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Ok, so I went for my appt at Lahey today. I had the doctor and the psyche portion today. I have to go back for the nutritional portion due to the fact that they have a new person in that position and she isn't ready to meet w/ people. I also have to go for a sleep study which I thought was weird but I am willing to go to any length so I am doing it. I started having a panic attack in the waiting room but I calmed down once I got the scale part over. I was 263.7 lbs. and I found out that I am only 5'7" and half inches! I thought I was 5'9 for years. I am too young to be shrinking so I have been off for A LONG TIME! Now the question is do I go for the lap band or the bypass. I am leaning towards the lapband. Thanks for your help with me yesterday.

Hi I am going to get my gastric Bypass with Sanchez. I think I will get my surgery at Mills since he only operates at El Camino once a month. I just got approved after 4 months of appeal with my insurance company and on monday I will schedulle my surgery. I've seing Sanchez a couple times and really liked him.

I was on the fence choosing between the two also. My doctor was ready to do either. I chose the bypass because I was a diabetic. 2 months after surgery I was no longer. I also chose it because I knew so many people that got the sleeve and then regretted it and ended up getting the bypass anyway. I just wanted to get it over with.

Congrats on the progress. BTW you alarmed me for a second. I thought you were saying chowchows was having gastric bypass surgery, but then I remembered it was gallbladder surgery LOL!

My surgery was Dec 2011 and Tiffikins in particular was someone who really helped me get prepared to take this on! I think she moved on once she started having babies ... i like to think she is living a nice normal life. To some extent, I tried to pick up the band to sleeve revision torch she carried. She really shed light on the whole topic for me... that it was worth trying AGAIN after my epic fail with the band.

Bypass patients have to take B12 via either sublingual tablet or injection (although the vast majority go with the sublingual tablet) because we don't have enough intrinsic factor to absorb it in any other form. I don't think sleevers have that issue - I think you can take regular tablets (if you even need B12 in the first place - maybe so (I'm not a sleever, so I'm not sure about this)) it could be these people are thinking of giving you different doses (the twice a year one might be a much higher dose), but that's just a guess. And they should be going by your lab work. I've had to cut back - and then increase - my B12 supplementation a couple of times based on my labs (I'm several years out, though)

I’m hoping they’re basing this on your blood tests & you are lacking in B12. That rigorous of an injection regime does seems extreme. But your blood tests could be showing you are very low & need a more intensive regime. But I’d still quiz your GP further about what your levels actually are & what they should be if only for your own information. Out of curiosity, are you a vegetarian or vegan? B12 is found in animal products (meat, seafood, poultry, dairy) so if you don’t eat much of these foods it could be contributing. @catwoman7 is correct. Sleevers don’t tend to have the absorption issues those with a bypass can. I only had to take a multivitamin & no other supplements while losing. I gave them up at 8 months post surgery & haven’t taken any vitamins since then. Don’t need to as my 3 monthly blood tests show I absorb enough from what I eat.

After the "Weight Loss" stage you pass into the "Maintenance" stage. In this stage, the goals and rules change slightly. I have put together a short article on the second stage that may be of some help. It is available here http://www.breadandbutterscience.com/Surgery2.pdf Also I may revise this webpage in the next few weeks that will even give some more ideas. So you might check back on the link.

Hi I'm 51 and had my bypass 2/24/16. I'm very new to this completely. I look everyday for advice, experiences, answers and just to learn. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hi 50 somrthings! I got my surgery date!!!!! March 14th ..... so excited!!!! Bypass surgery....here I come!

55 revised to bypass from lap band 10/26/15! Regret the lap band everyday and all the problems it caused including necessity of removal and revision to bypass! Was banded in 2010, and the Dr. Left to start practice in another state shortly after. I was left with no one to take care of my questions, concerns and problems. I suffered in hell, i threw up everytime I ate, had to eat around band to get nutrition. Finally 5 years later after a flare up in front of a new pcp, they thought I was having a heart attack in dr office. Took a ambulance ride and 3 days in ecu doing tests, found out lap band slipped up into esophagus, and was eroded in as well. Port had also turned. There was a ton of scar tissue to remove and the supposedly empty band had 11 cc's in it making that a real pain to remove. And just to show how much fun I had, the last 1/2 hour before I was released from hospital a nurse came in and gave me a shot in each arm, then explained to me it was a flu shot and a pneumonia shot. In the pre surgical prep I had declined these shots because I get sick from them. Anyway, the trip home from hospital is 45 minutes. Not halfway home I got ill, developed a fever. By the time I got home to bed it was 103.5. Called Dr., put ice packs all over to get temp down. As soon as ice came off, temp would go up again. Ice and Tylenol for a week. I'm now 6 weeks post surgery, just finally getting to gym to start exercising, and eating soft foods. I blame all of it on the lap band Dr.! But, I am trying to look at this better and hope the outcome works out well. Am sure I will need lots of support and counseling as well to forgive and move on. I will admit I have lost 45 plus pounds and can really notice difference. Especially tying my shoes!

