Hi:

Nervous today. I am scheduled to meet with a surgeon today. My lap band surgeon (has started doing sleeves 6 months ago) suggested that I meet with this surgeon because he has more experience than the surgeon that did my band.

My hopes are that he thinks I'm a good candidate and that he says that I should have my first surgeon do the surgery because I'm really not much higher risk than other sleeve patients and that I can have the surgery in April. I know it will take a lot of good fortune for these things to happen.

Appointments so far completed 12/20/13 Consult with first (and preferred) surgeon. 2/11/14 - Upper GI (mild gastritis, small hiatal hernia, still had food in stomach after more than 11 hours), 3/1 bariatric emptying study (abnormal - slowly emptying), 3/13 second opinion.

First Lapband 7/26/07, Second Lapband 7/23/10, Erosion and removal 7/30/13, Post-op infection 8/11 and hospitalized 4 more days.

Positive thoughts and good wishes please.

I'll keep you posted.

Thanks.

Sue

wow sue, and I thought my story was bad!!! Well I wish you good luck and I hope that for you that they say that your preferred surgeon can do the surgery for you and soon!!! I am going in for bypass post band on Wednesday!!! I can't wait but I didn't have half as much issues as you did with your band. Good luck!!!

Hi: Nervous today. Sue

Hi Sue good luck today

Hope all goes well for u

Was such a disappointing appointment today. He said he'd only do a bypass, no sleeve. He said it's lower risk than sleeve because of previous erosion. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do. Having more discussions with my lapband surgeon who is doing sleeves now too. He's the kindest doctor in the world - Dr. Adam Glasgow.

I'm not saying who I saw at Lahey, but he wasn't very personable. At one point, he went to get the book with pictures about bypass, and he said "I don't usually do the education part of this, my nurses do". Made me feel like I was putting him out. Like his time was too valuable to discuss the bypass with me. Lahey Clinic is too big of a hospital for me. I felt like I was at a cattle call and I was just another one of the cows.

Anyway, just wanted to update for how it went today, but I still don't know what's going to happen. I'm very disappointed right now and wanted to cry all the way back from the hospital.

Thanks for the good wishes.

Sue

Was such a disappointing appointment today. He said he'd only do a bypass, no sleeve. He said it's lower risk than sleeve because of previous erosion. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do. Having more discussions with my lapband surgeon who is doing sleeves now too. He's the kindest doctor in the world - Dr. Adam Glasgow. I'm not saying who I saw at Lahey, but he wasn't very personable. At one point, he went to get the book with pictures about bypass, and he said "I don't usually do the education part of this, my nurses do". Made me feel like I was putting him out. Like his time was too valuable to discuss the bypass with me. Lahey Clinic is too big of a hospital for me. I felt like I was at a cattle call and I was just another one of the cows. Anyway, just wanted to update for how it went today, but I still don't know what's going to happen. I'm very disappointed right now and wanted to cry all the way back from the hospital. Thanks for the good wishes. Sue

Sue,

Sorry things didn't work out planned, but know that everything happens for a reason! This doctor obviously was for you and you found them I impersonable, which is an important factor. I hope your discussion with you lapband doctor goes better! Wishing you best of luck!!!

Sorry to hear it didn't go as well as you hoped. It certainly sounds like you have had a tough time with the Band so you must be very glad to have it out. I did not have erosion and I'm no Dr. but I'm not sure that I see why he thinks bypass would be a better choice. I know there are a lot of revision patients here who did have erosion so it would be helpful for you to learn about their experiences. I have 'heard' that many surgeons now are trending towards doing sleeve vs. bypass due to the great success of the sleeve and less invasive surgery. Of course based on my own success I completely agree with that but ask 10 other people and you're likely to get 10 other opinions.

You are in the right place to get more opinions and 'real life' experiences and input. I'm sure you can find people who have been revised from both Lapband and even Sleeve in gastric bypass forums. As we all know no one surgery is foolproof - I know people who have been successful at all of them and also people who have gained back a good amount of weight with all of them. The fact that you had physical complications is the thing I would worry the most about. A Hiatal Hernia is very common - I learned after surgery that I had a small one which they repaired during the my sleeve surgery. Did this surgeon look at the particular spot where the band eroded? I suppose depending on the location that could play into his opinion. What has your preferred surgeon said and, even though he has less experience with the sleeve than others has he consulted with other sleeve experts? That's the sort of thing I would be looking into.

Ultimately you decide but it definitely sounds like whichever way you go it has to be better than your experience with the Band. I wish you all the best!!

