Search the Community

I agree it seemed less invasive and more straightforward my doctor also said the risk for complications is higher in bypass then with sleeve also my aunt had gastric bypass about 10 years ago and has been really sick also I didn't like the malabsorption Factor the dumping syndrome and the fact that it seemed like I would have to watch what I ate even more closely with gastric bypass like what if I'm at a new restaurant and it has something my new couch wouldn't agree with dumping syndrome byterrified me and the thought of my intestines being rearranged I didn't like that I am higher BMI patient BMI 52 but I love to workout so I don't see this being an issue but that is what led me to my decision.

As you wrote your note, you're actually asking two questions: Does the band work? and Does the band work and remain viable for the long haul. You're going to hear the good, the bad and the neutral in response to both questions. In answer to the first, the band works if the owner works it, as "they" say in the street. It will not work for losing weight f not considered and used as an aid, a partner, so to speak. It usually takes a few adjustments to get it set as an optimal aid. Because it's fickle, adjustments to loosen or tighten may be needed from time to time; there's no way to predict. Then there are the band owners whose bands are just right for them out of the gate. Second question: The band isn't perfect and many have revised to other surgeries. They include those who had legitimate cause and I have no doubt that others just didn't work their bands or abused them. With a band, as with any of the bariatric procedures, regain is always a possibility. Maintenance for the long term is the individual's responsibility and demands vigilance. One downside with the band is that it requires pretty much life-long attention, e.g., annual esophagrams (a.k.a. barium swallows) to be sure it's in place and that liquids and food continue to move from mouth to stomach as they should. Slips are always a possibility; some can be avoided (by not gorging and/or eating too quickly and the like) and some not (perhaps a wrenching movement, which doesn't mean, by the way, giving up ice-climbing or whatever dare-devilry is your passion, which reminds me: No need to give up sex, either). One band star is @@Alex Brecher who founded BP. He had surgery about 14 years ago and has maintained his boyish figure since reaching his goal as far as I know. He's not your deciding factor, of course, but, if he stops in, may be able to give you perspective that I can't. I'm one of those who was doing wonderfully, with goal in sight, but was thrown by a life event and regained most the the weight I'd lost. I'm back on track now. For a while I thought my band might have breathed it's last, but my July esophagram was good and the band is doing its thing. I must take care to pay attention to the signals it sends -- again, that personal responsibility thing. To make a long spiel longer, I'll end by suggesting that you read your replies and compose a list of specific questions to pose to people at the surgery practice you're considering. Also attend its support group to ask and listing to people face to face. This last is not to advise you to abandon BP. All the best.

Glad to hear your story. I am going to Mexico next month for my revision. I have not had the issues you had with your band, simply because about 4 years ago I had all the Fluid taken out. After fighting with fills, vomiting, etc. for 3 years, I just gave up. It sounds like you have been through hell. Hoping I don't have the thing embedded in my stomach. I have no pain or anything, so we'll see. Please keep updating your progress. I have a month to go, and am interested in your journey. I am taking a month off work (I'm self employed), so hoping that will be enough to heal before working again.

Went and purchased all my supplements and items in preparation for my surgery March 24th.. A little nervous, however I'm having my surgery done at the University of Iowa Hospital where the gastric bypass surgery was actually pioneered, so I feel I'm in excellent hands.

My surgeon told my pre op group about a gastric bypass patient that had just came out of surgery the day before. The hospital accidently got the lunch trays mixed up and this gastric bypass patient got hamburger and fries as his first meal right out of surgery. He was a quarter of the way through the meal before the nurse questioned it. The patient thought it was okay to eat since that is what the hospital served him. If you make a mistake, I think you should own up to it and not look elsewhere for validation.

