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I am self-pay also and I have researched revisions in Mexico. Dr. Aceves has always come up as one of the best and I am seriously considering him. If I had the funds I would have already done it!

I'm SO right there! Since I don't work outside the home, most of my social contacts are through my church. And of course people are constantly commenting on my weight loss and asking 'How much?" But my brain says, "They're just making small talk and it's a change from discussing the weather." Then yesterday I go in for a check up -- my "9 month", but it's actually 10.5 months due to my port revision. The doctor and his staff are just GIDDY with how great I look and they show me the BEFORE photo. And I can see almost NO difference. In fact -- I still wear the top and skirt I have on in the photo!!! Okay, they're both 95% spandex and the skirt IS a tad LOOSE....but still.... :-( And for a few months buying new clothes was a lot of fun. Then all of a sudden I've hit a spell and it seems that my "in transition but smaller" body is WAY harder to dress than my old BIG body was. Reason being the extra weight I still have to loose is ALL between my ribs and my pubes (pardon my crassness!) So I'm still having to 'fit' the belly. Even when I've smooshed it into a girdle it's stll big. When I started I was pretty much a 26/28 from top to bottom. Now I can wear 14/16 on top, but I'm 20/22 on bottom and it's all because of the waist. Below that, I have no hips and suffer from NAAA. (That's No-Ass-At-All for those who don't know!) Whine-whine anyone got a good low-fat cheese to go with my WHINEfest over here?? Pam<---feeling like someone needs to talk her back in off the ledge some days!

BTW as you're a revision Donna, you may lose more slowly. Hip on VST is a band to sleeve revision and he was losing slowly. This post here gives some clarification as to why revisions lose more slowly http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/ds/4375541/Unproven-hypothesis-about-why-2-part-DSs-are-less-effective/ The summary of the post is that it's because you've already had some weight loss and your metabolism has compensated by slowing down. Donna, please don't feel I'm trying to rain on your parade, I just want you to have as much info as possible before you proceed. I wish you all the best with everything and keep us posted!

Had my sleeve on May 23 and had to go to ER twice over the weekend for pain and dehydration. Now pain almost gone but still get something like esophageal spasms. Driving me crazy and very worried that it won’t go away and that I will have to revise to bypass down the road. Psychologically I am really hurting and questioning this decision. Very anxious.

I revised to a sleeve in June and can't say enough about how great it is. No more stuck food or sliming and no hunger either. I can't eat around it, when I'm full, I'm full for hours. It's really what I thought the band would be. Don't get me wrong, my weight loss was great with the band, but it was a fairly miserable experience even before my band slipped. I just wish I'd known about the sleeve the first time around.

Ok so yesterday I had my upper GI done and the radiologist was extremely distressed by the position of the band, the severe reflux, the dialation of the pouch and esophagus, and the fact that barely a drop a barium went through. Fast forward to this morning and after ignoring the radiologist's request that I immediately go upstairs to have my fill completely removed, I did just that. They quickly removed all of my fill. Then stated that I have a dialated pouch and stretched out my esophagus. My band may also be slipped, but not officially stated yet as such, but with all of the symptoms, it fits that diagnosis. They stated that more and more of us are having trouble as the years go by. I was a model patient for the first year, then complications struck. Major surgery to repair, then it was never the same. Extremely painful to eat, led to eating only foods that didn't hurt. I haven't gained much back, about 20lbs. But I see that changing. We are discussing a revision. Probably the VSG which they believe will phase out the band in the future. I don't knock the band completely, it did give me my life back, however with this foreign body inside of me, things have been complicated at times to say the least. So it looks like I'll enjoy a good thanksgiving dinner and that the new year will bring a new partner in helping keep off the weight.

It would be the VSG that I would be revising to. My insurance covers revisions, but we need to appeal for the Sleeve specifically. The reason for the weight gain, is that with a slipped over tightened band, your pouch and esophagus stretches out, allowing much more food than we are used too. There are days when I am constantly hungry and can eat way too much, and other days when a hand full of nuts makes me puke all day. Sucks.

