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The sleeve is also invasive. It cuts up your stomach. And fyi there ARE more than 3 types of bariatric surgery; maybe he just does 3, or something. There's the duodenal switch (VERY high success rate), Vertically banded gastroplasty...others. I wanted something reversible if necessary. I didn't want my insides cut up. And 3 years out, loss rates for bypass and band are comparable (in Australia, anyway!) Each person has to pick the right path for him/her, but I wouldn't want a surgeon to push me into one. They all have pros and cons. __________________ Originally posted at www.lapbandtalk.com

Well, it's not so bad, really. I'm a night security officer, so I work by myself. I work in a town that's 2 hours away from our "headquarters," so I hardly ever see "the boss." LOL DH goes to HQ quite a bit, but not me. Anybody I see up here is people I don't see too often anyway (night staff at the hotels), so it's not like they'd notice. They may notice once the weight loss is DRAMATIC, who knows? As for my family...ugh. I'm the youngest. They think it should be part of their job description to have snippy opinions about everything I do. LOL I think on down the road the only person in my family that will get to know is my mom...but only after I've lost quite a bit to prove to her that it was a good decision. I have a group of good friends that I am on another board with. Small group of less than 30. But when one of the girls mentioned over a year ago that she was considering Lap Band, they would NOT let up with the diet/exercise advice just to keep her from doing the procedure. So, it's just the way it is. It'd be nice to have support, but honestly, it's easier when people actually have experience with bariatric surgery. And I don't know a single person IRL that has had it...bypass or banding. So DH will have to do.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 5, 2011 - DAY 3 OF PRE OP DIET - WELL I SLEPT IN UNTIL 8:30 AM TODAY. A LITTLE RESTLESS LAST NIGHT DUE TO MY 9 AM APPT. WITH DR. MARLEY RE: PRE OP SURGERY. I LOST 5 MORE LBS. FOR A TOTAL OF 10 LBS. LOST SO FAR IN MY JOURNEY. NOT BAD CONSIDERING I THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE GAINED WT. OVER THE HOLIDAYS. YEH ME! I HAD LABS DONE AND AN EKG. I GOT TO TALK WITH THE ANESTHESIOLOGIST RE: MY SURGERY. HE ASSURED ME THAT I SHOULD HAVE NO PROBLEMS IN RECOVERY DUE TO MY SLEEP APNEA. DR. MARLEY HAD ME SWITCH TO THE BARIATRIC ADVANTAGE PROTEIN SHAKES 3 TIMES A DAY ALONG WITH 2 CONTROL BARS. (INSTEAD OF THE CARNATIONS DRINKS AND LEAN CUSINE DINNERS) SO THAT I WILL GET MORE PROTEIN AND LESS CALORIES. I WAS NOT AT ALL HAPPY ABOUT THAT! I THINK THEY TASTE TERRIBLE. YUK! I LOVED THE LEAN CUISINE DINNERS AND SOME OF THEM WERE LESS THAN 200 CALORIES. GO FIGURE??? OH WELL. I HAVE TO COMPLY I GUESS. I AM SCHEDULED FOR AN EGD DUE TO HAVING GERD FOR OVER 5 YRS. AND BEING ON MEDICINE FOR IT. IT IS NEXT TUESDAY. HOPE ALL GOES WELL. CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE EVERYTHING OVER AND DONE WITH AND BACK TO NORMAL AGAIN. ENJOYED MY CAFFEINE FREE HOT TEA THIS AM AND AGAIN TONIGHT. ALSO WENT FOR A WALK WITH MY HUSBAND OUTSIDE THIS AFTERNOON. WE WALKED 2 BLOCKS AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD AGAIN. IT SEEMS TO GET EASIER EACH DAY. I WAS THINKING ABOUT TRYING TO DO THIS TWICE A DAY MAYBE STARTING TOMORROW. WE'LL SEE!

My NUT and surgeon say to stay away from it. The purpose of Ensure is NOT for bariatric patients.

