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Hi all, I am new here. I enjoy reading all your posts. I have become discouraged. I was banded 4 months ago. I have only lost 25 lbs. and 20 of that was the first 6 weeks. I have gone back to my old eating habbits. I eat fattening food, desserts, and regular soda. I feel like a complete failure. I waited so long for this band and now I can't quit eating. I've had 2 fills, and I only have restriction on some foods. But I can eat alot of the foods that I shoudnt. I feel that maybe I should have had the bypass, so it would stop me from this. I am really upset with myself. Whats it going to take for me to stop eating? HELP!

I have been telling just about everyone, and in the discussions that come up, I use a line someone on this board used. "The surgery is not a cure, but it will help me to eat like a thin person normally does." I also tell people that it doesn't have the same food restrictions as gastric bypass, and that it isn't a cure-all. That I am hoping it will help me eat less, because my problem isn't eating "good food" but eating SO much. You know, you can still get fat eating healthy, trust me. I have done it. I think that in my conversations, I have been saying so much about how it does nothing but make your stomach smaller so that you eat a smaller portion. That way the food police can't say crap, because I can eat what I want, just less of it. We all know there is restrictions to what and how to eat, but I don't get into all of that with them. I just say it is a tool to help me eat less.

I am close to 400 pounds and have done the gastric bypass and on the 30th I am having a revision and looking at some of the stuff I've seen on here makes me kind of nervous .

Our @Matt Z is, unfortunately, very knowledgeable about this complication. "The Band had become totally encapsulated in scar tissue, it took my surgeon and her team more than 3 times longer to remove the band than what's normal. My 3-4 hour surgery, lasted over 6 hours. Who knows what would have happened if I didn't revise. The band is gone. My insides have been rearranged. And I'm working my way down to my goal. One day at a time. " --https://www.bariatricpal.com/profile/120901-matt-z/

I am three months post op and am just getting over a stomach bug with vomiting and diarrhea. It seems I can barely eat anything now, I fill up super fast and stay full for a really long time to the point that I am eating half of what I used to. Has anyone else had this for a few days afterwards? Is it normal? Is it almost like a pouch reset because I couldn't eat for a day and a half? (I am pushing fluids, just curious about food). Update - had my 3 mo post op appt and I am doing fine. I was told it can take a few extra days to get back to normal eating compared to before I had gastric bypass.

Am 64 and am having revision - lap band to gastric bypass- on Aug 20. I know several folks who had bypass at or after 65 since Medicare covers it. I am very thrilled to be having the RNY as the lap vans caused such reflux that u have had repeated aspiration pneumonias for years winding up with a staph infection in my lungs. It took 5 years for them to figure it out! Looking for other 60 ers whomsy be having surgery in July/ Aug to buddy up with!

I wanted to sleeve but couldn't have it because of my acid reflux. I did the bypass and now I don't need to take anything for heartburn at all :-)

I had bypass at Mayo Clinic. They won't even do the sleeve unless medically necessary- it's just not as successful and the GERD issue is a big one. Hang in there and best of luck! SW 255 on 6/19/17

I know that must have come as a shock! Sleep on it, and do some reading up on the bypass starting tomorrow. There are some differences, but the initial healing period is the same. [Hugs], everything will work out, you'll see!

I had the very same thing happened and I was about to say forget it! A week after my scope the nurse from the office called and said " just wanted to let you know your biopsy was positive for Barrets". Just like that! I was a little upset and she told me you'll just have to have a bypass.... that wasn't the plan! I didn't even know I had GERD! Anyways... that was last Oct and I had my bypass 5 wks ago. It took a while to get used to the idea, but I am very happy with my decision! I know exactly how you feel, I was angry and anxious.... it was the best solution to prevent a lifetime of illness.... Good luck to you!

Lehigh Valley Hospital was great! Had my surgery on 5/23/12. I started the program at 430lbd and today I am 290!!!!!!!! I am no longer Pre diabetic, no high blood pressure, and no more sleep apnea! This surgery saved my life! I had the roux en y gastrix bypass done by the way. Three months post op I was able to go to the gym without restrictions of weight training/lifting and cardio. Depending on your insurance Lehigh Valley is either a 3 or 6 month program. It starts with the information session night it's about a one hour seminar. Then you are called a few days later to make an appointment to meet the surgeon and discuss surgery options. You'll then meet with the scheduling advisor (her name was Pat) to set a surgery date and follow up appointments throughout the process. You will have several sessions at the Weight management center located across the lehigh valley hospital, cedar Crest. There is a program fee but consider it a down payment for your new life. There you meet with nutritionist, nurse practitioner, behavior specialist, exercise expert, etc... Each meeting is required as the program progresses. All sessions are informative and fun. Hope this helps. Any more questions message me I'd love to answer anything for you! Good luck.

