Here we go again.....From lap band to.......

Hi All,

I had lap band back in 2003 or so...I lost 130 lbs and was feeling great...until...it slipped...and kept slipping. My surgeon told me that he had to remove it and was going to put the new technologically advanced lap band in....instead, while removing it, he cut a small hole in my stomach. I never got the lap band replaced and have since regained most of the weight back. After more recent research and consultations with a few different doctor's, lap band is no longer my choice of surgery. I am considering the sleeve, and I have been going through the required appointments to obtain it. However, the idea of having 90% of my stomach removed scares the hell out of me...it's akin to cutting off an arm or leg, in my mind. I have been to a support group, with my husband, and it was great to hear the success stories, but there is still no long term data on it yet. Is there ANYTHING anyone can say, or recommend to help me put my mind at ease on this? I don't have a lot of health problems related to my weight....yet. I have weaker knees, heartburn and occasional reflux as well, and I am aware that I am not getting any younger, at 56. Any help is appreciated..

Think about it like cutting your hair or nails.  It is the part of your stomach that you don't need unless you want to stay fat.

Hard for me to think of it that way! I am trying...but between that and the fear of more frequent reflux has me worried....

Then keep your stomach and go with RNY.  You will have the advantage of malabsorption to help you get the weight off and probably not have to ever suffer reflux again.

My pre-existing reflux is the reason I wound up having RNY instead of VSG...my doc said he'd do the VSG, but that with pre-existing GERD, it would be likely I'd have to revise to RNY in the future anyway. I haven't had a single GERD-related nausea spell since (I used to get them multiple times a day, even on twice daily Prilosec). I couldn't be happier now that my surgeon recommended I change course. My husband had VSG and is also very happy with his decision, but he didn't have reflux before surgery (although he does now).

I am so confused now. I had GERD before my lap band, but that pretty much went away after I lost the weight, until the band slipped. Then I had intense reflux. That also went away after the band was removed, except for once in awhile, But it is nowhere near the intensity it had been. I might have a bit of a throat stricture because of it though, RNY, isn't something I personally want to consider because of the malabsorbtion and the dumping syndrome some people have, I did really well with the band as far as wt loss with only restriction, of course until it slipped. 

Talk to your surgeon. If your GERD was from the band, which is gone now, the sleeve is likely a great option for you. Just make sure your doc doesn't think it'll make it worse.

I know people get scared of the idea of 'dumping' but only 30% of the people get it... also you get it from eating too much sugar. If you are not eating too much sugar, you won't dump. I think with all surgeries there may be food that agrees or doesn't agree with you at certain times, but that is not dumping. It takes time to figure it all out.

For me I wanted the malabsorption. At this point in my life (I was 2 days before my 56th birthday when I had the surgery)  I would go on restrictive diets for weeks and months and wouldn't lose anything significant. I was afraid restriction wasn't going to be enough to get me on the road to success. Malabsorption doesn't last forever I understand..... but for me I needed it.

Taking Vitamins is for all surgeries, and they no longer recommend taking Nsaids with the sleeve either.

I guess my point is don't be afraid to research other options, you may still decide against it... but look at it. I would be more afraid of worsening GERD with a sleeve.

Good Luck!

Your decision not to have another lap-band is a good one. They suck! I had one for 11 years (and gained 60 pounds with it****il it was taken out when my sleeve surgery was done early this year. Good riddance!

Initially, the thought of having most of my stomach removed was creepifying to me too. Then I started to think of how that full-sized stomach was accommodating my compulsive overeating. Then I compared it to the RNY, which always has and still does, totally creep me out. The RNY has been improved over the years, and complications have been reduced, but I never liked that my intestinal plumbing would be rerouted.

I'm in my mid-60s, and before the sleeve surgery this past February, I had knee problems, lower back problems, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and general inflammation that manifested itself in several unpleasant ways. I don't want to have knee replacements, so it was a race to have the surgery and lose enough weight before my knees gave out completely. I think I'm winning that race. 

As you said, in your 50s, serious health problems associated with obesity will begin to emerge. I can promise you, that if you do nothing to reduce your weight, those problems will only get worse.

For me, the only thing scarier than having the surgery was not having the surgery.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

psychoticparrot

importantly do your research extensively, look at attending a support group, my pennies worth ........... best move of my physical life