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I did not use this forum to decide which WL procedure to have. I attended a WL seminar and had a consult with the surgeon. That being said, have you done either of these two things? My only suggestion for you would be for you to have a bariatric consultation where your medical history and weight loss goals can be addressed. The WL seminar will give you the details of each surgery. The seminar I attended had a question and answer portion, and the surgeons patiently answered tons of questions from the attendees. Best.

I think that the sleeve would work just fine for you since you probably only have 60-70 pounds to lose to place you into the normal range. If you already have acid reflux issues or Gerd, those issues can be agitated or worsened by getting sleeved, however, and many people undergo a 2nd surgery to convert to GB because of this. If that is the case, you might be better off with GB instead. Other than that, see below: Gastric Sleeve vs Gastric Bypass Comparison of the Bariatric Surgery Procedures Comparing the various methods of weight loss surgery can help you determine which surgical approach is the best option for you. As weight loss surgery is only a tool to assist with weight loss, what works best for one individual is not necessarily what will work best for another individual. The following chart is a side-by-side comparison of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), also called gastric sleeve surgery, and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. The information is intended as a general overview of these two types of weight loss surgery to help you quickly compare the similarities and differences of these procedures. Weight Loss Procedure Gastric Sleeve Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Approach to Weight Loss Restriction Limits food ingestion Controls hunger sensations Restriction & Malabsorption Limits food ingestion Reduces food absorption Changes to Stomach Stomach size reduced 75-80% of the stomach is cut away along the greater curvature and removed from the body Stomach size reduced and new stomach outlet (stoma) created Stomach is separated into two and stoma is created in the smaller upper pouch; lower remaining portion of the stomach is bypassed Changes to Small Intestine Kept intact Cut and rerouted Small intestine is cut in the middle; upper section is bypassed and lower section is attached to the stoma Changes to Pyloric Valve Kept intact Bypassed Average Operating Time 1 to 3 hours 2 hours Average Hospital Stay 2 to 3 days 2 to 3 days Average Time off Work 2 weeks 2 to 3 weeks Average Recovery Time 3 weeks 3 months Surgery Advantages Safer and less complex procedure Limits food ingestion Reduces hunger sensations by removing the portion of the stomach that produces Ghrelin, the hunger hormone Digestion occurs naturally and does not cause nutritional deficiencies resulting from intestinal bypass Does not cause Dumping syndrome as the pyloric valve is kept intact Few problematic foods Option for high-risk patients (very high BMI or medical issues such as anemia, Crohn?s disease, anti-inflammatory drug use, or extensive prior surgery) Greatly controls amount of food that can be eaten Malabsorption assists with weight loss Dumping syndrome prevents intake of sweets Considered gold standard for bariatric surgery based on long-term use and results Surgery Disadvantages General surgical risks including infection, bleeding, and blood clots Leakage along the stomach sutured/stapled edge Not reversible Lack of long-term data Considered investigational and not covered by some insurance companies General surgical risks including infection, bleeding, and blood clots Complex operation Leakage along the staple line of the stomach Stoma obstruction Nutritional deficiencies Gallstones, ulcers, reflux, and bowel obstruction Dumping syndrome Causes Dumping Syndrome No Yes Dietary Guidelines 600-800 calories per day, during weight loss period 1000-1200 calories per day for weight maintenance Meals should consist of high-protein, low-carbohydrate and low-fat foods Drink 6-8 cups of water or other low-calorie liquids per day 800 calories per day during weight loss period 1000-1200 calories per day for weight maintenance Meals should focus on protein-rich foods and nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables Drink 6-8 cups of water or other low-calorie liquids per day Chew foods thoroughly into a pureed consistency Eating Habits Eat five small healthy meals each day Do not eat and drink at same time Do not overeat, skip meals, or snack between meals Eat three small protein-rich meals each day Do not eat and drink at same time Chew foods into a pureed consistency Do not overeat, skip meals, or snack between meals Problematic Foods Not many problematic food as the stomach continues to function normally, but high-calorie and high-fat foods and drinks must be avoided and daily calories limited for weight loss to occur Foods that are dry, sticky, or fibrous can cause discomfort or blockage, including tough meat, bread, pasta, rice, raw vegetables, nuts, popcorn, and skins of fruits and vegetables, and chewing gum Sweets can cause Dumping syndrome Carbonated beverages can cause bloating High-calorie, high-sugar, high-fat foods and beverages will ruin weight loss efforts Nutritional Supplements Multivitamin Calcium Vitamin B12 Multivitamin Calcium Vitamin B12 Iron Average Weight Loss Studies show greater than 60% excess weight loss at 12 months after surgery and a maintained excess weight loss of 53-69% at 5 year follow-up.(1) Rapid weight loss during first 6 months Weight loss settles 18 to 24 months after surgery 70% excess weight loss at 1 year 60% excess weight loss at 5 years

