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I am so sorry. I, too, have had 2 slips. He performed surgery teh 2nd time, but did not remvoe itand was able to revision it. I am at the total of my fill that I can take(which is a measely 5 cc), aand I have to amke sur eto keep within my calories to loose or not gain.. I too would be devistated if I lost my badn. Keep in touch! Karen

Good Luck, my revision to bypass is on Friday 12/23 ......I'm so excited. I have to do 3 protein shakes a day, I do 2 ready made and make my own shake for lunch in my Ninja blender. Add Better than Bullion to my broths for better taste and I like Sugar free chocolate Ice pops. Since I do not like water I'm adding Cold Enhancers to my 64oz jug which are pretty good and I drink Zero Cherry flavored Gatorade and Propel water......I'm 195 today and Goal weight is 145lbs.

I had a similar problem. This was about 7-8 yrs. after a revision. Ended up having surgery for a hiatal hernia. Showed most of my anatomy (gastric pouch) was above the diaphrahm. Anyway, it solved the problem.

I'm having revision surgery on 12/29 and started pre-op diet on the 15th. I had my VSG surgery in Mexico in 2016 and wasn't nervous at all. After gaining over 100 pounds back (thank you Covid isolation and depression) I decided to explore the conversion which was the surgery originally advised for me but my insurance wouldn't pay for it. I'm really nervous this time and I'm having surgery close to home. Also feeling super emotional about it and trying not to keep internally beating myself up for feeling like I failed! I struggle with the protein drinks so I've been buying the high protein yogurts and I found a zero calorie gatorade with added protein that they did a good job hiding the whey aftertaste. It's not as high in protein as a shake but I figure If I'm getting it in that's what matters

My BMI is 33. I will be sleeved on the 20th of October. I will have 60lbs to lose. Excited for this new journey. I am a revision from Lap Band.

Ull get used to not drinking while eating. I was a band to sleeve revision and got used to it with the band. I physically couldnt drink cuz it would come back up. After living with the that for almost 4 yrs, Im too scared to do it now. Even tgo I know theres nothing blocking the way now, Im afraid if my stomach is full and I add liquid theres no where for ut to go but back up. And voniting now us a long, painful, drawn out process that I dont want any part of. Occasionally (especially if I eat something spicy) I will take a sip. But Im afraid of pushing it. 1 of the only rules I actually follow most of the time. Another is the no soda... Good luck...

My surgery is scheduled for Oct 13th. I had my upper endoscopy on Tuesday. Surgeon came by afterwards and said he found a hiatal hernia as well during the scope. He's already planning on repairing a large umbilical hernia, then the sleeve and now the hiatal hernia as well. I guess I'm getting my money's worth. I've had two open abdominal surgeries in the past. Both were outpatient. Both sucked outright. I'm glad that this is being done with a hospital stay and obviously glad that it's laparoscopic. FWIW.....I'd been saying all along that I wanted a bypass. The first surgeon I was working with said it was doable, but I needed to be aggressive on my weight loss leading up to the surgery (at the time I thought I had ~8 months). I switched over to another program that my insurance company mandated (a Center of Excellence certified program) and had a new surgeon. Long story short is that I dropped the insurance and chose to self fund to speed things up. My new surgeon was very clear in that he though the sleeve would be better for me. He felt that I'd benefit more from it right now....less complications with the elevated BMI, bone-on-bone knee situation, back issues....ability to use NSAIDs and reap their benefit. I was going to have hernia repair this Fall anyway......decided to go this direction at his advice. I'll work his plan hard and do what I can to get my results. Down the road.....were there ever a need......I can use my insurance and have my sleeve revised to a bypass. I am not proceeding as if this is a safety net.....but it is nice to know that there are options in the future. I do not have diabetes, nor is there any family history of it. This combined with the reasons above as well as some other issues made the sleeve vs bypass decision easier for me. Everyone has unique circumstances.

I apologize to the original poster – I’m off topic. @AchieveGoals So, I just checked out ALL your activity on the site. Your comment on this post stuck me as odd. You said " until GERD kicks in" You posted ” So a little bit about me, I was lap banded when I was 17 years old, got it taken out when I was 22 because of pouch enlargement. Now I am thinking of getting sleeve done. But the GERD part scares me, it's like exchanging disease states for one to the other. It helps get rid of Diabetes, but you acquire GERD, so severe to the point that people need revisions to another sleeve or another bariatric procedure. I would be scared to get an RNY or a Bypass, I am happy getting a Sleeve (and this was a decision I thought a lot over to even get to it), so the thought of so many revisions due to GERD scares me to even get this done in the first place. It makes me wonder if I will be one of those who undergoes this too, I don't have current GERD right now, sometimes I do get heartburn maybe three times a month, but I'm not taking anything for it chronically. Anyone have any thoughts? Thank you so much! You are assuming everyone has Gerd on needs revision? Not everyone acquires GERD or needs revision after surgery. Know that many of us have no complications and are doing fine years out. (I’m five years out) Your surgeon would be the one to talk to about having heartburn three months at a time and considering sleeve.

