Mel1975

Unless there was erosion the, leak rates we were talking about are for the sleeve not, for band removal alone.

Sorry, no. Just my surgeons word that there were told this. They have to keep up on this stuff and it could have been even a report read at a ASMBS convention or class. It may be a paper on the site only the members can access. I wish I could get a link to the info. The surgeon that told me has moved on and the only way. If the current surgeon that did mine heads up a support group I will try to get it for you. Our center hasn't had a leak since following this procedure.

There IS evidence that having the surgery in two stages when going from band to sleeve causes less risk of complications.. That is why the ASMBS recommends doing in two surgeries with a wait of 2-6 months in between. I have been doing a spread sheet for myself and found every person that did have a complication did it in one surgery. That isn't saying everyone doing it in on will have a problem it just increases the chance.

I did Not lose well with the band, about 40 pounds than regained. I am down well over 100 pounds with the sleeve. With good food choices it has worked well. If I make bad choices, well.....

I hurt worst from having the band removed than from getting it. Also you had an erosion which is a very dangerous complication. For sure keep checking your temp. Where you hurt will depend on how much moving around of organs they had to do in there to get the band out. I am sure it was a mess for them. Take care. As a self pay it is to bad you had the band instead of the sleeve for sure.

Are you journaling EVERY thing that goes into your mouth? How much Protein are you getting and how high are your carbs. Those are the only two things I tracked. I did keep calories under 1200, usually 800-1000.

What a great finish to the old year and a GREAT start to a New Year.

I had my band placed 2/25/09 and had it removed 9/4/12. My surgery was called at 9:15 am and I was home at 1:30 pm and that included a 25 minute drive. How did yours go?

You are right that dehydration can cause these problems.

If you don't have any problems, but for me the band coming out was as ruff as the banding surgery and harder than the sleeve surgery.

Your surgeon and my agree. Mine said the asbp or what every there association is called, has stated that doing the surgery in two steps is much less risky. Enough to justify the risk of two surgeries. I was really upset when I was told I had to have mine in two surgeries. But, once hearing the reasons and seeing those with issues having two I wasn't upset any more.

Actualy a revision is a operation to repair/fix the same surgery like fixing a stoma on rny or replacing a band or tubing. When you go from one surgery type to another, rather in one or two step surgery is a conversion but, most use the term revison for all of the above. Revision and Conversion Surgery It is possible to have a revision of a previous weight loss operation that has failed if there is a technical or mechanical issue with the surgery. It is also possible to undergo a conversion to a different operation that may provide better success in some cases. Examples of operations that may benefit from a revision include: Gastric bypass with a dilated and stretched pouch or stomach Lap-band with slippage or poor position. Examples of operations that may benefit from a conversion to another operation include: Converting a failed VBG or Lap-band to a gastric bypass Converting previous failed reflux operations like a Nissen fundoplication to a gastric bypass for persistent reflux or reflux associated with severe obesity.

Congratulations and good luck!

My insurance went to once in a lifetime WLS policy. They approved the band out only. With the documentation of the problems, the damage done to the stomach and that I had proved medical necessity when banded. I was able to fight and get the sleeve. Check out you policy on the appeal process. I was able to do a verbal appeal and than they called the surgery center to verify and request documentation. I could not start the process until the band was removed. I think my willingness to remove the band with out them approving the sleeved really went a long way to prove the need. Good Luck!

Hope you get to feeling better soon tmde63! Thanks fixerupper

Keep in mind that when you first are sleeved they cut down the whole length of your sleeve. This means your have cut thru nerves. You will think at first you weren't sleeved. Be very, very careful and measure out your food or you can overeat and hurt the sleeve (staple line.) I knew this and was still scared they hadn't made my sleeve right because I didn't feel full with my measured amount. I think it was about 6 - 8 weeks before I could feel full in the tummy. If I eat too much I now get the lump in the area about were banded I had one stick episode, I ate too dry, to much (remember not feeling and not being able to measure at that time.)too soon turkey. That was the one and only lesson I needed to measure until I could feel.

Appeal the decision. You have a whole appeal process to go thru. Don't just take a no. I had a once in a life time WLS policy added to my insurance. I was able to talk to them and do a verbal appeal. They confirmed my information with the surgery center. As it was medically necessary to have the band removed and it was proved by THEM that I needed WLS in the first place, I won and they paid for the sleeve 4.5 months after the band was removed. It took lot of documentation which you have with the erosion.

Was yours a all in one surgery? I was wondering if yours was an all in one? Did you have a drain? I'm on another board also and and just because I love knowing I have done informal data collection. So far I have found those that do have complications are all in one. That said, most that have all in one surgery DON'T have complications. If you don't mind sharing.

My sleeve was easier than the band or the band removal. I didn't have a drain with removal and they called my surgery at 9:15 and I was home at 1:30 with a 20/25 minute drive. I did have to stay 2 nights with the sleeve and wish I hadn't because they had put in a catheter and the drain. I did have to go home with the drain for two weeks and It was a pain. But, still I hurt less and felt better sooner.

The one surgeon only made you wait 2 months. Mine wants you to wait 4 to 6 months. I was 4.5 months out but, he felt that was OK as I had no erosion and mild adhesions at the band site itself. Some of the adhesions were from the band to other organs. I also had the band unfilled prior to removal and was on 2 ppi's a day. Recovery from the sleeve was easier than the band or band removal.

My insurance told me they would pay for the band removal but not the sleeve unless I did it in one surgery. My surgeon wouldn't do it in one surgery due to the increase in complication. So I had my band removed and than fought the insurance to pay for the sleeve as the band removal was medical need. I did get them to pay even with the once in a lifetime WLS policy. I did have to be back up to a bmi of 35 with co-morbs first.

Many are there with you. I truly believe we are no longer the minority. My center admits to 1/3 removal rate. I personally now others that have theirs removed at other centers that have opened up since we were banded closer to their home. This people are still being carried as success at our center. Did you have any other issues show up at removal?

So, glad to hear all went well for you. I was aol and didn't realize you had your band removed untill today.

There are many, many of us with the same problem.

I belong to several band to sleeve, revision and band failure groups and forums. I have found that people that have the revision from band to sleeve in one surgery do have more issues than those that have to wait in between, (Just my informal observation.) I have only seen a couple that takes their ppi’s that have worse reflux with the sleeve than the band. Those also had bad reflux before the band/sleeve. If the insurance wasn't going to pay, I was going to go to Mexico for the sleeve.