@@fayeu One of my concerns is health problems - just getting older type issues - after GB. You had strokes post bypass...did it affect anything in your recovery? Anyone else have GB as they work through other health issues? I was 2 weeks away from Lap Band to Bypass revision last summer and changed my mind. Now I'm thinking about it again...

I am 62 had bypass on 5/8/18.My husband was not on board either. But it was life or death for me for my future. If he loves you he will come around if not then do it for yourself. Three weeks after surgery my husband is now on board. But I would do this journey alone if I had to , so I could live longer. I owe it to myself to be healthy.I am already off of 7 out of 10 meds I used to take prior to surgery!

The three most important elements after RNY gastric bypass surgery are to meet your daily Protein, Fluid and Vitamin requirements. food is secondary because your body is converting your stored fat into the energy that drives your body. Thus you lose weight. Weight loss is achieved after surgery through volume control. You begin at 2 ounces (1/4 cup) per meal and gradually over the next year and a half increase the volume to 1 cup per meal. With this minuscule amount of food, it is next to impossible to meet your protein daily requirements by food alone, so therefore you need to rely on supplements such as Protein shakes. So essentially, the approach is not counting calories, carbs and fats during the "Weight Loss" phase. Eventually after several months you will slide into the "Maintenance" phase, and the approach in that phase is different and you can go back to counting calories, carbs and fats.

Sherrie, Hubby & I were truck drivers, We both drove a total of about 18 years, about 2 of them together. One time before we met my hemmies (so much easier to spell that LOL) were bad that I went to a clinic & the Dr lanced it, then gave me pain med & antibiotic, well, antibiotics also tend to give me hemmies. (There are maybe 2 kinds I can take with no issues, that's it), well gee, guess what happened? I was back at the clinic the next day, and this was about a week before Christmas, luckily I was staying at a Comfort Suites practically across the street from the clinic because bumps & using the clutch to start & stop in a semi truck was murder LOL So next day I was back in there to have them lanced again. About 4 years ago we were in Colorado & they were REALLY bad, when they get bad hubby takes care of them (too tough with my weight), and I we were talking about taking me to the hospital. Finally the pain calmed down & I got some sleep. When it was my turn to drive I called my dispatcher & told her what was going on, I started driving, and even hubby was amazed at how loud I could yell in pain LOL Needless to say after a day or so they finally subsided. I had my family Dr refer me & the Dr that 1st did a colonoscopy, then removed my hemmies, was a good man & REALLY funny. When we went in he examined me, and when we were discussing the ectomy he said that I am going to want to punch him in the face every day for at LEAST 10 days. I had my surgery on Friday January 13th. Luckily he was having a good day LOL Needless to say, come January 17th, I was screaming so loud & crying so bad when I went to the bathroom that I surprised the police didn't show up at our door LOL I emailed him after about a week & told him that punch & face were not quite what I had in mind, kick & balls were more along what I was thinking at this point LOL Needless to say, when I told him that I needed to have an endoscopy done, he referred me to Dr Gabrielson, and when I told him about me having the sleeve done in 2011 (I didn't lose much weight) & that I get really bad heartburn & GERD that he told me that I am an excellent candidate to be fast tracked for the gastric bypass. So now I'm doing all the reading & trying to understand things. When I had the sleeve done I had it done in Mexico, so I didn't have to read or study anything, they told me to make sure I put myself into ketosis for 2 weeks prior to my surgery, then tell me what to eat post op & that was it. After that, at least in my case & the group I went with, they could have cared less, with the exception of getting the money from me. So basically that's my life story for the last 10 years LOL

Doer, boy was I happy to read your post!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for sharing. It's nice to know I'm not alone. My doc is super nice but he doesn't tell me little things like that. With the bypass I almost feel like it's all willpower because there is little restriction. I never read that anywhere. I was nervous like the surgery didn't take or something. I mean the extreme weight loss is from food restriction and following the diet stages. I guess how the bypass helps is with not having hunger. Still learning and getting to know my new tool. Thanks for sharing.

I had bypass 9 months ago and prior to surgery sugar was critical in my life. Following the pre op and post op liquid requirements I broke that sugar habit. If I even smelled it would make me shy away. At first I told myself that sugar would make me dump but over time I learned that I get very very mild symptoms from dumping only if I over indulge. I am also very sensitive to artificial sweeteners of any kind so I use regular sugar and/or honey. This means I have to be extra careful or the sugar monster craving will come back for me. If I am truly having a craving for something sweet I will make sure that I have a bite or two but only after I have had my Protein and veggies. Then, there is little room and a bite of two satisfies me. I don't make a habit of it but every once in a while I will have a few bite of ice cream. I have also had a small piece of dark chocolate or a single cookie but for the most part it is rare. In 9 months I would say I have done this maybe 4 times for special occasions. I do eat pudding on a regular basis. Non sf, full fat in the small cups. If I need something sweet that is my go to and it does the trick. I have even baked for my husband and children/grandchildren. It just doesn't pull me in anymore. I would rather have some nice meat and veggies.

