My name is Jamie and I started my weight loss journey many years ago but my surgery journey started in February 2010. I was 330 pounds at 27 years old. I was always a healthy person but after 4 knee surgeries I gained over 100 pounds and tried EVERYTHING to try to loose the weight. When I hit 330 I knew it would end up being life or death.

I attended a bariatric surgery meeting at my mothers suggestion. After meeting with my surgeon and discussing all options with my husband we decided on the lap band. (Man was that a mistake) I had the lap band surgery in May 2010 and it only took me 3 weeks to recover!! I thought I had done enough research to prepare my self but I was very wrong. Eating was hard and I was seeing the Dr almost every 4 to 6 weeks for 3 years trying to figure out where the perfect fill was. After 3 frustrating years of throwing up and learning how to cheat with the band we decided it was time to revise the band. I decided to do the a sleeve, it seemed like a safer and less invasive surgery. I was very excited to start this new journey after seeing co workers have great success with it.

I had my revision to the sleeve May 2013. The recovery was much harder then the recovery from the band and I think it was due to doing the band removal and the sleeve revision at the same time. After 6 weeks I was as good as new and dropping weight at a nice pace. I was very excited to eat right and exercise because I was actually loosing weight!!! After the first 3 months I began to get really painful chest pains. Being a person that never had to deal with acid reflux, GERD or heartburn I didn't know what the pain was from. I went back to my Dr and he began seeing me every 2 - 4 weeks and we tried every acid reflux, hernia, heartburn and GERD medication we could. By the time I was 10 months out I was in such bad pain and no medication would help my Dr decided we needed to revise my sleeve to the full bypass to eliminate the acid from being created in my stomach. I am very unhappy with this decision so I went to 3 other doctors that specialize in acid reflux and weight loss surgery and sadly they all agreed with my surgeons prognosis. We began the insurance approval process and it was a little harder to get the bypass surgery approved this time since I am 178 pounds and they didn't see a reason for the surgery.

Last Tuesday the pain got so bad I ended up in the ER for 6 hours as they tried to figure out how to make the pain stop. The prognosis was esophagus spasms so I had to be put on a liquid diet since eating hurt. Finally my insurance approved the surgery and my doctor is rushing the surgery date due to the severity of this issue.

My revision to bypass is scheduled for May 13 2014 and I am completely freaking out!!!! This is not a surgery I want and I am concerned that I am going to have all the bypass side effects I really never wanted to have! I know the surgery is inevitable and the only way to get rid of this intolerable pain for good! I am coming top grips with it and feel more assured that this will work since I did seek other opinions from multiple specialists.

I am telling my story because I really need help from others out there that may gave went thru the same issues I am and what did you do to resolve it?

What should I expect to be different from the sleeve to the bypass?

Please help! I am really scared and really don't want to have to go thru this again!!

Edited May 5, 201412 yr by Alex Brecher

Jodie & jnana , thank y'all for the prayers. It means a lot! My surgery in 33 hours.(: I'm skeered, lol.

I know I am nervous for next week too, but God is good...and now you have even more people praying for you. What time is your surgery Wednesday? You too, jnana..what time? I like to do extra praying during that time specifically. Hang in there ladies! We shall overcome!!

I know I am nervous for next week too, but God is good...and now you have even more people praying for you. What time is your surgery Wednesday? You too, jnana..what time? I like to do extra praying during that time specifically. Hang in there ladies! We shall overcome!!

Jodie, you are so right. God is good all the time. It comforts me to know more are praying for me. My surgery is at 730, but I arrive at 6. I'm more scared about the needles, Iv & shot before surgery. I know that's crazy tho.

I will pray for you on the 13 th as well my friend.

Hi all I too had the lab band in 2003 and had to have it remove in 2012 due to the reflux, I currently weight 200 at 5'6 I am have surgery June 25. I too am a little scared but with the power of prayer all will be fine.

I am keeping everyone in my prayers! I pray we all have safe and successful surgeries and we all get the results we wanted the first time around!! God bless

jnana and Jamiep5...how are you two doing? Jnana, did you have your surgery yet? Jamiep5, are you doing your pre op diet yet? I am finishing day 5 of Optifast Protein drinks..will do Clear liquids on Monday, then surgery on Tuesday! Wow, after waiting all those months ... it feels like it is coming fast now. Praying for us all to have a better, more healthy lifestyle.

I am leaning toward the sleeve but this post makes me double think. I used to get bad acid in my stomach and I always had a bottle of tums by my bed. However, about a year and half ago I found out I was type 2 diabetic and changed my diet - eliminating most processed carbs and cutting way back on even whole grains. Since then, i have not needed tums more than 1 or 2 times (usually after caving and eating too much pizza). I don't even keep a bottle around any more. Would this be of concern for getting the sleeve? I think my acid was entirely diet related but I don't know how that works.

