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How are you doing so far after the revision? Any reflux or heartburn? I just got all of my tests results back and definitely need to have the revision due to severe GERD, hiatal hernia, and really bad esophagitis. I am very nervous because I feel like nothing will ever get rid of my heartburn. I guess I’ve had the hiatal hernia and heartburn for so long that I don’t know what it’s like not to suffer from it.

Hoping that all goes well for you now. My revision is scheduled for tomorrow at 11am. The info that you have shared is invaluable to me. Thanks so much!

This is what is holding me back from surgery. I am self pay and would have the surgery in Mexico. If I ended up needing a revision, I wouldn’t be able to afford it.

Plastics update! It’s been so long I forgot about these threads Mood: Happy Current weight:154 (no measurements as I can’t find my tape measure) I’m still very happy with my outcomes but obviously I see little things I want fixed. I would love more fat grafting to my behind and some scar revisions as most of my scars became hypertrophic (I knew the risk and it was still worth it - I just need to have them revised at some point) I think that happens to many people post plastics. Plastics is probably just the next rabbit hole. videos of this years swim suit and showing scars (WLS and plastics) FullSizeRender.mov FullSizeRender.mov

I just posted a thread this afternoon about having to have the bypass revision from the sleeve for GERD reasons...I have bypass surgery scheduled for tomorrow. I eat the right foods and avoid the wrong ones, even have been on liquids for 3 days and still have terrible reflux.

I'm self pay for a revision that is needed...how needed I can't get the surgeon to say other than things will get worse. The office said I could come in Feb 7th for pre surgery testing and a class then surgery feb 14th. One day I'm ready the next day I think I'll just wait. I don't KNOW WHY I cant committ. Maybe it's all the money that I really can't afford..maybe I don't want to go through the fear of another surgery and relearning to eat again. I've read stories about others that are fearful about the surgery...that's not my primary problem. Just typing this out is helping me understand that it has more to do with being off of work and losing money there and the loan I will have to pay back to have this done. I have a family so I feel I'm selfish in using all this money for me to be thin. This forum has been my research method so I've come here to see if someone can make sense of my jumbled thoughts. Thanks to all

I haven’t been through any surgeries yet, but I suggest calling your insurance to find out what their policy is on revision. Good luck!

I had the total band revision done on Tuesday! I had to stay over night and have been home since Wednesday late morning. This surgery has not been so bad! I have already started my mushies! It is good to eat a little. My Realize band was totally defected and by that I mean that it had again detached itself from the tubing. I am going to have a fill on Wednesday already, trying to get me back on track with the weight loss. I am a bit nervous with the bad experience I have had in the past with the fills not working, but I am hopeful. I had gained 7 pounds from the IV fluids and I have also now lost the same 7 pounds. So if you get on the scale after surgery please do not be surprised by the gain it will just come off fast. Having now been through this surgery two full times and one port revision, I have to say this third time was very easy. Maybe because I knew what was coming next! I also just heard from another LB friend that she also just had her entire band replaced this last week due to leakage. I am not sure what brand of band she has! This is very interesting. I have been told by a lawyer that we have no recourse as long as we are healthy and it has not changed any of our normal life. This was all due to some court case that happened in 1974. It is the chance that we are taking by having a device implanted in our tummy's I guess. oh well, I am thankful to be alive and healthy! Three Cheers to Our LAP BANDS!!!! They do work well with loosing weight even though we may have to go through little glitches! :thumbup:

I just gat back from Mexicali yesterday and I paid 10,500 for lap band to sleeve revision. Dr Aceves is amazing. I can't say enough good things about those people.

Most times the erosion itself isn't painful but the fix is. :tongue_smilie:( Surgery to remove it and repair the stomach is an ouchy. Erosion can have painful symptoms but it usually does not. There was a person that went to Huacuz (gahhh) and she had nothing but one problem after another with fills. She could not get restriction. Everyone thought it was a faulty band with a leak in the diaphragm of the band. She wanted to revise to a sleeve and couldn't get her insurance to help. She finally went to Aceves for a revision and turns out it was an erosion. The reason fills were not working was that stomach acid ate through the plastic part of the band and there was a huge hole there. She said that Aceves said it was the worst erosion he's ever seen. Only the buckle of the band was not in her stomach. She had a rough recovery due to the damage and repairs to her stomach. She had no pain, just reflux and no restriction. She said that he told her it would take a good six months before her stomach was healed enough to revise to a sleeve.

