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Is that what they call going from a Band to RNY,a revision? I've heard they can take the band out and do the RNY in one operation. Ive also heard people say they had to wait six months in between. My BMI is 61, and I have a fatty liver, I'm 'assuming' I'd be too much a risk to do the whole shebang in one surgery. But I hope NOT! I'm re-entering the world f LIFESTYLE CHANGE! and I don't feel like being without ANY pouch. I mean, even unfilld have my Band moments to keep me in check, just not often enough. Did any of you do the revision in one visit, or did you have to wait? How'd you do? I'm also assuming that Ill be too huge for laparascopic. Hm.

Boppin, May I ask what you mean "...if my asthma clears up." ???

Oh my goodness, people! All the LOVE ! I have been turning on the computer over and over again to see if I got any responses, but in the "mailbox" thingy up in the right corner of the page was not showing any responses, nothing. I just happened to go to my Profile and re-click on my last post to check things out, and voila! All of you! I thought I might have said something wrong to get me blacklisted. Thank goodness, no. Anyway, Bless you ALL for reading and responding, it made me feel alive! I love, love, love BariatricPal, I have over 500 post's (mainly in the LapBand) , I was here before it even became BariatricPal. Wow. So much love then, and so much love now. Such a cool thing...Alex has helped countless numbers of people, and he's quite a good author too! I have one of his books, awesome. Well, I have to go read what I wrote and I'll get back to ya asap.

Hi. I have asthma where I use supplimental oxygen 24/7. Just resting, I barely need it, but when I do anything I need it. I'm seeing my surgeons PA next month, after a long absence to see if I can get my band removed and go RNY. I'm 365, 5'4". BMI in the low sixties. My question...Can you have gastric bypass when you need to use oxygen?

Can you relate?

Hey, didn't know where to post this.... BACKSTORY: I've been banded since '07, problems ensued between the Band's performance and my compliance. I now weigh my highest ever at 365, I'm 5'4". I'm in therapy that has been focusing on food addiction and the relationship I have with eating, dieting, etc. I can honestly say I am ready to start all over, and have in some ways...small steps, small steps... I've been researching for a year now on whether to apply for a Bypass, or Sleeve. I just joined a Medically supervised fitness club at my Cardio/Pulmonology Center. I have asthma that requires supplemental Oxygen. I can't walk very far and my artificial knees don't like holding me up under all this weight. 4 professionals asked if I would have Bariatric surgery. I'm 47, otherwise healthy. QUESTION(S): Can someone give me an argument why the sleeve might be the best way to go? I know a lot about the Gastric Bypass, but haven't read many personal stories about the why's and where fore's of the sleeve that might aid me in my research. Can you help me out? I beg you to respond....

Thank you guys, I know well o most of what I have to do, but just need)ed_ to hear what made the Sleeve "more special", so to speak. I spent a great amount of time in the RNY/GB Forum, I think I'll be moving over here! I need that iFamily Feeling, as I have very little family and I would love more support from all of you guys. pierce... the prt of the stomach that is removed is called Grehlin. And I also liked that part of the Sleeve process. Well, you've all answered my aged prayers of deciding which way to go. And I thank you SO much for that! However, I still need to get my surgeon's opinions on how to proceed. His word is IT. But we all know that WE'VE been there, been through it and can share stuff a surgeon couldn't. That's what makes us all SPECIAL ! Thank you SO much! See you around....

Hi, I have a Band that I've had for 7 years. Time went by and I slowly stopped changing my eating habits and I gained weight. Pretty stable for most of the time, but recently I've gained a LOT of weight. I'm strongly focused on my food addiction. You know, "I HAVE to have this or that so I don't go crazy.!" behaviours. .And I'm doing surprisingly well. I have a LCSW-R that I work with, she's a huge help. Anyway, I "think" my pouch has shrunk because I find I cannot eatan average person's full meal, like I used to. I'm losing weight, and respecting the Band again. I'm changing Surgeons, and will be discussing with him about having the RNY. I've been a member of Bariatric Pal for a few years, and have been studying, learning and changing due to all the great people on here. I bought Alex's book on RNY, it's fascinating! I read that some people , when they have the RNY, they revision to the band as well as contnuing with their RNY life. Has anybody ever heard of this in face to face world? I mean, I'll ask my future surgeon, but I was just seeking some info here, from you guys. It kind of makes sense to me, but I've never heard of it. I was looking into having the band removed and having the RNY. But now I hear of this. What do YOU think?

Hi, I'm a five year Bander seriously thinking about RNY. I've had four doctor's asking and suggesting I have WLS. I see a Pulmonologist once a month since I developed Severe Asthma back in winter 2013. I am not getting enough oxygen to my heart so I am on supplemental O2 24/7/365. I had both knees replaced a few years ago, and did not follow up with the exercising very well, soon after, not at all. My Pulmonologist does NOT want me to do any exercising till we get a better understanding of my illness. However, they have a Doc supervised physical therapy unit in the same building for people like me and when I can come up with the cash, I'm on it! My question...Will a surgeon do an RNY on a patient with this kind of health issue? Oh, I'm 47, 5'5" weighing my highest ever, 365.

