MrsBerggren

For those of you that revised to bypass or the sleeve from the band, what was your BMI at the time of the revision? And did your insurance pay for the revision? I found out Friday that my band has slipped and I will need to decide very soon if I want to fix it, remove it or revise to a different surgery - if that is even a possibility for me. I am at a BMI of 34 now and am wondering if I would qualify for a revision to the bypass or sleeve at this point in the game? For anyone else that has experienced this, I am looking for your input. Thank you.

I start my Protein shakes Monday for two weeks and I have been eating like crazy!! I feel like I need to eat all my favorites this weekend before I begin the shakes. Ugh!! Where to begin? lol I am not looking forward to the next two weeks but I know it will all be worth it! Surgery is Monday, August 13. Good luck to you all!

Hello all, My name is Mari and I was banded in 2009. Due to a recent slippage, I am revising to the bypass on August 13. I am looking forward to having this band removed from me. Starting my meal replacement shakes Monday, can't wait!

Sorry to hear about your troubles Newbie. I think you have a good chance to have a revisional procedure due to your slippage. I was considering the sleeve as well until I attended an information bariatric meeting. A bariatric surgeon informed me that many people who get the sleeve tend to revise eventually to the bypass. He did not want me to get the sleeve for that reason, and frankly, I want to have ONE revisional procedure and be DONE with it. I have not been happy with my band at all. It's either too tight or I am not losing much and need an adjustment. And like you, one minute I could eat one thing, the next minute I could not. I also have a lot of stress in my life and that affected my band as well. I am NOT by any means thinking the bypass isn't going to have it's share of complications. But at least I know I will not have to take a half a day of work off every two weeks to adjust my band. It was a LOT more maintenance than I anticipated. But it is what it is. I am thankful I have the option for a revision. I start my Protein shakes Monday and have surgery August 13. Can't wait. Good luck to you and let us know what you end up having done.

My band slipped a couple months ago and I am revising to bypass on August 13. I cannot handle the constant maintenance of the band anymore. I have a feeling I will be so relieved. I should have gone the bypass route the first time around.

Ugh! Went to see my doctor this morning and had an upper GI done. Found out my band has slipped. She was going to write my insurance to see if they would cover a revision althought I don't know that is what I want. Why would I want it fixed just to risk this all over again?? To be honest, I don't, I think I want it out of me. It has been nothing but a pain in the @ss to me with constant vomitting, heartburn and inconvenience of constant maintainence. I am waiting to find out what my insurance says although I dont believe it will be in my favor. She said I could consider a different type of procedure but I can't afford that and with the new insurance laws these days, bariatric procedures are no longer covered. Not only that, I don't know that I would qualify for a different procedure now that I have lost what I have. FML.

UPDATE I was just contacted by my local surgeon who said my insurance has approved a revision to the bypass procedure!! I am tentatively scheduled for surgery on August 13th. I am SO FRICKEN relieved and happy!

Boniluuu, I am not scared of the sleeve. I am scared to have my band removed and gain all my weight back. Each procedure comes with it's own complications and risks but the band has just been too much maintainence and inconvenience for me. I am just tired of vomitting daily and the constant heartburn/reflux. Being bulimic just to be thin is not worth it to me. My insurance has approved a lap band revision, however I am attending an informational meeting Wednesday to learn more about the sleeve and to meet with a surgeon where I live. I hope to submit a request to my insurance and see if they would cover a revision to the sleeve rather than repair the band I have.

I just found out today that my band has slipped and I soon will have to make a decision what to do. You say you revised to bypass, did your insurance cover this? Can you provide me some details? I honestly want this thing out of me. I never expected this journey to be easy, but I am tired of vomitting daily and my teeth and body aching. My son told me today he wants it out too because he is tired of seeing sick all the time. Ugh, decisions...

