Poodles

I am so happy that people do well with the band. I unfortunately, was one that had every complication known to man with the thing. After 3 years of fighting to make it work, and an erosion/slip that made it necessary to remove the band I revised to the Duodenal Switch. There is alot of misinformation about the DS going around, mostly from doctors that don't perform the surgery, or from people that just don't know what they are talking about, but once you find out the facts it is the most logical choice. If you are trying to decide what surgery to try if/when the band fails you please research ALL the things that are out there. The DS has better long term results than any other surgery out there. Cures type II diabetes, reduces cardiac risk factors by 85%, and has little chance of regain 3 years out. I love the way I can eat and the amount I can eat. I would not be happy with the Rny restrictions (some people like those) or dumping syndrome and since I do well on low carb, high Protein, high fat I am in heaven. I can eat steak and eggs with no pain from the band, (I can only eat 4 oz steak and one egg, but that is ok) swallow pills whole, and drink liquids first thing in the morning. All these things are heaven to me after 3 years of living with the band telling me when I could eat/drink. I eat small meals every 3 hours or so, and have still lost 68 lbs since November. This really is awesome! If I get hungry a few bites fill me up with no pain. I wish I would have known about this surgery before I had the band, and I am so thankful that I found out about it before I was stuck with the RnY. Please check out www.dsfacts.com and www.obesityhelp.com to find out about your surgery options. Find out the facts about each surgery before you get cut on. Find out about the lifestyle you will have to conform to after the surgery and choose the surgery that fits you best. Research twice, cut once.

Received an email that there was a reply to this topic. I still stand behind everything I said. Just a little update: I have lost 138lbs since 11/09 and feel great! I am off all blood pressure and sugar medications and only take my Vitamins daily for health! I love the way I can eat, eat what I want, and still lose weight. Even the occasional ice cream binge does not set me back too much! But notice, I keep that occasional. Wish I had the DS first!

Yes, Ma'am! I am in DS heaven! I don't get ravinously hungry, I can eat without pain... any time of day. I can cheat if I want to (sugar) with no real issues. (Sugar does cause gas.) And, I eat every 3 hours or so when I can. May only be a boiled egg, but I can swallow it quick if I need to! I am very thankful for my band in a lot of ways. It taught me to slow down, chew chew chew, and be conscience of what I eat. But, I wish I would have had the DS in the first place. My DS surgery was in November 09. I have lost 82 lbs in 6 months. My labwork is good (need to increase vit D and protein), totally off diabetes meds, and I am off all but one of my blood pressure meds. Down from a Catherines size 12 to size 5. Feeling sassy! I have posted in the "other surgeries" threads here, but mostly stay on OH since I am part of the Dark Side now. :thumbup: I still come over and read some. Miss the people here... especially Jack. I love Jack! Hope everyone is doing well!

Just wanted to pop in and give an update on my progress so far. I am down 68lbs since November. No issues with food or bathroom problems. I stay low carb, eat high fat high Protein, and love every butter covered bacon filled bite! I would scream on top of every mountain that people need to get the DS. :thumbup:

There have been several of us "newbies" trying to deal with what we assume is an overfill. We take a bite and it hurts, we PB and then we don't know what to do. But I wonder if we are doing something wrong. Some of us have admitted to eating solids before we were allowed to after our fill (some of us have not), some have blamed the band, and I (as usual) over-react and worry. I assume that if I chew well enough to make it mushie that I can take as big of a bite as I want to. My big scoop of pudding goes down. But when a solid/mushie goes down it can hurt. Tonight I remembered reading that you need to take small bites. So I sat down with some hamburger meat and took very small bites... and it went down without pain. So my 1/2 cup of meat stayed down. After a good fill. When you can tolerate mushies/liquids, and you go on to hard food, what is the ideal way to switch? What is the ideal size of a bandster bite?:hungry: And how do you know if you are truly overfilled or just doing the "band thing" incorrectly? Thanks in advance for the help.

First and foremost: Do not ask an RNY surgeon if you should get the DS. I learned that the hard way. They will tell you all kinds of lies as to why you should NOT do the DS and should do the surgery THEY can do. I suggest going to a doctor that does all four surgeries, like Dr. Stewart in Denton TX. (www.weightlosssurgeon.com) He will not tell you which surgery to get, but he will educate you on the pro's/con's of each surgery and then he will do what YOU want. I was almost butchered to the RNY thinking that was my only option, but luckily I got a second opinion and the DS I wanted. As for the original posters questions: 1. When you are eating only liquids, you do have loose bowels. liquid in Liquid out type thing. As your diet progresses it firms up. If you have been able to "hold it" so far, you won't have any issues. 2. Calories depend on you. You have to choose high Protein, high fat foods. DSers only absorb 20% of fat, so if you like bacon and butter, you are on the right road. On the ObesityHelp board there are people that eat 3000 calories a day and still lose weight. 3. As for an eating disorder. I truly believe we all have one in one form or another. If you are a compulsive over eater, it will help because you don't have much room. Because it cuts out the hunger hormone, you will not be hungry. Please go to www.dsfacts.com and read the LONG TERM studies that show the superiority of the ds to any other surgeries. If I had known years ago, I would not have gone thru lap band hell to get to ds heaven. Good luck

