Band out since August 2013, now considering bypass

[SusyW 1]

I had a Lap-band put in March 2009. I was 227 day of surgery. That was down from high of 299 due to divorce, change of life style, and required weight loss by insurance company before band surgery approved.

By August 2010 I was down to 136. In between I had lots and lots of vomiting. I say without vomiting I would not have lost weight. I also ended up with a massive lung infection and emergency surgery on left lung, which was 95% full of pus, infection probably caused by aspirating vomit and my essentially being malnourished due to not really eating much. I had so many adjustments and never felt like I reached the "sweet spot." Then I started gaining weight. I currently weigh more than the day of the band surgery, though still a little less than before I started dieting to meet insurance company requirement.

In January 2013 it was discovered that I had an outpouching in the esophagus. In August 2013 the band was removed. Fluoroscope in February of this year showed outpouching is still there. I have gone from a size 6-8 at my lowest (don't really want to be quite that thin again!) to 20 and hate the way I look and feel but I can't seem to stop eating.

My surgeon recommends gastric bypass. I'm trying to make decision but don't know what to even consider. I need input from people who have gone through this. Please tell me how you made the decision and how life with a bypass compares to life with a band, including what you can and cannot eat compared to band.

I truly appreciate any experiences and/or advice you can give me to help me arrive at a decision.

[tebowfan 70]

I still have the lapband and my esophagus is the same as yours. I started gaining weight and went to wl doctor and discovered this. We did a scope and the biopsy shows I have Barrett's esophagus, which is precancerous. I wanted the sleeve cause my sis n law had it 2 year after removing her band with great success. The doctor told me if u have been throwing up or have Gerd/acid reflex or esophagus issues it can make it better by doing bypass. It can get rid of Barrett's also. I am schedule for May 7 th.

[SusyW 1]

As far as I know I don't have Barrett's esophagus, at least the doctor has never indicated any need for biopsies. I also would prefer the sleeve but was told that is not really an alternative given the situation of the esophagus. I still seem to get food stuck in the pouch in the esophagus occasionally and have to vomit to get rid of it. At least I assume that is what I assume is happening.

Good luck with your surgery. What differences between eating with the band and eating with bypass do you expect to deal with? What complications do you expect, i.e. dumping rather than vomiting?

[tebowfan 70]

That's such a horrible feeling! I would ask for a scope to be done to make sure u do to have it. It has to be done by biopsy. I believe you are required to have a scope anyways. I was told by a friend who is 8 years out that if she has carbs it makes her sleepy and she has to go to bed. I figure I won't be eating high sugar/carb foods. I was told by my nutritionist who had bypass 12 yrs ago, you will not have the cravings you crave now. You don't have to worry about that. Also, with the band your metabolism isn't changed where as the bypass it does change for the better. This is the most successful long term wl surgery with the least revisions. Where do u live?

[Doer 14]

My surgeon recommended bypass from the get-go, and I insisted on the band. I thought, based on the little patient information, that it would be a great fit for me. I couldn't have been more wrong, and just like Suzy, I was basically bulimic for four years. A very SMALL bulimic woman - but bulimic!

I struggled, thinking "I failed," too, then finally it was so bad that I had to let go of my stupid guilt (really stupid since I had done everything right!). I had it pulled out in November, and an RNY February 10.

My surgeon does it in two surgeries because he said the stomach needed time to heal. Money-making scheme or not, that's the only way he would do it. I was scared I'd gain a ton of weight in the months between, and did, but either way, I had to wait.

The bypass in February has been a great success. I have absolutely NO food intolerances, no throwing up, NOT ONCE, no problems with anything. It is a very different feeling, though, from the band, and takes some getting used to. And, since it was revision surgery (and my body is basically saying, "um, enough of this starve me routine, I'm holding on to this weight!) I am losing FAR more slowly. But I always lose a pound or two a week. I am not suffering AT ALL, and I never have reflux or gird or trouble sleeping.

BUT ... with the band, even in those few good months, I really could only eat maybe a half cup TOTAL of anything. The bypass is different: I'm not about to puke because I've eaten too much, not ever. So I think I have to work a lot harder with this surgery.

People have shared that the experience changes as the bypass heals, too, and that I will feel full more easily and the feeling will be more pronounced. I also DO feel hungry, often! But since the entire bottom of my stomach has been cut off from my pouch, I realize it's my brain telling me I'm hungry, NOT my stomach. I try to ignore it and drink a lot of water!

The Vitamin thing is a pain (which is why I chose the band in the first place), but ... I've learned to schedule taking them all and manage it in the not quite three months since the surgery.

No regrets - I'm very very very happy with the new surgery and it's milder results!