Thanks for the welcomed advice! I'm trying to think of alternatives to pop. Decaf Iced Tea, FULL of sugar! Iced coffee, my other obsession is high in calories (I need sugar in my IC) Also, I use 1/2 & 1/2, a little high in fat. I don't like lemonade, well, I do, but it's so strong I get heartburn. And high in sugar and cost. But I might be able to learn to like lemon Water. Or better, lime water. Can't have Crystal Light, (sweetener) my GI says it's bad for me, and I agree. I drink black coffee, like a dude, sometimes. But I prefer cold with all the bells and whistles. Herbal tea is good at home, but not on the run. Milk is great, but again, not on the go. Money and Storage is almost nil for me, so I can't afford pricey stuff like Snapple, Lipton Green Tea, etc So this leaves me with plain old water. YUCK! But I'll figure something out, I'm serious about this journey, so compromise is in order. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated, Thanks.

I'm a Bander seriously thinking about RNY surgery. My Surgeon suggested it as well as three individual Doctors of mine. I'm 5'4", 350. I'm all over the boards looking for advice, opinions and educated answers. I have some random questions... 1. After ( wayyyy after) RNY surgery, can you drink or at least sip c/f pop? Decaf coffee with cream and sugar (Dr told me NO artificial sweeteners)maybe flavoring like vanilla or mocha? EVER? I've had an unfilled band for 6 years and I gorge on these drinks, and food. 2. Sugar is COMPLETELY out of the question? How far does one go keeping sugar out of one's diet? 3. How do you handle the extreme flip flop of your relationship with food? 4. Can you eat things, again, wayyyy out that a Bander can't do? 5 How do you do it?! You're all so brave.

Oh boy am I gonna get gasp's from what I'm about to say. I am 6 yrs Banded, unfilled, eating a regular menu. I am seriously addicted to pop. I can't have caffeine or artificial sweeteners, so I drink regular c/f Coke. Every day, all day, for years. I have a problem! I'm thinking about going back to my surgeons office and see if he can do test's to see if I've damaged my tummy in any way. I'm in therapy dealing with my addiction(s).My Doc's PA says my stomach is fine, but she didn't x-ray it or anything, so I don't know for sure. Don't do what I did. Listen to these kind people, .Follow Drs orders, maybe ask "Why?" and maybe the answer will help put it into perspective.

Buffalo here...Dr. Posner did my Band back in 07, I MAY go back to him for RNY. Good luck on your soon to come surgery... Liane, I don't know what being an official buddy is, but I'd be happy to help or cheer you on!

GIrl, I've known you since the LBT days from last year! WOW. I think I was "pkb"? How's my Southern gal doing, is the sleeve working better for you? Only YOU would see no problem admitting number 5, or should I say, 2? LOL. I am now having that problem, I have a teeny standing shower that I barely fit in and doing a proper shower is very difficult. I've come to panicking when I have to take a shower, no joke, I have asthma and sometimes I get all worked up and can't breathe. Butt what you said may hit a chord amongst some people here. I don't think we are the only one's. Good you brought that up. Hope life is treating you well. You have that Carolina sun, while I'm in a thawed out Buffalo Blizzard.

I'm praying more people will post here. I have to hit the sack. See you tomorrow!

I, too, had my Band unfilled about a year after placement back in 07/08.. I also deeply enjoyed eating "normal", then it turned to "abnormal" and since then have gained back all the weight I lost and more. AND, I also went back to my surgeon to have my band refilled, but I still had the sickly mentality that I could still eat normally but I shouldn't have. I wonder if my stomach has been stretched (though I'm not sure what exactly 'stretched' means). I am wicked poor due to several new serious maladies that required a lot of money from me, so I can't afford to go back for wls tests. At the risk of being discriminated, I will admit that I am mentally ill. I was definitely NOT ready for WLS. How I slipped through the cracks, I don't know. My surgeon, and three separate Doctors suggested RNY.My surgeon told me straight out that the only way I will lose 180lbs is RNY, or the Sleeve. And DAMN if that option is a hard one to swallow, so to speak. But I'm not making the same mistake twice. I am looking ALL OVER the place to find a professional who deals with food addiction. I know several addicts, and I could just as well be a drunk (I don't drink, don't like it) My vice is drinking an enormous amount of sugary drinks a day, and just the freedom to eat what I want when I need it. I use food as a drug. The first thing I do in the morning is pop open a can of pop and the last thing I do before I start settling to go to sleep is drink a pop. If I can't have my various "fix's, I get angry,seriously depressed, emotionally frazzled, you name it. If I eat the "right" food or drink the "right" drink, I'm OK till I need my next fix. I am seriously addicted. So I do all the soul searching, research and psychotherapy I can to make the correct decision. I'm sorry guys, I write a lot sometimes.

