Hi Everyone,

I'm hoping to connect with some of you that had a revision from Band to RNY (the majority of the posts that match are several years old).

I was banded in 2007 and have yoyo'ed and am now at my pre-surgical weight again after 12 years. I met with a bariatrician that recommended that I go to RNY for my revision, and I'm in the process of joining the program and getting surgical approval (including possibly 6 months of medical weight loss program before qualifying).

In those 12 years of yo-yo'ing, I've tried pretty much everything and always slide back, and at this point, I've stopped trying, as my metabolism is a mess from all these years of insanity. Going to RNY is the next logical choice - I need the malabsorption and all the other mixed blessings to lose weight at this point (as the doctor said, I don't have a big enough hammer to get this done).

So, all that said, I have some questions for those of you who have gone this route.

• Were you able to do both procedures in the same surgery, or did you have to go in twice, and if so, why?
• How was the healing process for you? My doc is saying 4 weeks off work, not 4 days, as it was with my band. Since I have a desk job, I'm hoping I can still work from home after a few days while finishing the healing process (my brain isn't having surgery, after all).
• How did you handle the change emotionally/mentally, compared to your band? Was it more reminders of how to eat and think, or is it drastically different?
• Any tips or things to keep in mind?

Thanks in Advance!

I stocked up on a lot of protein powder and broth. I did not realize I would only be having a tablespoon at a time, so it was a long time before it got used up.

I just had my band removed three weeks ago. My original RNY was in 2005. I do not recommend the band for the following reasons:

- Cost. They aren't covered by most insurance plans. Most of the places that sell these bands use predatory, sleazy loan companies to finance their procedures. You will end up paying 2-3 times the amount of the loan by the time you pay it off. I got screwed out of more than $20,000 - over and above the cost of the band.

- They don't work. I had three "fills" after experiencing no weight loss and no sensation of being able to eat less. I was told that my band contained the maximum amount of saline. When my band removal surgeon tried to remove the saline at my first visit, it contained no fluid. The band had a hole in it the whole time, and the saline was just leaking out whenever I got a fill.

- Nasty side effects. I had chronic pain in my side around the injection port under the skin, which felt like a bruise. The band commonly slides around, causing intermittent problems like acid reflux and regurgitation of food. I couldn't swallow a lot of weird things, like smoothies. For some reason I couldn't swallow anything for the first hour after getting up in the mornings. Often the band will erode into your esophagus over time, which causes life threatening complications. I also used to get painful upper belly cramps after eating certain foods, I haven't had any since the band was removed. I had to sleep sitting upright to prevent reflux and regurgitation at night.

I'm now trying to arrange to get a Duodenal Switch, which is really the best revision surgery for a RNY. It has the best long term weight loss and you lose the most weight. The drawback is that it's a complex procedure and not many surgeons perform it. I've read that some people get gastric sleeves, but they don't provide as much weight loss and they fail after a few years as the stomach grows back to its original size. There's no malabsorption to help you keep the weight off as there is with an RNY or DS. Also, it's a lot harder to "undo" a RNY for a gastric sleeve (they have to move the intestines back to where they were before the RNY), so it's often an open surgery.

I was recently converted from a gastric sleeve to an RNY due to GERD. I am below weight and at this time malnourished due to the GERD prior to surgery. Since surgery, I have little to no appetite. I'm taking in well over 60-80 ozs. of fluid a day, but struggle to get 60 grams of protein in. My blood pressure is low and my doctor is concerned because of my dizziness, weight loss and I'm also on blood thinners due to a stroke. Prior to surgery my blood pressure was always very normal. Has anyone else had problems with their blood pressure?

@Kay

That is great to go to someone highly recommended and people close to you referred you that 100%

So Im sure your very comfortable and never stop asking questions!

Good Luck!