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I've had my lapband 12 years and about 5 years ago I was getting really bad heartburn, but I was already taking prescription Omeprazole. By accident I found out I have Barrett's Esophagus caused by the lapband. Apparently the tightness of it causes acids to change the lining of your esophagus. Well, I had all the Fluid removed from the band and the heartburn got somewhat better. I had a repeat EGD done this past summer and I still have the Barret's, but it hasnt gotten any worse. My gastro said the lapband has to come out. I havent seen my bariatric doctor in a while but I plan to see him soon. I was wondering if anyone had the band removed because of Barrett's, and if they had another type of weight loss surgery and how it is working. I've almost gained all my weight back after having all the fluid removed.

I attend the OAC's Your Weight Matters National Convention every year. It's an awesome convention that offers top-notch education for those that have had or are interested in weight loss surgery. I encourage all of our members to join me in 2018! Here are some of the sessions that I thought stood out from the rest of the available sessions: YWM2017: Understanding Your Body's Response to Exercise and Hunger YWM2017: Point/Counterpoint: Which Impacts Weight Gain More - Genes or Environment? YWM2017: Living Nutritiously - Making the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice YWM2017: Point/Counterpoint - Are All Calories Created Equal? YWM2017: I Lost Weight, Now How Do I Keep it off? YWM2017 Event Welcome - The Power of Coming Together: The Harm of Accepting Weight Bias YWM2017: Looking at Your Nutritional Needs after Bariatric Surgery YWM2017: Sweet Dreams - The Relationship between sleep Health and Your Weight YWM2017: How to Turn Struggles into Your Greatest Strengths YWM2017: The Secret Life of Pets and Human Obesity YWM2017: Transforming Your Lifestyle - Building Healthy Behaviors YWM2017: What's Preventing Your Weight Management Progress? YWM2017: Doc vs. Surgeon - Deciding the Best Treatment Approach for Patients

Haven't been here for awhile, but since Im at my 4 year surgiversary I thought I'd check in. 80% of this post is completely plagiarized from last year's update but it gives a good recap of all 4 years.... Year 1 - the year of losing all of my excess weight (100 pounds), dozens of NSVs, and a new wardrobe. By far, the most exciting year. Even the month of liquids, 6 weeks of diarrhea and 2 insanely painful gallbladder attacks couldn't put a dent in my enthusiasm. It was all so new and fun and easy. Life was great and I was invincible! Year 2 - the year of finding out life still sucks no matter what size you are, losing my best friend to suicide, sinking into a deep hole of depression and finding that I could no longer rely on my old friends.....food, alcohol and cigarettes. Just struggling to get through each day with really no desire to. Two more gallbladder attacks which I finally put an end to with a long overdue cholecystectomy. Surprisingly able to maintain my weight loss from the 1st year. Year 3 - the year of emotional healing (well, at least a start in that direction) with a grief therapist, testosterone replacement and an antidepressant. Finally able to crawl out the darkness into a somewhat bearable existence. My latest breakthrough is I actually said yes when asked out on a date about a month ago. Considering my introvert personality and swearing off relationships almost 20 years ago, this is an extraordinary step for me. We've been out 1/2 dozen times and I'm actually enjoying it. Year 4 - the year of falling in love, being blissfully happy and regaining 10 pounds (yikes!) I'm still with that guy that asked me out back in Oct 2016. Enjoying my first totally honest, mature relationship. Ironically, I've found being a good bariatric patient is harder in good times than in bad. I've got better things to do than think about Protein, fluids, carbs and vitamin......everything has become less and less about surgery and weightloss and more and more about life. So my downfall this past year has been cocktails and chocolate. Took up the bad habit of consuming both on a daily basis. That, and a lot of donuts and muffins! But the good news is I have already dropped 8 of the 10 pounds I put on. As always, it just takes going back to basics..... drink more Water, eat more protein and less carbs. My BF is great and jumped on the high protein/low carb bandwagon with me. Of course being a guy, he's dropped 20 pounds to my 8 (stupid boys). I have every confidence I will drop those last 2 pounds before 2018. Bottom line is successful WLS results is not rocket science. Whatever you had to do to lose weight is pretty much what you need to do forever. If you can't control sliders and trigger foods, they WILL lead to regain. If you don't make the psychological adjustments and permanently change your habits and behaviors, you WILL regain. It's totally up to you whether or not your surgery becomes just another failed diet. Don't be afraid to seek professional help with the mental side of it. Because as the years go on, that's what makes you successful, not how tiny your stomach is. Good luck to the newbies. Congrats to the veterans.