I'm in melbourne, Australia. Have private health insurance, the op cost me nothing, was fully covered, had to pay 150 towards my overnight stay but if I go hospital for anything else now in the 12 month period I pay nothing, I paid 4,300 out of pocket, this covers me for life for all fills, unfills, consultations at the Bariatric centre, that total also covered me for two nutritionist appointments and dinner with a group and nutritionist. Oh and I claimed part of the $4,300 at tax time, 20% I think it was.

I am new on the site but have been a member of LBT for 2 years. I have not lost any weight since the inital month of the post op diet since being banded. They would do a fill then have to take it out due to not being able to drink liquids. I was doing that for like 2 years. I am livid!!!! I hate that this stupid thing is in my body not doing what it is supposed to. I have switched insurance due to my husband getting a new job. My new insurance has an exclusion stating that they will not cover anything to do with bariatric whatever. So I have written an appeal to the insurance company and have gotten a response saying that they are going to need a certificate of coverage from my old insurance co. I called to get that. Now what.... I have this stupid thing in my body that doesn't do what it is supposed to do and now I can't even get it out!!!!! I am so frustrated!!!!! What is up with me? Why didn't the stupid thing work? I tried to go on to LBT and see if anyone else has had this problem and of course everyone wants to tell you that you need another fill.....HELLO! I have had fills and unfills for 2 years now.....So the reason that I am posting on here is that maybe I can get this stupid thing out and hopefully get the sleeve put in. I am still considered morbidly obese because of my height 5ft 2in. I just need some encouragement and nobody telling me to get another fill (I have nothing in there now).

Ok I went to Inamed/Allergen Lap Band and found 2 clinics in China endorsed by Lap Band.I would call them and see how they feel about filling other doctors patients because that is always a problem. (quote)CENTRE FOR WEIGHT MANAGEMENT Susan Lim Surgery 6 Napier Road #02-17/18/19 Gleneagles Medical Centre Singapore 258499 Tel: 65 6475 7133 Fax: 65 6475 7233 Email: enquiries@susanlimsurgery.com Website: .::susan lim surgery::.Singapore Raffles Weight Management Programme Raffles Weight Management Clinic Raffles Hospital 585 North Bridge Road Level 12 Singapore 188770 Tel: (65) 6311 2340 Raffles Weight Management Clinic provides specialist treatments for weight problems covering the full spectrum of body mass index (BMI). Whether your BMI is <18.5 (underweight) or >32 (severely obese), our specialists can help you achieve your healthy weight. Our team of specialists including endocrinologists, bariatric surgeons, plastic surgeons, dermatologists, dietitians, physiotherapists, and acupuncturists offer a range of weight management services: Medical approach Managing weight through medication, exercise and healthy eating. Surgical approach * The use of intragastric balloon * Bariatric surgery or lap banding(/quote)

You go girl! I went out to dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant last night. Had Beans with salsa...no cheese dip...wanted some but the kids had eaten it all when my beans got there! lol I ate them slowly and they went down easily. I did get full on about 1/2 cup, maybe a bit more. Didn't drink after I started eating. I really miss my Margaritas so I took a tiny taste of my daughter's. It seemed very strong and I didn't even want anymore. Funny, huh? When I do have a drink, I can tell that I'll need to be very careful. Funny how your tastebuds change when you are on liquids only. My favorite thing this week on Thick liquids is my yogurt. Carb Master from Kroger is very tasty and not too sweet. It has 8 g of Protein alone and I have been adding 1.5 scoops ( 20 g of prot) of Bariatric Advantage Unflavored Protein powder to the cup of yogurt. The unflavored powder is perfect fo me. It is light tasting...although it is a bit sweet and vanilla flavored (don't know why they call it Unflavored...not so much!) But I like it! So far, that is my favorite! Just received my shipment of unjury unflavored...will let you know how it goes! Glad to hear that you are doing well! I will be going in to weigh and for Support Group on Tuesday, the 24th. Looking forward to official weigh in! Take care and keep up the good work! I am so proud of us! WE ROCK! Barb

