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@Christinamo7@VSGAnn2014 @@summerset SAYING IT LIKE IT IS. I wish people would put on the adult panties and stop the us against them mentality. Be accountable if you are dividing this community! Decide for yourself what a vet is. Don't let anyone define you...You get to define yourself. I think i said vet = beginning to goal. I admit that was pretty narrow..So All of us Newbies, Vets, Revisions, People Reconnecting and anyone else in between. Are valued in sharing your experiences on this site. All of us share the experience as a bariatric patient. All of us share that we were once so unhealthy that we made the decision to change.

There are tons of people who've had band to sleeve revisions who have been very successful. I'm sure if you did a search you could find many, many threads about it in this forum. It's pretty common, actually.

Hello, I was lap banded 4 years ago and I hate it. I went through so much suffering - throwing up when it was too tight, but gaining weight when too loose. I gave up on it. I am wondering if anyone can advise me as to whether the sleeve might be effective. I'm so distraught with the band. Thank you

Congrats on your new date! So yes, I am actually doing a "single-stage" revision - so both surgeries will be done at the same time. I'm a bit nervous to tell you the truth, but less about the surgery and more about just making it to the day of surgery.. This pre op diet has me doubting my abilities....

@@kochie3 Its been pretty good although starting to slow down. I am more than halfway to my goal which is good, but have about 60 pounds to go. I had an easy recovery and haven't had too many problems so far. I have taken up running and start a training class for the TWin Cities 10 mile: Shortcut to the capital tomorrow night. When are you hoping for your revision? pam

I am in the process of having a revision. I'm looking for support as well. Sent from my SM-G531H using the BariatricPal App Congratulations! I'm in Mankato and going through Rochester as well. Sent from my SM-G531H using the BariatricPal App

Congratulations! Hope surgery went well. How are you feeling? Sent from my SM-G531H using the BariatricPal App I just started the process of having a revision. How id your journey going? Sent from my SM-G531H using the BariatricPal App

Hey Norman, you're so brave for going through with this and taking on your health is so responsible in face of tour father's unfortunate fate. I didn't have a very successful sleeve operation (very bad side effect) and I am now going for a revision BUT this is not the norm. As a matter of fact my fiance has had the sleeve with perfect results! I wish you as smooth a recovery as his!!! <3 Sent from my Nexus 5X using the BariatricPal App

So I'm now 13 days pre-op revision from gastric sleeve to by-pass and I didn't have to deal with a drain for my first surgery. Can someone tell me their experience with it? How long it was in / how often the had to empty it / if they had any difficulties or discomfort... Sent from my Nexus 5X using the BariatricPal App

In Orange County, Smart Dimensions. I am in the process of having Dr. Russo do a revision from band to sleeve. Just waiting on insurance approval. They are at Orange Coast Memorial in Fountain Valley and will perform the surgery at Orange Coast or Fountain Valley Hospital. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I got the lap band done 3-29 this year and I'm over disappointed/frustrated with my weight loss so far. I'm down 20 lbs but I'm also up and down 2 lbs constantly. I feel like I have to fight for every single ounce. All foods are high protein and almost no carb or sugars. If I ate more than 1000 calories a day it's very rare. I keep a food log everyday. I don't think I should have to struggle for every single lb with weight loss surgery! I'm considering talking to my Dr about having a revision to the sleeve. My concerns with the sleeve.....I have 2 relatives that had it done and they've started gaining weight back. Am I giving up on the band too soon?? Is the sleeve any better?? Advice please!!

@ I wish the stats to the side could make it more clear for people that had a revision. An option is to place the date of your first surgery into your stats. I understand the frustration. I think its worth mentioning to @alexbreacher.He may have a way to change stats on the site. It comes down to sharing your experience. Its truly not a vet or a newbie conversation. We all have so much to contribute to this site and each other.

I do take with food, but being 6 weeks out from a Band revision to a Sleeve, the amount of food I am taking them with just isn't providing enough of a buffer. When I was banded I could take them no problem. I never though to take in several bites though ... maybe I will try that tonight. If that doesn't do it, I am definitely going to try something else.

Hello I have been band for 1 year and lost total of 88lbs from size 20 to size 9. I was staring to feel good and happy but then started to feel sick and weak all the time because I could eat anymore well I got a GI done and my band slipped[emoji31] I'm so sad so I decided to take the band out and do the sleeve. I go in to surgery in 2 weeks. Please any advise from similar story I love my doctor but scare to have surgery again . Thank u and God Bless.

