MimIN

I had a band for 6 years, it slipped and then I had it repositioned. It was never the same. 9 months later I was revised to RNY. It's a brand new world, wish I had gone this route in the first place.

I am now two months post op, down 38lbs but *I* can't really see it. Today I was sweating away in my barre class and had to keep hiking up my tights and tank that once fit snug was bagging. First I looked in the mirror and thought how silly I looked, then realized "holy crap, my clothes are falling off!" Time to go shopping

Hi Heather, You are not alone! I was terrified to go through with RNY, same as you I chose the band because it was less evasive and not "permanent" I underwent revision on May 21st after 7.5 years with the band. Absolutely best decision I have ever made. My band experience was great for the first year or so, I lost more than 100lbs and felt great. Slowly, I started having all of the problems others report and it escalated from there. After the birth of my first (and only atm) daughter, I had a band revision because it slipped while I was pregnant. I had a little relief but as soon as I got a fill, I had issues. By this time, I was over it. My new surgeon believed I was a great candidate for RNY but with a bmi of 33, it was unsure if it would be approved. Well, it was and within days. I have BCBS of Michigan and the approval was easy. So easy that I was sure it was a mistake. It was not and insurance has paid. My recovery wasn't awesome but I'm a big baby and ended up with an infection in my port site. I'm sure it was my fault as I don't know well enough to relax and follow the rules. All is well now and 5 weeks later I have lost 33lbs. Good luck in your journey, it will be worth it!

[ My biggest concern was the port, I asked my Dr a couple times just to be sure it was coming out and each time she looked at me funny and said "Yes Miriam, I would never leave it there" I knew it I just wanted to hear it I haven't had a full on dumping episode but I had something that I think was maybe dumping. I have (had) this horrible habit, when I go grocery shopping I will go to the dairy dept and get a chocolate milk. I usually couldn't eat and the chocolate milk would stay my hunger during the shopping trip. I did the same thing last week, thought it would be fine bc I wouldn't drink it all at once... It wasn't. I felt gross, flush and my stomach hurt and that was after drinking 2 oz. I paid for it and threw it away, won't do that again. I am doing great, approaching week 4 and have lost 25lbs which is shocking to me as I was a lower bmi and was told id lose slow. I am now back in Onderland which makes me extremely happy. I do have struggles, portions.... I don't get the signal that I'm satisfied or full, I don't know if it's just me or I'm broken but I don't so I have to measure everything out. I have over eaten. Attraction to slider foods, I'm so used to it that I have to remind myself I don't need those anymore. I also have a strong fear of stretching my pouch and failing. My pouch is larger than a virgin pouch, years of band abuse stretched the hell out of the top of my stomach. I also have a very good friend with RNY who did amazing for the first 3 years and is now heavier than she started. She has always sang the praises of the band citing she she wished she would have gone with it instead of bypass. I do learn by example so hopefully I can keep on the straight and narrow.

No one can know until they have experienced it, I delt with that too and opted to tell very few people until after I was out of surgery. I had my approval within a week, I hope yours comes as quickly! I used to live in AZ but I now call Indiana home. We visit frequently tho, both my husband and I have family and friend there. I miss it terribly! What part are you in? I lived in the phx area. Well, I'm not going to give good advice on this because I'm a rule breaker unfortunately. I did have help, my mil came to stay with us and my husband but... I still picked my daughter up. How can I tell a baby that I can't? She is my shadow and although I tried, it didn't work out. I survived... I did however end up with an infection in the port site and cellulitis, I don't know if it was related. My best advice would be to try to line up help early on and try not to pick him up from ground up. By week 2, I was fine but the first week was tough.

Hi Jules! I had much the same experience as you, I was banded in 2008 and spent the past several years throwing up daily, no fun! I too have a young child (turned 1 June 11th) and my pregnancy took a toll on my band. I had band revision in August and then band to bypass on May 21st. It has been like a rebirth. I feel like I have to work harder to keep myself on track because of the years of band habits but I has been great. No more gurgling and sliming, I feel normal again Miri

I did and it sucks! Mine was $500 but my policy had a $1500 max so in total my surgery cost $2000.00. I haven't received the bill yet but I have been watching my insurance website closely as claims roll in.

I didn't have any port issues before thankfully, I can't even imagine. This does suck but the light at the end of the tunnel is it will heal. It's already better than it was and it's not as painful.

I went from band to RNY on May 21st, all has been good except my port site. It is pretty tender and I noticed today it is quite swollen and hard. Anyone else experience this,

I did call my drs office but I was the on call. I was told to do hit compress and call Monday. By Monday the pain was intense, I went to my surgeons office and discovered I have a nasty infection that started at the port site and cellulitis on my stomach spread around to my flank. 3 days later it is getting better. The port was removed when my band was, i wanted it gone!