Yes, I have had symptoms. I got a fill about two months ago and thought I was in my green zone as I was losing steadily. I've had good and bad days but lately it has been more bad than good. I've been having to throw up every single day and all day long. My heartburn and acid reflux has been so bad that I would find myself vomitting in my sleep. Or I've needed to sleep sitting up to avoid feeling it in the back of my throat. My teeth and body just aches from what I believe is malnutrition. My hair has been brittle. Ugh. My father was recently diagnosed with Stage 3A Lung Cancer and has been so sick from chemo and battling pneumonia, emphysema and COPD so I've been stressed and worried sick about him that Ive put off seeing my doctor so I could support him. I don't know when my surgery will be. I PRAY that somehow my insurance will cover a different procedure after the complications of this. Time will tell but I am fearful of gaining the weight back. I feel awful that I've failed the band. But I cant change it now I guess. As far as insurance laws, I am not sure if this is true for all carriers but I do know that Medica and BCBS Minnesota no longer cover bariatric surgery. Thanks for your input cocoabean - I hope I will be one of those people that it will work out for. I did not come all this way just to lose the fight.

If I'm being honest, I have asked myself many times why I got the band. I have had it for almost 3 years and have yo-yo'd with it. My biggest problem BY FARRR was the emotional toll it took on me knowing I physically could not eat what I wanted and when I wanted. The times I couldn't handle not eating "freely," I got an unfill just to allow myself to eat more. I should mention that I did have a baby since I've been banded and that was one of the main reasons I had the procedure. At 250, I was unable to get pregnant and my husband and I desperately wanted another child after the death of first son. It has been a year and a half now since giving birth and I am forcing myself to finally DEAL with the fact that I got this band for a reason and it's time I face the emotion grip food had on me. I still have bad days but I am very happy I did have this procedure done rather than dealing with the torture I was putting myself through by overeating and making myself and my life miserable. I am down 50 lbs and my quality of life has not been better. I am more confident and am able to enjoy life now without feeling self-conscious about my weight. That is priceless. Point is, YES I would do it again. Please stick with it, if it gets hard, try and determine what it is you are struggling with and try and face those struggles head on. You will be glad you stuck with it. Best of luck to you.

This thread is just what I needed to read right now. I have been whining on here in the last couple of days after having a .5cc fill and went from tremendous appetite and hunger to not being able to eat 1/2 cup of SOUP BROTH. I have lost 7 pounds in just a few days and I think now I am a tad too tight, but it just amazes how me how I went from wheret I was at before my fill, to this. I have been very discouraged along my journey and it has been very emotionally draining on me. At times I have felt like giving up, but I feel like I am so close finding my green zone and I cannot wait till I am there.

I am experiencing the exact same thing as you right now! Last Friday my doc gave me a .5cc fill, since then I have litterally ONLY been able to drink fluids, and I am lucky to keep even that down. I have been pbing often if I take too big of a drink, so I have only been sipping and cold/warm fluids do not make any difference for me. I too have lost 7 lbs because of it. Yes, its nice to be down that much so quickly, but I cannot live on broths so I am going in tomorrow for a slight unfill.

I just posted what I am about to say on another thread.. but I am experiencing exactly what you are wanting to avoid. I have had my band for two years and lost 25 pounds. I also got pregnant and had a baby in that time so I forgive myself a year of that time. So I have been trying to get back to where I was before getting pregnant and I had a fill in February that ending up being a nightmare for me and went to the ER and had most of my Fluid removed. I've been getting fills since then and up until Friday had been able to eat whatever, whenever. Friday I went from 6cc's in my band to 6.5cc's and now I cannot eat real food and have only been taking TINY sips of Water, broth, etc. I took a drink of milk yesterday morning and could not keep it down so that irritated my band. I was sipping the rest of the day and was lucky to keep any of it down. Today, the same thing and to be honest, I am SICK of it. I cannot find a happy medium and I am starting to resent this band. I am so stressed out about it and I am just tired of dealing with it anymore. Yes, I know this is a poor attitude, but I cannot help feeling this way. My life right now does not allow me time to drive an hour to my doc every week to figure this out and I am at a loss. This has been such a huge emotional struggle for me and I dont even know what I want anymore, other than I would love to eat something to get rid of this headache I have from hunger. I am so sad and frustrated right now I am just beside myself.

I am in the same boat as you right now, and to be honest, I am about to the point I want this thing out of me. I am so sick of the up and down feeling with my band, I am ready to have a mental breakdown. Before my most recent fill on Friday, I was able to eat just about anything and never felt a lick with my band. Friday I had a fill of .5cc and have only been able to take tiny sips of liquids, period. I am hungry and have a headache from not being able to eat 'food' and I cannot take off work to drive the hour to my doctor because my coworker is on vacation. I am at my wits end with this band, I just cannot take it anymore. I am in hell.

