List of Band to Bypass Patients

[Marla 35]

Still struggling gaining not losing one year after revisions surgery..... ! So disappointed and frustrated!

[allielee 263]

I was banded in June of 2008 starting weight 305. Got down to 163 in 9 months.. Had all my plastic surgery done (tummy tuck, breast lift with augmentation, thigh lift and advanced lipo). Stayed under 185 until I had to have a complete hysterectomy in October 2013. Menopause and my band were enemies. I began throwing up constantly, kept having to get unfills to no relief and had to have all the Fluid out.. Then my doc told me most bands were failing after 5 years.. So between oct and may I went from 185 to 245 eeek! I had my band removed and bypass done at the same time on May 21, 2014. I am currently 222. This time weight loss has been much slower but it's amazing the things I can eat now I couldn't with the band. I love feeling full with out feeling like I swallowed a golf ball. Hoping the weight loss speeds back up so I can fit in all the clothes hanging in my closet...

[melclark2 1]

AllieLee, I am excited to hear your progress. I too had been totally grateful for the outcomes of my lap band, going from 314 to 199. With the discomfort of the slipping and some life issues, I had gone up to 224 when I had it out last summer. I then started slowly and then quickly gaining- I have been approved for RNY and meet with surgeon on Aug 14th. High weight this year of like 268 but down a bit to 255. Seriously curious how fast I will lose with the bypass, but I think its just going to be a wait and see situation. I am also really excited to read all the stories of being full without feeling like food is just stuck part way down. I had so many problems with food getting stuck, coming back up, etc and just accepted it as part of the result. It was worth it in my mind but nice to hear it may not be that way this time around.

[BobbieND 3]

Hello! I'm Bobbie from ND. I was Banded in 2008, and had band removal and RNY just 2 weeks ago ( June 18 ) The band caused a lot of major issues for me, including GERD and a severely damaged esophagus ... Feeling sooo much better with RNY. I was going to do it initially but decided on the band. Oh well, live and learn :-) I wish you all luck !!

[allielee 263]

AllieLee, I am excited to hear your progress. I too had been totally grateful for the outcomes of my lap band, going from 314 to 199. With the discomfort of the slipping and some life issues, I had gone up to 224 when I had it out last summer. I then started slowly and then quickly gaining- I have been approved for RNY and meet with surgeon on Aug 14th. High weight this year of like 268 but down a bit to 255. Seriously curious how fast I will lose with the bypass, but I think its just going to be a wait and see situation. I am also really excited to read all the stories of being full without feeling like food is just stuck part way down. I had so many problems with food getting stuck, coming back up, etc and just accepted it as part of the result. It was worth it in my mind but nice to hear it may not be that way this time around.

Congratulations on getting started!!! I have lost 28.5 since my surgery on May 21. I was prepared I would lose slower since my bmi was 35 day of surgery.. I remember the closer I am to goal the slower it comes off.. I'm happy with the 28.5 praying it keeps going down lol Really still loving the bypass! So far the only issue I have had is with hard alcohol I tried some vodka and yeah my tummy revolted lol Can hardly wait to hear about your surgery date!

[allielee 263]

Hello! I'm Bobbie from ND. I was Banded in 2008, and had band removal and RNY just 2 weeks ago ( June 18 ) The band caused a lot of major issues for me, including GERD and a severely damaged esophagus ... Feeling sooo much better with RNY. I was going to do it initially but decided on the band. Oh well, live and learn :-) I wish you all luck !!

Congrats on your surgery!!!! Isn't it amazing the difference???? So so much easier than the band!!!

[pinklove 7]

I was banded in 2009 then sleeve in 2013. Now going bypass in august. The sleeve has caused severe gerd. I'm nervous but I'm hopeful. With the sleeve I went from a 16 18 to a 10 currently. What can I expect the first few weeks of bypass

[allielee 263]

I was banded in 2009 then sleeve in 2013. Now going bypass in august. The sleeve has caused severe gerd. I'm nervous but I'm hopeful. With the sleeve I went from a 16 18 to a 10 currently. What can I expect the first few weeks of bypass

Pinklove, I found the bypass recovery much easier than the band.. I felt great after but knew to walk walk walk as soon as I could. I was walking within hours of my surgery. Other than that it's pretty much the same as the band and I'm sure the sleeve. Just follow the diet perscribed by your doc. Good luck!!!

