beeblers

Just now 3 months out from my bypass, I had to wait a year after getting my band out to get the bypass.. I learned a lot in that year (wait time was a combination of healing and insurance requirements). The big difference is you won't feel "stuck"... just full with a small amount. I did have a drain and after they removed it they didn't tell me it "MAY" leak for several days, some do, some don't. Have some pads available just in case. The other thing they warn you about is sugar. Now I have not tested the sugar/dumping syndrome thing because I don't want to dump. However, watch those sugar alcohols you know in the different shakes and protein bars out there I have found I am very sensitive to even Spleda and all the like. Other than that I wish I would have done this first... I don't know why I was so scared!

I am almost two months out from band (07) to bypass... I fought for years the idea of "re routing" the intestines, which is why I ended up with the band which was nothing but problems from day one. After worsening diabetes, HBP, sleep apnea and gaining all my weight back (while band was unfilled due to it's issues) I finally decided to go for it. I was not a good candidate for sleeve due to past GERD issues, plus as a type II diabetic it is better for bypass... I got over my "re routing" concerns talking to lots of people who were successful (previously I had only heard the bad stuff) and am happy to tell you that I am pleased at this time. I don't feel the same issues I did with the band (the sliming, stuck feeling, etc. and the left shoulder pain I had for 9 years). I am able to eat my portion of food, not feel hungry and am doing well with the weight loss. Best of all, I now take zero insulin, have cut my BP meds by 80%! I was very anti bypass back in 07, but my mind has changed now, I don't think I would have been happy with the sleeve, but each person has different issues that have to be weighed in their decision as to which to do. Good Luck.

Had mine done Aug 1. Good Luck!

Banded Oct 2007, like you, struggled with vomiting, etc. to where I was having to eat around the band. Lost about 40lbs total... Moved to another state in 2010, but the doctor that did my band moved before that, so no follow up, etc. Jan 2012 had to have emergently unfilled in the ER due to having a stomach bug to where my stomach swelled up around the band and I couldn't even swallow my own saliva. Left it unfilled for 4 years... Gained weight of course. May 2016 I finally had enough of my co morbidities, so I sought out the help of my local bariatric specialists.. I had my band taken out July 2016. I should mention I had Left shoulder pain for 9 years! Every doctor said it was from an injury (I had separated that shoulder in 1993), even though I tried to tell them I had only had it since I had the band was placed, literally that day. I brought them research articles showing that it could be referred pain from my band riding up under the nerve. Miracle of miracles... the day I had my band out I have had NO shoulder pain ever since that day!! Bonus, 1 month post op, I had lost 7 lbs ! I am now scheduled to have a RNY on August 1 after a year of jumping through hoops for insurance. I also was not recommended to have the sleeve due to scar tissue and previous GERD. Will let you know how it goes!

I feel your pain Rachael412... I too had my lapband in 2007 and lost maybe 40#... then the struggle began... i managed to keep it under control till 2012 when I got a stomach bug and was throwing up so much that my stomach swelled and caused such restriction that I had to go to ER to get emergently unfilled as I couldn't even swallow my own saliva.. 4 years later still had no Fluid in band due to insurance no longer covering fills... I had left shoulder pain (referred pain from my band) for 9 years! I finally had that bastard removed in July. My surgeon also told me I had to wait 6 month to get converted to RNY (for "healing")... I am hoping to get it done before the end of the year.. Good luck to you. Yes, I also worry about "failure"... my sis had RNY from the get go and she's been up and down... now on the down again.. here's to US doing the downhill again!! PS... I have not had left shoulder pain since the day they took that damn band out, confirming it WAS the band causing it..

I agree with above re: stress and seeking therapy, support for your stress eating. I too struggled with it. I would be exploring that left shoulder pain..it could be your band. I was banded in 2007 and had left shoulder pain for the next 9 years....there are studies now that show this can happen due to the placement in the body of the band. It can "ride up" and irritate the phrenic nerve under the diaphragm. It happened to me when I ate too much...or interestingly, if I didn't eat for a long time...I had my bad removed 3 months ago (for other reasons) and the shoulder pain has disappeared. So your band may be telling you you are eating too much at a sitting.... again seek that therapy/support for stress! Sent from my SM-G925V using the BariatricPal App

I am having my lap band removed on July 11, 2016. I've had it since October 2007, I lost 40 lbs but had some issues and it was completely unfilled 4 years ago. My surgeon is also doing my conversion to RNY separately at a yet to be determined date. In order to let my stomach heal as the area they make the pouch is in the same area the lap band sits. I know 2 other co workers had this done. Good luck! Sent from my SM-G925V using the BariatricPal App