Sara, I am not sure about the band revision cost of surgery. The website for Dr. Aceves is www.mexicalibariatric.com and they should have everything listed for price. You could also call or email them. Nina, who schedules all the surgeries, is wonderful and quick to get you any answers that you need. Information that I kept says: Lap Gastric Sleeve after lap band ( includes band removal) $12,500 Hope this helps.

I work in the health industry, and this article came across my desk today... it's an opportunity for you, the patient, speak up regarding their proposal to NOT cover surgery for patients whose BMI's are under 35 who are dealing with diabetes. Their argument is that it won't make a dramatic difference in a person's health. CMS Proposes Covering Bariatric Surgery to Treat Diabetes Written by Stephanie Wasek Monday, 17 November 2008 After an extensive evidence review, CMS has announced a proposal to revise its existing coverage policy for bariatric surgery to include type 2 diabetes as one of the co-morbidities CMS would consider in determining whether bariatric surgery would be covered for a Medicare beneficiary who is morbidly obese (an individual with a BMI of at least 35 is considered morbidly obese). CMS is also proposing to not cover bariatric surgery when it is used to treat type 2 diabetes in a beneficiary with a BMI below 35. In 2006, CMS expanded coverage of bariatric surgery for Medicare beneficiaries who receive one of four procedures — gastric bypass, open and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, and open and laparoscopic biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch — in bariatric centers of excellence, as certified by the American College of Surgeons or the American Society for Bariatric Surgery, and as reported on the Medicare coverage Web site. To be considered for coverage, Medicare beneficiaries must have a BMI of 35 or higher and must have exhibited a serious health condition in addition to morbid obesity, such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, or osteoarthritis. Type 2 Diabetes would join the list of serious health conditions. However, after "a careful review of the medical evidence available on bariatric surgery," CMS is also proposing to not cover bariatric surgery for patients who do not meet the definition of morbid obesity, even if they do have type 2 diabetes. "While recent medical reports claimed that bariatric surgery may be helpful for these patients, CMS did not find convincing medical evidence that bariatric surgery improved health outcomes for non-morbidly obese individuals," says the agency. CMS is seeking comments from the public about this evidence and its implications for coverage, and about which groups of patients should be covered for this surgery. Public comments may be submitted directly to CMS's Coverage Web site for 30 days from the Nov. 17 posting of the proposed decision memorandum. CMS will issue a final decision memorandum within 90 days of the proposed decision. Read the proposed decision memorandum and submit comments at the CMS Coverage Web site.

That's great to hear! Will continue to pursue VSG revision.

He said that he really anchored the port on tight this time and it might just be extra scarring from that. He did do the port revision for free. I am going to see what happens this week and if he can't find it, I'm going to get a second opinion even if I have to pay out of pocket AGAIN!

Make sure dad goes to the most experienced surgeon.He needs to talk to his dr.Do the research and get it done.I had revision to bypass and I am so happy.

Hi Lily66, I am actually revising from a sleeve gastrectomy. He had said that he thought the gastric bypass (GB) was a great option for me, but he did mention that I might consider the mini gastric bypass (MGB) too. He didn't go into a lot a detail, but I have been doing quite a bit of research on my own. We will discuss it more next week when I go back for my appointment before the surgery date. It looks like for many people the MGB is a great surgery choice with very similar results to the GB such as weight loss and resolving comorbidities. The nice thing about the MGB is that it requires less intestinal (stomach) rerouting and the time of surgery is much less. However, there is a higher incidence of bile reflux after the surgery. I have a had quite a problem with acid reflux and they found on my recent upper GI scope that I have a severely inflamed esophagus. So I am leaning toward the gastric bypass which has been shown to take care of GERD completely. Hope this helps anyone with questions. Best of luck on your upcoming surgery on the 11th. Bren