No band.I know so many who have major issues, lifetime issues. I am having a band to sleeve revision

Well after being denied and appealing the surgery and waiting 7 weeks for a surgery date which is 3/18, I believe they are canceling my revision due to the virus. Because it’s elective.  I hope I’m wrong. I am in so much pain from the heartburn. I’ve been on a liquid diet for 2 weeks.  I’m so upset. 

Good morning, I just had a RYN revision from a RYN that was done in 2003.....I'm 3 weeks post op and I am just starting on my soft foods but I am still doing my Protein drinks and shakes too. The first 2 weeks I was only doing my Protein Drinks and shakes, broth, and sugar free Jello, crystal light and Water...I'm doing 30ml every 15 to 20 minutes.

Hi, Chelsea I wish my nutritionist had told me that I have the sleeve and my reflux is extremely bad since I've been sleeved. So make sure you ponder on which procedure you want because now I'm in the process of trying to have a revision done from the sleeve to the bypass. I wish I had been informed... Hi, Chelsea I wish my nutritionist had told me that I have the sleeve and my reflux is extremely bad since I've been sleeved. So make sure you ponder on which procedure you want because now I'm in the process of trying to have a revision done from the sleeve to the bypass. I wish I had been informed...

I have a full 3 weeks post op diet, of creamy soups, protein drinks, etc. I am sticking to it. My surgeon has done over 4000 and has been doing bands since they came out like over 10 years ago is it? He revised his rules and after all he has seen and experienced with his patients, these are his guidelines now. I bought his book and the rules wdre not as restrictive before. So, if he got stricter, it is for a reason and I don't want to lose my band. I just want to know I gave it my all and don't want to blow money since i am a self payer

Hey GeorgiaGirl...so glad to hear from you! I blame the markers of the road...I'm "not" directionally challenged...and the way I figure it I ended up doing a 7k - lol I'd looked into the Sleeve but my doctor advised against it. He says that out of all of the WLS out there when revising from Band that it has the highest complication rate and 1 in 4 fail. I've done a lot of research and tend to agree with him. Another one of us banded has had issues as well and Dr. B advised Plicitation which scares the hell out of me. Most insurance companies also see it as experimental. I'd rather chance a revision surgery on a proven surgery not one so new. My new doctor says for me RNY will give me the results I need - all the problems I've had and weight regain the Sleeve (with complicaiton rate) and esophogus issues that I've had are his reasoning. He is a good surgeon and I value his advise - he has been around a long time and has a very good reputation. I'm sorry you've had so many issues as well. A second opinion never hurts...I know many of us have had issues one reason or another. And Others have also been very successful. Everyone is different - and one doctor's opinion isn't always golden. I don't have a facebook account. I had one before my divorce, lets just say I haven't picked it back up. You can always e-mail me....I will try to stay in contact more. Take care of yourself and see a doctor whether it is Dr. B or another...a leakage is a leakage and I think you need to find out why you can't get restriction. Right now your band is useless without it and could end up causing you more problems. Just my opinion. I don't know when my revision/removal will be. I'm still waiting on insurance. Hope to hear something in the next few weeks.

Thank you for showing your amazing progress. I am in the process of getting a revision and this photo is making me feel excited. Also you look Amazing!

losing_the_band thank you very much for sharing your story. I believe I gave up easily because I was literally going into another surgery (prolapsed bladder) and just wanted to put my energy into healing. But now, 9 months out and recovered from my surgery, I'm ready for a fight! My surgeon is well experienced with revisions and I was told last year that mid-year they did more band revisions then actual bands. I believe in their skill but will they fight for me? I'm not sure. I've suffered from GERD when my band was tight, and I was told that I was STILL suffering from it even tho I had no clue that I was. My band was like everyone's band - a foreign object wrapped around my stomach. I believe that there are some for who this works well (and for a couple of years I worked my band well and was considered a "success", too). Question for you tho - what was your BMI at the time you appealed?

Your surgeon is correct. I previously had the lap band, it failed me & I regained nearly all the weight. This past July, I had a revision done to remove the band and get the gastric bypass, in two months, I've lost 84 lbs and I feel absolutely great! Not to say I didn't have a few complications, which worked themselves out, but I'm very happy I had it done because I feel confident I won't gain it back Good luck to you & everyone embarking on this journey!