I have been on lisinopril myself, not a bad med at all. Don't stress, that won't do you any good. Relax, it sounds as though you have a,pretty good cardiologist who's right on top of things. Only cardiac anomaly my cardio and I are watching now is I have a slightly dialated aortic root but since it's still within normal range she cleared me for my bariatric surgery. My cardiologist is absolutely wonderful, I would recommend her to anyone. I was fearful as there are heart issues running in my family, I've been through ultrasounds, stress tests and even heart caths and so far (at 72) I am doing very well. I am praying your issues straighten out, I believe they will . Let's get you straightened up,so you can join me this spring or summer in surgery! You are going to get better, now smile and relax because things are getting set right.[emoji14][emoji14]I am always here for you, Okay? Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

As a bariatric dietitian and the Dietitian for Tropical smoothie, I must chime in that it is NOT recommended that people who had surgery (LAP band or bypass or sleeve) to be drinking fruit based smoothies, even sweetend with Splenda. Following a fill, I advise my patients to choose high Protein drinks that have “double digit” levels of protein (> 10 gms per serving) and a “single digit” level of total carbohydrate (<9 gms total carbs per serving). Tropical Smoothie Cafe produces fruit based smoothies that are are made with natural fruit, fruit juice and/or yogurt. These have naturally occurring carbohydrate/sugar and possibly added turbinado sugar. When a customer gets a smoothie with Splenda, they save the calories and carbs from the added turbinado sugar but there is no way of replacing the sugar in fruit or yogurt. If For surgery patients, it is not recommended to have natural fruit smoothies. Tropical Smoothie is aware of this and seeks to provide healthy options for all of their clientele. They are currently working on a high protein, low carb smoothie that would fit the needs of someone who had weight loss surgery.

I've heard that with any surgery it is natural to go into a depression afterwards. Doubly so if you have had bariatric surgery, I would imagine, because it involves such a major lifestyle change. Not to mention that anesthesia can cause you to feel down for several days too! I am pre-op still, but am keeping an eye out for depression after surgery, especially since I went into such a downward spiral after my gallbladder surgery last year. It amazes me that none of my doctors, not even my therapist, told me that this was normal! I had to read it in a WLS book. Hang in there, it will pass. If you're not feeling better in a month or so, talk to your doctor please. Sending you hugs and prayers <3