Last month...yes I could have eaten that California roll...now that I have restriction....NO WAY No lettuce, cabbage, rice, bread....all get "stuck" And I can't even eat the "fake" crab they put in there...tried that and it gets "stuck" 1/2 the time. B:confused_smile:

Don't you hate the comparisons to RNY patients? My support group is composed of both RNY and LapBand pts. (my MD's have only recently begun to do LapBand, in fact I was the first) But remember...it is the TURTLE that wins the RACE....but its NOT A RACE to see who can lose weight the fastest...it is about HEALTHY!!! I just now have restriction after my 6TH fill!! And boy what a difference although I have seen the scale sit still and in fact gained a lb since my fill....I think it is because I am not eating enough...the body is sooo funny, I can only get in about 600 cals a day...takes ALL day to drink my H2O, but I KNOW it will go down again, after my metabolism adjusts again, I also think it is water wt. gain. Keep up the good work...I too have been a slow loser so far, less than 40 lbs in 6 month, mostly diet and exercise, like I said my band is just coming into play...hey there is a special place for us on this forum, go check it out.

no one can say for sure....there is ALOT of manipulation around the nerve bundle and diaphragm when they place the lapband. Just know most of the time it goes away....I only get it now if I eat too much or get too hungry. (It kind of reminds me, like my own little coach!)

First off let me tell you...you are not crazy....and second...it may not be "gas" at 10 days post op. However Left shoulder pain can be a problem in lapband (or any laproscopic surgery) due to the irritation of a nerve by your diaphragm that lies close to the surgical placement of your band. I had it for 5 weeks post op. I researched it, found a medical research article describing it to a tee. Up to 60% of LapBand patients have it at 1-2 weeks...by 6 weeks only 10% do. My surgeon had never heard of it, but thanked me when I gave him a copy of the study and read it right there in front of me...He said it made sense and that the reason it goes away in the majority after about 5 weeks is that is how long it takes the body to wall off the "foreigner" with scar. Search "left shoulder pain" in this forum and you will see you are not alone but for the most part it should pass. Thankfully mine did, now I only get it when I eat too much or don't eat for a long time and get too hungry. Some things that helped me (may or may not work for you) LAY DOWN on your left side (yes, it helped) some say heating pad (didn't work for me) pain meds didn't work for me, but laying down did. I could lay on either right or left and it would work so if your port is on the left and it hurts that too much, try the right. Hope you get better SOON! Brenda

OH YEAH! I STILL feel that way! I miss...I mean MISS my bread and all those other sticky, chewy, sweet things I shouldn't eat anymore. The need to fill that void is real, we need to fill it with something else....but be careful, I know people who got addicted to shopping or drugs..We are addicts..food is just our drug of choice. Is it hard..yes, but like any other addiction, it gets easier with time. (and replacement with a better habit, loving yourself). Brenda

As an RN in Calif..a nurse could do fills IF they worked with the Bariatric Center and IF they went thru a training program and demonstrated competency and IF there was what is called a "standardized procedure" in place at the Bariatric Center. (the reason is because this would be considered an "advanced practice" type of procedure) In my line of work RN's perform "advanced practice" procedures all the time, BUT under very strict guidelines (the standardized procedures). I work in neonatal intensive care and we place Umbilical Artery Catheters, Umbilical Venous Catheters, Intubate and other things that I would consider more complicated than a fill, we do have to demonstrate our competency on a yearly basis and maintain it and the hospital keeps these records. So it is feasable that an RN could be taught the procedure but there are hoops to jump thru. An advanced practice nurse....(a Nurse Practitioner) would not have as many hoops, as this would be under thier scope of practice, but they would still have to have competencies documented. And as the NP above noted, they would have lower reimbursement. As far as the medical assistant doing this...RUN AWAY AS FAST AS YOU CAN! :thumbup: I WOULD NEVER LET AN MA DO THIS, in CA they cannot do this, period, trained or not, as it is an "invasive" procedure. RUN, FOREST, RUN! B