I cannot contain my smile. I had a consultation yesterday with my 1st choice plastic surgeon here in Delafield Wi. She had great reviews, is board certified, has a great team including her assistant and most of all she is also a woman and totally gets it. Even my husband who is very over protective, loves her. Every plastic surgeon I called would set up 1 appointment for each possible surgery charging a fee each time. I thought that was crazy given I wanted larger game plan for myself but I set up appointments anyway. I found her last and called her assistant who promptly told me that when they are speaking with someone who has multiple concerns they will book more time and provide all the time we needed. If you mentioned real self where I found her, they would do the consultation for free. She just transferred from another clinic so she has some open time much sooner. Anyway, she was awesome and I loved the way she was thinking about the work I need done. I never felt uncomfortable with her for even a second and let me tell you when you are standing there in their tiny little panties in all your loose skin is hanging everywhere for everyone to see......making one feel comfortable is important. My number 1 priority is having a brachioplasty because I have huge arms (yes, I will post some pictures soon). Then I wanted to discuss an Abdominalplasty and a breast lift with augmentation. She suggested that she would split them up exactly that way given my priorities and my current health issues (my bad back). She also wants my orthopedic surgeon to approve a small implant which we both agreed was reasonable but I do not want more back pain. Today, the girls are hanging low and pulling on my neck and back so even just putting them back where they belong would help but I really want some of my volume back, I chose a 300 gel implant. My appointment started at 9:30am and we left there at 1:00pm. Both my hubby and I had a million questions, then they did a photo shoot (my least favorite part), then her assistant went through the option and pricing. My brachioplasty will cost 5950.00. Then we went to scheduling and I knew I would get in quickly because most people have this type of work done in the fall and winter. So we asked for the soonest available appointment and they set me up for July 28th. On the way home her assistant called me back, they had a cancellation for this coming Thursday morning!!!! So this Thursday morning I will have what we have lovingly called my Grandma arms removed. My granddaughter will be destroyed, she always loved playing with my squishies as she called them. I will be thrilled!!!! Down the road, about 3 or 4 month from now, I will have the other portion done. I know several of you have asked about whether or not I would need to wait until I was a year at a stable weight which was one of my questions to her. She typically would like to see 6 months at a stable weight so we pulled up my tracker and I am nearly 5 months within the same 3 lbs, she was comfortable given I am just having the brachioplasty now. We will then wait for the next surgery at least 3 months. They would like you to not gain or lose anymore than 10lbs. If you have surgery too soon or lose too much, you could be looking at revisions. I am not planning on revising anything. One and done so I need to work hard to maintain. This gives me another reason to keep driving forward. That's my update...... Am I nuts or what? I am excited mostly, the only nerves that I have currently is because I have such terrible back pain but that is not going away any time soon. We both thought maybe getting some of this weight off my shoulders would help too.

I am having my lapband removed and revision to sleeve. Insurance deemed lapband removal was medically necessary so they are covering that but wont cover the sleeve revision. Surgeons ofc is charging me the usual amt for sleeve which is 14500. Surgery is being dine at the same time. Shouldnt some of the self pay be reduced since they cant double charge? I understand sleeve requires two night stay in hospital so i totally inderstand that. But anesthesiologist cant double charge right? And some of the same instruments, equiptment etc, surgery room, portion of facility charge shouldnt that be discounted on self pay and ins pick up some of it? My surgeons ofc acts like they have never run into this issue and cant understand why i wont just do 100% self pay for sleeve and they not charge for lapband removal and that it would be cheaper. I cant wrap my head around it. HELP. someone give me some ammunition. And something concrete to argue so i can save some of my cash. We pay so much a month in ins premiums i want ins to pay for as much as possible. My defuctible is already met and ins covers 80% so im responsible for 20%. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

@@summerset EEEEK! I am guilty, too! I didn't realize you were banded 15 years ago. You really DO have a lot to share. What do you think is a good definition of a vet? I mean, we are all going to interpret it in our own way, but as a long timer, you can definitely give an interesting perspective. What caused you to have revision surgery?

I was just revised to the sleeve from the lap band last month and was told from the beginning it would be done as one surgery, I was then told at my pre- op appointment that i might have just the band removed if there were any complications during surgery and be sleeved at a later time, not what i wanted to hear 4 days before surgery but I was trying to prepare myself for that outcome also, but when I came to in recovery that was the first thing I asked the nurse am I sleeved and she said yes!! so I was extremely relieved I was also told later by my surgeon that I had a LOT of scar tissue too so not quite sure why some need to do it with 2 separate surgeries, but I am so thankful it was done as one, I can not imagine having to take that amount of time from work and recovering from 2 surgeries so close together Hope it works out!!

