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Sorry you are struggling but the post op period can be a big challenge. I know that time can be difficult which is why I was hoping for some input from people that have had their RNY for a while.

Thats normal, I am always nervous of surgery.

Most cures depend on you treating them as soon as you notice a tingle, as I said above mine develop overnight so that doesn’t help. As for salt it is about as effective as surgical spirits, toothpaste, deodorant, vegemite and countless other home remedies. The most effective thing is the antiviral medication but again it depends on it being taken early enough. For me the best cure seems to have been getting older, I don’t get anywhere near as many as I used to. Maybe it’s because I’m less stressed, don’t spend as much time in the sun or am no longer menstruating , who knows? The worst part of a cold sore though is never the actual sore, it’s the healing process. Suddenly having blood dripping down your face as the sore tightens and heals is not a good look!

Oops!!! The problem I have with cold sores is they always seem to develop in the middle of the night. By the time I wake up its too late to do anything

I haven't been on this site for ages. I was banded in June 2009. Went from 74kg to 50kg, felt great. No major issues with band except that now it is really not helping. Over the past couple of years I have regained to 66kg. I feel as though I am a total failure . Went to see my Doc on Tuesday and he was lovely. He said that the lifespan of a band is between 5 - 10 years, 15 if you are really lucky and that what I am experiencing is not my fault. I was expecting him to suggest a sleeve but he said no , there are too many issues with reflux and regain etc with sleeves, that my best option is a Roux en Y. Whilst I think that is probably a better option than a sleeve ( at least they are not throwing half your stomach away) it still seems like such a major op. He gave me all the literature, costings etc and he also gave me a small fill ( at my request) although he doesnt think that I will be able to achieve what I want with my band - it has had its day! Whilst the info for any op is scary it was the risk of death of 1/100 that completely freaked me out. Surely that's not accurate? If it is presumably it is more risky initially when a person is extremely obese and due to anaesthetic risks? Would love to hear peoples experiences. The good the bad the ugly. If it has helped. If you are keeping the weight off etc. Also links to former threads which may be helpful as I haven't negotiated this site in forever! TIA Lynn

I could have been the poster child for lapband. I was extremely successful ( according to a couple of Dr's) for the first 5 or 6 years and then something changed. I started gaining - slowly at first but like a snowball it got quicker. I am now 9 years out and not that far down from my initial preop weight. Fills make no difference to my hunger levels but they have caused issues with waking up in the night choking on acid. I saw my surgeon last week and it seems that this is a far too common scenario. In Australia the band seems to have fallen out of favour. I am now looking at my revision options and will probably go with the RNY.

I know a number of people that have had sleeves after they had bands. Whilst most of them say having a sleeve is easier they don't seem to have lost much weight.

Let me know how it goes, I'm looking at doing the same soon

So true. The scales don’t go down every week and even when they do the losses can be small. Remember how long it took to put the weight on - it’s not going to all come off overnight

Curious, does it happen because the pouch is full or does it happen before that.

Lysine is the stuff that is found in red foods such as tomatoes

I trust my Dr implicitly. We have built up a good relationship over the years from all the band visits. He is patient and always talks and explains things unlike many other Dr's. I don't believe that his advice had anything to do with cost, in fact my quoted out of pocket expenses ( I'm in Aus) are comparable or less to what I have been told it would cost to convert to a sleeve.

Not being able to eat lettuce would be so terrible ( not)! Sounds as though your experience has been positive and as though eating is easier than with a band

Thanks Frustr8. You obviously have an RNY. Can you tell me what your experience has been - I’m currently investigating revision options and my surgeon has made a very good case for having an RNY

One of my friends that has a sleeve has apparently had quite severe hair loss. She says it is her fault for not getting enough protein. She cut her hair super short and currently wears a wig

I got my band in 2009. Initially I was very successful but I have regained , slowly at first but heaps over the last couple of years. The band no longer has any effect on my hunger levels. I can eat just about anything except steak or chops. More fill doesn't help it just gives me reflux so bad I wake up choking an acid. One of the disturbing things my surgeon told me at my appointment last week is that what they have found with a band is overtime a lot of patients develop oesophagal failure. This is due to having to work so hard to push food down and it can get to the point where it will no longer be able to do that. That wasnt something that was widely talked about when I got my band. They are now realising that most bands have a lifespan of 5 - 10 years with a max 15 if you are lucky. Bands seem to have fallen out of favour and sleeves seem to be going that way too.

A sleeve is not less invasive, it chops off your stomach and throws it away. It can't be reversed. If you only have the option of 1 surgery I would speak to a couple of surgeons and get their honest opinion. Forget your own biases, don't look at whatever everyone else is getting, ignore what seems to be the flavour of the month.

I know this is an old thread but as I am currently considering revising from a band to RNY it is really interesting. I find it odd that people will happily have a sleeve wherein a huge portion of their stomach is chopped off and thrown away but they fear the bypass. Personally I think that sleeves, like bands, have had their moment . Whilst they are effective for some there seem to be a lot of people that dont lose or regain and apparently reflux is a major issue. My surgeon explained in detail why he thought that for me an RNY would be a better and safer long term option and what he said made sense. Now I just need to get my head around the idea of having another weight loss surgery.

Would love to know how all of you that have had the band to bypass op are progressing. Is it what you expected. Are you happy with the decision. Are you losing. Is it easier or more difficult than the band etc Currently considering the same so all replies are greatly appreciated.

I have had a band since 2009, was initially very successful but over the past 3 - 4 years it has stopped helping. Am now considering my options - my surgeon has recommended an RNY. Would love to hear from others that have had this revision and what the pros cons and successes are

Interesting topic as I have a band that is no longer helping and am looking at revision. I know very few people with an RNY but I have heaps that have sleeves:- I have a friend that lost very little with her sleeve and now weighs more than before she started. Her husband had a sleeve and lost heaps but he now seems to have regained quite a bit too I have another friend that has a sleeve and whilst she is still very slim she has started to regain - probably due to the fact that she loves chocolate and family sized packets of crisps. I have a friend that was considering having a band over her sleeve - not sure what she did. Then there are a number in my band support group that have revised to sleeves but still seem to be pretty overweight. So in summary a lot of the reasons that people here said were contrary to getting an RNY seem to be equally applicable to the sleeve. The only thing that is certain is that long term weight control is very complex and an ongoing battle.

Curious as to why food gets stuck in the oesophagus as technically that hasn't been altered? Does it happen because the new stomach pouch is already full or is there some other reason?

They were when it was LBT - there was a forum for each and all the threads were posted under the appropriate forum. I suppose that now its a combined site that functionality has been lost. As part of my decision making process I want to be able to read up on a range of experiences, good, bad and ugly. I think the better informed a person is the better their success rate. Thanks for being so helpful. Can you tell me what you eat know, do you struggle with hunger, have you had issues with certain foods etc

Are there any tips for navigating the site. I haven't used it since it was LBT and that seemed to be a lot easier to use. It was divided into pre , post, eating, complications etc This site doesnt seem to have that sort of functionality , it only seems to be divided into the type of surgery ( unless I'm missing something) I dont want to have to wade through 100+ pages to be able to find 1 post on the topic I'm looking for.

Busy looking at revising from a band to an RNY. What is the difference between that and the DS.Are there long term stats on weight loss, regain etc?