SoccerMomma73

Some surgeons will not band a patients with an autoimmune disorder such ad RA or lupus. The concern is that since your body's immune system is hyperactive then inserting a foreign body in to it may also cause an immune response...almost like when a transplant recipient rejects an organ....I do not know if there are studies proving it or if it's just theoretical.... Just something else for you to ponder! Good luck with your decision. (Oh, and your doctor is an ass,I'm a family practice PA and would never tell a patient something like this is a cop out,....even if I thought it was it's VERY unprofessional of him to have voiced it)

So someone recommended I come over here to play. Thought some of you might want to hear my story. So here's my story! I was banded in December 2009. Had some success initially but a LOT of misery....I started at 295, briefly got to 210 (for like 60 seconds) and am currently at 225. From the beginning my band and I were at odds. If I was about to start my periods, if I was upset or stressed out, if I was sick or my allergies were flared up I wouldn't be able to eat and at times could barely drink...I fairly certain sipping hot tea saved my life on numerous occasions! The vast majority of my banded time I had little or no fill, even empty I had the same problems. At one point I had to get 2 liters of IV fluids....ahhhh those were the days. No to mention the constant chest and jaw pain....that was miserable. Fast forward to 2012..... The reflux began. Then progressed to reflux so bad I'd wake up at night with stomach acid coming out my nose. Ouch dose not begin to describe the feeling. This progressed rapidly to throwing up any solids which turned into throwing up mushies, which turned in to throwing up liquids....back to hot tea. I was concerned but we'd done this rodeo before so I thought there was an end in sight. The end came when about 2 weeks in to this ordeal I broke down and saw my doc (actually his APN, she rocks). She sent me straight to the hospital for an upper GI. My band had prolapsed,my stomach was herniated upwards. My band was going to have to go away quickly. That was Friday, Monday I consulted with the surgeon. My options? Band removal and no revision, band removal and revision to RNY, band removal and revision to sleeve. I opted for RNY. After the nightmarish reflux there was no way I was getting a sleeve and risking more of that. Plus, while people talk about RNY being a major surgery with the sleeve they cut off the majority of your stomach...,not appealing to me. So band removal with revision to RNY scheduled for 2 days later. I was told there was a SLIGHT chance there would be a lot of damage and he wouldn't be able to do the revision. On August 1, 2012, I had my band removed. And woke up with no RNY...he said I had so much inflammation and damaged tat he could not have safely revised to RNY and if he did, my pouch would have been larger than it is usually made....later, much later, I heard murmuring about a slight erosion as well. Never asked, really doesn't matter. God bless my mother. I woke up post op a d she looked at me and told me he could do the RNY....even stoned I could tell she was trying not to cry. That sucked. Recovering physically from band removal was a piece of cake! Very little pain, woke up post op and the constant heaviness in my chest for the last 2 1/2 years was magically gone. Recovering emotionally from removal was tough. I felt cheated and betrayed. I'd been a pretty good bandster,not perfect but good. I was sad, angry, mad as hell, I cried any time I was alone for 2 weeks. My surgeon said give it a year, he'd do my RNY in a year. CRAP!!!! In a year the 70 pounds I'd lost would be found again!!!! By my 2 week post-op check-up I was pulling my head out of my butt and feeling human again. I could drink!!! My energy was the best it had been in almost 3 years. Reflux? Ha! Not even a trace.... My surgeon said since I was doing so well he'd do the revision in 6-9 months instead. His nut/coordinator walked in the room as soon as he walked out and said 'schedule you for 6 months?' Oh yeah....schedule me for six months girl!!! So in August I was given an RNY revision date of February 11, 2013. 6 months and 30 pounds later (the holidays were heaven :/) I had my RNY. I'm now 5 1/2 weeks post op and down 30 pounds (pre and post-op). I'm averaging about 3 pounds a week. I feel pretty darn good. The fatigue was a bit extreme at first but over the last 2 weeks that's settled some. I may have taken 6 doses of pain medicine total since I left the hospital. I hate not being able to drink when I eat and I still struggle a little to get my Protein in (sounds like band life!!). Probably my biggest issue has been nausea. It took me 2 weeks to figure out when I started getting queasy I was actually hungry. The nausea is now all but resolved. My recovery has really been pretty amazing. 2 1/2 weeks post op I went camping with my 8 year old and cub scouts....it sorta sucked but I was there and functioning. My RNY and I have an inner peace that my band and I never found. Allergies are BAD in central Arkansas right now but I can still eat and drink. The chest pain and pressure I had with my band have never returned. I'm not losing the 10 pounds a weeks hear other RNY folks talking about but I'm consistent with my 3 a week and I'm not hungry, and I feel good...I can handle 3 pounds a week if I feel this good. I have allergies AND PMS right now!!!! AND I CAN EAT!!!!! So, that's my story. I guess I just wanted to say don't give up, there are other options. In a way I was lucky my band slipped, my insurance considered that a mechanical failure and covered the revision because of it. At the time of surgery my BMI had jumped back to 40 but I had no co-morbidities. Insurance said without the band or revision, my weight would continue to increase and my hypertension would return....they are so right. Good luck to all of you on your journeys. I've discovered that sometimes the sweet spot lies outside the band.

I know I'm in the honeymoon phase but a few differences I've noticed during my first 3 1/2 weeks as a bypass patient. With my band I was ravenous on day 7 post-op, I'm post-op day 24 and haven't felt hungry once. What I do feel is queasy which I have eventually figured out is my sign I need something to eat...I take 3 or 4 bites and it's gone. I had my period last week and had no issues with food or liquids....when I had a band PMS week was almost strictly fluids cuz I'd be so right nothing else could get through. I've had a hellish cold all week and again eating and drinking fine, with my band I would have been sipping hot tea because nothing else would go down when my sinuses were nasty. So, yup, I'm liking this much better!!!