Barb, congrats on the 2 lbs, you're doing great. I think it's wise to do the measuring tape and/or trying smaller sizes of clothes to measure our success and not get caught up in the scale and pounds as much. That is my plan also. I have seen so many people get so upset and even depressed over the scale not moving at all or fast enough. While I can totally relate and understand, I just have too much weight to lose and a long journey and I don't want the scale to control my emotions, yanno? That is exactly what would sabotage me pre-surgery when I dieted, and would cause me to just say, well forget it, I'm just gonna eat that ______ if depriving myself isn't gonna make me lose weight. So I am trying to go into this with a different plan. It will be a lot harder to just give up on eating healthy now, thanks to the sleeve Will you let me know which of the unflavored protein powders you like the best between the Unjury and the Bariatric Advantage? I want to get one but would like to hear a comparison review between the two. Thanks!!!

Hello, I just joined and wanted to introduce myself to you. I am a 42 year old wife and mother of 4 teenagers. I am now approx 125lbs overweight. And I am finally ready to admit for the first time in 20 years. I can't do this by myself. Looking back on one of my old journals about 3 years ago, I actually started this process of possible bariatric surgery to help me with my Quest for better health. I had the consultation scheduled, but after a month i had lost 8lbs on my own. so i called and canceled. well, i am now at least 50lbs heavier than i was 3 years ago. so what will happen to me in 3 more years? will the weight keep increasing?? For the past 3 years i've had asthmatic type symptoms that landed me in the hospital, this past year i was also in for stomach problems, i've been dealing with high bloodpressure for the past 5 years, now my knees are bothering me so much it is slowing down my exercise schedule. I have a family history of obesity and complications. 3 out of 5 brothers had or have had 150-200lbs. to loose at one given time. 3 of my brothers are type II diabetics. My Sister has at least 50lbs to loose. My dad died at age 52 from a 4th heart attack, my mom died at age 58 being at least 150lbs over weight.... let me be honest with myself......... this doesn't look really good for my future!!! I've tried weight watchers, atkins, personal dietitions, personal trainers, and although i can loose weight...... i seem to stall at the 20lb mark :scared2:! So on June 10th i go to the class at Woman's Magee Hospital in Pittsburgh Pa. and I'll go from there..... i am scared and excited at the same time, I want to hurry up and slow down............ I hope i find support and information on this website. thanks for listening

Going through process to get approved for Bypass after Sleeve. Sleeved in 2012 and have regained the 70 lbs lost. Acid reflux is returning, though it never fully went away. Just turned 55 and wondering about process and healing now that I've gotten older. I was a nervous wreck prior to getting gastric sleeve and once again find myself in that space. Same surgeon so that makes me feel better. He is one of the top bariatric surgeons in country but surgery is surgery. Woke up this morning thinking about bowel obstruction, and long term issues. Anyone over 50 have any issues post conversion?

Hi, I have a Band that I've had for 7 years. Time went by and I slowly stopped changing my eating habits and I gained weight. Pretty stable for most of the time, but recently I've gained a LOT of weight. I'm strongly focused on my food addiction. You know, "I HAVE to have this or that so I don't go crazy.!" behaviours. .And I'm doing surprisingly well. I have a LCSW-R that I work with, she's a huge help. Anyway, I "think" my pouch has shrunk because I find I cannot eatan average person's full meal, like I used to. I'm losing weight, and respecting the Band again. I'm changing Surgeons, and will be discussing with him about having the RNY. I've been a member of Bariatric Pal for a few years, and have been studying, learning and changing due to all the great people on here. I bought Alex's book on RNY, it's fascinating! I read that some people , when they have the RNY, they revision to the band as well as contnuing with their RNY life. Has anybody ever heard of this in face to face world? I mean, I'll ask my future surgeon, but I was just seeking some info here, from you guys. It kind of makes sense to me, but I've never heard of it. I was looking into having the band removed and having the RNY. But now I hear of this. What do YOU think?

