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I have had the band for 7 years.2 years ago I was getting close to my goal weight. I had lost 80 lbs. and went in for a fill but my dr told me my body was rejecting it.I have gained 40 lbs. and have awful inflammation The last year and a half has been hell with all the stomach problems. I have scheduled surgery for June 5 for a revision surgery to the sleeve. Any advice

I had the revision to the bypass cuz I wanted to lose more weight I had the sleeve two years ago and lost 80 pounds. But I still have more to lose. I've always had reflux since I was a teenager I take prescription meds and now since the bypass I take over the counter meds too. This is the worst I've ever had. I talked to my surgeon and they say it'll get better but it's not so far.

Have you checked out other options? I see so many band revisions it scared me away from it! Just make sure you do plenty of research (not just with the center doing your band.) and good luck!!!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I had band to sleeve revision one week ago today. A few people at work that I'm close to only know I had the band out. Only my two closest friends at work know the whole story. Eventually I might tell more people at work but I just didn't want their opinions and close scrutiny. Many that I work with are young and very very healthy and have no idea what I've struggled with my whole life and I don't think they'd even understand. Besides all that I don't want them to worry

Yes absolutely !! I had great success with the band and I have struggled everyday since having it removed. Today I actually weigh 10lbs more than when I revised. I feel like I don't even have a "sleeve."

Yep, that is one of the threads I remember vividly. But I stayed out of it. One thing I noticed, their band to something else revision forum is just as active as ours. A lot of people like the fact that the band is reversible. I guess it is a good thing when there is such a high likelihood of needing to remove it after the first year.

when i was banded 4+ years ago i was "one of those people" saying i'd never have such a drastic surgery like the sleeve or bypass. it wasn't until someone asked me if i knew then what i know now, would i still get banded? Hell no!! the band worked for me to a point. i lost 90+ pounds BUT i gained horrible acid reflux and daily vomitting both involuntarily AND voluntarily. yes, i became bulumic on the band and in doing so caused my band to slip. i've had all the Fluid removed from the band and i no longer voluntarily throw up but i do still have some restriction. i've gained back 20 pounds since August 1st but i needed those 20 pounds because i looked anorexic. the band HAS to come out so now i'm researching doctors in Mexico that have done multiple revisions but also someone that understands that just because i'm at my goal weight does not mean i don't need another surgery. i know i need the sleeve to stay heathy.

I have been through so much in the last year..... I originally had my band done on April 27, 2012. Over the course of the 2.5 years, the majority of my diet was liquid. I could rarely keep things down. When I was lucky enough to keep something down, I'd eat it at a later date and then it would come back up again. The 1 cup of food I was supposedly able to eventually eat never happened. My surgeon kept saying I was fine. I had to go to the hospital twice last year, a CT and ultrasound done and was told everything was fine...no slippage said the surgeon and again, I was fine. I don't think so. The last 6-7 months of last year, I kept growing sicker....toward the end only keeping Water down. But supposedly I was FINE. I sought a second opinion the last part of last Oct. by another physician...this time one specializing in bariatrics not just a general surgeon. He said that not everything can be seen on a CT scan or ultrasound. I had an Upper GI in Nov. and was found to have a slipped band...quite slipped and was eroding. I saw the pictures. So it was immediately deflated. I already had some relief. On Dec. 5th, my band was removed. My band had eroded two complete holes in my stomach and the port had become encapsulated in the muscle. No wonder I felt so bad! It was such a relief, I cried. I also saw surgery pics. Needless to say, I could not have a revision done at that time. The doctor was quite sure that I could get insurance to cover the revision. But, I knew that there were no guarantees. I wanted to believe but there was always a little fear in the back of my mind. I tried not to think about. I just concentrated on recovering and trying not to gain too much weight since I could finally keep down food. I have gained 10 pounds. I would normally feel bad about that but the dr. said that even if I was eating very little and the best of the best, compared to water, I'd gain weight. Anyway, I got word today that there is medical necessity for the sleeve gastrectomy. I had to read the "medical necessity" part of the letter about 7 times. I then broke down in tears. My surgery is scheduled for a little over a week away. Will be starting pre-op diet tomorrow. I am so looking forward to being healthy again and finally lose my weight after almost 3 years on this journey. At my lowest on the band, I had gotten to 185 lbs but had slowly regained to 208 (when I could drink more than water, I had some ice cream shakes as the Protein shakes and Soups were getting old. Imagine eating only Protein Shakes and soups for about 90% of your diet for 2.5 years! So yes, I added the ice cream shakes. I asked my new surgeon why it had eroded and so badly. He said that it usually happens when too much pressure is put on one side of the band and stomach....that usually happens when it is put in(which could explain why I never really could eat). Also, I am sure my GERD had a little something to do with it. They said that because of my GERD, the acid attacked the food before it ever got to the pouch (everything is slower) forcing it to be attacked and me losing it before it ever got to the stomach. Then when I vomited, it could have shifted the band a bit putting too much pressure on the one side. So, I wanted to update my story and am hoping that my story may be of some hope and help to others struggling out there. I am so looking forward to next week. Thanks for listening.

