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I have a friend who just had the sleeve as well as her younger daughter.They both have about 150 at LEAST to lose and they are first time WLS.They needed to do something.Great Losing weight ...ok.She told me she made some mistakes by waiting to long to eat on several occasions....ok I see in the future where this is going.I have a lap band...I thought it was less invasive back in 2004.Fast forward...I slime and vomit all the time.My port site protrudes and is painful and I Abe GERD and my esophagus has damage...did I mention I have struggled initially lost a minimal amount of weight ..50 pounds when I needed to lose 100.,,I am now an involuntary bulimic because of the band and its complications...trying hard to get a revision to the RNY

When I originally went to see my doctor, my BMI was 49; I'm 5'7" and I weighed 315 lbs. He told me that really the only serious option for me was the gastric bypass. He said that a person with as much weight to lose as I have does best with the gastric bypass, because it provides the most weight loss. I have heard other doctors say the same thing. Second, if you read these boards you will find many people who have had revisions from other WLS (both band and sleeve) to the gastric bypass because of various problems with those other forms. I decided I only want one WLS ever. Third, as others on this thread have said, the gastric bypass is no more "radical" than a sleeve; both will require Vitamins for the rest of your life, both involve significant changes to your stomach, etc. The gastric bypass provides weight loss because of malabsorption, restricted pouch size, and possibly reduction in Ghrelin (the hormone that triggers hunger). One of the side effects many gastric bypass patients experience is dumping syndrome when either poor foods (high fat, high sugar, various other bad things) are consumed or too much food is consumed or "stuck" (often because food has not been chewed sufficiently). Although the symptom is unpleasant, it acts as a "teaching tool" to change bad behaviors, which is a very positive outcome. In the end you will have to make the decision on your own. You are the one who will have to live your life with whatever surgery you choose. The people on this forum are pro-gastric bypass, since this is a gastric bypass forum. If you are really leaning toward the sleeve, you might want to go on the sleeve boards and ask around there about that surgery, to get a different slant on this issue. Good luck and best wishes on whatever choice you make.

One thing I would caution you about regarding the sleeve - it is not less invasive, even though that seems to be a big reason some people choose it. Yes, your intestines are not re-routed, but hey, most of your stomach is actually removed for good! you can't get that back if there are problems. With GB, everything is still there and can theoretically be revised back to normal (I think I've seen it called a takedown) For me, I'm not a huge volume eater; it's more about eating the junk - the fast food, the carbs, etc. I can stick to low carb for awhile but then go off-track and lose my momentum, get all the cravings back, etc. So I have chosen bypass b/c I need the possibility of dumping to keep me straight, at least long enough for me to learn better longterm habits. Just my 2 cents.

Leroy Mann This is absolutely how I feel.I already chose a half ass lapband that Has caused me pure misery since 2004 not to mention .my teeth and gums are screwed and I have severe acid reflux and port pain...and...I am the vomit queen!!!!!The biggest reason is that I only initially lost about 40 pounds and have really struggled.....I am as fat ass as ever and miserable...seeking a revision to what I should have done in the first place!!!bypass!!!!and for anyone who wants to raise the ...."re routing invasive euphemism"...spare me...my esophagus is screwed up and my stomach is beat up and the amount of slime and vomit is sickening...port pain...please...I would be crazy to subject my very lapband abused stomach to cutting 85% out....I am lapband miserable and in pain as I type....mmm....silicone...,should of thought about that before I developed breast cancer....just saying.....,,silicone...ok..

@@parisshel The fills never hurt me (even through the layers of scar tissue) and I was never offered a pain med for it. Didn't even know that it was available! A band patient will always have to research new Drs in any area they move too. They might have to end up driving hundreds of miles for a Dr. willing to service them (an existing band patient). Many don't want to service them. And here is another thing to consider - it is not permanent! It will have to come out eventually. It is a hard thing to accept when you just get banded, because you are still excited and it is still working for you. My mother had her's out after 3 years. Just found out my band is not in the right place, so that might help speed the revision along (after 7.5 years I was lucky!) Why invest in a procedure that doesn't have a good track record? My Dr. doesn't even perform bands anymore or even offer a monthly support group for bandsters. We are lumped together with the other WLS groups.

I get it! I am currently trying the second time for a revision after a rejection last year. Just remember that its a journey. Because of your acid reflux you might not be a good fit for the sleeve.

