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Good luck with your surgery! I'm currently in the process of doing the insurance requirements and can't imagine how excited you must be to finally have a date! I also was on track to get banded but have decided to switch to the sleeve. I've been hearing of too many people who have been banded only to have revision surgery and more than one surgery is (hopefully!) not for me. I am ready to start my new healthier life NOW!!!

Wonderful news! Sorry I'm mostly a lurker but I think we had surgery on the same day 08/11? I had a revision from the band to RNY . So I thought why not jump in! You got this! No regrets????

I am sorry for their attitudes. You don't sound like a failure to me! You are probably right in thinking that labor caused your slip. I had aslip, and had a revision done withut replacement. Best wishes to you, and congrats on the birth of your baby. Karen

Hello gang, I had WLS in 2004. I was one of the early lap band recipients in Australia under Prof. Paul O'Brien. I did great and lost 46kg (101lbs), but then life set in and I had two kids and a suicidal husband so I let the weight creep back up. I had a revision in 2013 due to a hiatus hernia so large I was having esophageal spasms. So now, I'm at the heaviest I've ever been, and I've got a ventral hernia that goes from my navel to my sternum. My surgeon said he won't even try to fix it if my BMI is over 30 because it will just come right back. He then talked to me about how the lap band has fallen out of favor because it was not as effective as the original studies promised. He suggested a revision to a VSG, and set me up in my insurance's approval program for WLS. The first step is the removal of the band and port and recovery from that. Surgery is scheduled for July 7th. After that I'll progress through the "hoop-jumping" to qualify for the VSG, which providing everything goes smoothly, I'll qualify for in October. So far no one has stated any pre-surgery weight loss requirements, but I have been studying the various plans and doctor's programs I've found online, as well as reading personal stories from support forums like this one, so I can get an aggregate view of the entire procedure both pre and post-op. I must admit that the pendulum swings widely across what I've seen, both in program execution and in individual responses. Of course, I realize that there are outliers on every scale, and I'm averaging what I see. I got this little binder from the program introduction meeting (Dignity Health), and I've been adding my own research to it, things like print out of appropriate bariatric (or equivalent) vitamins based on their recommendations, worksheets for tracking eating and drinking, pre and post-op protein shakes, mixes, and recipes, motivational type posters, and text documents on things like how digestion works, how protein is used by the body, etc. Note, all the research is stuff from actual university or journal studies, I'm not taking answers from Reddit or Quora as facts! I've decided the biggest issue I've seen is the grief process that hits people after the surgery when they suddenly realize they can't eat what they want. I've read a lot of threads (not just here) of people rebelling and hating themselves and hurting themselves because of this. I do not want to deal with this. I'm already working on changing my eating habits, albeit slowly. I want to be more in control of this transition than I've seen, So, if you've read this far, my questions to you are: Did you make any effort pre-op to really change your eating habits? Did you experience grief or regret post-op if you didn't? Did you regret your surgery for any reason OTHER than the food restriction/complications? Thanks for discussing!

I have BC/BS Federal Texas. I just found out that I have what the Dr. said I have what is called mechanical breakdown of my 4 year old lap band and now a hernia too boot that I never had in the beginning. I now have to have the band removed, the hernia done and a revision to RNY and I am trying to see if this might be a procedure that would be approved or not? Hope some one will answer me back

Congrats John! That's exciting news!! I'm finally ditching my band after 10 years in May!! I had prolapse issues twice. I chose to unfill and refill once, but once it happened again, I decided I was done. I haven't had much success at all since replacing my band in 2006. I think you made a wonderful choice. The reality is, you would likely end up anyway, as prolapse generally becomes a repetitive problem!! Have you discussed a surgery date yet?! There are quite a few band to sleeve revisions around here and I have yet to hear one person say they didn't have more success and feel better after revising!!

