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I've been doing a lot of research and I feel that I've really narrowed it down to what I feel are the best surgoens in Mexico, however I can't seem to find much in regards to sleeve revisions or resleeving. The surgeons I've consulted with say they do them and have said that I'm a good candidate given my situation but I would love to hear form other patients who have had this done...are there any out there and if so, what surgeon did you choose?

Hello, I was banded on April 4, 2007. I was at 285lbs and it is now 2009 and I am only at 263lbs:mad:. I have discussed this with my physician because she do not have a clue of what is going on:huh2:. I go get a fill and in less than a week my restriction is gone.:thumbup: Then I go right back to her and the same thing happens again:frown:. Then she restricted me so much that I could not even get a bottle of Water down. So I went back to get it unfilled. She talked to a DR in KY who told her to have me under fluro, drink barium and look at the band which she did. According to her she do not see any leakage:smile2:, she filled the band again and the same thing happen. I am tired because I have gotten 12 fills in 2 months and this is ridiculous. I have started to see another surgeon, i transfered my medical records to them, and they want me to go through the whole seeing a psychiatrist, and weight loss seminar etc and then he tells me we are going to take a look at the band and see if we can work with it!! I have been working with it for 2yrs. Can anyone give me some feedback of a Dr in Indianapolis who is not going to go through all this and understand what I have been through to help instead of trying to milk my insurance company and my pockets? I know "sorry to hear about my band" lol. Any feedback will be helpful. O and by the way, I work out six times a week for 1 1/2 hrs and my diet is nothing but fresh fruits and vegtables, steamed and baked fish or chicken NO SWEETS AT ALL, NO SODA, NO ICE CREAM none of that, and it is still not working. Can anyone give some advice on a DR. Thanks:lol::smile2:

I'm going through the process now @NYP-Weill Cornell. Both Drs Pomp and Dakin have excellent reps when it comes to the band revisions. One girl I meet in a support group meeting said Dr. Pomp pretty much saved her life, that's how bad her lap band was.

Hi Leena, I can only tell you what others here are telling me. And that is to hang in there. I'm freaking out too and sitting here waiting for my Dr's office to call me back with a date to have my band revision. I'm 5' 3" and weigh 213. I haven't even started the liquid diet phase yet. I'll keep you in prayer and ask the same for me. Keep in touch!

Hi Pete, thanks for sharing your story. Mine isn't EXACTLY the same, but pretty dang similiar. I had that lapband for 10 years and it was awful. I think I realize now that it is gone just how awful it really was. It was so embarrassing to be morbidly obese AND have this device that made my eating weird. Anyway, I had all the fill taken out about 3-4 years into the nightmare and it got better after that but it was still an albatrosse and reminder of my failure. I only lost 70 pounds after being banded, regained it plus a TON and then lost 85 on weight watchers later... kept much of it off for years but then was on t e regain train big time by the time I ws sleeved. So, I had all the fill removed like you did but the docs hardly believed it and kept trying to take more out - like just in case some had been missed. I thik the band that they used back then was too small because I had symptoms like that even with no fill. I had all of your skepticisms and fears. I am 10 months into the sleeve, loving it, it is so much better then the lapband, however, I still have fears about failing again. Here is what i would say about the sleeve and eating right. This is my personal experience, and I think shared by many but perhaps not all who revise. These comments refer to months after surgery - so when you are completely on solid foods and healed up. I can eat dense Proteins with no pain. I can eat salad and veggies no problems. I even had a couple of bites of rice, just because i could! (10 years, i could never keep down even a forkful of rice even with no fill). Is the temptation to eat slider foods still there? Yes. It wasn't in the early months, but my hunger has definately returned and there is something about those carb laden foods that gives us comfort and it does continue to call my name. HOWEVER, the sleeve gives me a tool that actually works. I have a fighting chance to overcome those old demons with the sleeve and last night was a good example. I went to an event (I was actually hosting) that started at 6:15. I wasn't hungry enough to have dinner before, but about an hour into it I was hungry. There were Cookies and donuts and even a cake! I didn't have a single one even though I felt hungry and it was because I knew that it would not make me feel good and not really satisfy me so it was easy to say "no" to myself and have some decaf coffee and just be fine until I got home. I could have NEVER done that presleeve. Bottom line, you sound like a very committed and disciplined person, and have learned alot from the band so I think you have a good chance at doing really well with the sleeve. When I was banded, I had almost no education. Now I totally "get it" and the ONLY way you will have long term success with the sleeve is tiny portions, Protein first (preferably dense protein) followed by greens and healthy veggies and perhaps some fruit. Really, need to minimize carbs (I do eat some whole grain bread) and eliminate junky carbs like crackers and chips etc. The long term stats on the sleeve are still a bit unknown, so that is a gamble. I personally could just never get comfortable with the gastric bypass - there was a heebie geebie factor that I can't totally explain. I had that with the sleeve at first too, but then I started thinking of it like "my stomach is too big and I am just having it reduced" which I was able to make peace with. You should know that a significant minority of people (probably 30%) experience ongoing issues with acid. I don't experience it as reflux like I did with the band, but do get an acididy tummy. Would probably help if I quit coffee, but what I do is go on a round of proselec when it acts up. This may be problem forever.... and just because you don't have it at first doesn't mean it won't show up later so be forewarned. I think fear of failure is probably the biggest issue for me, even now after having all this success. I remind myself what a doctor I saw said "You will be successful because you never give up no matter what". It sounds to me like the same could be said of you,.