Dave, The plication is much like a sleeve without the removal of the stomach or stapling. It is a backup in case I have problems with the band. Also, the "sleeving" has a faster weight loss result. I end up losing the weight faster than with solely the band, and have the benefit of a fill if I have stalled weight loss or the plication is unsuccessful. Over time many sleeve patients have a larger stomach capacity and are able to eat more than they should. Should this happen, the band can be used to correct intake. Plication also is an added reinforcement to band slippage - they are MUCH more likely to stay in place if the stomach is plicated. My surgeon loves this surgery and has had excellent results with the patients who have had it. I feel like I'm gonna be under the knife anyway, why not have some extra reinforcement? Since reading the VGS boards, I've also seen several ppl who have had to remove their band for a variety of reasons and have had to wait several months to get back in to be sleeved. If I do have to have the band removed (which I don't foresee), I won't have to wait months on end to have a revision surgery, it'll already be done! How scary is it to thin k of losing you band and gaining all that weight back waiting for surgery!? I'd be so mad!

Hi Trisha! I read you post and can completely relate. I also just found out I had a slip that can not be fixed without surgery. I am in a lot of pain and have been scheduled to have it fixed on the 22nd. I hope I can last that long. I had thought about having it revised to the sleeve but I am not sure if my insurance will even cover that. I have an appointment with the surgeon today so I guess I will find out. I wish you the best of luck and hope we can keep in touch. Trisha (also my name;)

Marie, Yes I did have to stay overnight with the revision/rebanding. I am getting stronger every day. My doc allowed me to advance to full liquids now so I can drink some Protein shakes (a little at a time) so that gives me more energy. I am still very sore and it is just as sore as it was the first time around. I hope that goes away soon, but I know it will just take time to heal. The sinus drainage is better. I am so excited about that. I take the claritin nightly and it seems to work better than taking it first thing in the morning. Thanks for asking. Just to clear things up, I only had band slippage, not erosion at all. Take care and good luck to us all!

Hey folks, I am now three days out from my revision surgery, still sore but not hungry in the least, I have wonderful restirction as with the first surgery but I am sure it is from the stomach still being swollen. I am blessed to be able to work at home (I do medical transcription) and only felt like working 4 hours yesterday before pooping out, but hopefully I can work a little longer today. I am still doing the clear liquid diet, usally have 1/2 cup of warm chicken broth and about 2 popsicles per day with sips of water throughout the day. Thanks for all your prayers, words or kindness and concerns. I love the caring, considerate folks on this board. I needed this board when I found it. You guys are great for support. Thanks! Hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's day.

I made it through my revision surgery Friday. The surgery did take longer than the first surgery mainly because of adhesions and scar tissue from the first surgery. I was in surgery 4 hours. He also had to remove the old lap band and install a new one the reason being that my stomach that had prolapsed over top of the band was so swelled up and inflamed from my almost nightly vomiting that it would not pull back down through the band at all, so therefore he had to remove it and replace with a new one. Bless his heart, I know he must have been worn out after my surgery. I am pretty sore, but have been blessed to have not had any nausea at all and very little gas pains. God is so good. I am moving like a granny woman, but at least I have my new best friend back with me. Please pray I heal up well and that this sinus drainage drys up so I don't cough any. Thanks so much for your thoughts and prayers.

I use Kamasutra Brand Spearmint Stimulating G. Tastes like spearmint, kind of numbs things and gets him tingly and if you gently blow on it it's even better. http://www.loverspackage.com/p-70966-kama-sutra-pleasure-balm.aspx At this point they are worried if your "gagging". Right after I got banded I was careful with the gagging cause for us, that could lead to worse things. So just take it easy. Distract him with new things. I will be revising hopefully in march and will need new tricks for then!

I spent the last month before my lapband (4 yrs ago) eating food I thought I'd never get to eat again. Now 4 yrs later, lapband and sleeve revision (5 mths ago) I can honestly say: I can eat everything. I still enjoy the occasional burger (more like 1/3 of a burger from In and Out), taco from Del Taco, 3/4 of a pc of pizza, 1/2 sandwich, 1/4 of a Pasta entree at Olive Garden, 4-6 garlic fries from Red Robin, and even a little dessert once in a while. The only thing I find my tummy cannot tolerate is ice cream. 2 bites is my limit. Even 1 scoop gives me horrendous tummy cramps/diarrhea. So, moral of the story: You WILL be able to eat ur favorite foods again. And in the meantime, new foods will become ur favorites (ie: Soup, Protein shakes, and sf jello!). Please don't be afraid that ur never gunna eat those foods again. U will eventually will. Or maybe u won't want to. Lots of people lose their taste for some foods. Lucky them... Good luck!

