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Surgery was successful🤗 Band to bypass revision & A hernia repair on Oct 16, 2018. stayed 2 nights at the hospital. Terrible shoulder pain since I been home. They say it's gas.. I'm walking & applying a heating pad on it, but the pain LAWD it hurts!!! I got a JP drain which is uncomfortable & painful but controlled by medication. I'm getting it removed Wednesday & I can't wait .. Overall, I'm doing good😊

@@SunflowerGal I'm the same way! I lost about 90 lbs and yep... I got a lift and implants them gained that back PLUS! They still look awesome. I'm only 2 weeks post op from a revision but I'm worried! THAT was NOT a fun surgery. It's been about ten years for me as well soooo I know some type of plastics will be in my future. So glad I'm not the only who did this! ????

I'm a revision sleeve to bypass. When I had my sleeve 14 years ago, the only thing I COULD NOT eat was eggs. IDK why. I could eat chicken and steak, but for some reason, eggs was a no go for me. I think eggs swell up in our tummies after we consume them.

Honestly, VSG does NOT make you high risk as long as you stay on top of your labs, follow the post-op, and then allow your body to settle into maintenance. I am able to easily eat the recommended 1700-1800 calories with 100gr of Protein and a minimum of 100gr of carbs per day, on top of pushing about 80-100oz of clear fluids. I would recommend that you wait until your body has settled at a good maintenance weight just like what was recommended for me. I begged my surgeon to release me early for TTC only because we were looking at a possible deployment, my weight was stabilized, and my labs had always been stellar. I was released because of my results, my labs, and we needed to see if we could even get pregnant without medical assistance. In the 13-14 months that we tried, I had 2 chemical pregnancies. VSG did NOT contribute to the losses, it was just my body. I had one in January 2011, and got pregnant February 2011, and today I am 6 months pregnant with zero issues related to my VSG. You will absorb all the folic acid you ingest, and I take my Celebrate multi with Iron per my high risk ob. I am high risk for other issues. The stomach doesn't break down folic acid like it does the B12. You'll need to use a sublingual or get injections for B12. The folic acid is absorbed in our intestines. Let me just tell you about band life with pregnancy. There's a few on OH, and they gained lots of weight, puked, and caused slips, and had emergency band removal due to complications even with wide open bands. Morning sickness puking does NOT bode well for the band. I puked on Water some days with my band so I can't imagine being pregnant with it. You should use protection, preferably 2 forms of bc during your losing stage. Your hormones are so out of whack early out, not to mention most post-op diets are low carb, and capacity is half of what it is once you hit about 9-12 months out. Low carb causes ketosis which will cause fetal brain damage and increase risks. Here is a picture that shows where nutrients are absorbed in our intestines, it's used to illustrate malabsorption for RNY, but with the sleeve, this is NOT an issue since there is no re-routing. I just wanted you to see where the folate is actually absorbed. I already researched so much about pregnancy after weight loss surgery, I was prepared. I'm very happy that I can stay on my Celebrate multi with iron, and that my labs have remained stellar throughout this entire pregnancy. I've had labs pulled every 4-6 weeks since I was 5.5 weeks pregnant. Believe me, the band is not safer, nor does it have less complications. There are plenty of us here, and on obesityhelp.com that have HAD to revise. It wasn't just a matter of wanting to, we did it out of necessity. I won't recommend the band to my worse enemy. Best wishes in your research. If you have any other questions, want some research articles, information, statistical data, or other information about the VSG and the band, please feel free to let me know.

Well really doing keto is not super high fat. You set your protein goals based on your lean mass. Then you set your other goals around that. When I was trying to lose harder, my calories and fat grams and calories were lower. These are my current macro goals, It is still a deficit daily but not as high. This is what my macros used to be around 6 months post op, then I increased my protein based on my DEXA scans... Honestly I rarely hit my goal for fat, I always hit my goal for protein and I always keep my carbs under 25. This is how I have eaten pretty much the whole time. The way you eat doesn't matter. What does matter is finding a way to eat that you can stick to easily while remaining on a calories deficit. I thought you were getting a revision. You keep making the same posts over and over about regain but none of the advice anyone gives you seems to be sticking.

My band flipped too. There was no answer, no one could figure why. They bent 3 neeles under floroscopy before they figure out it was completely upside down. I was so pissed when they tol me it'd have to be revised that I cried an cried. I had just ha my baby 6 weeks earlier and didn't have the time, money, or stamina to do that. Thankfully, they scheduled the surgery within 2 weeks, and when I got it, it went SO fast, and it was considered out-patient, so I got to go home that day. I was up caring for my daughter the next day, no pain at all. And I was scared, because my port hurt like crazy for weeks after they put lap band in. I've had annual womanly exams that were worse than my revision surgery. Now it's just a distant memory, it will be over before you know it.

