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LapBandTalk.com is a wealth of weight loss and healthy lifestyle tips, a source of information specific to your situation, and a place where you can locate and connect to the best bariatric surgeons in your are. Despite this abundance of resources, most of our members come here for another reason: the positivity. Our members are supportive, encouraging and empathetic. But among the general population, it’s a different story due to misinformation and hasty judgments. Why Weight Loss Surgery Misinformation is Rampant In the age of digital media, information can be immediately available to millions of people as soon as someone posts it online using a laptop, smartphone or other mobile device. Unfortunately, nothing is automatically censored, so misinformation is just as easy to spread as facts. In the blink of an eye, people can post random thoughts via Twitter, Facebook or other social media platforms without even realizing that their followers may take their intended musings as hard data. How People Choose What to Believe Many people are unable to distinguish between weight loss surgery fact and fiction because they simply do not know enough to make a sound judgment. Some people are cynical by nature, and have a tendency to instinctively believe the worst when they are presented with opposing facts. These people, for example, may automatically believe that weight loss surgery is harmful and ineffective instead of low-risk and healthy for the right patients. Common Myths If you want to combat widespread weight loss surgery information, you should know some of the common myths and how to respond with the truth. These are some common false beliefs surrounding bariatric surgery and their realities. Myth: It’s a quick and easy fix. Reality: It’s not quick, and it’s not easy. Surgery does not make you lose a single pound. You lose the excess weight over the course of years through diet and exercise modifications. Myth: It’s dangerous and invasive. Reality: Complications are rare for lap-band procedures, and they are usually minor, such as needing an adjustment in band location. Roux-n-Y can cause nutrient deficiencies, but you work with a dietitian and have frequent check-ups to lower your risk. The procedures take less than two hours, and full recovery takes a few days to a couple of weeks. Myth: You don’t have to change your diet, or, you can only eat a limited variety of foods. Reality: The truth lies somewhere in between. You are encourage to eat a nutritious diet and avoid high-fat, high-sugar foods as well as liquid calories. What Can You Do? With instantaneous transmission of information, rumors spread like wildfires in the social stratosphere. Worse, rumors can easily because widely accepted as facts. How can you help to combat this harmful gossip? These are a few possibilities. Fight fiction with fact: Social networking platforms, such as blogs, Facebook, Twitter are just as good for spreading truth as they are at spreading lies. Every time you come across an inaccurate or demeaning statement about weight loss surgery, stand up for you and your friends who have had weight loss surgery. Be a good example: Most people tend to base their judgments on what or whom they know. If they know one person (you) with weight loss surgery, they’ll base their judgments on you. Hopefully, they will realize the benefits of bariatric surgery when they see you eating well every day, exercising regularly, being more productive at work and being a happier, healthier person overall. Emphasize that not all bariatric surgery options are the same. Roux-n-Y is irreversible and more drastic than Lap Band procedures, which take less than an hour. Can Celebrities Help? Celebrities can be spokespeople for the cause. If you know of any celebrities who are bariatric surgery pateints, consider contacting them and asking them to be more verbal about the cause. Nobody can get the message across like a celebrity. These are a few examples of famous people with bariatric surgery. Carnie Wilson, television host and singer: Roux-n-Y, 1999; laparoscopic band over bypass, 2012 Star Jones Reynolds, television host: gastric bypass, 2003 Brian Dennehy, actor: Lap-Band, 2008 As a bariatric surgery patient or someone who is considering the procedure, what are your thoughts? How can we change the negative perceptions surrounding aftercare? Does the terminology need to be changed? Can some sort of publicity campaign online or in the offline media be helpful? As an individual, can you be a role model to demonstrate that you have worked hard for every pound that you have lost, and that you are continuing each day to make healthy choices in your diet and exercise? Let us know what you think!

