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Revision surgery? I was sleeved, nothing to revise to since all of my health conditions have been resolved.

People are coming against the band because of the horror and regain stories, and because Dr. and some diet clinic won't even do them. The clinic that did my sleeve only take the bands out. I'm 3 wks post op and I wouldn't do this again. In fact I wouldn't do any of the weight lost surgeries again. That's not to discourage anyone. Our body reacts different to all the surgeries. I happen not to like the way mines responded. I can't change what I did so I have to press on from this place and make the best of it. I'LL eat healthy so I can stay out of the hospital and off meds. That was the main reason why I did it.... I hate meds. One more thing.... My Dr. said the reason why the bands needs to be revised is because your body eventually sees it as part of the body and your stomach skin grows around it. I couldn't fantom that. To each it's on. More than taking away 80 percent of my stomach, is the concern about what's left (sleeve) leaking. Make your choices based on your ability to dicipline yourself and follow the directions. Please believe this is not the easy way to get the weight off.... just more of a lasting route, that is as long as you don't stretch your stomach out by over eating and finding yourself back where you started. When all is said and done "discipline" is the key to a successful weight loss journey. Sent from my SM-J700P using the BariatricPal App

I have finally decided after 5 mostly uneventful years with the band to have revision to sleeve. My band was done with Dr Fox through True Results. Now True Results is closed and they are referring to Dr Nicholson which I was going to make an appointment with but now I'm seen there was an indictment for sone reason so I'm not doing that. I had no problems with Dr Fox but his bedside manner left me feeling a bit judged. I need some recommendations in the DFW area please. ASAP!! I'm ready to get this done. I don't want to go to someone who is going to require me to do a bunch of pre opt counseling or dieting.

I had the sleeve done 2011.@015 developed severe gerd. Had bypass on Nov 22,2016.Wish I had the bypass to begin with.I was afraid of bypass too.Not anymore.If I didn't have the revision I could of have compromised my esophagus .No more reflux.Thank God.I did have upper Gi and edoscope done before the revision surgery.I also had hiatal hernia fail.They fix the hiatal hernia again too.