Hi AuriP! You are not at all alone. I was banded in 2006, I did have success but after I became pregnant, it was a living nightmare. During my pregnancy I was sick, a lot. My band suffered and so did I. My daughter was born in June and I continued to have problems that I just couldn't stand to live with. I did not want bypass, the idea scared the hell out of me. My dr said she wouldn't do the sleeve, did not believe I would have long term success and would suffer with even more reflux etc. I reluctantly agreed to the bypass. Although excited I was terrified, I have had a lot of surgeries and this is the only one I cried in the O.R contemplating canceling up to the last minute. I didn't, and I'm glad. Like Alli, my surgery was May 21st, and I am happy I did it. Although I said I would not use a scale, I can't stay away from it. I am down 15.6lbs and feel great and am off the pain meds. I have had my one week follow up and everything is healing as expected. Hardest part for me in the first few days home was my baby not understanding why I couldn't pick her up or play on the floor. That too has passed. To be afraid is normal, This is a big decision but I believe it is a good one.

I wish this was uncommon, but I really don't think it is. I'm sorry you have to go through it, and although this makes her appear to be a self centered judgmental jerk, I would bet she's also jealous. I was banded 8 years ago and my dearest friend in the world was totally against it. She could not believe I would do something so "drastic". She stated her opinions and concerns often but once it was done, there wasn't much left to say. She didn't immediately drop me as a friend, it took about 6 months. I no longer wanted to go eat at Denny's at 2am, instead I wanted her to go to the gym with me or walks at night. I didn't want to have movie and cookie night, I wanted to skip the cookie part. The things that we did together often revolved around food. As my relationship with food changed, ours did too. When she decided I had changed and we couldn't be friends anymore, I was devastated. We had been besties since college and it was a tough loss. Time went on, I missed her but I didn't dwell on it. Fast forward 3 years, one day out of the blue I got an email from her. It was very long and heartfelt, I cried reading it. She apologized for being unsupportive, admitted she had been jealous that I had the guts to make the changes she wished she could. She had missed me as much as I missed her and wanted to try to mend the relationship Today, she is my bestie, I love her to death. I just had band to bypass conversion and she's been by my side. Her opinion has changed about wls and is starting her supervised 6 month diet. What your friend has done is awful, the blog hurts, my friend wrote one too and it sucked. But know this has nothing to do with you, these are her own demons. If she is truly a friend, she will eventually come around and then it is for you to decide if the friendship is worth pursuing. Right now is your time to be selfish, you are taking control of you life. Let her figure out her own, alone.

Cancer sucks:/ Did your dr say why you should wait to start vitamins? I started mine day after surgery and am on quite the regiment. It's hard to get everything in. This morning my weight surprised me too, now down 10. I didn't think it would fall this quickly as so many told me it would be much slower this time around. I starred at the scale stunned. I've been doing Barre classes everyday for 3 months, following low cal/carb diet and chasing a baby around and only lost 12lbs. In less than a week I'll likely do that and maybe more. Seems unfair

I once was very active on the lapband forum and over time life happened and it kind of fizzled away. Over the last few months I have been thinking about revision options and have been lurking, reading posts and relating to others journey. I have a long standing love/hate relationship with my band. I was banded in 2006 and was very "successful" with loss and maintenance, lost more than my goal and hovered within 20lbs through 2012. I loved that my band helped me lose weight, I hated that my band basically made me involuntarily anorexic/bulimic. I often wonder how many band patients have the same problem. I never see anyone discuss it, but I can't be the only one. I don't think I can recall a time where I was ever at the "sweet spot" always too tight or too loose. I either wouldn't eat because I feared I would get sick or I would eat knowing I would get sick. This routine would get old, fast and then I'd get an unfill. That ultimately would lead to gain as my body had been starved and the cycle continued. For reasons unknown to me today, I was ok with this until September of 2012 when I became pregnant. My pregnancy was a rough one, I was very sick. I had what I thought was a complete unfill at 10 weeks. I continued to have mourning sickness 24/7, frequently vomitting and had signs of a really tight or slipped band. I went back to my after care dr (was banded in Mexico) who refused to do a fluro but was willing to take the band out. That logic still doesn't make any sense to me. I was in agony, couldn't eat, barely drink and didn't want to have surgery unless it was absolutely necessary. I turned to my OBGYN, my baby's health was the most important thing to me and she referred me to a close friend who locally is a very well known bariatric surgeon. This was a true blessing. I was quickly moved into the schedule, a fluro was done and found out I had a small slip. The band was also not unfilled completely. I have a 4cc band and 1.2cc was pulled out that day, 3 months after my "complete unfill". No surgery, my baby was safe and I was ordered on full liquids for several days to let everything rest. Although I was never back to "normal" I was able to eat enough softer foods to get the nutrition I needed to support a healthy pregnancy. The hope was after my daughter was born, everything would settle and go back to normal. It never did. June 2013 my daughter was born. August 2013 I went in for a potential band removal. My new bariatric dr knew how distraught I was over losing it and revised it instead of ripping it out. I was thankful in the beginning but then as the fills started, history started repeating itself except this time without weightloss. My second chance turned into a let down. I have faithfully gone to all my follow up appointments and over the last few we have discussed revision options. My Dr and PA believe RNY is the best option for me. I have done a lot of midnight reading as I obsess over the decision. My insurance does cover bariatric but I may not meet the criteria. I have a lot of fear with RNY, biggest one is failure. I failed the band and I know more than one person who failed RNY who have congratulated me on my band success citing they wish they had gone band or had that option at that time. I don't want to fail again. Today I have an appointment with my Dr and give her the decision... RNY or sleeve or Stick with the band. I am torn. Id love any insight on how others reached their decision! Miri