Well, hello band buddy! Haven't seen you around in a while. You know I'm obviously having the band but I think it depends on how much weight you want to lose. If you have a lot of weight to lose, I would say bypass. My mom had R-N-Y 4 yrs. ago and looks AMAZING! Msg. me and I can tell you more if you'd like. :thumbup:

I chose the band because of the fewer complications, shorter hospital stay, etc. For me, the band was the only option because I wasn't willing to take the risks that bypass has.

I,too, have issues with meat. I don't think it is uncommon. Just like some others I find soup or sauces work better. Sometimes my body just doesn't want meat I guess. Shrimp too irritates my band. Long simmered meats. Stews. Soups pot roasts. We are all learning and I am revising even 7 years in. Good luck

I had the sleeve and then revised to RNY. I only had GERD woth the sleeve. I had rumbling noises with both surgeries but not loud enough for others to hear. And I have no GI issues with the RNY. No uncontrollable gas or poo

Does it really matter who gets done first? If he's getting banded and your getting the bypass, you'll probaly pass him in weight loss before a year is up. I assume your speaking of your DH and I can tell you if I were in your shoes I would just be happy for him. You know unselfish Anyway that's the type of marrage I have. And sorry to say this but at your age you should know by now life is not fair. I don't mean to sound harsh but I just hate it when adults say that. There are bigger things in this world that are not fair. but anyway I do wish you the best and try to be happy for him.

Good morning folks, This is my first time posting and right now, I only have some minor questions (I believe). I am in month 3 of my physician monitored 6-month ordeal (waiting period). I'm getting all my tests and procedures wrapped up WAY ahead of time so that there is nothing pending and everything can get sent to the insurance after my 6-month appointment. I am a little nervous about whether I will be approved or not but my surgeon says I am a prime candidate for the Gastric Bypass because I have Diabetes Type 2, Gastroparesis, Macular Degeneration, severe neuropathy throughout my body, and I'm overweight. I am having trouble wrapping my head around the fluid ounces required per day. So, as an example, post-surgery I can have protein shakes and if I had a protein shake today, I would drink around 8-9 ounces and be done. My dietician said I can sip my protein shake over a course of two hours and be ok. Butttttt, my question is, how many ounces am I drinking over that course of two hours? The full 8-9 ounces as usual or less? I know this is probably confusing the way I am presenting it. I understand the whole "sipping an ounce every 10 minutes" thing but does that go for protein shakes as well? My other question is, when I'm in the gym working out now, if I'm hot or need a drink, I can easily chug some water. Post-surgery, how will I do that? I mean, obviously I can't chug a full bottle of water. Just wondering what is safe..... I am sure I will have more questions along this journey of mine, but these are the ones that are nagging me constantly. I appreciate all of you folks here who have been through this ordeal, and are preparing to go through it. I don't know anyone in my personal life that has had the procedure so I am hoping to make some friends here who I can nag all the time...lol! Just kidding.... Thanks y'all!

Hello, As of Feb 18th, I was 4 years out from surgery. Surgery went well, except for about 2 weeks after surgery I had sever GERD. The doctors weren't sure what was causing it other than I went from the Lap Band to Sleeve. It lasted about 2 weeks and then there after never had a issue until just recently. I was taking 1 Prilosec a day and now bumped it to 2x a day. Since that was not really working, I tried Pepcid and that has not worked that I can tell. I do have an appointment next week with my bariatric doctor and Im thinking they are going to order a upper GI. Im just wondering if anyone has experience this being this far out from surgery. I thought with being 4 years out that I wouldn't have this issue. Im scared to death that they won't figure it out and they will try to transition me to full bypass. Thank you,

I'm 8 days out from my revision from band to sleeve. I was very sore and had a hard time the first few days, but it gets better. my incision where they removed the port is the most tender, and if I do a lot of walking I use my codeine syrup because it gets very painful. Other than that, I just have the constant shooting pain of gas in my left shoulder, but everything else has passed. I'm sorry that you are still feeling unwell, but it will get better.