I had a great post op visit today with the dietician. It was nice to receive a lot of positive reinforcement about all that I am doing!! Everyone at the bariatric center is impressed with my weight loss and the fact that my head is in the game. I am excited to continue my journey to a healthy weight! I am just about halfway there. The end result is actually a real possibility in my mind....not a pipe dream. For the first time in almost 18 years, the thought of the number on the scale starting with a "1" seems within my reach! I don't know where I will end up for a goal weight. I think the weight on the charts for me is too low....I will look emaciated. I want to get to someplace that I feel good, look good and can maintain with reasonable effort. I had another fill today---I am up to 5cc in my 10cc band, They really support small, frequent fills at this point. I have an appointment already set up for next month.....I can always cancel it if I am still in my green zone. Sorry for "bragging".......it just feels good to be succeeding! Jackie

WANT VERSUS WILL You know me: I’m the girl who spent hours reading the dictionary for fun when I was a child. I’m fascinated by words, their meanings, and how their meanings change depending on the context in which they’re used. Take the word “surrender”, for example. An army surrendering to the enemy is (to many) a shameful act. But when the enemy surrenders to our own army, that surrender is (to many) a triumph. A small change – the order of words in a sentence – can make a huge difference in the meaning of one word. The words I want to talk about today are WILLPOWER and WANTPOWER. Wantpower is a word coined by my friend Valerie. She was banded with plication on June 6, 2012 and has lost 73 pounds. She has a lot more to lose, but she’s off to a great start by following the “rules” to the very best of her ability. Valerie says that’s not because she has any willpower. It’s because she has wantpower. I hear people bemoan their lack of willpower all the time. Even control freaks like me can regret their weak or absent willpower, especially when they’re trying to sustain weight loss momentum over months and years, and after that a lifetime of weight maintenance. It’s such a common lament that I sometimes wonder if willpower truly exists in humankind. That lacking may hold a spiritual message for us, about surrendering (there’s that word again!) to the will of God or to our Higher Power. Spiritual messages can take a lot of time to process, so what are we to do in the meantime? First, let’s make sure we’re clear on the meaning of the word willpower. Webster’s defines willpower as strength of will, mind, or determination. When we use willpower, we choose our own actions rather than submit to someone else’s will (including God’s). These actions are conscious choices. We’ve thought about them, considered the costs and consequences, decide to act on them. In the world of weight loss, that might represent a decision to follow the Atkins diet and to act upon that by eating mostly protein, a fair amount of fat, and very few carbohydrates. In that scenario, we must use plenty of willpower to resist temptations like cookies and garlic bread. So far so good, right? This is a good thing that’s going to move us closer to our weight goal. Every day we ignore the candy in the vending machine at work is a triumph of willpower. But did you know that the word “will” also has a negative connotation? Willfulness means doing as we please, out of sheer stubbornness or defiance, whether our actions are good for us or not. It’s hard to say where willpower leaves off and willfulness begins, but there’s a value judgment somewhere in there. To follow your diet-du-jour to perfection represents willpower, but to eat a giant piece of birthday cake despite your doctor’s admonitions about your sugar intake represents willfulness. One is considered good, the other is bad. In the bariatric world, willpower has another meaning, and believing in that meaning can actually take you further from rather than closer to your weight goal. As Presbyterian minister and author John Ortberg says, "Willpower is trying very hard not to do something you want to do very much." Read that sentence again. Can you detect the pitfall? Let’s look at it again. "Willpower is trying very hard not to do something you want to do very much." It’s no wonder that so many of us struggle with insufficient willpower when it involves avoiding something you want badly. It’s a battlefield generously mined with bombs, because every second of every waking hour of every day of our entire lives involves making choices that go against our own desires. Those desires, wishes, needs and cravings appear to be dangerous, and we fear that giving in to them will send us to hell. But the wantpower they represent can be put to good use, and may be easier to come by than the willpower we think we need but lack. In my own case, my will makes my executive decisions and my want gives me the fuel to carry them out. WHAT SHOULD I DO? Even if you’re blessed with (or have cultivated) a great deal of willpower, that alone isn’t always enough to power you to your goals. First you need to identify your goal (in very specific terms), and then you need to really, truly want it. Not just because it’s a good idea, or because your doctor or friend or partner wants you to have it, or because you think it will solve all your problems. Using your wantpower means reconnecting with that feeling of wanting on a frequent basis. It means keeping your goal always in sight, like the proverbial carrot on a stick (see, even donkeys are motivated by food). It also means disconnecting from the doubts and fears and negative thoughts that can pop up to ask you if that goal is even achievable, desirable, or otherwise deserving of your effort. A few weeks ago I wrote a Bandwagon on the Road newsletter article about knowing your limits, and I’ll be the first to point out that the ambition of a 59-year-old woman like me to lose (for example) 200 pounds, become America’s next top model, marry Tom Cruise, give birth to octuplets and become a reality TV star is probably not achievable. I hope that when identifying life goals, you subject your dreams to a reality check and/or carefully consider all it’s going to take to make them come true. There’s nothing wrong with the top model goal above as long as you realize that achieving it will require climbing a mountain instead of strolling across a meadow. When packing your luggage for that trip, don’t forget to pack your wantpower. It will take you a lot further than a long list of “shoulds.” And doing something because you WANT to is a heck of a lot more satisfying than doing something because you (or someone else) think you should. WANT is the fire that cooks your life’s meal, seasons it to taste wonderful, and provides the fuel to keep you moving forward. So the next time you’re tempted by a donut, ask yourself this: Is this little thing I want going to make me happy for more than 2-3 minutes? Is it going to get me closer to the big thing I really, really want (weight loss)?

