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If u dont mine me asking, why r you doing the revision from the band. Also when are you doing yours? I also am doing the same on 12/12/12. The bsnd has only give minimal success and has caused a host of other issues. Dawn<br />Sent from my SPH-L710 using RNYTalk

Got really dehydrated...food not staying down fluids either Had 3 bags of fluids yesterday. I'm 5"5' down to 113 lbs about passed out at Drs office I'm feeling much better but get worn out easy. Waiting for ins to approve revision I am hoping I get approval by Nov 13 they have me on the Roster.... Anyone been in my place? How long did u take off after? I feel really stupid!

I'm close to Galveston, Tx....about 30 min from Houston....I'm getting through my pre-op testing for a revision from my Band that slipped 2 months ago....once I finish with my EGD, I can set surgery....my surgeon will be Dr Garth Davis at The Davis Clinic...my previous surgeon was Dr Marvin for my Band in 2007 but he is no longer on my insurance, but I am very happy with Dr Davis

OH crap! I am going to have to revise my opinion. I am not in love with the reputation of 1-800-get-thin. They have issues.

1) depends on your policy....I had a total exclusion on any WLS so I had to pay out of pocket for my revision 2) I would have done it again in a heart beat! I'm 7 months post-revision and my life has been great! with the lapband I only lost 40 pounds, then gained it back and then some...with the sleeve I have restriction, I'm doing the right things and it is paying off....love it!

I have no problem with disagreement, I can speak for what I know. I never said anything about noxious gas or discharge etc from any other surgery. I wouldn't try and scare people from another surgery. I just know what worked for me, I know what I have seen with the people I know, personally. All our experiences in this world are shaped by what we know. My knowledge is enhanced by my surgeon knowledge and discussions I have had with him. In his experience he has found patients who revise to RNY from the band do not do well. (He doesn't do DS he finds it too risky a surgery) And he does do the sleeve so far those patients he revises from a band to a sleeve seem to be doing well from what he told me, . I actually just reccomended a sleeve to a patient whose body is reacting badly to the band. My comment was specifically to revised RNY patients, nothing else. The ones I know are still morbidly obese, are are still no where near any of their goals and are struggling with a variety of areas. I actually believe that anyone can lose weight, hell just about everyone on this board has lost weight and gained it back over time hence we resorted to WLS. The band is nice for weight loss but it is amazing for long term maintenance. It helps you maintain, if you have a good fill level letting you eat reasonable healthy amounts, if something changes you can de-fill or go tighter. I do honestly believe that with all the complications I had with my band if that had been another other surgery I would be dead right about 3 years ago. At least with the band a slip is fixable, with other surgeries a complication may result in complications that are not as easily fixable. And no the band won't magically change your brain, neither will any other surgery. Dealing with why you eat, how you eat, what you eat, when you eat and where you eat is tough work no matter what surgery you get. No matter what choice you make it is hard work that can take a lifetime to master for some.