Wow, first of all this thread popped up from 2006, and I think that it is so appropriate since I was banded in 2006 and have revised to a Duodenal Switch 3 weeks ago. I have had nothing but trouble in 3 years with the band. It is now commonly referred to as the laughband... my assumption is because it is a joke. It did more damage to my stomach than it helped me. Long term you can expect to be revised to something else. My recommendation to anyone reading this pre op is to get the sleeve if you want a restrictive procedure. There is no foreign object and the stomach inlet/outlet stay the same. It the sleeve does not work for you long term, get the intestinal part of the DS done and you will have a full Switch. (Sleeve is the first part of the DS anyway.) Never Ever Ever get the RNY. If you go band to rny then you will have a more dangerous road if you want to get the DS. Very very dangerous to convert from rny. If you are thinking malabsorptive procedures: Go to www.dsfacts.com to read long term studies on rny vs ds.

Wondering if anyone else has gone from the Lapband life to a Duodenal Switch? I am scheduled for 11/9 and really looking forward to it. Scared and excited at the same time! If anyone has traveled this road before would love some advice/encouragement!

They are just people. Don't be afraid of them. If you have all your documention and have met their criteria it does not matter what is going on personally in your life. Just state the facts. Now, because I don't know the specifics, if you are trying to get them to do a revision without meeting the policy procedures, I recommend you have some research stating how this would be a good thing to your health. If they paid for the band, they should pay to convert. In my case, I had to show effort (lap band fill history), complications (egd report) and then I had to fight for a DS over an RNY. But there are 10-15 year studies out there about how the DS is better than the RNY... so I just printed them out and sent it in. First and formost remember they are people. No better than you. Don't let them intimidate you. It is your health and they are your health insurance carrier... so they are going to pay for it one way or another. I was sure to point out how much they were spending on doctors visits, meds, surgeries, er visits etc... cost to benefit ratio there. They put in X amount of dollars now to avoid XX amount of dollars later. Good luck!

My DS surgery is scheduled for 11/9! Will let you know how it goes. Hope everyone is doing well!

Hello all. Just wanted to give an update on my progress. I did not have the RNY done. Still scared to death of it. But, I am in the process of getting the Duodenal Switch approved. Had an EGD last week which showed a slip and a hernia. Still don't have a fill and have maintained my pre surgery weight. Three years and still hover around the same 10 lb mark. If the DS is not approved, I will be forced to either take out the band and have nothing, or revise to RNY. Please keep your fingers crossed for me to be approved for the DS. If you are having issues and are looking into a revision, please read the studies on DS vs. RNY. The website dsfacts.com has some wonderful information. I like the DS because you don't have regain 2 years out. You still have to take your Vitamins like the RNY'ers, but with greater freedom of food choices and a better long term success rate. Will let you know how I do WHEN I get it. Hope, Hope!

Yes, I can call the doctor on Monday. It is really weird. I feel swollen inside and out, and it hurt to even try to swallow milk. Have not taken my meds this morning because I am afraid...

Can being hit in the stomach cause damage to the band? Or, swelling? My three year old head butted me HARD in the middle of my chest/tummy this evening and now drinking liquids feels restricted. He hit going upward from a running jump- just under my ribs- while I was in a recliner. I am very sore on the outside, but wonder if I could be swollen or injured on the inside.

Ok, well I went to a seminar on Saturday with Dr. Benevides and really liked him. Today I called my OB/GYN to see what he thought and he recommended Dr. Hamn in Frisco. Says that several of his patients have had tremendous weight loss with Dr. Hamn, and that his facility is at the hospital in case something happens, which would be safer. He did not have an opinion on Benevides. I have read good things and bad regarding Hamn, like how he won't let you go to another "fill Dr", appointment issues, bedside manner issues, etc. And have not read any negative things about Benevides. Would like to know opinions from actual patients about before care, after care, surgery issues/facilities, etc. My OB/GYN said to find out about rate of success and complications before I get cut on by anyone, so figured I would start here! Figure I need to make the right choice, because from what I have read you are stuck with your surgery doctor for aftercare. Thanks in advance for your help

Have been approved for a revision of my band to gastric bypass, but have been trying to avoid that like the plague... because I don't want it. Well, at my last Dr's appointment on Tuesday, they mentioned the AP Band or Advance Platform Band. The lady said that people that have had problems with the original band have had great success with the AP Band. (My problems include: 1 slip, acid reflux, pain with swallowing, etc) Would really like to try that before I opt into rerouting my guts. Anyone out there had this switch? Any improvements? Same results/Better results? Would love to know if it will be worth the money, worth trying, or if I need to give up the band and go ahead with RNY.

