Lap band to gastric bypass

[lbugher 41]

@momotrips3 My band experience is similar to yours! I never found my sweet spot so it never worked for me I went to the doctor complaining that I could clear my pouch with a burp (unintentional) and I'd be hungry again so he tightened me just a little bit but then I couldn't get Water down so he had to take it out. Told me I was at my highest tolerance for tightness so it didn't do much to help me... I'd get stuck on healthy foods (any fibrous fruits/veggies and lean proteins) and I never felt good with it. After seeing all these GERD stories I'm heavily leaning toward RNY. At first it sounded scary but it's been done for many years now and is apparently the gold standard for bariatric surgery... I'm gonna schedule a consult soon after I research doctors in my state. I had twins last year in April and ever since my body is just a mess. I walk like I'm 80 even though I'm 37, and I went to the trampoline park with my oldest kid last weekend and I couldn't jump with him because it was too hard 😭 I'm too damn young to not be able to be active and play with my kids! That's when I decided I need to do some research and figure this out. I don't want my kids to look at me and think old fat mom can't bike with us, jump with us, go down slides and play with us because she's too out of shape.

[JlDee 1]

I had banding done in 2001 and revision done in October 2019. I have to say I feel very underinformed about the differences in the surgery. Eating has gone well and I no longer have the acid reflux or vomiting issues I did with the band. SO I consider the surgery a success.

[Mark.olypenn 5]

For those that have had revisions from Lap Band to Gastric By-Pass, did your weight loss happen as you expected? What difficulties and advise would you share? My band was removed Dec 10, and the gastric by-pass is scheduled Feb 27. With my band I had already significantly reduced my portions, and eliminated many foods, like Pasta, etc. I have been told that the life style changes required may easier due to my 14 years with a band. However, the weight loss may take longer.

[JlDee 1]

I had my revision on October 18 and am down 32 lbs since then. I found not a lot of difference, the original band surgery had prepared me quite well. Just the mind set of eating the really really small meals again and no drinking with meals an adjustment again. I know was always supposed to be doing it but after 21 years I had gotten into that bad habit again.

[JlDee 1]

Oh one thing I wasn’t prepared for was pain. I thought with this being laparoscopic it would be a breeze. However they move your stomach muscles a lot on lower left side that it really hurt to move at all for a good 3-4 weeks. I still moved but I just didn’t think it was going to hurt as much as old way of being cut wide open.

[JRT Mom 919]

49 minutes ago, Mark.olypenn said:

. With my band I had already significantly reduced my portions, and eliminated many foods, like Pasta, etc. I have been told that the life style changes required may easier due to my 14 years with a band. However, the weight loss may take longer.

I said the same thing to my surgeon, "this ain't my first rodeo". I learned all the good habits for WLS with my lap band like don't drink while you eat or soon after, little bites and chew well, not snacking, etc and I think it made the revision to a bypass easier since I have had those habits for 10 years already.

I had my surgery Nov 20 and the first 20 pounds fell off in three weeks. Now it's a much slower loss, but still happening! I'm only 12 pounds away from the lowest I ever got with my lap band so I'm confident I'll reach that and surpass it.

But yes, it WAS more painful than getting the lap band but you'll get over that fairly quickly. It took me about 5 days before I felt like a human being again...

[Mark.olypenn 5]

Thanks for your insights. With my Lap Band online resourses like this forum didn't exist.