"I think there are a lot of people out there who opt to leave the band expecting other WLS just to be that much easier to lose the weight and maintain... and from what I have seen from the people I know that just isn't true. All the people I know who switched from the band to the RNY are still morbidly obese, the second surgery didn't help them lose more.. they weren't ready to change their patterns and behavior. " I would have to respectfully disagree with you here. Personally, I believe the band is more of a tool for weight loss, where other malabsorbtion proceedures are a method. Bottom line is, I've done both. The band will hold your hand, but the hard work is squarely on the patients shoulders. They do surgery on your belly, not your brain. Compared to a band, the rny or ds weight loss is easy. If I were in a burning building, I want the easiest way out. I tried the hard way, and got burned. I believe it takes an exceptionally motivated, strong willed person to get to goal with a large amount of weight to lose with the band. It is tough, tougher than I was! But even some of those people have been faced with their worst fear, losing their band. Some have been successful in maintaining their loss after removal. Alot have not. It's hard when you're a food addict. Even those who believe they have their demons tamed find them sneaking back out with no restriction or removal. "It is individual, I just hope the people who are on here after lapband removal are just not on here to say how unhappy they are but on boards that support them and give them the information that they need to cope with the alternate surgery they opted for. Personally I would have just left the band boards behind if my band was out and not going back and joined things that supported my choices rather than a board that obiviously will be proband." My journey and experience with my band and revision validate my choice to post on this board. If I can bring something to the post that I deem important, I will. Especially when I see misinformation, fingerpointing and cherry picking. Facts are facts. Experiences/journeys are priceless. If I can help one person from thinking they are a failure or reassure them their intestines will not fall out, and they won't explode from noxious gases if they decide to have another surgery beside the band, than I'm happy. There will be people who want me to go away here, Simply because I didn't have the same experience they have and they don't agree with me. That's just silly. Reading back, yes, I would seem negative toward the band, actually I'm trying to get people to see the whole picture. You can see alot more with a few views than just one, and you can also see alot more with an open mind than a closed one. I frequent many boards, the best one being www.wlsforum.org I have been involved with that community since 2002 when it was Spotlight Health. Why is it the best? Because all surgeries are represented there, and we learn as a community, yet still small enough that you are not "LOST" in the crowd like obesityhelp. If misinformation is posted, someone will be quick to point it out, even if it wasn't their surgery of choice. There are far less misconceptions about other surgeries, because as we get to know and support each other, we are also educated. Our destination is the same, although we may have choosen to take different paths. As far as band revisions go, there are 3 band to DS, 1 band to sleeve, and 2 band to rny (and one in process). Oh, and none of those have failed to lose weight with the revisional surgery. And one cannot have another surgery because of nerve damage during her band surgery. Her name is Nicci. There are more than a handful that have reached goal and maintain. There are many frustrated people who haven't. And as Forest Gump would say "That's all I have to say about that."

Boy, Heather! You have been through the grinder with your band. But my experiences in observing which wls surgery is the most effective don't match yours. Mine more closely match what all the medical research says. A group of us--about 40-50 wls patients--got together a couple of years ago. Someone asked, "Which ones had the DS?" I--inadvertantly, because I was still banded--said, "Just look around...it's the skinny bitches." And it was. I've been researching wls since about the time you were banded and I haven't met anyone--not one person--who had a DS and was unhappy with the way the surgery had performed. I *DID* encounter a person with a drug and alcohol problem who returned to drugs and alcohol and regained about 50 pounds, but even she didn't regain everything. OTOH, many of the banded people I know have had to have revisions and many are still MO, even after years of trying to make the band work for them. I really think that, especially for someone who has had all the problems you have had, your success is really outside the normal range of results. But bravo to you for achieving it! Sue

I was banded and a year ago revised to a sleeve. I have to say, if I had it all to do over again I would have saved a ton of self pay money by getting the sleeve the first time around. Banding is hard, the restriction issues, sliming, foaming, PBing, slips, erosion, band intolerance, all of it. I was prepared to work hard and do my part, and I did. I was not prepared for the kind of hard the band was, hard as in the stuff I had no control over. I did work hard, I did eat the right things, I did exercise, and I did get to goal but my cost was esophageal damage. I think many feel threatened when we have WLS and someone else with the same procedure type does not do well through no fault of their own. That really isn't reason to assume they are not being honest. If it is the same sticky as I am thinking of it is warning people about being paid to post about doctors and encourage everyone to go to their doctor. This is something else you might want to read: Medical News: ASMBS: Gastric Banding Less Effective than Other Procedures - in Meeting Coverage, ASMBS from MedPage Today It depends on what your GERD is from. Most of us have hiatal hernias caused by obesity. If you have a hiatal hernia that should be repaired when they do your WLS. If your GERD is not from a hiatal hernia a band, sleeve, or DS would make it worse. Bypass is the best option.

Me too! Actually just shy of 3 weeks. How are you doing on the purée diet? I had revision from lapband to bypass. Turns out there was an uncommon problem with my port. After 5 years it was causing pain and upon extraction they found some significant issues. Anyway looking to the future. Still sore with a lot of bruising but out and about doing a little Christmas shopping. Missing eating out with friends and the occasional margarita! Let me know how you’re doing!