Hi!! I had my surgery last Wednesday (26th)!! It actually wasn’t bad being outpatient ! The gas pains are the only pain I have. I hope the weight comes off. I’ve heard it’s harder with revisions.

Hi, I am also a mother of 3 in NJ. I have a tentative date of March 3rd and I'm excited and nervous all rolled up into one! I have the band now (hasn't worked in 5 years) and I am having it removed, hernia repair and sleeve revision all in one day! Any advice or support would be great!

Hello. My name is Jenny and I have posted on here around the time of my surgery back in August of 2010. I'm not really sure where to post this but I'm guessing that the "General Lap Band Support is the right place because I do need support but I also want to share my story. I was banded on August 24, 2010 by Dr. Luis Reyes. On my pre-op diet I had lost around 10 pounds and on the day of my surgery I weighed 220 pounds. I recovered quickly and an appointment was set up to see Dr. Reyes in 1 week's time after my surgery. During that first week I drank nothing but pain medication in liquid form, chicken broth, and Water and could only drink all these liquids from a 30 ml medicine cup and it would take me about 45 minutes to get it down. I thought all this would surely drop a few pounds and it did. I went from 220 pounds to 217 pounds in about 3 days, but when the 7 days were up and I was set to go to my appointment I was 224 pounds. While in the doctor's lobby there were other patient's that either had lap band or gastric bypass and they were all excited and I found out that they were also there for their 1 week check in and they were all on cloud 9 saying "I already lost 10 pounds. I have lost 15 pounds. I have lost 20 pounds in a week!" some of these were lap band patients saying this. They seemed so ecstatic about the weight loss and I was happy for them but then I thought about my reality of gaining 7 pounds when these people had lost all this weight in 1 week after surgery. I got called in and was weighed and I was so embarrassed when I saw 224 pounds and I had to fight to keep the tears in. I was sent to a waiting room and when Dr. Reyes came in he discussed my weight and I guess at this point he mentally pinned me as a patient that was going to be noncompliant with the surgery's rules and the diet. He regarded me with suspicion because of my weight gain and I told him I was doing everything the rules stated and he told me that the gain was probably due to swelling. I went on my way and made an appointment to return in 1 month. In the middle of that month I was given the thumbs up to start exercising lightly so I chose Walking off the Pounds with Leslie Sansone and did it about 4 days a week for 40 minutes. I was still in the stage 1 of the eating menu and was slowly making my way to stage 2 and was feeling good. I got down to 212 and I surprised that I had because I was also in the middle of finishing up my last year of nursing school and it was pretty hectic. I was so excited that I was 212 because it was the first time I had hit that number in about 12 years.....but it didn't last. I kept with the same exercise regimen and transitioned fully to mushy food when I got the okay to do so by the doctor's office and the weight began to stagnate at 212 pounds and then slowly crept up all the way up to 224 pounds again. By the time my 1 month appointment came around I was furious and annoyed by all the happy people in the lobby proclaiming that they lost this amount of weight and that amount of weight. I was almost in tears when I saw the 224 pounds on the scale and thought "don't cry. the doctor will know what is wrong with me. he'll know why I'm not losing weight." I had my mother with me at the time and even she wanted to cry because of the anguish I was going through and she was also frustrated that the weight loss was not happening. The doctor came in and shook our hands and asked me how everything was going and I blurted out. "I don't know what's happening. I don't think it's working" and I think he took it as a personal attack on him and his work which I didn't mean it to be. It was out of my desperation. I told him what had been happening. That I got down to 212 then all of a sudden I was 224 despite the dieting and despite the exercise. He proceeded to cut me off mid sentence and told me "It's your fault. You must not be following rules. You have to change your eating habits or it's not going to work." and I furrowed my brow in disbelief and just stared at him and finally said, "No. I'm following the rules. I'm eating nothing but liquids and soft mushy foods. I stop when I get full. I try everyday to get in 60 oz of water a day. I'm exercising as much as my surgery allows me to at this moment. I'm following the rules but I keep on gaining!" He talked over me and told me, "Stop drinking the sugary drinks. Stop eating the candy. Stop drinking the cokes. Stop eating the chips. Stop eating the pizza because this is why you're gaining." And I looked at my mother for help because there was no point in telling him again that he must be talking to the wrong person because I am not cheating and I'm following the rules that he set for me. My mother told him "Look doctor. Before she had the surgery and when she was little I let her eat whatever she wanted, but this surgery was big and I don't think she would throw this all away to cheat. I live with her. When she's cooking her food I'm there in the kitchen as well cooking for the rest of the family. I watch her. She does not cheat because we both want this to work." and it was the God honest truth. I wasn't cheating. I did have cravings when she was cooking for other people I would resist tasting and leave the kitchen immediately and would be successful in doing