To be honest, I have to say yes/kinda to whether they were pushing Gastric Bypass. I don't think they would be happy to hear that, but it seems like they are a big fan of it. Let me talk a little bit about my situation first though. When I went in for my consultation, they were kinda like "hey whatever you want." And meanwhile I didn't feel like I was that well versed in either surgery. But I decided to do my homework and I decided on the gastric band. While the bypass sounded tempting (losing like 30lbs a month??? Nice) I just was not comfortable with the whole losing my stomach thing. It wasn't until I actually met with Dr. Shah (at the end of the program) that we discussed the surgery and which one was best for me. She told me straight out that she would do either one. It was up to me. My starting weight was 242 and my BMI was much lower than a lot of other folks in the program. Dr. Shah did say that if I were diabetic she would probably try talking me into the bypass because it pretty much cures Diabetes. But since I was not, she left the choice completely up to me. And I stuck to the band. And I'm very glad that I did. I would say, do your homework. I actually bought the book Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies and read through it. It talks about both surgeries (and a couple of others that are not offered at NEMC). Use the internet to read up on people's good stories, and bad. Again, I just didn't feel comfortable with the bypass surgery and it's not like I had hundreds of pounds to lose. That probably would've "weighed" in on my decision as well. So I hear you about the bias toward the bypass. But maybe that's because they get more money from them?! Who knows? haha. Please send me a private message if you have any questions about the program or the folks involved. I'd be more than happy to answer anything!! And good luck!!

Mine didn't get serious till about 4 or 5 years later too. It got to the point that it was "uncontrollable" and no PPI worked. It wasn't till my throat was literally burning 24/7 that I decided I had to get it revised or I would be risking throat cancer.

Hello... Lap banders. I need help. I was banded in November of 08. I was doing great. At 24 months I had lost 110 pounds.( I was 20 pounds from my goal.) I have not changed anything. I go in for annual check ups on my band. In November (2010) I was fine. In January I noticed I had gained 8 pounds. I attributed it to the cheating I did around the holidays. I cheat every year. So that was not different. In February I gained more weight. So I started went back to square 1. Food Journaling, Asking myself am I hungry??? My husband had Gastric Bypass In Semtember 2010. He started night eating. I moved to another room. If the food was there I would snack. Long story short...March I had a Flouroscope done. I have a dialation. I was told I need to do three weeks of liquids. I have started and stopped. I just cant handle liquids...NO matter how hard I try while still having to cook for my family. The question is what to do next...What do I do next to see if I have a slippage. I do not want to gain anymore weight. I just had a muscle milk light for dinner. What should I do next. I used True results for my surgery. I only see the P.A. in the office. They do not have doctors in the office. They basically watch your weight loss. My family doctor takes care of my blood work for me. Has anyone else had this dialation issue??? Do I ask to have my dialation surgically repaired.?? I made such progress while using my band as a tool....Now I feel stuck... Any help would be appreciated...Sincerely....a sad and frustrated bandster....

A friend of mine said that she is getting the bypass done instead of the band, because it is too easy to cheat on the band. Is this true?

I know, it doesn't. I think they are in the process of revising their policy or that's what I got from reading other posts last night. I went to Rite Aid and did the little blood pressure test, and it said I was only 124 over something... I don't remember, so that means I don't have high blood pressure.

I joined WW last week. So far it realy seems to be helping me stay on track. I also feel like I really need the weekly weigh in for accountability. My weight control center has monthly eeting but they seem to be targeted to bypass, so I really like having a weekly meeting!