Study from Austrailia....Left Shoulder pain for Lap Band patients...as many as 60% have this for 2 weeks post op...some up to 5 weeks. Replacing the band disrupts the same area as the original band...yours was more involved because of the scar tissue..more dissection had to take place. The reason for the pain is that a bundle of nerves lies close to the area they are "messing" with, the nerve that runs to your diaphram..Anything that irritates this nerve...CO2 from surgery, manipulation of the area will cause Left Shoulder pain. This is called "referred" pain as the pain is sensed in a different part of the body from the original painful stimulus. Interestingly, when they manipulate the other side for gallbladder surgery, they get "Right Shoulder Pain". FYI I had horrible Left Shoulder pain for 4 weeks after I was banded Oct 07, and still get a mild case of it if I eat too much or go too long without eating. The band rises and falls with the stomach (it is stitched to it) so can rub that nerve again. It is my "reminder" now. Search the posts for "left shoulder pain" and you will find much more on this. I can email you the research study on if, you wish but it is written in medical language. I actually gave it to my Lap Band surgeon, because they were new at doing LapBand and didn't know about it... Heres hoping you will do much better in days to weeks.:thumbup: Oh one other thing...does laying on you side help it...it did for me. Just a thought. Brenda J RNC

reply to the original poster...don't worry too much about protien only a few days out...you are healing. Clear liquids, broth etc. follow your doctors diet. You will be on protien shakes before too long. And I remember how HUNGRY I was for WEEKS (I was on liquids for 3 weeks!) Hang in there!

I haven't been banded for very long..since Oct. but I just now got some restriction after fill #3. I too could eat waayy more than I thought I should...my doc said don't worry about it....until you get restriction you really don't have a "pouch" so to speak. 2 cups sounds like not alot..I was able to eat that much..Now after three fills it's down to like 3/4 of a cup and I am good. Do you also get hungry fast after eating...I did, but now that is better too! hang in there!

Or maybe you just had BAD Chinese food...something to think about, too.

Did you eat any rice? it tends to swell and maybe was just sitting in your pouch...I had a similar experience with bread after my second fill before realizing that maybe I had restriction and couldn't eat the same stuff as before. (thank God, cause that's what got me here) Everyone is different, some people have no problems with bread, rice, pasta, salad, some do, it's and individual thing....everything about this band seem to be that way...even different everyday..somedays I can some things, then the next day NOT...tis a learning curve for sure.

Yes, but it is disgusting plain...doctor up the meats with some seasoning! You know, garlic powder, onion powder, salt pepper, etc. it is too bland!

I too am a type II diabetic, I was taking 1000 mg of Glucophage XR (extended release) daily, my sugars were higher than my MD liked, HbA1c was going up (6.4). I couldn't take my glucophage XR after surgery (I was afraid it would get stuck, they are HORSE pills!) so I didn't. (I tried once and it got stuck, felt like in my throat for 2 days) I never got around to going back to my PCP for a change to regular glucophage that I could crush (you can't crush the XR). I am happy to say, my fasting and post prandial sugars are good! Even without the meds, can't wait to see what my HbA1c is! Make the right choices...Bandster rules..protien first, vegie next, carb last and you will be OK. If you think about what a type II diabetic needs...it is exactly that, very little carbs. The only time my sugar has gone up after banding is when I didn't follow the rules. Losing weight and exercising only helps our situation. Don't fear the diet...it'll be a good thing! The hardest part is waiting for restriction so you don't eat too much portion size....that was my problem in the beginning...I finally have a touch of restriction after my third fill...what a difference...I can only eat about 3/4 cup of food (real food, not mushie or liquid) Look forward to seeing you in bandlandia!:smile:

I agree, Lands End!!! I have gotten bathing suits from them and other places and by far Lands End were the best! Especially for us "not quite size 5 gals!" LOL

meebee123, If you have pancreatitis then you have an inflammation of your pancreas which sits just below your stomach (hence the stomach pains). Anything that irritates the diaphram (the big muscle used for breathing) can cause shoulder pain, also known as "referred" pain. An inflammation can, which is why gallbladder patients have referred pain. Just having the band can too, because it can rub up against the nerves (see previous posters regarding pouch fullness, etc.) Hopefully you are getting treated and get it under control. Stomach pain should be looked at and I am glad you are getting it looked at. Good luck to you!:sick Get well!

I was banded Oct 26 and was sleeping on my side in the hospital. It just depends on your comfort. Good luck!

I was banded 10/26 had 1 week of clear liquids (if I NEVER see chicken broth or SF jello again, won't be too soon) and now I am on Full Liquids but only the ones the doc says...thin cream soups, protein shakes, carnation instant breakfast ONLY for the next week...then I can have a combo full liquid/pureed limited menu (cottage cheese, yogurt, malt-o-meal, oatmeal, mashed potatoes) for the next 2 weeks so its going to be a month before I can even get to MUSHIES!!!! I am sooo bored with the food choices right now!!! I am thankful I am not too hungry or I might be tempted to "push" it. I can't believe they are being soooo conservative!!!