so. So he told my mother "Does she have her own room?" my mother said yes. "Does she go to sleep after you go to sleep or does she stay up late?" and my mom said she stays up as long as she wants to stay up. And mind you I'm 26 years old and a nurse and he still treated me as if I was a child. then he told my mother "well, ma'am. that's it. there's the problem. She's sneaking in food late at night while everyone else is asleep. The candy, the Cookies, the sodas." At that point, I zoned out and was unresponsive to anything else he said after that. I hated him for accusing me of behaviors that I was not exhibiting. After that he decided that what I needed was a fill. It was my first fill and he told me I have a 7 cc band and he put 2 CCs in that day. He made me left my own feet so band can protrude out making it easy for him to eye the port underneath my skin. It was hard holding up my legs especially as an obese person. He saw me struggle. Then he poke and prodded me with the needle and hurt my with each stick. and that was that. He sent me out, I went home, drank some Powerade, couldn't keep it down, couldn't keep my own saliva down, and ended up having to have a cup with me for more than 24 hours to puke my bile into. I called the office and told them that I needed an unfill and they told me I couldn't come in right away that I had to wait til 2 pm and I had called around 10 am. I was miserable. I went in and they weight me again after a day and I had gone down to 217 pounds and the lady that weighed me was all "OMG! 2 pounds in 1 day! that is awesome!!" if only she knew the hell I was going through in that 1 day. I was told that Dr. Reyes wasn't in because he was busy at the hospital and I would have to see his colleague Dr. Garza. When I began talking to Dr. Garza. He actually sat there and listened to me and didn't interrupt me while I was talking. I told him that it wasn't working and that I was having more difficulty trying to lose weight than when I was trying to lose it on my own without the lap band. I told him I was following at the rules and he told me "well, it's different for everyone. but I don't want you to give up. Keep trying and if nothing helps then come in and we'll try to figure out what's wrong." So then he got me ready to removed 1/2 cc from my band and he actually had one of the ladies come in and hold up my feet for me which was so much more comfortable and when he stuck me with the needle his hand was steady and gentle and it didn't hurt. But what surprised me the most was how after I got unfilled he sat me down and gave me a a tiny cup of water and told me to take my time drinking it and if it goes down without any complications I was free to go and if it didn't then I'll come back in and I'll readjust you again. I wanted to cry because Dr. Reyes didn't even care enough to do this for me. He just told me bye without testing if I could drink and keep down the liquids after having my band filled. So I went home and I could drink and eat but less which was how the band is supposed to work. I lost about 2 pounds and ended up going back to see Dr. Reyes. He told me he didn't know what was going on but not to blame the lap band because it's the patient's job to to work with it. So I went to my main doctor and there was this new PA there and she diagnosed me with hypothyrodism because of my symptoms of not being able to lose weight and stuff and I went back to Dr. Reyes and told him I had hypothyroidism and I guess to him this was the reason I wasn't losing weight and he seemed to become nicer after I told him that. So then the PA calls me to tell me to buy some potassium pills to take with the thyroid medication she gave me and I did because I finally thought that the reason for not being able to lose weight was finally revealed. A couple of days later my doctor called me and told me to come in and when I did he told me that he had fired the PA because she was diagnosing multiple people with diseases they didn't even have and prescribing medications for these "diseases" so he told me that I don't even have hypothyroidism and told me to stop taking the pills that the PA gave me. So I was at square 1 again. Around this time my enthusiasm started to dwindle. I didn't care about losing the weight anymore. I didn't care about exercising. I didn't care what I ate. I thought what for? I'm a failure. I've been doing everything right. I followed the rules and maybe it just wasn't meant to be. I stopped going to Dr. Reyes' office and now weigh 230 pounds and have weighed this much for months. I recently went to the my main doctor for a 3 month check up and saw my weight at it was 232 pounds and something just clicked...that I need to continue losing weight and get rid of all the negativity and let go of the past. There was a time when I thought of revision to gastric bypass or gastric sleeve but I don't think that I could do this all over again. So, I'm trying to become more positive and I feel like this is my time to really lose the weight this time. Without the band. The band means nothing to me anymore. And one day I want it removed. I'm not focused on it anymore. I'm just focused on eating healthy and exercising. I'm currently doing the 17 day diet by Dr. Moreno and doing turbo jam and/or zumba 6 days a week and I have lost 10 pounds so far and contribute nothing to band anymore. It's all me! and will only be me. I would still like to come here on these boards for support on my weight loss journey though. I find that music really helps in situations and I just wanted to share a song that resonates with me and relates to my lap band situation with my doctor and everything and wanted to share it here. You can look for it on youtube. It's Called Monarch by Natalie Walker.