I think that anyone who has not had a band to sleeve revision won't feel what we feel. Alas...you are in luck. I know exactly what you are feeling and seeing and feel that I have adequately navigated through it. I was banded for 6 years. Lost 75 lbs, gained 50, lost 60, gained 10, etc. I had to have a revision because I couldn't eat foods that are good for me because of the restriction. If you are looking for the same feeling of restriction with the band and sleeve, stop now. You won't get it. It is so different. I can drink plenty of fluids, eat all of the slider foods, and anything liquid or soupy that I want without ever reaching that full feeling. I know my satiety depends on what I am eating. If I am doing sugar, carbs, dairy, fruit or anything like that in anything other than really small quantities, I never reach a "full" feeling. I know it is hormonal and blood sugar related. If I eat mainly protein and veggies with the occasional taste of sugar, I have to force myself to eat. I'm never hungry. I don't know if this helps, but it is my experience and it is a tough road to navigate! You can do this!

Good afternoon all, Prior to reading further, if you are going to judge me and tell me that it's my fault and that I don't have any self control...spare yourself the time typing and just move on. I had the Gastric Band procedure in August 2013. Did ok but that last year and a half just could not find the "sweet spot" and either it was too restrictive or not restrictive enough. After numerous discussions with my surgeon, we decided that the revision from band to sleeve was the way to go. In June 2016 my Gastric Band was removed, gave my stomach a couple months to recover and in August 2016 I went in for the Gastric Sleeve procedure. I find that there is very little restriction to the amount of food or liquids I can consume. I am absolutely a "stress" eater and many times (most times) I eat whether or not I'm hungry. I was under the impression that since my stomach was going to be 1/8th the original size, that I would have NO CHOICE and be unable to eat when full. That has not happened and I'm very disappointed. I don't know if I unintentionally stretched my stomach or what. Has anyone else have these issues? Many thanks!

The scope part is interesting...I did not know that. I thought the only real revision plicators could have was the DS. I read that in several places. Can a plicator successfully revise to a sleeve? I figured all the scar tissue would prevent that, but maybe not. Edited to add: they are just discussing the revision to sleeve on VST, so I guess it can be done.

Hi Andi, No I am not nervous at all i wish i can get this done today and let them get the approval whenever lol. im getting a revision from band to sleeve. I am not scared nervous at all. Just want to get this wait off i am ready as i already brought all the things i will be needing. Just waiting for APPROVAL i even asked my Doc if it can be moved up from April 5th if we get the Approval by Next week. lolol weight * off lol

If you don’t mind me asking, what is the reason for the revision? I am a rny patient. 6 yrs out. I had lost 170 pounds and now have regain 50. This puts me 100 from my goal weight. I am hoping a revision would jumpstart my weight loss again and help me reach my goal weight.

Lots of thoughts here.... It's normal to be tight in the AMs.. There are different opinions on how to resolve the "can only get soft foods down in the AMs, can eat anything in the PMs." Some doctors tell you to white knuckle it. Dr. Curry on OH suggests doing your fill at 5PM so you have good restriction in the evenings yet you cannot eat at all in the mornings. Getting full... this is the fat mentality rearing it's ugly head. Did you know that naturally thin people don't like the full feeling? They eat until they are no longer hungry. WE eat until we are stuffed full. A good guide would be this, while you are eating really think about your hunger level: If you are hungry eat two more bites, If you are satisfied stop eating, If you are full you ate too much. When your restriction is not great drink ice Water before eating. Cold usually tightens people up a bit. I am sleeved now (revision from band to sleeve) and even with a sleeve that's about the only thing that affects my restriction. If I drink something hot/warm I see no difference. But if I drink something ice cold before a meal I can only eat about half of what I usually do. My food quantity is already very limited so I don't drink anything cold before a meal. But if I was trying to lose I would.

im in south florida...its a hike . But im seeing the chief of surgery/head bariatric surgeon, Dr Paul Wizman in margate. Great office !!! look him up. Apparently he sees high weight people and revisions as well.

I am a 5 day a week at the gym girl and this was a major question I had for my doc when I made the decision to have band removed and revised to sleeve. He wants me walking from day 1 and then aerobics (cardio classes, spinning) at 3 weeks and than I can resume strength training, abs included at 4-5 weeks post-op depending on how I feel. I became an exercise fanatic during this past year with my band and I swear, that is the only reason I've lost any weight! Good luck.

