Lap Band to A Bypass - Page 2 - ThinnerTimes - Gastric Bypass Forum, Lap Band Forum, and Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Forum

Ann Bird · 05-24-2008, 01:51 PM

I had the port removed and reinserted laproscopically and both times in the OR.
The new RNY procedure will be done laproscopically and at the same time they remove the band and port. My doctor thinks this shouldn't be a problem but I did read a post about someone having trouble with scar tissue during their revision. I guess it is what it is and I can't make myself sick by worrying.

Are you hungry? You seem to be doing so well. Do you work? If so, when did you return after surgery?

Thanks.

Marella · 05-24-2008, 03:25 PM

I have to remind myself to eat and drink most of the time AND sometimes I have hunger (like the last two days when my cycle started up again).

I work at home, so I started back as soon as I was able to concentrate, but I couldn't sit for long periods and tiredness came after 4 hours of work. So for me, I have the ability to pace myself and set my own schedule.

Because all of your procedures were done via laproscopically, you probably won't have scar tissue problems. I did because I had a previous open, so that's why I needed an open RNY.

Scars fade a lot easier than my weight (before RNY), that's how I look at it.

What is the timeframe you a looking at for your procedure?

Ann Bird · 05-24-2008, 04:24 PM

I think my surgery will be end of June or early July. I am awaiting my insurance approval and date. I commute to my job and stay at friends house during the work week. I am concerned about planning for eating correctly.

Do you feel a difference between the lap band and the by-pass in regards to being full? I never felt real full with the band and my doctor thinks it isn't positioned well.

I worry that the by-pass won't work either. Did you have those fears?

BabyNicole · 05-24-2008, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ann Bird

I think my surgery will be end of June or early July. I am awaiting my insurance approval and date. I commute to my job and stay at friends house during the work week. I am concerned about planning for eating correctly.

Do you feel a difference between the lap band and the by-pass in regards to being full? I never felt real full with the band and my doctor thinks it isn't positioned well.

I worry that the by-pass won't work either. Did you have those fears?

I have no fear that it won't work, b/c according to my doc it's practically a guarantee that it will work. The fear is, will I be able to maintain the loss years to come?

Marella · 05-24-2008, 07:59 PM

My only future fear is cosmetic reconstructive surgery in the future.

As for feeling full, I had the band for 14 days, and I'm 25 days out from RNY. So I can't really be a judge of days to come.

Right now, I'm doing OK. I feel absolutely no different. I recovered well from Lapband which was done laproscopically, and I recovered just as well an open RNY.

I never had my first band fill, so my 14 day eating was the same as my current RNY.

Oh, sometimes I feel like I have 'head' hunger... but I've managed that by brushing my teeth and changing the taste in my mouth, and following it up with a protein shake or a yogurt, or a sugar free chocolate pudding. I'm told that ingesting protein helps keep the hunger pangs down.

I know that I have to retrain myself to eat, and I'm doing this for ME, and I have to make whatever sacrifice I have to make in order to make this a success (I hope it works if I keep telling myself this).

The RNY helps keep the portions down, and the malabsorption helps in the weight loss. What I eat is up to me, and it's been drilled: protein first!

BabyNicole is right... weight loss is inevitable. The speed of the loss is up to the person. The long-term success is up to you as well.

I'm hoping that once I'm in ONEderland, that I won't be looking back, except perhaps to the pictures of what I once was: the fat girl!

When I get there, I will be looking for advice from the success stories as to their issues and how they deal with them every day.

For now, I just want to live again!

Protein shakes up! Cheers!

Ann Bird · 05-24-2008, 10:09 PM

I appreciate your responses. I find that I get hopeful and then I pull back. I think once I get my surgery date and start this process I will be stronger. I lost 40 lbs with the lapband...without it even working well. I was able to follow the program and handled the surgery. But after they took the fluid out and the restriction was gone I had trouble following the program. I have gained back about 8 lbs. I also have a hard time not drinking water with my meals. I will have to re-train myself about this.
Thanks for your responses. I am glad to be able to ask questions.

Nana~ · 06-02-2008, 10:32 PM

I was very nervous mainly about the sleep part. I was banded for 4 years.
I woke up after 6 hours on the table to find he not only removed my band and did the bypass lap. But he was able to go in through most of my original band scars! I didn’t think that was a possibility. I had my revision on May 5th last month

So far so good!
Nana~

Paula08 · 07-15-2008, 03:30 PM

Hello All,
I had to have my band removed after three months due to a slippage. I lost 38 pounds in those three months with the band and now feel somewhat a failure. My doctor wants to do Bypass in Sept and I am coming to grips with it now. I wish I had done it in the first place so I could have saved myself from all the extra surgeries. I thought I was doing the safest thing for me but I was wrong.
I look forward to my surgery and cannot wait until Im on the side of Post op.
Just wondering how well recovery was for the rest of you because Lapband was a breeze to recover from.
Hugs
Paula

Ps I have lost 50 pounds total since Jan 08. some due to Lapband but the rest due to the gym and good eating.

honeydune · 05-15-2009, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Virginiann

Hello, I'm new here and I just had a lapband removed and reversion to Roux-en-Y last Monday 02/25. I am 50 years old and this surgery has kicked my butt. I was in the hospital 5 days and not one of those days did I think "I should be at home recovering." The surgery took 4 hours due to removing the band and working though a lot of scar tissue. I don't know anyone who has had this revision and I am really happy that I found this board.

I too am glad about finding this post as am in the throws of having my band removed and converting to the Gastric Bypass/RNY...

Marella · 05-16-2009, 04:09 AM

What bothers me the most is the failure rate of banding, and the conversion to RNY by all too many patients. It wreaks havoc with your mind that you've failed again, and it's due to the ineffectiveness of the band many times, sometimes, you can't change/adjust your eating habits, etc.

Right now, I am happy by band failed me. Yes, I'm happy to have lived through my ER first, but I honestly don't think I'd have lost 150 pounds in less than 13 months being banded.

I just thought it was less invasive than being re-routed - a viable alternative. I don't think that anymore. I think banding may be only for those with 100 pounds or less to lose, and who do not have food addictions. Hard to find people like that, but I think banding is more for them.

I'd be heart broken for reasons of slippage, can't get the fill right, eating to defeat the band, etc. Yes, we can eat to defeat our RNY, but it's harder to do, meanwhile, the weight loss is staggering, so I hope it works with most heads that hey, you've lost so much already, why eat and defeat?

Anyway. I had an opinion about this a year ago, and it hasn't changed. I was so depressed after my ER surgery and in the months leading to my RNY because I was soooo close to weight loss and had to wait longer. Again, I lived, I'm here, and my RNY experience has been relatively peaceful.