Good luck on any procedure you decide to have. All we can do is provide opinions, but do what is in your best interest. I'm revising from lapband to RNY. 1)I'm type 2 diabetic and RNY has a proven track record with either reducing or eliminating medications to help control it. The sleeve is showing great data as well, but my doctor agrees RNY is the best option for me. 2) I'm older so the quicker the weight loss the better. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

meve3681 So nice to hear of your success. I had plication last July . I have lost 60 lbs (always been a slow loser) and do still have restriction. I am very happy with my surgery. I just didn't want something as invasive as some of the others rae and really had no desire at my age to get really thin. I wish plication would become more popular as it deserves more consideration. In Europe it is very popular. Stefistan...I was hoping for POSE or endoscopic plication as well but finally gave up waiting. Neither of those options were legally approved in Mexico when I had my surgery last year. Both were hard to find and very expensive in the US. My ins did not cover anything at all in the WLS line so Mexico was my only option. Butterflyvan. I wonder if your POSE could be revised to plication. Where did you have your surgery done?

I went with the sleeve because I am young and active and I wanted to lead a normal life. As a single person I felt RNY was too risky for me. I have a friend that had RNY and never made it to goal, and regained. The long term differences in the weight loss between the sleeve and the bypass are almost the same. In the end it more about how you manage your tool. Also I felt I was too young to deal with malaborption from RNY. If the sleeve didn't exist, I don't think I would have ever had surgery. I knew RNY wasn't for me, and the lap band just doesn't even make sense to me. The sleeve is the only thing that made me think WLS might be for me. Also lastly I knew I could revise with the sleeve to a DS later in life if I had serious regain. Once you have RNY and fail at it, there really isn't any more surgical help. It is a hard decision so you should do your own research and decide on what fits your life.

I chose the bypass because I had a significant amount to lose, I wanted the extra accountability, and I knew my insurance would only cover one surgery. If I failed with the sleeve, I would never have an option to revise, I would just fail. It's possible to fail with the bypass, as with any gastric surgery, but I felt that the bypass would be giving me the biggest chance for success possible. Yes, the sleeve is (by a very small percentage) safer/faster but honestly, that tiny extra bit of risk was completely worth it to me. I'll be 11 months post op in six days. I've had no complications, not even dumping, and I've lost 166 pounds since surgery and 221 pounds overall. You've gotta be really willing to follow your plan to the letter, as there is less room for error than the sleeve from what I've seen because of the higher risk of dumping and so on, but that habit change and hard work has been so worth it for me and many, many others. Hope this helps! Good luck on whatever you choose. It's entirely possible to be successful with either surgery.

I am 3 years post-op RNY gastric bypass surgery. I lost a lot of weight and my health improved significantly. I went from 3X in shirts down to a size Small. Think of it, a size Small. One of the best decisions I ever made. RNY is almost a gold standard in weight loss surgery. It has been around a long time and most of the bugs have been worked out. One of the reasons why I choose this procedure was because the weight falls off the quickest, the weight loss at bottom is phenomenal. I now have a normal BMI. And more importantly it has a very low rate for revision. If I went under the knife once, I sure did not want to go through it again. Also I had severe acid reflux (GERD). For GERD, having a sleeve will only make the condition worse.

@@Wolfgirl78 I actually have 40lbs I would like to lose. I was maintaining in the 180s (low 190s on a bad day) for a few years and now I'm averaging 200. I'm seeing a slow increase instead of loss so I want to take action before I gain even more weight. Although I'm considered a success because I lost 80lbs, I never reached my goal so that's what I'm hoping to achieve. I had not heard of this procedure either. I had to youtube and google it but found some good information. The surgeon goes down the esophagus to the stomach to make it more narrow with stitches. I like that there are no incisions and is considered a safer procedure than laproscopy. Some patients can be discharge the same day. Look up Apollo Overstitch to see the video of the sleeve revision. There are several different techniques for the different types of weight loss surgeries.

I went for my final doctor appointment before my surgery on July 22nd today. My insurance has approved me for band to sleeve revision all in one surgery. I remember my doctor mentioning when we first discussed revision surgery that it is done in one surgery unless there is a lot of scar tissue or something. I didn't think too much about it because I've never had hernia surgery or gall bladder or any other abdominal surgery other than the lap band. So today he tells me that most of the time the revision is done in two surgeries! I am really upset. I can't take time off work and burn up sick time, money, energy etc on a third surgery! So I guess my question is how many of you were told it might be two surgeries and woke up sleeved? Do most doctors just say that to cover the behinds?