I had a fill Friday that has given me considerable restriction. I am now only able to sip my morning protein shakes and was only able to eat about a 1/2 - 3/4 cup of soup for lunch.. I'm curious if I am too tight, or are you only able to eat about that much as well for lunch? I do realize that I will be able to eat a bit more as the day goes on, but I just want to do some comparing with others. Thanks for your input!

I will pb if I take too big of a sip.. I had a bad day yesterday after pb'ing in the morning and was ruined for the rest of the day, it was awful. So I just have to be more mindful before doing drinking in the morning. But it sure tasted great to have that small amount of soup today!

I hate to be such a downer as I am typically a positive person, but I am tired of this yo-yo feeling I am having with my band. I've been banded for 2 years, and I also got pregnant and had a child in that time as well. The most I am down is 25 pounds. Granted, I will take credit for failing the band at times, but it is hard for me to take a half a day off from work every few weeks to go for a fill and figure out perfect restriction. I exercise regularly, eat well and get my Protein. I know I need a slight fill right now, but now I am paranoid about being too tight when I do go in. I had a scare a few months ago that made me too tight and was unable to drink Water and I was 4 hours away from my doc in the middle of a frozen lake in a winter storm. It was AWFUL. I just feel like I am struggling to find a sweet spot and am getting sick of searching for it. I just dont have the time with a job and family at home. My husband is on the road all summer for work and that alone makes it hard for me to rely on others when it comes to my children. Ugh, I just need to vent. I really thought I would have been a LOT farther in my journey, and I am sad that I am not. I feel like such a failure.

I've started this thread before but didn't get the answers I was looking for. I know that everyone's sweet spots are different, but please explain to me what your's feels like, I need details!!! I thought I found my sweet spot but then I wasn't sure.. is it like love and when you fall in it you just KNOW? lol. I can feel my food go down but it doesn't stay in my pouch, is it supposed to? Or is it supposed to pass? I thought I had good restriction but I have never felt "full" from it, do you think that means I need more saline? Help.. I'm a flippin goon here and I'm all sorts of confused.

Hi everyone.. lately I have been extremely tired and can hardly make it through the day. I drink a large coffee in the morning and it doesnt seem to help. I have recently run out of my Vitamins and am not sure if that is the reason but I cant go on like this anymore, Im miserable. This just started happening in the last couple weeks, other than that Ive felt amazing and extremely ambitious. We've been doing a lot of home reno lately, a complete bathroom remodel and just last week ripped out all of our carpet and replaced it all, even a fresh coat of paint. I feel like I should be caught up on sleep by now but this is just not a way to live. Any suggestions? If this doesnt change in the next couple days I will definitely be seeing my doctor. I cant wait to go to bed lol.

Thank you everyone.. I WISH I was pregnant however, I am menstrating right now and pretty heavily. Maybe that is what is bringing me down so much in the past few days along with all the work we've been doing in our home. I have had my thyroid checked in the past year or two and everything was fine there. I emailed my doctor last night after posting my thread and am waiting to hear what she says to do. I picked up more Vitamins this morning and am sure those will help me. I am going to up my Protein as well so hopefully things will begin to change. I appreciate your input everyone.

I was in the same boat, I thought the band was worthless because I thought I should have been losing more early on. BUT, I did not start to lose until after my 3rd or 4th fill and that took 3 months to get to that point. To think you should file a lawsuit is ridiculous.. you havent let the band do its job. You cannot criticize it until you've actually filled it enough to feel restriction. I could eat pretty much ANYTHING until I got to my sweet spot which, for me, is 6.5 cc's or something around there. Everyone is different, might take you more or less. You went through major surgery just to give up already... Didn't your doc tell you that it is not an overnight thing? You will need to constantly work with him to get to where you need to be? You've had ONE fill, and it's going to take a lot more than that.. you better start saving to get your fills rather than blow your money on specialized foods. Use the band for what it's there for and don't think you'd win a lawsuit after you think it's failed you after one fill. You haven't even gotten started yet.

I've made the roasted red pepper and fish chowder and it was DEE-LISH!!! I get many recipes sent to me through email as well from this website. I just think its WONDERFUL that we are still able to eat delicious but nutritious food after being banded. Let me know if anyone else has tried a recipe from the site!