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JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE TO A LOCAL SURGEONS OFFICE; THE RECEPTIONIST TELLS ME THE SURGEON PREFERS ONLY TO DO VSG AS FIRST CHOICE FOR VIRGIN BARIATRIC PATIENTS MY BMI IS NOT HIGH ENOUGH NEED TO PUT ON WEIGHT... WTF never been told before I'm not heavy enough.... My BMI is 43 but oh we've seen 50-60 bmi like seriously she was so rude said the surgeons first choice is VSG.... And that's basically it.. Really turned me off with her tone and attitude, I was looking there because they are better prices but forget it I'll pay extra for better SURGEONS and so I rang my 2nd choice and the reception was much nicer said the surgeon will listen to your decision and will talk about pros and cons but it will be your decision mostly as long as nothing serious comes up of course. I rather pay a little extra for a surgeon and hospital that is much more known and has more reviews I just thought I'd give the smaller place a chance but no thanks... QUALITY OVER QUANTITY! Still months out but getting closer everyday.. I don't want to get the bloody VSG and then have complications and have to be revised to RNY later on like most people, I only want one operation thank you!

Bypass is reversible and I am deeply considering discussing this option at my 6 month. I don't care if I regain the weight. I haven't even lost that much and still have all my clothes so whatever. I just want to be able to function again and not feel this way. I've been so proud that I've championed this new diet and have been rocking exercise and just hired a trainer, and yet have not lost anything in 2 months. And have just had more and more complications. As soon as one resolves, another appears. I am beat down. Sent from my SM-G930R4 using BariatricPal mobile app

I have gone back and forth the last 4 months whether or not I felt the complications were worth the results, and today, after blacking out in Walmart and having to sit on the floor to regroup numerous times throughout the day so I could do simple tasks like pick something up off the floor, I have officially decided I made a terrible decision. I am happy for those of you who have seen benefits of this surgery, but I am just... existing... day by day. I have lost no weight in 2 months (stalling at the same weight I did on Atkins, but with a crapload more complications). I feel awful. I could deal with an ulcer and the gallbladder and the hernia, but this low blood pressure is actually ruining my life - not to be dramatic. I have gotten lightheaded and confused at work during important meetings, I can hardly exercise without having to sit or lay down and I already paid for a trainer... I can't even lift a basket of laundry without falling on my butt. I sent a desperate email to my surgeon to try a prescription to raise my BP. I'm ending up on far more pills than I ever was pre-op. Losing 60 stupid pounds is not worth this. And I have no one I can vent to because my mother "told me" I always have problems with surgery and I'd regret this and I do. So I feel very alone. Someone please tell me this gets better.... Sent from my SM-G930R4 using BariatricPal mobile app

Well, the recovery from band vs sleeve was a bit more difficult for me. BUT, I was 12 years older! Plus, I had a rough start in the hospital. #1-the scar tissue from the sleeve made my surgery more complicated and #2-they gave me too much pain medication in recovery and turned me into a zombie for more than 12 hours. So, I'm not sure I'm the best resource for immediate post-op recovery. I can tell you the difference between living with the sleeve vs the band. I have had much more effective restriction with the sleeve. I mean, I have pretty hard-stops when it comes to eating. Nothing painful, just "if I eat one more bite, I will regret it" kind of thing. Never really had that with the band. Not that I could eat full size portions or anything, it was just much more subtle.

I had my surgery on 1/28! No complications, 20 lbs since surgery and feeling good.

JessLess you are correct. I just pray for a better life for all. Comfortable and complication free.

I’m worried that I’m not being realistic about time off from work. I realize that it can’t be predicted because of possible complications and I can go on FMLA leave if something does happen. But I’m trying to get a handle on whether I’m going to need more than 10 days total before I go back to work. That’s what I have avail in paid time off. I have an office job, no heavy lifting, some walking around (which I think will be good for me). I’m a pretty tough cookie - not a wimp when it comes to pain or discomfort. I was back to work less than a week after laparoscopic gall bladder removal. Does that compare at all to how recover from bypass surgery might be?

