Band to RNY with multiple hernia repair? Scheduled!!

I just got off the phone with my Dr's office.  

My surgery has been approved (less than a week too!) and I'm all scheduled for my revision and hernia repair on May 2nd!

I started my pre-op diet on Friday of last week.  Last time around my liver was nearly too big to operate so I'd like to avoid that!  But I guess I'm ready.

Now the waiting game really starts!!!

Congratulations!  I am in the last stages of waiting for a surgery date to have my band removed and get a bypass.  I had hiatal hernia repair when my surgeon did my band back in 6/11.  The waiting drives me insane.  Hurry up and then wait.  As soon as I get insurance confirmation I can get my final labs done and see my surgeon one more time before surgery.  I don't know what kind of issues you had with your band but I am really nervous about going through this all again.  I was so sure of my success last time and it did not turn out nearly as I thought.  Good luck to you!  Hang in there!

I'm having quite a few issues.  I've got incredibly bad reflux, my band has slipped a bit, and my port flipped.  My esophagus is also dilated about 2 1/2 times the size it should be.  I've got both an Umbilical Hernia as well as Diastasis Recti (the vertical hernia where your "six pack" abs split in half, very common after pregnancy and it's usually referred to as "Mummy Tummy").  I suspect a hiatal hernia too as I'm prone to hiccups and wouldn't really be surprised if that was the case.

But I'm just so done with the band. I know it works for some, but since I got my approval I've read a lot of stories that sound identical to my own. In fact my Dr said he sees this sort of thing (apart from the hernias as those were likely caused by a pregnancy for me) often and according to some studies it's happening in about 1 in 5 cases. It's been a horrible life the past few years.

I hope you get yours scheduled soon!  It's a huge relief to have this to look forward to!!

Best wishes for you.  Yup, my surgeon said 25% which is 1 of 4 have problems with their bands at some point.  The percentages of surgery choices he has are 45% choose sleeve, 45% chose bypass and maybe 10% band if that.  When I got my band this was such a different scenario.   My issues aren't as bad as yours but it has not been good for me either.  I am an asthmatic and got into this mess from gaining about 100lbs over a 4 year period from having to resort to prednisone for treatment, nothing else was working.  My asthma was very chronic with constant upper respiratory infections.  I have since has several different doctors and medications and have been pred free for almost 2 1/2 years.  The weight was supposed to be reduced from getting a band but that did not go so good.  I have productive burping 5 out 7 days of the week.  I'm sure you are feeling just exhausted from all this - I sure am.  I just want some relief.  I am really depressed and on many medications for that and other issues.  Hoping to reduce my meds after surgery.  I just want to feel kinda normal.  I think it will feel better once the surgery date is in place.  Hang in there.  We are on the road to recovery.  Thanks for replying, keeping in touch. 

When I got my band it was Band or Bypass.  Hardly anyone did anything but that.  I also lived in Houston and at the time-the city was covered in billboards for a couple weight loss surgeons all advertising the band.  It just seemed like the thing to do.  

1 in 4 seems about right.  I was first out of my mother and two family friends to get the band.  My initial success inspired them to get their own bands.  So if it's one in 4...than I'm either number 1 or 4 depending on how you see it. 

I've been battling depression too, but my stomach is such a mess I can't tolerate the pills I was taking so I stopped.  It's been hard managing without them but I've managed. I'm really looking forward to getting off the 60mg of Nexium I take each day though. It's barely working as it is so I'm not sure what was going to happen if this didn't get approved.

I hear you.  My head is bouncing from not wanting to do anything anymore and just be left alone to hating my body like it is right now.  I do not want think about calories or protein or my next appt sometimes.  Then I think, what the heck happened that you are on the verge of getting your stomach cut up to get your life back.  I do not want the band and I know there is no success if I just have it removed and try to loose weight on my own, I couldn't before all this.  I am constantly hungry or have a terrible case of food addiction.  I wasn't always like this, it increases with stress.  Hopefully I will get a surgery date this week.  Ugh!  Everyone says it will be good after and you won't regret doing this - they better be right!  I'm on the verge of chickening out.  I hate what I am like but scared of what is ahead.  I suppose that is normal.  When I got my band my insurance would cover either a band or bypass, not sleeve.  My Mom was totally freaked out on the bypass and it seemed so drastic to me at the time.  The band was popular here then and I knew several people who had them.  Some have had excellent success, some mediocre & some very little with issues like myself.  My aunty had a sleeve procedure and is doing so well.  She says she feels so good and loves it.  She went from 230 to 135 in about a year.  She has not been her current weight since elementary school.  She had the same surgeon as mine.  She is cheering me on and checking in on me all the time.  I am starting to worry I may not get approved either - it is taking longer than they had told me.  Keep in touch and good luck to you!

Well don't give up.  From experience I did and gained way WAY too much weight.  

My insurance won't cover sleeve, only Band or Bypass. But that's fine for me.  Because of where my band is sitting, my Dr doesn't think sleeve or DS would work out so well. 

I'm sure you'll hear something soon and get your surgery date :)

Thank you.  Take care of you!

Oh my gosh!  I just called my clinics office to check on the status of my insurance and she said my folder was on her desk right now!  Got my date - April 22!  My head is spinning out of control.  I have to start my liver shrinking diet tomorrow - which I will start now!  One last blood draw to get done.  My pre sx appt with my doc is set for this Thursday.  Yikes...here we go!  I'm excited and very nervous!!!! 

See!!! How exciting!  I'm so happy with you...and you've got a friend on the liver diet, I started mine last week too.  Decided it was best since I had a big liver last time round and frankly...low fat, low carb and high protein is going to be my life soon enough. May as well get used to it. 

One thing I did this weekend was roast two chickens, picked them apart for meals for this week and put the bones and what not into the freezer.  Next weekend I'll repeat and then make a gigantic pot of chicken stock (probably two). I'm going to split most of it into 1/2 cup servings (all those little baby food containers are going to come in handy!) and freeze them for my clear liquid days.  I figure home made will be much better for me :)