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Oh, and no, port revision surgery is not as bad as the whole band surgery. At least I didn't think it was. I had the revision on Saturday, back to work Monday. Don't recall any kind of recuperating time, just the damn leaking thing.

When Penni told me about her situation and that her surgeon was the same as Lisa's... RED flags went up immediately. I told Penni to come here and check out what was going on with Lisa because they seemed to be having a very similar problem. I do not think either of you should have to pay for these revisions... and something doesn't feel right about this situation at all to me. Lisa... I am also concerned about your waiting until this weekend with that tube protruding from your incision. I feel that is a direct line for bacteria to enter the abdominal cavity and I don't like it one bit... not one bit I say!!!!! It bothers me greatly that Dr. Lopez is also willing to wait until Saturday... did he see those pictures?????? I am also worried of course in regards to if this is a common complication... or if it is just common for Dr. Lopez or any specific surgeon. Actually... it is scaring the BAJESUS out of me. If anyone is able to obtain statistics about this... I would be eternally in your debt! Penni... I think you emailed me instead of Lisa... I got an email from you and it seemed to be directed at Lisa AKA DeLarla ??? Worried in Wisconsin... Darcy

I've actually been working on something like this with my own recipes.. but if you need help on actually making the book let me know (katie@griffonco.com) Maybe I can just convert my personal work in progress to the LBT book since its already started hehe im also including a lot of info related to eating and the band since i was plannign to give this to a couple girls in my support meetings. But basically will have stages, broken up to what stage your on from pre-surgery to years post op. I have made several cookbooks for family / friends that I've printed and bound with table of contents, pictures etc. I can even help with pricing. Laminating is VERY expensive, so i stopped doing that awhile ago... plus several of the books we did revisions about every year or so adding new recipes etc so they just got a new copy! My dad used to be a head chef and he had me make a book that was about 250 pages catagorized etc. anyways if you need help let me know.. i have all the software needed to make any type of professional looking designs (I'm a professional graphic designer btw) and if we set it up right we could very well make it a website out of it.. (professional web designer too) I actually also have a ton of ideas I've got a binding machine and can generally get the materials fairly cheap. Depending on the size of the book prices vary but the large book that i did for my dad came out about 20 bucks each (including ink, full of pictures, front back covers and the binding) but we didnt make very many of them (just for family) so obviously the more you do , the cheaper it will be. im also able to work out deals with print shops to get cheaper stuff like copies and cutting etc Anyways.. lemme know if you need help perhaps we could set something up to where we sell the books at cost, or perhaps slightly over and we give away prizes from the proceeds with contests nstuff (did i mention i know alot about marketing?) haha so yea email me if your looking for some help

i'm so sorry this has happened to you. You have done such a great job with your band. Can they tell what caused the slippage? Will insurance pay for the revision? I'm courious because i don't have the same insurance that i had when i got my band and my new insurance doesn't cover WLS. I completely understand about the food cravings..... i had all my fill removed 4 1/2 weeks ago when i got my Tummy tuck and i feel like all the "bad" stuff is call my name.... Chris, come eat me while you can....lol The other day i ate a hot dog with bun from sonic... OMG it was so good. and i ate pizza with the crust... this has got to stop... Please keep us posted ...

Thanks ladies I appreciate the support. Bayougirl, did your surgeon say why he needed to unfill your band for your tummytuck? My PS did not unfill my band before my tummy tuck surgery...he said it wasn't necessary. Since it is not clear as to what caused my band to slip I am wondering if the tt surgery had anything to do with it. My band slipped 4 months post tt surgery. My insurance will pay for the lapband revision so I am grateful for that. Thanks for sharing your experience Jean. Having more problems is what I am afraid of if I keep the same band. Is your dialated esophogus issue possibly related to the previous band slip? I understand your point about the 4cc band being too small for some people, but I actually thought it was the perfect size for me. I always thought the bigger bands would be too big for me. I have lots of questions for my surgeon regarding the different bands as well as the gastric sleeve procedure. I plan to have answers by the end of this week so I have some idea of how I want to proceed. Thanks again ladies!

