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Not on face book so don’t know if this forum will Work for me l. Need lots of advise from current patients. Have lots of questions. Obviously know my lifestyle modificalications from lab band over nine years need some advice switching to sleeve

How was it??? Was it done in 1 surgery? I’m scheduled for revision (1 surgery) on 4/27! I’m so ready to get this thing out!!

10 years ago I started my Journey......and it continues.... I had a lap band done July 2008, I was 255 lbs. I was a single mother with a 7 year old daughter. I was so excited that this option was available to me! Something that wasn't crazy as a gastric bypass (don't get me wrong I have been in the medical field for over 20 years, so I researched this immensely. I thought this was the best option). Something that would hold me accountable for the food I put in my mouth and the amount. At first, that's exactly what happened. I could hardly eat anything, let alone drink. I had found my tool that I had been needing my whole life! Just an FYI, I ramble, start to think about something else and then want to put it down! I apologize in advance if my thoughts roam! My lap band was more an emotional battle then anything, it's crazy to think that really this whole overeating and what we eat really comes from our brain (at least for me this is what it is!). I lost weight, it was great, I was getting healthier and getting to a smaller size! 2 years into my band journey I met my now husband and was under 200 pounds. I went in for my fills and could never get to that sweet spot. Just never felt the restriction like I thought I would have with it. About 4 years in I started to have severe issues with reflux, couldn't even lay down at night it would come up through my nose and BURN! Not good. I ended up going to another surgeon as I had moved and he immediately emptied my band and made sure there wasn't any damage done. We tried to go from ground zero refilling back up but never worked. It failed. I took it as I had failed yet again!!! I still have the band in and it still has a fill, but there is no restriction. Just certain foods don't go down well and I vomit still a lot. So done of having this in my body. I am now back to my pre lap band weight and so frustrated. My insurance has finally changed to Federal BCBS and am excited that I have the opportunity to get the lap band out and go forward with a revision to a Gastric Sleeve. I am super anxious about this, I am now 10 years older and just want to be healthy and be able to live the life that I want and deserve to! Right now just waiting on my approval. The office said 2-3 weeks, today is 3 weeks plus 1 day. I am ready. Planned my out of pocket, ready to get work off. Just ready to move on. Bring on the liquid diet!!! At least I know what's going to be coming with this. What protein shakes are ok (never great) and which ones are absolutely undrinkable! Stocking up on my broth and sugar free popsicles! Any encouragement or anyone who has been through what I have and had a revision to the sleeve I would love to hear your comments! Am I making the right choice this time??? This WILL be the last gastric surgery I have so it BETTER work! LOL (kinda laughing manically..... :o) I know what I am getting into emotionally and have faith in my Heavenly Father, so I am prepared! Go with God! 2nd Verse, Same as the First

Same. Just had my revision on Monday.

Hi all! I have seen a few threads here and there, but wondering if there is a place for lapbanders to sleevers here to share our stories and progress. It is a bit discouraging to read the posts of surgical newbies who are losing much faster (of course). Would like to know how others who revised are doing since having surgery.

On March 28th I had my lap band removed. I was just shy of 10 years of having it. My surgeon said that it had started to embed itself into my liver so I am so glad I decided to get a revision when I did. What I did not expect and am wondering if it is normal is the intense pain where my port was. The pain radiates all the way around to my back when I walk or stand. The only time I find relief as if I am in a reclined position either on a chair or in bed. I am 1 week post-op today and eating with the gastric bypass is so much easier compared to the lap band so I am so thankful for that. But this pain on my right side is intense and causes me to cry and feel really discouraged with my healing process. Anyone else who has had their band removed deal with this? I have a doctor's appointment in the morning so I'm very anxious to talk to him about this issue.

Hi! So sorry to hear of your troubles. I had a good run of 16 years..well at 14 years I made that fateful decision to just a checkup and found the esophagus expanded...if I never did that checkup, I would probably still have the band. But of course the esophagus was a problem..otherwise, I was maintaining my weight at 150 for years..didn't have any pain or issues..the real problems didn't start until I got that fill at the local surgeon down here who I believe infected me..that started the trouble with the port and tubing and then this last infection..but my doctor said it was probably time anyway..I got banded a few years after it was approved here in the states..so not many people banded much longer than me..at least that I have found.. Does your insurance company require you to do two separate surgeries and jump through all the hoops in between? That was my problem here..I could have had it all done for free but no way was I going to do two surgeries, wait at least three months in between and have to do all the psych evals and other dietary BS that the newbies have to do and should do..but being banded 16 years should mean I am way past that!! Insurance sucks here!! But I also wanted my more experienced doctor in Mexico to take care of this and took a chance that all was fine and I could get it all done at once. So happy it turned out that way!! Best of luck in your journey for revision..hope it all goes smooth..would love to stay in touch with other band to sleevers here..we are definitely different than the first time patients...hard to relate!!!

