Roll Call...All having a Revision From Band to RNY Come on In

[skhopp 0]

One Hot Grammy - Could you tell me why you are revising from a band to bypass? I'm doing a little info searching for myself. thanking you in advance.

[palarin 1]

Hello,

I had the Lap Band put in on 12/26/07. Unfortunately for me, it didn't work. We filled the band completely up over several months and I just couldn't loose weight with it at all. I followed a strict program to the tee but in the end, the Lap Band failed me.

After that, I discussed with my surgeon about removing the band and doing a Gastric Bypass. After all of the paperwork that you go through, I finally had my revision done on January 12, 2009. She went in Laporscopically but at the very end of the surgery, she couldn't reach a couple of things so they had to open me up all the way.

The surgery wasn't that bad at all, but everyone is different. Of course, my stomach was very tender and still is. I followed all of my doctor's orders to take it easy during the first 6 weeks. I am happy to report that yesterday, February 9, 2009 was my first month anniversary since the surgery and I have lost 33 lbs. so far. I am so happy that this finally worked for me. When I had the Lap Band in, I only lost 12 lbs. total and that was during the first month.

It's really hard to compare yourself to others because we are all so unique in our own way. However, it's nice to get feedback from a wide range of patients out there on this bulletin board. Regards, Marie

[angel1972 0]

I'm trying to decide on the band or bypass???? anyone have any input for me?

[sschnautz 0]

I too was torn between the band and RNY. I have decided to go with RNY. I am glad I found your post. I have been a member of LBT for about a month. I was dead set on the band until my seminar. Now I know that RNY is the way to go. Thank you!!!

I have my Nut consult, and my psych consult on March 25. Then two more FU visits with the nutritionist. I hopefully will be scheduled for surgery by mid-June.

[jmarruda 22]

Hello,

I had the Lap Band put in on 12/26/07. Unfortunately for me, it didn't work. We filled the band completely up over several months and I just couldn't loose weight with it at all. I followed a strict program to the tee but in the end, the Lap Band failed me.

After that, I discussed with my surgeon about removing the band and doing a Gastric Bypass. After all of the paperwork that you go through, I finally had my revision done on January 12, 2009. She went in Laporscopically but at the very end of the surgery, she couldn't reach a couple of things so they had to open me up all the way.

The surgery wasn't that bad at all, but everyone is different. Of course, my stomach was very tender and still is. I followed all of my doctor's orders to take it easy during the first 6 weeks. I am happy to report that yesterday, February 9, 2009 was my first month anniversary since the surgery and I have lost 33 lbs. so far. I am so happy that this finally worked for me. When I had the Lap Band in, I only lost 12 lbs. total and that was during the first month.

It's really hard to compare yourself to others because we are all so unique in our own way. However, it's nice to get feedback from a wide range of patients out there on this bulletin board. Regards, Marie

Hope you update us soon! I for one am interested in your story! I had my band put in 2 years ago today, lost 50lbs and have 125lbs more to go! The doc and I have given up on the band, and right now I'm looking into RNY. Any more info you could share would be great!!!!

[palarin 1]

jmcambra,

The thing about the Lap band is that it can take up to 3 years for you to lose the weight. It's a much slower pace and that isn't necessarily a bad thing because in the long run, you are bound to keep it off.

I can understand how frustrated you must be after 2 years and only losing 50 lbs. I am very happy that I was able to have the band removed and converted over to Gastric Bypass because the band was really the wrong choice for me to begin with. I think that if you talk things over with your doctor, the two of you will come to the right decision for you. Be sure to write down all of your questions ahead of time to take with you so that you are able to get all of the answers. Note: there is risk involved with the RNY and luckily I haven't had any problems. I don't know anyone personally that has had any problems but there is always the risk which is something else that you need to discuss with your doctor.

Yes, I admit that I was a little bit scared as they rolled me into surgery, but I knew deep down that it was the right thing to do. I was amazed how I was able to get up and sit in a chair later that afternoon. I felt better each and every day after surgery. The pain was minimal for me and the binder that they put on you really helps when getting up and down or out of bed. I used mine for at least the first 4-5 weeks after surgery. The big reason I used mine longer was because I had basically 2 surgeries in one. They went in Laporscopically and at the very end had to open me all the way up due to not being able to reach a couple areas to put in staples.