Stacey - I too am a LB failure in the process of looking at a revision and scared of another WLS failure. Thank you for the thread and for everyone's replies! I copy/pasted Tiffy's standard replyas backup in case my insurance denies me! May we all be successful with the sleeve!

I had my band placed 09/2008 and had initial weight loss, but then wammo!! had a slip, an unfill, regained all I had lost +10 more, started having re-fills and have never lost any more weight or ever found the "sweet spot"! I currently do have Fluid in my band and now am too tight! This was my "last ditch" effort attempt with this band, i.e. trying yet another fill. I can't seem to eat solid foods! Maybe every 2-3 days, I can tolerate a few bits of chicken breast...maybe, if my band can keep it down that is! Anyway, I'm done! I have had a miserable 3 yrs with this band! I think the only thing it has caused me, other than severe aggravation, is a very poor diet! Only crap foods seem to go down without pain! I can't eat veggies or fruits and most meats! It has just not worked for me....AT ALL! Anyway, My surgeon says it is time to revise. She initially said to RNY, but I speak with her again on the 28th of this month and she is now performing VSG, so I will be discussing this with her. I am still just not comfortable with the whole re-arranging your bowel! I don't know why I'm soooo afraid of this, but I am. I also am just as afraid of staying 100-110 pounds overweight for the rest of my life too I might add! I also have some feelings of failing with WLS and scarred feelings of "what if another WLS fails".... probably all the normal fears everyone has going through a revision. I wish I knew the right answers and automatically knew the right surgery for me. I'm so afraid of picking the wrong surgery out of fear and then it not working! I know my ins. is soon changing to include a "once in a lifetime" WLS per person... so this revision is probably my last ins. covered surgery chance! My hubby, God bless him, said to me last night... "is this surgery new? and considered expiremental? and you might not lose the weight??" And I don't know how to answer that! I am currently 246 pounds at 5'6" tall. I am turning 40 yrs old this summer. Can I lose my weight with VSG? My bariatric program director had RNY and refers to it as the "gold standard", actually so does my PCP. Are they right? Is VSG too new and not tested/proven? I did lose iniitally with my band, until it slipped, but band life is not something I could ever tolerate for the rest of my life. The whole stoma thing just is a miserable way to go! I really just wanted some help with my portions and I wanted the ability to be able to decide on my food choices! I never expected to have such a limited diet with the band! I know there are going to be times, i.e. birthday parties or "special occasions", where I might eat something sweet. That's life. I just wanted that "choice". I also know I need to make a lifestyle change and have recently started attending some therapy groups with other women trying to lose weight and make better food choices. I feel like I have in place things to help enpower me on this weight loss journey! I just now have to chose what "tool" surgically to utilize.... and it is a tough, tough decision. I don't want another failure! It's my biggest fear! Please any insight / advice would be sooooo appreciated!

Did you have a revision or were you a virgin sleever? My surgery is scheduled for January. Hunger and portion control are my 2 biggest issues. One of my fears is that I'll still be hungry after surgery. I am trying to eat a lot of Protein, I guess to help mentally prepare myself for the upcoming changes. Even when I get a lot of protein I am still so hungry. I am concerned because I feel like there is no way I can really be hungry because of all the food I've eaten, but I still feel hungry. I am concerned I will still have this feeling after surgery. Can anyone relate?

I have united healthcare and am revisioning from lapband to sleeve on 2/20 I am wondering if your medical group has a lot of experience with revisions, mine did and told me they knew “all the right things to say” and got approval. Hopefully your group will fight for you with the insurance company and all will work out for you... I know you are probably as anxious as I am to get the lapband out! Best wishes!

I'm in a panic right now I had the lap band in 2012 and started having problems, so I started looking into a revision to bypass. I completed all the required steps the insurance requires (dietitian meetings, Psych eval, stress test, EGD). EGD even showed that my band had prolapsed. Everything was pointing to in the direction I needed to get an approval. Fast forward 3 weeks - I get a letter from the insurance that my claim was denied!!! WHAAAT?!?! I called the doctor's office in a panic.....They said the next step is for them to do a peer to peer with them (which is what they do for people that get denied). I do remember that I was told that revisions usually take 2 rounds of approvals. Maybe that's what this means? Anyway - has anybody gone through this as well? I have United Healthcare. Do they typically approve after the peer to peer? I don't understand why I wasn't approved to begin with. I'm eating tums like they're candy at this point! (because of my issues, not because of the stress of not being approved LOL) UGH!!!!

