First Post here
Good Morning!!
I just need some advice from you smart people!! I had the Lapband in 2004 and I failed it and it failed me. Needless to say, I want the sucker out!! I have had fill after fill and I never reached my restriction level. The only thing that happens is that when I eat, everything gets stuck so I have to bed over or go to the bathroom and "slime." Not much fun when you are out to dinner or eating with others!!
I decided not too long ago to have it removed and revised to the bypass. I went to my consult on 9/4/08. I loved the bariatric coordinator (who is actually in the exact same place with her band so we really related to one another) and I took a really strong liking to the surgeon. He suggested we take the band out before doing the bypass. I explained that I am a complete chicken and would love if he could do it all at once. He made me feel very at ease and I decided to see what I could do to get approval!!
I left there feeling so good. I sat in my car in front of his office and called every doctor I have to see in order to get approval!! I got lucky and the Psych had a cancellation so I went that night! I now have all of my appointments set up and will be done with testing by Sept 19!!
Has anyone on here went from the band to the bypass?? Can you tell me anything to expect?
I am excited to begin a new journey....please pray for me that I have no problems getting approved!
Thanks,
Nicole
I just need some advice from you smart people!! I had the Lapband in 2004 and I failed it and it failed me. Needless to say, I want the sucker out!! I have had fill after fill and I never reached my restriction level. The only thing that happens is that when I eat, everything gets stuck so I have to bed over or go to the bathroom and "slime." Not much fun when you are out to dinner or eating with others!!
I decided not too long ago to have it removed and revised to the bypass. I went to my consult on 9/4/08. I loved the bariatric coordinator (who is actually in the exact same place with her band so we really related to one another) and I took a really strong liking to the surgeon. He suggested we take the band out before doing the bypass. I explained that I am a complete chicken and would love if he could do it all at once. He made me feel very at ease and I decided to see what I could do to get approval!!
I left there feeling so good. I sat in my car in front of his office and called every doctor I have to see in order to get approval!! I got lucky and the Psych had a cancellation so I went that night! I now have all of my appointments set up and will be done with testing by Sept 19!!
Has anyone on here went from the band to the bypass?? Can you tell me anything to expect?
I am excited to begin a new journey....please pray for me that I have no problems getting approved!
Thanks,
Nicole
298/182/143
Surgery/ Current/ Goal
Hi Nicole, welcome to the revision board!
I had a band too, and similar problems with it - I gave up after about two years and had it removed in December. Firstly the removal op is a day-case thing so isn't something to get worried about. It hurt less than having the thing put it, and I was glad to get rid of it.
My surgeon prefers to wait a few weeks before doing the next op (in my case a DS) and his view is that the band can thicken the stomach walls and make them more difficult to deal with in terms of stapling/stitching swollen bits of stomach together and making it more likely that you'll leak after. I had to go with his judgement really, and I'm glad I did - he said part of my stomach was still tricky after a two month gap, so goodness knows what state it would have been in straight away.
About your later post - the band over RNY; I understand that this is being used as a possible revision for RNYers whose pouches have stretched or stomas have enlarged, since it gives another way of controlling the pouch's capacity. Frankly I wouldn't want a band anywhere near me now, knowing how much better I live with the DS.
Glad you feel happy with your surgeon too - it helps a lot if you feel like you're in good hands.
Sal
I had a band too, and similar problems with it - I gave up after about two years and had it removed in December. Firstly the removal op is a day-case thing so isn't something to get worried about. It hurt less than having the thing put it, and I was glad to get rid of it.
My surgeon prefers to wait a few weeks before doing the next op (in my case a DS) and his view is that the band can thicken the stomach walls and make them more difficult to deal with in terms of stapling/stitching swollen bits of stomach together and making it more likely that you'll leak after. I had to go with his judgement really, and I'm glad I did - he said part of my stomach was still tricky after a two month gap, so goodness knows what state it would have been in straight away.
About your later post - the band over RNY; I understand that this is being used as a possible revision for RNYers whose pouches have stretched or stomas have enlarged, since it gives another way of controlling the pouch's capacity. Frankly I wouldn't want a band anywhere near me now, knowing how much better I live with the DS.
Glad you feel happy with your surgeon too - it helps a lot if you feel like you're in good hands.
Sal
DS revision from failed lapband
hi nicole! i had a lapband and revised to rny. i had my lap band placed 12-2005. i have never really had any restriction w/ the band. and again, literally no restriction. i could eat the house down. my band was at its max and could not have anymore fills. i had lost 10 lbs max and that was with alot of will power. my doctor said that generally all men and women w/ a bmi of over 50 get the larger band. that was me. now was it that the band was too big? dont know. i didnt have a leak anywhere in it. because the band was not effective doc said it needed to come out. we discussed a few options. 1) remove the band and leave it at that. 2) exchange the band for the smaller one. 3) remove the band and convert to the bypass. because of my experience w/ the band already, i leaned for option 3. my rny was 6/23/08. im feeling great. i am glad i did it. was not as bad as what i thought i would be as far as pain goes. havent had any complications, vomiting , etc. i actaully feel that it was not anymore painful then the band...maybe even less so? granted i stayed on top of my pain w/ medication when needed and i sort of knew what to expect f/ when i had my lap band, so i was prepared. i stayed for 2 nights. they do not go thru your scars f/ you lap band...at least mine werent. i had 6 small incisions instead of 4 (or was it 5) w/ the band.
Highest Wt 12-2005 Weight 6-2008 Current Weight Goal
(Day of Lap-Band) (Morning of RNY) 2/10/2009 185
366 345 249
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