gonnabethin

I have had all 3- unfortunately. Got my band 2006 , broke twice 09, 12 and ater 6 years of fighting my beloved and hated band, I converted - at goal weight to a sleeve. After two years of horrible reflux, yes I had reflux before the band, I had a bypass. In hind sight...... I should have gone straight to bypass. Im irritated at the surgeon, he did all three so its not that it was different people who had no knowledge of my medical history. The bypass was not an option initally-- sleeve was preferred by the surgeon. The band improved the reflux, the sleeve unleashed it, the bypass stopped it forever. While you are fortunate insurance covers it, choose wisely as they may not again. My sleeve and my bypass were out of my pocket! My advise would be go bypass and never look back! Listen to the surgeons experience!! Med school and practice time are better experise and teachers than any of our forum and google M.D. Degrees that everyone seems compeled to practice. Good luck to you!

Im converting sleeve to bypass nov 20 for intractable reflux. Im anxious and scared!! AND i've done this for sleeve!

Its a problem to have a non medical licensed person practicing medicine. You need to do what you have to do to get surgery done, be smart and consult your pcp, get a bariatric nutritionist, know you and how you react. This is the beginning of our reinvented healthcare. Be Cautious and be aware. Protect you. You have come along way to change now... Always make a call or appointment if you dont get info you need.

My guess would be gallbladder, not ulcer. But for what the google MD's are worth..... Make an appt with your surgeon.

I had a band .. No reflux, then sleeve and reflux wickedly increased! Now bypass is suppose to help decrease symptoms. I curious.... How much? 50, 60, 80%.??? Per surgeon, no answer, per GI 75 % or better

Anyone how had surgery revision for GERD , please update !!

how did you do.! Did you have more weight loss?

Is this common, as the surgeon and a second opinion from GI who did my endoscopy recommended a bypass as well.

I am revising to bypass from sleeve for reflux also......... Would love to hear how you are doing! Did insurance cover it?

My band broke(tubing) twiCe. I converted a year ago. Best move ever- see you at sleevetalk..com.

My trouble is, I have a deal with my surgeon, where I am covered for life for all aftercare and any revision surgery. And my clinic does lapbands only. So I'd have the problem of convincing another surgeon to do the surgery, at a BMI of 20 or so, and I'd pay for it. Whereas I'd be getting another band at no cost and no questions asked. Which is probably all it would take to head me down that path again. OMG thats a GREAT deal- - -im converting because Im tired of paying for mechanical failures - - - otherwise i LOVE my band !! I hate losing it and just pray the sleeve is as Great a tool for me as my band!!!! I will miss my band!! Thats my fear there is not tightening of the sleeve.

I was banded Sept 2006, my tubing broke mid tube near my xyphoid process and had to be repaired nov 2009. Today i found out my repair is leaking, no restriction. I am BMI of 24-25. I am not trusting my self to live 30+ years without help. I am converting my band to sleeve sept 6 2012, almost 6 yrs to the date. I am paying out of pocket for the sleeve like I did for the band and the repair. The removal or repair would be 5-7K, for an additional 6k I will convert and never deal with this again- - i hope. My port has been uncomfortable from day one, i have done better than alot of band pts and Im NOT going back to fat ! I have changed my lifestyle, my spouse hasnt, I fight the fight every day! Unfortunately eating is a basic requirement for life, unlike smoking or alcohol- - you cant live without food. I will follow those who have converted and hope I have a positive outcome- - Im aware of the risks- - - none are small including the band.

I'm 6yrs banded and had stalled. Quite frankly fallen into some bad habits, soft, sweet, easy to eat- bad foods-- as I found out once I started HCG (injectable) thru my bariatric doctor. I decided I wanted and was ready to loose my last 15-20#. I needed the rapid start of HCG. Been on 3 weeks now and have lost 12# ! HARD 12# even with a band i had to use adipex- - i am stariving some days!!! I am not able to eat the entire amount of food at the 30 minute- - -i stretch it out over and hour or two- - not optimal. I feel great and Im glad i pushed myself to do this. It has highlighted the bad habits of easy comfort foods. The habits of lazy eating , high fat even in small quantity that were preventing me from losing the rest of my excess weight. After all I was fat and now I am thinner- - I couldnt see I wasnt where I wanted to be for looking how far I had come and how easy it was to keep eating the comfort foods in small quantities. Veggies- especially raw- are hard for my band, dry non sauced foods have been hard for me so to compensate I used sauces, dressings, and other high fat food additives to make them band friendly- - compromising my overall goals. I will be following this thread to see what others have done as I am determined to do this. Since I did the majority of weight loss with my band, the last with extreme restrictive and injectable HCG- - Im hoping thru awareness of my bad eating habits I can and will keep it off. There is no magic-- it a daily fight!! If it were easy to be thin - - - everyone would be!!

I guess you were overfilled?

You are NORMAL!! Your band Is new and your going TOO fast!!! Drink more water, eat more raw or steamed veggies- they take forever to process.... Fills are not the answer. You are still in the OMG what have I done phase-- having a band is a mental screwing, yet I wouldn't go without my band babysitter (I'm 6yrs out-- near goal)!! You didn't get fat over night-- thin doesn't come fast or easy.. You are now aware of why you get a psych work up for bands!! There will be days you could eat all day- then days you can't get yogurt down! Slow down, listen to your stomach and band..... Hungry days eat bulky raw foods, salad, cauliflower, brocolli, carrotts, celery. Drink more water, cut carbs WAY back. Tight days drink protein and dance in the joy of no appetite. Two months is hardly enough time to be on solids. This journey-- is a life long marathon Not a sprint!

Yes- 24 hour to 48 hour liquid only!! GO SLOW!! I'm 6yrs out, felt like a little fill would help me lose last 15#--- wrong 0.3cc made me overfilled!!! I have had horrific reflux, can't sleep even sitting up, choking, burning, coughing, PB'ing, sliming, very few solids, too tight for yogurt, takes an hr to drink protein-- going for unfill. I tried to allow swelling to go down- I've waited a month, I'm too tight for liquids even. Less than 1cc can make a HUGE difference!!

OMG-- so glad you guys have posted! Helped me decide my first unfill Tues! I'm 6 yrs out,only had 2 fills ever, was having band checked for broken tubing like I had previously-- thought while I was there- cost $250 to look t it under fluro-- I would have .3cc added--- NOPE! Going for $250 .3cc unfill ASAP. I have reluxed for a month, swollen, slimed more, PB often (which I don't do usually) lost 7# the hard way. It hurts, can't sleep even upright, horrific reflux- the money seems like a bargain to feel better and not risk slippage!! Thank you guys for posting your challenges- helped me decide!

I have only had fills under fluro. There are multiple places tha advertise $50 fill-- scares me to trust my 10k equipment to a fill center. My surgeon only does by fluro- check the band, tubing, port... Its $250 but I want to see it. I'm going for my first unfill tues-- hate to pay $250 to remove 0.5 cc and that's life.

Has anyone found toddler utensils that DONT have Dora, sponge bob, or other Toddler related fat stubby handles? I want a PLAIN stainless regular handle with just smaller spoon and fork. Apparently those are hard to find. Ive checked: Bed, Bath and Beyond, Target, Walmart, Babies R Us, Grocery store, Dollar Tree, Big Lots Tomorrw Im going to Pier one and look for demitassi spoons, and Dept stores to see if they carry them.

H E L P ! ! ! An incidental finding today on my abdominal ct for appendicitis---- my band tubing is fractured in the middle!!! What happens now?!