Lap band to gastric bypass

[momotrips3 3]

Hey all! I'm back. I had my meetings with surgeons and my Gastroenterologist. I picked my surgeon (he said one surgery) and started my 6 month insurance clock! I am having a EGD on Valentine's Day and my first weight management class on the 25th. I'm nervous, excited and all the emotions. I let the cat out of the bag to my niece, who had RNY about six years ago. She's pretty blunt about things and would tell me if she thought it was a bad idea, but she is more confident than I am that this is the right thing to do. She's been great - encouraging and helpful with real-world advice and warnings. The best kind, because she knows me and how I am. (We are much closer in age than my sister/her mom and I). That and the hearty green light from my Gastroenterologist with an order to go forth succeed and enjoy my new life gave me so much more confidence and positive feelings. I get very anxious and in my head sometimes and I certainly have been. I have been set free in a sense. Looking forward to the future!

I hope everyone else is doing great. Have a great week!

[Mark.olypenn 5]

That's great news all around. Hope the weight management program goes well. I started my pre-op diet today while we are driving home from Arizona. My wife has decided to do it with me which is a huge plus. God bless her for supporting me through this journey. The first day went well. My revision surgery is coming up on Feb 27. Pre-op appointments are on Monday with the surgeon and nutritionist. It is our final meetings prior to surgery. It's been a journey to get to this point, but it is only just beginning. I have been struggling with weight control since my lapband was removed in December. Traveling the last several weeks hasn't made it any easier. Hoping the pre-op diet will get me back my weight las month.

[JRT Mom 920]

On 2/12/2020 at 9:35 PM, momotrips3 said:

H I picked my surgeon (he said one surgery)

You will be glad to have it done in one surgery. It cuts the risk in half of everything that's dangerous about a hospital such as anaesthesia risk, nosocomial infections, and especially heart attacks after seeing that hospital bill!😁 And only having to recover once is nice, also. I had my band removed and the bypass done in one step and I'm glad my surgeon does it that way.

[JRT Mom 920]

9 hours ago, Mark.olypenn said:

That's great news all around. Hope the weight management program goes well. I started my pre-op diet today while we are driving home from Arizona. My wife has decided to do it with me which is a huge plus. God bless her for supporting me through this journey. The first day went well. My revision surgery is coming up on Feb 27. Pre-op appointments are on Monday with the surgeon and nutritionist. It is our final meetings prior to surgery. It's been a journey to get to this point, but it is only just beginning. I have been struggling with weight control since my lapband was removed in December. Traveling the last several weeks hasn't made it any easier. Hoping the pre-op diet will get me back my weight las month.

Your wife sounds like a real peach to diet with you! You'll find appetite control is much easier after your procedure. And only two weeks away! Good luck and keep us posted!

[pongomp 1]

Hi all!

I am glad I found this post. I was banded in April 2008 and did well for a very long time. I lost 160# and kept off about 140 of it over the last 11 years. But now, there are problems. I have been having intense chest pain, reflux, and lots of puking. I put off seeing my doc because I was fearful she would say the band would need to be removed. I finally met with the doc and she first unfilled the band, then scheduled an upper GI. Had that, and the tech noted that the barium was staying in my esophagus and the sphincter was not opening. Then, when it finally opened, that is when I had the chest pain.
I followed back up with the doc and she said that I had a "lazy esophagus" that had been worn out from almost 12 years of banding and puking. She ordered and endoscopy, which I had last week. I have my follow up next week to talk about next steps.
Since having the band unfilled, the reflux has gone and the chest pain happens much less frequently. However, I can eat anything now with no restriction.....and that has been a challenge. The doc said, before the endoscopy, that if the band has to be removed, she would not recommend a sleeve on top of a lazy esophagus...and the bypass would be my best option if I wanted a revision.
It doesn't sound like refilling the band is going to be an option. So, I think I will have to decide to have bypass or have the band removed and try to live a "normal" life.
I am having a lot of mixed emotions and nerves. Really, I won't know anything for sure until the follow up appointment next week....but I am preparing mentally for it.
Curious if anyone else had similar symptoms/issues and had a revision to bypass? Or, and advice?
Appreciate it!!