There is long term commitment though that you must be willing to make after going through this surgery. This is a life change and if you are not willing to follow the guidelines that are set forth by your surgeon, you will fail. I must take a Multi-Vitamin with Iron and Calcium with citrate every day. I also must take Vitamin B-12 (1000mg) once a week. On top of that I must pay attention to all food labels and be sure that I am not taking in more than 6 grams of Fat & Sugar during each meal. I also must get in 65-70 grams of Protein each day. Hopefully you have already found a Protein brand that you like but if not you will need to try some different types to see which one is for you.

I get my protein in by having a Protein shake, protein liquid, or protein found in my meals. My favorite Protein powder is unjury (Chocolate Flavor) 20g of protein in each scoop. I mix this with 8 ounces of Skim Milk (8g) and it provides me with 28g of my daily protein. Unjury has many different flavors and you can also purchase individual packets to try different ones. I also purchased some of the New whey Liquid Protein (42g) bullets. They look like a large test-tube and hold 3 oz. of pure protein. I must also note that your taste buds will change some after surgery. I noticed that a packet of sugar free Kool aid was much sweeter after surgery; therefore I must mix additional Water in it to lessen the sweetness.

I'm dedicated to doing the right things so I keep a journal of everything that I eat. I got a journal called Diet Minder on Amazon for $10. It was well worth it because provides you the ability to track everything that you eat along with the calories, fat, carbs, protein, Fiber, and sugar. It also provides an area for tracking 8 glasses of Water, Snacks, Vitamins, and exercise. There is also a section to set goals.

I'm sure that there are some people out there who have had Gastric Bypass surgery but don't bother to follow any of the rules behind it because they think that the weight will just fall off. I've seen some people go right back to their bad eating habits and eventually gain back all the weight plus some. You must be serious about this commitment and doing all of the things that your surgeon/dietician recommends. As long as you follow the guidelines and teach yourself a new and healthier way to eat, you will be successful when having the Gastric Bypass done.

I hope that I have been able to provide you with the information that you were looking for. Let me know if you have any more questions.....Best of Luck, Marie

[toqu 0]

I am going this Thursday to see if I qualify for a revision. I lost about 47lbs total and have been filled and unfilled twice once for dehydration and the other for reflux. I have now gained back almost all the weight but I have been unfilled this time since November 08.

[hollyberries 2]

It was nice to read all the posts here. I was told last week that I may need to revise to RNY. The Doc and I have documented issues since we started filling the band. I have a 4cc band with only 2.2cc's in it. I am starving but I can't eat solid Protein without extreme pain.

On top of it all I need my gall bladder out because I am having gall bladder attacks. With the band I have lost 115lbs but have gained back about 25lbs since because I am so afraid of the pain I get from eating I have reverted to eating things that are not good for me...I know that is bad but I so afraid to eat. I do try everyday though.

My surgeon has scheduled me for an Upper GI to see what is going on with the band and then he and I need to sit down for the next course of action. He has suggested that I revise to RNY possibly or that we may need to go in and reposition the band. I am leaning towards RNY because I am so tired of being in pain when I eat. However, I am really thinking/researching RNY because I need to the know the risks involved to make a educated decision.

I wish I could find some data on how successful the Band to RNY revision is. Any thoughts?

Cindy

[Shalee04 7]

It was nice to read all the posts here. I was told last week that I may need to revise to RNY. The Doc and I have documented issues since we started filling the band. I have a 4cc band with only 2.2cc's in it. I am starving but I can't eat solid Protein without extreme pain.

On top of it all I need my gall bladder out because I am having gall bladder attacks. With the band I have lost 115lbs but have gained back about 25lbs since because I am so afraid of the pain I get from eating I have reverted to eating things that are not good for me...I know that is bad but I so afraid to eat. I do try everyday though.

My surgeon has scheduled me for an Upper GI to see what is going on with the band and then he and I need to sit down for the next course of action. He has suggested that I revise to RNY possibly or that we may need to go in and reposition the band. I am leaning towards RNY because I am so tired of being in pain when I eat. However, I am really thinking/researching RNY because I need to the know the risks involved to make a educated decision.