For starters, I am examining the Dr suggested RNY. I'm 5"4'/350 with comorbidities that are shortening my life span and getting in the way of living and functioning. The list would go on. I'm 5"4'/350. I'm reaching out to the kind and to-the-point folks here. I'm in a therapy that grows and grows, but one thing my LCSWM can't seem to take me as serious as I wish her to be about my food Addiction. I binge drink.pop and coffee.I eat /drink (no caffeine or alcohol) to MAKE SURE my repressed memories (PTSD, Dissociative Disorder NOS) do not surface. I'm a fighter, a survivor, but I'm dead set against going that deep within myself. p.s.Memories don't HAVE to surface to work on and heal but how I deal with them is what really matters. So, I use food and drink as a drug. I get high off of it. Not good. Having the Band, I know all about the "lifestyle" changes. Doing that in every way but food and drink. I'm mortified of not drinking pop, juice, sweetened coffee's. I almost get angry when those fix"s are not available. How do you live without sugar??? I can't use any artificial sweeteners by order of Dr. And with this in mind, how am I ever to consider.gastric bypass? Painful truth, I can't. My Pulmonogist, GI and Primary have each asked if I considered RNY, they suggest it. Thanks for being with me this far....

Hi, I'm struggling with various issues right now, but I am hoping to have RNY in 14. I have the Band which must be taken out. I was admitted to the hospital for four days a week and a half ago with the fear I was having a heart attack, turns out my heart is in great shape, but now I have Asthma. I'm only 47. I now have 24/7 Oxygen inside the house, at work and outside of the house. Probably permanent. Will this keep me from having the RNY?

You guys are so incredible with your giant hearts, degree's in communication and experience with compassion. I never know what to say to someone, but if the time comes, I hope I'm as helpful to the other person as you have been good to me.

Yes it has, Thankyou, Stephjoy! you helped make me feel a lot better. I could narrow down my fear, I think..After a year and a half of battling as well as it's successes, the Band became almost useless and I gave up on it and ate as I would pre-band. I didn't like the freedom of eating what I wanted. Sure, it's cool to have this and that, but I got banded to change my lifestyle and lose weight. It wasn't happening------------Getting sick from eating too much was real, in the beginning. I hear that RNY has the same effect. Basically the same principal. So why get the RNY? I am getting it because I weigh 340lbs at 5' x 5" and I want, more NEED to lose a lot of weight to live.-----------The hubby, and myself worry that the diet will fail as it did Banded. I have much more faith in myself than he does. He's sick of me being a patient (2 surgeries in one year) as I have many "mysterious floating pains" and I always hurt. All in All, it's extremely difficult to advocate for yourself when no one else does.

I'm seriously considering RNY. I've now had a band that is 5 years old, unfilled and useless. My BMI is 55. I'm in a bad place. My husband is reluctant to see me go through the "diets", "life changes", "surgery" again. He saw me through the band surgery and two separate surgeries for total knee replacements, He doesn't want me to have WLS again because it completely disrupts his/our order of things. He also saw me eventually give up on the South Beach diet that my surgeon puts his patient's on. Does he have a point as far as my food addiction goes? With the Band I was "sober", then I fell off the wagon. All that work and money down the drain. He's afraid I can't do the RNY diet, okay, point taken but I WANT the strictness of the RNY lifestyle. When I was "sober", I ate SO well, I studied everything I put in my mouth. But when my band was too full years ago, or not full enough, I grew angry at myself because the band never made me full. Just made me sick all the time. With the RNY, there's a strict, similar, diet to adhere to. I can do it, my hubby just doesn't think I can do it again. How can I convince him that this is the right path for me? He's all I have in this world. I've hit rock bottom, never been such a slave to my weight as I am now. I want to be a success, like you guys, no matter how hard the work may be.

Hey. I have Medicare that practically pays for anything ( 80%, I pay the 20% ). I was wondering if any of you had your RNY paid through Medicare. How much was the surgery? What did they pay?

I've heard that after RNY, immediately and for life, that you have to take vitamins, supplements and other pills I can't come up with a name for. * Is this true? * examples? * why * and my immediate fear, cost? * I know about the protein.

Hi, I'd like to try some protein shakes, for pre-tasting and practicing. I'd also like to incorporate syrups in them. I can not use artificial sweetener, health issue. 1. How much of a protein shake do you make at a time? 2. How many times a day? 3. How many ounces of syrup do you put in the shake? 4. Judging on amount put in and shakes a day, will this produce too much sugar allowable for the RNY diet? I've heard that sugar is dangerous to the RNYer, whether for just a period of time or forever. Help! As there is nowhere else for me to get answers/ideas and who better than YOU!

Thanks everybody, you gave me some great ideas that I will try. I also checked out http://www.theworldaccordingtoeggface.com, she has awesome ideas to work from!