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I had my bypass on the 7th and I've been so sick. I can't keep most things down. I have terrible pain anytime I do eat. I'm so miserable I've been to the emergency room twice. Meeting with ny surgeon on monday. Wishing ud never done this. Was anyone else this sick the first few weeks if so did it get better

@@AmysShrinking Is it a secret bypass group that my friends can't see I am in it?

I went on January 16 for gastric bypass. I woke up about an hour after being put under to a nurse in the recovery area telling me they did not complete my surgery because of complications. I have multiple adhesions and my intestines are stuck together so much that my anatomy does not look like it should. My surgeon did not want to complete the surgery until I could be told. He has given me the option to have him do a sleeve or for him to refer me out to someone who still does open bypass surgery. I cannot explain the mind f**k this was and the anxiety I am feeling. This is terrible. I knew something was going to happen or be found. I knew that I was right. Something was going to be found that would explain the symptoms I had had for years at this point. These adhesions do not show up on scans of any sort unless you have an obstruction. I have only had one other surgery in my abdomen and it was a laparoscopic appendectomy 10 years ago. He thinks it stems from chronic inflammation and autoimmune **** that I have. Has anybody had an open procedure for bypass? What's your experience? Or has anyone been opened up and not finished? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using BariatricPal mobile app

I just had my bariatric bypass on 2/26/18... I stayed overnight at the hospital... I’m doing well except for the pain where one of my cuts is... When I’m sleeping and take my pain beds I sleep... But when I wake up the pain is almost unbearable. Just took my pain pill now. Take an hour half to work. I know part of it is gas. Has anyone had the same experience....Help!!!

Me! Im having gastric bypass on the 20th! Once I got the approval phone call about a week ago I was sooo excited. But I have to be honest, I'm getting kind of nervous and of course im over thinking all of it and thinking "what if im one of those people who doesn't lose any weight!" Maybe its all the protein drinks talking but I just feel blahhh. well and the fact that ive lost like only 3 pounds on this pre op diet

I GOT APPROVED!!!! Anyone else having surgery as there Christmas Present?! Surgery Next Friday! Leaving for the Hospital Thursday! Have a 5 hr Road Trip, do cleanse at the hotel Thursday night and a 3 day stay, be home Sun. 23! Anyone else have surgery out of town?! Also What did you pack?!!?

Thank yall for the encouragement! It sounds like we all had similar issues with the band! I'm so excited about the revision! Sent from my SM-G935T using the BariatricPal App

I just saw my doctor today and discussed having my band/plication revised to a bypass. Same reason I see in many revision posts.....due to horrible reflux. I had my band/plication done in March 2013 and did very well for about a year and a half. I've put back about 30 of the 70 pounds I lost, and I'm nervous that I'm actually considering going through another surgery. My band has been empty for about 6 weeks and I'm also nervous that I will gain all my weight back. I haven't been on this site for a long time, but thought I would login to hear from and about others that have done this particular revision. My doc said that he would remove the band and do the bypass at the same time. I've read various schools of thought on this, but he doesn't seem to think it's an issue. Also, more simple when dealing with insurance.

@bearhugs1975......so you had a journey filled with complications post op from your initial revision and yet you recommend the revisions! Lool. So you're a triple threat in the world of WLS! Please be honest, your complications are due to your revision! These ppl are asking questions to seek advice and not hear meaningless platitudes. They want to avoid our mistakes! There's no shame in admitting your revision from the band to the sleeve led to so many complications you needed to be revised to the bypass. That the revision may have staved of diabetes but led to more surgeries and other issues

There is honesty with positive support and then there is bullying. Being supportive and honest does not require negative attitudes. I'm sorry your surgery didn't go well,but don't push your opinions and negative feedback on people who need to hear about the good their surgery can do for them. There is always pros and cons to getting WLS. You don't need to try sabotaging others hopes. We all know the risks surgery has and we sign consent to have it done. Complications suck, but we deal with them as they come. Statisticly, more WLS goes off without a hitch than having complications happen. I hope you have a successful revision this time around.

