Juniper123

I’m trying to wrap my head around eating with a bypass versus a lapband. (I currently have a deflated lapband, I’m hoping for revision to a bypass when the lapband comes out.) After eating a small amount with the lapband, I felt literal restriction. And if I overate, I vomited, almost immediately. I understand that with a bypass, since your stomach pouch is so small, you feel full quickly. But from what I’m reading, you don’t usually vomit if you eat too much. Rather some people “dump,” which from what I’m reading happens internally and out the other end. What I’m having a hard time understanding is how you feel full and are forced to stop eating if there is no restriction and you can get down whatever you want, with the consequences only coming later, no vomiting. Do you feel so full from the smaller stomach area that you just can’t fathom eating more than you should? Is the dumping consequence so severe and regular that you instinctively don’t eat enough to cause it ever again once you experience it once? I was successful losing and keeping off 60 lbs with the band. Mostly because I either ate small enough portions to avoid vomiting or because I vomited if I ate too much. I’m trying to wrap my head around what eating (and overeating) will feel like with the bypass and without the restriction of the band. Any experiences you are willing to share?

I wrote a few days ago with sharp and significant pain in my largest incision. And I’m checking back in here to happily say that my pain went down dramatically last night into this morning. I’m still sore, but when I went to sit up late last night, I was surprised and very happy that it was MUCH less painful than it had been before, and that has continued throughout the day today. I’m just taking Tylenol now, and drove to the store today and finally got out of the house on my own, and it was great. I finally feel like I’ve turned the corner. The week-mark really was the turning point for me.

Ugggg, I forgot how much the preop diet sucks. I'm being revised from a lapband to gastric bypass on July 6. My band has been unfilled since December, so I've been able to eat normally since then. My current surgeon has me doing two weeks of shake for breakfast, shake for lunch, healthy choice steamer for dinner. Last time I did all liquids, staying under 20 grams of carbs, but it was only for a week. From what I remember, the first days of the preop diet are the worst and then I kinda got numb and it wasn't so bad. But I'm in the thick of it now. And staring down two full week of this is daunting. I made it last time, I'll make it this time, but just uggg.

Okay. I have found the holy grail of protein. Gladiator Vanilla protein powder from Smoothie King. It has 45 grams of protein per serving and it is unnoticeable in smoothies to me, and I’m super picky. I use 1/2 cup fairlife milk, fresh strawberries and banana, 10ish ice cubes, blend it, add the powder, blend a little more, and it’s perfect. This is a lifesaver to me. It’s $45 per big canister at Smoothie King stores. Totally seriously, I would have no idea I was drinking a protein shake if you didn’t tell me. It’s that good.

I made it. My dietician said that if I needed to, I could eat plain vegetables. And that is what saved me during week 2 of the prep-op diet. I ate A LOT of steamed broccoli with salt and spinach with the lightest Italian dressing I could find. It saved me. I lost 10 pounds over the two weeks and I’ve lost another 10 since surgery. My surgery went great. You can do it!!!!!

I have not heard of protein pills, but that is not to say they don’t exist. two things you may want to try: fair life milk. Has 23 grams of protein per 14 oz. tastes and feels exactly like normal white milk. (And I am picky.) protein 20 water. tastes decent to me. About 15 grams of protein per bottle. good luck!

I’m on day three from having a revision surgery to take out my lapband, fix a hiatal hernia, and have a gastric bypass. I’m doing decently except for when I try to stand up from my bed or my sofa, the big incision on the right middle of my torso hurts like crazy. Burns, stings, sharp pain — more than just “sore” like the other incisions. It takes my breath away. I’m guessing this big incision is where my surgeon took out the port from the lapband and did most of the work, since it’s the biggest and most painful one by far. I don’t remember having one incision be this painful after my two other laparoscopic surgeries (appendectomy and lap band). Anyone else have something like this post surgery where one incision is far, far more painful than the others? If so, how long until the intense pain went away for you?

Any recollection of how long your bigger incision was painful for?

I’m now on day 6 (out of 14) of my preop diet. I’m past the constant headache stage, but I’m still grumpy. I just ate two cups of steamed broccoli (with only salt) out of desperation — My nutritionist said I can always eat non-starchy vegetables if I need to eat something. I’m counting down the days at this point.

Disregard, duplicate post

Disregard, duplicate post

Agree with above posters. Go find the doc who prescribed your antidepressants and telL them what is going on. As soon as possible.

Lapband removal, Gastric bypass, and hernia repair scheduled for July 6th. I’m 4 days into my preop diet, which is 2 weeks of a shake for breakfast and lunch and a healthy choice steamer for dinner. I’ve been enhancing the healthy choice meal with extra steamed broccoli, which is helping. I think I’m beyond the worst hunger pains now.