LisaA, That wouldn't happen to be Dr. Curry (He is banded as well as Erin the dietian) would it? I know he has an office in Cincinnatti,OH and KY. If so, he's GREAT!! I've been going to him for some time now and his entire staff is wonderful!! I also had my surgery in TJ by dr. verboonen (he got a lapband, too). I'm now trying to find a dr. that will do a revision on my port as it sits at a 90 degree angle and is bothersome plus extremely difficult to get a fill (though Dr. C and the other staff don't have much of a problem). Mostly it's bothersome and aggervaiting and when I can't get up to see Dr. C (Ice storm in GA) no one and I mean no one would touch me the way the port sits. Thank God I haven't had a true emergency!! I know what you mean about judgement. I was self pay for the initial surgery and I'll be self pay for the revision, too. Can't seem to get a break when you don't follow the flow like others. Just thought I'd add my $.02. Glad you found someone! Tacy

I was pretty scared when I used to think about having most of my stomach cut out. My revision went great though. I am almost and year out and I still can't believe how amazing I feel. The surgery is totally 100% worth it. I love my sleeve and I would go through the surgery again to have the life I have now.

I had the Roux en Y (RNY)gastric bypass in 2004. I had great success w that one. Lost a ton of weight. I weighed 315 date of surgery. My lowest weight was about 170. I gained 60 within this past year I just had the revision done Aug 13 and so far I have lost 15 :/

15 since august 15th seems pretty good to me. I was revised from band to bypass on june 12th and have lost 26 since. I would expect slower results with a revision at least that's what I was told. Good luck with everything!

I don't know that I would agree w/your Dr. I'm 5 wks out from band/revision and I've had NO issue with the reflux I had prior to surgery. In fact, he found a hiatal hernia & fixed it. He said that the reflux prob shouldn't be an issue any longer.

I am not scheduled until May 11th, but so far I am so confident in my choice with Dr. Garcia that even I can't believe it!! I am paying $5500, but that is with consideration for my revision, so I have heard that others are paying even less!! I will definitely keep in touch and let you know how it goes in May, but I have heard the most amazing things from so many people who have used him and I researched quite a few different doctors before settling on him! I will keep my fingers crossed for you that you guys can get a house this year too. My husband and I were able to get a house again after he had to foreclose on his old home due to his divorce. My family had to help us, but the feeling of having a place of our own for our kids to grow up in has been such a wonderful feeling!! I really hope you can add that to your whirlwind blessing windfall!!

Oh Amie I am so excited for you! What an exciting year!!! And if that baby can hold on one day longer it could share my birthday!! I know one of my biggest motivating factors in revising my complete flop of a band to a sleeve (aside from its many complications) is my desire to be a more active and parent! Congratulations on your sleeve, your marriage (shameful that we have to put significance on it being legal, but so exciting all the same) and even more so, the beginning of your family! Such an exciting time! Look forward to watching your progress!!!

It's a very tricky surgery, and only a good revision surgery should evaluate your sleeve and see if it's possible. It would be interesting to know what you can eat, and how much you can eat only because it's good for the research stats. Do you know what size bougie your surgeon used? Was he/she experienced? Those are some things that would need to be answered, and I wouldn't go back to the same surgeon if they didn't perform the surgery properly. Getting the sleeve smaller is very risky, and is not recommended. Typically, a revision to the full DS or RNY is a better option if a restrictive only procedure did not give you the results you were seeking.

