Stephanie, I'm in this forum as I'm having lap band Fri. I've been on the two week liquid diet since Fri. Oct 13. I've lost 12 lbs. I chose the lap band as I wanted slow weight loss. But you mentioned something else the stood out!!! You have been going to the gym now 6 days a week for 2 weeks!! YOUR ROCK! MUSCLE WEIGHS MORE THAN FAT! Are you being careful about your sugar and carbohydrate consumption or alcohol consumption? (not that I'm saying your drinking) I'm just thinking perhaps there is one small change you can make that might help your body start to cooperate. I know my body doesn't cooperate very well and I know this isn't a quick fix. Maybe with the other surgeries there is, but I know this one is right for me no matter how slow. It gives me a long time to learn and accept my new eating habits. Be good to yourself. It will come. Might take you by surprise. Kathleen

Hi Susanne, I have had six follow-up surgeries all related to my bypass since i initally had it in 2/05...just so you know you are not alone. Email me anytime if you would like. Take care and feel better soon!

Are you wanting the DS? Can you appeal their decision? The DS is a great WLS and statistics prove it. I am having DS done in two stages because of my BMI. First I am having the VSG (restrictive) and then in about 6-12 months, I will have the second part (malabsorption). My surgeon said I may not need the second part of the surgery because I may lose all the weight I want with just the restrictive part of the surgery. I am hoping that is true because I don't want to go back in and have another surgery if I don't have to. I, also, believe it is true because I have been checking in the VSG board for about 10 months and I see a lot of VSGer's losing a lot of weight like the DSer's do. I have done a lot of research on the VSG and I think it will prove itself to be a great WLS, too. There have been some studies done, but nothing long term like the DS. I have some studies on the VSG called, "Duodenal Switch without Gastric Resection: Results and Observations after 6 Years," on my profile if you would like to see it. I do have a friend of mine that had the RNY and she has lost nearly 75% of her excess weight, but she is only 3 years out and did have complications with strictures. I have two other friends that have had DS and they have lost 95-100% of their excess weight and they are 5+ years out. My DS friends were both self-pay and my RNY friend had hers covered by insurance. I know more insurances are covering the DS and the VSG and I think that will continue as more studies are conducted with the DS and VSG. Tina

Susanne, I am sorry you have has so many struggles. I too have suffered complications. I had a 7 month incision healing problem and I have unexplained severe abdominal cramping since my surgery three years ago. I have had successful weight-loss, and I have avoided any nutritional deficiencies due to an excellent dietitian and a great primary care physician who monitors my blood work on a 6 week basis...Tinkering with supplements as neccessary. I freely admit, I am not regretting my choice to have the surgery as I also suffer from a form of Rheumatoid Arthritis and I spent 10 months in a Nursing home after a serious medical treatment complication, and was wheelchair bound for 2 years...So anything is better than that but.... I hated the shiny happy people at my support group who always claimed that their only regret was that they didn't do it sooner or that they never had a moments regret...I thought it was all crap...I mean we all took healthy digestive systems, and rearranged them so we would sufffer from medically engineered malnutrition....Nobody is going to do this and not suffer some problem or another.... You, I must say have suffered more than most. I thought they were just kidding themselves, and sometimes I felt that all this happy talk just added to my depression....I wanted people to get real. I think far too many people are in a defensive mode about this decision and they get crazy when people admit that this stuff is hard and that we may suffer for having made this choice. I think they are so afraid that people second guess their decision, that they cannot tolerate dissent from the party line of "WLS surgery is good". We are doing ourselves and others, a huge disservice by never talking about the negatives...and it truly ****** me of when I see a poster get flamed for stating that their experience hasn't been one big party. I just wanted you to know that theyre was someone out there who supports and encourages your right to talk about your complications and your regrets.....Feel free to e-mail me anytime..... Kelly

I had the lap band for three years and it started causing damage. I now have the DS. I don't like the multiple bathroom visits every morning, but even that beats the he!! out of my life WITH the band. Sue