Haven't been sleeved(sorry) but I do have GERD from Hades and a hiatal hernia. Looking forward to my RnY, have gone from the minor league to the Cadillac, Dexilant, so far it is keeping my gastritis tamed and Hector, my little baby ulcer asleep. Missed my dose one morning and HELLO. My gastric region woke up and I didn't have a fun day. Join me in bypass-ville and things will only get better![emoji13] Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

I never got dumping either and gerd is non-existent . A great tip is to put protein shake into your coffee as a creamer ! Ie caramel or vanilla - kills two birds Good luck! HW 242, SW 236- (Bypass 12/20/17) GW#1- 199 [emoji736] (2/11/18) GW#2- 180 CW 180 5’6”

I also have a six Diet Cokes a day habit, and I think that might be harder for me to quit than some of my favorite foods! I have gastric bypass in February 2019 and am hoping to taper off slowly until then.

Indeed. I can't see there's anything about a gastric bypass that would qualify for a medical emergency bracelet. However of course anyone has the freedom to wear any bracelet they like and I wouldn't dream of arguing.

I am having a revision on Monday after being banded on 12/21/11. My band has a slow leak, and I have reflux, heart burn, and throwing up if this band is tightened at all. My BMI is only about 29 but my insurance approved it right away. I am having my revision on Monday and can't wait to get that band out of me. Best of luck with your decision.

Immediately after gastric bypass surgery, I became lactose intolerant. Any time I tried to drink/eat anything with lactose such as milk, it quickly lead to an upset stomach and then diarrhea. This condition lasted for around 2 months and then resolved itself. Also if you haven't already, it might be a good idea to take probiotics. Generally in the hospital, you received antibiotics. This killed not only the bad bacteria but also the good bacteria in you gut. Therefore it is a good idea to reestablish the colonies of good bacteria after surgery by taking probiotics.

Did anyone else get this, seems every 2 to 3 hours a have go. Wandering if it happened to you how long did it last. Trying to make sure I have 4oz of fluid every hour with alarms on the phone etc. But would love to know if this happened and how long. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using BariatricPal mobile app

Anyone had this? It is located right by my belly button. Gotten progressively worse all day. No redness, swelling or fever. Doctors office closed....unsure what to do. Feels like a hot knife stabbing. Sorry if tmi. 5 weeks out bypass.

Yes, I'm the same as you!! I didn't lose all my weight with the sleeve as well and I'm hoping I end up losing just as much, if not more. I agree that if it was an amazing loss, you'd remember. Haha! But man, I hope it works out for you. If you are in the States, you could also try Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro or something? Idk. This is what I'm seeing going around the revision fb groups and people are having crazy success. However, I think most regain once they're off of it. Hmmm, yeah.. It does seem like converting might be the better option but I'm no doctor. Everything else just seems like a quick fix, you know? How long does she want you on it?

I was in the situation. I felt all along the sleeve is the way I wanted to go. But after talking with my doctor, I chose gastric bypass for a few different reasons. I was diagnosed with Barretts, which was caused by gerd. .Also I do not have the disipline to control what I eat. As of today I am down 19 pounds in 2 weeks. The surgery itself went very smooth and with little discomfort. I am in the 60+generation and I felt it would be hard to break all these bad habits I had for years. So far the gastric surgery is making it much easier. .But it all depends on your health and what your doctor feels is right for you. Either way, I wish you the best of luck ambpete

You sound very strong. My year has been much like yours. I have learned to put my faith in God or whatever higher power you believe in. I have given up control and my life has become so uncomplicated. I had surgery on September 11, 2016 to repair a ventral hernia. It was supposed to be 2 1/2 hours long. 8 1/2 hrs later after I passed on the table and was brought back. I was told by the surgeon, she also had to revise my gastric bypass. One month after surgery my husband and I became homeless. We have been staying with friends since. I have learned to be grateful for all that I have. Every morning I am so grateful to be alive. You too will get through this. If you need someone to talk to you can message me. Sent from my LGLS675 using the BariatricPal App