I had my sleeve1/21/19. I have been working out since the 2nd day after surgery. Treadmill and stationary bike. I am 5 weeks out down 38lbs. I was 293 at Surgery, I am 255 today. Saw Surgeon Thursday he was ecstatic with my progress. Anyone who is negative about the process I just shut them out. Stalling for a little bit is normal. I did for a week. No complications at all. No nausea or vomiting either. THE EXERCISE SPEEDS UP THE WEIGHT LOSS!!! I am starting swimming today.

I am trying to stay positive... I just feel very beat down over the last 4 months for little "reward". I feel much less healthy than I did before. Sure, I'm a pants size down but whatever. I've missed over a month from work due to complications, and as soon as one resolves something new happens. It's just so discouraging. You never hear about the bad things that happen to people, only the positive things. Sent from my SM-G930R4 using BariatricPal mobile app

I wish I'd been told that if you get a leak in your stomach (which I did), that you'd most likely be in hospital for an extended time. That really hit me hard and I had no plans in place if that did happen. Disaster! I felt that the surgery really skipped over the topic... it was there, mentioned in the paperwork, but the reality of it is something else. Everyone, even though the chances of you getting a leak are very small, please make sure you do have a plan if it happens to you. I had to fly my mum out from the UK to take care of my kid (who has autism) for 3 months. Also, I didn't quite realise first time round that there is a honeymoon period with these surgeries. Make the most of them! Edit: Also, if you are self pay... make sure you know what the costs will be if you do end up in hospital with a leak. I WAS going to do self pay over here in the States and god only knows what that would have ended up costing. I don't know if my insurance would have covered it... I doubt it. When all was said and done, my Gastric Sleeve surgery with complications cost just under a million dollars. Had I been self pay, most likely our family would be bankrupt by now.

I’m a year and a half out. I never truly felt full until I got to soft/solids. I think I was told about 2 Oz for snacks and max 6 for meals. I measured everything until I developed complications because now I can barely eat liquids or solids so I eat whenever I can.

I’m a year and a half out. I never truly felt full until I got to soft/solids. I think I was told about 2 Oz for snacks and max 6 for meals. I measured everything until I developed complications because now I can barely eat liquids or solids so I eat whenever I can.

Me me me! Last year a friend of mine had a surgery, and everything went well, she lost so much weight without any complications. And I was so afraid that I didn't go to the appointment. I thought I'll give myself a chance to make it on my own. But I just couldnt stick to the plan and failed. I'm having surgery on the 1st of april. [emoji16][emoji120] Sent from my EML-L29 using BariatricPal mobile app

Be careful about going overseas for surgery. There was a member that went to a clinic in Eastern Europe recently and she seems to have had major complications. She was given no preop support, no counselling and no postop diet instructions. Cheaper is not always worth it.

I had Gastric bypass 3 weeks ago and I am soooo happy that I chose this one .. but everyone is different so no matter what surgery you decide to get you can have different symptoms from anyone .. the good thing about this surgery is that if people have complications later down the road then that person can get a reversible meaning they can operate again and put everything back to how it was .. Good luck on whatever you choose, you’ll do great !!!!!

How long have you been overweight? Have you attempted weight loss many times before and failed? If you haven't been overweight for long and haven't really attempted weight loss I would say yes impulsive. Nothing wrong with making up your mind quickly as to want you want, but do make sure your research and then research some more. Make sure you know exactly what you are up against, the risks, the complications, the failure rates, the pain, the stalls, possibly a life time of vitamin supplementation, what options you have for a revision if needed, what WLS is best for you and importantly, the benefits too.

Hi Pam, I will be 60 years old in March, had a revision from sleeve to bypass on February 17 due to GERD.. don't have much to report in terms of weight loss ...doctors' focus is for me to heal without complications and I am doing well... not much pain, went back to work within a week of surgery. I suggest you focus on being healthy and forget about the age.... just a number

I revised from band to bypass on 17/01/19. I have lost 7kg so far and am now back in the healthy weigh range. You don’t have to have a high BMI when you are revising because of complications. Im really happy with my decision so far

Hi I had a lap band in 2015 and had complications. My dr is advising I have it removed. I am looking at having a revision surgery to MGB in Tijuana with Dr. A. Lopez. My lap-band was done in the states. My worry is am I crazy for weighing in at 190 and considering a another weight loss surgery? I have gained 30lbs in the last 6 months. Is MGB too invasive? I don’t want to loose to much and look unhealthy. Please be open and honest. God Bless is all!