I posted this earlier, repeating with some edits and updates and plan to keep this updated for my own accountability! I was banded in 2007 at 333lb; it worked lovely for me, I lost almost everything I wanted in 1 year (220lb) -- then I got pregnant & it broke, gained it all back, had a baby, revised band -- lost it all again (211!), got pregnant again & it broke again -- gained it all back again, had a baby, revised band. Worked again, but slower... broke again.. gained it back... this has continued on and on.. I have had a total of 2 replacements & 6 revisions. Before my last, last revision I was back to 220lb. Took over a year of testing (with a new doctor - previous doctor disappeared in the middle of the night - that's a whole other story) and got back up to 300. Started personal trainer 3x week at a gym. Down to 270 - then The last revision didn't take, I don't feel the same as I use to, and that revision was early 2015. Ruptured a disc in my back and exercise went to nill. Took a year or so of tests and appointments before my doc fixed my back. I've been plugging along for over a year at 300-330lb. Back to my original 2007 pre-op weight. Band has been bothering me like it never did before. Waking up choking on acid. Sort of vegetarian by force - no meats are soft enough. Can't eat many veggies or fruits, but hey ice cream goes down! Insurance is terrible (I have never even been offered a plan that has Bariatric coverage, ever. Through different companies. Wonder where this stuff exists.) So the waking up choking really scares me and I finally made a $700 appt to try an unfill(don't have much if any anyway) and check the band. And it slipped. In my various revisions They had to move my port from belly, chest, belly... port has flipped 4 times... port disconnected once... tubing broke once... and now slipped. Keep in mind, since day 1 I am self-pay, so I could have bought a house by now with all I have paid. I'm not kidding!! Doctor said we either revise the band again, remove it, or convert it. I refuse to revise the band again, I hate the booger at this point. Not one more penny!! It will be $9k to remove it -- $22k to revise it to a sleeve. I am too afraid of GP, even after all this time as a bariatric patient. In 2012 I wanted to convert to the sleeve, but the price difference was too much to justify everytime I had to go under the knife (if I only knew how many more surgeries I'd be paying for since then because of the band!!). This time, I decided -- remove it, and be done. When I can eat 'normal' again for the first time in years, I'll work on eating things like fruit, veggies & salads -- which I can't eat now. I thought a little more & talked with family, and we've all decided I should just take out a 2nd mortgage and bite the bullet, because I'm not healthy anymore and would very much like to be, and if I decided later on I want the sleeve, it's going to be another 20k+ the 9k I pay now. I was born overweight and it has been my lifelong struggle. So, I have it all scheduled now. Surgery January 4,2017 (for tax purposes, I asked to wait until the new year). I've been absent from the forum for years, feeling that I have nothing to contribute as a lap-band failure, and the great friendships I made through this forum, I talk to all the time. But I am back, now that I am going to be a 'newbie' in the sleeve world. I am very excited now that I've gotten over the initial shock of how much money I'm going to be shelling out..... again. Here's to my new success, and good riddance to the band!!!! --------- 1/1 update; took out several loans to pay doctor and hospital last week. Don't know how we will manage but I guess we will. In the midst of this someone asked about paying the anesthesiologist. This wasn't brought up in conversations previous, so it was another slap in the face . Left anesthesiologist 4 messages last week so I know cost and where to pay, no one is calling me back. I guess with holidays. I tried googling an estimate for self pay anesthesiologist and got no results I can use to sleep at night. Went on 12/29 for preop. With my 5 and 7 year old (who helped me run around paying everyone, ever so graciously). Started the endless paperwork. I showed them my current insurance (2016) and new insurance for January 1. 30m later, he starts showing me payment plan for the preop! $2k!! They are killing me. Another cost not brought up before. I didn't take out enough loans to pay thousands upon thousands more. Then he says it's because my 2016 insurance is out of network for their hospital. I don't even, what?!.... I said well, can I come back January 2 then?? And he said yes. Why wouldn't they lead with that? Anyway, so we left to find Pokémon cards rewards for being such patient little kids. My doc asked me to do Protein shakes a week pre-op to shrink my liver. He didn't sound stern about it, and it is the holidays.... but I really am nervous about a conversion surgery. Seems more invasive, I feel unhealthy, and I have a lingering cough from a bad cold I got a week before Christmas- so I want to do the best I can. I have done a modified liquid diet based on reading others' diets. On December 26th I started a liquid diet, broth (chicken bouillon cube in water) mostly. I hate taste of sf products so I'd rather not have them. Also New whey protein shots, carnation high protein essential powder mixed in with coffee. Two nights this week I have also had a low carb small dinner at night. Grilled fish and asparagus/cottage cheese with ragu. First couple of days I had intense headaches by evening. Headaches Stopped December 31. Tried sf Jello on December 31 also, and glad to see it tasted great. I've moved past that sugar hang up. Wahoo. I forgot it can be done. Every time it feels so hard, I get through it by remembering it's only temporary. I was 322lb at the preop appointment with doctor on December 25. Today January 1 I am down to 309lb. I feel much less bloated than I have been feeling for a while. Kids don't start school until January 5, husband and I are both busy business owners. This is going to be a rough week. I also have been wanting to get the house good and cleaned before I have surgery so I don't fret about cleaning while I recover, but I can't find the time! Plus, did I mention the kids are out of school? I am anxious about surgery. I watched two YouTube videos of the conversion. I've had a band for almost 10 years and they make me nervous. What if the band is embedded in my stomach?! Wah! I should not have watched them admittedly. I also have been reading around the forums. Sad to see the interaction is barely a fraction of what it was back when I was doing the band thang. That anxiety is why I am up at 2:30am posting here. Hopefully I am not messing up my preop tests by showing up on little sleep. I'll keep posting updates! Hopefully It just gets better and better......

