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Hey all! I will be revised from my sleeve to gastric bypass on July 20th due to a pretty large hiatal hernia as well as gerd.. I have lost about 70 pounds and I am over a year out from the first surgery. I have heard the weight loss is slower the second time around and I am just curious on what the weight loss has been for others in a revision. Would love any feedback on weight loss!

When he told me the band was a much better option, I was like WTF!!!!! I'm like he wouldn't dare say that to the score of people that have HAD to have revision. He's a great surgeon, don't get me wrong. Top notch hospital and all that. But I refuse to do the band. Sent from my SM-G935T using the BariatricPal App

I am having a little issue with my port site, of course, I am a nurse and have been uh, treating myself, ahem. :lovechoc: Anyway last week the scab was catching on my clothes, so I revised it, trimmed it back some ect. Then I got a tiny amount of pus, no big, maybe didn't dry well from the shower, right? Dried it moved on... Last night scab catching again, sigh, I was revising it again and it came up, 1 cm open area at the end of my insicion, scant amount of pus, cleaned with saline, dabbed dry and secured with a butterfly. My follow up is on the 16th. Anyone else had a problem with the larger incisions healing? The three smallest are good.

I never had the band but wanted to say welcome!! There are several people here who revised. I bet you will hear from them soon!

I am in the same process. My sleeve dilated during pregnancy (I was not overheating) it was a difficult pregnancy. The weight I gained I have not lost and my gerd is horrible. So I went in for a the upper gi and barium swallow a few weeks ago and he determined that I have severe gerd and a dialated sleeve, which he says he has seen in several post pregnancy sleeves. I am scheduled for an endoscopy the end of May. In the meantime, they are contacting my insurance regarding revision. I have BCBS Federal, I am not sure if I will have to go through all the requirements again. So just waiting. Good luck to u.

Im getting most in without issue the soup helps to mix up No heartburn obe weekout second revision

I do wish you the best of luck in whatever route you take, but in the end, the weight-loss starts with you. RNY, DS, the sleeve, Lapband; no matter what WLS method you choose, you have to be willing to make the lifestyle change, and it seems that you aren't ready or just don't want to. WLS to me is just a tool. Yes those who get RNY/DS lose quickly, but in the end it comes down to you to make the healthy choices, both food and exercise wise. Maybe the band isn't for you, but with your mindset and eating habits, another WLS may not get you to where you want to be either. None of them are a perfect answer; they're all tools to use to help you during the lifestyle change. While the malabsorption may help you more than the band could, still eating improperly will cause you to gain the weight back. I'd consider therapy or just talking to someone about your eating habits. You can't eat unhealthy and expect to lose weight just because you revise to DS or RNY. It's not that easy.

Me too. Banded 2005. Removed 2011. Sched for VSG 6/27. Hope all of us revisions do great this time around!

I have had no support. Got banded Jan of 22. Since then I have only met with my dietitian once and that was upon request. I’m so confused as to what to eat. I just had revision surgery last week. I had a port leak. And now I’m trying to figure out what I’m supposed to be doing. That’s why I just got this app. Any advice?

Congrats on your appeal! I also won an appeal with Anthem Blue Cross here in California. I'm doing a band to sleeve revision, and they originally denied me becausse my BMI was too low without co-morbidities, but seeing as I lost my band when I delivered my son (totally out of my control) they overturned the decision and approved me. My BMI is 37, so I'm so thankful to have the opportunity to go back to my "bariatric" way of life

