JRT Mom

When I got my lap band 11 years ago I lived on this forum (I think it had a different name then, but I can't remember what it was). There was lots of current for then information about the band, but it was a new WLS, and we all were so excited and happy with our bands! I lost 80 pounds then and thought it was the greatest think since sliced bread. But there was NO long term results or issues arising yet, so none of us knew what awaited us down the road. If I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have wasted 10 years dicking around with the band and would have gone straight for the bypass.

Well, they say that eyes are the windows to your soul, and I can see your soul is beautiful and caring.

LadyVS, You are beautiful at ANY weight! But I really can see the difference--good work!

As much as I love Brad Pitt, I certainly don't want to look like him...

I added 10 years to my life by reducing my BMI from 37 to 31. If I get it low enough, I'll start aging in reverse!

I said the same thing to my surgeon, "this ain't my first rodeo". I learned all the good habits for WLS with my lap band like don't drink while you eat or soon after, little bites and chew well, not snacking, etc and I think it made the revision to a bypass easier since I have had those habits for 10 years already. I had my surgery Nov 20 and the first 20 pounds fell off in three weeks. Now it's a much slower loss, but still happening! I'm only 12 pounds away from the lowest I ever got with my lap band so I'm confident I'll reach that and surpass it. But yes, it WAS more painful than getting the lap band but you'll get over that fairly quickly. It took me about 5 days before I felt like a human being again...

My sense of smell has always been off the chart but it's even worse now. I walked into Walmart the other day and could smell the deer piss that they sell in sporting goods to hunters and I almost hurled. And like MsMocie, I keep smelling phantom sewer smells. But there is some good to it, the things that should smell good smell even better!

I know it's not a fashion statement, but you could wear a mask since no one around you is going to be considerate enough to wear one themselves.

My nutritionist is a volume person, not a weight person. She sez to eat no more than a half a cup of food per meal and try to make most of it a protein choice. That doesn't sound like much, but so far it fills me up. It's nice not having to weigh food, just measure it. I even have a collapsible measuring cup that I carry with me for eating out. Looks weird, but it works!

Woohoo! I KNEW you were really Superman! Now put down that phone and fold that pile of laundry!😁 Seriously. you are doing great!

Uggh, those protein shakes are the worst. The Isopure protein water is much easier to get down without all that cloying thickness.

You'll have to crowd in with all the other devils setting there....but there's plenty of room on the angel shoulder!

YAY!!!! Thanks! I LOVE seeing people's tickers and how well they are doing! Your little man is going to run right into the sun like Icarus in no time!!

I've heard people talk about their nose running when they are full. Unfortunately so far I have no "tell". But I measure my food and haven't tried to eat more than one half cup in one sitting, and I'm afraid to experiment!

Whoa SSS, you're doing great! Now you just need a weight ticker across the bottom to really see your hard work paying off!

Welcome! I believe in "doing your homework" before getting any WLS-the more you know the better prepared you will be, and the less scary everything will seem. I practically lived on this site for the two months before my procedure!

I am also a vegetarian, and once you get off the liquid diet it's not hard. I eat a lot of refried beans and lentils, tofu, ricotta and cottage cheese. Eggs, if you eat them, are a great protein source and I love them (never could eat them when I had my lap band!) I take the Amy's vegetarian frozen dinners, and after thawed I get four meals out of them. Once you can eat some rice, you can make a meal out of two or three pieces of vegetable roll "sushi". It may be a little harder to get enough protein in, but I use the Isopure zero carb protein water to help with that. While you are on your mushies stage google "Eggface's Ricotta Bake" It's delish! I still eat it even though I have no restrictions now.

Thanks for the encouragement! You'll catch up to me because I'm only losing about 2 pounds a week now. I wonder if the difference is that I had a bypass and you had a sleeve?

Yeah, the stalls are the WORST!! Try not to weigh too often as it can lead to frustration.

Mine took about two and a half hours, but I had a band removed, a hernia repaired and a RNY all at the same time. Your mileage may vary!

Rosy, it's not unusual to go through a whole range of emotions after WLS. Many of us use food as a coping mechanism and now that has been removed from us. You will work through other ways to handle life's issue than food! Also it takes a body a while to recover. Hang in there, and it WILL get better. As far as the water, I had trouble too, but that will pass. You have to be patient with yourself as you get used to your new digestive system. Don't push the issue with the water, sip while you can but don't be frustrated if you can't toss back cups at a time. It will get easier with time. Visit here often, and let us know how you are doing, OK? We are with you!

I am 65. I got a lap band at 55 but it recently slipped and caused me to develop a hiatal hernia. So I got it removed, the hernia fixed and a revision to a gastric bypass all in one surgery. Recovery was a bit harder than the lap band but I don't think it was that I'm 10 years older as much was how much more involved a bypass is than a lap band. You are never too told to try to improve your health, and the benefits far outweigh the risks, so go for it! And we are all here to help you get through it.

No, they don't remove anything. They DO rearrange some stuff, but it's all still there. Statistics show the bypass, as long as it's done laparoscopically, is no more risky than the sleeve. Recovery times are similar, although some people stay two nights in the hospital, like I did (I live 4 hours from my surgeon so asked for the extra night in case there was a problem). The fullness affect are as different as night and day! With the lap band I was either not full or almost sick on my stomach. With the bypass I eat one half cup of food, and am pleasantly full without that sick feeling like I always had with my lap band. The feeling lasts for HOURS before I am hungry again, and it's never the raging hunger that I had with my band. What ever you decide good luck, and remember we are here for you!

I thought this myself 11 years ago when I got a lap band. But the last two years of living with it has been hell, so I said enough, consulted a surgeon who found out it had slipped and caused a hiatal hernia. I elected for the bypass because before I was banded I had severe reflux, and didn't want to go down that road again. As far as your fear about it being a more "severe" surgery than the sleeve--the bypass is less severe than the sleeve! In the sleeve 70% of your stomach is removed and it's non-reversible, but in the bypass everything is still there (just rerouted) so it is in theory reversible. I wish I had chosen the bypass all those years ago so I wouldn't have had to gone through all this again!

Oh, here we go again. It never fails to amaze me that we all had bariatric surgery from different doctors, and their post op rules are vastly different from practice to practice. I've said all along that they should have a conference, and print a book with the rules that MOST of us should follow! My doc allows caffeine as long as it's not excessive. I went decaf on my own for the first three weeks, but was sooooo happy to switch to regular. Decaf tastes like a$$ to me.