[momotrips3 3]

On 1/10/2020 at 9:39 AM, lbugher said:

@momotrips3 My band experience is similar to yours! I never found my sweet spot so it never worked for me I went to the doctor complaining that I could clear my pouch with a burp (unintentional) and I'd be hungry again so he tightened me just a little bit but then I couldn't get Water down so he had to take it out. Told me I was at my highest tolerance for tightness so it didn't do much to help me... I'd get stuck on healthy foods (any fibrous fruits/veggies and lean proteins) and I never felt good with it. After seeing all these GERD stories I'm heavily leaning toward RNY. At first it sounded scary but it's been done for many years now and is apparently the gold standard for bariatric surgery... I'm gonna schedule a consult soon after I research doctors in my state. I had twins last year in April and ever since my body is just a mess. I walk like I'm 80 even though I'm 37, and I went to the trampoline park with my oldest kid last weekend and I couldn't jump with him because it was too hard 😭 I'm too damn young to not be able to be active and play with my kids! That's when I decided I need to do some research and figure this out. I don't want my kids to look at me and think old fat mom can't bike with us, jump with us, go down slides and play with us because she's too out of shape.

Hey! Twins, huh? As you can see from my screen name, I have triplets, but they are 21, now.

I just never got the band set right, just like you. So aggravating. I know some people lost a lot of weight, but did they keep it off or not have GERD, vomiting, etc.? Ugh. I may have done better had I gotten full aftercare (doc retired unexpectedly - no referrals). All in all, not my favorite decision I ever made. I just love feeling like a failure.

I still can't eat huge portions, but I can eat enough to have gained all that weight back and lost it a couple of times since. This band has been more of a nuisance than a helpful tool.

The VSG just sounds too easy to "mess up" with the stretching and not having so much malabsorbtion, The GERD just sounds awful. I know there's a tiny chance of GERD with RNY, but it is small. I have dealt with it already, so...

RNY is what I think I want. Family members have had it and the one that took it seriously has had great success. The one that is less compliant has had a positive outcome, but their weight loss would be greater if they weren't so hard-headed and followed their bariatric diet! I would LOVE to be my absolute normal weight (130ish), but would be content with healthy and not "fat". I'm willing to put in the work. I realize I'm over 50 and menopausal, so there's that...

I wish you luck! i have my two surgical consults next week - I'm excited and a little nervous! To make things worse, I had a sinus infection going into the holidays and had to take steroids. HUNGER! I ate ALL the carbs. Sigh. I feel huge!

[momotrips3 3]

8 hours ago, JRT Mom said:

I said the same thing to my surgeon, "this ain't my first rodeo". I learned all the good habits for WLS with my lap band like don't drink while you eat or soon after, little bites and chew well, not snacking, etc and I think it made the revision to a bypass easier since I have had those habits for 10 years already.

I had my surgery Nov 20 and the first 20 pounds fell off in three weeks. Now it's a much slower loss, but still happening! I'm only 12 pounds away from the lowest I ever got with my lap band so I'm confident I'll reach that and surpass it.

But yes, it WAS more painful than getting the lap band but you'll get over that fairly quickly. It took me about 5 days before I felt like a human being again...

Congrats! You're almost halfway to goal! Keep up the good work.

[JRT Mom 919]

5 hours ago, Mark.olypenn said:

Thanks for your insights. With my Lap Band online resourses like this forum didn't exist.

When I got my lap band 11 years ago I lived on this forum (I think it had a different name then, but I can't remember what it was). There was lots of current for then information about the band, but it was a new WLS, and we all were so excited and happy with our bands! I lost 80 pounds then and thought it was the greatest think since sliced bread. But there was NO long term results or issues arising yet, so none of us knew what awaited us down the road. If I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have wasted 10 years dicking around with the band and would have gone straight for the bypass.

[momotrips3 3]

15 minutes ago, JRT Mom said:

When I got my lap band 11 years ago I lived on this forum (I think it had a different name then, but I can't remember what it was). There was lots of current for then information about the band, but it was a new WLS, and we all were so excited and happy with our bands! I lost 80 pounds then and thought it was the greatest think since sliced bread. But there was NO long term results or issues arising yet, so none of us knew what awaited us down the road. If I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have wasted 10 years dicking around with the band and would have gone straight for the bypass.

Me too! It was Lap Bank Talk, then Banded Together, I think. We had lots of fun, actually.