How do you like your band? Tight? Tighter? Tightest? MORE, MORE, MORE Americans love MORE: more of anything and everything. More food, more fun, and (for some of us) more fill in our bands. But striving for maximum fill in the effort to achieve maximum weight loss can be a terrible mistake. Fat folks become obese enough to qualify for bariatric surgery because we’ve been eating more, more, more, so it’s not surprising that bandsters long for more, more, more fill. The tighter the band, the better, right? Wrong. Here’s why: tighter doesn’t automatically yield more weight loss. It can cause eating problems, side effects and complications that none of us want. It can compromise our quality of life. It can make us miserable when all we hope for from bariatric surgery is a better life. You’re not impressed by all that? You’re willing to risk everything in the pursuit of skinny? Then try this on for size. A tight band doesn’t guarantee weight loss. Just the opposite: it can stall your weight loss or even make you gain weight. Do I have your full attention now? Good. Listen up and I’ll explain why tighter isn’t always better. THE RESTRICTION FALLACY Traditionally, the adjustable gastric band has been considered a “restrictive” weight loss surgery. Bandsters were taught to look for signs of restriction: the proofs that their bands were working. Instead of paying attention to her own eating behavior and lifestyle, the bandster waited impatiently for the flashing signs, ringing bells and slamming doors that would stop her from overeating. The idea was that the small upper stomach pouch would “restrict” food intake and result in weight loss. Sound familiar? That was well-intentioned thinking, but it was wrong. In the past 5 or so years, band manufacturers and bariatric surgeons have come to believe that it’s a mistake to eat and eat until you set off your band’s emergency warning system, for the reasons mentioned above. Unfortunately, the re-education process is slow going, and in the meantime, the restriction fallacy lives on. Even now, approximately every third word out of a bandster’s mouth is “restriction”. It’s a catch-all term for the feelings that limit how much a bandster eats. Post-op band life tends to become a quest for enough fills to reach the Holy Land of Restriction. Next stop: Skinnyland. Or not. HAZARD AHEAD! THE DANGERS OF SOFT CALORIE SYNDROME Soft Calorie Syndrome is one of the least publicized dangers of a band that’s too tight. Psychologists would call it a maladaptive behavior, that is: a nonproductive behavior that prevents you from adapting to situations, or changes in yourself or your environment, in a healthy way. It can begin as an attempt to deal with or avoid an unpleasant experience but it does not solve the original problem and eventually becomes dysfunctional. You can read more about maladaptive eating behaviors by clicking here: http://www.bariatricpal.com/page/articles.html/_/healthy-living/is-your-eating-maladaptive-r50 A bandster experiencing Soft Calorie Syndrome is responding to the unpleasant experience of eating with a band that’s too tight by eating the soft and liquid calories that slide most easily past their gatekeeper band. Instead of eating the healthy and solid foods (like dense animal protein, veggies, fruits) that provide the most satiety (both early and prolonged), that person favors easy-to-eat food that’s often junky and high in calories (for example: potato chips, ice cream, milkshakes). Even healthy foods( like yogurt, cottage cheese and, fat-free/sugar-free pudding) can fall into the soft calorie category, and they don’t provide any better satiety than the junky stuff. The net result is that you end up consuming more calories than you need because the soft stuff doesn’t provide enough early and prolonged satiety. And the result of that is a weight loss plateau, or even weight gain. I discovered the perils of Soft Calorie Syndrome for myself when I traveled to New York City to attend a trade show when I was about 8 months post-op. I had gotten a fill the day before I left, and by the time I got to New York I had realized that my band was too tight for me to tolerate. I couldn’t eat any solid food, so I spent the next 3 days eating soft, high-calorie, low-satiety foods like creamy soups, milkshakes, and ice cream. I was just trying to survive long enough to go home and get an unfill. My maladaptive eating behavior achieved a temporary goal (comfortable survival) while sabotaging my long term goal of losing weight. In fact, I gained weight during that trip and ended up feeling disappointed in myself. I promised myself no more fills on Fridays and no more fills the day before a business trip. I called my surgeon’s every time I suspected my band was too tight and found that even tiny unfills could make all the difference in my quality of life as well as my weight loss. I know I’m not the only person who’s discovered the perils of Soft Calorie Syndrome. I also know that you’re not alone in believing that more fill is better and that unfills will slow or stall your weight loss. A few months ago I talked about this with a smart and successful bandster named Denise. When her surgeon reacted to her too-tight band by suggesting an unfill of .5 cc, her dazed and frightened face made him reassure her that she could start being re-filled in a month. The month ahead scared her, but she agreed to the unfill, and discovered that rather than returning her to Bandster Hell, it had restored sanity to her eating life. She said, “I was able to eat again. Solids went down easily. Bread was on my menu. Meals lasted me several hours. I didn’t snack because I was able to eat enough to keep me satisfied.” When Denise went back to her surgeon a month later, he was delighted her hear her say that she didn’t even need a re-fill. She told him, “I can eat anything, but I’m not eating everything.” And that, my friends, is what healthy eating is all about.