I agree with the basic theme that we should be here to support not bash each other. I in no way troll on any other forums with any intention of causing someone any distress. The way it is laid out, sometimes I have accidently posted on a forum I didn't realize was in the bypass or lapband area, but i have gotten smarter about it over time. I think we all have the right to make our own choice of WLS, what we think best suits us and our lifestyle... and hopefully based on some sort of surgeon recommendation. Once somebody has had surgery, it is absolutely pointless to be negative about their surgery. At that point, it is about supporting each other to be as successful as we can. What I have a problem with is the idea that it should be all candy and roses... when people are preops and they are asking for people's experiences I feel it is the right thing to honestly share my personal experience. I am a revision from the band to sleeve after 10 years of "failure" with the band. One of the disappointments i had in my banded days was that the online support group I was a part of hid the vets forum from preops and recently banded. It wasn't until I was a year out that I realized how many people had the same struggles i did. After a decade, most (but not all!) fellow bandsters had either revised or had their bands removed. In fact, i have in my paperwork info from bioenterics that the band was intended to be temporary and would likely need to be removed. That is my personal experience and maybe it is based on how they used to do bands (I was banded in 2001) but it is what happened. I wish i had really understood the implications of all that before i was banded, but i didn't. I think it is a big mistake to not let people hear people's experiences - positive and negative. BTW, there are aspects of being sleeved that are negative too, and I am forthright about that as well. Like, I have a dairy intolerance that has pretty much killed my ability to eat ice cream (okay, that is probably a good thing - ha!). I like that the veteran's forum here is available for all to read, there is much to learn from people who are years (or a decade) into a procedure. Congratulations to all of us who are working to improve our health through maintaining a healthy weight loss... no matter the means!

I'm in Hollywood and starting the revision process 3 months starting October. I was sleeved 4 years ago Sent from my Z981 using the BariatricPal App

I am looking for Boston people that love their surgeon. Specifically to do either a DS or a SIPS procedure. It’s ok if you don’t know if they do or not I will call around thanks!!

Thank you Jini, Three days at this point seems so great for me to hear. I have been through 21 surgeries so far. so the surgery part is not a problem, it is the change in my life and the challanges. But...i am such a trouper once it all takes place. I miss my estrogen, off for another month, 52 and no uterus. No celebrex and i am achey...But with you and others who are close by I know my answers are going to be heard. My husband just poped in and said" I guess I will need to be of help the next week or so, huh,? Yikes, is he just not listening. So the list will come out. since it is a holiday this week, I want to make sure I have all I need. I believe I do, but tomorrow I shall call the Dr's office and if I need meds to come home with, it won't be until Wed evening that I am home, Thanksgiving everything is closed. My family is used to me being recovering from many major surgeries, and in a way they think, I believe it is just another surgery and I will be the same. Maybe I will, I shall plan on it, but I have been disabled for 6 years with 7 knee surgeries and revisions from my replacements. so much pain, meds, and wheelchairs etc. Last surgery was March 30th. A major revision. so here I am again, but this one is for "ME" not my knee, foot,thyroid,toe joint...... That is the difference, and it all will make the other necessary surgeries stay healing and without the weight so much better. Scared, mostly right before I go in the operating room. I am a retired surgical nurse.....I tell them all the drugs nd amounts it takes me to be comfortable. No shaking afterwards. They usually are great, I have had so much experience in the room for surgery and assisting in it! so there I am on a roll, guesss it is coming out, as it should. Thanks so much, I am keeping close by, even with things to do today to be prepared... Debra

I'll hopefully be having a band to bypass revision in January or February of 2017. Good luck with all of your requirements! The time will fly by.

I'm extremely happy with my band to sleeve revision. I had my sleeve done on 11-9-09 and have already lost 23 lbs. I never lost anything with the band.....the sleeve is the way to go. Just be prepared for the 1st day out of surgery....I felt terrible, but you feel better and better with each passing day. Good luck.

@Greyfaery For me, the decision was advised by my surgeon, she installed the Lap Band for me back in 2011 and when I discussed revision, she refused to do the sleeve on previously banded folks due to increased staple line complications. The sleeve has issues with reflux, and yes, you can *TOTALLY* "eat around" the sleeve, high sugar, high fat "sliders" are a real issue. Recovery between the sleeve and the bypass isn't that much different. In fact, the post-op process for the sleeve is actually harder than the bypass. Bypass patients are eating pureed food before they leave the hospital, sleeve patients are on liquids for a month afterwards. I've had the band, and now the bypass. The band and the sleeve are pretty much the same idea for surgery, restriction only. And both can be "eaten around", neither have any negative reinforcement / punishments for eating badly. So, once you start realizing you can get away with things you probably shouldn't be eating, there really isn't anything physically stopping you from doing so. Having healed both the band and the bypass now, I can say without any doubt that I really didn't notice a difference between the 2, if anything, the bypass was easier to heal, now that could have been because I knew what the process was like, or because I was thinner, but it was just easier. I'm *VERY* glad I went with the bypass this time around and not just another restriction only surgery. In fact, sitting here now, I truly wish I went with the bypass the first time I had WLS... And not after years of failing with the band. Either way, whichever you chose, understand it's ONLY a tool and will require lots of hard work and behavior modification, you *WILL* need to change everything about how you eat, your subconscious relation with food, any stress or comfort triggered eating habits will need to be adjusted or dealt with, for me, the bypass adds that extra layer of support, I can chose to eat a piece of cake if I truly wanted to, but I know it's going to really suck badly for a few hours or more if I do, so I really tend to not even risk it anymore. There are plenty of other things I can eat that are super tasty and good for me to chose from, it's harder when going out, but it's more than worth the added struggle! Good Luck in your choice!