I've been following your story for a while now. I think I'd rather the bypass over a stent too. So sorry for all of you suffering and hoping that in the end you all end up happy and pain free.

I just started eating soft foods today. Was on TPN for 7 weeks. I am praying that my leak is healed. I should know within the next 2 weeks. Have been out of work pretty much since my surgery date of 4/4/17. Have lost 60 lbs. But still have my pickline. If this doesn't work, I really just want a bypass instead of a stent. I hear they are so painful. My doc said they need to wait like 8 months before turning a sleeve into a bypass. He said if they did it now, "It would be a warzone". So I am praying, praying, praying for all of us with complications. Keep us posted everyone, it really helps to see all the posts.

Very similar but a much more involved surgery and since a bypass leaves some stomach still being used you have more nutritional deficiencies. I am coming up on 2 years with my stomach removed (it's called a total gastrectomy). My life is pretty fantastic. Feel free to add me or message me on Facebook. I spend a lot of time helping people through the process. My name is Tim Bretthauer. My pic is a minion. I would be glad to help.

Jules ~ Great minds think alike, Wendy's Chili was my meal for yesterday, I still have half of the cup in the fridge as of today lol. I am only able to eat about one fourth of it so I had a bit for lunch and a bit for dinner yesterday. Remember, men lose faster them women! Although I did lose a little faster then even the men tend to lol. I treat myself to stuff I shouldn't have, if I didn't I would be totally screwed. Just today I was dying for a Greek Salad, so of course I needed my fix and I ordered the Greek Salad from Panera off of the kids menu. Boy were those few bites totally delicious! I knew when I are it that it wasn't protein sufficient but I needed my 'fix'. Heck, I have even taken a few sips of diet Pepsi for a fix here and there..shhhh don't tell anyone lol. I stay %110 committed with my water and sugar intake, and 98% with my protein. You sound like you are doing great. Your still fresh so give it time. For some they are still swollen and what not inside at 8 weeks out. My friend who is a revised patient always goes by the number on the scale and finally I said, damn it Tammy we are taking measurements and I got out my measurement and measured away, a week later did it again and she was amazed. The scale is an enemy if you ask me, I personally trashed my scale and committed to only weighing myself at the doctors. You are doing great! Keep it going!!!

Just wanted to touch base with everyone. I had my revision on the 11th and the first couple of days were ROUGH. I stayed an extra day in the hospital due to nausea. I figured out I was nauseous due to pain meds, so I'm just taking Tylenol and doing fine. Once my drain was removed most of the pain/discomfort was gone. I know everyone says that each day gets a little better and it's actually true. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

Hi Jeninpink . I had my revision this past Tuesday and I was worried about all that too but it actually wasn't that bad. No more pain that when I had the band. I actually opted for 0 pain medication at all at the hospital. I was there 1 night and received 2 Heparin shots in my tummy but they use such a tiny needle if you can have a lap band fill, heparin is a walk in the park. I can't comment on the drain tube because my dr doesn't use them. I came home Wed and I've been drinking just fine. Already up making my niece lunch today

I would have your surgeons office send the paper work to Medicare and see if they will cover it. I know that they will cover regular gastric bypass surgery. Good luck to you and let us know the answer if you don't mind.

Yes. My insurance company Medica required it and for me there was no getting around it if I wanted it covered. I too had started with a doctor that was not a part of a center of excellence and had to switch. I will say I am very happy that I did because of the enormous care system put in place by my center of excellence. For me I think it was a blessing. So much so that I have moved states and insurance companies and bought insurance that has my center of excellence in another state covered in network. I just did not want to change because they are so good. So now, I drive 6 hours for an appointment but am thrilled with the care and level of service I get because they are a center of excellence. Some of the benefits for me were: a team of bariatric specialists who many have gone through this surgery themselves. I have a nurse assigned to me and she herself had bypass 14 years ago, my nutritionist, psychologist, bariatrician and surgeon are all right there in the clinic and speak to one another. . The clinic is set up for bariatric patients in a way that makes it more comfortable. Larger chairs, examine rooms, equipment. Even the hospital where they performed my surgery. They have a bariatric wing, each bariatric suite private. I was shocked how well I was treated and how comfortable they made me. I am not sure if they are all like that but I know they had to earn their status. I hope things work out for you and you are able to work through it in a way that makes you happy.