My band slip was cured by a complete unfill. I had another complete unfill 4 weeks ago to treat a dilated esophagus, and I feel the same as you. Suddenly foods that I'd lost interest in are invading me again...I feel like my food demons are having a wild party in my brain. Some foods that had been tasting bland to me taste fabulous again. It's definitely showing me how my band had been doing for me (and that I was taking for granted). I also have the old 4 cc Lap-Band, which I think is still manufactured but sold only in Mexico. I haven't had much trouble getting fills that are manageable. I'm not sure it's been proven that having one slip predisposes you to another one, but I understand you feeling that way. My current surgeon did tell me that (in her opinion), the 4 cc band is too small and too tight, even without fill in it. Now she won't re-fill my band, and as much as I love the band, I've decided to revise to the sleeve (fortunately, my insurance will cover the revision). From what I've learned so far, the sleeve eliminates physical hunger but doesn't provide the early satiety or appetite suppression I've experienced with my band. If I were you, I'd be tempted to revise to a bigger band, probably the Realize rather than the Lap-Band. Good luck! I hope you get good news at your next upper GI. Jean

It just shows that even when we think our bands are not doing anything for us they really are. When do you go for your revision Jean, hopefully soon? I think the worst part must be having to go through that post op diet thing for a second time and it is even stricter with a sleeve isn't it? Tammy you can only do your best. Try to snack on healthy stuff. Maybe take advantage and eat the low cal filling foods that you were unable to with a properly adjusted band e.g raw carrots, celery etc I only had my fill out (except 2ml) for 10 days and managed to not really gain, not sure how as I felt like I was eating everything in sight. I am now trying to consciously make an effort to not go crazy as it still doesn't feel like I have much restriction although it is definetly better than it was.

Wow. Almost nothing in this post is true. Sleeves are a lot more popular now, yes, but they are not "almost always" done over bypass, not even close. The data I found from the ASMBS indicates that the rate of bypass has remained relatively stable, while surgeons are performing far more VSG procedures instead of bands since 2011. Nothing I have read attributes the development of marginal ulcers in RNY patients to the bypass of the pyloric valve. According to Dr. Matthew Weiner, RNY patients rarely have a serious, life-altering malnutrition of any kind. When they do, it's usually iron. Any massive weight loss, surgical or otherwise, can induce hair loss. It's almost always temporary and usually returns by the 1-year mark. Plenty of VSG patients also experience hair loss. According to my surgeon, only 25% of RNY patients get dumping and sugar is not always the trigger. Additionally, over time the intestines usually adapt and incidence of dumping is greatly reduced. RNY has averages of 70-77% excess weight loss at 2 years with VSG at 68-70%. Big difference? No. Difference? Yes. The sleeve has plenty of downsides including greater risk of leaking (much longer staple line), complications like kinks, 33% chance to develop acid reflux or GERD, higher rate of revision, slower weight loss, lower AVERAGE percent of excess weight lost, as well as all the regular issues like hair loss, dehydration, etc.

I had my surgery 10/24 and went back to work 10/31. My surgery was a bit more complicated than anticipated. I was a revision and they didn't think my band had slipped, but it had and it was very difficult for them to remove. I have had some problems with my heart rate shooting really high just from walking a short distance. I feel like it's slowly trying to get better, so I'm just taking that one day at a time. I have another appointment on Wednesday to see if any answers can be found. Other than that, everything has gone great and I'm essentially pain free minus where I had a drain after surgery. I did buy a decent bit of protein powder to have after surgery and now I only like one of the flavors.. I knew that would happen, but it's still a bit of a bummer. 🤣

Hi @veisor, Sure........I've went back and forth and for the most part was Pro-sleeve..Back in April of 2019 my surgeon recommended bypass but said sleeve would be okay and my PCP said sleeve....The sleeve seemed easier, less complications. sure there was the increased acid relux risk with sleeve but I've never had that so not a risk for me. But for me, someone who is overweight not from overeating but from pcos and other things, somone who diets and can't lose a pound, i needed the true metabolic change that the bypass brings. Also....in the pre op stuff they did discover i had acid reflux, although it never presented itself to me. additionally, my bmi is 50...so I want the proven long term results that the bypass brings. If you know of anyone or follow these boards, for some reason many people gettting the sleeve gain the weight back or have to have a revision. Not everyone, mind you..but a lot. My pre-op psychologist said it best. Whatever surgery you decide on, you have to believe it's the one for you or it won't work. She said don't get the sleeve with any doubts in your mind. Don't get the bypass with any doubts in your mind.

