Veronda

Are you losing? How much? I'm up to 59 pounds, and yesterday was my five-month surgiversary. It'd be more if I were perfect with the diet and exercise (I'm just not). I make better decisions than I used to, but I give myself some wiggle room because I just truly believe life isn't worth living without some treats. I may never wear a single-digit size, but that's okay with me. And how can I complain about 59 pounds in five months?!?!?!

Love love love the bypass!! So upset with myself for being too scared of it the first time around. I can eat more than a typical bypass patient, and could from basically the beginning (I'm five months out), but I get truly full and feel normal. I had horrible reflux with the band, now resolved. Nothing healthy worked with my band, now resolved. I don't have dumping, which in a sense is sad because that would be a good deterrent, but I enjoy it because I don't feel a slave to bypass like I did with the band.

I was so worried about bypass, which is basically why I didn't get it to begin with. So far, knock on wood, I have had NO issues, and it's been five months. Issues started immediately with the band! That's not the same for everyone, of course. But I am so much happier with the bypass. I feel NORMAL. I was very concerned about the pain at the port site when having it removed, but it proved to be not as bad as anticipated. Worst was the first day, and after that it was just tender. I had my surgeon order an abdominal binder, and that helped a LOT. I wore it mostly to bed because I remember moving and hurting while sleeping when I got the band, and the binder really alleviated a lot of the pain.

I don't have dumping syndrome. I had one episode of reactive hypoglycemia, which is considered late dumping, and I had that before revising to bypass. I've also thrown up once but I didn't have the sweats or shaking, so I think it was more related to eating too much. I think the current way they do the surgery actually minimizes dumping, so don't count on it. But the good news is that it still makes it difficult to eat too much of the bad stuff and doesn't allow full absorption. So you still need to make good choices, but it's very possible to still enjoy bits of indulgences.

I understand, Julie. I am three months out from a band-to-bypass revision and I can eat more than I thought I would be able to. I ordered an entree salad with grilled chicken the other night and was able to eat the whole thing....but I read others who say they can take a few bites and be full. Part of me thinks my stomach pouch is very stretchy from years of the band below that area, but I can't be sure. My surgeon says he isn't too concerned about it, people are different. I'm not the best at following the diet rules. I try to make the best decisions I can but stray some....like I get a broth-based chicken Soup at a Mexican restaurant but will splurge on some chips. I'm just not willing to do zero carbs, but I try to make the best decisions I can without fully sabotaging myself. Changing is HARD, and it's no secret that even trim people enjoy eating. You can do it!

YAAAASSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!! I couldn't eat anything healthy with the band, but Cookies were no problem. WTF?? Now I can eat veggies to my heart's content without getting stuck. I had this weird dance I'd do in my seat to try to get stuff to go down, and I'd always have my hands over my head because it felt better to be stretched out...but it looked ridiculous!! I can eat more than a typical bypass patient, but I can eat very normally with other people and not have to make a quick escape to get something dislodged. And sleep is wonderful now. I have several band friends and most of them are jealous of my revision. We all had our surgeries around the same time. One made it past goal, three are still struggling through it, and I'm now revised. So it does work for some people (though the one who made it past goal did it by being so tight all she could eat was Soup and she takes Nexium twice daily and still has issues, but she's willing to put up with it.....I wasn't). I wish I'd had the foresight to know I wouldn't be one of them.

Following up.....I'm now three months from revision and I am SO HAPPY!!!! I'm 48 pounds down. It feels like it's going so slowly, but clearly it's not number-wise. My reflux and pain are completely gone. I was worried at first because in the beginning I felt mildly heartburn-y, but it must've been surgery related because everything is so comfortable now. I have had no trouble eating and advancing my diet. I think (and the nutritionist agrees) that I was so well trained by the band to chew and whatnot that that's why I have no troubles whereas a lot of newbies have trouble. I also think my pouch is fairly stretchy from the band having been there so long and having food sitting on top of it because I can eat far more than most bypass patients. But my energy is great and I feel so much better with bypass than I EVER did with the band. I think my max weight loss with the band was 70 pounds after two years, which I didn't maintain for long, so I am getting close to that number already!! (I had gained all my weight back with the band.)