We definitely do I'm doing ok with drinking, sometimes I'm afraid I'm drinking too much and I'll stretch the pouch but I am sure I am just hyper sensitive after all the band drama. I have only had pain when drinking a dairy based protein drink so I switched to nectar and crystal light with unflavored protein. I am also eating 2-3 sf popsicles daily but try to have protein in everything I consume. I lost a lot of hair when I was banded originally so I am trying all that I can to minimize it this time around.

I was banded in 2006 and had issues from 2008 on but did keep the majority of my weight off. During that time I got the works done, lbl, arms, thighs and breasts. Then sept 2012 I became I expectantly pregnant. My band went haywire when I was about 4 months and never went back to normal. Between pregnancy and complete unfill I gained 45lbs. Surprisingly, my tummy fared well and only new scars are those from surgery on Wednesday. I am thankful I was given the opportunity to convert to bypass and will enjoy it once I get passed this hump. My goal is 50 but I'd like to try for 70 just to see if I can do it

That is fantastic! I am down 7lbs from surgery day, I did not have a preop diet to follow and did not lose anything before surgery, nor did I gain. Here forward I am going to try to avoid the scale and just measure, it may help reduce my scale psychosis:)

Thanks, Greeneyedgirl! The post helps a lot. Admittedly, I didn't do as much research for RnY as I did with the band. I made an assumption that since I was a band veteran it wouldn't be any different. It is amazing at how far off track I got with my band when I started having issues. Getting back to the basics has been a lot harder than I thought it would,

I wish I was having less pain! I think I may have become a sissy because I hurt a lot. Besides that, I am doing well and happy to be getting back on track!

That is very exciting, congratulations! I converted from lapband to RNY on Wednesday and I think your approach is wonderful. The scale frustrates me!

I had my surgery Wednesday and it went well. I was really out of it the first night, I remember my husband and baby visiting but not much more then that. Thursday I felt great, I was moving well and walking fine. I was bored so asked if I could be discharged a day early and my dr approved it. Hindsight, that was a mistake. Friday I woke up in crazy pain, couldn't swallow and tummy was on fire. While in the hospital I was given pain meds on a schedule so it never ran out so to speak, at home I'm responsible for it and I forget until it's too late. That has been remedied and now I'm back to "normal" Have you had any difficulty with head hunger? I thought since I know the difference and have been through this before it would be easier. It has not. I measure out my liquids/foods with little 1oz cups and will drink them and think I'm still hungry. I don't get any signal saying I'm satisfied nor any indication that I am full. I haven't talked to anyone about this yet, my post op is Tuesday but am wondering if anyone else has experienced this. I am happy it is done and recovery has been decent but worried I won't have any restriction.

Great to hear, tebowfan! How are you feeling now? My surgery is Wednesday. I am terrified! I had wanted to wait until the end of summer but due to insurance changing June 1, I have to do it now.

I am now a May band to bypass, received the approval today and scheduled for May 14th I am crazy excited to get this band out!

Thank you

Tebowfan and James, I want to apologize! I did not realize there was replies to this thread. I started out on the app and apparently missed it. Tebowfan: I'm so sorry you've had to go through all the struggles, not at all what is deserved. I wish I knew then what I know now about the band. I hate to speak ill of it as it does work for some, but I hear so many stories of longtime bandsters that have problems. Today is your day! Congratulations, it will go wonderfully! James: I agree, the band isn't the option for everyone and I too have heard my share of horror stories (as well as lived some). To do all over again, I would get bypass. I received amazing news today though. Both procedures have been approved, the removal of my band and the bypass. I am looking at a tentative surgery date of May 14th! I am over the moon but suddenly, afraid. haha.