someone on another forum I'm on really liked John LoMonaco in Houston. I know he's sometimes featured on that show "Skin Tight". Most of the other really well-known surgeons (who specialize in WLS patients) that I've read a lot about are on the coasts, although I'm sure there are good surgeons in a lot of places - they just aren't as well-known among bariatric patients. Fisher is definitely well-known, though.

Same here my doctors never mentioned surgery... I only seen commercials on TV about "bariatric" clinics and their befire /afters and thought that was something only well off people can do lol ... never even crossed my mind that it could be covered by insurance. Well I changed doctors and the first thing she mentioned was "you would be a great candidate for surgery" and 9 months later I was sleeved. And I agree helping people feels great. Sent from my SM-N910C using BariatricPal mobile app

My timeline was similar, primarily because my health insurance policy didn't require me to jump through as many hoops as other peoples' insurances. I decided on bariatric surgery in October 2014 and attended my very first consultative visit at the end of that same month. Paperwork was submitted to insurance in November. Insurance approved it on 12/26/2014. I met with the surgeon for the first time and scheduled a date of February 4, but didn't make it due to inclement weather. I was sleeved on 4/20/2015. So, less than 6 months elapsed between the first consultation and the actual surgery.

Did bariatric pal change the format of the forums today? This is going to take some getting used to. Not liking it so far.

Hi Mandy, welcome! 1. Is this surgery risky in any way? Every surgery has risks. Not sure what bariatric surgery you are contemplating (gastric sleeve, gastric bypass etc.) , but bariatric surgery in general is very safe and you will be put through a battery of tests to make sure you are healthy enough to undergo surgery. You have to also weigh the risks of surgery with all the health risks that come with morbid obesity (diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, sleep apnea, etc, etc.). It was an easy decision for me. 2. How do you guys feel about the recovery and success rates? Recovery was easy, for me, everyone is different, but generally you feel pretty crappy at first but then there is marked improvement each day and people are often back at work in 2-3 weeks. Success can vary, the surgery is a tool to help you shed the weight, you have to put in the work to help create healthier habits for long term success. Often this requires work with a mental health professional to help uncover why we are abusing food. 3. If i already have some mental health and self esteem issues is this a good idea? Only a mental health professional can tell you for sure and you will have to be cleared by one to proceed to surgery. Many obese people suffer from low self esteem and depression, there isn't much joy in being overweight. 4. My doctor told me my stomach is the last to go when loosing weight. How do i go about looosing all the access fat is my stomach area? Everyone loses weight differently, that's really impossible to say. 5. How long does this process usually take? Im trying to go from 316 to 125. I don't want to kill your joy, but it's important to have realistic expectations, depending on the surgery the average bariatric patient loses between 60-70% of excess body weight. You have roughly 175 lb of excess body weight ( given a normal BMI of a 5'5" woman is ~150lb)... the average patient your size would lose 122 lb..that would put you around 200lb. This is the AVERAGE, so many people exceed this and many don't even lose this much... I have seen several people on this site shed 100lb in year.. the weight comes off faster at first and then slows down considerably. As others have said this is a big decision and not a magic bullet, you will have to be mentally prepared to make some life changes. There is a lot of great information on this site, i spent hours and hours reading through posts prior to my surgery. Make a list of questions to ask your dr and surgeon. Overall, you will find very few people here who regret having their surgery. Good luck to you!

Hi my name is Mandy. all my life as far as I can remember I have been overweight. I am now 25 years old and weigh 325 pounds. I am so ashamed of my weight and im working the best I can to work it off. So far i have lost nine pounds of the 325 weight. Today my dr put me on a new weight loss medication called Phentermine. She also said that at my next appointment she wanted to discuss Bariatric Weight Loss surgery. As you can probably tell this has consumed my mind and i have allot of questions and allot of worries. I haven't fully decided if i want to go through with it yet but maybe you guys can help me by offering support and answering a few questions i have. 1. Is this surgery risky in any way? 2. How do you guys feel about the recovery and success rates? 3. If i already have some mental health and self esteem issues is this a good idea? 4. My doctor told me my stomach is the last to go when loosing weight. How do i go about looosing all the access fat is my stomach area? 5. How long does this process usually take? Im trying to go from 316 to 125 Thank you for reading this and taking the time to answer my questions. i hope to make friends on here Sent from my RCT6K03W13 using BariatricPal mobile app

My goal weight, in the world of metric measurement is EXACTLY 100kg below the weight I was when I first visited my bariatric surgeon in July 2017. 174.6 kg July 2017 = 384.93 pounds = 27.49 stones = BMI of 56.37 Goal weight 74.6 kg = 164.46 pounds = 11.75 stones = BMI of 24.08 It is conveniently under 25BMI. If I lose 15kg, I know I am 15% towards my target. If I drop 28kg, I have lost 28% of my target weight. It's MATHEMATICALLY CONVENIENT and very apt for me.

My VSG is scheduled on 1/8 and I have bought the two weeks of Bariatric Advantage Shake mix from my surgeon but have heard the first three days are the hardest. I have been trying to sub in premier protein shakes this week to mentally start to prep but would love to know if any of you have advice for getting through the liquids or how you use the shake mixes so you're not starving, especially after dinner. I am concerned that I am going to fail between dinner and bed time and would love some advice from you guys. Thanks so much.

Hi All, Just wanted to check in... I haven't been on Bariatric Pal for quite some time! This site was my go-to place for information and support right after my surgery, and then I tried to pay it forward for a year or so after that, but I haven't come here to see what's happening lately. Anyways, I've done pretty well... Maintained my weight loss (101 lbs) until in the last 4 months when I have gained 10 pounds without changing much in my diet (An extra trip or two to Starbucks probably) :/ I think maybe it has to do with my activity level. I took a new job that has me sitting A LOT more. I need to get back on track before things get out of hand. Thinking of doing the 5 Day Pouch Reset.. Has anyone tried that? How are others doing who are 3-4 years out? Happy Holidays!

I agree with Gretsada, the premier protein shakes in my opinion are the best tasting ones. I buy them when they go on sale at Costco or Sams, which are a great deal. I like the Banana and Strawberries and Cream the best but the Vanilla is pretty good too. I didn't care for the chocolate one but the others have been really good. At 30g protein and 1 carb for 160 calories, I don't know of a better option I've found. Also, my surgeon suggested the premier shakes and bars by name for post op as well and they align nutritionally with the Bariatric Advantage pre-op shakes nutritionally. Hope this is helpful.

Is anyone else cold all the time? I used to be very warm-natured. Heck, I was sweaty, even in winter. But now I'm freakishly cold-natured. My fingers are ice cubes. I went from not always bothering with a winter coat to needing to wear hat, scarf, and gloves to leave the house. I drive with gloves on sometimes, because the steering wheel is too cold. I'd heard this happens to some people after bariatric surgery, but it's still been surprising.

Bands sometimes can develop problems after several years (like you are experiencing). They like to slip out of place and can even "dig" into the stomach and/or liver (called "eroding"). These problems can feel like heartburn and indigestion. Please do get checked out. If your surgeon finds a problem, your band will need to come out. This is also a good time to do some research into switching from band to sleeve or bypass. (Sometimes sleeve isn't an option because of scar tissue.. so check into both possibilities.) Depending on your situation, they sometimes will do a band to sleeve or bypass revision in one surgery.. sometimes they want you to heal for a while without the band before converting. Here's hoping for good news from your surgeon! (And if you don't have a surgeon right now, you need to find one to keep up with your care... you are a bariatric patient for life.)

I am scheduled for sleeve Dec 18, by Dr Perez at Renew Me/Oasis Hospital. Anyone else?

The Numbers Task Force of the American Society for Obesity and Metabolic Surgery (ASMBS) has released its most recent numbers on the most common types of weight loss surgery in the U.S. The “ASMBS Bariatric Surgery Numbers Estimation 2016” shows figures for total procedures, plus a breakdown of each type. You can compare the values annually going back to 2011. How many surgeries were done? The data show that there were 215,666 total bariatric procedures done in 2016. That is a lot if you compare to 2011 – it is an increase of 36.5% over the course of 5 years, but it is not much if you compare it to the over 20 million Americans who are eligible for bariatric surgery based on criteria of a BMI over 40 or a BMI over 35 plus a related condition. In fact, only 1% of eligible Americans get weight loss surgery. Why is the gastric sleeve taking over? The gastric sleeve is gaining momentum, and quickly. It has leaped from 28,124 procedures in 2011 to 125,318 in 2016. It has jumped from making up 17.8% in 2011 of the total to 58.1% in 2016. Why has the gastric sleeve become so popular, so quickly? There is a lower risk of nutrient deficiencies and dumping syndrome compared to gastric bypass. It helps fight hunger by lowering levels of the hormone ghrelin. It is relatively safe for higher-BMI patients. It has similar weight loss as gastric bypass, and lower reoperation and complication rates than gastric band. Why would anyone not choose the gastric sleeve? The gastric sleeve may appear to be the choice du jour according to the numbers, but even so, not everyone chooses it. These are some hesitations with the gastric sleeve. It is so new that there is no long-term research on it. We just do not know if it stays effective for years and decades. It is permanent. Done. There is no going back, even if the patient really, really begs. Some patients have trouble getting enough calories and protein and continue to depend on supplements for a long time post-op. What are the non-sleeve choices? While 58.1% of patients opt for the sleeve, the other 39.9% do not. In fact, nearly 1 out of 5 patients opt for gastric bypass, and biliopancreatic diversion/duodenal switch (BPD-DS) has held steady at 0.6%. These are some reasons to consider other types. The gastric bypass has a long history. It can be successful long-term with weight loss, and it is famous for its ability to resolve diabetes quickly. The lap-band is reversible. Even though the band has dropped 86.93% since 2011, there were still 7,310 new bands in 2016. The BPD-DS may still be the best for higher-BMI patients. What does the research say? Good news – weight loss surgery works! At least, that is what the majority of the research studies conclude, whether they are looking at the sleeve, bypass, band, or another method. All surgery types have a risk of complications, and all have a risk of mortality of under 1%. BMI can drop 7 to 14 or more kg/m2, and diabetes, sleep apnea, hypertension, and other obesity-related conditions can get better. Is the gastric balloon going to be a factor? Time will tell whether the gastric balloon is going to be a factor in the overall bariatric surgery statistics. The FDA approved it only in 2015, and it jumped from 0 in 2011-2014 to 0.3% (700 procedures) in 2015 to 2.7% (5,744 procedures) in 2016. The balloon is not a true bariatric surgery; it is not permanent, it leads to less weight loss, and it is intended for lower-BMI patients. This means that it may not be in competition with the true bariatric surgery procedures, although it is likely to become more common as it becomes better known. What is the deal with so many revision surgeries? If weight loss surgery techniques are always advancing, why are revisions becoming so much more common? They comprised 6% (9,480) of the total in 2011, but 13.9% (30,077) in 2016. It could be because some of the previous (failed) surgeries were done using older techniques, and are now ready for serious help – a revised procedure. Why are 99 out of 100 eligible Americans not getting Weight Loss Surgery? There are a lot of reasons eligible Americans are not getting Weight Loss Surgery. They include: Cost. Fear of complications or death. Not knowing where to start. Lack of support from family, friends, and healthcare providers. Fear of failure. Lack of long-term commitment to lifestyle changes. What can health professionals and patients do to help eligible patients get the Weight Loss Surgery they need? Surgeons and other bariatric professionals can help by making sure they reach out to eligible patients. They can explain their options, and promise to provide the nutritional and psychological support patients need for success and to feel confident in their success. They can organize support groups and provide additional resources for patients to get advice and encouragement anytime. What can health professionals and patients do to help eligible patients get the Weight Loss Surgery they need? Patients can do their part by asking questions to learn about their best options. They can express their doubts and fears to surgeons to come up with strategies for success. They can reach out to friends, acquaintances, and online groups for support.

How many surgeries were done? The data show that there were 215,666 total bariatric procedures done in 2016. That is a lot if you compare to 2011 – it is an increase of 36.5% over the course of 5 years, but it is not much if you compare it to the over 20 million Americans who are eligible for bariatric surgery based on criteria of a BMI over 40 or a BMI over 35 plus a related condition. In fact, only 1% of eligible Americans get weight loss surgery. Why is the gastric sleeve taking over? The gastric sleeve is gaining momentum, and quickly. It has leaped from 28,124 procedures in 2011 to 125,318 in 2016. It has jumped from making up 17.8% in 2011 of the total to 58.1% in 2016. Why has the gastric sleeve become so popular, so quickly? There is a lower risk of nutrient deficiencies and dumping syndrome compared to gastric bypass. It helps fight hunger by lowering levels of the hormone ghrelin. It is relatively safe for higher-BMI patients. It has similar weight loss as gastric bypass, and lower reoperation and complication rates than gastric band. Why would anyone not choose the gastric sleeve? The gastric sleeve may appear to be the choice du jour according to the numbers, but even so, not everyone chooses it. These are some hesitations with the gastric sleeve. It is so new that there is no long-term research on it. We just do not know if it stays effective for years and decades. It is permanent. Done. There is no going back, even if the patient really, really begs. Some patients have trouble getting enough calories and protein and continue to depend on supplements for a long time post-op. What are the non-sleeve choices? While 58.1% of patients opt for the sleeve, the other 39.9% do not. In fact, nearly 1 out of 5 patients opt for gastric bypass, and biliopancreatic diversion/duodenal switch (BPD-DS) has held steady at 0.6%. These are some reasons to consider other types. The gastric bypass has a long history. It can be successful long-term with weight loss, and it is famous for its ability to resolve diabetes quickly. The lap-band is reversible. Even though the band has dropped 86.93% since 2011, there were still 7,310 new bands in 2016. The BPD-DS may still be the best for higher-BMI patients. What does the research say? Good news – weight loss surgery works! At least, that is what the majority of the research studies conclude, whether they are looking at the sleeve, bypass, band, or another method. All surgery types have a risk of complications, and all have a risk of mortality of under 1%. BMI can drop 7 to 14 or more kg/m2, and diabetes, sleep apnea, hypertension, and other obesity-related conditions can get better. Is the gastric balloon going to be a factor? Time will tell whether the gastric balloon is going to be a factor in the overall bariatric surgery statistics. The FDA approved it only in 2015, and it jumped from 0 in 2011-2014 to 0.3% (700 procedures) in 2015 to 2.7% (5,744 procedures) in 2016. The balloon is not a true bariatric surgery; it is not permanent, it leads to less weight loss, and it is intended for lower-BMI patients. This means that it may not be in competition with the true bariatric surgery procedures, although it is likely to become more common as it becomes better known. What is the deal with so many revision surgeries? If weight loss surgery techniques are always advancing, why are revisions becoming so much more common? They comprised 6% (9,480) of the total in 2011, but 13.9% (30,077) in 2016. It could be because some of the previous (failed) surgeries were done using older techniques, and are now ready for serious help – a revised procedure. Why are 99 out of 100 eligible Americans not getting Weight Loss Surgery? There are a lot of reasons eligible Americans are not getting Weight Loss Surgery. They include: Cost. Fear of complications or death. Not knowing where to start. Lack of support from family, friends, and healthcare providers. Fear of failure. Lack of long-term commitment to lifestyle changes. What can health professionals and patients do to help eligible patients get the Weight Loss Surgery they need? Surgeons and other bariatric professionals can help by making sure they reach out to eligible patients. They can explain their options, and promise to provide the nutritional and psychological support patients need for success and to feel confident in their success. They can organize support groups and provide additional resources for patients to get advice and encouragement anytime. What can health professionals and patients do to help eligible patients get the Weight Loss Surgery they need? Patients can do their part by asking questions to learn about their best options. They can express their doubts and fears to surgeons to come up with strategies for success. They can reach out to friends, acquaintances, and online groups for support.

if you are still that high after bariatric surgery AND on meds - you need to see a doctor as soon as you possibly can. i don’t want to alarm you (or maybe i do), but that can be a sign of something seriously wrong in your body (not variation surgery related).

I know you have built a lot of muscle and work out like a beast. How long does it take you to get in that many calories with a bariatric stomach?

I went with the 6 month of medically supervised diet and exercise program that was aligned with of the bariatric surgery program. Many PCPs are either unable to fulfill the requirements in order to generate the required paperwork for approval. Most insurance companies require that you meet with your doctor religiously once every month for 6 months. It seems better to deal with a doctor that specializes in meeting the program requirements rather than a general practitioner. The elements of the program required that I not only exercised and dieted, but that I kept a food journal, that I attended bariatric surgery support group meetings, that I analyzed my caloric intake for each meal and snack. It was more thorough that what a PCP might direct.

Mine is tentatively scheduled for 1/17, exactly a year after WLS. I currently have a BMI of 22 and body fat percentage of 25%. I reached a BMI of 25 2 months ago and I had wanted to lose some more if the tummy tuck is the only procedure I needed. However, it appeared that the lack of volume in the butt (which also existed when I was overweight, caused by genetic factors) was a bigger problem than the abdominal area. In order to do the fat transfer required for a butt lift, I needed to have some fat remaining in the other regions of my body. Most plastics surgeons recommended that I don't lose anymore and a few even recommended gaining 10-15 pounds (apparently it's standard practice for non-bariatric patients). I refuse to purposely try to gain weight on a matter of principle but even maintaining has been hard. I guess that's a good problem to have lol. In the end, it will be touch and go the day of the surgery whether I'm too skinny to get enough fat for the butt so I guess I failed at timing the PS.

Hey everyone! I'm new to the site! This is my second time being in the bariatric program. I basically chickened out back in the beginning of 2016 with only one month to go. Everything is different now and I cannot wait to make the change! I am 2 appointments down out of 6 with my surgeon. I have quit smoking (one of the main factors I didn't follow through last time), and I no longer drink any carbonated beverages. I've seen a cardiologist and gotten the all clear from the ekg, echo is scheduled for this week. I have done my psych eval (one of the things I kept blowing off last time), and am just waiting for the report to make it to my surgeon. I go and see the nutritionist on Friday so then that will be completed. I also have completed the chest x-ray and upper endoscopy. I just need to schedule with the pulmonologist I believe mainly for a sleep study but they haven't called me to set that up yet. I'm hopeful for surgery by May 2018! Sent from my Moto Z (2) using BariatricPal mobile app

My doctor is Dr. Valenzuela (Mexico Bariatric). Has anyone heard of her and if so, what was your experience? My surgery is scheduled for the 21st and I'm staying in Mexico until the 26th and will return to work on the 2nd. I have an active job and spend a lot of time on my feet. I'm particularly concerned because I have an event on the 4th January which will keep me on my feet all day and that will be very taxing. I thought I'd be recovered by then but am hearing stories about people who needed to take it easy for 3 weeks. How will I feel two weeks after surgery? Will I be able to handle a big day like that? How soon can one do weight training? I know we are supposed to walk a lot after surgery but how long does it take before we can lift weights. I prefer weight training to cardio. How bad is the scarring? I'm having multiple incisions. I would have preferred one but for some reason, they don't do it. How noticeable is the scarring after a while? One of the reasons I'm overweight is that I eat at night. I have never had a problem with hunger during the day but suffer NED (Night Eating Disorder) and I get hungry just before I go to bed and even get up at night to eat. I was told that this would be resolved because I would no longer be hungry but want to know if there are others out there who have experience with this. Another of my issues is that I genuinely hate drinking fluids. I don't drink sodas or unhealthy drinks but also don't drink Water. I love coffee and tea. How did you get yourself to drink more water after the op? Hope I'm making the right decision. I've already paid so it's too late for regrets now.

I am 5 yrs post op sleeve, and 3 mons post op SIPS. I am loosing really slow in pounds, but inches are coming off. I was around 282 on day of surgery, and now I am bouncing between 263-267. Been fluctuating like this forever it seems. Although both my bariatric team and my nut are happy with my progress.