Search the Community

Thanks! I am cautiously optimistic that this revision will work for me. I am a bit scared about dumping syndrome. I need to research to find out what is going on to make you feel that way? It sounds awful although I know if may be weird but I hope the minute I try to cheat and eat crap food I get it bad! LOL

Protein drinks are a way to get a lot of protein in with very low carbs and moderate calories. Back when I was banded, I was not informed of the benefits of a high protein/moderate carb diet and did not use Protein Drinks. There are still surgeons who don't want you to drink your calories. I dunno, I am maintaining a pretty massive weight loss (half my starting body weight) and I still have 1/2 or 1 premier Protein Drink daily... usually in my coffee plus a few sips and I call it Breakfast. I am 4 years band to sleeve revision. I am not wild about ANY of them. The ones I could tolerate where premier chocolate or strawberry. The vanilla is vile but works as a base for a smoothie or a fake latte. For ones that start as a powder, I found the nectar Syntrax the only ones i could BEAR to drink. My my main complaint is they weren't very "satiating" as a person with a mature sleeve. They have lots of crazy flavors - the best ones in my opinion was the vanilla bean and I think the chocolate was okay. I don't use it anymore but I did during the weight loss phase. The best way to try the syntrax product is get their sample pack. It used to be you could get it for the price of shipping which was a great way to try before you buy. I recommend calling the company and asking. I bought my big jug powder of the vanilla bean from Amazon as that was cheapest at the time.

I'm in Alabama. Banded in November 2008. Was approved yesterday by insurance for revision to Sleeve due to complications with the band. Dr. Miles did my band and will also be doing the revision.

Had my lapband in Oct 2009. After a 100 loss and 2 1/2 yrs later, I started having severe nightime reflux. Was scared my dr would take out some of my fill so I just suffered. Finally after 4 mths my hubby talked me into going in. My band had slipped. They took out about 50% of my 10cc fill (14cc band) and no more reflux. So they started filling me 1cc at a time. At 2cc, the reflux began again. So they took out the previous 1cc they gave me and told me it was now up to me. My band was done with it's work. About 6 mths later, I was in the ER with extreme upper abdominal pain. I was taking 40 mg of Rx Prilosec 2x a day, OTC Zantac x 4 and Tums like candy. After my CT, the determined my band had herniated, about the worst "slip" u can have. Had an emergency total unfill and arranged for my sleeve revision 9 mths ago. U need to have the reflux checked out. I'm assuming that they've ruled out a slip? My primary care told me if left untreated, reflux can lead to esophageal cancer. It needs to be fixed, whatever u decide to do. So, so, so happy I had my revision. While I'll most likely be on PPI's forever (most sleeve patients are), I no longer vomit on a regular basis. Good luck to u!

3 things. 1) the sensations of having to defecate and gas are not the same as before the surgery. its harder to tell them apart. 2) the first night at home when you are in so much pain that you are about to go to the emergency room, go take a #2. 3) If you are having a revision from the band to the Switch, be prepared for them to only remove the band and do the switch and not do the sleeve portion. My second sergery for the sleeve portion is December 2nd.

Some people are very successful with the band, but knowing what I know now... the rate of failure, the rate of complications, slippage, rejection, etc and the difficulty most of my banded friends have with meat and other foods we're SUPPOSED to be favoring, I'd not have one. I also know a few folks who've had complications after the sleeve procedure, stricture, gallbladder, blood clots. The difference is, I don't know any sleeved person who's been damaged beyond repair after being sleeved. They've all recovered from their complications and would do it over again if given the choice. Unfortunately, I know a few folks who weren't so lucky with the band, having so much internal damage they needed revision to bypass or worse, or having continued problems after it was removed. It's true, the sleeve is an "irreversible" surgery. That is scary, but for me, lap band complications... much scarier and more frequent.

Congrats on keeping your band. ????And keeping weight off. It is not easy. There are some long term banders around these sites. Many have gone on to revision . I am closing in on 9 years and hope to have many more. It is a challenge to have the right restriction... Mine can change over time with no additional fills. I try to keep my fills low. But fight the weight game Hope you are well. I am much older, but same issues I would guess. Let me know

I guess i've never heard of a bypass being revised to a sleeve.