Misinformation about Weight Loss Surgery If you have ever who has discussed weight loss surgery with uninformed individuals, you know that the initial reaction is likely to be negative and backed by false information or no information at all. Many people who have not investigated weight loss surgery believe that the surgery is a quick fix for lazy people. They may think that you can walk in off the street and leave from bariatric surgery a couple hundred pounds lighter; that you chose to ignore your weight for years; and that all bariatric surgery is the same;. Wrong, wrong and wrong. These misperceptions contribute to the stigma associated with weight loss surgery. People may look down on surgery as the “easy way out” for “lazy people,” instead of as a tool for hard-working people to have the opportunity to lead the healthy lives that everyone should have the chance to lead. You already know that you’re not lazy and that bariatric surgery is not a magic bullet; the next time you run across an uninformed, disparaging individual, you can patiently explain to them the steps of the process and the hard work you and every other successful weight loss surgery patient puts in. Not Everyone is Eligible for Weight Loss Surgery You can’t just “go get bariatric surgery,” and this is an important fact to understand to reduce the stigma associated with weight loss surgery. Each weight loss center has strict eligibility requirements that you have to meet before you can become a candidate. In general, patients must be morbidly obese, with a BMI over 40, or have a BMI over 35 and have health complications related to being overweight; for example, you might be eligible if you have a BMI of 35 and already have type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol levels. Most clinics have additional eligibility criteria that you need to meet before being considered as a potential bariatric surgery candidate. You need to have been overweight for several years, usually over five years. You also need to show that you have tried, unsuccessfully, to lose weight multiple times through diet alone. You cannot be a smoker or be an abuser of alcohol or drugs because the additional health risks from surgery will be too great. Pregnant women or women who want to become pregnant soon should not have bariatric surgery because pregnancy is only safe after your weight is constant. The decision to have surgery requires significant consideration and planning. Bariatric Surgery Requires Preparation Bariatric surgery itself does not guarantee permanent weight loss success, and much of the responsibility for losing weight will be up to you. Even after going through the screening process and learning that your clinic agrees that some form of bariatric surgery is right for you, several steps remain before you can undergo the procedure. The steps are in place to ensure that you are likely to succeed with the surgery and are not signing up on a whim. You will meet your bariatric team members, including your surgeon, dietitian and psychologist or psychiatrist. In most cases, you will undergo a psychological interview or series of tests to make sure that you are capable of sticking to the required diet. You may be asked to follow a specific diet for weeks before your scheduled surgery to demonstrate your commitment and ability to succeed after the operation. This step may also be required by your health insurance company for your bariatric procedure to be covered. There are Risks People need to understand that you can’t take bariatric surgery lightly. Each type of surgery has risks, although different processes are riskier than others. The lap band is relatively low-risk, with minor concerns of the band slipping out of place or infections at the incision site. Roux-n-Y gastric bypass carries a higher rate of complications, including ulcers, spleen injuries, leakage through staples and deficiencies of micronutrients, such as vitamin B-12 and iron. Nobody would choose to have a bariatric procedure if they weren’t convinced that they had tried all of their other options to get healthy. It’s a Long Process Bariatric surgery is a crucial milestone, but it is early in your weight loss journey and bariatric care plan. After surgery, you will continue to have follow-up appointments with your surgeon as dictated by your health and type of weight loss surgery. You will also meet with your dietitian regularly to stay on track with your diet. Most clinics have optional or mandatory support groups to motivate you and provide opportunities to ask your surgeon and fellow patients questions in a group setting. The surgery does not take off any weight. It’s a tool to make it easier for the patient to follow the proper diet for the long term. Contrary to what some people may believe, you do not lose any weight during the surgery. All of the weight that you lose is because of changes to your diet. The surgical procedures help you eat less by limiting the size of your stomach and making you feel full faster. Even if you lose 100 pounds in your first year, which is a standard benchmark for success, you may still have more weight to lose. Once you reach your goal weight, you still need to watch your diet and exercise regularly to keep the weight off. In Conclusion You’re already familiar with the intensive efforts required for weight loss surgery, but unfortunately, most people are not. This often leads to negative reactions when you tell them about your procedure. An important step you can take in reducing the stigma is to explain that the procedure is a component of an overall program to improve your health through lifestyle modifications.