Congratulations @BypassDiva2023. I’m so glad you’ve finally had your revision surgery. Praying for a much smoother journey for you this time. NSAIDS are always on the forever no list post surgery. However, some surgeons do allow their use after a period of time with a sleeve which may be why you are surprised with the instruction with your bypass. My surgeon allowed me to have them after two years because I didn’t take them regularly but he still gave me strict instructions: half dose & not consecutive days. The swallowing pill advice seems to be varied across surgeons & surgeries. Did the same surgeon do your bypass as sleeve? Maybe they’re treading more carefully because of your history.

bypass as sleeve? What do you mean?

This is a very touchy subject for many, and has been hashed over many times. It really boils down to several things. How your home life or social life is, and how sensitive you can be. I never considered myself to be the sensitive type of girl. I've always been tough, matter of fact kind of person... and have been able to withstand being bullied and ridiculed by certain adults as a child. This still holds true today - and it always will. I'm more of the type that if you try to P*** on my parade, I'll just smile and wish you a fine day. But, when I had the Lap-Band installed it was just a horse of a different color all together. I lost quickly in the beginning, and I told EVERYONE I had WLS. Well about 6-7 months in after losing nearly 60 Lbs post op, I started to gain all the weight back. I lost that 60 Lbs on willpower alone. Finally after trying so hard with no help whatsoever from my band I think I just gave up. I would try and try again to start losing again, but I think once I got to the point where I was already mentally jacked and upset, it just never happened. I'd gain 10, lose 8 then gain 15 back. This went on for several years!!! Then I could see all the eyes on me, questions... like "are you still trying to lose weight"??? Ha!!! This became a huge problem for me. It made me feel worse! It had nothing to do with the other person, it was all me. My confidence was pretty much non-existent. Gone!! So, when I finally decided to revise to a sleeve I pretty much just told everyone I'm having my band removed and left it at that. I tell everyone I'm on the Atkins diet - which is very true. I've always been active, and go for my daily walks during lunch. No one is thinking the wiser. If they suspect anything more than that, I haven't noticed. Everyone just tells me they notice my weight loss big time, I look great and to keep it up. They are genuinely happy for me. I simply don't think for one second I'll start gaining my weight back. My sleeve is doing EVERYTHING for me that my band was SUPPOSED to do. I'm doing great, and my confidence is sky high. I'm absolutely NOT doing this all on my own like I did with my band. I'm getting tremendous help from my tool. So that is NOT the reason I've decided not to tell most folks this time. I just want to do this for ME this time. I want to do this without feeling like I'm on display. I felt more judged with everyone knowing about my WLS than this time around without it (per the person who doesn't know I have a sleeve). I have told only my very closest friends or co-workers whom I know won't divulge my personal information - and of course most of my family. I will eventually tell all of them. I have a great family and all are always supportive and loving. However, whether or not I'll tell any joe schmoe who doesn't know me from Adam? I'll ponder that as time goes on. Frankly, it's none of their business.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, this sounds interesting. It is a newly introduced form of surgery they are performing now in study trials. The band WITH RNY bypass. Geez, could you imagine the list of things that can go wrong? Side effects of the band AND RNY? How would I know if I was going to PB or dump? Or maybe both? Oh the confusion!! Just give me one or the other please. BANDED GASTRIC BYPASS This procedure is a combination of the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and the once common Vertical Banded Gastroplasty. In this operation, the implantation of a plastic band around the stomach pouch (resulting in significant restriction of food intake) in addition to the changes of absorption seen from the gastric bypass, may have been associated with 20% more excess weight loss than one would expect from gastric bypass alone. Therefore, expected weight loss is 60-90% of a patient's excess weight. Banded Gastric Bypass is being offered as a prospective randomized and double blind trial to patients who are suffering from malignant obesity. Malignant obesity, defined as a body mass index of 50 or greater (approximately 200 pounds or more over ideal body weight) is associated with decreased quality of life, many illnesses and an increased risk of dying that has been estimated at 5-10 times greater than normal weight patients. This research study involves the implantation of a plastic band around the stomach pouch during a standard gastric bypass procedure. The band is made of polypropylene mesh, commonly used for hernia repair as well as in Vertical Banded Gastroplasty. Patients are assigned at random (like the flip of a coin) to have the standard gastric bypass operation or the experimental procedure with a band around the stomach pouch. Patients are not told which operative group they belong to until two years after surgery. The Nurse Practitioner conducting follow-up evaluations will also be uninformed as to which group patients belong. At this time, Banded Gastric Bypass is only being offered at our center as part of this study. If results from this study show a benefit, this may be offered outside the study in the future http://www.columbiasurgery.org/divisions/obesity/surgical_banded.html

Yer cool Janet! So I was wrong about the cutting...60% of the stomach is removed laporoscopically. It's a pre-cursor to the switch (DS) or gastric bypass, but can be done alone. I dunno. I imagined a mesh-type sleeve around the stomach but, I guess not.