Charles - if you do some browsing on this site, you'll find plenty of people that have had problems with their bands or found out it's not for them. This isn't a band cheerleading site by no means. Go look at the "struggling" lap-band area and read up if you want to see some people that haven't had a smooth ride. I myself had my port flip on me after surgery. I had to have it corrected before I could get a fill. It was an unforseen complication, but something that had to be delt with before I could move on. I've found the GP (general practitioners) really don't know that much about lap band also. Most doctors, that aren't in the bariatric field, aren't educated about the band. They also get paid for prescription medications - so I don't put 100% of my faith in staying on medications all of your life because your doctor says you are responding to them. Why not be healthy enough not to have to take them at all? My OBGYN, two family friends are included in that number. However, since I've gone back to them for checkups (both GP and OBGYN) and having lost 50 pounds since seeing them last - they are happy and are asking me questions about the band.

Hey lady! Here's what I would look for as far as a total body lift (actually IS what I've considered): ~FACS Only... IMO... When it comes to something like skin removal, I will only choose the very best. I don't care about the cost, and if that means I have to wait a little longer to save up and have it done, that's what I will do! ~Who does the Surgeon majority patients come from? Is he/she extremely proficient with skin removal of bariatric or extreme weight loss patients? ~Judge by the Befores and Afters. If they provide a lot you will usually find they do an excellent job. They have many positive photos to share. ~Once you narrow the Surgeons down, ask if you can get in touch with a former client. Ask them a lot of questions. on demeanor and technique. It depends what you prefer. I always prefer surgeons with moderate to good beside manner. Things I'm not sure you've thought of: ~Little things such as working out and staying well hydrated will help a lot with skin. It is best to wait up to 2 years post GOAL WEIGHT before attempting skin removal. Giving our skin as much time as possible to retract will ultimately help with the results. ~I will be using Dr. Katzen out of Los Angeles California. He is known all across the United States as one of the premier skin removal post extreme weight loss surgeons at this time. I believe there is one out of Texas which is much closer to you, though I can't think of his name at the moment. ~All the very best to you! You're doing fabulous, and you've been through a lot and for that I offer you big (((hugs)))!!! You deserve the very best!

Keep in mind I'm 2.5 years out and have been in maintenance for 1 year. I drink with meals. I don't follow the 30-minute rule. I've never consumed the recommended 64 ounces of water a day. On most days I'm lucky to down one 16-ounce bottle of water. Too much water sends me to the toilet every 15 minutes. I'm a snacker. My favorite snacks are peanuts, string cheese, turkey sausage, and fruit. Snacking is discouraged in the realm of bariatric surgery. I don't chew my food 20 times before swallowing.

Mine are called "fusion". I bought them from my surgeon. They have their on nutrition store called Envision nutricenter. NC Bariatric Specialists