Has my revision from banded bypass to DS in last Tuesday. Anybody else??

Just a die note I love the nut work you use in the states to describe your primary local dr. We call them gps in Australia, as in, general practioner. One thing that people should be aware of is that different types of WLS will not work for everyone. The band works great for some and not others, same as sleeve and bypass. When I originally went to my surgeon we discussed my reflux and how it could disappear with the sleeve but maybe not and then I would need to think of other options. As he discribed it the sleeve is a high pressure environment so I will be revising to a RNY next week. I also have another issues. Glad I got my sleeve as it did help me lose some original weight.

I have a EDG done and Dr said that everything was fine and looked normal.....I am just so sick of this band. The INS denied me and the appeal cause my BMI was not 35 or above it was only 33 and my band was not the problem....(how crazy is that)....so the next thing I am going to try along with the ins lady at Dr office is now that I have gained some weight back and my BMI is at 38 and sleep apna is back and blood pressure is doing up again we are going to resmit with different reasons from having revision and see what that gets me.....I just dont understand how INS thinks that its healty to go back to the way you were before with all problems before they will do it again...going back to the Dr Thrus or Fri to re-weigh so it will be documented.....and then the waiting process starts again.....I am just so lucky to have such great husband to stand behind me makes it alittle easier.

Hi All - I am a 58 year old female... wife, mother of 2 grown boys and grandmother of 2 as well. I am having RNY revision from LapBand on 10/3 at Roger Williams Hospital with Dr. Pohl. I live in Taunton, MA but chose a doctor in RI due to my company's bariatric policy requiring a UHC certified Hospital of Excellence. I have heard AWESOME things about Dr. Pohl so am very happy he is my surgeon. I had the lapband installed in 2008... lost 58 lbs in 6 months... and over the last few years have gained back every pound of my loss. I get stuck all the time and end up having to vomit to stop the pain. Sometimes it lasts for hours. I am excited to be a part of this fledgling group and hope to offer as much support as I am sure to receive from all of you.

For anyone that had a revision from sleeve to rny, how long did you have to do liquid preop diet??

Hi there, When you had your revision, did you go back through the post-op stages (liquids, purees, soft food, regular food, etc.) and did you go back to the basic diet you used for weight loss the first time?

Wishing you all good luck on your short term goals. So....GOOD LUCK guys! I didn't make my last one but I was off on my calculation. I only ended up 1 pound short. My new goal is to stay sane and not spend too much before my revision.

Did you want this to be moved to the sleeve section? That can be done, but I am not sure if it would get the results you want. A lot of people just go to new posts, so it doesn't matter where it's at. Then there are people with the sleeve who might not be reading the rest of the board. For me, I revised to a sleeve because my band problems were just beginning. I felt that they were only going to get worse. I was worried about having silicone wrapped around my stomach and what it would do to my stomach long term. I had to have most of my fill removed due to acid reflux, so the band was pretty much worthless to me at that point.

SW 280, VSG DOS 263 LW 172 but weighed 177 for about 4years. Got GERD and went up to 233! Revision to Bypass 11/2/20 and today 165! Not even a year our yet. So yes you will lose. Not as much as the first time but I’m still working out a lot and I drop when I eat more calories. I’m at 1,000-1,200 a day right now and run 5x a week 2 miles a day and weights 2x a week. I wish I would have don’t this the first time around lol BUT the surg was so painful I was like omggg why lord. My doc said well you have to understand I had to make the stomach slim again since it was stretched , THEN do the bypass so it was a lot of work. Yikes! Lol so thankful. Anyways good luck! Now I get my plastic surgery so I can feel comfy and get rid of this old skin lol

I agree 100%. I under went VSG in 2015 at the recommendation of my surgeon. I was initially looking into getting RNY but he stated since I was young and without children, it would be best to undergo the sleeve procedure. However, I'm 7 years post op, experience severe GERD, regained a good portion of my weight loss (my fault completely) and am now in the self pay bucket for revision as my current insurance under my employer outright refused any type of bariatric surgery. I'm not saying all this to scare anyone, I'm just saying DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU. I wish I would have put my foot down on the decision between VSG vs RNY but all and all, I did it and it is what it is. It works for some, but not for all. Unfortunately I fell into the "not for all" and it was definitely USER error. I can't speak on it, but I feel I would have had a better success rate with RNY vs VSG which is why I'm looking into the self pay option for the revision surgery. I would say to anyone looking into bariatric surgery to RESEARCH and ask a lot of questions at appointments/support groups. In the end like I said, do what is best for you. 😁

I would recommend the MGB for less surgery time and less complications. It has gotten rid of my acid reflux and I am losing weight again. With the sleeve I had easy regain and couldn't pay to lose any of it. I measured food, lifted weights, did cardio and would lose nothing. I am at 203having regained to 239. So I have lost 36 pounds since the start of the revision process. I would be losing more but I have a bad knee that swells and hurts when I exercise. When I get below 200 I will see about getting my knee fixed. It is bone on bone.