I had my open RNY in 2001. Lost 140lbs , then gained 80 lbs back. I am interested in revision surgery. What options do I have? Who was your doctor ? I would appreciate sharing your information with me. I was told by my original surgeon that there is nothing he can do!

I got the labband in 2007. Had had some success with it, lost and have kept of right at 60 lbs. I have struggled with the usual problems that come with the band, heartburn, acid reflux etc. Well it was determined about three weeks ago that my band has slipped. The Doc recommended removal and revision to RNY. It request was submitted to BCBS for approval. Received a copy of the letter, and they have approved the removal but not the revision. I do not meet the criteria now. I have worked hard to losse this weight and try to keep it off, and I know without the band or something I will gain all of the weight back. I have been unfilled and it is already starting to happen. My lapban surgery was with a diffrent insurance not BCBS so it would be my first WLS with them. The criteria says that I have the diagnosis of morbid obesity for a period of 2 years prior to sugery, duh, I had the band and got my weight down; My bmi is now 33, so still suffer from obesity but not morbid obesity with a comorbidity I no longer have a problem with blood pressure like I did before I am no longer borderline diabetic I still need to loose about 50 lbs Has anyone else had this problem and how do you fight it? Thanks, Laura

I just had my revision surgery on September 10th. It is very different than the band. You literaly can not eat beyond your full point. Right now I am up to 4 oz of shake at a time. It really is a glorious feeling, and the thought of not being able to overeat again is wonderful I wish you all the best and no worries: you will do this with the band!

Welcome to the family Zafiro - happy to have you here. Your apprhension is normal, we've all gone through it or are going through it. I am almost 4 months out and I can say now that I am not the least bit sorry that I had the surgery -- now, if you'd ask me about month 2, I'd have had a hard time saying that. My worst post-op issue has been esophogeal spasming and the surgeon believes that is caused by the fact that I had a hiatal hernia repaired and also believes it will dissipate by 6 months out -- I can tell you it has definitely gotten better from where I was at 1 month. There are a lot of people on this forum who have revised from the band to the sleeve -- PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE read their stories before settling on the band. ASK LOTS OF QUESTIONS - SOMEONE HERE WILL ANSWER YOU!

Ok hi all I'm wanting to Touch base with the light weights and revision RNY's. I myself am a lightweight and a so to be revision. Sleeve to Rny . I had the sleeve 6 months ago and only lost 35lb after 12 weeks if no weight loss and 14 weeks of no inches lost It was suggested to me to get a revision . I'm getting the RNY for its metabolic reset value and to loss the rest of my 60lbs. I was 244 the day I was sleeved and 209 today 5"6. So how was your weight loss? Did you loss slow? How many lbs a week did you loss? Are you a first time lightweight or are you a revision light weight?

Hi folks, I have a lap band that was placed in August 2008. It's been great but I recently started to gain weight and found out two weeks ago that I had inflamation and possibly a minor slip. My doctor is about two hours away and is no longer covered by my insurance. So I ended up seeing Dr. Billings at Puget Sound Surgical today. He says I could replace my band with a larger band (which seems to have less issues with slippage) or revise to a sleeve but that my surgery looks well done and I could probably do just fine with the band I have. He suggested starting with their year long aftercare program. I'm going to have an endoscopy on Friday just to make sure everything looks good inside. Here's the problem. A revision would be covered by my insurance. But Puget Sound Surgical doesn't bill insurance for after care. It would cost $3,500 for a year of nutrition and behavior support. montly doctor follow-ups and fills. That's a lot of money but my husband is open to it if that kind of care would help me get back on track and losing to my goal. Has anyone gone to Puget Sound Surgicals after care program? If so, could you share your experience and whether it made a big difference to your success? I could continue with my current doc at $250 a visit an a 5 hour return trip travel. Or I could just visit the nutritionist separately. Or I could just cough up the $300 per month for aftercare and really commit to it. I'm not sure what to do. I can't find any other docs around here that would take on a lap band patient banded by someone else locally. But if you're in the Seattle area and have a doc who takes on pre-banded patients I'd love to hear from you too. Thanks! Britt