To say that one should choose different operations for different BMI ranges is an often propagated myth by surgeons. The truth is that all weight loss operations are tools for weight loss and regardless of the operation, patients that take full advantage of the tool do great but some patients don't lose that much weight with any operation. Interestingly, if you look at band vs bypass, the bypass looks better the first year, but 5-10 years later the band looks better because bypass weight loss is somewhat "false" in the beginning because it is a disease weight loss with muscle wasting (NOT the way to lose weight in a healthy manner even though it makes the scale look better, temporarily). The problem with bypass is that patients regain weight later requiring revisions. We do a lot of band-over-bypass surgery to create an adjustable bypass so patients can lose weight again. The plication success rate should be no different from other weight loss operations. I anticipate most patients will do very well with the tool but some patients will lose very little weight just like we see with other weight loss operations. I've got a couple of GPS patients (Gastric Plication Surgery is what we call it) who have already lost over 40 pounds in a couple of months - amazing. Obviously, it is early in the game but it is so simple I do not anticipate any massive surprises with the operation. In Europe, plication patients' average weight loss looks better than the band. A common theme of patients not losing weight as fast is eating too much ice cream and/or too many "concentrated sweets" (cake, Cookies, etc). The good news is that when the appetite is turned down after surgery, patients find it much easier to avoid these foods because they are not hungry. I've had a lot of patients -before surgery- tell me, "Well, Doctor, if I could make good food choices I wouldn't need surgery," but then they are pleasantly surprised after surgery at how much easier it is with the appetite turned down and getting full on small meals. Also, sometimes complex emotional eating issues are thrown in there which sometimes requires experts in that area if it is interfering with weight loss but it is rare that patients need that level of help after surgery in my experience. At any rate, we have done band surgery on patients through all BMI ranges and they all lose weight very well when they use the tool effectively. I feel no different about the GPS (plication). I like the plication because there is no malabsorption, no cutting, no rearranging, no foreign body, no port, etc. Plication has a lot going for it. Brad Watkins MD

I had my LapBand removed and revised to VSG on 10/18/16. For me, the band caused much more trouble than I ever expected. I lost about 60 pounds and kept it off for three years. When the LapBand was working and I didn't have to fight with fills and un-fills, life was good. When things went bad, they went really bad. At the time of revision, they found that my band had slipped and I had prolapsed stomach. Nothing I did, just a failure of the device. I did all my research before being banded and I did all the routine care that my program required, but I still had a band that was a failure. My surgeon is doing very few bands today. And...the rate of weight loss is spectacular versus my band. I'm down 17 lbs. since pre op. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

amf1025, Well, he had the lap band for 13 years. He did lose 100#. But his starting weight at the time was 515#s. The Surgeon said he wasn't strong enough for the RNY. Which wasn't true because at the time he was still driving log truck and long haul trucking. He was 50yo. So after the surgery, they kept having problems putting in the fill and finally ruptured the port. Back into a day surgery got that fixed. So in 2013 it malfunctioned and he couldn't hold anything down. The VA suggested that he see a Bariatric Surgeon which we did. they said he needed to have the band removed. And they would do the revision at that time to an RNY. When they got in there the band had eroded into his liver. They couldn't do the revision but removed his band and gallbladder (due to him having stones) they told him that in 3 months when he was healed they would do the RNY. He ended up getting abscesses and was deathly sick for 9 months and 3 months he doesn't even remember. So now he is healed up so we go back to the Surgeon, he tell us he won't do the WLS because he said, he was a "PROBLEM CHILD". But he did refer him to another surgeon in Portland Oregon. Now they would do his surgery when he lost 25#'s and got his A1C (he is diabetic) down to a 7 or 8. Which if he lost weight his blood sugars would go high and if his blood sugars were down he gained weight. He just couldn't get it done. So then we get the news that he has Cancer on his kidney. Which the VA didn't tell us for 3 years. Now he has to lose 150#'s before they can do anything about the kidney cancer. So then we get the money up and off to Mexico we went. On June 3, 2013 he has surgery and is supposed to get the RNY. When they got in there they found that his whole right side is solid scar tissue. They can't do the RNY so he gets the Sleeve. So here we are now he has lost 60#'s but just can't seem to get any more off. This could have all been avoided if the first surgeon would have done the RNY. When he was strong enough to go thru it. They gave him 4 years if they can't do anything about the Cancer. Maybe 2 good years but the last 2 would be HELL!!! It has been a year already. Now I just found the KETO diet so I'm going to try it. We are both going to do it. You can do it to lose or to maintain. I feel like if I can do it wth him it might make it a little easier on him. I feel almost desperate like time is running out for us. So this is how the Lap-Band has been for him. Plus we have heard that most Dr.'s don't do them hardly, but the do many revisions. Please think hard before making your mind up on which way to go. Good luck!!