I'm beyond open with my son. I was a single mom before meeting and marrying my husband so it was just me and Lil C for over 8 years. He knew about my band surgery, he knew about my mom having lapband surgery in 2007, and he knew about my revision. He knew I hated being fat, he knew I hated shopping, and he saw me struggle for years with my weight. Heck, I drug his happy hiney to Weight Watcher meetings, and he had "different" dinners than I did off and on because of all the diets. My son is a worrier as well, and I just told him I was doing this so I could live longer, and not hurt when I walked. He saw me take "breaks" when we ventured to the mall. I couldn't play outside with him when I was fat, and playing baseball with him is something he wanted me to do. However, I could never play for very long. My son is 11, and he's embraced my wls journey. He knows that is not appropriate to discuss what happens in our household. He doesn't talk about my surgery or anything else that goes in within our family. I told him before my band surgery that if I talk about it's because I want to share my experience, but it's my experience and not his to share. It might not work for everyone, but I don't think keeping things from my child is appropriate. I want him to know that I'm open with my life, and in return I have found that he is super open with me. It's just our relationship. The best thing about the entire process is that he is so supportive and really helps when it came to my super tough recovery. Even now, he's a trooper when it comes to sharing Entrees at restaraunts. I even showed him VSG videos from youtube.com because he's a pretty inquisitive little kid, and showed him several pictures of the actual surgery. Information, and educating him on what I was going through really helped him understand it.

I know it seems absurd that anyone would even consider doing this, but I know a Dr. that tried to do her own fill a little while back.... she used the wrong kind of needle and the port wouldn't seal. She had to have a port revision ($7000) to replace it. So, it DOES happen! LOL

Feeling very discouraged today. I called to follow up on the preauthorization for my band removal, and after placing me on hold, the rep came back to tell me they'd decided today to DENY, on the basis that it's "not medically necessary." This, after the surgeon has said it needs to come out as soon as possible. Apparently a badly dilated pouch, with nausea and vomiting, isn't what they consider "necessary" to deal with. :( Has anyone had success appealing for band removal, with no revision surgery? Especially with BCBS Federal Employee Program?

@oregondaisy..I was widowed at 36. it was also a long time ago but I sure do have a good idea what you went through and what Julie is going thru. She and I have PM'd as well. Also sorry to hear about your band. I too am banded and am always super alert to anything in order to be proactive. I'd hate to have issues and have to revise to another WLS.

I was banded in October or November 2010, and lost about 80 pounds. By 2012 I'd had all the fluid removed due to regurg, pain, etc., even with minimal fills. Even with the band unfilled, foods still got stuck and some things were completely off limits. I just dealt with it for a few years, ignoring the problem. Earlier this year, I finally decided to do something about it and saw a bariatric surgeon here in Minneapolis (my band was placed in Omaha). In June of this year, I had a barium swallow xray done, and I was diagnosed with esophageal dismotility, a complication of the band. So, the band needed to come out. (For anyone reading this curious about the insurance approval process, I have Blue Cross Blue Shield and it was pretty straightforward, I just had to show proof of getting fills done (got my records from my old surgeon's office) and proof of a complication (the barium swallow showing dismotility).) I had the band out in August, and will be sleeved on December 7, in just 2 days. My surgeon does the revision in two different procedures because she feels there are fewer complications this way. Though there are other surgeons in the same group who do the revision in the same procedure. Waiting in between is not exactly easy on the pocket book (though I would have hit my out of pocket max either way), and my sick time at work has really taken a hit, but I understand the reasoning. Looking back on it, I'm really glad I've had the time between getting the band out and getting sleeved. I've had time to unlearn all the unhealthy habits I developed while dealing with my failed band. (And yes, I realize the failure was likely partly my responsibility, too, for anyone looking to jump all over me for that one.) I had to sip with my meals to get food past the band, and I definitely wasn't getting enough protein because that was likely to stick, too. Basically, I've had time to practice the "way of the sleeve" to replace the "way of the failed band". Between the band and the sleeve, I also have been hungry. My stomach hasn't rumbled this hard in years! (Maybe because it couldn't physically do so?) Protein shakes have helped, and paying attention to whether or not I'm actually hungry (or have any right to be based on what I've already eaten) or if it's just mental "hunger" have kept me from gaining weight. I've actually lost about 20 pounds now, and not just from the liquid diet I'm on before surgery. While it's frustrating to have to do two procedures, I hope you find the time in between helpful. Good luck! Wishing you the best.