[lbugher 41]

@momotrips3 Triplets!!! Goodness, that must've been hard on you. The pregnancy itself was the worst part IMO, after having had one already. The weight of them, the unbearable thirst, restless legs, relentless brain fog, falling asleep everywhere, cravings while battling gestational diabetes, the hip and pelvic pain, back pain, ugh... I could go on and on. Raising twins is a cakewalk in comparison 😅 the birth and pregnancy left me in terrible shape. I walk with a bad limp and my back, hips, and pelvis still hurt a lot. I did PT for my pelvic floor and that helped my inner thigh pain but I think dropping a bunch of weight will help with the rest.

I'm with you, I like the idea of not being able to absorb all the calories I eat and even the dumping syndrome sounds nice... I'd love to hate eating sugar. I probably won't do a surgery for a while since I have a lot going on right now (planning to sell our house, change jobs, and move to a city 1.5 hours away from where we are now). I'd like to see a surgeon to get a timeline though. I don't know what pre-op things I'd need to do before getting approval if I've already got a lap band.

Good luck to you! I'll be interested to follow your journey!

[momotrips3 3]

@lbugher

Actually, I had a very easy pregnancy apart from gaining almost 100 pounds - it was my first and only. Luckily about 40-50 of the pounds were Fluid from pre-ecclampsia two days before delivery, which was my only complication. That was weird. I am often embarrassed to admit this to other multiple moms, as so many had such a difficult time. I think I was just built to carry a litter. 😉 I'm sorry to hear that your experience was less than stellar. I hope the kids are doing great. However, it's time to look after yourself. They need a healthy mama who feels good about herself.

I'll let you know how my consultations go, and what they say about taking out the band and how weight loss is supposed to go (slower, the same, etc.). I'm curious to know myself. I'm thinking that you may have an easier time the sooner you do your surgery, as I am already in menopause - that has GOT to make things slower, I'd think. I wish I'd have decided to move forward on this sooner.

[loridee11 510]

On 1/14/2020 at 10:20 AM, lbugher said:

@momotrips3 Triplets!!! Goodness, that must've been hard on you. The pregnancy itself was the worst part IMO, after having had one already. The weight of them, the unbearable thirst, restless legs, relentless brain fog, falling asleep everywhere, cravings while battling gestational diabetes, the hip and pelvic pain, back pain, ugh... I could go on and on. Raising twins is a cakewalk in comparison 😅 the birth and pregnancy left me in terrible shape. I walk with a bad limp and my back, hips, and pelvis still hurt a lot. I did PT for my pelvic floor and that helped my inner thigh pain but I think dropping a bunch of weight will help with the rest.

I'm with you, I like the idea of not being able to absorb all the calories I eat and even the dumping syndrome sounds nice... I'd love to hate eating sugar. I probably won't do a surgery for a while since I have a lot going on right now (planning to sell our house, change jobs, and move to a city 1.5 hours away from where we are now). I'd like to see a surgeon to get a timeline though. I don't know what pre-op things I'd need to do before getting approval if I've already got a lap band.

Good luck to you! I'll be interested to follow your journey!

I had my lap band out, then the RNY In a later surgery. Having the lap band out alone was a huge relief and I found it was easier to lose weight with it gone since I could eat healthy dense foods. My RNY surgery was also easier than I've heard many band to RNY people have - almost no pain, etc...

It may be worth considering doing it in two stages if it makes sense for you....

[curlz74 1]

I am so glad I signed back into this forum! I had lap band in 2011, had some success, but no where near what it should have been. I started having more issues with GERD and still being overweight, my dr suggested going back to a surgeon. That's when I found out I could have the band removed and get RNY. My band was removed in November, and not I'm getting closer to the RNY - don't have a date set yet, waiting on insurance approval. To say I'm scared, nervous, confident and excited would be underestimating my nerves right now. Thanks to everyone for their insight and I look forward to chatting more!