When I called back in June, she said I could get in in July. But I had to wait until my season was over. I actually just booked Thursday for November 25th. I was told to go at the beginning of the week to avoid longer wait times the day of surgery. Not sure if its a real concern or not. I have to renew my passport aswell, lol. I should get on that.

Hi I am using a local bariatric nutritionist (got sleeved in Mexico) and am going to have the blood tests she recommended before I go see her. I was curious if the doctors order the same things tested. Here are the tests she recommended: 1. CMP 2. CBC 3. Serum Ferritin 4. B12/Folic Acid - Specimen must be protected from light 5. Magnesium (RBC) 6. B1 Plasma - Freeze specimen 7. 25 Hydroxy/Vitamin D 8. B6 9. Serum Retinol (vitamin A) - Protect specimen from light 10. Serum Copper (not a standard lab, but I would check) 11. Pre-albumin

Hello, has anyone had this surgery? Has it worked for you? I might have a condition that wouldn't lend itself well to VSG or Plication and I know I don't want the band. Might need to have repeated endoscopes and see all of my stomach. I keep thinking if the POSE prodceedure or something like it where the stomach was made smaller but still viewable that is the answer. From the very limited research it sounds like StomaphX and TOGA it looks like failed miserabley. I don't know if POSE is different, but I've looks all the places I know, and info/experiences are very limited. I am wondering if there is any new procedures coming out in the baratric field. Please post if you heard of new types of surgery coming down the pike! http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/193616/Endoscopic-incision-free-bariatric-surgery--offering-weight-loss-without-the-risks-of-major-abdominal-surgery http://www.whyweight.com/pose/ Please post if you know of someone who had it or if you have more info. I would love to know if the stichest stay in. I've got about 50 lbs to loose. Thanks so much!

I heard about getting a temporary band on the sleeve if you haven't lost all the weight or if stomach stretches, I don't know how that would work though, cause after taking the band out you would gain all the weight back? I would go to a BAriatric surgeon with a lot of experience to see what he/she recomends.

Hi Kathy, I hope you make the decision that is best for you and your body. I also have the band and it needs to come out. My band is almost 10 years old so instead of having my band completely taken out, my dr. is going to replace it with a new band (depending on the shape my stomach is in once he's in there) but I'm keeping my new port and tubing and I'm either going to have a gastric plication or the sleeve. I haven't decided which way to go yet either. When I spoke with my band dr. he normally recommends the bypass but I'm unable to have that plus I wouldn't get it anyway if I could (I think). He doesn't recommend the sleeve and doesn't do many of them mainly because he thinks the leak rate is too high, even though he is a very skilled surgeon he doesn't like the sleeve. I went to a different bariatric dr. who is also very well-known in southern Cali and skilled and he also doesn't really recommend the sleeve. So now I'm really confused. I was leaning towards the sleeve but now that I know about the gastric plication, I am leaning more towards that. My main concern with the plication is that there is no long term data. The longest term data I could find was between 3-5 years out. I was very happy with my band until about 7 years out, so I'm not real comfortable with the limited amount of information as my own data would show good progress at 3-5 years out. Anyway - do lots of research, ask lots of questions and good luck to you. genepha