GO FOR THE SLEEVE!!! I made the mistake of not listening to my surgeon. Now, three years later after dealing with TOO many complications, he will be revising me to a sleeve. If I had known what I did three years ago, the Lap Band would have been the scarier route for me to go and I would have chosen the sleeve.

Do you happen to have a support group in your area you can attend? It's how I made the decision to go on ahead and get my band revised. (Hopefully the group you find, if you're able to, is as wonderful and supportive as the one I attend.) The people that are there have had EVERY version of WLS performed on them. I was leaning more toward going for the Roux-en-Y procedure, but after talking to others in the support group, along with my surgeon, I decided that the sleeve would be best in the long run. I wish you the best of luck!!!

O

That's awesome. Keep me posted. I swear this is such an emotional roller coaster. One moment I'm excited the next scared out my mind of all the worst possibilities. Never imagined I would need a revision.

I thought that might be the case. Try going back to focusing on protein and cut out sliders. Go and see your surgeon and discuss with him/her how to proceed. You may need a fill or infill. I had the same issues and was told by my surgeon that he didn’t think I would be able to get my band to “ work” again. Apparently they have discovered that they have a limited lifespan and after a while they cause serious issues like oesophageal failure. I was suffering bad reflux with a limited amount of fill but was still hungry and putting on weight. I revised to RNY in Jan and am very happy. I have lost all my excess weight and my diet is now far healthier than with the band.

Gosh we’re so much alike. I read your other post about the fear. I’m going in this morning for my revision VSG to bypass. I was fearless for my sleeve but wide awake worrying right now. I too am worried that I’ll only lose 10-20 pounds.

As @catwoman7 said some of those changes you mentioned are just temporary. Like hair loss usually persists for about 3 months & your hormones settle once you’ve lost most of your weight (oestrogen is stored in fat so as you lose all the excess oestrogen is released into blood stream). Large weight regain can occur because of complacency & people slipping back into old eating habits. It can occur because how they were eating wasn’t sustainable &/or was too restrictive. It didn’t allow them to live their life as they wanted & hindered them doing what they enjoyed. Or they didn’t do the head work to understand & learn to manage their old eating behaviours & what drove them to eat. All things the surgery doesn’t do anything about. But it does give you the time to explore these factors. Also remember the average weight loss at about the three year mark is 60% of the weight that had to be lost. This can include the bounce back ‘resettling’ weight gain, complacency & adjusting to a more flexible eating plan. Or it could just be the weight your body is happier at. Sure there is always a chance to develop an issue that has to be monitored but it’s rare. Comparatively, there are very few complications from weight loss surgery. Some of the issues may not have anything to do with the surgery. I have a protein malabsorption issue. Not from my 3 yr old sleeve but from my gall being removed last year. (Malabsorption issues are very rare with sleeve.) I have low BP. I had a genetic predisposition before surgery now it’s all the time because of my lower weight not the surgery. Gerd is probably the highest risk after sleeve - about 15-20% I believe. But it can be managed or treated by a revision to bypass. Some issues may be revealed because you likely are being monitored medically more closely now then before or your weight & associated comorbidities may have been masking what were pre existing conditions. You’ll likely read & hear about people with problems because they they post to seek help & support. They don’t often post about what the cause was or the remedy. In comparison, people tend not to post or talk about their successes. I know many people who’ve had the surgery. No one has experienced long term or developed new issues because of the surgery. A couple regained most of their weight because they went back to their old eating habits. Certainly the benefits far outweigh any temporary side effects or the very rare problem.