Hi, I'm new to this forum. I was banded in April of 2008 & after 14 fills I lost 75 lbs. I got to where I was able to eat more & more & I started gaining weight back. It was like I didn't even have weight loss surgery cause I was following the same pattern I did before the band. Recently I started having stomach pains & gerd.When I finally went to my Dr. he had an endoscopy done & found I had prolasped & my esophigus was inflamed so he did a biopsy. My wife & I met with him on Monday & he said the biopsy came back OK but we needed to select one of the 4 options he had for me. 1. He could empty the band & allow the stomah to go back in place & bigin fills again, 2. Remove the band & return to original stomach, 3.replace the band, 4. remove the band & revise to a sleeve or gastric bypass. We all agreed that the gastric sleeve would be the best option. I need to get another phyc. eval. & apply for approval from my insc. again. I'm feeling good about this because after this surgery I don't have to keep going back for fills & worrying about prolapsing again. This is where I'm at right now.

Welcome! Don't be concerned about the surgery. Really it's a piece of cake. I had a C-section and there is NO comparison. I had to have a revision of my lap band so I've had the surgery twice by two different docs and both times i had no difficulties. The only discomfort came from the gas they pump in so they can see, it ends up bothering the left shoulder for some reason. weird. You get to lay low for a day or so and then you are pretty much feeling fine. Good luck on your journey!

So I haven't been on here for a while but had to share with others my experiences with the gastric sleeve. I had my surgery on April 12, 2016 the first 6-8 weeks it was going great some vomiting here and there while getting used to the new ways of life. Then the now and then became more and more frequent til I was vomiting daily. I this was not right so I had a long talk with the doctor he told me he was thinking i had a kink in the sleeve and sent me to a gastroenterologist. This doctor was sure it was a kink and scheduled me for a Esophagogastroduodenoscopy or EGD on August 12, 2016. The EGD went well for about 2 weeks than slowly I started vomiting again more and more, back to the doctor then to get another EGD on October 20, 2016. This time it seemed to do the job by the end of January I was doing good than the beginning of February the vomiting started again back to the doctor and April 25, 2017 EGD #3. I knew it linked again by may but I was sick of it so I decided to stick it out, BAD MOVE on July 27, 2017 I was rushed to the emergency room with Severe dehydration because I couldn't keep anything even ice down. July 29,2017 EGD #4. After that one I could tell it wasn't going to be long be i was back there and i was right November 8, 2017 I went in for EGD #5. After that last one it was a 100% different feeling not for the good but I pushed through and waited it out. I went in for my 2 year post OP appointment on April 10, 2018 (2 days before my 2 year) and doc was not happy to hear I am scheduled for my 6th EGD on May 10, 2018 so after looking at my labs and my upper GI from January I was told that my body is basically like rejecting my sleeve and my new lifestyle I have to live. So now i am waiting for a call from the doctor to start my new journey of having a gastric bypass done on my sleeve (revision) before I could think of what I should say I started crying and repeating "Why on earth did I do this to myself. I regret ever having this damn surgery". She calmed me as much as she could and now I'm waiting for this all to begin. When I was 18 months post OP my OBGYN gave me the go ahead to try for a baby. We decided to wait a little longer because he was working out of state. Now that he's back and we want to start a family I am told that I can't for another couple years. My life is crumbling and I am so disappointed that I can't start the family my boyfriend wants I'm even considering telling him to leave me and find someone that isn't a broken mess.