Hey mommy! Congrats on your upcoming surgery! I will be willing to answer any questions you might have. I have been through a lot with my band, and I would really like to give you some personal experience that you might find useful. Dr. Koura has a support group but I don’t really attend. It tends to be fuller of his gastric bypass patients. While I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that, it’s just not helpful to anything I’m really going through. Best wishes!!

Today was my consultation for gastric bypass. I have to do 12 month bariatric pre-surgery education. Anyone from Virginia and have Anthem Cova Care Virginia insurance and going through this?

I wouldn't want to be a guinea pig unless I just absolutely HAD to, as in using a drug to save my life when all others failed. If I wanted things cut up and rerouted, there are surgeries that have been "tried and tested" (like the sleeve, bypass, the duodenal switch) for me to choose from. I wouldn't mess with my omentum. For me the beauty of the band is that my "innards" remain intact. Only you can decide this. Personally, I'd say no. (San Antonio has a LOT of "clinical trials". Usually the patients receive the med or procedure, and concommitant medical care for free, PLUS some compensation. Will they cover your surgery, if you are willing to be the experimentee? What is "plan B" if it does you damage? I'd ask this, if I decided maybe to proceed!)

I'm having this done April 10. I have a giant hiatal hernia which means my whole stomach is through the hernia. They're going to move it back where it should be and do the bypass in the same operation. Best of luck to you!

The sleeve is great. There are many people here who will attest to that as well. We have some people who are 1-2 years out and are living healthy normal eating lives out there. We also have a couple of ppl who have gone off the "wagon" so to speak. A lot are band to sleeve revisions and they can give you the best information. LilMissDiva and Tiffykins to name two. One of the great things about the sleeve is that you will still be able to eat almost anything later, just not a lot of it. That was my issue, quantity of food. Good luck and I say go for it! What do you have to lose? Except weight that is LOL.

wow, i am kinda surprised. my dr at the beginning wanted me to do the bypass (as my insurance does not cover the sleeve). i steadfast said no. to me, once they cut my stomach, there is no going back to what it was before. so i stood my ground. he advised me that this is merely a tool and not a save all. i chose to get the band as i am the most comfortable. my surgeon offered me the plication (at no charge) and it is a def good thing to me. its the sleeve w/o surgery. they just fold my stomach into itself and make it smaller. this decision is yours. if you dont want it, dont get it. the customer is always right and you are the customer. if you are uncomfortable with this guy, dont use him. you need to feel trust/confidence in the person who is performing major surgery on you. all the best on whatever you decide.

Good luck! I'm also having a revision from band to bypass! Surgery for me is 11/6.

Wow. I'm sorry to hear about your aunt. of course you are scared it's perfectly normal. I had revision surgery too from lapband to the sleeve. I also have my gallbladder removed and a hernia repaired the same day. And like you I get very sick from the anesthesia. I told the anesthesiologist about how badly I react and they gave me medicine through an IV and also a patch behind my ear that helped immensely. I won't lie the first couple of days were rough but by day three I was sitting out at my son's baseball game and on day 4 I was back at my desk job. I'm losing weight better and feel so much healthier than I ever did with my band because I can eat real food and I don't feel hungry all the time. It's nice not to be throwing up all the time of course 2. I just wanted to share that with you good luck in making a decision.

They said that it was a predetermination for medical necessity for gastric bypass. Guess what, I couldn't agree with them more that I don't need gastric bypass. That's not what this was about...bunch of dummies! The letter said that the requested service is not "medically necessary." Gastric bypass is not medically necessary or requested for that matter. I'm going to find out what is going on tomorrow when they open. Thanks for the support guys. I'm going to need it.

My story is almost the exact same - same fears and concerns. I had my revision on the 8th so I'm too early to comment on the differences but after a long process of thinking and debating I decided that I was not going to conquer this life long battle by myself without help. What made me really decide to move forward was the metabolic change that comes with the sleeve. It's so different than what we had with the band. Good luck with your decision process!

