SorryNameTaken

I am having a revision from band to bypass this month. I started out okay with my band, lost some weight and had to make some big changes about the food I ate (ie. eating what I could eat versus what I was supposed to eat). After about 10 years I started getting some serious nausea and reflux as well as more episodes of getting stuck, so I am revising. My x-rays don't show a slip, but I'd be surprised if there isn't a small slip in there when they go in. I am under a 40 BMI and I qualify for bypass, but I do have significant obstructive sleep apnea, so you would likely need some co-morbidities to qualify if you are under a 40 BMI. I think a lot of it comes down to whether or not eating large portions is your biggest problem, if it is, you'll likely do well with the band. I never ate HUGE portions as it was, so I don't think the band was the best choice from me, I just didn't want to go as far as cutting up my stomach at the time. I think my food choices as well as my PCOS have had a large part in my weight, so now that I have the eating down right and I'm still hovering in the morbidly obese category, my surgeon and I decided the VSG is not right either and the bypass will combat my PCOS the best. Ultimately, you and your surgeon will be able to make the best informed decision for you. Less and less surgeons are performing the band at all, so that may play in your decision as well. In fact, my band is no longer in production, so if it has failed or were to ever fail, I have no choice but to have it removed as replacement parts aren't offered anymore. Good luck with your decision, I applaud you for doing your research before making a final choice!

So glad to hear you are doing well! Rest up and keep feeling great!

I love that picture of you flipping your hair in front of the water, you are gorgeous! I am so glad things seem to be going better for you now! You always post the best looking food, it seems like your diet is never boring! I always get bored with my foods, so I need to take a page out of your book! Hope things keep going well!

I am revising band to bypass later on this month. My doctor is not a fan of going band to sleeve because the sleeve is typically positioned over the scar tissue from the band, which has an increased chance of leaking versus him being able to work around the tissue to create the bypass pouch. He also thinks with me having a hormonal co-morbidity that causes weight gain, I can use that extra push of caloric deficiency. That being said, tons of people go band to sleeve with great success! The biggest deterrent I see from the sleeve is if you have any problems with GERD or acid reflux, they often don't suggest the sleeve because it can make those worse causing people to ultimately revise to bypass to help alleviate the reflux. Your doctor can help you make the best informed decision for you, but in the meantime, there's plenty of revision experiences on the board, so I'm sure other people can give you better insight! Good luck!

Sounds like you are doing really well! I am sorry things with Hubby got derailed there for a little while, hopefully he can calm his insecurities and be the support you need right now! Let us know how the Syntrax shakes are! I just ordered the sample pack and I'll try one for breakfast tomorrow!

Yay!!!! Congratulations! Let us know when your date is! Hope it's super duper soon!!!

I completely understand. Work can be tough when it comes to time off. I hope you only need 2.5 weeks!! I feel like if you're tough enough to let them chop off skin awake in the office, you'll probably be doing great after 2.5 weeks. I'm only taking a handful of days off for my revision, which should be fine, but I am fully confident if I need more days or end up having plastics, I'll be fired, which could be a blessing after all. Also, sorry to hijack your thread but Dr. Oviedo is going to be my surgeon too! Do you like him? I literally have not met him. Dr. Glembot was going to be my surgeon, but he's booked out into late November and my insurance will no longer cover bariatric surgery come November 1, so they went into scramble mode to get me on the schedule in October. I won't even meet him until the day before surgery, so I'm a bit nervous about that. I'm just going to trust that he is competent and hope our personalities mesh well. 😃 P.S. I don't know if you know who Trogdor is, but if your dragon tattoo ends up just being a head and a tail, you could potentially turn it into Trogdor!

That's really interesting. It's amazing how every doctor has their own way of doing things. I'm not scheduled for surgery until 10/24, but I might have to ask my doctor what the standard is for his patients! I'm a medical nerd too! I find the strangest things fascinating.

I haven't asked my doctor's goal for me yet. In fact, I'm switching doctors due to changing insurance and having to have surgery in October, so I haven't even met him yet. I saw something in the computer that said my goal was 175, which would have me in the obese range, so I would definitely like to beat that goal. Right now I have 125 in my mind because that would put me close to the middle of my healthy BMI, but I know once I start losing weight, I may change that based on where I feel comfortable and healthy.

Woohoo!! Sending lots of good thoughts out for a smooth surgery and quick recovery!!

Congratulations!!! I am so glad things are going well! Here's to hoping you continue to have minimal pain and a quick recovery!

32 in Lake Frederick, VA. I'll be having a revision from band to bypass on October 24 with Dr. Oviedo.