@@Travelmego -- be sure to talk to your doctor about this. I have severe reflux and it is certainly influenced by diet but hearing the stories about the sleeve and reflux, there is no way I want to chance that. I'm sure your surgeon will be able to give you the best advice.

I find it interesting how resistant people are to get the bypass - - it is the most tried and true surgery and both sleevers and bypass patients have to take nutritional supplements for life. In my decision-making process, the bypass has better success rates and more overall weight loss (statistically) and with the danger of making the reflux worse, it was an easy decision.

Best wishes!

Thank you for your response. I know what you mean about the bypass. I was all for the bypass when I first started out but after reading about the less post surgery adjustments I have been leaning toward the sleeve. I was told that you don't have to take the diet supplements for life with the sleeve. I will have to check this out some more.

Even if one does have to take supplements - that is still better than HAVING to take diabetes medicine. Supplements are easy to obtain anywhere. This is an issue for me because I like to travel extensively overseas (for months at a time), and getting the diabetes medicine is difficult - especially when my insurance only pays for 30 days at a time. I would have to have it shipped to me each month and it has to be refrigerated. It just isn't very feasible.

Another issue I have with the bypass is that you can't eat certain foods. I would like to be able to eat as normal a diet as I can but in much less quantities obviously. And lastly, the sleeve is supposed to get rid of the hunger sensation. That appeals to me. I am not sure if the bypass eliminated the hunger stuff as well.

Edited May 22, 201412 yr by Travelmego

Hi everyone! I also had my band revised to RNY on May 7. My band was placed in 2001 and wasn't the adjustable type. It has been a constant struggle with reflux, vomiting, and I eventually got a fistula in my pouch. Now that I have the RNY my diabetes is essentially gone and I no longer need BP meds. But weight loss is so SLOOOOW!

Anyway, I wish you all the best of luck with your journeys to health. I need to stop focusing on the scale and keep plugging along ????.

Hi everyone! I also had my band revised to RNY on May 7. My band was placed in 2001 and wasn't the adjustable type. It has been a constant struggle with reflux, vomiting, and I eventually got a fistula in my pouch. Now that I have the RNY my diabetes is essentially gone and I no longer need BP meds. But weight loss is so SLOOOOW! Anyway, I wish you all the best of luck with your journeys to health. I need to stop focusing on the scale and keep plugging along dde0a.

Did you have a Molina band?

Hi Miss Tebowfan! Actually, I don't know what type of band I had. It was placed by Dr. David Hall in Lubbock TX and, according to my present surgeon, it was made out of some type of mesh that has been linked to several different issues (scarring, inflammation, etc.) So much scar tissue formed around my band that it had actually become adhered to my liver.

When I got my band in 2001 I don't believe the adjustable bands had been approved by the FDA. Dr. Hall was also not trained in laparoscopic procedures. He stated that he felt that lap wasn't as "safe" as doing the surgery open. In retrospect, I guess I should have run for the hills. There were so many red flags that I didn't recognize at the time!

Hi Miss Tebowfan! Actually, I don't know what type of band I had. It was placed by Dr. David Hall in Lubbock TX and, according to my present surgeon, it was made out of some type of mesh that has been linked to several different issues (scarring, inflammation, etc.) So much scar tissue formed around my band that it had actually become adhered to my liver. When I got my band in 2001 I don't believe the adjustable bands had been approved by the FDA. Dr. Hall was also not trained in laparoscopic procedures. He stated that he felt that lap wasn't as "safe" as doing the surgery open. In retrospect, I guess I should have run for the hills. There were so many red flags that I didn't recognize at the time!

Dr Molina invented the first band and it was not adjustable. In 1999, I had it and for years r I threw up everything. It was so tight nothing could go down. I lost down to a size 2, very tiny. I didn't know, but apparently it was an experimental band. Ugh! It was also not lapriscopic. Bypass surgery is a piece if cake compared to that surgery, not to mention that quack doctor didn't believe in pain meds.

Glad you are getting the bypass! You will be much happier and healthier!

I didn't see you already had the surgery and the same date I had mine, may7th!

Yes, it's amazing, isn't it? I find now that I don't get the sense of "fullness" when I eat solid food, but I can only tolerate a small amount of liquids at a time. The opposite was the case when I have my band! I'm also losing so very slowly, which is logical but still really disappointing.

How are things going for you?

Yes, it's amazing, isn't it? I find now that I don't get the sense of "fullness" when I eat solid food, but I can only tolerate a small amount of liquids at a time. The opposite was the case when I have my band! I'm also losing so very slowly, which is logical but still really disappointing. How are things going for you?

It is going slowly in my eyes. I have lost 24 lbs and my doc said that's great for my size. I am a 10/12 right now. My goal is to lose 45 more. I have read it comes off slower after a revision.

I have to try not to drink to much cause it goes down easily. I haven't gotten to solid foods yet.

Keep in touch with me please!