I'm new to this site. Here's my story. It's rather long so I'll try to keep it short. In June of '07 I was banded - self-pay. I lost about 50 pounds, putting me about 60 pounds shy of my goal weight. Then, at the end of '08 I got pregnant, got unfilled and had a baby in '09. Later, when I finished nursing him after about six months, I went back in to get a fill. The doc couldn't find my port. He said it had flipped and scheduled me for a port revision. Well, the port hadn't flipped at all, it had shifted. IF he had he done a xray to find it , I could have avoided surgery and not had to pay two thousand dollars. So, then after that, I went back, had it filled and then had the worst reflux/heartburn ever - doc said it was too tight - took out a little - no luck - then got nausea and vomiting. The doc looked at it on fluoroscope -said it's a small slip and unfilled me and told me to come back in a month to look at it again. Went back later and no change- so Doc says it has to come out and that it can't be filled. The funny thing is he just recently hired a doctor who specializes in revisions so he would be glad to take out my band and give me some other kind of surgery. Of course, it would cost several thousand dollars more. Since I was having no problems at all with my unfilled band, I decided to wait until the summer (I'm a teacher.), when I would have more time to deal with this. After the mistake with the "port revision" I was skeptical and went for a second opinion to see if I could keep my band. So, I scheduled an appt with a different doc and about a week before my appt with him, I started having tight restricition and reflux, even though my band is unfilled and I haven't had any problems for about a year. He told me that I have a "massive" hiatal hernia and that it needs to be fixed. So, tomorrow the doctor will be removing the band, fixing the hernia, giving me a plication and putting the band back on. He said the plication would greatly reduce the chance of any slips and he'd be able to do it laproscopically. And, it's all covered by insurance because it's a hernia repair. I'm excited by the chance to start losing weight again. I've been unfilled for so long it will be nice to have restriction again. I'm also interested to see if I can eat and then just get full without the burping and food getting stuck or having to cough it up. But - I am worried about the lack of long-term studies on this surgery. I'm worried that if I have gastro problems later I will have a hard time finding a doctor that will want to deal with my folded up stomach and the scar tissue? I'm worried about the pain from this procedure. Is there any pain during or after eating after healing - say - after about 4 weeks? I'm also worried about constricting my stomach too much, possible blocking blood flow - first with the stitches and then with the band. The doc seems very excited about this, though - the plication with the band. He was the one who suggested the plication - not me - I was just happy that I was going to get to keep my band. He assured me that it is safe - and reversible, if necessary. I don't care if it's reversible or not - I just want permanent weight loss - with no complications. How is it possible that this is reversible?!? I can see being able to reverse it soon after the surgery - but once the scar tissue forms, it has to be very difficult - if not impossible to reverse. -Anne

I was in the same position as you and decided on the sleeve. My surgeon says that alot his previous lapband patients are revising to the sleeve. If you want to check out the forum on here for band to sleeve patients to get an idea of why they switched. Also the puking/stuck episodes with the band was the deciding factor for me with the sleeve. Ill have no foreign object in me or any rearranged intestines...just a smaller tummy. Its ultimatly up to you though!

Here are two threads.. http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/99057-reflux-before-sleeve/page__fromsearch__1 http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/98932-acid-reflux-before-sleevechances-of-having-it-after/page__fromsearch__1 And a very important thread about severe reflux after http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/77969-sleeve-revision-to-gastric-bypass-tomorrow/page__fromsearch__1

I have a dilated esophagus from my band which caused what they called a psuedo achalasia. I had the band removed in oct 2013 sleeve revision dec 26,2014. I have been doing well. The dilated esophagus caused me to fail my post op swallow eval but my doctor wasn't worried said this was common with the dilated esophagus. My loss had been very slow as well but I keep reminding myself a loss is a loss. The dilated esophagus has me on the very slow path. It's scary but I pray all works out. I'm just under 6months out. The best of luck to you as you make your decision. I wasn't smart enough to be worried pre op. I just figured the dilated esophagus would resolve after the band was removed but it's not an automatic.

I don't have dumping syndrome. I had one episode of reactive hypoglycemia, which is considered late dumping, and I had that before revising to bypass. I've also thrown up once but I didn't have the sweats or shaking, so I think it was more related to eating too much. I think the current way they do the surgery actually minimizes dumping, so don't count on it. But the good news is that it still makes it difficult to eat too much of the bad stuff and doesn't allow full absorption. So you still need to make good choices, but it's very possible to still enjoy bits of indulgences.

So sorry to hear your family didn't support the band to sleeve revision. Maybe with some time and education about it all, they will support it. I would ask my parents and spouse to go talk to your surgeon. With all of the issues you are having with the band, you really should get it taken out. My surgeon told me I needed to take my band out or I would eventually end up in the ER having serious complications. Had my band removed 08/2015 and the sleeve done 01/2016. I've lost 42 pounds so far and I feel so much better since I had the band removed. Good luck!

Hey there, I was banded in 2001 and revised in 2015. I did not have a slip but after a series of fills and unfills I developed a hernia, esophagitis, gastritis, severe left shoulder pain, and a myriad of other band related issues. I felt like crap, developed really bad eating habits including a sweet tooth I did not have before, all because of the band. I was unfilled for three years prior to my revision and regained all my weight. I feel great now that I have revised and am down the weight I regained. Just a few pounds to go to my lowest after banding. I have no regrets about my revision. The recovery was a little rough for me because of how long I had the band and the hernia repair and because I did not take any pain meds after discharge, but it has been worth it. Read through the revision boards. There are lots of us on here who have revised and some long term revisions that have done great. Best of luck and feel free to ask any questions.

Hi October surgery buds, I'm scheduled for Oct 16. I'm having revision surgery from lapband to mini-gastric bypass. Looking forward to the journey with you all. *waves hello from Ireland* Sent from my SM-G930F using BariatricPal mobile app