I had this after my revision on 12/12/16. This lasted about 6-8 days. It will get better just stay hydrated and try to move around as much as you can. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm in erie pa, so not too far! Getting revised from the lap band around may of 2017 here in erie Sent from my SM-G900V using the BariatricPal App

I'm on pre-op too, revision from band to sleeve booked for the 10th January. Yesterday I made an asian-inspired omelette- loads of shredded cabbage, carrots, onion, garlic, brocolli and my allotted 2 eggs. Seasoned with chilli, fresh ginger and soy sauce. It was heaven! Today we're having a party at our house so I'm having my main meal at lunch and will have a shake for dinner. I'm serving lots of salads, sausages (which i will avoid) & bbq chicken. As long as I don't have bread, carbs etc I'm ok. I will really miss my social wine or two, but I know its only short term pain for a long term gain! I'm also planning on cooking a shak shakur one night to poach my allotted eggs in... the good thing is you can pack the sauce full of veg and it is very flavoursome! Finally I'll be cooking a burrito-free Mexican style dish of strips of steak, onions, mushrooms and lots of Mexican spices to be served with a big salad. My husband can have the burrito wraps.

I had the revision to sleeve on the 29th and have lost a total of 33lbs since day of surgery. I definitely feel restriction, more than I had with the band. My stomach does churn some times but once I eat a tums all better. Do have some issues with head hunger, but if I drink some cold Water usually goes away. Hope things go better for you. Agree with Sai maybe talk to your surgeon or get second opinion. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I would say it would likely cover revision to another surgery if it covered the other. Again, though, that depends on your specific policy. As for losing more slowly after revision, so far, that is not true for me. I am losing faster this time than I did with my lapband. I haven't updated my signature because I've not been on my laptop, but I always stayed between 270-265. I weighed 257 the morning of surgery (thanks preop diet!). My discharge notes have me weighing out at 268.4. Apparently fluids and swelling add a lot! Today, I'm 244.4. That's 24 pounds since I was discharged on 12/17. I know it will slow down, but I'll take it! With my lapband, I started at 283 and got to 218 in less than a year. I don't remember exactly, but I'd say around 10 months. I maintained between 223-228 until I got pregnant. I gained to 244 with my pregnancy and was at 228 by the time she came home 2 months later. (She was a preemie; I had preeclampsia. I lost weight until the very end from hyperemesis gravidarum.) I had a complete due to the HG. Once she was born, I could not get a good level of reatriction. Also, I have Hashimotos and the stress from her birth and hospitalization sent that into a tailspin. My thyroid basically stopped functioning. So... I needed a revision to a metabolic surgery. That's my story. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using the BariatricPal App

It is your body but take it from me.I had sleeve 2011 and in 2015 had severe acid reflux. Had to have a revision to bypass.I too was afraid of bypass.Wished i had it the first time ,then I wouldn't of needed the second surgery. 30 to 40 % sleevers had to have revision because of acid reflux.

My revision to correct the band slippage was covered by my BCBS of Minnesota. However, now that my band is not working AT ALL after the surgery to fix it....I wondered if insurance would cover the removal and change to the sleeve now. Also wondering how that process is as far as recovery time and starting to lose weight again. I've heard the sleeve isn't as effective after having the lap band, so that concerns me. Thanks for the replies!!!!

I would go for the bypass.I had sleeve in 2011.In 2015 started having all kinds of acid reflux.My Dr did revision to to bypass on Nov.22,2016.No more acid reflux.

I have been approved with Dr. Lousiana Valenzula in Mexico for a band to sleeve revision. Anyone have experience with this and can give me insight as to what to expect from travel to accommodations to procedure, etc. I have had my band 7+ years with limited success and difficulty the last couple of years with reflux to the point of having band filled and unfilled. As much information as anyone can provide I will be grateful.

I have bcbsnc and at my first appointment they outlined all the costs for me. I had my surgery on 12/26 so I am still waiting for hospital bill Katy W- Louisburg, NC Lapband revision to VSG with DS HW- 297 Weight at Surgery-279 CW- will update at two week appt

I have BCBS TN and my revision process was pretty smooth. My first consultation about revision was September 26. My surgery was December 15. It was actually easier to get the revision approved than my initial surgery. What I would advise is call you insurance company and ask them to send you the specific criteria for bariatric procedures. Know your specific policy, and advocate for yourself. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using the BariatricPal App

