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After 14 years, I had my lap band removed. I feel good, no post op issues, concerned that I will gain weight. My goal is to eat as if I had my lap band in place. About 6-8 months ago, I began experiencing an increase in acid reflux and symptoms related to GERDs. Two endoscopic exams showed tissue damage due to acid reflux, indications of Barrett's Esophagus, and band slippage. After a daily dose of Prilosec, the second exam six weeks after the first, eliminated Barrett's Esophagus concerns, but confirmed band slippage. Post Op of the lap band in 2005, I lost 105 lbs. Within three years, I gained about 20 lbs and maintained +/- 5 lbs for approximately 9 years to 2014. Leading up to retirement and after, I began the yo-yo weight loss-gain cycle, mostly gain. I am still down 65 lbs post op from 2005, but it has been a struggle. I think the acid reflux and early stages of GERDs was a turning point. I had been considering revision to a Gastric Sleeve for sometime, the removal of the band brought the decision to a head. However, due to the restrictive elements of a sleeve and my recent acid reflux and GERDs symptoms, my surgeon is recommending gastric by-pass over gastric sleeve. After several discussions and a lot of research, we are working toward gastric by-pass surgery possibly in March 2020. I am working on checking all the boxes for Medicare approval. The psych evaluation is complete and passed, in month 3 of the physician monitored nutrition and weight loss program, meetings with surgeon and staff, physical evaluation and recommendation from pcp is in the works. Without the restriction of my lap band, I am concerned about overeating and gaining weight during the transition while my lap band sites heals and Medicare approval.

I am in the same boat you guys! I had my band removed 7/16 and sleeve at the same time. Things have been not so great since and I’m having painful GERD since my sleeving. I had Cigna and all was approved for revision, but my husband got a new job and we now have BCBSLA and bariatric surgery is not covered under his new employer 😔. I’m working with my Dr to file an appeal and pray it is accepted!

I just had the sleeve revision to gastric bypass on 6/13/23 and I am a little nervous now after reading a lot of these posts regarding the lack of weight loss.

Actually, such a person exists. Her name is Jean McMillan and she's published a book called Bandwagon. She's on lapbandtalk.com. She's a band to sleeve revision and hates her sleeve. Even tho she's lost all the weight she gained back when he band complications started. not sure why she's having trouble with the band. She's a regular contributor to the lapband magazine

Yes. Thank you. I'm having a revision from band to sleeve and I agree about the part who you tell. The judgement is real from certain people, and not always who you think it will be from. And when I put on the weight again after my band didn't work for me anymore, it was heartbreaking to me--I was grateful for my privacy.

16k is awesome! I am in Atlanta and it will be nearly 22k for the removal of the band and revision (all one surgery) including 2 nights in the hospital.

Exactly what did they revise? Sent from my moto e5 (XT1920DL) using BariatricPal mobile app

Good luck to you. I'm having my revision on Tuesday the 28th. I'm ready!

What revision did you have?

I'm 2 years out from my band to sleeve revision. I've lost 115 pounds. Yay!! But I have gained about 10 back (and I wasn't done losing). I feel like I've been on a sugar binge since before the holidays. I cannot seem to get back on track. i'm eating things I know I shouldn't, even when I'm buying the chocolate, Cookies, etc, I have a conversation in my head about why I shouldn't buy it but then I do it anyway. I've gotten so far away from the "rules" and cannot seem to get back on despite every intention to do so every day. Any help, ideas or kick in the ass would be welcome.

I am also a band-to-bypass revision patient and my first month was very slow. I stalled early on and the stall lasted a couple of weeks, but once I was able to eat actual food I started losing weight. I am now 4 months out and have lost about 55 pounds since surgery. Weight loss for me has definitely been slower than it was early on with the band, but I feel soooo much better with bypass than I did with the band and I am down 71 pounds from my highest weight (in December at band removal), so bypass is definitely working for me. Hang in there. The first month is not an indicator of how things will go for you moving forward. Your body is still adjusting to the major shock from this surgery and you are pretty much just trying to meet Protein requirements and getting your Fluid in at this point. Once you are on a good eating and exercise regimen you will lose. It's very disheartening to not see the scale move when you are expecting it to, but it WILL move, believe me. Congratulations on taking this step toward your future health. There are a lot of us who have converted and I am seeing many, many success stories with revision on this forum. I expect you are going to be another one!

So i am working with a surgeon on getting the overstitch procedure done. I had surgery in 2006 at 292 and only lost about 50 pounds. I am now at 282 and my EGD tomorrow. Has anyone had experience with the approval process with a revision. I have Blue Coss of California insurance. I definitely have 6 months of documented weight loss attemps over the past few years 3 months was a medical weight loss place and immediately following 3 months with my doctor. Sent from my LG-TP260 using BariatricPal mobile app

Marla, I am sorry to hear that. I'm at 135 which I guess is a better weight for me or at least my boyfriends says so. But I'm going to try to lose 5 and remain around 130 give or take a few. That is my goal anyways. It's not easy maintain. Really have to watch myself. Although I think my biggest downfall that is hurting me is I quit tracking my intake. So I really need to start tracking again. Again Marla, I am so sorry to hear that about your revision. Does your surgeon have an answer as to why it "failed"