MORE, MORE, MORE Americans love MORE: more of anything and everything. More food, more fun, and (for some of us) more fill in our bands. But striving for maximum fill in the effort to achieve maximum weight loss can be a terrible mistake. Fat folks become obese enough to qualify for bariatric surgery because we’ve been eating more, more, more, so it’s not surprising that bandsters long for more, more, more fill. The tighter the band, the better, right? Wrong. Here’s why: tighter doesn’t automatically yield more weight loss. It can cause eating problems, side effects and complications that none of us want. It can compromise our quality of life. It can make us miserable when all we hope for from bariatric surgery is a better life. You’re not impressed by all that? You’re willing to risk everything in the pursuit of skinny? Then try this on for size. A tight band doesn’t guarantee weight loss. Just the opposite: it can stall your weight loss or even make you gain weight. Do I have your full attention now? Good. Listen up and I’ll explain why tighter isn’t always better. THE RESTRICTION FALLACY Traditionally, the adjustable gastric band has been considered a “restrictive” weight loss surgery. Bandsters were taught to look for signs of restriction: the proofs that their bands were working. Instead of paying attention to her own eating behavior and lifestyle, the bandster waited impatiently for the flashing signs, ringing bells and slamming doors that would stop her from overeating. The idea was that the small upper stomach pouch would “restrict” food intake and result in weight loss. Sound familiar? That was well-intentioned thinking, but it was wrong. In the past 5 or so years, band manufacturers and bariatric surgeons have come to believe that it’s a mistake to eat and eat until you set off your band’s emergency warning system, for the reasons mentioned above. Unfortunately, the re-education process is slow going, and in the meantime, the restriction fallacy lives on. Even now, approximately every third word out of a bandster’s mouth is “restriction”. It’s a catch-all term for the feelings that limit how much a bandster eats. Post-op band life tends to become a quest for enough fills to reach the Holy Land of Restriction. Next stop: Skinnyland. Or not. HAZARD AHEAD! THE DANGERS OF SOFT CALORIE SYNDROME Soft Calorie Syndrome is one of the least publicized dangers of a band that’s too tight. Psychologists would call it a maladaptive behavior, that is: a nonproductive behavior that prevents you from adapting to situations, or changes in yourself or your environment, in a healthy way. It can begin as an attempt to deal with or avoid an unpleasant experience but it does not solve the original problem and eventually becomes dysfunctional. You can read more about maladaptive eating behaviors by clicking here: http://www.bariatricpal.com/page/articles.html/_/healthy-living/is-your-eating-maladaptive-r50 A bandster experiencing Soft Calorie Syndrome is responding to the unpleasant experience of eating with a band that’s too tight by eating the soft and liquid calories that slide most easily past their gatekeeper band. Instead of eating the healthy and solid foods (like dense animal protein, veggies, fruits) that provide the most satiety (both early and prolonged), that person favors easy-to-eat food that’s often junky and high in calories (for example: potato chips, ice cream, milkshakes). Even healthy foods( like yogurt, cottage cheese and, fat-free/sugar-free pudding) can fall into the soft calorie category, and they don’t provide any better satiety than the junky stuff. The net result is that you end up consuming more calories than you need because the soft stuff doesn’t provide enough early and prolonged satiety. And the result of that is a weight loss plateau, or even weight gain. I discovered the perils of Soft Calorie Syndrome for myself when I traveled to New York City to attend a trade show when I was about 8 months post-op. I had gotten a fill the day before I left, and by the time I got to New York I had realized that my band was too tight for me to tolerate. I couldn’t eat any solid food, so I spent the next 3 days eating soft, high-calorie, low-satiety foods like creamy soups, milkshakes, and ice cream. I was just trying to survive long enough to go home and get an unfill. My maladaptive eating behavior achieved a temporary goal (comfortable survival) while sabotaging my long term goal of losing weight. In fact, I gained weight during that trip and ended up feeling disappointed in myself. I promised myself no more fills on Fridays and no more fills the day before a business trip. I called my surgeon’s every time I suspected my band was too tight and found that even tiny unfills could make all the difference in my quality of life as well as my weight loss. I know I’m not the only person who’s discovered the perils of Soft Calorie Syndrome. I also know that you’re not alone in believing that more fill is better and that unfills will slow or stall your weight loss. A few months ago I talked about this with a smart and successful bandster named Denise. When her surgeon reacted to her too-tight band by suggesting an unfill of .5 cc, her dazed and frightened face made him reassure her that she could start being re-filled in a month. The month ahead scared her, but she agreed to the unfill, and discovered that rather than returning her to Bandster Hell, it had restored sanity to her eating life. She said, “I was able to eat again. Solids went down easily. Bread was on my menu. Meals lasted me several hours. I didn’t snack because I was able to eat enough to keep me satisfied.” When Denise went back to her surgeon a month later, he was delighted her hear her say that she didn’t even need a re-fill. She told him, “I can eat anything, but I’m not eating everything.” And that, my friends, is what healthy eating is all about.

There are several couples in the local Bariatric Support group that I attend. Most of the couples are one who has had wls with their spouse going to the groups to support them. Maybe attending a local support group with you might help your spouse to better understand your weight loss journey.

Remember that when the Molina Bariatric nurse starts callin for monthly phone check ins, to be honest, but also positive, proactive, and realistic in expectations. They like that kinda thing.