So I'm actually working towards a revision which is a bit different than just starting a fresh journey. I started seeing my surgeon in April 2016 and putting together all the records of my compliance while banded, as well as test results of an endoscopy, an upper GI, a sleep study etc. Essentially we have to make a really good case as to why they should pay to have the band removed (because I've developed health related problems with it) and why they should pay to revise to the RNY (because I have a history of compliance and success....at least prior to my wonky thyroid and pregnancy). We just now go all of the records and tests and everything together, I got my psych clearance right before Christmas and I emailed my surgeon's nurse to see if things have been submitted. Both duke and bariatric specialists of NC are marked as bariatric centers of excellence - I looked at them when I was doing initial research and ultimately chose duke because my primary is in the duke system and so I wanted my doctors to easily be able to share information and be on the same page when it comes to my health. My surgeon did mention that BCBS was changing their bariatric policy after the new year, the requirements on how long we are required to be enrolled in a surgical center's program. I believe it used to be 6 months, and they are moving to 12. In my case I don't know if it will apply because I'm a revision...but if it does it means I'll have to wait until after April for my procedure. It will suck if I have to wait but it's worth it and in the meantime I can continue to focus on making the lifestyle changes I'll need. I would definitely check with BCBS to find out what the new (if any) changes to the requirements may be so you've got a game plan for the coming months

My doctor won't let me have it till 3-6 months after surgery! Katy W- Louisburg, NC Lapband revision to VSG with DS HW- 297 Weight at Surgery-279 CW- will update at two week appt

My Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC does cover it. I just had band to duodenal switch revision on 12/26 Katy W- Louisburg, NC Lapband revision to VSG with DS HW- 297 Weight at Surgery-279 CW- will update at two week appt

The sleeve isn't supposed to cause that to happen, but I have heard that sometimes there is scar tissue left over after lap band removal that still gives you restriction as if the band were still there. I would definitely talk to your surgeon about what you are experiencing and see if s/he wants to investigate why this is happening to you before your revision.

Depends on the insurance, but I have Blue Cross in CA, through the NASI union benefits and I have a slipped band (banded 2009) and was approved for a sleeve revisions surgery at the standard percentage of coverage for my plan. It is possible but a lot of insurance out there and its hard to give a blanket answer. Maybe if you said what insurance you had someone else might have specific information for you. Good luck! Sent from my SM-J700P using the BariatricPal App

Anyone have advice/experience with changing from band to sleeve after band complications and no longer working? Wondering if insurance covers band removal and sleeve procedure if the band slipped and no longer works after revision surgery to repair.

I told my manager I was having a hernia repair when I was banded in 2012. No one asked too much and I was back after a week to a sitting job. Now I'm revising my band to a sleeve and I work for myself, so no explanation required. My friends who know about the band think I'm having a hernia repair and fixing my flipped port. Those who don't know either don't know at all about a surgery (my husband's family and lots of friends) or think I'm in for a hernia repair. I've said a few times that 2017 is going to be my year- I'm seeing a dietician and an exercise physiologist. Both true! ????

I don't have a date yet but I'm hoping for February if finances work out. I will be heading to Mexico as my insurance doesn't cover anything related to weight loss. I will be a band to sleeve revision. Eek! So many issues with my band it's time for a change. Looking forward to seeing everyone's progress! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I had the band for years, then I had the revision to sleeve in September 2016. Regret never entered my mind. For me, it's been so easy. The recovery for me was easier than the band, and on the 3rd day, it was as if I didn't have surgery. The post liquid phase sucks, no two ways around it but I had to do that for the band too. I love the fact that after 2-4 oz of food, I'm totally satisfied. No feeling of being stuck, no feeling of being nauseated, no sliming, and best of all my satisfied/full is like my normal big stomach felt but it's tiny. My taste buds haven't changed except that the thought of anything sweet is bleh to me. It doesn't even enter my mind to reach for anything sweet any more. I never cared for sweets but now, it's a true turn-off for me. I think if I had nausea like many here, or got lactose intolerance, I would feel regretful during that time too but I guess I'm pretty lucky. I have a support group from the same doctor, and most of them are like me... Maybe it's her technique, not sure. I was cleared for all foods by the 5 week, so I was wondering if your surgeon has allowed other things other than Protein shakes (especially since you are having issues with them)? I stopped all Protein Shakes after the liquid phase week 1.