I had my ekg done at my primary care clearance visit. I was already scheduled for surgery at that time. Seems like every doctor does it differently.

Best wishes! I started my 2 week preop diet today.

Yes! Me!!! July 6th. Getting my lapband taken out, gastric bypass, and hernia repair. I can't wait. I've gained about 30 pounds since my lapband has been unfilled in the fall, and I'm ready to get this weight off.

Good luck! I was banded 11 years ago and am revising to bypass in July, so I have a bit of experience with this. When I eat with new people, I am just very upfront and tell them that I had weight loss surgery and that my eating is weird, so please don't be offended or worried if I don't eat much, eat slow, etc. I'm all good and totally happy unless I say otherwise.

Yay! Me, too! I'm having my band out and a gastric bypass with hernia repair on July 6th. So ready.

Woohoo! I have insurance approval and a surgery date of July 6! Lapband coming out, fixing a hernia, and getting revised to a gastric bypass. Should be $0 out of pocket. I've been working toward this since November. So relieved, excited, and ready.

Totally been there. Had a lapband for 11 years and kept off about 60 lbs. Started aspirating at night, and my surgeon determined that my band had to come out. I had the band deflated and my surgeon had me start a supervised diet at the same time while we started jumping through the insurance hoops to try to get a revision to gastric bypass. My bmi was 33 at this point. I'm sure he knew I'd gain weight, and I did -- about 30 pounds, which easily pushed my bmi up into the range for revision surgery. I just got approved today to have a gastric bypass at the same time that the lapband comes out. It took me about 6 months from when I went in with problems to get to this point and jump through all the insurance hoops. July 6 can't come soon enough. And yes, I agree that it's insane that you have to raise your bmi to qualify. It was the first weight loss surgery that allowed me to get my bmi down in normal range in the first place!!! It would have been SO MUCH BETTER to just have gotten the revision right away when the doctor determined the lapband needed to come out instead of gaining the weight back. It's a ridiculous policy. I constantly reminded myself that while I was gaining weight temporarily, that my first weight loss surgery was successful and the revision will be as well, so it's a temporary pain in the rear in order to get a permanent solution. I feel your frustration and fully understand.

Brief background, got lapband about 11 years ago (starting BMI was 43). I did well and kept off 55 pounds (BMI 33)... until I started aspirating at night. I had a barium swallow which showed a distended esophagus and a endoscopy which showed reflux. Doc said band needs to come out. I had band unfilled, and as I expected, I've gained weight. I've gained about 30 lbs in the last 5 months (current BMI 38). I want to revise to a gastric bypass. I am well aware that I need surgical help to keep at a healthy weight. Prior to banding, and since being unfilled, I'm constantly hungry and never feel full. I finally felt "normal" with the lapband. When I'm not constantly hungry, I can maintain a healthy weight. But, even with the extra 30 lbs, my BMI is still not over 40, which as I understand it, would make insurance coverage easy. (I have Maryland CareFirst BCBS) My doctor has me doing all the things needed for insurance approval for the revision, including being on a supervised diet. But I'm gaining weight. This does not surprise me -- there was a reason I needed surgical weight loss in the first place -- but I'm getting mixed messages from my doctor and from my diet supervisor (who works for his office). Diet supervisor tells me that I'm less likely to get insurance approval due to my weight gain since being unfilled and being on the supervised diet. Doctor has made vague statements saying that the reflux found on the endoscopy may be enough to make it go through insurance successfully. Diet supervisor wants me to lose a significant amount of weight in the coming month, to try to offset my gains, by going on the pre-surgical diet early. Very honestly, I'm hesitant. If I do end up having to get up to a 40 BMI to have the surgery (12 more pounds...), I don't want to yoyo any more than I have to. And if the reflux finding will get me approved, I don't want to starve myself without the benefit of surgical help. Anybody been in any kind of similar situation? I can use any advice or commiseration available.

No, I haven't had any reflux issues since being unfilled (Nov). Prior to that, Pepcid was my best friend for at least a year.

Hello. I’m new to this forum. Got a lapband in 2011. Overall it’s been successful. Starting weight was 255, I now weigh 198. My weight is stable. But…. I am now having a large amount of reflux and nighttime coughing. I’m worried about my esophagus and I am starting to consider revision surgery. But… my BMI is now 33. Which is great, except I’m discovering that is too low to qualify for revision surgery through insurance. But if I get the lapband taken out without any other help, the weight will not stay off. And I’d much prefer to just have one surgery instead of two. I’m only about 6 lbs under my insurance’s minimum BMI of 35. What do people do in this case? Wear ankle weights to the doctor? Just try to gain the 6lbs through milkshakes? Any advice appreciated.