This is another study on pubmed from JAMA, comparing bariatric surgery procedures and their complication rates to get a handle on what made things go wrong, if they did. Total complication rate for all surgeries was 1.6 percent. Sleeve surgeries alone had a serious complication rate of 2.2 %; mortality rate for sleeve surgeries was exactly zero. The study said that complications were inversely proportional to how many surgeries the hospital handled, and how many surgeries the surgeon had performed. COE status was irrelevant. http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/20664044

very very very bad idea. Lap bands have terrible complications and as of right now a 50% failure rate. the odds are extremely high you will do irreversible damage. there are Bariatric patients out there who have done band over RNY (never heard it for sleeve) and they can never have another revision because it could be fatal for them. my local center of excellence currently has an 80% removal rate...80%. there are countries that have banned the band. the conventional revision path from a sleeve for lack of weight loss is either RNY or DS (the sleeve is the first stage of the DS). Honestly, I"m shocked any doctor would recommend a band. my doctor says any doctor still putting them in should be sued for malpractice.

yes they can remove it at the same time. 25% of people will need gallbladder surgery after bariatric surgery so some surgeons routinely remove the gallbladder during bariatric surgery and some don't. if you already having problems then it's a good idea to have it remove at the same time. the recovery time is longer though.

Hi everyone. I was banded back on Feb 1,2006. My surgeon was fired shortly after my surgery and I have had no one following me since then. I lost 45 lbs on my own but have gained 10 back in the past year. I work for a great hospital (UT Southwestern Medical Center) and a doctor agreed to see me. He took half of my fill out on Friday and has put me on a liquid diet for a week. I can have Water and High Fiber Slim Fast and that's it. I was throwing up a lot and not losing weight, seems I couldn't eat anything. I had pretty much given up on the lap band working, but this dcotor has given me renewed hope. He said my stomach had stretched slightly above the band and that the liquid diet for a week should put everything back to normal. He is gonna treat me as if I had just gotten the lap band. They are gonna work with me on what foods to eat and which ones not to and so forth. So since I have had this for 2 and a half years I got on here cause I thought it would be nice to get some support and share what I know having been banded since 2006. Thanks everyone, Lisa

Intro - My name is Edie and I'm 54. I've been waiting for this surgery since 2008. FINALLY BCBS North Carolina stopped calling it investigational. I've finished all my pre-op testing and the doctor's office submitted it to the insurance company. Now I wait in suspense. I think it could happen pretty quickly once they get approval. I had to have a colonoscopy and upper endoscopy and some samples were sent for biopsy so that could take a couple weeks - I don't know if they will wait for those results before scheduling me. The GI doc said everything looked good and that he was going to clear me for surgery. After waiting all these years, it doesn't even seem real. My surgeon has done MANY bariatric surgeries, but only about a dozen sleeves. He seems very comfortable with it though and I am comfortable with him and the reputation of the practice. I was tested up one side and down the other!

I think I'd schedule an appt with the nutritionist that works with your doctor, because that IS confusing to not be allowed milk, yet non fat cottage cheese is allowed? The only thing I can think of is that perhaps the doctor is trying to steer you away from liquid calories. Yet a serving or two of non fat milk per day is often OK with other doctors to help us get our Calcium in. Every single bariatric doctor is going to have slightly different ideas on how their patients should eat post-op. And not all plans will work with all patients. Seriously I'd go back and get clarification. Good Luck. Glad you're getting to move to more solid food soon. I was back on regular food by two weeks. I can't imagine doing liquids for a month.