As a follow-up since this came up in my email.....I'm now three months post-op having my band out and revision done and I AM SO HAPPY!!!!!!! I'm losing weight and feel great and I have NO troubles with bypass. I had trouble with the band for most of the time I had it in, and to be this comfortable this soon after surgery really makes me happy. I can eat more than most bypass patients. My theory (and the nutritionist agrees) that I have so little trouble because I'm already so well adapted to chewing and whatnot from the band. I'm also thinking that my upper stomach is pretty stretchy from the band and that's why I can eat more?? But anyway, I'm so happy I've done this. I spent so much time regretting the band, but I also would have regretted it if I had done no surgery, so it's all good now. Totally worth all the money I've laid out for it. Still worried about long-term success, but I really can't complain yet!!

What do you mean you could still get fills but not from your current surgeon?!?!?!? I got the band in 2009 because of the worry about the rerouting, etc, and it turned out to be the wrong decision. So far I'm really liking the bypass...

For me it wasn't bad. Just make sure you're asking for pain meds before the pain gets out of control. Fortunately the anesthesia pretty much keeps you in a blur that first day.

I specifically asked my nutritionist and bariatric coordinator about calories and both said that at this point it's not the focus and they wouldn't give me a number. The BC did tell someone at a support group meeting that she was eating too few calories at 400-600, but they still don't give a number to strive for. I think it's freeing because it gives me more energy to devote to figuring out what I can tolerate and focus on lean Protein. Last night I was really nervous because I had a frozen dinner that was 440 calories, but in the end I didn't eat the whole thing, it had good protein content, and I really hadn't eaten much the rest of the day. For the most part I eat homemade foods, so having this number in front of me made me all weird. I'm only a month out from revision (my first surgery was 5.5 years ago), so eventually I will start tracking my foods again on MFP, etc, but for this period I'm just going to focus on making healthy decisions. It's making it so much easier to make it a lifestyle without being tied to numbers, etc.

When off purees (I actually didn't even have a puree stage), you can add chopped cooked meatballs or browned ground meat and it's almost lasagna. I made a zucchini lasagna with zucchini (the only veg I'm currently allowed is zocchini/summer squash and canned green beans) in place of noodles and it was so good!! I don't measure the cheeses, etc, just eyeball. Shelly's recipe is the way my mom has always made the filling for lasagna, and I like hers better than Italian restaurants.

I think it works fine, but I have come to realize it doesn't matter what other people think.....if you think you might obsess about it when you're out, you won't be comfortable and will just worry about it. On the other hand, if you feel like it works, the flaunt it!! It basically looks like part of the dress. Enjoy!

I was in the same boat, and I'm now a month out from my revision! My husband was leery of my decision to revise, but in the end he could see how much my weight was affecting my mental health. He asked many questions of the surgeon and was pleased with the answers. What does your husband dislike about the idea? There were about six months between my deciding to revise and actually having the procedure, what with all the waiting for appointments and whatnot, so you probably have time to commit. I will say that I was so unhappy with the band that I probably would have had it taken out even without the revision. The bypass so far has been what I wanted the band to be but never was. Some people love their bands, I realize, but it did not cooperate with my body and I was always in pain of some sort (standard reflux, choking on acid, food-related pain, etc). Good luck!

FYI, plain calcium citrate powder is about a quarter of the price, also on Amazon. I just put it on my tongue and wash it down with Water. I prefer to take my D separately, though.

Interesting. My pre-op diet was basically as little fat and carbs as possible: Protein shake (>15g protein w/ <5g carb) for Breakfast, low-fat meat and 2c low-carb veg for lunch, Protein Shake for snack, low-fat meat and low-carb veg for dinner, protein shake for snack. We certainly weren't allowed juice, Carnation Instant Breakfast, or cream of wheat. I averaged 800 to 1000 calories daily, and it probably would have been less except that I hated the Protein shakes so much that sometimes I'd have low-fat meat instead. Does your surgeon have their own guidelines? If there's one thing I've learned on these boards is that every program has such different requirements.

Yogurt is a great vehicle for crushed pills!

Yes, find out what your surgeon says about pills. My educated guess about pills is that they are made to dissolve while foods require "grinding" and acid to be broken down. By the time I went home from the hospital I was okay'd to drink as I felt comfortable, so taking in Water with my pills was not and is not a problem. Mine are for allergies and mood, so yeah, not getting rid of them with surgery! Bupropion comes in three (!!) forms, two of which are extended release, so if it says SR or XL after, you should probably avoid crushing. If you are still required to crush, you'll probably need to get it changed to the immediate release. But my hope for you is that they will let you start swallowing tablets!!