I had a revision almost 4 months ago to the day (August 26, 2010). All is okay at this point, until today. Tonight I decided to finish my Christmas Shopping and was in the Toy Dept. at my local Target. Suddenly I began to experience pain in the same area where my port was located prior to my surgery. It feels like someone has a knife in my incision and twists it occasionally. I think it's just nerves growing back but don't recall having such a pain after having my two c-sections in fact almost 2 years post op from my last c-section most of my incision is still numb. So with all that, anyone have incision area pain 4 months post-op?

Surgery date was June 14th and I'm down 41 lbs. it was a revision surgery from lap band and I'm so so glad I revised. I look so much healthier at the same weight I looked sick with lap band. I don't even exercise and still the weight is coming off gradually. I can't believe I put my body through the crap of lap band for more than 3 years. I was 198 lbs the morning of surgery and 157 lbs this morning.

Do what is right for you. I just found that half of my co-workers have had some sort of bariatric procedure done. The one closest to me told me that I should go ahead and get a RNY becuase everyone else tried the VSG and Lap-Band and ended up having to get a revision. That is probably why his wife got one right off the bat (although I think she would have done just fine with a VSG because her BMI was a couple of points higher than mine). I just don't want any of the issues that come with RNY such as the very rapid weight loss and nutritional deficiencies. I see VSG as more of a tool and not a cure-all. My main problem is not being satsified when I have a meal; after researching which surgery was right for me, I decided that VSG, as opposed to Lap-Band was the way to go. I'm pretty sure that I could have gotten a Lap-Band, but I don't like having any kind of devices in my body.

If you're located near Dallas. Have you tried Kim's Bariatric? They did all the paperwork for me, an on appeal, my revision was approved. I didn't have any health issues except high blood pressure. My insurance is BCBS of Texas too.

I had a VBG in 98 .....I'm 2 weeks out of my revision to RNY ....... Yeah, that is a combo of not chewing and the food choices. It is 100% too soon for solids like that. You r still swollen inside. I did that "foaming and / vomiting" for 10 years! It was so bad I would opt not to eat for a week at a time. So, let your tummy heal. Be mindful of bites and I believe always take a test bite and wait, see how you feel, you'll usually know. Once this happens, I recommend a soft or liquid diet for a day minimum so it heals and your pouch is not inflamed. My two cents.

AGREED. I had revision to bypass on 9.04. You have to get the protein into your body. Shakes, scoops in water....whatever it takes. When you do that you will feel better.....

Hello my lovelies! I survived lol. Had my revision surgery from gastric lap band to sleeve this morning. Won't lie, was much worse then the banding lol, but that's to be expected considering they had to fix the mess Dr Felix Speigel made me 5yrs ago and then sleeve me. I woke in the recovery room screaming and pleading for pain medicine and anti Nausea meds, bedding to throw up and for water or ice to so so. Needless to saw never got water Didn't throw up and once then for me stable from screaming and crying at them I was put in my room around 1pm. Since them am feeling much better. Feel like I just did a marathon, 10000000000000 sit ups and twists lol and got a new BFF Hahahaha my pain med button. Still no ice or water but have a thing to swab a little water across my tongue and lips They should be taking me for a walk at 7pm

Good luck! I have seen a lot of people have these types of revisions on here with a lot of success.

Dana, you just MADE MY DAY! Thank you! We are now life long friends. You laughed at my joke and you said I was pretty... I think it is great to be able to laugh at ourselves, even when we have pain in our lives. It is therapeutic. I always say, "well we could either laugh about this or cry". I definitely would rather laugh, it is much more fun than walking around feeling sorry for ourselves. Although, I do like to hold a good pity party for myself every once in a while! Well no worries about your husband having to fit you for a special oversized coffin or have a closed casket. I seriously doubt you will die having this surgery. You are going to ROCK your new sleeve. We will both have to revise our funeral plans for wearing something FABULOUS when the time comes....which I hope will be a really, really, really long time from now!