SusyW

I am about 10 weeks post-op. I am really having problems with lightheadedness. This occurs more in the afternoon and evening than in the morning. If I am lying down or even sitting then stand up I start to feel dizzy and have to stop and brace myself on something, sometimes putting my head down, in order to not feel like I'm going to pass out. It passes quickly but worries me a lot because I don't want to take a fall and hurt myself. I do not know if this is due to dehydration, lack of Protein, blood pressure, blood sugar drop, or what. Has anybody else experienced this? Any ideas what might be causing it?

After reading others' answers and thinking about the fact that I was suffering from the lightheadedness in the afternoons and evenings and I took my BP med in the morning, I decided to try going off of it altogether. I immediately stopped the lightheadedness. I saw the doctor and we are monitoring my BP to see if I need a lower dosage or perhaps none at all. Thanks for the replies.

I am scheduled for a revision to bypass Dec. 16. I had a lap band for about 4 1/2 years and lost all the weight I wanted to--maybe even more than I wanted. But those 4 1/2 years were not much fun as I was vomiting a lot and was quite malnourished at times, I believe. In fact I ended up having emergency lung surgery for a massive lung infection, probably due to aspirating something when I vomited and my body having no strength to fight it. The lap band was removed 13 months ago due to an out-pouching in the esophagus and I have regained all of the weight I lost after surgery and a little more. My only alternative now is bypass. I can't say I'm 100% committed to having this surgery and feel I need a lot more information before making that decision. I actually live in Mexico but will have the surgery in Portland, OR, for insurance purposes. That is also where I had my lap band inserted and removed. But because of the distance I cannot be there for support group or appointments with the surgeon and others to ask more questions. So I hope I can get lots of answers and support on this group. I've already bought my plane ticket to fly to Portland about a week before surgery but I would gladly lose that money or just go visit friends and family rather than make a mistake in going ahead with this surgery. So, here goes my first question: I have heard from the dietician about the liquid diet and then the "mushy" diet following the surgery, but what I don't have a grip on is what will I be able to eat long term. I'd like to hear what you eat, especially things you enjoy. I also want to know what you can't eat, especially things you have tried that resulted in problems for you. I appreciate any input you can give me on these questions. I know I'll have many more in the next several months.

Have you considered having plastic surgery in Mexico to get rid of the excess skin? I live in Mexico and had lap band surgery 5 1/2 years ago. I had an arm lift and a tummy tuckin Guadalajara at very reasonable prices. Unfortunately I had to have the band removed because of esophagus problems a little over a year ago and now am looking at bypass in December, which is why I'm on this forum.

I had a Lap-band put in March 2009. I was 227 day of surgery. That was down from high of 299 due to divorce, change of life style, and required weight loss by insurance company before band surgery approved. By August 2010 I was down to 136. In between I had lots and lots of vomiting. I say without vomiting I would not have lost weight. I also ended up with a massive lung infection and emergency surgery on left lung, which was 95% full of pus, infection probably caused by aspirating vomit and my essentially being malnourished due to not really eating much. I had so many adjustments and never felt like I reached the "sweet spot." Then I started gaining weight. I currently weigh more than the day of the band surgery, though still a little less than before I started dieting to meet insurance company requirement. In January 2013 it was discovered that I had an outpouching in the esophagus. In August 2013 the band was removed. Fluoroscope in February of this year showed outpouching is still there. I have gone from a size 6-8 at my lowest (don't really want to be quite that thin again!) to 20 and hate the way I look and feel but I can't seem to stop eating. My surgeon recommends gastric bypass. I'm trying to make decision but don't know what to even consider. I need input from people who have gone through this. Please tell me how you made the decision and how life with a bypass compares to life with a band, including what you can and cannot eat compared to band. I truly appreciate any experiences and/or advice you can give me to help me arrive at a decision.

Has anybody had their revision done under Medicare? I'm curious as to how Medicare pays and how much Medicare supplement pay.

As far as I know I don't have Barrett's esophagus, at least the doctor has never indicated any need for biopsies. I also would prefer the sleeve but was told that is not really an alternative given the situation of the esophagus. I still seem to get food stuck in the pouch in the esophagus occasionally and have to vomit to get rid of it. At least I assume that is what I assume is happening. Good luck with your surgery. What differences between eating with the band and eating with bypass do you expect to deal with? What complications do you expect, i.e. dumping rather than vomiting?