hi! Congrats on the date! Re: Vitamins - I would say hold off. My surgeon made me quit taking them. I guess depending on some of the vitamins contained in it, it can interfere with surgery. *shrugs* I would ask the doctor who prescribes the anxiety meds to see if there are alternatives or if it is going to affect you. Are you bypass or sleeve? That makes a difference, too. I'm still pre-op (Feb 25th), but I packed a bag with my daily meds, a couple changes of underwear, a dress to leave the hospital in, a robe, some slippers, a couple of my protein drinks because I don't know what options they will have, charger for phone and a laptop, and a small travel pillow. I may be overprepared, but I'd rather have too much than too little. Can't answer the mobility question - yet - but I will get back with you Tuesday! They WILL get you up and walking shortly after your surgery (or so I have been told and have seen posted on here). So I imagine mobility is not terrible. But again, I will update as I go! Good luck! 👍

Not sure where you are now on your journey, but I just had the pleasure of meeting with Dr. Carlton and I must say that I do not regret it a single bit! I had an RNY in '11 and have had a lot of issues since then. I drove to meet with him, based on a recommendation, and within a few hours, he had me in an OR fixing a stricture I had (he fought to get a place to allow him to do a procedure immediately). This man is down to earth, honest and definitely cares about his patients and their welfare. While he could have touted a revision for me as an immediate option, he wanted to get me some immediate relief and monitor my bypass. It definitely is normal to have reservations and if you had none, I would be concerned. While he helped fix my issue, he gave me something other doctors havent in the past 8 years - a solution that is working. Few days gone, every meal I could drink liquid 30 mins after. Haven't been able to do that since 2010. Highly recommend Dr. Carlton to anyone willing to go down the road on this lifelong journey.

Yes, I had a sleeve to RNY revision on 2/11/20 due to GERD.

After reading everything I thought I wanted the gastric bypass as well because it seemed like it would work better and I dealt with horrible reflux, gastritis issues. While I can’t remember now what the Dr said in response as to why he thought the sleeve was the better option for me, I believe it involved higher risk, bigger chance of More reflux issues, dumping and possible greater vitamin absorption issues and I know there was something he told me about it that made me decide to keep the sleeve. So I highly encourage you to discuss with your surgeon your reasons why you want bypass and let him explain why he feels the sleeve is the better choice for your specific medical needs. The sleeve has been great for me, I’m down to 23 BMI.