I am sitting here, a scant two years after finding LBT, looking back at my somewhat amazing journey with my life. I must admit, this is not where I ever thought I would end up, but once we start on a journey, do we ever really end up at the indented destination? I think we sort of tack in the direction of the wind, we see our sails fill, but we have no real control over those winds. I was absolutely convinced that by this time I would be a beautiful size 12, out concouring the world. I thought I would have a stunning wardrobe, and boundless enery, and a stunning collection of shoes... I thought I would be making a difference through my chosen profession, and off having many interesting adventures. I thought I would have learned so many new things that I be able to change how I saw the world. Hmmm, I guess all that I have achieved are some intersting adventures, but I suppose that is all we can hope for, right. Well, the things I have learned, well, those have been things I never ever thought I would learn. I have learned so much about my body, that I now joke that I believe I'm entitled to an honorary medical degree. But I've also learned so much about the real reasons I have done things, and for that I'm ever so thankful. I have gained an understanding of eating disorders, and an apprication of what people who truely have eating disorders have to deal with. I'm just thankful that my obsession with food, while tiresome for others to read about, was relitively shortlived, lasting only months, as opposed to the years that other poeple must deal with that ordeal. I used to think that the reasons I was fat had to do with my lifestyle, or to some extent trying to protect myself from hurts from my childhood, but I have learned that I neve had a chance to be thin. Not with Cushing's. I wanted to thank Mr. Alex for the wonderful forum, and I want to thank all of you who've been so supportive of me through my current jouney. Some of you I will never meet in meat-space, some I have, but I count you all friends. I have learned so much from all of you, some times from questions that never occured to me to ask, some from questions that were repeatedly asked. I've been absent LBT for some time, but I have been very active on my Cushing's board. I come and lurk here, but lately I haven't felt very well physically. It's easier to just check in, knowing that all y'all are still here, still working your programs, still waking your journeys. I started this banded journey wanting more to gain my health. My asthma was so out of control just before I was banded, I didn't know if I was going to survive. I think that is the best thing about being banded, my asthma, still with the Cushing's, is all but gone. I cannot explain this, but why should that one thing be expalined? Just one more wacky thing about me, I guess. My wanting to regain my health was the impetis for getting banded, not so much losing weight, although I desperately want to lose weight. And here I sit, I know that by many standards I'm a band failure. I know that sitting here, within 5 pound of my pre-band weight, that consititues a failure. But it should come as no surpise that I refuse to be labled a failure. Not now, and not by any external force. Heck, I have learned to not even let my mother define me as a failure any more, so hurray for me! I knw that there are many new bandsters here that do no know my story, so here's a quick recap. The Band lead me through an amazing journey. I initally had some success, but then it all stopped. No matter what I did, I could not lose weight. Not at any restriction level. No sweet spot for me. No matter how much time I spent at the gym, no matter how many hours I spent dancing, or walking or horseback-riding, I could not get the weight to budge. I spent a terrible month too restricted, where my food intake was limited to one ore two tablespoons of food at the most. As still, no weight loss. I spent a month as sub-700 calories, and managed to lose 1.5 pound in a month. So I started demanding answers. On another board I was subjected to ridicule, called a lier and worse. I pushed and pushed and pushed. And I certianly never thought that pushing for answers would have landed me back within pounds of where I started. But right now, those pounds are irrelivent. Throught my pushing and demanding answers, I disovered that I have a rare disease caused by a brain tumor--I have Cushing's syndrom. As it turns out, looking at my medical history, I've had Cushing's my entire adult life, and most likely, I had it as a child as well. So, I never had a chance to be thin, or "normal" sized. I have discovered a new supportive communty in my Cushing's board, and I am so thankful to have them, thankful that I found them, because they saved my life. For whatever reason, I am not able to do things in a small way. I'm sort of a full-boar sort of woman. (or is that full-bore?) And my health is no exception. I learned this year that doctors have no clue when it comes to rare diseases. I've learned to fire them when it is clear that they have no idea, and I've also learned that I'm smarter than many, if for no other reason, because I refuse to give up. I knew something was wrong, and I pushed and pushed and pushed. I know tat we have many turtles, and I know that many of my tribe have drifted away, discouraged and diheartened. I wish I could gather all my tribe up, and help them fight. I wish I could give them the energy that they need to find the cause for their slow loss. I am so thankful that I had the Band, and "failed" with it, rather than having one of the by-pass procedures. I know that many people have had great success with revisions, but with my disease, I still would have failed even with the the malabsorptive techniques. I want to tell you all how proud of you I am for your journey, and to thank you for letting me be some small part of your jouney. It has been wonderful, if not more than a little frustrating, to watch every Rabbit sprint to victory. It's been great to watch my Turtles who needed longer to reach that same mark, never giving up, even as they wanted to. I just wanted to thank you all, and to let you know that I'm still here, if anyone cares. I also wanted to let you know that I will have my Cushing's cure this year. It isn't an easy cure, but that dammed brain tumor will no longer hold me hostage. Once more, I start a new journey. Only this time, I'm not exactly sure where my footsteps will take me. This time, my expectations are more open to the possibility of the universe.

