Band07

3 surgeries! Do you mind sharing your story with us?

My family more less staged an intervention before I left! lol I flew from Ohio to Juarez they were completely freaked out but I had done my research and felt good about my decision. Now I'm almost one year out and doing great! Who is the surgeon you're consulting with ?

The MGB was harder for me. I had a lot more gas pain and discomfort. Nothing terrible though but the sleeve was super easy for me, had surgery Friday and was back at work for a full day on Tuesday. MGB was worse mostly because I ended up dehydrated and with double pneumonia. Had it not been for that I think I would have felt great by about day 3 or 4 post op.

Some will swear that a sleeve won't stretch, I believe it does over time. Also, it's true some surgeons play it safe and make a larger sleeve to reduce possibility of leaks. Only you can decide for sure what is best for you. I was a successful band patient, an unsuccessful sleeve patient and now a successful MGB patient. The MGB combines restriction with malabsorption, it's a great option with wonderful long term success. Dr. Rodriguez in Juarez did mine and I'm very happy.

First of all the MGB is not at all new and I correspond with MANY MGBs on FB who have had the procedure some as many as 14 years out and are doing amazing ! Second, I totally understand about the sleeve stretching as it happened to me as well though I have no idea why some tend to like to argue this fact. I was a band patient, did amazing, loved my band, revised to sleeve, gained 30lbs, revised to MGB a year ago and doing great now !! 7 lbs from goal, no issues except I do tend to go to the bathroom A LOT but it's livable. Dr. Kelly is great, I consulted with him on my MGB and would have went with him except that Dr. Rodriguez who is equally as qualified did in house financing which helped me out a lot. Come over the FB, there are 2 very active MGB groups that will be happy to answer all your questions from those who have actually had the procedure and not those who really have no idea what it's all about.

I totally understand, I have had 3 ! I hate the way that it sounds and I know there is sometimes judgement, but I had to do what was right for me. Looks like you have chosen a great surgeon, I'm sure all will be great! Best of luck and keep us posted !

I was a little freaked out by the idea of going to Juarez. I literally did an insane amount of research before going and even contacted the American Embassy there!! Let me tell you, all my worry was for nothing!!! It was safe as could be, I wasn't even the slightest bit nervous and had I been aloud to actually eat I would have had no problem leaving the hospital to go across the street for a great Mexican dinner. You are picked up at the airport and literally taken to the front door of the hospital. I would have no problem doing it all over again and actually, i kind of think it's a little bad ass to be able to say, "yeah, I've been to Juarez " lol and Dr. Rod is definitely worth it!

Sorry I just now saw this. I agree about band to sleeve struggles though I've seen a few who have done great it seems to me if you did well with the band, which i did amazing, you struggle more with the sleeve. I had terrible reflux with the band but none with the sleeve or MGB. My issues with the MGB are actually on the other end. I am in the bathroom A LOT!! I have to be very careful of my food choices, especially when I'm away from home because too much sugar or grease will set it off for sure. I try to eat very light throughout the day so I can make it through the work day because what happens in the bathroom post MGB (at least for me) is best kept in the privacy of your own home!! Other than that, I love it, but of coarse that is also what keeps the weight off so it's a love/hate relationship I guess!

It literally kicked my butt! I have had two prior surgeries and was thinking it would be similar but it wasn't. I had surgery on Thursday night, flew home on Saturday and went back to work Tuesday though I had zero energy, I started leaving work early after things were finished just to go home and nap on the couch. Now, I should also point out that I developed pneumonia in both lungs so I'm not honestly sure if it was surgery or pneumonia that took ALL of my energy but I didn't feel normal again for about 8 weeks. My advice, prepare for the worst, hope for the best

Hey there! I recognize some of you I think from the FB group. I wish there was a little more regular action here as well though. I was a band patient, and then sleeve for a brief period of time then MGB last April in Mexico with Dr. Rodriguez. I've lost 31 lbs since then with about 10 more to go. I've been very happy. I had surgery Thursday night and flew home Saturday afternoon, I did develop post op pneumonia but other than that I've had no complications. I do spend A LOT of time in the bathroom, not sure if anyone else has that issue or not but I have to be super careful of what I eat because of it. Also, I'm wondering if anyone else ever gets the exact same "stuck" feeling they did with the band? I do at times if I eat too much or too fast and I would swear if I hadn't seen my own x-rays the band was still in there, it feels so much the same. Anyone else experience this?

I guess maybe train my body isn't the best choice of words, I just make sure I pay attention to what I eat when and I have gotten into a routine where I know approx how long I will have before I will have to go. If I have a banana for breakfast and a salad for lunch I know I can make it through the day without needing to go to the bathroom until about 5 in the evening. If I eat foods I know could be dangerous I eat them after work and I know I will be up 2-3x throughout the night. I eat familiar foods so I don't have any surprises because when I don't I end up driving 70 mph home and praying I don't have an accident ! Both in and out of the car

I think (though correct me if I'm wrong) the bypass with MGB is longer than with RNY therefore I don't feel it is necessarily a good indicator of what her experience would be. My bypass is almost 9' which is why I have this side effect. There is a MGB group on FB that is very helpful and has so much support and information. Perhaps ask to join and post this there as well.