I thought I wanted to have the sleeve procedure (that's what I requested to be approved for and was) and after doing a lot of research, wondering if I should go with full bypass. Years ago I had lapband - I was very successful, lost weight quickly and the golden child for my surgeons office. The one issue I had as I kept filling the band, terrible reflux. I was 10 lbs from my goal weight and researching plastic surgereons. Unfortunately the reflux got so bad that I had pneumonia for several months and I was finally forced to totally un-fill the band. I had to wait 3 to 4 months before I restarted fills. I was never able to get back to the amount I had in the band previously and the reflux started again. I regained a lot of weight. Now fast forward 4 years, just before Christmas in 2015, I experienced a lot pain In my abdomen and found out that the band had broke. I had emergency surgery to remove the band. After a year and half and regaining all my weight, I'm ready to do gastric again. I've been dieting and eating much better for the last few months. I am now mentally prepared to make the right eating choices. I'm wondering if the sleeve would be a good procedure for me because of my prior issues with reflux. Although, the only time I have had reflux was when I had the band. I really want the sleeve but I don't have the same issues with reflux. TIA

Sorry to hear it didn't go as well as you hoped. It certainly sounds like you have had a tough time with the Band so you must be very glad to have it out. I did not have erosion and I'm no Dr. but I'm not sure that I see why he thinks bypass would be a better choice. I know there are a lot of revision patients here who did have erosion so it would be helpful for you to learn about their experiences. I have 'heard' that many surgeons now are trending towards doing sleeve vs. bypass due to the great success of the sleeve and less invasive surgery. Of course based on my own success I completely agree with that but ask 10 other people and you're likely to get 10 other opinions. You are in the right place to get more opinions and 'real life' experiences and input. I'm sure you can find people who have been revised from both Lapband and even Sleeve in gastric bypass forums. As we all know no one surgery is foolproof - I know people who have been successful at all of them and also people who have gained back a good amount of weight with all of them. The fact that you had physical complications is the thing I would worry the most about. A Hiatal Hernia is very common - I learned after surgery that I had a small one which they repaired during the my sleeve surgery. Did this surgeon look at the particular spot where the band eroded? I suppose depending on the location that could play into his opinion. What has your preferred surgeon said and, even though he has less experience with the sleeve than others has he consulted with other sleeve experts? That's the sort of thing I would be looking into. Ultimately you decide but it definitely sounds like whichever way you go it has to be better than your experience with the Band. I wish you all the best!!

I am so frustrated. My United Healthcare policy will only pay for a revision if there is a malfunction with band, which means I have to get some kind of scope to see if this is the case. The surgery coordinator at my surgeon's office informed me of this yesterday, when she could have informed me last week. For whatever reason, the surgeon won't order this scope, I have to go to my primary doctor and request one, which wastes more time. However, I am going there next week, and I am sure one will be ordered right away. Problem is, there is probably not going to be any kind of "malfunction" with the band. I doubt it has slipped, and I would assume I would have noticed some symptoms if there was erosion. So if this scan turns out normal, I am screwed. Never mind that I have type 2 diabetes and severe sleep apnea, and the cost of my healthcare will be more expensive to UHC to shell out money for my medications, when this surgery could help end these problems. Has anyone else experienced this problem? Thank you in advance.

When I had my LAP band in Jan 2004, I told very, very few people. I didn't want to deal with comments, questions, or judgments. I revised to RNY 16 days ago and I am telling anyone who asks. It is just so much easier than trying to be coy and making stuff up. I lived like that for 10+ years when I had to go puke in a restaurant bathroom, etc. and it is just way more freeing to not have to do that. That being said, I'm not going to post about it on Facebook....I don't really want every fringe acquaintance to know. Maybe I'll feel differently once I am at goal.

Awesome thus far! It's exciting when we come to terms to have weight loss surgery because it's not easy. In my case I am revision patient from and gastric bypass to DS. My bypass was done in 6/06 and I was pregnant in 2/07 I gained 42lbs back got pregnant again so that was a total of 4 can sections , gallbladder removal and a spinal fusion. My starting weight was 219 day of surgery today I am 211 I really have NO PAIN I walked every hour 10 times in the hospital and drank water which help with my bowl movement the second day and release of gas as well so the pca was gone that day I only had liquid pain meds. I also had so much scar tissue that more of my intestine had to be removed because it was attached to my abdominal wall. I am having problems with room temperature and cold water and suggestions

Here is an update on me. One video is pics only and the other is an actual video. I had revision surgery in Mexico with Dr. Garcia 1/11/12. Hope you enjoy! (Pics only) (Video only) MsMook1979

I should add that per the terms of my insurance, I paid $500 for the band to sleeve revision through Kaiser.

HI there I go to South San Fran Kaiser and I'm having my revision surgery on 6/18 to the sleeve. I only have to pay my $20 copay for my surgery as well. I was banded in 2008, had a baby in 2011 and since then nothing but issues any time we try to fill my band. It has taken me 3 years to say yes to revision based on my own worries but after putting back on most of my weight I know it's time. We did document everything we did, new upper GI, fill/unfill band, went on the pre op diet and still had issues and I believe because of the issues I was able to get approved so quickly (decided on 4/29/14 and got my date that same day for surgery).