I had a revision in November. It is going so much slower. I lost 35 pounds and stopped Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app

I had terrible GERD before surgery and my surgeon said he would prefer to do bypass because that pretty much cures GERD. However, my insurance wouldn’t cover bypass initially. It covered VSG and then if I still had bad GERD it would cover bypass. So, my Dr said he would do the sleeve as long as I understood that I may still need a revision to bypass if the GERD was worse. Thankfully, I am 4 months out and no GERD!!

Welcome to the boards. You just have to jump right in as you have in this post! And post often. People get to know you and then it becomes like a fam. So here's the deal. Glad you've had an epiphany, but I know you know this isn't magic bean surgery. Right? The operation will make your tummy smaller. That's all it does. So if you have a food/eating problem, please know that you may need even more help to keep the weight off. You may need therapy or OA, or some kind of help for your mind on top of your anatomy. Cuz people eat around the sleeves and pouches all the time. They still make the wrong choices despite the nutrition education and the surgery. And it becomes a shambolic event. The time to get that extra help is now, even before your surgery, or in the early months after surgery so that you don't squander the honeymoon period and instead use that time to revise your relationship with food for the future! Sorry to be blunt. But it always alarms me to read these words that I highlighted. There is no black/white all or nothing future for us, sadly. We will always have to be hyper aware in my opinion to guard against that silent enemy that lies like nothing else.

So, I gained a total of 45 lbs back from my post op total, which was a total loss of about 115 lbs. I feel awful. My stomach feels huge. I’m grabbing it with both hands and it literally just disgusts me. Soon after my surgery I had an Appendectomy followed by having my gall bladder out about 3 months after the appendix. This resulted in the consumption of a lot of pain medicine as I’ve struggled with opioid addiction for about 10 years, it really got worse after my three abdominal surgeries in one year about a six month time frame. Well, I eventually checked myself in for recovery and have been on suboxone for about a year. The problem is that I eat too many sweets. In fact it’s the majority of what I eat. Eating protein makes me sick, in fact I can eat about a few bites of protein and feel full. But then I’m hungry again so I’m snacking sweets. I don’t know what’s wrong with me or what to do, but I don’t want to have revision surgery. I’ve started working out, intensive cardio, anaerobic exercise but I can’t lose weight anymore even with the workouts. I feel hopeless and at this rate bound to be back up to 300 lbs. I know a girl who I inspired to get weight loss surgery and she started where I was same weight and wears a size 8/10 now. I’m so sad that she killed it on her first year I’m a complete failure at three.

I am glad to see this as I too have the same insurance but looking to get revision from lapband. I currently have had the lapband since 2005. The doctor performed a endoscopy in which found I have a non functional pouch, Looking for more information on all of this. Really worried as to what is going to happen.

Hello everyone, it has been a long time since I have been on here, I was banded in 2009 and haven't lost done to goal. The doctor I had went out of business a year after I got my band. I really haven't had any problems with the band but found the weight was not coming off. I found a new doctor last year and he did a fill under fluro and found my port is tilted as well as the band. I had a endoscopy yesterday in which he stated I had a non functional pouch. I am worried to death right now. My weight gain started about six months ago. I am right back where I started. I have searched and searched to see what a non functional pouch is, no information found, Is this something to worry about? We spoke about revision prior to this appointment but I am unclear as to what this is means. Please if anyone has any information I would appreciate some insight. My next appointment is not until the 17th. I am really worried about all of this.

Wow! You are basically telling my story. I thought I was the only one!! I was just like you so hopeful and motivated that this would be the answer to my weight problem. I , like you, lost only 11-12 pounds, (maybe less not completely sure of my exact starting weight) in the first week or two and then nothing. I’ve been the same weight for over 6 weeks. I had my ESG on 2/6 so I’m even further post op than you. I’m having the same feelings. I’m frustrated because at this point I’m disappointed in myself and feel like I wasted $10,000. I didn’t feel this way in the beginning or preop. I was so excited and hopeful, heck I started this topic!!😔😔. I’d love to give you advice on what we should do but I’m sorry I don’t have any. It may console you a little to know that you are not the only one. I’d love to keep in touch with you for perhaps some support. Should we look into revision? Do you go to a nutritionist every month? I go to my nutritionist every month and she seems to think that I’m fine losing very, very slowly. All she recommends is that I log everything I eat and up my exercise. I’m with you dear very frustrated! I’m hoping others further postop can chime in and give us real advice or comfort.