Good luck with your upcoming gastric bypass!! I hope you’re working on resolving any emotional eating issues as the new surgery won’t prevent you from eating poorly or overeating. It is also common to lose less weight with a revision versus an original surgery. But if you follow recommendations to eat dense protein first then non-starchy vegetables, and to avoid sugar, processed food, simple carbs, alcohol, and liquid calories, you should be successful. This new way of eating needs to be a long term lifestyle change, and not just until you reach your goal weight. You can do this!

Hello, Sorry this a a long post but I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who's had similar experiences. Has anyone had a gastric bypass that didn't work? I knew something was wrong pretty soon after my surgery as I had no restriction. I'd known all of my surgical team since 2010 when I had a gastric band. After a year of filling and un-filling and coming to the end of my free fill period (they would have cost £100 after that), the bariatric nurse and I could never reach that sweet point between nothing going through the band and so being sick all the time and no restriction at all so I knew I had to give up on this. Then in 2012, I lost 9 stone (125lb) by following a very low calorie diet (VLCD). I did this for 9 months, eating just four sachets of food at just under 600 calories a day. I got down to just over 10 stone (140lb) on my 40th birthday at the end of 2012. But in 2013 when I was off the VLCD, I struggled to keep the weight off. By October 2013, I had tried everything and decided to go for further surgery. I was initially going to have a sleeve but the team's dietician had said that sometimes band to sleeve revisions weren't as successful and I'd read that the bypass is the recommended revision for those who've had bands. Add to this that it was sold to me as the 'gold service' of weight loss surgery and I'd read that it's the operation that has been done for many years and has lots of experience and evidence behind it, I went for the bypass. I knew something was wrong pretty soon after my surgery as I had no restriction. In early December 2013, the dietician agreed that I should not physically be able to eat or drink Fluid in the volumes I could (I felt and still feel like nothing had changed) so he sent me for x-rays which were inconclusive and the measurements/calibrations weren't noted at the time. However, one of the surgeons said in an email that he thought the stoma was around 20mm in diameter. Everything I read says this is too large as food goes straight through the stoma, meaning I never really feel full. The smaller stomach and stoma should mean that I feel feel on less food. It took months for me to push for a second set of xrays and I really felt that I was being ignored. Emails were replied to only after a few weeks when I chased them up and I have an email from the same surgeon saying they were deliberately slowing things down in the hope things would rectify themselves. But they didn't. They did agree to a second opinion and I chose a surgeon in London who not only runs a centre which is ICE accredited (International Centre of Excellence) but has performed over 2500 bypass surgeries and specialises in those that go wrong. He sent me to another hospital in London on that day for some more xrays and then delivered his report. He identified and the xray specialist agreed that the stoma was too large to have any effect i.e. 'no functional effect' at the site. He also discovered that I had a sort of extra bit of stomach or additional reservoir. They call this a hockey stick or a candy cane but the effect on the surgery is unknown. He recommended that my hospital carry out an endoscopy to rule out a stricture. My hospital received the report and said they didn't feel the stoma was too big and in fact it was a good thing as "one of the theories as to how the bypass works is getting food that is eaten into the small bowel quickly as this has hormonal feedback to tell the person to stop eating". I have never read anything like that before and that certainly wasn't how they explained the procedure to me. I've always understood a bypass to be the creation of a smaller stomach so you feel full on much less food (that's what makes you stop eating, I know nothing about hormonal feedback) plus the shortening of the bowel meant some calories weren't absorbed after bypass. My hospital also didn't think the endoscopy was worth doing either as I'd had no sign of a stricture. Throughout, I have been asking the surgeons whether an endoscopy would help them to see what's going on inside there but they thought not. One of the most disappointing things was how disinterested my hospital were from the beginning. I felt that they'd taken my money and I had to fight to make them believe there was a problem. Even then, they really didn't move to try and explore what had happened. I don't understand this as they are still doing this procedure on people. I thought they would have wanted to know what had gone wrong with me so that it didn't happen to anyone else. Also very disappointing was the fact that I woke up to a LEAD surgeon I'd never met and never even heard of. Like I say, I've know this team since 2010. They hadn't mentioned there was a new member, let alone that he would be involved in my operation and certainly not that he would be my LEAD surgeon. I trusted this team and I felt this was a breach of that trust. I also trusted them to look after me if anything went wrong. I'm in the process of taking on a lawyer plus, because of my tweets about my experience, a local journalist who's interested in the fact that many bands are being revised, how surgery is sold to patients and what happens when they fail, has contacted me. I feel I should raise awareness that there are things that can go wrong that you don't hear about, as in my case. Would I advise anyone not to have bariatric surgery? No, all I would say is don't use a hospital just because its local to you or you know them. It doesn't mean they'll look after you if things go wrong. Find an ICE, look at patient feedback like mine and get a cast Iron guarantee that they'll take care of you if there are problems. The hospital's final letter to me told me that they would not be refunding my money and advised that I pursue diet and counselling. I feel like they just put me on the 'it doesn't work for some people' pile when I didn't even know such a pile existed. Aren't diet, exercise and counselling things we do over and over again before considering the massive step of surgery? In fact, my hospital's own website begins ... "If you’ve exhausted all other weight loss options, you might be considering weight loss surgery”. I'm still paying off the loan for this and I'm left in the cold! David & Goliath. Please share your feedback with me. Thanks for reading.