I had to do three visits and each one we discussed different things and I weighed in at each. My first visit was discussing goals they required us to meet before being cleared for surgery, like no caffeine, no alcohol, logging food, etc. We checked off which ones I already do and discussed how I would meet the other ones before my last weigh in. The other thing we really discussed was what a typical day of eating for me would be right now and what it'll look like after surgery. Nothing too scary! Have fun with it! Let us know how it goes 😃

I've lost so much boob pre-op that I'm pretty sure I'll have nothing left a month or two post-op. I figure since they're one of the things that I'm confident about, they'll be sure to run for the hills. I have refused to buy new bras yet through, I should probably start stuffing these ones or just stick with sports bras for now. 🤣

Thank you for such an honest account of your experience so far! I am coming up on my revision from band to bypass, so i have some idea of what to expect, but know it'll be very different still. It's been many years since my band, so it's good to have some reminders of things I can't remember from all those years ago. A bariatric budget is a really good thing to be talking about! I don't think most people know the extent of how expensive it can get to get all of your nutrients in! There is a brand of protein shakes that may work for you, Syntrax Nectar. They seem to have a lot of fruit flavors for people like us who don't want to drink thick chocolate flavors every day. I have not tried them yet, so I can't speak to how great they are, but the reviews look good! I have a few samples from them sitting in my BariatricPal cart to order, so I can always get in touch once I try them! I also thin out my protein drinks with extra almond milk I want to be able to drink my protein shakes easily not feel like I'm putting a ton of work into it. Or you could try using the unflavored protein powder in various liquids and pureed foods! It sounds like despite the pain, you are doing great things, it looks like you are moving well and really have a grasp on what's going on. You are going to be super successful, I just know it! Keep up the great work 😃

Oh no, that is really a bummer, I am sorry this happened to you! I am glad that your doctor didn't want to risk your health by operating when he was not 100 percent, that shows he has your best interest at heart. My surgery is October 24, so we'll be on the loser's bench together!

Woohoo!! Congratulations!!!

Sounds like you have really prepared yourself well for your journey! You are clearly going to do incredibly well! I'm having surgery 10/24, so I'll see you on the loser's bench!

I had this problem a lot in the past. I have switched over to mostly vegan protein shakes and don't have the problem at all anymore. I make all of my shakes with unsweetened vanilla almond milk and I also make them on the thinner side, I can't get down with drinking a thick shake everyday. If you don't want to switch to plant based protein shakes, drinking ones made from whey protein isolate instead of just whey protein may help since they filter out the lactose. Hope something works for you soon!

I consulted two surgeons for my revision and they both advised bypass for people with reflux. It is a pretty common story that people get the sleeve and their GERD gets so bad that they then revise to a bypass. I am sure there are stories on both side of the spectrum where GERD gets better or worse, but just from the outside looking in, it appears it gets worse more often than not. I think your doctor is trying to just give you the best option he can to avoid two surgeries. 😃 Ultimately it is your decision and your surgeon is there to serve you! I'm hope by the end of six months you'll have a clear decision!

It is okay to be scared, it means you are really thinking through your decision, acknowledging what could possibly happen, and making the most well-informed decision you can! Now that you've thought about the scary what ifs, think about the good ones! What if I lose this weight and feel great? What if I succeed and make myself proud? What if I stick with my vitamins to ensure my health? The unknown is terrifying, but sometimes the greatest things happen when he just decide to take the jump! You will do great, you have a whole community here backing you and ready to support you at any time! 😃

I haven't had mine done yet, but I am going from band to bypass on October 24, so I'll be right behind you. My office said it typically takes about 2.5 to 3 hours for a revision surgery, this wasn't directly from the surgeon's mouth though, just office staff, so I'll be sure to ask him at my next pre-op appointment. All I know, is I think this will be so much better for us than the band! If your experience from the band has been anything like mine, almost anything would be better

I think @Cherylmilla has great advice! Thinking about it as 20 pounds closer to a safer surgery is such a great way to put it. I have also lost 20 pounds and talking to my doctor about the same concern at my last visit really helped me realize I'm making the right decision. I have lost the weight a number of times, but keeping it off has never been easy, plus it's getting harder to lose as I get older, so I'm ready to take control over my health in a way I feel confident will work for me. It's still just a tool, it will help, but not do all of the work for us, we have the knowledge now on how to do this successfully and it is going to aid us in our journey! It is completely normal to have those sorts of feelings before such a big life change! In fact it's probably better that way so you go into surgery making the best informed decision you can for yourself! Just stay here, use us as a form of support, and we'll all get through this together!

Congrats! It's going to be an exciting journey! I go in for my band to bypass revision just a few days after you on the 24th! I'm trying to hustle and get everything I need for the post-op diet. Hope to see you following up on here about your progress!

I am revising from band to bypass on October 24. Unfortunately, despite insane nausea, heartburn, the pain with eating, I had nothing that looked to be an emergency, so I had to start back from the beginning with weigh-ins and nutrition visits. Without anything showing the band had to come out in an emergency situation, insurance would not cover the revision. I hope you have better luck, but just be prepared that it might not happen right away! It's a bummer, but I'm certain it will be worth not dealing with the band anymore 😃