Consultation got me MORE confused!

I had my lap band put in 7/2007. needless to say, after years of dealing with this and very little weight loss, I am looking to revise. I had a consultation with a doctor who does the DS among other types of surgery. I was leaning towards DS because I believe it has a lot less FOOD DRAMA than the other surgeries.  But, now he has told me he wouldn't recommend me for it, unless I really really wanted it. He says sleeve or bypass is better.  I just really want to be able to live a more normal life. This band feels like an eating disorder but you don't lose weight!  He said I wouldnt be good for the DS because I don't have enough to lose. I need to lose about 125 lbs! 

 I don't know if I should take his advise, and just get the sleeve or bypass...

 

or push for the ds....  any advise from those who have revised from the band? 

go for the surgery you want & if you have to find another surgeon to do it, so be it - that's what i would do.
with 125 left to lose - i see no reason not to get the DS.

i revised to the sleeve back in oct & i can tell you how awesome the difference is.   zero food drama.

good luck.

This surgeon had me convinced that either one was fine. That the difference would be only about 10 lbs.  For me, it looks like the sleeve might work similar to the band.

Do you get 'stuck' with the sleeve? Are there a lot of foods you can not eat like with the band?

 there is no getting stuck with the sleeve (for me at least) - zero issues with any kind of food.

i didn't have that much to lose & met that goal and more by month 2.

You currently have a restrictive only surgery that is not working for you, so going to another restrictive only surgery would do no good.  I had a revision from RNY to DS and I had 100 to lose.  It sounds to me like you need to see another Dr for an opinion.  It doesn't sound like this DR may have the confidence to do a revision to DS.  Go to dsfacts.com to check out the list of DS surgeons.  Get another opinion.  And like the previous poster said, pic your surgery and THEN pic your surgeon. 

I see that a lot of people have gone from RNY to DS...but I am wondering why? What made you get a revision? were there complications or did it just not work for you?   For me, if people are having trouble with the bypass, then why would i set myself up for another fail...and possibly another surgery!?

I had RNY in May of 2008. I had complications over the entire summer. I dealt with stricture after stricture and basically didn't eat the entire summer. After finally getting the DR to order a scope, the stricture was diagnosed and the stretching began. Took three scopes to stretch is where I could eat comfortably. I lost over 100 and got down to 190lbs. I stayed there for about 5 minutes and started to regain. I was also dealing with reactive hypoglycemia which required my to eat frequently and food intolerances which made it hard for me to eat right. I was able to eat carbs, but any dense proteins or veggies always got stuck, no matter how much I chewed. I was throwing up almost daily because of food getting stuck. I was big on blaming myself. My original Dr didn't help things cause he was big on blaming the patient.

I finally decided to see Dr. Buchwald to get checked out. They did all the testing and my pouch was enlarged and the stoma was enlarged. We decided that a revision to DS would be best for me. I had regained 60 and knew I needed to do something or I was going to continue to go up. I love Dr. B and he has given me my life back! It was the best decision that I have ever made.
 

Thanks so much for your story. sooo as i suspected it IS possible to get STUCK with the RNY. I'm so scared of making the wrong choice. i dont know what to do!

I'd say push for what you want. If your surgeon doesn't do the DS then find a different one. Of course he won't sell you something he can't provide.

That said, please take a look at the vitamin regimen and make sure it's something you can commit to for LIFE. Also talk to other DS'ers. They are hardcore but sooo helpful. Personally I don't think I could handle taking that many vitamins. I take a bunch as it is. I will have to get to a whole new level of desperation (with my weight, I do not at all mean this as an insult) to do the DS (i.e. if for some reason the sleeve fails me which I doubt it will) then I would go the DS route and would just have to commit to the vitamins. But right now I don't have to so I won't... going for the VSG.

Hope that helps.

hhhmmmmmm do you know just how many vitamins they have to take daily? I am on so many pills right now, I guess I could swap out the medications for vitamins...maybe