Well, I am coming off my summer hiatus and am returning feeling successful after 11months with lap band and plication. My time away this summer has given me time to reflect and revise my plan as to where I want to finally be as far as my WLS journey goes. I just returned from a trip to Hershey Park with my 4 & 7 year old and am measuring my success in all new ways now. This is the first real get away vacation since I had my surgery last September. I went on rides and was much less fearful of the ride restraints not fitting….they ALL did! I was happy not to be that "fat mom" that I saw get off the roller coaster before the attendant came over to check that the restraint was locked….she could not get the restraint to lock and left her son to ride alone. I silently cried for that mom because that was me a year ago in Disney….but unlike her I was not brave enough then to even try that for fear of being embarrassed or embarrassing my kids. I am not judging her at all but I am glad that I am no longer in that situation, for myself and my kids. I often find myself looking at people (especially ladies and moms) and thanking the stars that I am no longer at "that point". I see myself in others now (the old me)…and although I am not judging anyone because I lived as obese for so so so many years but I find myself thinking…that was you….that is what you looked like…that is how you moved…that is how others saw you….it makes me feel sad at times. But as I look to the successes I've had Im happy to have lost 93 pounds in the past 11months. I look now at reaching that goal number I picked out of the air…off "those" charts that say what i "should" weigh given my age and height and I wonder if 140 is realistic for me. Although I haven't been online on this site I have been lurking around and reading all of these posts about stalls and not reaching your goal and its made me think….I've held the same weight for the past 3 months. I haven't been the poster child for lap band surgery….especially this summer….Im off for the summer and with that comes off schedule. I've enjoyed my summer SO much. I've eaten (sometimes too much and have felt it), good choices (although not always), I've even gained a pound….at first i cried and beat myself up over that pound than I got a grip….in the past…that would have been 10 pounds….i've basically maintained my weight for 3 months while eating and enjoying….what a success that is. People tell me I've lost enough and I look great. What they don't know is Im still about 190 lbs (almost 50 lbs from THAT goal number) and when I tell them that they all say "WOW--you look more like 160. I even had the plastic surgeon tell me how narrow I was…that was nice to hear. I watch people here torture themselves about getting to THAT number…and then they go below it and that is all and fine…but I realized that I am still successful w/o reaching THAT number. I want to eat like a real person and not worry that every morsel of food is going to put 5 lbs back on me. I want to live with food and enjoy it and not be in a constant state of panic….in my opinion there is WAY MORE to being successful than just reaching that number we assign ourselves. My successes lie here….. 93 pounds off my 5'4" frame Biking 12 miles Walking w/o knee or back pain anymore Going on amusement rides (even kiddie ones) with my kids and not feeling panic. Able to walk around museums/zoos etc for 6-7 hours w/o having to sit down every 10 mins. Looking in the mirror and LIKING who and what I see Fitting into size 12 pants and size 16 shirts Feeling ok w/myself to go consult w/ the plastic surgeon to remove the excess belly and skin Eating….good and bad at times Normal BP Not obsessing with the scale everyday Liking to shop for clothes Believe me…I could go on and on. Its been an up and down journey at times. And I don't beat myself up as much over my choices but its all still a learning process for me….and Im guessing it will be for quite some time. But it was nice to go off and live this summer…just to be me, and appreciate me, and cut me some slack….Im not perfect and I never will be…. BUT I AM A SUCCESS!! And it does not matter that i haven't met that ridiculous number that some chart tells me I SHOULD be. SUCCESS LIES HERE:

Hi everyone! I need to schedule a revision surgery from the Lap Band to Gastric Sleeve. Unfortunately, surgery wont be covered by insurance so i need to find a surgeon in south florida (miami/ ft lauderdale). Has anyone had the sleeve done is south florida? Who would you recommend and how much did you pay out of pocket? So far i heard about DR. MICHAEL CHOI with Strax Rejuvenation...Anyone have surgery done by him? What are his prices like? BTW- I live out of town but will be doing surgery in s. florida because my family is down there to help me with recovery.

Is there a possibility of adding a Forum for revisions like VSG to MGB, since there are so many people getting revisions done??