I am short on time, but wanted to respond to you. I had the band for 10 years, had it removed in Sept 2011 and was sleeved Dec 12 2011. Results? AMAZING! I never lost this well with the band. I never felt this good eating with the band. I never had this reduction in desire to eat and other cravings. The sleeve is about 1000 times better then the band!!! However, I have also taken my personal lessons learned from my band experience and have been a better patient this time. It is all so much clearer to me know what I need to do to acheive my goal of lifelong "weight control". I thought I was ready with the band, but truly I didn't have complete education and support in place. I made sure it was there this time before going under the knife! I have lost 123 pounds - wow! I am the lightest I have been since I was in my 20s, sometime in the late 1980s. Life is really great and I feel that this revision literally saved me.... my weight and eating was pretty out of control as I was over 300# last year. My drive to eat, my desire for food was so strong I could not manage it without surgery. I was full on into a metabolic disorder/insulin resistance and just could not break free. With the sleeve as the tool helping me make changes to what I eat, how I eat, how often I eat and most important... how much I eat - I no longer go around starving thinking about my next meal. And, I continue to lose weight and am confident I will make my goal. My weight loss rate with the sleeve has been on par with what is expected for a "virgin" sleever.

-I read a lot of people saying sleeve doesnt work after having a lapband :/ is this true? I am SO scared of making a wrong choice I guess I already answered this one - some people don't do well, but many of us are walking testimonies that it can be done! -Is it possible to have a band and sleeve? You could not convince me that this is a good idea - never heard of it and I am suspicious of any surgeons offering experiments like that. -Why do more surgeons not offer the "net" around the stomach to help prevent stretching? I am also very suspicious about this idea. There are a number of people who have revised to the sleeve after having some weird mesh procedures from the 1980s and 1990s. Non standard stuff like this make it hard to do revisions etc later. I want to see evidence that something actually makes sense, I am not interested in testing some new ideas... -Weight loss aside; are you able to drink a small amount of alcohol (like a glass or two of wine)? I drink more like half a glass of wine everyonce in awhile. Alcohol hits you harder. -Do you feel like you get enough energy from what you eat? Yes, absolutely -Do you find yourself craving carbs or did the sleeve help kill that “I gotta have some bread and butter!!!”. Because even when I stuff myself with other foods, I still have that mental “but you didn’t have what you really wanted” feeling. You will still fight head hunger, but the surgery helps alot and I mean alot compared to the band. I think over time if you train yourself to eat a certain way that it helps reduce hunger. I gave you a link already to my post that covers this general topic - eat small quantities of high Protein diets and cravings are greatly reduced. -Since this is removing some of the stomach, do you feel like some surgeons are better than others? Like it’s an art? I think so. Ask your surgeon about results from his specific practice. I suspect that a good portion of the success ratio is determined by the follow on support they offer. I am curious why some people fail and some succeed. Could it be the surgeons don’t remove enough stomach or do it wrong? I also ask this because I would consider going out of state (not out of country for a surgeon more experienced with lapband to sleeve. Well, I am more worried about surgeons who make mistakes that may contribute to issues like "twisting stomach" or other defects with the stomach. I am not convinced that the larger stomach (withing standard recommendatios) means poorer results. Mine was a 38 bougie and I have lost just fine. -Do you believe WLS is like breast implants, where you should prepare yourself that you may need to have “maintenance” done on it? That isn't my mindset. Unlike the band, once sleeved you shouldn't need ongoing tweaking. I do however have the mindset that I will do whatever it takes to keep the weight off - so if that means I need to revise I wouldn't rule it out in the future. Whether that be revision or additional surgery to correct complications? Could happen. Most complications occur early on though, so once you are a few months out chances are that you won't have any additional surgeries. I explained to my boyfriend I always knew it was a possibility that I may need my band fixed or removed because I saw many patients with slips and port issues. -Can someone have the sleeve done 2x if they gain weight back? Some people get their stomach resleeved/made smaller but I think it is more common to revise to the rny or DS. -My lapband surgeon is charging 22k for band removal to sleeve. Expensive! I already paid 19k out of pocket for my lapband, and it didn't work out. And I REALLY did try. This would be a 41k investment-- sigh. Not to mention the heartache. This is one of the reasons I am so determined to have long term success. I work pretty hard at it.

My band flipped too. There was no answer, no one could figure why. They bent 3 neeles under floroscopy before they figure out it was completely upside down. I was so pissed when they tol me it'd have to be revised that I cried an cried. I had just ha my baby 6 weeks earlier and didn't have the time, money, or stamina to do that. Thankfully, they scheduled the surgery within 2 weeks, and when I got it, it went SO fast, and it was considered out-patient, so I got to go home that day. I was up caring for my daughter the next day, no pain at all. And I was scared, because my port hurt like crazy for weeks after they put lap band in. I've had annual womanly exams that were worse than my revision surgery. Now it's just a distant memory, it will be over before you know it.