I suppose if you were obese enough to get a band, the band failed, and you hadn't completed the weight loss portion of the band program, you should qualify for a continuation of your journery as a prevention to relapse of obesity. As for bypass...I was gonna do it before I found the band. I'm glad I found the band, because I was scared s#itless about having my intestines cut, BUT I'd still consider it if my band failed me, and I found myself gaining weight. I hated obese me, I was disgusted by my fatself, and I'll do whatever it takes to keep me from ever getting there again. That certainly includes bypass. Could Dr Pleatman be talking about the switch that Geezer Sue is having? (I think it was the Duodenal switch).

Let me share this story with you Stacy.... In 2002--I tried marriage again. I met a Woman in church and I was head over hills with her. Getting to the sad part--I was a Gym fanatic and didnt know much about my meals and how to do them and eat right. So my weight loss was so small. So after feeling defeated in 2004--I saw that the medicare insurance had made "Obesity" a desease. That'swhen I first considered the lap band. I called up a few Doctors--got opinions. Then my weight was a yoyo thing. This month--I was 260....next month--240 and so on...Anyway--you would expect the love of your life--your spouse to support you. I got excepted and was about to start my tests and so on. My wife at the time told me..."Why are you doing this? I said because I can't seem to maintain the weight and I need releif. She said...you can have that surgery--but you will be at the hospital all alone. I will not come there to see you or pick you up.The lap band is killing people. I told her--it's the bypass that has the high risk. She ignored me and like the Man I "was"--I stopped what I was doing. I worked out and got down to 218. Oh yes--fit andtrim--but guess what?? Sick as he**. I had lose too much--too fast and too much muscle. I gained it all back with interest. The reason I was given of why she "really"didn't support me...My dear wife said she needed to keep me fat--she knew that other Women would want me if I got smaller. The on top of it all--she would call me sick, poor and a few other names when we were in the privacy of our bedroom.Our walls were paper thin. My kids--asked me---"Daddy why is "Miss Phyllis mad at you for losing weight? My kids now are only 11 and 9...I am a single dad--thank God she is not their Mom. Then one day--I saw her ex-husband...I am asking--God please forgive me....This Man was all of 500 pounds--at least. My wife (now ex-wife) was all of a size 8 during 2004. Something strange hit her in 2005---called age 40. She went to a size 10, 12, 14, 16 and after we split--a big 18 to 20. Yes--just like that. Her old habit of sleeping right after a meal caught up to her...She went to the Doctor and cried about having a thyroid problem and would he start her on thyroid meds...he refused. Then she tried this pill and that pill for that magical cure...I still even though I was having issues--I stayed exercising and never stopped until the Hurricane(Katrina). I moved and decided--273 wasn't my deal...Again now that I am in the 238 area...I am thankful again for the lapband. My dream is to visit a few friends down on the gulf coast--maybe Christmas or Jan-08. It will be a shock them all--at who I am...

Hi. After some research, I'm basically sold on the procedure, but need some help narrowing down the best surgeons and facilities. I'm going to be a self-pay patient but price is not my priority. I want the best surgeon and team. I live in southern CA so am close to resources in Mexico, Orange County, San Diego, Palm Springs, or Los Angeles. Who would you recommend and why? I've read numerous recommendations for Dr. Ariel Ortiz, but the thought of Tijuana scares me to death. Many have said the facilities are top notch and the hotel is 5 star, but the photos don't look 5 star to me. 3 stars maybe with a big pool. I would never go anywhere near Tijuana for any purpose, so I cannot imagine having a medical procedure there. don't want to be blinded by college trips to the scummy bars on Revolucion, but quite honestly, I associate the city with filth, stench, crazy taxi drivers, poverty, panhandling, crime, preschoolers selling gum, etc. Another option would be Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles, but I saw that their physicians have not done anywhere near as many Lap Bands as Dr. Ortiz. They've done tons of gastric bypass surgeries, but that is not what I want. The reviews are not as consistently glowing as those for Dr. Ortiz, but the aftercare program seems to be more structured. Ideas? Thanks. Kelli

The first few weeks are difficult. Re the feeling cold and also hot - I have this too. I think it might be down to the hormone changes generated by the bypass surgery. As long as you don't have a fever maybe just see how it goes. I felt sick for some time after surgery and was taking anti-nausea medication. It went after a few weeks. Good luck with it, but if you're worried definitely check in with your doctor.