I wish I could find some data on how successful the Band to RNY revision is. Any thoughts?

Cindy

Have you checked out a vertical Sleeve. I have been reading alot on them lately. wish I would have had this option before I decided on my band I might have gotten a sleeve instead. Sory your having band issues.

[Nanook 2]

hollyberries,

You might want to join www.obesityhelp.com as they have a revisions section under the surgical forums. They also have a RNY forum there as well as any other WLS you can think of. You may become a bit disallusioned though as you'll see people revising from every surgery there is so nothing is perfect and in the end it's a still remains a major struggle which is something I am preparing myself for.

I went into lap banding thinking I would be successful and never was so now going for my revision to RNY 6/11 I am being a bit more realistic. I also joined a local support group which helps a lot with my questions and they have people there that had the surgery years ago and what issues they have had since then. You actually see them face to face which is a totally different experience than a forum.

My daughter had the RNY a year ago and has dropped about 140 lbs but now is at a "stall" so it happens. This is the time she needs to kick in for herself which can be difficult for her and I'm sure doubley for me!

Anyway good luck to you with whatever you decide, Nancy.

[leatha_g 4]

Reposted from obesityhelp.com

Post Date: 5/9/09 1:29 pm

In my case, I actually went for the lapband, loved it and wanted to keep it; however, mine slipped one year out having lost 75lbs.

Six weeks after replacing my band (Surgery#2), I then found that I would need to undergo gall bladder surgery (#3).

My second band was never as pleasant as the first. It was not seated in the same place and I was never able to get the restriction I needed.

I was either over-filled causing esophagitis, or under-filled due to having to let my esophagus heal. I struggled to maintain the loss I had accomplished and wound up gaining about 25lbs back. The cycle of unfill/fill became a rather large nuisance and I got no satisfaction. My esophagus and pouch took a beating and tended to stretch and slip. I was looking at yet another surgery to replace/remove and/or constant and continual damage to the esophagus and fear of stretching the pouch and slippage.

Luckily, my first slippage was uneventful with no pain or necrosis of the stomach. Not everyone is so lucky and I had no guarantee my next episode would be as fortunate.

I have blood clotting issues and take coumadin and had to be very aware that any bleeding event could be life-threatening.

Not wanting to undo what I had done and having spent 4 yrs dealing with the band, I decided to make this journey a permanent one and give in to the RNY I had attempted to avoid in the beginning.

I started this Quest in 2002, shortly after the clinical trials for Lapband. I spent that 4 yrs sharing my successes and being one of the original 'rah rah' cheerleaders for the band. I loved it and I loved being a part of a wonderful community of pioneers in this awesome technology. It just turned out that longterm is not always what it seems (or what we dream it will be) in the beginning.

Each person's journey is very unique. One has to make the choices that seem right at the time and educate themselves, try to keep in mind that there are NO absolutes with any of these life/body altering surgeries. Avoid placing yourself in any faction that says any surgery is the best over others or that anyone else is in any way inferior to you, your doctor or your choice of surgery.

This is not a competition, it is a struggle to save lives and change lives and it is hard to bring your own mind and body together to achieve the ultimate goal. Avoid getting caught up in the 'now' and the honeymoon and see yourself 2 yrs out, 5 yrs out, 10 yrs and 20 yrs.

What are you willing to deal with? Do you have the time or money to maintain the band? Will your doctor be within reach if you have a sudden setback?

Will you be moving to a different city? Will anyone there take you on as a patient? Will they take you if there are problems?

RNY presents it's own set of problems/opportunities?

Everything you put in your mouth goes straight to the gut. Some things sit and stay awhile, many will go straight through, sometimes suddenly and inconveniently. Sometimes even painfully.

Are you aware that what you could eat pre-surgery may not be tolerable at all post op? Lactose intolerance is very common and can be a pretty painful and inconvenient surprise.