I had my revision on August 6th and my surgeon did a drain that way if a leak occurred I would know right away. They should do a contrast before you drink anything. My only regret is that I waited this long for my revision. As of yesterday I am down 35 pounds. So much easier than lap band was for me. You will do great because we have the eat slow and chew our food slowly down pat! Good luck!

I just had my band out a month ago and going for sleeve surgery on October 8th. My doctor said my stomach needs two months to heal before he could do the revision to the sleeve surgery. I've been nervous lately about leaks, has anyone had a revision to the sleeve and then had a leak?Tyia

I’m also having a revision from sleeve to bypass at the end of May. I originally got a referral to my surgeon because of reflux (I’ve been on a ppi since the day of surgery... 7 years ago!) but as he works with a bariatric clinic he insisted I go through the clinic’s program even though he has warned me numerous times that I won’t lose much weight (ouch!) I haven’t found a whole lot online about weight loss success after revision especially from people that had some regain after their sleeve. Im motivated to get off the meds but knowing that it would help me with this regain would be extra motivating!

My husband and I have been together for 11 years, married 5 of those 11. When we began dating I was very healthy and active. In the past 11 years I have had 7 surgeries and a few illnesses that have taken their toll on me and needless to say my husband. I am having revision surgery tomorrow due to a slipped band and my husband is being a jerk. He's been this way for about the last 4 surgeries. I was hospitalized twice for kidney stones in the last six months and he didn't come to the hospital one time and the other he came and didn't even give me a kiss, no support nothing. He is usually supportive, but doesn't seem to have it in him anymore when I am sick. I have discussed it with him and he just says it gets hard after a while and he's just worn down. Which really worries me because what else is he tired of? I know I'm probably reading too much into it, but it really hurts me that he can't find enough love to support me. He has maintained his active and healthy lifestyle in spite of my health. But I try my best to keep up with him but I know I must slow him down some. Has anyone else experienced this? Have any advice?

This is going to be the longest six weeks of my life.................:drama:

I got my lap band 10 years ago and it has been a nightmare. I have never been able to have a fill and have gained a ton of weight since I got it! I am going to get a revision with Dr. Jose Rodriguez in Juarez because he did my lap band and I figured that he would be the best person to get it out of there, and he is very experienced also. I dont have a date yet, but I am looking at June. I wish it could be tomorrow!!! My questions is, do you still get stuck with the sleeve? I am so tired of having to run to the bathroom when I get stuck. Plus its so random! Any info would be great!

Hi Janex43, i had my revision from band to sleeve done last Oct. i know exactly what you mean with regards to the band. My life pre sleeve was non existent as i was just simply too embarrassed to go out to eat and try and eat something when i knew that id be disrupting everyone by rushing off to the bathroom. There wasn't a day that went by without me hurling up some food. Post sleeve it has been a learning curve, don't get me wrong, i have had to rush to the bathroom, but that is because i was trying to work out what my sleeve would accept and its not anywhere near as bad as the band! I Love, Love, Love my sleeve!! I cannot eat meat or dairy, i cannot eat corn in any form and i now have GERD, but put all these small things aside, i can go out and have dinner with friends and family - i just now select foods that are vegetarian or seafood! I just finally feel normal! I wish you all the best with your weight loss journey xox

I took 2 for months off for vsg ..and revision and hernia surgery 3 months but due to some complications I needed more time just getting back to myself. Go back to work july 9th. Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