Can’t wait for that! I remember with the gastric band (which I just revised to a bypass) I went from a 18DD to a 14DD pretty much exactly when I crossed the BMI ‘obese’ down to BMI ‘overweight’. A month to six weeks away, I reckon... YAY! Good breasts are a wonderful thing, but I like mine better when they don’t feel like a matron bossom!

that's the usual fix for it, yes. You don't want to mess around with unmanageable GERD. It could progress into Barrett's esophagus, which in turn could progress into esophageal cancer. Sometimes it can can be managed via meds - but your surgeon may be thinking this is a case for revision. Like the person above said, they can't force you to have surgery, but on the other hand, if you have dangerous GERD, I'd be inclined to at least listen to the surgeon. If you're really doubting it, you could always get a second opinion.

@scollins707 thanks! My first 10 days were pretty rough but doing good now. Trying to learn my new configuration and how to eat again. I am having a lot of constipation which my surgeon says is strange since I had a distal revision. He expected me to be going several times a day. Hoping that will improve with my increased water intake and walking longer distances.

So I'm actually working towards a revision which is a bit different than just starting a fresh journey. I started seeing my surgeon in April 2016 and putting together all the records of my compliance while banded, as well as test results of an endoscopy, an upper GI, a sleep study etc. Essentially we have to make a really good case as to why they should pay to have the band removed (because I've developed health related problems with it) and why they should pay to revise to the RNY (because I have a history of compliance and success....at least prior to my wonky thyroid and pregnancy). We just now go all of the records and tests and everything together, I got my psych clearance right before Christmas and I emailed my surgeon's nurse to see if things have been submitted. Both duke and bariatric specialists of NC are marked as bariatric centers of excellence - I looked at them when I was doing initial research and ultimately chose duke because my primary is in the duke system and so I wanted my doctors to easily be able to share information and be on the same page when it comes to my health. My surgeon did mention that BCBS was changing their bariatric policy after the new year, the requirements on how long we are required to be enrolled in a surgical center's program. I believe it used to be 6 months, and they are moving to 12. In my case I don't know if it will apply because I'm a revision...but if it does it means I'll have to wait until after April for my procedure. It will suck if I have to wait but it's worth it and in the meantime I can continue to focus on making the lifestyle changes I'll need. I would definitely check with BCBS to find out what the new (if any) changes to the requirements may be so you've got a game plan for the coming months

I have several fears such as dying and them finding other medical problems (i.e. cancer), but I fear weight regain the most. I currently have the lap band. Lost 115 pounds. Had complications and gained it all back. So, now they have to do a band to sleeve revision. So, yes...weight regain is my worst fear. I just want to lose weight and keep it off.

Dreaded two week diet lolI had a VSG revision to RNY on 09/28. I was scared and nervous but was so happy that the 2 week pre op diet was done just to realize it's more like a 3 week liquid diet as you forget the week after surgery. I can be your buddy if needed. My middle daughter is currently teaching at Darby College until July. My dad was born in Horsham England but came to Canada, where we reside, when he was 6 manitobamama