I go to MX July 13 for a revision, sleeve to MGB. I'm looking forward to it. I'm hoping to lose 30 pounds. Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using the BariatricPal App

I started my sleeve journey on May 8th, that was the day my band to sleeve revision was done. Today I put on a pair of size 12 jeans from the Disney Store, from years ago. My husband and daughter bought them for me for Christmas, I was doing the yo-yo dieting back then, and they bought the largest size available to encourage me to keep up the diet exercise I was doing. Well today I put them on and they FIT. And if I do say do they looked amazing!!!

ok, i'm about to start the next phase of this journey. I'm hovering around 6 pounds above my original goal (i say that because i would LOVE to lower it, but at the same time PS may bet rid of the rest of what doesn't seem to want to budge!). My PS consult is Thursday 11/12/09. I'm not planning surgery until March of next year. I just want to know what he wants me to do...maintain, lose more... I'm trying to get all the questions i should ask all written down so i don't forget anything! the plan is to have a lift with implants (i'm sure i don't have enough tissue for even a C!) and a tummy tuck. would love some lipo if there is any backfat and above my belly if that isn't pulled flat! here are things i have already.....can anyone add to this? am i at an ok weight or should i lose more should i work at maintaining now, or lose more Belly buttons (i am worried about this one but hear my Dr. does great ones!) implants what kind/size (i've hear of some called gummie. my sister in law had her saline replaced with this type last year because ONE saline busted after 5 years and she was totally lopsided...she's FLAT without the implants. The gummies are silicone, but will not leak if busted. at least from the outside it would still look normal!) mons lift happens with tt? what exactly would that achieve? will my port scar be hidden, if not removed? (my port scar is low, but a little bit higher than my belly button on the left side) port moved/replaced with low profile (my port makes me look like i have some serious abs sticking out! LOL) what does this price include? (compression garments, follow-ups, revisions?) when do i return for a checkup? should i stay in town for a couple of days at a hotel? (would this be better incase of emergencies, comfort, etc) where will my scar be, how far around what is typical healing time how long before taking care of the kids lifting them? unfill (my band reacts to my hormones really bad! i get tight around my period ....really tight if i have really good restriction.) muscle repair (i'm sure 4 kids have done a number there!) pain pump or oral med? exercising I'm getting SOOOO excited! Thanks Josie and Allie for the info i've gotten from both of your journey's!!!

Yay Congrats Barb on your revision!!! I'm glad to see you are doing good Get plenty of rest, walk and sip the water. Wishing you well!

Rica: I was a Bone Marrow Transplant Nurse for 8 years. I was one at Vanderbilt for 4 and helped establish the BMT Unit at the Nashville VA hospital and worked there for an additional 4 years. I have seen many success stories with Leukemias, Lymphomas, Hodkins Disease treated with Bone Marrow Transplants. I won't lie to you either. I have seen just as many failures as well. At the most, you put the treatment in the hands of the doctors and nurses and place faith in Heaven to do what HE wills. Since I stopped being a cancer nurse there has been great leaps and hurdles jumped in the treatment of All forms of cancer. They are not only revising the Bone Marrow Transplant process for Allogeneic patients (people that get marrow from unrelated donors) but for Autologous patients (people that get their own marrow). THey are now doing Stem Cell Transplants. The type of treatments depends on the stage of Leukemia and the particular type of leukemia. There are several kinds. Here are just a few. ALL (Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia) AML (Acute Myelogonous Leukemia) CLL (Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia CML or CGL (Chronic Myelogonous or Granulocytic Leukemia) Hodgkins Disease Non-Hodgkins Disease Aplastic Anemia There are more but they elude me for now. Happy to try to answer any questions but the one that you should be asking is his doctor. My prayers and thoughts and support are going out to you and your family. {{{{{{{{{{RICA & FAMILY}}}}}}}}}}}

I have another appointment with my Dr next week. I have no comorbities with my bmi so the insurance might not cover a revision and only cover my band removal. My BMi is 40 I gained back all the weight lost from my band its very depressing and I would like to have the hunger feeling hone. I'm so hungry and protein foods like meat get stuck all the time I end up sliming but remaining hungry. I'm so sick of it I feel like it has taken over my life. :/ I'm ready for a better change and if mexico is the only way to do it at a cost effective way I'll have to take that.

My port has flipped--my doctor is going to manually flip on September 28 since insurance was giving them a hard time to have revision surgery.