I have the band and I'm getting ready to have a revision to the sleeve due to issues with the band. My insurance won't cover anything bariatric related so I'm looking at going to Mexico. Anyone recommend a good surgeon or have good advice for me? Thanks.

Ok..i had the surgery on Monday.. Was drinking fine at the hospital.. But ever since yesterday I get chest pressure that really really hurts.. I also cannot keep much down. Seemed as though the liquids I am drinking sits on my chest.. Then comes that feeling of pressure. Then a couple of minutes later Ithrow up what I just drank. Has anyone expected this.? Are the chest. ,pain due to gas. I am taking nexium and gas x strips. Are all these symptoms normal.? Btw I had the band to sleeve revision.

Somebody posted this link in a thread and i couldn't find it again - so thank you! I think it is a great article and should be read by people considering WLS. I am 2.5 years out from a revision band to sleeve and that article made so much sense based on my experience. Band (when filled) - I had a very small food capacity but I couldn't tolerate the reflux. I also honestly couldn't tolerate the very small capacity either and it drove me toward sliders (my responsibility not blaming the band). When I revised to the sleeve I was surprised that eating was so much easier say 3 months out then it ever was with the band. I didn't think about it that I could eat more quantity /capacity then I had with a filled band but it is true. I think for me that is one reason I have been so much more compliant with the sleeve, I can eat salads and veggies and dense Protein without feeling discomfort or pain. I get an "absence of hunger" sensation after pretty small quantities, but still more than I could consume with a filled band. I had the band for 10 years, most of that time with "no fill" due to my issues with it. I think that might explain why some people do really well with the band and struggle with the sleeve after revision because you can eat more. Anyway, there is alot more to the content of this article, but that particular piece fit my experience.

So, anyways, as much as I hate to admit it, I was just dying over waiting on my insurance, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, who I have through my husband's workplace. Well, all that is over now. Hurrah! I could hardly sleep over the fact that I spent 6 months going to Mayo out here, had a physcologist, worked out like crazy, etc. and it all would have been for not except for Blue Cross. Oh, I love them. And it wasn't that hard once I jumped through all the hoops at Mayo ( the craziness is, is that I did this for the bypass, and last month my surgeon said, "get the lap band" much less trama for your young body." ) And all these people said Blue Cross would never cover it, but they did! I guess they revised once in 2004, and then back again shorty after. Mayo wrote my letter, (and probably included the book's worth of info on me they collected in 6 months). After the secretary for my surgeon said they sent it to pre-authorization, I called them 2 days later and the gal there said,"I was very lucky to have Blue Cross/Shield, they are very good for approval and fast", they had it mailed, and exactly 12 days later ( including 4th of July) I and Mayo got the approval by mail. So anyways, for anyone out there like me, who was literally freakin' out, it was easy and painless with the insurance, the approval said "deemed medically necessary" . And also, Mayo in MN just started doing lap bands. Dr. Flo Que, she's great, and gets you in fast! Anyways, I didn't want to post this to gloat, just to let other worry-warts like me get some positive stuff, because I always loved the positive posts for insurance. Surgery 8-8-06

Rescue-check out the Mexico/SelfPay Forum. It's pretty informative and you can get lots of insights about various doctors in Mexico and cost effective alternatives to Mexico if you prefer. I really like Dr. Aceves and he seemed like one of the more experienced revision surgeons. See www.mexicalibariatric.com. I had my band removed in June and will be going back for a revision in December. My sleeve will cost $9,500 and I paid $5,000 for the removal. But, most revisionistas who go to Dr. Aceves get it done in one procedure for $10,500. It's a little pricier than some in Mexico but the quality of the team, hospital, and general pre/post coordination is top notch in my opinion. Having said that, there are so many great surgeons so I'm confident you will find a great match. Good luck in your journey.