Hi, Back after a few years but had RNY surgery in 6/09 and things had been fairly normal up until about a year ago when I started having bad fatigue, headaches and low grade fevers. Also ever since my RNY surgery have had chronic constipation due to my Iron supplements. In November I began having stomach pains. I went to my primary and to my bariatric group and was found to be somewhat low in iron but nothing too bad and they did an abdominal x-ray and found me to be full of stool. Due to the fatigue and headaches also saw eye doctor, ENT, pulmonologist, neurologist, allerigst, rheumatologist, hematologist, who gave me some iron fusions to see if they would help which they did not and then had a CT scan done of my abdominal region which showed a lesion on my liver and some cysts on my kidneys but they were not too concerned about those. Referred me to the gastroenterologist due to the fact I was 53 and still had not had my colonoscopy yet. The gastro people looked over my blood work and CT scan and ordered more scans of the liver to make sure it wasn't cancerous before they did my colonoscopy and also are going to do an endoscopy. They put me on a Fiber drink and two colace a day in order to help with the constipation. I still have two weeks until they do the colonoscopy/endoscopy but my stomach pains have gotten worse. It feels like a burning sensation in my upper abdomen and I'm trying to prepare myself for whatever I have to face but not sure if it's RNY related, possibly some type of marginal ulcer or maybe something polyp related once they do my scope. I still get pain in my upper right side but my gallbladder was clear and so I don't know what is going on. Anyone have anything similar that they could share with me who has had their bypass for a couple of years now? Thanks in advance for your help! .

My Endo prescribes calcium To me since I had thyroid cancer nearly a year after RNY. You could try the Bariatric chews.

I pushed "post" too quickly!! Sorry!! At Bariatric Advantage I am on the auto ship plan....they send it automatically however often I specify, and therefore I get free shipping. There are 60 chews in each bag, and I take 4 per day. (1000 mg total) I have them send 2 bags at 9.99 monthly. So it costs me $20 per month.

I'll second the "fuzzy navel" flavor!! I use skim milk & chipped ice, it comes out pretty darn tasty. Their vanilla, chocolate are just too sickly sweet for my taste, but almost every brand I've tried is too sweet for me. I ordered the "grab and go" box from Bariatric Choice.com for $20.99 - there's 12 of one flavor in a box. I tried the Capuccino also & you know, that's a creamy almost latte in the morning and it's helped me knick the coffee jonesing.

So I went for my 1 year surgery follow up yesterday and I am happy to say that my surgeon and bariatric nurse are both thrilled with my progress! Blood work is on point! My Protein, sugars, D's and B's are perfection! Iron is a bit low but we knew that already! I've still got 50 or so to go but I'll get there!! Thanks to my surgeon Jason Radecke for being the best fairy-god father a girl could ask for! ♡♡♡ Down a little over 70 lbs. I am a slow loser and I am not complaining! Here is to another fantastic year and best of luck to all the 2016 September Sleevers!!

Well I can't say a word until the very end. I was off of work for almost 11 months. I broke my foot and have nerve damage. Also had surgery to repair my clavicle bone...Yes I know, I'm a hot mess!!!. My injury didn't happen at work. But I was lucky enough to keep my job. I guess things happen for a reason. I was not looking into having bariatric surgery....But the more I was home, the more I gained weight, and the more depressing it became for me.

The old policy didn’t include bariatrics at all.

have you purchased the bariatrix from western bariatric in reno nv? i think it is a great product, however, very expensive. what is the breakdown of protein for the product from GNC?

You are not alone. I wish I would have known about you Sadler, the support meetings are great and they are a public forum so they are open for anyone. Last night at the meeting Dr Metz sat in along with the Bariatric center staff. We talked about how they are doing the meetings together so that our support for each other will not change. The next one is closer to the end of Feb. You should really come and meet up. I had gone in for my three months check when I was told that he had left. I was confused on what kind of care I would be given and why exactly he left then in the Nov meeting he came in to talk to us. Because of some things that Dr Metz discovered during surgery, I have decided, just yesterday actually, to move over to his practice to continue my care. I really enjoyed the staff, but I really felt comfortable with Dr Metz as a surgeon. It was a disheartening change and I believe it wasn't done for the good of the patient, just for the company. I hope that you will come a enjoy the support of the group, it is amazing how 30+ people who have ask gone through the same things in one room can be comforting, knowledgeable, and inspiring. Hope to hear from you soon!

I used this chart to help me space them correctly. Down the page a bit is a place to click for the PDF you can print. Now all I need is a timer so I can remember. I use Bariatric Advantage. BariatricEating.com Health & Nutrition - The Bariatric Eating Plan

You referred to your bariatric surgery binder...I was wondering if this is something the dr's office gave you and if so, when did they give it to you?

I'm from Aurora, Co. I was sleeved on August 7, 2012. Down around 97 lbs. I went through the Bariatric center of Colorado in Parker. So happy I did it as well!