Good evening! I had band to bypass revision on May 3 and I LOVE IT!! I am so happy with my "decision". Mine wasn't so much of a decisions as it was...if you ever want to eat again you need to get the stupid band out of you. I was very successful with my band and lost 110 pounds in 9.5 months but then right around my 3 year anniversary I started having major problems. I was completely unfilled but I kept throwing up quite regularly. Any time anyone would question it, I just made one excuse after another without realizing it: The food was too tought, I ate to fast, I didn't chew enough, etc. Finally I had resorted to eating three things: Hershey's with almonds, cheese puffs, and Pasta with alfredo sauce because those were the only things that would go down with out being rejected by my band...which we soon nick-named the "anti-gravity band"...cuz what went down was inevitably coming up!!! (TMI...but any of us revisioners have been there and done that!) After craziness with my insurance company I finally had my revision done by Dr. Stowers in Decatur, TX. The recovery was very easy for me. I was back to work as a high school science teacher 6 days after surgery. The first two weeks were pretty easy because it was just liquids. Weeks 3-6ish were a little more difficult as I transitioned to soft foods and then to real foods. I was getting nauseated all the time. Every time I ate I felt like I was getting car sick. However, that has seemed to fade unless I eat too much fat. I have avoided sugar at almost all cost except for the piece of cheesecake on my birthday which sent me over the edge. Dumping for me is a lot less about running to the bathroom (though I was in there for a while) and more about my the heart pounding in my chest. From what I have read everyone's experience is a little different but for me I know when I have too much fat or sugar because my DH can put his hand just barely touching my shirt and feel my heart beating. I can feel it in my ears and it is awful. This might sound bad but I am done counting calories, grams of Protein, and everything else so I don't. I eat things that are healthy (though I am having a really hard time even wanting meat...it disgusts me right now!) and I eat small amounts but I don't fret like I did with my band. I have lost 27 pounds in just under three months. However, I was fairly close to goal and only have 13 pounds to go to get to goal so my BMI was not very high. Both my doctor and I agreed that I would take the weight off slowly because my rapid weightloss with the band caused me some medical issues. I will tell you that your tastes buds are going to change. I thought they were crazy when they said you wouldn't crave sweets, but I haven't wanted a candy bar, doughnut, or ice cream since surgery. Salt on the other hand...that is my new "transfer addiction". I can't get enough! Please let me know if you have any questions. I still feel like a newbie myself but I will do my best to answer any questions you might have. Good luck!

I am going to see this doctor in a week.He is in Cheery Hill NJ.Anyone know of him?I know he is known for lap bands but I want a sleeve revision.

The revision actually kicked my butt more so than the original lapband surgery. My dr only made on incision but found he had to replace the entire tubing instead of just the port so it turned out to be bigger than anticipated. I was off work for a week and even now, 3 weeks on, I have some swelling if I over-exert. But it may look like the band is back to working, which is good. So in the end, it was worth doing.

You may want to look around on the forum for answers. From what I have read the process to get a revision does not take anywhere near as long as original surgery. Good luck to you

Whichever surgery you go with there is always going to be risks and some complications. Make sure you do ALOT of research and pick a good surgeon that has experience with either the lap band or the sleeve. I was thinking about the sleeve too but I would rather having something thats reverseable and doesn't require cutting my stomach in half. When you are talking about slippage its mostly caused by the patient not eating/drinking what they should and stretching the pouch that is made with the lap band. Some cases its the surgeon's placement of the band that could cause a slippage (in most cases this doesn't happen). A good friend of mine just had her revision surgery for a slipped band because she wasn't sticking to her doctors guidelines and not living the "banded" life as everyone calls it. I'm not trying to scare ya here but I'm getting banded on May 21st and it took me a year to figure out what surgery I was going to go with. Like I said make sure you research both surgerys as much as you can and pick a really good surgeon for either of the surgerys! -Amine

I didn't have the port tubing come undone but I've recently had port revision for a leak. So shoot me any questions you have. And yes it's ridiculous that he didn't listen to you the last time, but I guess they assume it will get better and only get concerned when it doesn't. I wish you all the luck with your revision and I hope you get a working band again soon.

Glad to hear your story. I am going to Mexico next month for my revision. I have not had the issues you had with your band, simply because about 4 years ago I had all the Fluid taken out. After fighting with fills, vomiting, etc. for 3 years, I just gave up. It sounds like you have been through hell. Hoping I don't have the thing embedded in my stomach. I have no pain or anything, so we'll see. Please keep updating your progress. I have a month to go, and am interested in your journey. I am taking a month off work (I'm self employed), so hoping that will be enough to heal before working again.