I am a sleeve. I have had no complication. I'm getting close to five years out. I'm sorry to hear about your struggles. Hope your Dr's get you healed and feeling better soon.

Due to insurance and scheduling issues, I had to wait 8 months before my surgery. This gave me a LOT of time to weigh the pros and cons, examine my motives, and get psychologically ready for the change. It is different from other surgeries - this is ELECTIVE. You are choosing to put yourself at risk. Like many others, I lost hundreds and hundreds of pounds on my own..... only to have it all come back, plus. After a life time of this, my metabolism was totally screwed up and the brain-stomach-hormone mechanism was also screwed up. I had no "stop button." I never felt full. I ate very healthy food, but could never stop once started. Meanwhile, I had given up, wheat, sugar, all artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors, alcohol, caffeine. I ate nothing fried, only healthy grains, my homegrown veggies/poultry/ and eggs. I maintained an active lifestyle with my garden and animals. One day, feeling afraid of the surgery, I suggested to my PCP that perhaps I should just try again to do it on my own. She very kindly told me, "If you could have done it on your own, you would have." She was right. I was just fooling myself, maybe thinking I was weak for not being able to do it on my own. But I came to the realization that my body would NEVER lose weight because of all the damage I had previously done. Weight Loss Surgery was the final tool I needed to bring my metabolism and hormone mechanisms back to a more normal baseline. I was still scared, even laying on the Pre-op bed, I was crying and told my surgeon I was just scared about making such a big decision for an elective procedure. He reassured me that none of his patients had ever come back to him and said they wished they had never done it. He was right. I am only 3 weeks post op. I did have a complication that has now been handled, and I can say that my life looks so different. I feel better already, having lost 31 pounds since beginning the pre-op diet. I am very, very glad, even at this early point, for having done the surgery. I think this is one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life. Preop, it is like you are looking up at a cloud layer that is obscuring the sun. All you see are shadows (doubts.) Afterwards, it is like you are flying above the clouds in the sunshine, looking down at the clouds that are now bright and white. It's all about the perspective of where you are, and you can never get above the cloud layer unless you bravely make the decision to go forward. That being said, you must be determined that you will do everything you can after surgery to be successful. No cheating, no compromise. Surgery is a tool - you still have to do your part. My best suggestion is to give up all addictions BEFORE surgery so you don't have to deal with them on top of the recovery. (Caffeine, sugar, simple carbs, processed foods, artificial anything, alcohol, and of course smoking.) Determine that these are lifestyle changes that you will never go back to. That is my slogan: "I'M NEVER GOING BACK!"

I was wondering what complications, if any, you had after surgery? I started having bad pain and nausea in my lower left abdomen, and they found it was diverticulitis. They think it is due to all of the protein shakes and after surgery diet/ pain meds causing constipation. I finally went back to work after being out for 2 weeks, and I started vomiting white foam, and I am back to feeling super nauseous and dizzy. Anyone else having these problems? Unfortunately with feeling so sick, I am not getting many calories and my dr said my body is in starvation mode, which is stalling the weight loss. I have to force myself to get up to 800 calories a day. Not fun...

My options were the sleeve or bypass, and the surgeon recommended a sleeve first. That was also my first choice, as I'm not really interested in doing a bypass to be quite honest. The sleeve is touted as safer and that it has less complications than the bypass, and nothing is 'off limits' on the sleeve as well, which appealed to me. I am the type of person that if you say 'no', then I immediately want to do the forbidden thing, lol. Mostly it came down to safety for me though, honestly. I admit that I have also heard of more 'horror' stories with the bypass also, so that helped to affect my choice. My surgeon did say that if I wasn't very successful on the sleeve though, in a year's time, she would very likely approve me for a revision to another kind of WLS. She said it wouldn't be bypass though.

It took you 6 months did you have complications or was it just a longer process for you Sent from my SM-S767VL using BariatricPal mobile app

Thank you for all the information Walter, but I did have the band removed a few years ago.. about 8 months after I had the procedure done. So it wouldn't be a revision or removal..but I'm still wondering if having had the lap band and having it removed due to no weight loss and complications might make a difference still in the requirements. I have a consultation Thursday so I guess I'll find out.