The covenant that God made with Abraham to give control of Canaan to Abraham's offspring was to both the Jews and Muslims, because Abraham had two sons, one which became the leader of the Jews and one the leader of Islam. So each of these two religious groups is equally entitled. Many times you will hear that someone is anti semitic when they say something negative about a Jew or anything Jewish, but I think you will find most of the people who are now know as Jews are only part Jewish but mostly European. That includes most of the present inhabitants of Israel. The original Jews, Abraham and his sons Isaac and Ismael were Semites, but while the descendants of Isaac have been deluded by white European blood, by and large the Muslims are much more purer in bloodline and therefor the true Semites. So actually, being anti-Islam might just as easily (if not more so) be anti-semitic. However, what I have written above is pure interpretation. Most people agree that the Bible and the Qur'an both state that God made a covenant with Abraham. Since both books are talking about the same God and same Abraham, then Allah and the God of the Christians and Jews are the same being. The problem, of course comes about with Jesus. Is Jesus God? Is Jesus the son of God? Is God Jesus? The Jews are willing to follow the teachings of Moses that were sent down by God/Allah and God/Allah says that all those that follow the teachings that God/Allah sent through Moses will gain eternal life. The Muslims are willing to follow the teachings of Mohammad that were sent down by God/Allah and God/Allah says that all those that follow the teachings that God/Allah sent through Mohammad will gain eternal life. But while some Christians "KNOW" that they must follow the teachings of Jesus that were sent down by God/Allah and God/Allah says that all those that follow the teachings that God/Allah sent through Jesus will gain eternal life, other Christians "KNOW" that they must follow the teachings of Jesus that were sent down by God/Allah, they must also believe that Jesus is God/Allah and that they must have a personal relationship with Jesus and they also "KNOW" that only they will gain eternal life. In the Qur'an, it states that Jews, Muslims and Christians have equal rights to eternal life. However, God/Allah says the Jesus is neither a deity nor his son. God/Allah says that Jesus, Moses, Noah, Mohammad were each prophets sent to a different people at a different time to teach the word of God/Allah and each people, if they follow the teachings of their prophet will gain eternal life. So the Jews accept Moses as a prophet, the Muslims accept Mohammad as a prophet, but most Christians “KNOW” that must believe that Jesus was more than a prophet, but also God and the son of God. Some people ask me if I believe the bible was divinely inspired. Let's stipulate that the bible was divinely inspired. But is it not fair to ask if it was divinely translated? But is it not fair to ask if it was divinely transcribed? But is it not fair to ask if it was divinely interpreted? But is it not fair to ask if the choice of which books to include was divinely inspired? How come the Jewish version of what the Christians call the "Old Testament", has sections that are not in the "Old Testament"? How come the Christian's "Old Testament" has sections that are not in the Jewish version of the "Old Testament"? How come Constantine, originally a Pagan emperor of Rome hand-picked a commission to decide what sections went into the bible and what didn't go into the bible? How come at least two English queens and two English kings made revisions in what has become the Christian Bible? Did you know that the Roman Catholics, the Protestants and the Jews each have different versions of the 10 Commandments? I am tired of writing. I hope I got this right. I didn't feel like doing a bunch of googles, so it is out of my head and I think I am going out of my mind.

Personally i would have NEVER chosen to have my band (2009) removed just because. If it's not giving you trouble, i would leave it alone. After mine was ER removed 2017 (143lbs) about 2 weeks later, hunger came back with a vengeance. I couldn't get a revision because i "didn't weigh enough". I had no problems until the stomach virus that caused violent vomiting...... NOT the bands fault, NOT my fault.... It wasn't until 2.5 years and a gain of 30lbs that i paid out of pocket 14K to have the sleeve done 8/2019. Starting weight with that 173ish. Today i weigh 124lbs. and even with the weight loss i still preferred the band. I liked the control i had with the band. As far as the removal. That was on a Thursday and i was back at work on Monday. Sleeve was done on a Wednesday and back at work on Monday I say this to all my band friends...... if you feel like your band stopped working for you ... it didn’t, you just stopped using it...

I wasn't as successful with the band as i hoped I would be. I started at 272 in March 2001. It took me a YEAR to lose about 70# (30 of those was during the first 30 days as my surgeon had me do a liquid diet for 30 days!) I exercised, i really tried the best I could but I was hungry still, just in pain when I ate. My band and I did not get along well. i vomited alot. By late 2002 I was having serious problems. Who am I kidding, I was already sleeping in a sitting up position and other things to try to control the reflux. anyway, i had to have all fill removed and i regained big time. By 2004, I was well over 300#. my highest recorded was 332, but I think I weighed closer to 350 at one point. I battled it out for many years, bouncing between about 240 - 300 ish range. In 2011 I finally had the courage to revise and began the sleeve journey at 308. My lowest weight post sleeve was 140, but I am currently in the upper 150s... 3.5 years post revision.

Last Tuesday I emailed my surgeon to let him know that I didn't want to wait and see what the band is going to do, I want to revise to a sleeve. He called me back on Friday and said they would submit the paperwork to my insurance company to get approval. This takes 2-3 weeks and then we can schedule a surgery date. This also puts me in the middle of vacation time hell at work - as my department is very small only one person at a time is allowed to schedule time off. For the months of July and August every available day has already been taken so it looks like I'll need to wait until Sept for surgery. This wouldn't be a bad thing except that with an unfilled band I am STARVING all the time. My stomach actually growls.....I haven't heard that in over four years and it freaks me out! I've put on a solid 3 lbs this week but I am determined to get a grip and not totally screw myself up over the next 12 weeks.....wish me luck!