I had lapband surgery 11 years ago. I had moderate success but not nearly what I thought I would have. I failed the band or it failed me. Maybe a little of both. I am considering revision surgery but I just don’t know. What if I “fail” again. Not sure I could mentally or physically handle it. I’ve seen people have greater success once having the revision surgery. I also am very unhappy with the surgeon that did my lapband and I am looking to find another surgeon that will work with me and actually help me succeed. I never had that from my previous doctor. I’ve got a million things to figure out. My insurance didn’t cover weight loss surgery back then and now it does but I don’t know how revision surgery plays into that. Making calls this week to possibly get the ball rolling. Any advice from someone that has had lapband to sleeve revision or any advice at all would be greatly appreciated!

Yes i had RNY bypass 17 yrs ago,Lost weight even lost to much,had to have feeding tube for a while,One thing like all of the surgeries,Is Disapline,The surgery works but it is up to you to make it succeed,And that is in your head,It's a tool and can help you if you eat,drink and have will power,If you don't,Forget It within 10 to 20 pounds,Those pounds are going to creep back home,These surgery is a tool your brain makes it work.

I have had a band to sleeve revision, too. I can tolerate small amounts of fried foods. In general, I just don't want them because they make me feel horrible. Every now and then, I get a craving for something and so I may have a bite of something fried. For instance, I will eat one or two of my son's fries. I get satisfied off of a very small amount. Certain foods do make me sick though. Fried tortilla chips make me feel like throwing up and I used to be able to eat an entire basket of chips by myself. Some people can eat fried foods with no issues, so you will just have to try and see if you can.

LAP-BAND AND ALCOHOL: CAN YOU DRINK AFTER LAP-BAND SURGERY? Thursday, 15 December 2011 11:54 You may have heard conflicting information about your ability to drink alcohol after Lap-Band surgery, or even horror stories about WLS surgery patients who have had a dangerously high blood alcohol content after just one drink. Some doctors may warn you that you can never drink alcohol again - ever - after being banded, because of the risk of damaging your liver. Others say that it's fine to begin drinking moderately six months after surgery, but to exercise caution. So why the difference in opinion? WLS AND ALCOHOL The warnings about WLS and blood alcohol content apply mainly to patients who have undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RNY). Because of the changes to the digestive system that occur with RNY, alcohol passes directly into the intestines, where it is rapidly absorbed. This can cause patients to become dangerously intoxicated from small amounts of alcohol. Gastric bypass patients should use extreme caution when drinking, and should never drink and drive. Lap-Band patients do not undergo the same changes in anatomy and therefore do not experience the same rapid absorption of alcohol as RNY patients. However, that doesn't mean that Lap-Band patients don't experience some risks related to alcohol consumption. There are some important considerations to take into account when deciding whether or not to pick up a beer or pour yourself a glass of wine. ALCOHOL MAY STILL AFFECT YOU DIFFERENTLY You're losing weight and eating less, which means that you may feel the effects of alcohol more strongly, especially if you drink on an empty stomach. If you do decide to drink, do so in a safe environment, and never drink and drive. Sip slowly and keep your alcohol consumption low until you know how it will affect you. ALCOHOL CONTAINS A LOT OF CALORIES Many doctors prefer that their Lap-Band patients don't drink because of the empty calories in alcohol. Mixed drinks such as margaritas, mai tais, pina coladas, and long island iced teas contain a lot of sugar and as much as 600 calories. Always factors in calories when drinking, and opt for low-cal drinks such as dry wine, vodka mixed with Crystal Light, or light beer - if you can tolerate the carbonation. Some Lap-Band patients find beer easier to drink than soda, but it may take some experimentation to find out what works for you. If champagne is your drink of choice, you may need to open it well in advance and let it go a little flat. SOME WLS PATIENTS STRUGGLE WITH ADDICTIONS Your doctor may prefer that you err on the side of caution as many WLS patients experience a phenomenon known as addiction transference. Because they are no longer able to overeat, they may turn to other unhealthy behaviors for dealing with stress and emotions. If you have a history of alcohol abuse, it's best to avoid it completely. If you want to continue enjoying an occasional drink after Lap-Band surgery, consult your medical team and follow their recommendations as closely. They may advise you to wait six months following surgery to give yourself time to heal and adjust to your new diet. http://www.malleysurgical.com/news/lap-band-and-alcohol-can-you-drink-after-lap-band-surgery.html