Lap band to Bypass

[amvg85 12]

Hi all. I am a 27 year old nurse who lost 30 lbs with the lap band. I had the lap band on 12/19/11 and lost the 30 lbs from Dec until March. I had fills, but never seemed to have the right amount or I would completely neglect to follow my rules. This November I developed a bad bout of Reflux (which I had prior to the surgery and subsided up until this Nov). Since then I have established that my band did not slip, had all the Fluid removed, started on a stronger PPI (Dexalant) and find drinking EAS & fluids make me not feel miserable. Today I met with my surgeon and he is recommending removing my band on 1/28/13 and then 6 weeks after revising me to bypass. I chose bypass because a) the way the system is rerouted I will not have reflux at all it is reversible whereas with the sleeve a part of the stomache is removed and will be gone forever. For some reason knowing it can be reversed if need be makes me feel better. My bypass is scheduled for 3/11/13. I am really nervous but excited at the same time. I am nervous to have my band taken out and be without anything for 6 weeks. I know I gain weight quickly and need to be really mindful in what I eat. I am excited to feel better though too - I just don't want to feel too good and eat way too much. I am hoping the bypass will go well and will lose this way and feel better. I know I can do this I just need to be completely present in what I am doing...losing weight.

[Vicki Loichinger 444]

Welcome

I just had a revision from band to bypass last wed. I had the band for seven years. In the beginning I lost about 30 pounds but over the years gained and lost and gained those same 30 pounds many times. I never got the right restriction. Either too tight or too loose. Or finally just no fill at all. A lot of this is my own fault for not getting enough follow up care. And also once you find out mashed potatoes will go down and not come back up, unlike say chicken, it was easy to stay on soft slider foods. Which of course are way too high in carbs. I never had a slip or erosion or anything. My surgery last week included band removal, RNY, scar tissue and adheasions from previous abdominal surgeries and last but not least the removal of an ovary that had a mass and cysts on it.

I wonder if it is possible for you to have the band out and the RNY done at the same time. I believe it depends on what kind of damage the band has done.

I was very afraid to wake up with no band and no RNY. Even though my band wasn't used like it should I do think it kept me from gaining a lot more weight that I would have without it.

Wishing you the very very best. Again welcome.

[juditha 48]

Im now 3 months post revision op, after having the lap band for about 8 years. I was also bad with the fills too. i would have to drive an hour and a half to the hospital, wait around from 1pm until at least 6 and sometimes longer to see the surgeon for 5 minutes. And the lots of times to return after a few days to the er to remove the fill because i could drink anything. I wish i had done it years ago.

Its so good to eat without that horrible chocking feeling. And now i know what full feels like, which i never got with the band. I had revision rny and my gallbladder out in the same operation. But i did have all the fill of the band out for two months before to help with the chances of doing the op all at once. My surgeon was very experienced, and everything went very smoothly. I hope it does for you too.

[thynnlynn 19]

I have had a band for four years and have been unintentionally bullemic and fat, a horrible combination. Everything moved so quickly. Recently, I called a doctor who is assocaited with Barix (the weight loss hospital) which is 3 hours from me, but he has an office that is about 90 minutes from me. The receptionist asked me if I could be there by 3pm that day and I got in the car and went there. He did a seminar with one other girl.

Later, I had a regular appointment and he removed all of the Fluid from my band which he said must have slipped.

I was scheduled to have a total hip replacement revision done by a tandem team in Grayling, MI (which is a medium-size hospital) and while the surgeons were working on the other patients, talked themselves out of doing mine, Just as I was ready to leave, the hospital called and said my surgery was cancelled and that my otho surgeon would call the neext day. He did and said that it had to be done in a major hospital because it is a real tricky surgery and he felt unsafe doing it at the smaller place. So, I have an appointment with the ortho surgeon in Traverse City, MI on 1/8 which I have to cancel today. I was already cleared for surgery by all of my -ologists (I have a big cardiac history), so they immediately cleared me for the band removal and RNY. Insurance approval was immediate and surgery was scehduled for 2/25/13. I got a cal the other day telling me there was a cancellation and that my surgey date was now 1/4/13, with my pre-op on 12/26/12!!! :wub:

I am sure everything will go fine for you. I also worked in the medoical profession and did go to nursing school many years ago and my daughter is also a nurse. I have been reading the post-op threads to see what pains are normal and what are not, also complications and what I can do to avoid some of the pitfalls. I am certainly hoping that they can do mine in one procedure.

Take care!

Lynn

[Vicki Loichinger 444]

Lynn what a roller coaster. So happy they will be able to do the band and RNY together.

Then I suspect after some healing you will get the hip fixed... Wow you have a lot on your plate.

Praying for you

[amvg85 12]

Welcome

I just had a revision from band to bypass last wed. I had the band for seven years. In the beginning I lost about 30 pounds but over the years gained and lost and gained those same 30 pounds many times. I never got the right restriction. Either too tight or too loose. Or finally just no fill at all. A lot of this is my own fault for not getting enough follow up care. And also once you find out mashed potatoes will go down and not come back up' date=' unlike say chicken, it was easy to stay on soft slider foods. Which of course are way too high in carbs. I never had a slip or erosion or anything. My surgery last week included band removal, RNY, scar tissue and adheasions from previous abdominal surgeries and last but not least the removal of an ovary that had a mass and cysts on it.

I wonder if it is possible for you to have the band out and the RNY done at the same time. I believe it depends on what kind of damage the band has done.

I was very afraid to wake up with no band and no RNY. Even though my band wasn't used like it should I do think it kept me from gaining a lot more weight that I would have without it.

Wishing you the very very best. Again welcome.[/quote']

I would love to have it all done at once and believe me I did ask. Especially because my surgeon knows I am a nurse and limited time out of work is best. He said he wants me to be 6 weeks without the band to give my stomach time to heal for he thinks that the band created a capsule around my stomach (basically scarred tissue). I haven't even told work about this two step process because I was out of work a bit with the stomach issue. But I know I have to do what's best for my health.

[Vicki Loichinger 444]

Sounds like your doc has a good plan. You do really want everything to go its best even if it means two surgeries. Wishing you the very very best. And I hope your able to get the time off you need to get the surgeries and heal.