[MissVicky 3]

Hi all -

I feel like a Newbie to Bariatric Pal when in truth I have been a non-active or at least not very active member since 2008 when I had my band placed. I am now in the process of insurance approval for RNY. When I first got my band in Sept 2008 I had great success in the first 4 months, losing 60 pounds, but then some stressful health issues raised their ugly head combined with depression and fills/unfills never finding that "sweet spot". I feel like I wasted 6 yrs of my life with the band. My original choice of surgeries was RNY but my previous surgeon talked me out of it due to the fact that I had a DVT 3 yrs earlier after bunion surgery. I guess was afraid of me coding on his watch... but that's another story.

I have been trying to get thru all the hoops you must jump for both doctor and insurance approval since May 2013. I was at the point were my previous surgeons' office (not same surgeon, as he's no longer in the practice) filed papers with insurance and I was denied because my chosen surgeon did not work in a COE supported by my insurance company. His hospital WAS a COE just not an approved COE with my health insurance company - United Healthcare. So.... I had to start over with a new surgeon in Jan 2014. I am hopeful for an approval thru my insurance but they DO say that they will not pay for a 2nd WLS unless it is a medical necessity. Well, I think not being able to eat most solid Proteins, throwing up or forcing myself to throw up because I feel like I have swallowed a golf ball, total weight gain and multiple comorbidities should be considered in their evaluation. I just hope they see it the same way I do.

Good look to you all in your journey.

[tenoradm 2]

I had lapband in November 2009 and lost around 120 to about 300. After a year or so started having difficulty and a lot of reflux. Multiple cycles of unfill, refill and same issue before I got to the point of any restriction. Could not sleep at night due to reflux and was having to eat not so good choices and regained 65 pounds. Decided at my age and poor health I had to do something and went for RNY and I am glad I did. The surgery was about the same in terms of recovery but the weight loss has been great. I just saw my cardiologist yesterday and he just smiles and says very impressive. Imagine a medical doctor taking you off all your medicines. I should mention I had RNY 12/19/13 and a heart attack 11 days later on 12/30/13. I was diabetic, had high blood pressure, had a CPAP since 1994, could do almost nothing, etc. I was taking 15 pills in the morning and 9 in the evening including insulin up to four times a day when necessary. I now take two pills in the morning and evening. I take nothing for blood pressure or diabetes and my blood sugars in the morning are in the 80s or 90s. I feel great. I wear the dog out taking her for walks. My cardiologist just told his assistant to link all the things I have had discontinued to the diagnosis of morbid obesity and just mark them all as no longer present! That was my next mini goal - to no longer be considered obese and just fall in the overweight category. I have no problems eating anything now although for some reason I did have difficulty with chicken in any form until a couple months ago. I am very happy with the RNY surgery now. For me - it just may be a life saving decision. BTW - had a nice weight loss this morning on the scale after being stuck for a couple weeks so I am in a good mood - sorry if I am rambling but I am a happy RNY camper.

[Ms_Kb718 22]

I was banded in May 2010. I started out at 250 and I lost around 30 lbs in the first 2 months and then nothing else. I felt like I hadn't even had surgery. I honestly believe that my initial restriction was only due to swelling from surgery. Once the internal swelling was gone, I felt like nothing was there. I went back and forth with my surgeon for 2 years who basically said I wasn't trying hard enough and kept prescribing me appetite suppressants. I gained back the 30 that I lost plus another 10 so I was up to 260. He eventually agreed to consider a revision if I went through his entire program again and paid another $900 program fee even though my insurance didn't require it for a medically necessary revision. Without performing any testing he said it wasn't medically necessary and I had to repeat the program.

I found another surgeon...

My current doctor ordered multiple tests and discovered that my band had slipped up above my stomach. It was just sitting there and wasn't providing any restriction. It was as if I didn't even have a band. I had my band to bypass revision in June 2013 and in the past year and 4 months, I have lost 105 lbs.

I totally regret getting a band in the first place. I initially wanted the bypass but my surgeon pushed the band so hard. He said that I didn't weigh enough for the RNY and that I would lose too much weight and get sick. I wish I hadn't allowed him to change my mind. I had done so much research prior to seeing him, but all of that went out of the window when he starting praising the band. I have no regrets after my revision and I love being happier and healthier.