I have the plication but have never heard of this revision. To my understanding your stomach is reduced to the same size... Was yours too big?

I never had the band - only the sleeve, but I do participate in a couple of forums that are full of success stories with band to sleeve revision. They seem to have been able to accomplish with the sleeve what they weren't able to with the band. From all the posts I've seen I think you will do just fine. Good luck.

I'm still suffering so bad with GERD and my diabetes is way out of CONTROL. Is there anyone that could give me any advice as to how get start the process of getting a revision surgery I can't take this anymore.

Hi everyone. Just a post to share my story. I was banded in 2008 and have had a love/hate relationship with this band ever since. It took a year and a half, and a dozen fills to get it right. I did lose just over 50 lbs and have kept it off. But my eating for the last few years seems terrible to me. So many healthy foods I can't tolerate. Eating out is miserable. Travel is the pits. The fickleness of this band boggles the mind! Sometimes I can eat my portion fine, the rest of the time I'm stuck and vomiting on two bites. The constant tightness in my chest and pressure when I eat. And don't get me started on the heartburn! I never had it pre band. and it has been constant these last 5 years. I am so grateful for these years of weight loss, but I am so ready to try the sleeve. We took a family trip to Disney in April and I ended up in the bathroom vomiting at almost every meal. I think our flight went up to a very high altitude, and the band was mad at me for the whole trip. I knew I had been having more vomiting episodes, but this just made it very clear in my mind that I needed to do something. When I got home I immediately went to my hospital website to see if they are doing sleeve now, they are, and I made an appointment that day. I was very interested in the sleeve back in 2008, but it was not performed at my hospital then, and no insurance coverage either. I did spend some time considering having the band removed and not doing another surgery. When the band was put in I was told it was for life, now it's a very different story. Based on that I can't help thinking that 5 years from now there may be a different story with the sleeve too. But in the end, I can't go back to 255 (at only 5'2"), and I'm pretty sure that is what would happen. So far I have met with my surgeons assistant who recommended me for revision. The psychiatrist and the nutritionist. I now have an appointment on July 18 with my surgeon. I am thinking there are tests he will want to do. And I am nervous about getting insurance approval. But one step at a time. I am hoping to have the revision in the next few months. We'll see. LapBandTalk and this site have been so amazingly helpful through all these years. It's been great to be able to read all the stories of other people going through this revision process. So a big thanks to all of you!!

Need more info...just had my revision 12/28/15....lapband to RNY...lots of scar tissue.

Awesome, congrats! Welcome to the revision crew

The band causes nothing but problems. That's why there are so many band to sleeve revisions and it has it own section! you are not alone. Do whatever you have to and get that band out before it damages your esophagus and stomach.

I have my revision from band to sleeve scheduled on June 23rd (Next Thursday). I have had the band for 5 years and during that 5 years I threw up almost every meal. If I ate to much I would get a horrible pain in my side or in port area. I went a few weeks back for an Upper GI X-Ray to check on the band and found out that it has partially slipped. It can slip completely at any given moment and then I would have to have an emergency surgery. I cannot wait until next week to have this band out and be DONE with it. I have lived 5 years of misery, not be able to eat healthy, throwing up meals, and just feeling like crap. I so wish that the sleeve would have been an option at the time that I got my band so I could have saved myself another surgery down the road. Ask your doctor to do an upper GI on you to check the placement of your band. I really do wish you all the best and I am sure you will make the best decision for yourself. Feel free to message me after next Thursday if you'd like and I'd be more than happy to share my experience with you. I am bringing a laptop to the hospital with me to pass time. Good luck

OMG you poor thing! At least they were able to fix it, right? How scary! It's a risk, and risks triple with revisions from band to sleeve for leaks. At least you are home and safe. (HUGS)