Hi, I have not been banded yet!!! I am wondering if there are people out there who have had a gastric bypass after they had been banded or a failed band. What are the reasons that one would consider a bypass after lapband failure.

Kim

waiting:thumbup:

I was banded in June 2005 but don't have a happy story to tell, which is why I never post. I believe that either my band was placed too high or my body is just not meant to be banded. On a positive note, my acid reflux actually stopped after being banded. But I had an endoscopy 2 years later and the gastrointerologist could not tell I had a band. He also said that I have a hiatal hernia which I did not have when the band was placed. Everything I eat either goes straight through or comes back up. I have not lost any weight since the first few months and have continued to fluxuate up and down by 30 pounds. I only had one fill because I'm sure that my band is not in the right spot. I went to Mexico to have my band put in but now I'm taking steps to have it removed and get gastric bypass here in my local area. I have not had a great experience with the band as many others have. But maybe it's just not for everyone.??? Any one out there who can relate???

I am looking into a lap band after gastric bypass. I had the Roux-en-Y bypass 12 years ago. Lost 100 lbs., kept it off for about 3 years and then started to gain a little bit back each year. I gained about 85 of it back and have been at this weight (290) for 3 or so years now. What I have learned (a little late, of course!) through my journey...NONE of these procedures are some magic thing that will keep the weight off forever. Everything can be sabotaged and pushed to failure! They are just one tool that can help but we have to change our lifestyle. I have gotten smarter as I've gotten older and hopefully have figured this out...not to late. I am not even sure if the surgeon I am seeing at the end of the month will even to a band after bypass. He needs to put a scope down into my stomach to see if it is possible. We are doing that April 23. I have joined Weight Watchers and Curves to help me change my lifestyle. It seems to be helping but sometimes I feel like I need the restrictions from a band to keep me in check. Jenniferhlee: I don't mean any disrespect but it seems to me that choosing to go to Mexico for your band wasn't the best decision. I am curious as to why you would go to Mexico for this surgery? You said that everything goes straight through you or comes back up--how could you gain any weight this way? It doesn't make sense to me. There can be complications with bypass surgery too. The band is simply put around the top part of your stomach-bypass surgery re-routes your intestines. It is major!! Please make sure you have a top notch bariactric surgeon from the US help you.

MaineMom:

Thank you for your response to my post. First, I will say that I did a LOT of research and it just happened to be that the Doctor I found the most positive info at the time, was in Monterrey, Mexico. He was (and still is) highly esteemed and recognized in his field, specifically his work with the Lap Band. I could have gone to a clinic near my home, but their statistics weren't as good. Looking back, I wish I had done it here because the follow-up would have been much less complicated.

The reason I have managed to gain weight is because my band is not always tight. As a matter of fact, it's usually not and I can eat almost anything I want. But I have learned that my band only has 2 settings; on and off. It's long and complicated but I've lived with my band for 4 years and I have known all along that something wasn't right with it.

I am taking the thought of gastric bypass very seriously and have contacted a clinic in my city, which I found through my BCBS Insurance Provider. Thanks for your comments and I will continue posting. I forgot how much support you could get from this site.

By the way, good luck with your band adventures. Keep us all posted on your progress! :smile2: