Search the Community

I have gained and lost weight for the past 25 years. I tried it all: Diet pills, HCG, weight watchers, Nutrisystem, you name it I tried it. Last year I decided I wanted to check into the lapband after a friend had success with it. Went to a seminar in June 2012 and made my decision 2 weeks later. My insurance did not cover the surgery so I went through True Results. They had me checked for a hiatal hernia which was covered by insurance and I paid just for the lapband. I started my preop diet for 2 weeks and lost 6 lbs. I was banded with plication on August 13, 2012 weighing 199 lbs. At my 2 week preop visit I had only lost 7 lbs. I had my my first fill in October and a second fill in November before Thanksgiving. Not really any restriction from those two fills. Around the first of January 2013 I started having really bad stomach pains. I would throw up every time I ate dense Protein. Anytime I hate the pain was horrible. I called my surgeons office and the response I got was "if it hurts that bad go to the ER." Well that really pissed me off. I finally got in to see the surgeon who checked me through fluoroscope X-ray. Everything in place. Mind you I didn't get to talk to him in an exam room. There was about 8 people on the other side of the door who heard everything we were saying. He said my body was most likely rejecting the band. He said we could remove it and do the sleeve. And it could be done in one surgery. Then he asked if I was using insurance. When I stated I was going to try since I was having complications, he then states we needed to do it in 2 surgeries. That raised a HUGE red flag with me. When I went to check out his insurance coordinator whispered to me to get a second opinion! That was really worrisome. And the fact that I had only lost a total of 22lbs bothered me greatly. So I went to see my PCP and she recommended a surgeon who she had worked with for a long time. I called their office and explained my problem. They told me there was $900 assumption fee the surgeon charges. I was willing to pay it. At that time we did not set up any appointments. Imagine my surprise when I got a call early the next morning from their office. The surgeon wanted to see me and he was waiving the fee! I went in the following week on February 19th and was so glad I did. I absolutely loved the staff, nurses and surgeon. I had a long talk with him and explained all my problems. He was very sympathetic and made me feel at ease. After my talk with him I met with his nurse/scheduler and we scheduled my nutrition&education class, pre-op visits, surgery and post op visit. The nutrition&education class was 5 hours long and was very informative. Never had that with my lapband surgery. We got a binder full of information and samples of Vitamins, Protein drinks. I did a one week preop diet and had my revision on March 7th. The hospital and nurses were wonderful. The rooms looked more like hotel rooms with a hospital bed. Everything went well. I was up walking the halls that evening. I had my barium swallow the next morning and had no leaks. Got down my 8 oz of Fluid and was out of the hospital by 12:15. So here I am 12 days post op and wish I would have gotten the sleeve to begin with and asked my PCP's advice on surgeons. I have my 2 week follow up tomorrow. If anyone has any reservations about the sleeve, don't. I can't tell you how great it feels not to have stomach pains, not to throw up not to mention having a wonderful surgeon who cares about his patients. If you have reservations about your current surgeon and don't feel you are getting the care you need, seek out another one. Had I went with the first surgeon again I think I would have been very unhappy. He is in it for the money and nothing else. Something else my current surgeon said was that he doesn't do lapbands anymore unless that was all the patients insurance would pay for. And that he has seen so many removals due to complications in the past year. So if I would have saw him first I would have never had the lapband, would have had only 1 sugery and I would be at goal now. I am a self pay for the revision to sleeve and believe me it was worth every dollar.

Apperantly what I am experiencing is normal when being filled to unfilled for about a week or so afterwards. Crazy that I felt better with my band filled!

Hi Cheri, Your post brings back memories. I was very afraid to have Band to RnY revision before I had it done. Your story is a bit different than mine in that you are only 60 lbs from goal. I was much heavier, which is why it was probably an easier decision for me. That being said, my experience with RnY has been so much better than it ever was with the band. It's hard to believe that a procedure that is so much more invasive has had WAY less complications than the lapband. I am 6 months post op and have had ZERO complications. My 6 month bloodwork just came back and everything is in the normal range. I no longer take Prilosec or Get "stuck". I no longer cough at night and am able to sleep through till morning. The best part...I can actually eat healthy! Vegetables, Steak, chicken, Fruit, etc all go down. I don't need sour cream or condiments to get em down! Here's the deal. In my opinion, the lapband is a quick and simple surgery with a ton of bad side effects and post op complications. RnY is a more complicated surgery, but after the initial healing period (2-4 weeks), things get WAY easier. One word of caution...RnY still requires a ton of effort to lose weight. It is much easier to eat with RnY than the lapband. Like the lapband, gaining weight is possible if you eat the wrong things. The difference with RnY is that healthy foods actually go down (after a few months of healing).

Okay...I want to push you like Elaine from Seinfeld! I have a 1 week liquid diet.

Yes, I think maybe I'm not eating enough. I mean I'm only a week out and I keep thinking "did I actually have surgery" lol.

I created my own combining the info./templates of the 3 hospital seminars I attended, and had it approved by the insurance expert at my surgeon's office (below- I condensed the lines/format). I was told insurance wants to see monthly goals for both weight (I was told not to gain, but not to lose much either, I'm on a step down calorie program) and exercise every month (as important as the weight), the Dr. visits must not be about anything other than this (that's how they code the visit for insurance-so don't combine it with a sick visit-someone on LBT was denied for it being a sick visit just one month.), and they also want to see some form of education is going on. I told my PCP I could initiate the topics (ie. last month I took in a family history list of all the obesity related issues in my family history-actually an eye-opener for me when I put it all down), we spent some time discussing it and my PCP educated me about them and she made notes in the Education section (this month I've prepared questions for my surgeon consult which is coming up). I attached my list to that month's visit. I fill out my self-assesment of how I did on last month's goals, the Dr. fills out the rest. Hopefully this will do it! Good luck! DIET & EXERCISE PLAN FOR PATIENT: ________________________________DOB______________ Visit #: __________ Date: ______________ Current Weight lbs.: __________ - GOALS ACHIEVED FROM _____/_____/_____ : - Patient Self Assessment: Nutrition: __________________________________ Exercise: ___________________________________ Sleep: _____________________________________ Accountability: ______________________________ - GOALS FOR NEXT MONTH: Nutrition: Pt. to Follow ____________ Calorie Diet Fluid: No Caffeine, No Carbonation, No Calories, Between meals only Quality: Emphasize Protein, Low Sugar, Low Fat Regularity: 3 meals per day, Eat every 4-5 Hours, No grazing, Slow meal down to 20-30 min. [*]Exercise: Pt. to Exercise at least ______________ Min. per Week [*]sleep [*] Pt. to Achieve 7-9 Hours per Night [*]Accountability: Keep Food/Activity/Sleep Log Support Education Stress Reduction - COMMENTS ON PATIENT’S PROGRESS: _____________________________________________ - OBESITY HEALTH EDUCATION/GOALS-Post surgery, behavior changes, history, comorbidities, etc.:___________________________________________ MD Signature _______________________________________________

I have been banded for two months, had one fill about 5 weeks ago. I'm finding that recently I'm having trouble eating any kind of fairly solid meat, chicken, pork, hamburger. Even taking the tiniest of bites feels like it's getting stuck. the only meat that seems to go down is thinly sliced deli meat or tunafish with a lot of mayo. any suggestions?

Some surgeons will do them 2 weeks apart. Will you be somewhere that you can get an unfill if needed? I'd postpone until after the trip, but that is just me. I like to be close to my surgeon for a bit after a fill, just in case.

And went from a size 3x to a size XL. At ten weeks now, my size 14's are hanging. It's been a size every ten days. The thrift shoppe has been very kind to me. I attribute my success to meticulous documentation of my intake on an excel sheet, so I can see my patterns and match them to my progress.

I did exactly the same thing almost 3 yrs ago. I ate just like preband for almost 5 mths (after my 4 weeks liquids) after being banded. I could still eat a large Quiznos sandwich, a bowl of broccoli cheese Soup and still have room for Cookies. After my 3rd fill, the magic started happening. I could barely eat 1/4 of s small Quiznos sandwich! The lbs started melting off. I really didn't even try all that hard. I ate the same things - just much less. Good luck to you! Marci

So I go for followups at my doctors office and im loosing about a pound a week. We are given a calorie equation and if the foods you eat arent under a certain amount they are considered "bad foods" I have calculated all sorts of nuts and they calculate as "unhealthy" I guess due to fat content? Does anyone else eat nuts? What kinds? This.is fairly sad to me since nuts have been a staple for me...and keep me full a little till I can reach actual food

I had surgery 9/19. Close to six weeks post op..lost 39 lbs incl pre op diet. I worry about meeting someone in the future and having loose skin and being embarrassed to become intimate. I don't know how I will look when the weight really starts to drop but I am a bit worried about that.

It's a 6 week program. So the 1st & 2nd weeks I do 2 meals (mostly salads with protein) & 1 protein shake. 3rd & 4th weeks I do 1 meal & 2 protein shakes. Then for the 4th & 5th week it's all protein shakes. So far I have been able to get in 100 grams of protein a day. It might not be a lot of food but I do get full now.

You should not eat. No fruit, no veggies. If you are hungry and it is in between eating times then stay hungry. Drink water, but don't eat. it is a bad habit. It could potentially get worse. And fruit is nothing but sugar. You shouldn't eat it at all. Sorry I am being a bit bossy today But I am tired of people struggling and a lot of the people who are one, two, three years out disappear from the board. So I am 1.5 years out, and I am going to keep it real. I am hungry. I mean I just ate a whole chicken breast, and I can feel it digesting and can feel some hunger pangs coming. It is not easy.

I started my pre op June 7th and had my surgery June 21st.. I'm down 26 pounds.. But I think Im already having my first stall. Its bugging the crap out of me.

I was extremely fortunate Aquameliza, I expected so much more difficulty and breezed through, I started my process early to middle part of December and was banded last week! Some people have to wait months! Good luck on your journey..

I was self-pay, but my husband saw the surgeon pre-op, insurance approved the next day and he had surgery two weeks later. The only test he had was a chest xray and some blood work.

After my RNY gastric bypass surgery, I was on full liquids for the first 4 weeks, pureed foods for the next four weeks and then only after week 9 was I transitioned to solid food. Your stomach needs time to heal. The transition to solids can be rough. There is no need to rush it.

I hit 3 months post yesterday. So far I'm pretty happy with the results. I haven't had any stalls. At least none that I know of.. I don't weigh every week. I'm eating regular foods. I can pretty much eat anything. However, I can't each much of it. I'm usually full after about 4 bites. One thing I want to mention is that i have been breaking out in itchy rashes. On my legs, neck, thigh. At first I thought it was an allergic reaction, but now I think it has something to do with the fact that I'm not getting all the Vitamins needed for my body. I no longer drink Protein shakes. And even though I try to eat pretty healthy, I still don't think I'm meeting my nutritional needs. I'll ask my doctor about it at my next appt

I've been off the grid here for a couple weeks with work and bad weather and family here from out of town..but...wanted to check in. Today I weighed in @243. I was sleeved on December 20th and my beginning weight was 302. I feel good..normal I dare say. I've hit two stalls so far and its really a mystery to me why having a treat and stopping the hardcore workouts has got me out of both of them. But...59 lbs in 3 mos and went from size 22/2x shirts down to 16/L shirts.I'm happy with that. This Saturday I'm doing the 5k color run...HUGE deal for me as since having this survey is the first time in my life I've ever been able to run a mile..(I got emotional and goosbumps the first time I made it..lol). So..its bedtime...let me know how you guys are doing;-)

I used MOM and it was fine for the first week, but I found it to be 'unpredictable' after that time, ie I urgently had to use the bathroom on a couple of occasions (no accidents thankfully though).

Within 2 weeks unless you don't follow doctor's advice. tmf

I too cannot wait to get under 200. I seem to have stalled once I hit 205. I know that I'll get there, but it seems like my body like "no way, I've been over 200 for years and you want me to be under that number."....I know it'll get there and I'm hoping my new workout routine makes it much SOONER rather than later. Stalls happen on the scale and they suck. Very thankful for the weight I have lost so far.

I would just take it when you get it. I was the exact same as you. 2 week pre-op ... I didn't put anything but water in me the day before to ensure I was cleared out. I was. Even being on just liquids now, your body is still extracting the nutrients out leaving solids in your tract. The longer it stays in there, the more moisture is removed and the harder it will get. Do yourself a favor. Just take some. It won't hurt you. BTW, your whole digestive system is a little confused right now. It is going to fluctuate between constipation and explosive diarhea. MOM balanced things out for me.

48 pounds gone forever.