I have a poll in regards to hunger suppression. I have also created a few questions for those who have been sleeved at least more than a few months. I have been thinking about a revision from band to sleeve for more than awhile now. I keep going back and forth with it. I won?t go into details right now with my band because maybe I?m just being a little selfish with my reasons, but that to me is really important right now. I?m not getting any younger and I just want something that actually will give me what is advertised! Thanks to anyone who is willing to help out a bit? J I?m sure most of these questions have been asked a zillion times, but I?m going to start moving forward with this quickly and would like some ?one-stop-shopping!? LOL Questions: 1) How long have you been sleeved? 2) Who was your surgeon? 3) What were your experiences with your surgeon? 4) Would you recommend your surgeon? 5) How much weight have you lost since your sleeve date? 6) What type of sleeve do you have? 7) Would you recommend the type of sleeve you have? 8) Do you find you still have the necessary level of energy to sustain a good workout? 9) Do you find it difficult to keep the weight off once you have lost it? 10) Do you have trouble eating, such as getting ?stuck?? 11) What is the one things about getting the surgery that you regret? 12) Would you do this surgery again, or would you have made another choice? THANKS TO ALL!!! POLL QUESTION: What is your hunger level NOW in comparison to Pre-Sleeve? I am between 96% hunger cured to 100% hunger cured. I am between 90% hunger cured to 95% hunger cured. I am between 80% hunger cured to 89% hunger cured. I am between 70% hunger cured to 79% hunger cured. I am between 50% hunger cured to 69% hunger cured. I am between 26% hunger cured to 49% hunger cured. I am between 1% hunger cured to 25% hunger cured. I am 0% hunger cured.

My doctor is doing the same thing with me. I have a list of things I can choose along with my Protein shakes. I usually do 2 shakes a day and eat from my list the rest of the time. Yes, and drink LOTS of Water. Mine is revision surgery so the liver shrinking is important. I have 13 days to go before surgery--can't wait! From what I have gathered, it does depend on your surgeon. I will have to do a 2 week liquid diet - but during that 2 weeks I can also have some "real" food - I get to choose 6 items from a list they will give me. I was told they do this to help shrink the liver (or the fat around the liver) so it makes it easier for the surgeon to move it out of the way when they do the surgery. It's also a good way to start practicing for how you eat after the surgery.

Hey there--- I had the gastric sleeve 5 years ago. My life has been a whirlwind of change since--- Good change, but nevertheless hard! long story short-- left an abusive marriage, lost my job, autistic child, etc At any rate, I only lost about 80 pounds from the sleeve surgery initially. Since then I have put about 50 back on. I have spent the last 3 years being mad at myself for being a failure. I met with the surgeon a year ago and he told me no way would he revise my sleeve to a bypass because I wasn't following the protocol. I left there hysterical. I still have about 200 pounds to lose and numerous comorbidities. I am active, walk 7+miles 3 x a week and do yoga 2x a week. I guess my question is, Has anyone had a similar experience? Will insurance pay for another surgery? I am not sure what else to do at this point!

ThinOneDay - I too am thinking about revising from a LB. Would you please expand on why there are days you wouldn't have gotten the sleeve surgery? I would really appreciate it! -G

I just went through a revision surgery to have my band removed and converted to the sleeve. I did not have much success with the band and found that most healthy foods I ate got stuck on the band. Ails never found the sweet spot (the perfect fill) and am unsure such a thing really exists. I am only 1 week post op, but I already feel that this will be a good solution for me. Good luck with your decision.

I was also initially interested in the lap band. I was hoping to get it done here in Canada, but I would've had to fly halfway across the country and pay like 20 grand - and then find my own doc or nurse here to manage my fills. It was quite a turn-off for me. I called Dr. Aceves about the lap band, and his coordinator told me about the sleeve and said they weren't having a very good success rate with the band and the sleeve was a much better option. I mulled over it for a few days and decided it was the right choice for me. I'm very glad I had the sleeve! There were so many people having band-to-sleeve revisions in the hospital when I was there!

I was 226 on day of surgery (HW was 242 at first revision consult) only have asthma and back pain. This was a revision for me. Started with a lapband 7 or so years ago at a hw of 239. So glad I had the revision.