You gain fluid weight from all the IV fluids...will scare the hell out of you on a scale but resolves over 5-7 days....it is not true body fat.....doctors really shoulders us of that!!!! (And maybe poo if you get backed up!!!) HW 312, pre-op (lap-band) 294, pre-op (RNY) 255, surgery date 2/11/13, goal weight 154, current weight 226.6

I just want everyone to know there are other options and this is NOT one size fits all! Yes I've had the dumping episode from hell, but I survived. Currently it's allergy season big time in central AR. I'm snorting, and sneezing, and draining....and I can still eat and drink!!!!! My allergies were a huge issue with my band from day 1 so I was a bit anxious to see how it would be with allergies and my RNY. I've had some real smart assed replies and some ugly private messages about why I post here when I no longer have a band. It's because I did have a band. I had the good and the bad of band life and I have a lot of knowledge about life with and without a band. I suffered through prolapse and emergency removal. Been there, done that, and got the t-shirt. I'm not here to bash it, I'm not here to scare people off, I'm not here to tell you to get your band taken out and have an RNY.... I'm here because sometimes you need to know stuff happens....whether your fault or not, stuff happens. And you don't have to just give up or be miserable. I'm happy to help in anyway I can. I'm on RNY talk as well (soccermomma73) there are A LOT of band to bypass revisions, and like this site it's a great resource. Good luck on the next leg of your journey! I hope your recovery is as good as mine was!!!!! (And I do think I'll post under the I failed my band thread too, thank you!)

Sbdupree you are a rock star!!!!! I swear I woulda licked em!!! Life is short, might as well giggle as much as you can!!! HW 312, pre-op (lap-band) 294, pre-op (RNY) 255, surgery date 2/11/13, goal weight 154, current weight 226.6

Shame on you!!! Okay, so a couple Cookies won't kill you, but you need to get it under control before it becomes a habit. You know it was a bad choice, put down the cookies and walk away!!! What worries me the most is that you hid the cookies from your family....makes me think there's more going on then just 'damn I want a cookie....' Take care of yourself and step away from the cookies! (And don't hide!!!!). HW 312, pre-op (lap-band) 294, pre-op (RNY) 255, surgery date 2/11/13, goal weight 154, current weight 226.6

I do it too....I stare at it, play with it, and just know I'll still be starving when I finish...and yet about halfway through I'm ready to be done and have to push myself to do a little bit more....soooo crazy

Nasty, but yes, someone would! They make jelly Beans that taste like farts and skunk, we can do exotic Protein flavors!

What worm said...I couldn't do it on the app, had to go to the web site.

I'm doing a lot of deli slices and cheese sticks, some edamame, some Greek yogurt but that's getting old fast....I'm TRYING to get to where I can do all my protein in food and totally knock off the shakes but I'm not to that point yet. Darnit!!!!

I had mine colored and highlighted at 3 1/2 weeks with no problems, was never told to wait. Doesn't seem to be a problem.

I'm on the Quest for a good recipe for Italian meatballs. Looking for something light that I can squished with my fork....google and I have been playing but I'd rather have something that you've tried and loved. Any suggestions? HW 312, pre-op (lap-band) 294, pre-op (RNY) 255, surgery date 2/11/13, goal weight 154, current weight 231.4

I was flushless...but, yeah, the 2 weeks of liquids pretty much did the job!!! HW 312, pre-op (lap-band) 294, pre-op (RNY) 255, surgery date 2/11/13, goal weight 154, current weight 226.6

Corn gluten is an ingredient so nope I guess not. HW 312, pre-op (lap-band) 294, pre-op (RNY) 255, surgery date 2/11/13, goal weight 154, current weight 226.6

Yup! She's a bit demented....and one of my dearest friends, scary combo!! HW 312, pre-op (lap-band) 294, pre-op (RNY) 255, surgery date 2/11/13, goal weight 154, current weight 226.6

Also, I have a completely unopened bottle of unjury chicken soup I will NEVER use if anyone wants it....I bought 2 pre-op cuz I thought it was tolerable....post op I hate it. The other bottle is 3/4 full if ya want it but it has been opened and used! HW 312, pre-op (lap-band) 294, pre-op (RNY) 255, surgery date 2/11/13, goal weight 154, current weight 226.6

Ohhh,brilliant! I'm Christie. Banded Dec 2009, decent success x 6 months then got sick, dehydrated, had to have 2 IV bags of Fluid and everything in my band removed....left empty for 6 weeks then slowly started trying to refill but even with tiny amounts I was having problems....learned to live off sliders. Summer 2012 developed HORRIBLE reflux (waking up at night with acid coming out my nose....oh what a feeling) suffered a couple months, progressively got harder to eat, got band unfilled, eating was even harder, got to the point I was walking around sipping hot tea with sugar in it, that was all I could get down. Upper GI showed a prolapsed band with herniated stomach, had urgent band removal the following week. Attempted RNY at that point but too much swelling and damage to perform the revision and get a healthy pouch. Sent home to heal for 6 months ( felt SO good having my band gone!!!!). RNY finally on 2/11/13 so I'm 5 weeks post-op and other than some nausea am doing great! Next???? HW 312, pre-op (lap-band) 294, pre-op (RNY) 255, surgery date 2/11/13, goal weight 154, current weight 226.6