Hi everyone, I am in the looking into / leaning towards the sleeve. A little more about me. I am an (ugh) 45 year old single mom to an amazing 17 year old daughter. She’s truly my partner in (all quite legal) crime. It’s been 12 years that we have been a team. I had always been active growing up. I swam US Swimming up until I was 17. I coached swim team. Taught swim lessons, etc. I worked in various health clubs and worked at the very first curves in my area at the time. So I always watched what I ate - but not anything outrageous. I am 5’ 4” and my weight would fluctuate by about 20 lbs (depending on the season...damn you egg nog). Which brings us to April of 2010. I live in MA to be more precise, on Cape Cod. If you don’t know where that is - GOOD (I’m kidding - kinda). But back to Doomsday as I now call it. I was visiting my mom who lived about an hour and a half away and I needed to get back for a pedicure appointment because it was the Friday before April vacation and we were going to the coolest indoor water park. At that time, I drove an older model Volkswagen Cabriolet Convertible. And it was borderline HOT that day. As I was leaving my mothers I contemplated taking the roof down, but decided not to because I was running late (typical). So I’m driving down the 2 lane stretch of highway that will bring me to the bridge to get to my town and nail appointment. I’m going a steady clip and traveling in the fast lane. All of a sudden a Ford 350 Truck is pulling into my lane on top of me. I was terrified of slamming on the breaks and getting rear ended so I hit my horn (if you could call it that- honestly it sounded like you blew into the wrong side of a kazoo) so I’m edging myself over and now I’m panicking. I have gotten myself in a terrible position. Since I was on the shoulder of a very narrow road, my car hit sand going at least 60 and I took off. All I really remember is sky/grass, sky/grass, sky/grass and finally coming to a stop upside down I could see all my belongings strewn everywhere in the grassy median. That accident made my “bad back” (ha not even close) worse my disc between L4-L5 was bulging. My options were spinal surgery or Physical Therapy until I couldn’t bear the pain anymore. That moment came in October of 2014 my daughter’s friend dropped an ice cube on the floor and somehow I managed to step on it and it took me down. I was in great shape and wanted to go the PT route again So we did that with Pain Management and a TON of steroids. I wasn’t improving so I was referred to my Neurosurgeon. I had the fusion in December and I knew it didn’t work. You have to wait a year before you are re-evaluated So I did and this led to a year and a half of anger, agony,depression, - you name it I had been gaining weight since the accident since I couldn’t do kickboxing any more. It’s weird, with the obesity epidemic where it is in this country why did not one single nurse, aide Rt doctor mention it. I am now 5’4” and weigh about 250. I’m supposed to have revision back surgery with another level of my back fused and they will take a bone graft from my hip to help ensure the surgery goes well. As I researched I started reading more and more about complications with spinal fusion in obese patients I got up the nerve and emailed my new Neurosurgeon’s nurse for information and she sent it to me right away as the clinic is a bit a way from me I opted to do orie I online. That will be next week. I feel like this may be my one best last chance to get some quality of life back. I would love to hear your stories and successes. Also how long is the recovery time? I think I read 4 weeks. Another question - my only other medical condition is my back at this point I have Medicare and Mass Health How long is the procedure from deciding , choosing dr appointments etc to actual surgery? i hope I didn’t put you all to sleep thanks for listening xx jacie

The only thing.. are you ok with reflux. Gerd, that acid that comes up in your throat? I hear the sleeve can cause that. Have you researched MGB? Some folks are having to revise from sleeve to mgb. I am going to have the mgb after much much research.

Most surgeons/clinics don't accept "payment plans" but as previous poster said, have financing options available. Since you will be paying, too, you can look around, go to several seminars, and pick the right surgeon with the right price. One thing many of us didn't realize in the "PREOP" stage....aftercare is VERY important with the lap band. So find out how much fills will be, if any "freebies" are included in your price (many offer 1 year of fills free) and also ask how problems will be handled...ie what if your port flips and you need a revision? What if you get an infection in the hospital? What if something else goes wrong? Odds are REALLY good you won't have a problem but find out how it will be handled if you do! Good luck to you!