Bypass or sleeve. I've read a lot about doing a pouch reset for bypass? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

EVERYONE does! Everyone across the board. I'm going to go out on a limb and say without exception EVERYONE needs to learn to slow down. It's a learning curve. Those that were banded and revised to a sleeve have advantages that newbie sleeves don't have. We already went through the chewing learning curve. What you are experiencing is completely and totally normal. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Hi, I had my gallballder removed in 2000. Almost a year later developed pancreintitus (sp?) due to either a stone being left when gallbladder was removed or another one formed (unsure of which) It was HORRIBLY painful!!! The pain you described is exactly what I had. Unfortunatly, I have had to be hospitalized 3 more times since then due to having stones in my bile duct. Fortunatly I have not developed panc. again. I was banded in Oct 07. I didn't want the bypass and it was a good thing because my surgeon didn't recommend it in the chance that I formed another stone (he said with the bypass they wouldn't be able to perform the procedure I have to have done to remove the stones) Occasionally I have bouts of the same pain but thankfully they go away. I've done alot of research and found thru that research and thru discussions with different docs that some people who have a history of stones can also have "sludge".. meaning that you may have a blockage that can cause the same pain as a stone but it eventually passes. Angela

Hello, I am having my revision surgery on June 12th. The past couple weeks I have been getting stuck more often and have been throwing up more than usual and with more force. I am wondering if I should just do liquids and puréed (things that will not get stuck) until my surgery to prevent things from getting worse in there. There violent throwing up/stuck spells are prob just getting things all inflamed and worse in there.I feel like I am having this surgery just in time but am afraid what the doc will find when he gets in there. I am having my surgery in Mexico with Dr. Jose Rodriguez. He placed my lap band 9 years ago so I figured he would be best to get it out. Do you guys think me sticking with liquid/ pureed food until my surgey is a good idea to give everything time to calm down in there and not cause anymore damage?

I am 10 weeks post op revision and I have no sign of the port. I was sore in that spot longer then the other. Good luck! Revision 1/31/13 by Dr Cabrera and Venezuela in MX

It's difficult. I was banded in 09. I've kept off 50 lbs. but it's been a struggle. I have had fill put in and out so many times I can't remember. Ins will want to see compliance and if you gained that say you were not compliant. Many dr mine included are doing the sleeve for $10,000 all inclusive, hospital etc. with 3 yr follow . My ins is covering a revision but I have Years of compliance history even then it was denied at first. So ask your dr about private pay especially for revisions.

I'm soon facing a revision to a sleeve (3 1/2 yrs with the band) cuz my band herniated. I don't remember the pain of post op lapband. What I'm wondering is: is it equal to, more than, less than the lapband surgery? Any advise u can give to a fellow lapbander?

I started off at 270 with my band surgery in Oct 1,2008. Lost 23-25lbs the first 2.5 months, complications started, and I gained back a total of 18lbs. So, 7lbs lost with the band in a total of 8 months. Sleeve revision on June 3rd, I started at 263, and today I'm at 156. 6 months post revision, I've dropped 107lbs. I was wearing a 22/24W pants, a 26/28W shirt/blouse, today I wear a Medium blouse, and in between a 12/14 or size 15 junior jeans. Your goals are definitely do-able. I have a goal weight of 150 set by my surgeon, and myself. I have 6 more pounds to goal, and would like to maintain around 140-150.

I thought about DS when my lap band wasn't working and was considering revision. I had heard that with DS there would be no question that I would lose weight. I don't know that much about DS or BPD-DS but I know many people have definite opinions on the matter and probably a better crowd to discuss might be found at www.obesityhelp.com My surgeon wouldn't reccomend a person for DS unless they were in the 400-500 lb range. There was a surgeon north of me who I was going to see and discuss it with but he was 2 hours away and I didn't want to be that far from a surgeon in case I had complications which can happen with any weight loss surgery. Anyway wondered why you were considering the DS route as opposed to RNY? Good luck with which ever surgery you choose, Nancy.