Band Over Bypass

Is there a group just for ppl who have had or are planning to have BOB, Band Over Bypass?  Either on OH or any other website?
Thanks,

Hi there,

I have not found a group yet, per se, but I am a successful BOB revision patient and am more than happy to answer any questions I can for you. Also, my blogs on my page detail my journey and provide an abundance of information if you are interested.

Good luck!! I love my BOB! :)

=Lisa=

Lisa,

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

 I will read your blog as I'm very interested in your journey but hoping I can pepper you with questions right now without driving you nuts!

I had a successful RNY in ’03 but due to weight  fluctuations over the past 1.5 yrs, hypertension (again) but primarily patterns I see in my life with the constant struggle with food, I’ve decided to have a B.O.B. I am scheduled for 1/12/10 as a self pay and  am attempting to be proactive and do this before I gain a tremendous amount of weight back and have all the health issues that go with it.

I posted a question to Dr. Curry on the OH board in regard to the revision as I am trying to be as educated as possible in making this decision. His response wasn’t entirely unexpected, but I still feel like crying. He discussed the BOB being high risk and this not being warranted as I’m a BMI of 30 with minimal comorbidites.

I do have peace internally with this decision and I truly believe this is right, however, I’m having those moments of doubt, fear and questioning…   “am I insane?" , “is this irresponsible?", etc. etc. 

Can you tell me a bit about your decision making? Was the RNY a success? Did you regain weight and/or never reached goal weight? Was it a hard decision? Did you have doubts, complications, etc.? Any info you can provide would be very appreciated. I know I’m the only one that can make this decision for me, but input from those that have been there helps tremendously! 

Blessings,

 Jackie                       

Hi Jackie,

Trust me, it is never a bother!  i love to share my experience...especially if it can help to encourage someone on this crazy journey.  Here is one of my blogs, "My story in a nutshell."  It answers all of the questions you have posed and then some. :)  Hope it helps in some way...and NO, you are not crazy and/or irresponsible.  Everyone needs a little help now and then to get back on  track...for me, it was getting the restriction back (I am a volume eater/drinker) and getting psychological help (still see a therapist 1x per week and I HIGHLY recommend you do the same ASAP.  It makes SO much of a difference on how I handle things this time around).  I am now maintaining at 131 (19 lbs below initial goal of 150 lbs) and at a healthy BMI.  I had surgery on May 29, 2009, weighing 189 lbs.  I am 5'7.

BLOG:

Well that is how it all started, actually...by NO LONGER being mindful of what I was eating, drinking, etc. after 5 years of maintaining.  I thought I could go back to my old ways and frankly, I welcomed the challenge of whether or not I could actually eat myself fat again and outwit my surgery.  It really grosses me out to talk about this because I have had significant psychological healing since then (still see my therapist 1x per week) and have a completely different mindframe.  But pre-ops and new post-ops must be aware: IT CAN HAPPEN TO THE BEST OF US...follow your protocol forever, please, or you will regret it later.  It may be much later, but it will happen if you deviate from policy at any point.

I wish I would have fixed my "fat" brain the first tiime around, honestly.  Those required pre-op  "psych evaluations" are a f'ing joke to me...how can you possibly legitimately evaluate/diagnose/repair a lifetime's worth of serious issues in 1 or 2 hours?  Pfffft.  Come on now.  Clearly, this is just another hoop to jump through IMHO.  I am a firm believer that all pre-ops should see an independent psych (that specializes specifically in eating disorders and WLS) up to and including 6 months after your surgery.

Anyhow, I maintained my 115 lb weight loss for 5 years and really can't pinpoint exactly what was the deal breaker...it was a plethora of things.  I started drinking carbonation again (diet soda) & drinking with my meals and that stretched my pouch...QUICKLY (please people...don't drink soda or drink with meals!).  So as a result, I was more hungry - more often.  SO then I ate to satiate that hunger - and started eating starchy snacky carby foods again - which then led to me craving sugar and more carbs.  I could go on and on, ad nauseum...but that is the jist of it. 

It snowballed into a 50+ lb weight gain over 2 years and a obscenely stretched pouch and stoma.  Once I had the balls to acknowledge that I was completely, wholeheartedly, inexcusably addicted to food, I sought psychological help.  Thereafter, once I felt I was stable and well prepared to take on the lifetime RESPONSIBILITY of WLS again (this is the best way my psych described it to me...it makes so much sense, like having a child...its forever), I then scheduled and had my BOB (band-over-bypass).  I have since lost 47 lbs and am 3 lbs from goal.  (UPDATE 12/31: I have lost 58 lbs and am 9 lbs under 2nd goal of 140 and 19 lbs under 1st goal of 150) I feel great and finally have my mind right. 

I should have NEVER had WLS when I did the first time around because obviously I was ill-prepared mentally and it reared its ugly head after 5 long happy years of thinking I was invincible and skinny "forever."

So that's my story.  Thanks for your interest! :)

Hi Lisa!

Congrats on your success! U look awsome girl!!  I was wondering if u had any info on any other Docs in the U.S. that will do the Band over Bypass?  I had a revision last April 10. I did not lose any weight, stayed the same.  I had both my hips replaced due to an accident and need to lose at lease 70 more pds. 

Thanks for any info,

Carmen

Thanks Lisa,
I have read your blog ... your story is amazing and you look amazing.  You really bring me hope :)  I do wish I could find a BOB group ... I sometimes find it hard to read about how badly the band has been for some ppl.  I keep telling myself that what I am having done isn't simply the band .. but the band over RNY. 
Some ppl have asked me why I'm not having the DS, first, I'm not able to have such a major surgery and 2nd, my ins won't pay for it and there is no way that I can self pay.
Thanks for posting your story ... I find it very helpful.

Someone should start a BOB group.. i would, but i only have 1 OH friend, lol, and did not get the surgery yet...... Any takers?

I would.
I said something about that a while back .. but didn't see any one interested.
I had BOB a wk ago.

YAY for you!!! I  am getting one on 3/22.. so excited. I think I will start a group later on, seems like there are not a bunch of us on here and i think that there will be more and more looking for info. By the way, I have 2 toddlers with ASD.... I TOTALLY get it!!!! I think half of my weight gain was from the dx.... they never tell you how fattening autism is for mommies!!!! so excited to hear your BOB experience! so exciting!!!

I'm posting an update now