I never had GERd before surgery. I had the acid issues that most people have post op. Losing weight and avoiding trigger foods will probably prevent you from having GERD. Personally I think the sleeve is superior in a lot of way to the bypass, but that is my personal opinion. If your Dr thinks the sleeve is okay for you, and you trust your Dr, have the sleeve. Lots of sleevers never have GERD issues. My reflux was always based on how I ate that day, since cutting out all unhealthy foods I had not had reflux at all (9 months?). Should I still worry it could come back with the sleeve if I avoid the trigger foods? Sent from my SM-G930V using the BariatricPal App

I agree with Nyseness, I went back and forth on which procedure i wanted to go with. I'm 99.9% on Gastric Bypass. I did a ton of research via the web, books speaking with others whose been through both Sleeve and Bypass surgeries. My Dr. said that I am a good candidate for either. Due to my current conditions, diabetes, high blood pressure and artiritis in both knees, I decided that GB would be the best choice for me. I'm currently in the pre-op stage. I wish you the best in your decision.

Prior to my RNY gastric bypass surgery 5 years ago I had sleep apnea but I also had severe asthma. The sleep apnea problem went into remission within a couple months. The asthma disappeared after around 3-4 years. There was recent research performed in South Korea that showed a direct correlation between weight loss in men and improved lung function. A group of researchers led by Dr. Eun Kyung Choe from Seoul National University Hospital Healthcare System Gangnam Center, Seoul, South Korea, studied the association between abdominal obesity and lung function — their study published in PLOS One. These investigators used clinical records from about 1100 adult Korean people — 428 men — assessing them at baseline and following them for about 3 years. All were healthy at the beginning of the study, and all were non-smokers who had never smoked. As the amount of VAT (visceral adipose tissue - fat tissue located deep in the abdomen and around internal organs.) decreased in men so did both FVC (forced vital capacity) and FEV1 (1 second forced expiratory volume). These measures are used, as well as their ratio (FEV1: FVC) to help diagnose lung diseases like emphysema and chronic bronchitis. The authors suggested that the changes in lung function associated with decreases in VAT might be due to mechanical differences, e.g. less pressure on the diaphragm, and/or due to the greater propensity of the VAT to release inflammatory cytokines which could trigger systemic inflammation. https://www.acsh.org/news/2018/02/28/losing-fat-might-mean-better-breathing-12629

8 years ago when I was 18 my endocrinologist recommended bypass due to my PCOS and how hard it was to lose any weight. My parents said no way so I put the thought out of my mind. But now the technology has come a long way and I'm going to be getting banded. I find it really interesting that for me too, the only way to lose weight is on extremely low calorie and high exercise plans, which I can't keep up for more than a couple of months. I know that the band will help me with this as long as I keep being as active as I am.

I just had a revision on the 18th of May. I love it!! I had so many problems with my band for the last 2 yrs. not to mention the money spent for the port flip, fills and unfills..I had Dr. Aceves do the revision and I couldn't be happier. I know it is a process and much to learn here unlike the band..but I am thrilled..I had gained 25 pounds over the last 5 months due to band slippage ..knowing myself so well and the history of my family..a tool of this nature was the way to go for me..good luck!

I followed Dr. Aceves post op diet to the letter. Since he did your revision, I sincerely doubt you need to worry about a leak. He has never had one, so I can't see any reason why you would be his first. On my 10 days of full liquid, I had egg drop Soup from the Chinese restaurant. I had a lot of different Protein shakes and tomato soup with cottage cheese blended in a blender so that it was smooth and creamy. I also had yogurt. On my 10 days of soft foods, I ate a lot of chicken salad, tuna salad and egg salad. I choose whatever foods were on the list I was given. When I moved to solids, I decided I didn't like the feeling so I stayed on mushies longer and tried a couple bites of solids per day. It was not easy in the beginning. I got full from 2-4 bites of food. One time I ate some fish and thought I was going to explode. I needed to learn to stop eating before I felt full. I was much more full 20 min after I was done eating than I was at the table. I bought those little cans of already made chicken salad. I looked at my portion on my plate and imagined if it would fit in that can. If it was more than that, I knew I would be sorry later. I am much better now at knowing when to stop. I can eat anything I want and I just know by looking at it when to stop. It's hard to get a full signal Feel free to ask anything you need to. We are all happy to help!

