Just had conversion from LapBand to RNY December 19, 2013

[tenoradm 2]

Hi, I had a lapband in November, 2008 and did really well for quite a while. Lost over a hundred pounds but for past several years could not lose anymore. Everytime we tried to get better restriction with the lapband, I would not be able to tolerate the pain and inability to get food down so we would back it way off, let everything get back to normal and try again. I ended up in the hospital with so much pain from a recent attempt to get some restriction and new I had to drop the lapband because I still needed to get more weight off.

I had first actual Dr, appt. with my recommended gastric bypass surgeon, Dr. Carl Pesta, and his staff on August 5, 2013 and was approved by insurance while in the office for that visit. My wife was also going to have the same surgery and while obtaining the approvals from family physician, cardiologist and psychiatrist, my wife's AFIB took a turn for the worse. She was in the hospital for a while and they could not get a normal rhythm restored with medication or multiple attempts with cardioversion. We were sent to a electrophysiologist to discuss having ablation to help control the AFIB and he told her she could not be considered for the operation because she was in stage four heart failure. That was a real shock to both of us. So for now, we have been concentrating on getting her in better shape with her heart function and breathing. She is on O2 at home now and has good and bad days. Until we get her heart stronger, we will not be able to move forward with her weight loss surgery.

I did have the RNY surgery on 12/19/2013 so I am one week out today. I still have a JP drain and some pain, especially when coughing or laughing hard (a good thing!). I am doing fine with getting liquids and what I am allowed to eat. No problems there other than gastric rumblings and gas pains come and go. I was having a lot of difficulty standing straight up quickly because it seemed to stretch my stomach too much but that is getting better. I am sleeping well every day since surgery which is also a good thing for me.

The thing I did not expect, and maybe some of you, or even all that have had RNY, have experienced is where the drain is on my side seems larger than before surgery and the area below that is much smaller and sort of sunken in. Most remaining pain seems centered in this area on my left side of my abdomen. My wife says it looks like a softball size area was moved up from the now sunken in area to the area directly under the drain. Anyone else have a similar experience? Due to the holidays, there is a delay before I will have my first follow-up appointment and just curious if that is normal or not.

My daughter borrowed my scale a while back so I do not have a home scale right now and kind of anxious to see what is happening with my weight. Any suggestions for a good quality, easy to use scale with 400lb coverage that does not take forever to give a number? One with memory would be preferred.

Lapband 11/8/2008 - 425 lbs

Lowest since lapband - 320 lbs

RNY 12/19/2013 - 350 lbs

Thanks,

[iamsoworthit 430]

Your story sounds very similar to mine. I had the lapband surgery in June, 2008. I was 230 lbs at the time of surgery and was able to get down to about 180. After about 2.5 years I started having problems with really bad reflux and heartburn. I had never had those issues prior to the surgery. After numerous fills / unfills and about 1.5 years of having terrible reflux and ignoring it I finally went in to see my dr about potentially converting to RNY. That happened in January of 2013. I wasn't sure if I was serious at that time about the conversion but I was ready for the band to come out. I was sent for an EGD and it was when I was diagnosed with intestinal metaplasia in my stomach that I realized what harm I was doing to myself and decided to go all the way. I had my conversion to RNY in June of 2013 and knew when I woke up it was much better. I no longer had that heavy feeling on my chest. After I healed, I didn't feel that pain in my stomach from the port anymore (I had gotten to the point I couldn't sleep on my stomach as a result). I too had a JP drain for 1 month post op and that part was actually the worst part of the whole conversion. I was pretty much house bound because I didn't want to go anywhere with that drain. Once it came out I healed quickly and was back to work in 6 weeks. I am now 164 lbs and doing really well. I feel great and for once actually feel somewhat confident I'm going to get to my goal and stay there. Today I went shopping with my husband and I bought size medium petite sweaters. I looked at them and thought, "they are way too small, they will never fit". Yet, I put them on and they fit perfectly. Not too tight - perfect. Life after my RNY conversion couldn't be better.

I wish you luck with your conversion and hope you have the same experience, if not better than me. Good luck!!

Hi, I had a lapband in November, 2008 and did really well for quite a while. Lost over a hundred pounds but for past several years could not lose anymore. Everytime we tried to get better restriction with the lapband, I would not be able to tolerate the pain and inability to get food down so we would back it way off, let everything get back to normal and try again. I ended up in the hospital with so much pain from a recent attempt to get some restriction and new I had to drop the lapband because I still needed to get more weight off.

I had first actual Dr, appt. with my recommended gastric bypass surgeon, Dr. Carl Pesta, and his staff on August 5, 2013 and was approved by insurance while in the office for that visit. My wife was also going to have the same surgery and while obtaining the approvals from family physician, cardiologist and psychiatrist, my wife's AFIB took a turn for the worse. She was in the hospital for a while and they could not get a normal rhythm restored with medication or multiple attempts with cardioversion. We were sent to a electrophysiologist to discuss having ablation to help control the AFIB and he told her she could not be considered for the operation because she was in stage four heart failure. That was a real shock to both of us. So for now, we have been concentrating on getting her in better shape with her heart function and breathing. She is on O2 at home now and has good and bad days. Until we get her heart stronger, we will not be able to move forward with her weight loss surgery.

I did have the RNY surgery on 12/19/2013 so I am one week out today. I still have a JP drain and some pain, especially when coughing or laughing hard (a good thing!). I am doing fine with getting liquids and what I am allowed to eat. No problems there other than gastric rumblings and gas pains come and go. I was having a lot of difficulty standing straight up quickly because it seemed to stretch my stomach too much but that is getting better. I am sleeping well every day since surgery which is also a good thing for me.

The thing I did not expect, and maybe some of you, or even all that have had RNY, have experienced is where the drain is on my side seems larger than before surgery and the area below that is much smaller and sort of sunken in. Most remaining pain seems centered in this area on my left side of my abdomen. My wife says it looks like a softball size area was moved up from the now sunken in area to the area directly under the drain. Anyone else have a similar experience? Due to the holidays, there is a delay before I will have my first follow-up appointment and just curious if that is normal or not.

My daughter borrowed my scale a while back so I do not have a home scale right now and kind of anxious to see what is happening with my weight. Any suggestions for a good quality, easy to use scale with 400lb coverage that does not take forever to give a number? One with memory would be preferred.

Lapband 11/8/2008 - 425 lbs

Lowest since lapband - 320 lbs

RNY 12/19/2013 - 350 lbs

Thanks,