First, not everyone is the same and I have talked with a few people who have trouble going and deal with a lot of constipation. Then there are others like me as well. In the beginning (once I was off liquids) I would literally go sometimes 10-12x per day !! I have to still be very careful what I eat because some things still set me off without much notice ! I have times it is literally emergency situation and I'm driving 70 mph in panic mode trying to make it the 7 miles home from my office and that was as recent as Wednesday. I'm 8 months post op, I have more less trained my body to go in the evening and overnight and first thing in the morning and I eat to accommodate that schedule. If I didn't have access to a bathroom for 10 hours I wouldn't eat a thing ! I would be scared to death ! Again just my experience and not all have this wonderful side effect that I have. Also TMI but it's like nothing Iv ever experienced, I used to sneak across to a bathroom in a gas station when I needed to go because I work in a small not very private office and after 2-3x they closed their bathroom to outsiders ! Yeah, because of me

Wow, I'm so sorry to hear everything you are going through ! Do they know why you are dumping all the time ? What have your X-rays shown ? I would request copies to review yourself and also I would get a second opinion if it was me. With such a hard decision I would want to explore every option and hear from more than one doc, just my thoughts though.

Clearly, Im an infrequent visitor to the site! but, thank you for the information. Id love to hear how you are getting on since the revision of the revision! I am still waiting on my surgery date, but have finally decided on the bypass option. Your comments really helped. (also my surgeon, after telling me it was my choice, told me it would have to be bypass anyway, because of the scarring from the band!) I have my final appt on the 22nd October, and have been pencilled in for a mid November surgery date. Its been over a year since they removed the band, and +20kg later, Im really looking forward to moving on. Unlike my first two surgeries, recovery from the bypass was very hard for me. I ended up with pneumonia in both lungs and the antibiotics made me super sick. I was miserable but thankfully after the first month all was well. I'm now almost 6 months out and doing great ! I've lost almost all the weight I wanted too, I was low BMI to begin with (189 day of surgery) and I'm now around 155-158 depending on the day. I would like to be about 10lbs less but I'm pretty happy where I am too. I had the Mini bypass so my bypass is actually almost 9', the only complaint or problem I have is that nothing stays with me long and I'm in the bathroom A LOT! Sometimes 10x a day I would say and it's very unpleasant lets just say without too much detail. I do stress about this at work and anytime I'm away from home unfortunately. Thankfully for the most part it has worked out that I tend to go mostly evenings and overnight and early morning but there have definitely been a few emergencies in the middle of the day as well. Other than that which is honestly more than I even expected, things are great! I eat whatever I want, yes I dump on anything too sweet or too fatty so I do avoid some things again especially if I'm away from home. Also, I think it's important to say I really have very little actual restriction, I can eat what I would consider a "normal" portion size of most things though occasionally I still get stuck just like I did with my band which is weird and doesn't happen often. Any specific questions i would be happy to try to answer.

Please don't take this as personal criticism, but I think the thought that US care fusses and falls to care for patients is perhaps what I too thought of a few years back. They do the needful, in a stellar way. Kudos to our medical, caring doctors and nurses! However they just are stretched so thin with staffing and patient load, it only feels like they wake you up ten times in the middle of the night . I had surgery in TJ Mexico a few years ago in a older hospital, and I've been with my husband as he had surgery in a top rated US hospital recently. I would rate the care and availability of the doctors and nurses near equal. I'm not sure how you took my comment, however the purpose was only to say that it was different than what I had received in the US, not better or worse. I am not bothered by the constant attention that I've been provided at various times in the US, however my experience in Mexico was that they only came when I called and maybe one or two other times during my stay and that was it. Therefore, someone who has been accustomed to nurses in and out numerous times may be surprised to find that is not the case there.

Revision surgery is not to be taken lightly. Most revise when the current procedure has been unsuccessful or for example if your sleeve has stretched back out. I am a band to sleeve to MGB revision. I went to Mexico, dr. Rodriguez in Juarez is wonderful. However I would never have done it had the sleeve worked for me at all. Their are side effects with the MGB that I wish weren't there for sure but overall I'm happy with my choice and only 10 lbs from goal.

I too am a third timer ! I was a low BMI as well and went with the MGB with Dr. Rod in April . 5 months out and only 10 lbs from goal. Happy and healthy so far! Dr. Rod and Star Medica are great!!

Dr. Rodriguez Dr. Ramos Kelly Dr. Whilmey Dr. Corvella (sp?) Dr. Illan

Star Medica is great! They don't fuss and fall all over you like they do in the US but they were always there if I needed anything. It was EXTREMELY clean and modern for the most part. I went with Dr. Rodriguez who was wonderful! I paid more but it was worth it for the care I received. I did a TON of research before deciding to the point of being obsessive. None of the surgeons with bariatric pal even made my top five list. If you have questions, I'm happy to share all of my experiences while I was there.

I personally had a mini bypass which with the original procedure the stomach is reduced to the sleeve so with mine they just brought my intestines up to meet the top part of my sleeve as it was still in good shape unlike the bottom which had stretched out.

I couldn't agree more! Thank you for politely saying this! I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to tell certain sleevers to get back to their own forum, they have no idea what they are talking about when it comes to the MGB!

You too! Good luck to you!

I didn't at all the first month but yeah, I get hungry. Not as much as before though..with the band i was NEVER hungry, with the sleeve I was always starving, this is somewhere in between.