As I said once before in another thread, for three years I had the goal weight on my ticker at 155 which would put me in a "normal" BMI. I revised that recently to 163 which was my lowest adult weight. But that was 40 years ago after going from 201 down to 163 on Atkins. When I saw my PCP last week she said that I don't really have any excess fat except my abdomen which is very hard to get rid of. I also don't much loose skin - just a bit in my upper thighs, below my butt cheeks & my upper arms. I have lost so much in my butt that I rock on the bones & have to sit on an inflatable or foam cushion. I see the surgeon following me in a couple of weeks & will talk to him then. BMIs don't take age & bone structure into consideration. For now, my current weight of 175 is probably very good for me. I am thrilled that I am no longer obese & am now just "overweight." I am going to look into some type of body contouring procedure just to get rid of some of this abdominal fat.

I am looking to get a revision From the band to the sleeve. I got my band in 2009 and had went from 249 to 145. Had a pretty bad slip in 2016 and the ER doc didn’t know what to do so I had to guide him while take fluid out. He was a bit heavy handed and I think he damaged the port. They can’t refill the band because they think the port has disconnected from the “hose”. I’ve steadily gained and am back up to 220. My doc wants to remove my band and convert to the sleeve We are just now in the starting process and I’ve worried my insurance won’t cover it!! 😞

On November 11, 2008 I was banded and lost 40 pounds. I loved my band until 2015 when my port became painful unrelated to the fills. The pain was everyday for the past 8 years. My healthcare Team was not able to determine why I’m having continuous pain in the port. Anyway, on February 1, 2023 I’m having the band removed and the gastric sleeve done on the same day. I am not afraid of the surgery because this will be number 16, but I am concerned about is the port. I am hoping the doctor will see what had been causing me port pain.

Hi, Im new here and I hate to type so I will make this as short as possible...I was banded in 2008, prolapsed in march of 2010 and sleeved on nov 1 of 2010...well not sleeved, I had so much scar tissue they couldnt complete it...sooo now I am going into the OR again on aug 1st to be sleeved since the doc thinks he can get around the scar tissue....except, now im thinking about doing bypass..i have terrible reflux and honestly, I dont want to do this anymore...I just want this 5yr nightmare to be over...I have an appt with the doc on tues and I think I will tell him my feelings and see what he says...I am afraid of the surgery itself, and I am afraid of the unknown.."dumping syndrome" which may be good for me cuz I like my sweets...lol...but it sounds horrible, sweats, shakes, fainting etc...and vit. def. etc...I would just love anyones feedback on their exp. with bypass..and anyone who was revised from sleeve to bypass...

I don't have your experience, but am stopping to throw out a couple of thoughts. Maybe I'm missing something here. If the reviewer looks at the paperwork only to see if you meet the eligibility requirements (minimum 40 BMI for 5 yrs and 21+, as you report), it seems that you'll be rejected again. Wouldn't that mean it's likely that the initial denial will stand? It certainly won't hurt your peer-to-peer procedure if you supply letters in support of sleeve surgery from any and every doctor you can. These letters aren't about explaining why you don't have the required five years, but rather to state all the medical reasons you need to lose gobs of weight, all sorts of health and physical problems that are dangerous and can be solved by weight loss. If you do have doctors who can whip out brief letters, you need to move fast so that your insurance coordinator can get them to the peer review people. It can't hurt your case. If the process fails, you may choose to go to the next stage of appeal, whatever it is. I don't have personal knowledge of them, but there is a law firm that works on these things. If you'd want to consult, the head's is Walter Lindstrom. If worse runs to worst, would you be covered if you wait until you have 5 years of 40BMI? Would you be covered despite the earlier surgery? Just tossing out questions in case they haven't occurred to you. Good luck. Yes I'd be covered but I have other health issues right now that I need the procedure for.. And I work in oil and gas and chances are we will see more layoffs. My doctor should be able to justify that this is a revision of the failed procedure UHC covered me for before. That I have health issues now that would greatly be reversed through the weight loss. If I went in today to have my lapband removed, UHC would cover a revision. Hands down, no questions asked. My surgeon has had success in overturning their decision before and the care coordination rep I spoke with at UHC said that she sees the initial denials get overturned all the time especially for someone in my position. The peer to peer is a chance for my surgeon to sit down with the UHC medical director and clearly state the facts and fight for approval. If that fails the next step is appeals and that's where I would get any and all supporting documentation from my other physicians. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App