Dumping on sugar/fat/carbs can be your friend, but is frustrating. Once you've made the mistake of swallowing something, you can't take it back. You just have to own it for what it is, whether you're at work, out with friends and family, or in the comfort of your home, near your own bathroom, couch or bed. Sometimes it passes quickly, sometimes it can take hours out of your day. Some say it goes away or gets better with time and of course, knowledge of what may cause it and the discipline to avoid it at all cost. At 17 months out, I still have it and I can't say I've become so perfect that I have learned to avoid it at all costs. I am, however, a work in progress. :-)

You experiment with what works and what you just can't deal with, especially if you work away from home, travel, etc. You learn to locate bathrooms, probably with all the surgery choices. Do you have the discipline it takes to take the necessary Vitamins and Protein necessary to maintain your health and muscle mass? It's necessary with all choices, but even moreso with RNY.

The weight loss can be extremely fast. Are you okay with the sagging skin that may become your battlescars? Are you okay with your face possibly becoming gaunt and bones showing that you never knew you had? Do you have a plan that might be helpful to lessen this, such as exercise? How do you feel about the possibly loss of your girlish curves? Will you want to have plastics done if everything doesn't turn out looking like you had dreamed? Will you be able to afford it? Will your health allow it?

These are all just lessons learned over a period of 7 yrs of intense research and experience. I no longer participate in the cheerleading, not because I'm not totally excited that today I wear a size 2 petite (which I'd prefer to be a 6 or 8 or 10) as opposed to the 22/24 I began with, but because I see and have participated and I have learned that there is a future yet to be seen no matter the choice and sometimes, though we all mean well we can and do eventually get to retract some of those 'absolutes' we so eagerly profess early on out of our own excitement or need to be 'helpful' or heard.

My most sincere advise is to think about who you are today, what resources do you have and what are your tolerances, your strengths and weaknesses. What could change in the way of those resources and/or where will you be physically? Will the doctor you choose be the doctor you'll still be seeing 5 yrs from now? Do you sabotage yourself now? What will you be willing to do to avoid it going forward? Do you exercise now? Where will the discipline come from afterward if you don't do it today?

It is so easy to envision all the great and wonderful things that can come from losing weight and there are many, but none of these surgeries are magic. They sure do help, but there is that reality that it is 'I' who must make the sacrifices and take the risks that may entail and see things as clearly and realistically as possible, not just the dream.

Spend as much time as you will looking at all choices. Listen to what new post ops have to say about their 'now', but spend more time listening to those who have some time behind them. There is valuable knowledge to be gained by those who've come through the initial periods of transition, trials, error and successes over the long haul. They can save you a lot of your own mistakes if you can take what they have already learned and apply it to your own unique journey.

I apologize that this is so long and I hope it's not a downer. It's not meant to be, but I do believe it's important for every prospective weight loss surgery patient to ask themselves ALL these things and know there is far more to this than just that initial 'YAY I'm losing weight!!' period.

I wish you all immense success and a new-found health with whatever choice you ultimately make.

[Jachut 487]

Wow, just happened upon this one after hitting New Posts and saw your name at the end of it Leatha_g. Wanted to see how you were doing.

What a fantastic post that was. So balanced and sensible. We're hearing so much band bashing and sleeve promotion lately (not without good reason either) but it gets up my nose at times. You are just so right. Nothing is perfect, and the band is a very time consuming tool to maintain - especially with the health system you guys have over there. But things like lactose intolerance are not to be sneezed at either, they can provide just as much of a halt to your lifestyle as having to worry about barfing up the mouthful of salad you managed to get down.

You've given some really great advice, and I'm glad your'e doing well these days.

[momof2boys 0]

Just wanted to step into the roll call. I was told last week that the band must come out and the surgeon feels a conversion to bypass would be best. I have had terrible reflux and ulcers ever since getting the band. I am interested in what everyone's experience post op is like...

[Headhunter 6]

That post by Leatha_g was outstanding. As jachut said, very well balanced. Thought provoking.

There are no absolutes in WLS....except for the fact that your life WILL change....some for the better, some for the worse, others will simply waste a lot of time and money.

You need to choose what is right for YOU, and NOT what has worked well for someone else. This is a LOT more complex process than the billboards and television ads and the bus stop signs would have us believe. It requires a LOT of research, proper counseling, and diligence on the part of the recipient.

HH

[jmarruda 22]

Currently I'm awaiting insurance approval for revision from band to bypass.