@@Annek2014 You said: "... If it is not better after that Endoscopy, we are looking a revision surgery." I'm confused about what you mean by "revision". Usually people mean something like "revision to RNY from band" or something like that, but there should be no revision from an RNY. Unless you mean reversing the whole RNY surgery, and reconnecting your stomach? Is that the "revision" you are talking about?

I hope you find your sweet spot and get the success you want. After I lost what I felt like was comfortable weight, I had my band unfilled thinking I could do the rest on my own. Not! When I returned to the doctor, after multiple visits, I could never find that sweet spot again. Too full, not full enough. I had it completely unfilled in August and have slowly put on weight. I have an appt with my Kaiser PCP tomorrow seeking a referral for band to sleeve revision. My advice is when you find your sweet spot... Leave it alone or it will forever be lost. Best of luck to you.

I have a vg band which was put in Sept 07. A week ago, we realized it "slipped" and I need to go in for a revision surgery. My doc has taken out the 8cc's out of my 10 cc band. My new surgery date is Nov 5th. I am a little concerned that if my band slipped once, it may slip again? We think it was caused from a bout of vomitting (all night long), but doc says no one knows for sure. I have visited the gastric sleeve site, and it did intrigue me. But I don't have time to do all the research my doc is on vacation all week and my surgery is a week from tomorrow! :thumbup: So I would love to hear some success stories of people who are rebanded with the lapband! Bring it on!

I'm so happy for you, I have surgery on Friday and I hope my recovery goes that well! I'm a revision from a sleeve after complications and my sleeve recovery was great (beyond the major complications) so I'm hoping I'll get lucky again and have another easy recovery. Keep us updated, I'm hoping you stay feeling this good but we are here for you if you hit a speed bump

I have a recurring hernia that came as a result of my gallbladder surgery years ago. I have had 3 hernia surgeries to date and part of Plan B is a 4th. I'm having that on 3/23 and then scheduling the revision to bypass for about 3-4 months after the Hernia repair so I'm all healed up. I've been feeling really down about this so I'm glad to be back on the path to resolution Wishing you the best as well.

Hey also check,out BariatricPalMx.[emoji41]Hospital Alex Brecher the founder of Bariatric Pal was having a revision to mini bypass this week with Dr illan, if he trusts him with his own life the doctor has to be GOOD! And the prices there have got to be more reasonable than US or Canadian ones.[emoji13] Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

The sleeve is great. There are many people here who will attest to that as well. We have some people who are 1-2 years out and are living healthy normal eating lives out there. We also have a couple of ppl who have gone off the "wagon" so to speak. A lot are band to sleeve revisions and they can give you the best information. LilMissDiva and Tiffykins to name two. One of the great things about the sleeve is that you will still be able to eat almost anything later, just not a lot of it. That was my issue, quantity of food. Good luck and I say go for it! What do you have to lose? Except weight that is LOL.

I don't play softball, but I do horse stuff and was told to wait about 8 weeks before engaging in any activity that could result in heavy lifting (flinging the saddle up), sudden jerking impacting abs (uh, horses can do that sort of thing without warning) or has risk of falling from a taller height (I think they made that one up just for me). I too was told to not lift more then about 8-10 pounds until at least 6 weeks out. Normally, 6 weeks seems to be the magical date when they say everything is healed, but as a band to sleeve revision they always added a bit more "caution time" for me so it was more like 8 weeks before I was all cleared for everything.