I have tried to get the sleeve approved. Went all the way to the "top" so to speak, but after the 5th denial letter we put in for the RNY. TWO DAYS later it was approved. Then, I found about this new AP band. Called the Insurance company and it will be approved. "Device failure" does fall under my coverage. As for the sleeve, I have checked into self pay and the MX doctor that my friends have used now does a two step procedure. He will take out the band $5000.00, four months later, he will do the sleeve $11,000.00... plus travel for both procedures. Self pay in TX is around the same... Even if BC/BS will pay for the lapband removal part of it... they want the other in cash up front. So my choices are RNY, Band Removal Only, or convert to new AP band. The doctors office says that many people that were having problems with the old band are doing better with this new one. But I would like confirmation from someone that has had this done. **Good grief** I just wish this thing would have worked.

Take it from an old timer... you want to go slow on your fill. I had an "aggressive" fill before of 1 cc and it about killed me. Had to have an unfill and start over. Now I go .2 at a time. And you should not compare your fill amout to others. Someone with a 4cc band may have restriction at 1.5 cc and another at 3.5. Just depends on the person. Good luck!

Just thought I would pop in and see how everyone is doing. I am still the same weight I was when I was pre-op. No fill. Have been approved for the RNY, but scared to death of actually doing it. Have it scheduled for the first of June, if I don't chicken out. Hubby says to give the band ONE MORE TRY before my surgery, so I am going in for another fill. (like it will work) Will let you know how it goes.

Cool. Looks like you have alphabet soup in there too...

Sorry I can not tell you what you will owe after your insurance pays. That really depends on your plan. But they are really good, and they keep their word to accept what insurance pays for out of network. I have not had any issues with them as far as billing. (But, I have had issues with the band.) Do your research before you jump in. I recommend reading the revision page of obesity help.com and the section here on life after lapband. Be prepared, because even if you don't think it can happen to you... you will more than likely have some issue with the band. From pbing to erosion, there are alot of things that you need to be prepared for. Good luck.

Does anyone know of a surgeon that will revise a lap band to a DS or sleeve?

Well holy heck. What else can go wrong with this thing? I swear I am cursed. Went to the fill center this morning, and I have NO fill. Totally empty. They put in .5 last time to make it 1.8, now I have none. That is why I don't have any pain. They gave me 1.2 and I felt it tighten up, then later on, can feel it loosening. So... They think I have a leak. I swear to all that is holy I am going to jump off the next bridge I see... (not really, but I am frustrated).

Miss Amy, I think you are my twin. I had surgery 6/06 and have lost and gained the same 25 lbs time and time again. I have reflux issues (that I didn't even realize I had until the EGD showed the damage), a slip, and fills/unfills quite often. I also have PCOS, and am not eating right. (I go for another fill on Friday and I tend to have the "last meal syndrome" a few days before a fill.) From all of my research on the band, you basically follow a high Protein diet. Protein first, vegetables second, carbs last. Hopefully, you don't make it to the carbs. Then take a Multivitamin daily. So don't feel alone. Don't be sad. Just get back on the horse... so to speak. If you want to we can buddy up and PM each other for support. We can be the Turtle Twins...

Ok, I don't know what psycho dr put you on this diet, but I can tell you exactly why you "fell off the wagon" today. Sugar. It takes three days to use all of the sugar stored in your body. Then your body converts to using protein. Now I am not sure how many carbs you are getting with the milk but I am sure it is less than what you were eating before. When I was on the Atkins Diet (for two years) I found L-Carnitine was my life saver. It was part of the Dieters Advantage Vitamin put out when Atkins was popular. Dr. Atkins himself used this every day to help his sugar issues. I take two 500 mg tablets a day. It is available in liquid form as well for use on tight days with the band. Trust me, if you make it past day three it does get easier. And that Whopper Jr will not throw you off the wagon. It will just give you a push toward the edge. It is your choice to continue over the edge or stay firm. Good luck!

Thought I would pop in and let everyone know what the Dr said about my no pain issue. They did an EGD and found some acid reflux damage. The theory is that acid would sit up top of my band and make sores/swelling. When I got my last fill the acid stopped pooling up top so I did not hurt so much in the morning and things did not hurt during the day. They also put me on Previcid and that seems to help too. I can eat anything and everything now with no pain... and have gained weight to prove that. I have found I love salads, mexican food, and pizza way too much... especially after not having them for months and months... I am going for a fill on Friday and hope that this thing will start working and not cause me more pain. Pray for me...