My surgeon's guidelines say that any pill smaller than the diameter of a dime can be taken whole, and most that are larger than that can be halved or quartered to equal that size. As a pharmacist it makes me nervous that you're crushing your coated tablets....make sure with your pharmacist that all of your pills can be crushed (if you need to take them that way). If not, you may need to change the form of a med (like from an extended release to an immediate release given throughout the day). As for taking them, probably the easiest is with a bite of "food". When I was released from the hospital I was allowed full liquids right away, and that included strained yogurt, so as an example you could sprinkle the meds into a bite of yogurt or Jello or something. That tends to make it easier. I do take powdered Calcium citrate and just sprinkle the powder directly on my tongue and then swallow Water, but it has no taste to it. Check with your surgeon about rules for meds. We were told immediately that we could swallow less than dime-sized, and I haven't had any trouble with swallowing meds.

I work nights too! Long shifts to boot. I am taking the max amount of time allotted because of that. When I got my band the recovery was easier and I worked a more "normal" schedule so I went back after one week. I need to spend the rest of this time off working on my endurance. I have tried doing things but wind up so tired that I need to come home and rest. So for the next two-plus weeks I'll be trying to extend the amount of time I can be out doing things.

I regret having been banded. I hated it. I lived with it for 5.5 years and last month finally revised to bypass. It hurt to eat anything but I was hungry all the time and never got full. I lost weight only when I literally couldn't tolerate food. One poster mentioned that those who regret it likely aren't on here...and it's true. I didn't get back on until I became committed to revision. At the same time, I was convinced that the band would cure me because hunger has always been my issue and they promised a low appetite, but they were wrong (at least for me....and all the other revisions that are currently being done). So can I really regret it if I also would have regretted it if I hadn't gotten it? I can't say whether I'll regret the bypass, but I hope I don't. So far things have been easier than the band, and I have tolerated everything I've attempted to eat so far. There is really no way to know until you do it, which is really difficult to know.

Amazon and costco are my besties!! I am extremely choosy, and I dislike EVERY Protein shake. I replaced Protein shakes with Oikos Triple Zero Greek yogurt (120 calories, 15g protein), but you'll have to check with your nutritionist if that's okay pre/post-op. I seem to be like the ONLY one who hates protein shakes so much. Costco does have Premier at a great price, but Walmart also usually has 4-packs if you want to sample (the price is not nearly as good). My nutritionist also had samples of items. I have spent a FORTUNE trying to find one I like, and there are just none that I like. As for Vitamins, I get most of mine between Amazon and Costco. Costco has great prices on sublingual B12, Biotin, and Iron (and I also bought chewable vit C to help iron absorption). On Amazon I got a multi called Vita-Mini at an exceptional price, but they don't seem to be available now (I ordered several but will be sad if they don't come back in stock when I need more)...they are super-tiny swallowable tabs as I hate chewables. I also got Calcium citrate in powder form from Amazon, again because I don't like the chalky chewables. My nutritionist also recommended Citrical Petites for people who don't like the chews. I have found that Costco and Amazon are far better priced than even Target and Walmart. Know that products that are specifically marketed for bariatric patients tend to be very heavily marked up, and for the most part you can avoid them unless you really don't want to.

I experienced a lot of nausea after surgery, too. Mine was May 19, and now it has subsided almost totally. I happened to have some Zofran lying around, but then I started taking OTC meclizine (the non-drowsy Dramamine) and it helped too (I got a bottle of 100 chewable tabs from costco pharmacy for like $4). From what I understand it's a common side effect of GI surgery, which makes sense since your brain has no idea what's going on in there. As long as you have no sensitivities, the meclizine will also help with vertigo. It was much easier for me to deal with when I had something on hand to alleviate it.

I'm only four weeks out, but when I had my followup with my surgeon last week, he told me fatigue will be the last to go. A friend of mine told me it took her more than two months to feel herself. I'm especially tired AND with insomnia on top of it, and when I do sleep it's fairly broken. I'm trying to start adding in more activity because I feel like maybe it's a momentum thing, like if I'm more active I'll become less fatigued. However, I do still need to rest a LOT. Good luck!

I had my revision on May 19 (after the band in 2009), so I'm not far out but I am happy I made the change. I had trouble and pain in eating ANYTHING HEALTHY with the band. I started back on solids last week and I haven't had any intolerances yet. Even better, I actually feel full, which I never once got with the band. I can eat more than I'd have thought/hoped, but I'm feeling good about it. I'm down 28 pounds, and I can't be upset about that. I have a group of five bandster girls that get together; one made it to goal (and beyond), two of us have failed, and two are kind of in between, still fighting it. I was sure the band was the cure for me because my issue is hunger and they promised satiety. That didn't happen. I'm still a newbie, but this was the right direction for me.