Hi, you asked some good questions and your concerns are all things we all think about and need to be addressed. You are right to consider all these things. I have only been banded since October 26,2007 and am not really all the way to total restriction so I am not an expert. But I will tell you that the 'food yearning' issues I was so concerned about have not been nearly as bad as I feared. I can eat pretty much everything - including bread. You do have to eat slowly, take small bites and chew stuff until it is mushy, but really that is how we all should be eating anyway. Watch a skinny person sometime and I guarantee you they will be eating more that way than a fat person! Another thing I want to point out to you is that there seem to be a lot of people on this sight who I think (this is just my opinion) are too tight and too restricted and overfilled. The purpose of the band is to lose approximately 5-10 pounds per month. You can easily do that by keeping your caloric intake around 1000 calories. I see people on this sight all the time who are eating 500 or 600 calories. There is a thread on here for posting your daily food journal and if you read some of them they look like a food journal for a hamster. In my pre-op education I was told that I should be able to eat approximately 1/2 of what I used to eat. That really isn't that little. That is what most of my skinny friends eat when we go out. The reason I decided to have LB instead of GB surgery was because I do love food so much. With the lap band you can enjoy food still. Please don't let that be the reason you decide not to have the surgery. As you read posts on this board, remember that there are a lot of different people on here and we are all different and go to different doctors. I plan on only getting as much restriction as I absolutely need to continue to lose a safe amount of weight and still enjoy food. I agree with you that food is one of life's great joys and it is not wrong to enjoy it. If I wanted to lose 20 pounds a month I would have had gastric bypass. The other real factor that led me to the surgery was thinking about life AFTER I reach my goal (and now I really believe for the first time I will reach it!!!) The band will allow me to stay at my goal weight and not be constantly worrying about regaining all my weight. The band will always be there and will always be my special tool to help me stay on track. How loose or tight it stays will be up to me and me alone!

Ok so i have been struggling with my weight since I can remember.... even when i was a cheerleader I was never the small one so i was self conscience... anyways I have gained somuch weight and I know part of it is from all the diets I have tried... I think the only diets I didnt try were like NutriSystem... well I am desperate and I've been looking into Labband.. now according to my research I am a candidate for the tool that will give me that boost and real results... the problem is 1) I have never had any surgery in my life.... 2) after reading blogs I am so so so so so scared that things will go wrong.. I read how people throw up all the time or all these horror stories of the lab band ... I have read how people reccommend a Mini gastric Bypass instead because you can eat regular food or what not and how with the bad some people do not loose weight... anyways I need advice because this is something that I am desperate to do .. and I do not want to invest 13 grand on it and then it go all wrong..... Please Help... (btw tomorrow I have my first consulataion) One more thing... I am getting annyoed by people saying that I am going to take the easy way out... and that I just havnt tried hard enough with the diets... anyways ya's advice will be greatly appreciated.

I'm from Canada and we have national health care here (though each province runs it individually). I'm going to Mexico for my surgery because the wait list here is 5-7 years (!) and they only do the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (which also bypasses part of the intestine). But all that being said, I still am EXTREMEMLY happy to have our national health care. I would never run into this kind of bureaucratic lunacy. Why would you think for a second that your anesthetist (that' what we call anesthesiologists in Canada), or your nurses, doctors, etc. would NOT be covered by your insurance, if they approved you to go to the hospital where they work! That's nuts! I'm really sorry you're running into this nightmare. However, the $2K is a small price to pay for the fantastic new you you're going to enjoy for the rest of your life! That's why I chose to self-pay ($6K plus flights and other expenses), rather than wait another 7 years to have a surgery I don't even want because that's the only one covered. Try to look on the positive and remember, it's for your health. And you're worth it! And that you've learned a valuable lesson about looking into ALL the loop-holes in the future, no matter how nutty they are!