Hi - I've been reading here for a very long time, but this is my first post. I am in a desperate situation with my VSG and need some advice. Back story: I had a lap band placed in 2006 and was very sick with it for a long time. I met with my surgeon last September and we decided to revise to a VSG. I did the six month supervised diet and everything for insurance. Revision was scheduled for April 19, 2016; in the recovery room he tells me that he could not revise to VSG because I had far too much inflamed scar tissue and that we need to wait four months for it to calm down and revise then. OK. So - VSG scheduled for 8/15; all is well. Office called today and asked to move my surgery to tomorrow morning; I am slated to check into the hospital at 9am. The surgeon called me shortly after I agreed to tell me that there is only a fifty percent chance that he will be successful with the VSG procedure due my scar tissue. I told him to go for it anyway and that I trust him. I am 46. I was 257 at my highest and am now at 190; my goal is 130. I have lost and gained HUNDREDS of pounds over and over and over for the entirety of my adult life and was hopeful the sleeve would help me end this cycle and maintain a sensible weight. So - do I go forward with the surgery tomorrow and hope I'm in the positive fifty percent and that it is successful? Do I give it up and try once again to forge out a thinner life on my own? I'm very stressed and need advice. Thanks!

Best wishes on your final decision. It took me over a year and a half of deciding to finally have my lap band removed and revise to the Sleeve. Lots of my friends from another website were doing it, and I didn't want that to be the reason I did. I needed to make that decision for myself. I struggled for almost 3 years with my lap band. I'd lost about 50 Lbs with it and once that was off it slowly crept back up to within Lbs of my surgery weight. No bueno. I was just miserable and unhappy. I was never able to find my "sweet spot" others talk about. I'd had well over 20 fills/unfills. I had terrible night coughs and would PB constantly. The band and me just didn't work. I was revised to the Sleeve on 9/15/10. That was my new birth as I now look at it. I'm nowhere near the same person today that I was on that day. I'm happy, I'm thin, I'm healthy, and I don't have to worry about what the future holds anymore with the band around my stomach. It's tucked nicely in half (thats how the surgeon had to remove it!) in a box in my closet. There it rest in pieces. LMAO! If you'd like, feel free to friend me, send me questions or simply look around and read many of our stories. There's a great deal many of us amazing band to sleeve folks here and I don't think there's one I've seen that isn't glad at some point they did it.

My original surgeon moved farther away, so with traffic it would have been a four hour round trip. So I found a new surgeon. She removed my band last year and will be doing my revision next month.

Can you tell me more about the PH monitoring? I don’t know what to expect if we go ahead with this. I thought finding a hernia would be enough, but my doctor submitted me a GERD revision.

I second the protein coffee. I had sleeve three years ago and heard all about it but never tried. Now I’m pending revision and decided to give it a try and I love it. To the point I have to be sure I don’t get too much protein because it’s so good. I got out of the swing of taking my vitamins as well and I’m working on a routine now. I take my multivitamin right after my morning coffee (just be sure it’s a whole protein shake or it may not be enough in your stomach to keep the vitamin down). I keep my multivitamin in the kitchen cabinet with the cups I use for coffee now to remind me to grab them. I sit them right next to my iced “proffee” as I’m drinking it so I don’t forget (I’m pretty bad so yes it does take that many reminders). Then I return the empty cup and the vitamins to the kitchen. As far as the calcium I haven’t gotten back into the swing of that yet but I intend to take it with lunch and dinner to make things easy. I think maybe alarms on my phone may be necessary untill I get back into a routine.

@@jellybean04 Yes, I am going to have my 3rd WLS. I first had the lap band and had a huge host of problems with it and was the beginning of my GERD problems. When I revised to the VSG in 2010 it wasn't as known as it is today that if you already had GERD pre-surgery you really aren't a good candidate for VSG. I have extremely awful GERD, worse than ever. I wake up in the middle of the night choking and I sound like I have a sore throat all the time. Believe it or not there are medical reasons for someone to have revised 3 times, and I am one of them. I am currently working with my Bariatric Surgeon to revise to the Rny Gastric Bypass. All that said, I was incredibly successful with my Sleeve. I love my Sleeve still, I am 3.5 years out and in spite of my issues it still works for me. We will just have to part ways and I will get a new tool. Take care, and good question.