Actually yes. Talking to one did for me. I had never really considered bypass though I knew about it from acquaintances.  I didn’t know the sleeve existed.  A nurse brought it up to me.  I am forever in her debt!  So as with everything different things work for different people. So I hope people in the medical profession do take the initiative bc you don’t know who it will work for. Honestly I would happily piss off a dozen people to help one. But that’s me.

I think your fears are normal. If we hadn't dieted and failed numerous times, we'd not have turned to surgery. Your success on South Beach tells me that the band can help you! It will give you control of the physical hunger allowing you to battle head hunger. For me it has been the tool I needed to gain success at portion control. For the first time, I am able to put a small portion on my plate and not want to go back for seconds. Today, I went out for lunch with my hubby. Before I ordered my meal I had a plan to get a box and take half of it for my lunch at work tomorrow. This is something the band has given me. I knew things like that could happen before I was banded. But I could never follow through with it, because I always wanted more food! As to the Cookies? Well, the band will NOT take away the desire for them. Nope, and they go down easily. That is something you will have to deal with if you get a band. Some people choose gastric bypass for the dumping sydrome that foods like cookies can cause. So they get a negative impact when eating foods like that. For me, I LOVE junk food. But don't keep it around, so I am doing ok with it. I have it as a treat from time to time, but don't have it in my life all the time. Best wishes in your journey!

Have you noticed that each type of weight loss surgery, according to the fans of that surgery, seems to be the *only* possible choice anyone could make? It's kind of amusing. 1. Here at the VSG forums, everyone is all about VSG, and talks about all the problems with the band or with bypass surgeries. VSG is the *only* way to go. 2. Last evening I stepped into the Lap Band Chat Room just to check it out. Everyone there was nice, but went on and on about all the problems of VSG or RNY. They raved about how the band was the *only* surgery anyone should have. 3. A month or so ago I attended a live support group for RNY bypass folks. Everyone there was great to talk to, but every single one of them also had nothing positive to say about the other choices. Everybody said the RNY was the *only* surgery to have. I'm sure each surgery has its place for all the right reasons, but the devout loyalty of each group is pretty amusing. :laugh0: Dave

I’m 2 years post Mini gastric bypass.. my weight loss was crazy at the beginning and we were all scared of me dropping below a healthy weight. But towards the end of year 1 my weight started to stabilize at a BMI of 22-23 and the amount of food I was able to eat was good.. things were good and vitamins were in balance. However for the past 2 months I’ve started noticing that I’m unable to eat much. I don’t have pain while eating but I feel full on very small amounts (I.e 3-4 spoons of food) my weight started to dropp again which isn’t something I want and I’ve started feeling very sluggish .. my iron levels and vitamin B12 are still within normal range however my Vit D is very low and started taking extra vit D supplements.. I’m just wondering what could be the cause for not being able to eat well and also could a deficiency in Vit D cause me to feel sluggish or could it be something else??

Reading the posts here really frightens me. Is it not just a little nuts to have 90% of your stomach removed only to be eating at McDonald's again? I thought the sleeve would work similarly to the bypass in the sense that it would severely restrict the amount and types of foods that are consumable. To hear so many say you can eat wherever and whatever is scary and sad to me. If we could get away with eating wherever and whatever then we wouldn't be obese in the first place. I for one will not put myself through surgery only to repeat the same mistakes that got me here in the first place. The definition of insanity is to repeat the same action while expecting a different result each time ... and I am done being crazy. Ugh.

I know I'll probably find out tomorrow, but what stuff do you have to work on? The dietician at the seminar mentioned a checklist...what's that about? I had a friend that had the bypass. She lost over 100 lbs, but she also had some complications. All I really know for sure is that I DO want surgery, and I DON'T want a band. Have you joined any online support groups that you like? I joined this one on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/100213180146725/ and it seems like it will be very helpful...