Was such a disappointing appointment today. He said he'd only do a bypass, no sleeve. He said it's lower risk than sleeve because of previous erosion. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do. Having more discussions with my lapband surgeon who is doing sleeves now too. He's the kindest doctor in the world - Dr. Adam Glasgow.

I'm not saying who I saw at Lahey, but he wasn't very personable. At one point, he went to get the book with pictures about bypass, and he said "I don't usually do the education part of this, my nurses do". Made me feel like I was putting him out. Like his time was too valuable to discuss the bypass with me. Lahey Clinic is too big of a hospital for me. I felt like I was at a cattle call and I was just another one of the cows.

Anyway, just wanted to update for how it went today, but I still don't know what's going to happen. I'm very disappointed right now and wanted to cry all the way back from the hospital.

Thanks for the good wishes.

Sue

Sue, don't cry, don't be disappointed you know what I don't feel one surgery is better than the other, but the bypass is still a good option for a surgery. I am having the bypass by choice my doctor was trying to get me to do the sleeve but I don't want that, I want the bypass, because I know my self and I have been following a topic about self sabotage, and I would sabotage myself knowing if I do the sleeve there is still one more surgery to go to, so that is why I chose the last option and I can't do no more after that, so this is it for me, I have to loose the weight, I know it's tough, is there any other doctors around your area that will do the any of the surgeries? I am sorry it didn't go well, but stay strong and weigh your options and when you figure out what YOU want then you stick with it, and if they can't do the sleeve because of some issues, maybe just take that as a sign, and have the bypass? We are all here for you!!! Good Luck!!!

Update. I'm meeting with my lapband surgeon tomorrow. He is so kind. I really want the sleeve, but it's not looking good for this. He had discussions with four of his peers and they all think that bypass is the surgery for me. They all think that with the erosion and slow emptying stomach my complications with sleeve is too high. I was dropping some big crocodile tears this morning at my desk when he sent me an email with the updated consensus. I'm so afraid that if I have bypass that I'll have bowel issues. Not because I won't follow the rules, but just because of them playing around with the intestines with bypass. I asked my lapband surgeon if he could recommend a medically supervised liquid diet. We've been going back and forth with a lot of emails, but tomorrow morning I'm going to see him in person. I think he's going to try to educate me more about the bypass. I've done some research and I just don't think it's good for me. I'll let you know how it goes.

Anybody have any success losing 50 to 80 pounds with liquid diet and actually kept it off?

I'll keep you posted in the best interest of informing others on the Bariatric Pal boards.

Sue

Update. I met with my LapBand Surgeon yesterday. He does sleeves now too. He's such a kind doctor. He spent time discussing my history with four other doctors from around the country. They all agreed that the only surgery I should consider is bypass. Sleeve is too risky for someone who has already had band #1 slip, band #2 eroded, and I have a slow emptying stomach (even though I never feel full). He said there would be too much risk of a leak because the tissue is weakened by the band. There's a lot more pressure in the sleeved stomach than there would be in a bypassed stomach. He then gave me a peptalk about how he knows I can do it if I really set my mind to it. I don't want to disappoint him or my family. So, I've decided that I've got 6 months to lose a substantial amount of weight (I said 50 pounds, and he said I should only think about 25 pounds in 6 months). If I cannot do it, I will seriously consider gastric bypass surgery.

I also met with a bunch of folks that are in my LapBand support group. We have monthly game nights that are really good for the mind and soul. They are very supportive folks.

Between the pep talk from my surgeon, the support I feel from my group, and the desire to look better for my Daughter's wedding, I've decided I CAN DO THIS! I signed up for my fitness pal and logged in food for yesterday, and also did today's. What do you know, I lost 2 pounds overnight. It's amazing what a person can do when they really try.

Can't say I'll be doing much exercise yet because it's still so flippin' cold out and my feet hurt when I walk on a treadmill, so I have to walk outdoors. Tomorrow I'll walk because it's not as cold during the daytime.

Best wishes to all of you. I'll have to stop watching this site for a while because I am still very disappointed that I cannot be sleeved.

Take care.

Sue

Good luck sue I hope you the best

I'm hoping for the sleeve as well good luck with everything

Best wishes to you. I cannot be sleeved due to erosion and scarring possibility. My surgeon and 5 others would only recommend bypass for me.

Struggling, but doing the old fashioned thing - diet and exercise. I'm afraid of intestinal issues if I were to have bypass.

Take care.

Sue

Sorry to hear that sue, Good luck, hey listen you can do it!!! Just keep your portions down, and exercise your butt off!!! lol

That is my fear with the bypass as well