@@LilMissDiva Irene I'm very curious about your journey and experiences. However, I don't want to be rude and reach out privately unless you are comfortable with that. The short version of my story: Banded in 2006 Erosion into stomach 2010 - band removed Previous 4 years have had well managed gerd from omepraezole. Gerd has increased in recent months and I am in process of getting evaluated to see if I have a hiatal hernia or other complication. New surgeon group (moved to a new state between 2010 and now) already asked if I would consider revision during my intake questioning. I haven't even seen anyone in that bariatric group yet! (strange!) I'm terribly afraid to even consider further surgeries, except to repair complications, because of all that I have already been through. I don't know anyone who has been down the road I have, so seeing that there may be others here, is a ray of hope.....

(Long post and excuse the typos - writing on phone). I was sleeved on 9/30 and even though I did a ton of research I do feel like I overlooked, or missed a few things, so I have just a few questions for those sleeved before me. Quick back story: My surgery began around 12ish Wednesday and was over after 3:30. Doctors encountered some issues. 1. Larger than expected hernia 2. Weird stomach shape. (Small at the top and large at the bottom). 3. Loose stomach? He said it was something he nor his counterpart had ever seen, but my tummy was not set. It was swinging all over the place. They had to stitch it in place which he said would cause more nausea than normal. 4. Had to cut some abdominal muscle because of size of hernia, stomach. 5. Upper GI study showed some obstruction, but fingers crossed its just swelling. I wasn't able to HD anything down until they day I was released. Surgery took over 3 hours because of all of this. Recovery in the hospital was pretty horrendous at times and peaceful at others. I ended up having to stay 4 days. (Just released at 3pm yesterday). Q1: Is it normal to have regret, I literally have some hours were I cry and then some hours where I can't wait until months 6+ to see how far I've came. To add, when I went to get my upper GI study to see why I couldn't hold my liquids in (found it was just slowly dripping) the nurse and doctor both where asking me why in the world I got this surgery saying the usual "your not big enough," or "it seems like they are allowing smaller and smaller patients". So not what I needed to here while being told I couldn't go home and I may have an obstruction that needs a revision. Q2: This ties into Q1 because I think it's the main reason I'm struggling to appreciate my surgery. I'm still wearing the mid section binder to keep everything firm. It actually hurts terribly when I don't have it on or tight enough. I also have to use a pillow to walk since they took my staples out yesterday. I was able to walk fine in the hospital, pretty fast actually with no pain, but now it's painful to even walk to the bathroom or get up from the bed. My pain meds help, but it feels like I'm being ripped apart when I move. Any advice? I'm desperate. Q3: What's with my mouth making all the extra saliva? It's to the point I actually have to have a cup with me. Gross. Anyone have this issue or know how to stop it? Q4: Can I take benadryl for allergies now, or is it something ill-advised? Q5: Where'd you all buy a pill crusher? Q6: I started mixing benefiber in mio flavored Water.. Too soon? Q7: Ive read so any things about how to take care of my incision. What's the easiest/safest way? Q8: Am I being dramatic? Lol. Thanks all!!

You had the knee done twice - thats awful! How did you know that the knee needed to be revised? And what was it like the second time around?

So I did the deed two days ago. Had it done in Mexico and still recovering in the hospital. I’m so ready to go home I can’t stand it. However, so glad I did this. I went from band to sleeve to bypass in an 11 year stretch. I’ve made a lot of mistakes and learned a lot about my body. My goals going forward are to take my food addictions a lot more seriously, and love myself enough to continue my level up phase in life. I’ve gained the Covid 19 (pounds) like everybody else, now it’s time to lose those as well as the other 70-80 lbs I need to shed. 😏 I’m looking forward to this new journey. I know a revision doesn’t take off as much weight as a virgin surgery. Luckily I don’t have a lot to lose.