I joined the Gone for Good club...was "persuaded" LOL! They post their weightloss on a Wednesday but I'm used to Sundays. Anyway it works out Ok cos I always have a peek day and that can now be Sundays. Plus, this week I really got going again on Wednesday after my fill so weighing in next Wednesday will make it a good week. The scale is moving in a downwards direction again :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: but then with what I've eaten this week and the work I've put in, I'd be real disappointed if it didn't. I'm gonna wait until Wednesday to see if I lose anymore...watch this space (or the GFG!) I'm doing well with my walking and building up my time. I'm at a good heart rate when walking and build up a sweat by the time I finish. Once I get to a happy walking time, I'll work on increasing the speed a little. Some days this week I haven't taken any insulin and when I have had to it's been minimal...10units most (from 90 before band). I'll chat with my doc next week to see what general revisions he wants to do. My BP has been great except for now..it's my TOM and each month it goes up? It can be 110/68 in the morning and get to 146/80by night. I dunno why other than my gyni said it happens because of hormones. So for now I still need help with this periodically (no pun intended! :cool: ) I'm doing well and feel really upbeat and positive about just about everything I can think of :clap2: Not much more to ask for really!

I'm scheduled for a band to VGS revision on October 30, but will also be having my gallbladder removed at the same time. My surgeon (who banded me in 2006) said it will be an outpatient procedure just like my band was. After reading about all the people that went to Mexico for surgery and were in the hospital for several days, I'm wondering about being able to go home the same day. Has anyone else on this board gone home the same day? Any complications from doing so? My doc is right next door to a hospital and I do barium swallows, fills, etc. in his office which is not far from where I live (Dallas metro area). I'm not worried about having a problem and not being near medical help, but just wonder how others handled pain, etc. at home.

I'm 4 weeks post op today. I've never felt more alone. I'm having regrets. It took me over two years to make my decision to revision from the band to the sleeve. Reasons that I feared would happen with relationships, friendships, things that I enjoy doing started very early on in my two month post op phase and continue. I know that I should be patient. I know things will get easier with time, but when the scale is not moving and I can't even get a friend to say "hey, how's it going? Wanna do something not revolving around food or alcohol?" It's just very discouraging. I'm also struggling to do things that I enjoy alone. Reading, drawing, going for walks. Nothing interests me...

I remember you from the forums, I had my surgery 10/1/12. I lost about 53lbs pre and post op. My weight loss was SUPER slow!!! I got pregnant a year post surgery and gained 40lbs. After the baby, I started experiencing horrible GERD. I also was not losing weight at all. Slider foods like crackers much easier(not good I know) but something didn't seem right. So I consulted a new bariatric dr. as my first surgery was in S. America. He told me he has seen stretched sleeve post-pregnancy. Now mind you I was very diligent when pregnant. So he sent me for a barium swallow. It was discovered I did have GERD and a hiatal hernia. I went for an endoscopy last week. My sleeve is angulated (twisted) and has a bit if a pouch so food does not exit the way it should backs up in sleeve which can cause stretching and GERD. I am in the process of a revision. Get checked. I do not believe there is enough data about pregnancy and the sleeve IMO. I think there is still a lot they do not know.

When I originally started my journey, my heart was set on getting the sleeve surgery. It wasn't until I met with the surgeon the first time that he thought I would benefit from gastric bypass. I was a full blown diabetic at the time, who had to take insulin at night as well as meds, and had high blood pressure. The surgeon mentioned that I could go with the sleeve, however if I am not happy with my progress, I would have a sleeve to bypass revision. I only wanted to go under the knife once, so I eventually decided on bypass. Its been almost 7 months since I had surgery and I cant tell you how happy I am with the results. I was almost400pds when I started, and I am now in the 200s. I still have a long way until I meet my goals, however I am no longer diabetic by medical standards, they even took it off my medical chart. I say good luck to you in whatever journey you decide. You may want to make a list pros and cons for each, and see what you come up with. You are the one in this