I think I have an idea why some say 13 weeks to go and some say 12 weeks to go. As of yesterday(9/3), Thanksgiving is exactly 12 weeks away. The dates on the left hand side where it is saying 13 weeks to go are end of August dates. The dates where it is saying 12 weeks to go are beginning of September dates. I am excited to do this challenge to get me back on track. I got my band last summer and am having a hard time with these last pounds. Thanks, Colleen Lap band surgery: 5/6/08 Revision for kinked tubing: 7/17/08

Hello All! My band to RNY revision is scheduled for 9/13. Honestly, my decision for bypass was 2 fold: 1. Complications due to band failure. Even today, after having all of the fluid removed four years ago due to recurrent gastritis and esophageal spasms, I still struggle daily with never knowing what will get stuck, terrible reflux, sliming constantly with every meal, the chest pressure with eating anything, the nightly gas pains under my collar bones, vomiting, and belly pain. All this while eating way smaller portions than most, just to almost be back to my pre-lap band weight, plus all the problems I didn’t have before the lapband. I feel like I’m a Prius in the metabolism race. I apparently hold onto every single calorie I ingest, so malabsorption as a tool might be a more effective option for me. And removing the ban will take care of the issues. 2. My surgeon prefers band to bypass when there is a history of GERD. From my understanding gerd after sleeve is quite common. Enough so that one of the local research hospitals is currently doing clinical trials for a procedure to treat reflux specifically for post sleeve patients. I’m already experiencing a life of reflux and anything I can do to make that better instead of potentially worse is where I’m looking. I really don’t want the acute gastritis and spasms again! Nothing like heart attack like symptoms to get you started:( My revision was requested as general surgery instead of bariatric, due to all of the complications, and approved 2 weeks after being submitted. I will be having my revision in one surgery. I specifically requested that from my surgeon. He is comfortable with and has experience doing it all at once, so that is my plan. I’m very adverse to two rounds under anesthesia and post op recoveries. One of the folks who post on the forums has a favorite saying: YMMV. Your Milage May Vary. Basically, your journey is your journey. Whatever decision you and your surgeon make whether bypass or sleeve is the right one for you. You have to feel confident and empowered in the decision process. It’s your health! Educate yourself, don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself and make the best choice for YOU. Good vibes to us all!

So I am just over 5 months post op revision to Bypass and I am coming to a block/stall/halt..... whatever it may be in my weight loss. I only lost 2.6 lbs last month. I do great during the day but in the evening and night my cravings and hunger/head hunger are out of control, which makes me snack and crave sweets. But, I really think that the sugar free tea that I am drinking in the evenings is causing my cravings to be worse. I only have water during the day, but after work and at night I drink this tea (which I have a bit of an addiction to) It is sugar free, calorie free, carb free, but when I drink it I seen to have really bad cravings for sweets and sometimes salty snacks. I believe it has splenda in it. I don't know if it is the time of day that is my issues or the tea triggering an issue. So lord help me I am going to go cold turkey. No tea for one week and see what happens. I dearly love my sugar free tea so I am a bit panicked but I have to get the scale moving again!!!!!

Anyone else have a reverse body image before WLS? I look in the mirror and didn't see the 232lb person. I saw "normal".... It wasn't until I didn't recognize myself in a picture that I really saw what I looked like.... I was shocked and disgusted. Then as the years went by, looking in the mirror, it's become the other where I don't see the thin size 0 person.... The mind is a crazy thing for sure. I hold up jeans in a size 0 and think.... OMG there is no way, but they do. I have a hard time parting with things that are too big. Just yesterday I brought 5 shirts and 2 skirts to the tailor. I'm obsessed with my boobs now. After years and years of being an H cup, they look so small as a FF-G.... I know that they are still bigger than most, but to me they look tiny...... ugh.. Drinking has become a 1 drink a day thing. I just challenged myself to see how long I could go if I really tried..... 23 days. Had one Sunday night and it knocked my D!ck in the dirt..... Thank the dear Lord in Heaven I don't really like shopping. I hate going into a shop and picking things out.... I'm terrible at it. I also hate getting undressed and dressed over and over. I moved to another state where no one knew the size 20 me. No one knew my past, I knew no one and it was so liberating...... This is also how I managed to have revision SX without telling anyone... that in itself has been awesome. Especially this time around..... (raises a hand and admits) it wasn't hard work at all.

Currently that procedure is still very new , within past 2 yrs and there isn't enough data for long term sucess rates yet. I actually posted a similar thread over the weekend about this. My surgeon recently started performing this procedure and currently he has a patient that is 3 months out. This procedure only provides better restriction from stretching of pouch, however as always... diet and exercise will make it successful. Here is an a great link for a neat animation video. If accessing via mobile, animation will be on bottom of page. If by desktop or laptop top right. I also asked if this was covered under insurance and my surgeon said yes but depends on insurance. In addition, he also said this is a cheaper and less invasive versus revision surgery http://apolloendo.com/procedures/outlet-pouch-reduction/