Hi elle!! I literally just got back from Mexico yesterday from my band removal and sleeve conversion. I was fine since my removal of the port and tubing in May of 2016..my band was filled. I didn't manage to lose the weight during that time. I managed to stay at a steady weight, so that band WAS doing its job of keeping off what was already lost, but not helpful in getting off the extra 50 I had gained after the complete unfill. Can't totally blame the band as I did not always watch my diet and had a lot going on as well. So fast forward to last month. I was sick most of the month with a bad flu..worst I ever had..by week 3 was diagnosed with strep, had a yeast infection, ear infection and then developed some pain in my abdomen under the incision site from the port removal 2 years ago..had no idea what was going on. Went to ER and had a CT scan and a local bariatric surgeon was consulted and he didn't really see anything but suggested we just remove the band sight unseen. I was not really thrilled with him at all. But I had to decide between totally free removal and eventually a revision with insurance here OR go back to my surgeon in Mexico and pay out of pocket for both. The problem here with insurance is that they would never allow the removal and revision at same time. I would have to do removal and then go through same process as a brand new surgical patient..psychological counseling, dietary evaluation, etc etc. So stupid for someone banded for 16 years. So I decided to take a chance and go back to Mexico and see if he could do both at same time. We didn't know if band was eroded or not until time of surgery. He performed an endoscopy and found the band was fine. It turned out from what I understand what was left of the tubing got infected somehow and that what was causing the pain..so he successfully removed and did the sleeve revision at same time. I was thrilled I made the decision to take a chance and go to Mexico. So I really don't know where this journey goes from here. I am just 4 days post op dealing with clear liquids for a few more days. I am hoping I can get this 50lbs off and back to where I was. Was not really prepared for all this at last minute so really don't know success rates for band revision patients vs someone starting brand new. We shall see! And as for boyfriend...funny you ask..he decided a month ago to leave me but was not leaving right away..which I guess was good given the unexpected surgery..he stayed to take care of the animals and left the day after I returned from surgery. Bad timing, but like the band going away..I am sure it is all for the best once I get past all this!! Such is life.

One of the reseasons I am getting a revision from vsg to rny is because I developed severe GERD.

I am 6 weeks post op from my revision from band to a sleeve. I have lost 27 lbs and feel great. The only difference is I don't have a port anymore. The restriction feels the same to me. I eat much less than I could with the band. My surgery was done in one operation. There were no complications. I'm very happy with the sleeve. Sent from my SM-T820 using BariatricPal mobile app

I revised from Lapband to Gastric Bypass. Couldn’t do Sleeve because if GERD. The Lapband was a nightmare. I love my Bypass and no more GERD, stomach illness or pain! NO regrets!

Hello, I’m new here. I had a lap band put in in 2012. It was great at first and I lost around 30 pounds. I learned what foods I couldn’t eat and what was easier to eat. About 2 yrs in, I started having trouble eating anything at all. Every meal was coming back up or not going down at all. I’d have to eat standing up. How awkward is that at a restaurant? Come to find out the band was sitting at an angle so it was “kinked” so to speak. That’s how the surgeon described it after he took it out. I declined revision thinking “I got this, I can do this on my own” 9 months later I’m 30 lbs heavier and disgusted and disappointed with myself. Now considering sleeve and wondering if anyone has gone thru something similar and can tell me your experience and how the band compares to sleeve gastrectomy. Feel like a failure and just need some encouragement as well.

And if it doesn't go away I will be able to get a revision.

Trust the knowledge of your surgeon, GERD has been know to get worse with VSG but cured with RNY (not always a rule though) If it gets worse you may need a revision

Hi Natasha, don’t beat yourself up. I had the sleeve in 2015 and it was best decision of my life. Never looked back. My advice to you is if you have heartburn, gastric reflux, do the bypass. If you have a lot to lose, do the bypass. Not the sleeve. I wish I knew bcus heartburn is excessive for with the sleeve. My doctor said he didn’t know I had gastric reflux even though out was Stated in my endoscopy results. It’s so severe and meds just take the edge off. So he is now doing a revision to bypass to stop the Gerd. Although I happy with the 50 pounds I lost, the doctor said sleeve will not lose as much as the bypass. Then you level off and here I am needing to lose another 60. As far as battling with food, you’re not going to be hungry bcus your stomach will be smaller or even craving bcus they remove the hormone in your stomach that causes all that craziness. You will be shocked. At least I was. Best person to talk to is your doctor. And the nutritionist. Best of luck and reach out anytime. I’m new on this site also. It helps to talk to someone. I love it. Calms the fears

May 10th here! Having VSG to RNY revision. Begin pre-op diets/appts. On the 26th of this month.

I’m having my lapband to sleeve revision surgery on 4/27!!! I am SO excited!!!! We will def have to keep in touch because our dates are so close!!

Okay people. I need some recommendations. In Dec 2017 I had the sleeve and Feb 2018 I was converted to the Bypass due to complications. I’m down about 65 lbs. After the healing stages I had SO much energy and felt great, I was hitting the gym, etc.. The past few weeks I’m exhausted. All I want to do is sleep and when I’m not sleeping my eyes burn from being so tired. I take multivitamins, vitamin D, B12 (liquid), iron, and biotin every day. I tried to incorporate Zinc for hair loss, but it makes me sick. Oh, and I do get my protein in everyday. I just had blood work and nothing is low except RBW and BUN/creatitine. Is there anything else I can do to help? Is there a magical supplement out there that will aid in increasing my energy? Being able to function at work and at home would be great. Any help would be nice, thanks! Height 5’6 HW - 275 SW - 265 CW - 194 GW - 150ish Sleeved 12/14/17 Revision to bypass due to complications 2/13/18