I had the bypass. I found that many sleevers end up revising to bypass and I didnt want two surgeries. I also didn’t want the reflux possibility and wanted maximum loss . The bypass gives that maximum weight loss - the sleeve is close though! I really don’t see why people say the sleeve is any easier of a recovery. For me- the recovery was super easy. I had 5 small (1/4-1/2 in) incisions and was not in pain - took maybe 3-4 days to be back to normal after gas passing Good luck with your decision

I have been through port revision surgery twice and quite possibly there is a third round in my future. My port keeps flipping over and the dr. keeps fixing it. I haven't had a fill thru my port EVER since being banded over a year ago. My first revision was scheduled at the six week post-surgery mark (when I went for my first fill) the second was at my six month mark. The surgery itself was nothing, in and out in a few hours, little if any recovery, and no pain whatsoever. The dr. filled me during the operation and I have good restriction for the most part. I am pretty sure my port has turned over again but won't know until I need another fill. I have just made up my mind to not let it get me down, it's been worth it so far. I wouldn't change it for anything.

Hi Natalie, I had a hell of a hard surgery....The surgeon said there was so much scar tissue around the band....Not only did it flip it was pulling my stomach up so I have a new 2" scar about an 1 1/2" from the original...so much for them removing it with a keyhole..,.throuugh the original site...I was cut.My stomach has about 10 stitch/scar points.My stomach is still swollen...distended and so sore! I was released the next day...they wanted me to stay an extra night but I convinced them I could do it.I went home.It is not easy A lot of pain...I feel as though I was in a bad car accident.The first 3 days were hard....I used the Toridol pain killer pills they prescribed as well as the anti nausea medication.They want you to walk,walk,walk....please ...it is very hard...pain and sleepiness....very tired. Today is my first day off of Clear liquids onto full liquids...I am cautious....had tomato Soup diluted with chicken broth and now the unjury unflavored Protein I added.I also had some coconut Water and finally a small Greek plain yogurt.I am still deficient in my Vitamin and water... As I write I have just had a heating pad on my left side (back).Is that a kidney issue? I have gotta sit here a sip more water.....I went to the grocery store and got some progreso pea Soups and tomato soups .Its hard walking in the grocery store in pain ,looking like a zombie....but that is a way to walk.... I need to drink more clear fluids.... No regrets.... I can't take weeks off from work that is why the holiday saved me ....Tomorrow (Monday) will be a full week since I had surgery .I can't make it tomorrow...no way so I just have to call in.I don't have the finances or seniority to take many days off so I definitely will have to brave it on Tuesday or Wednesday. I am so angry with myself for allowing the failed lapband to just go on and on....I had it in 2004 and from the beginning It failed me....I only lost 35 pounds initially.I struggled for years trying to make it work...It has ruined my insides.I am an involuntary bulimic because.I was constantly thinking about food....what could I eat without throwing up???Hunger like hell and my weight was creeping unsteadily.The worse acid reflux you could imagine....Ugh there were days that I would be so hungry ,ravenous....full of air trying to figure out what I could eat and not slime or puke....chocolate,bread,Pasta,muffins and bagels always went down easy...chicken.vegetables,fruits or anything could set off a puke session...I was soooo hungry 24/7.......my eophagus I was diagnosed as torturous...because endoscopy indicated the root problem.. I am so glad to get this revision to bypass...all though some discomfort..,each day gets better..... You gotta get a revision!They make you jump through hoops but do it!!!! Sandy

Hi everyone, I'm two weeks out from my band to bypass revision and tomorrow I start the optislim liquid diet. I had my band placed in 2006 and had it removed three months ago after the second slip. For most of the 10 years I was under weight, having lost over 100pounds (50 plus kilos) mainly due to not being able to tolerate much of anything. I lived knowing that if I ate, it would become uncomfortable and I'd need it out. I lived with sliming, coffee (the milk) congealing in my stomach, reflux day and night, waking at night with it coming out my nose, finding out where the restroom was as soon as I'd go to a restaurant or someone's house, an annual Iron infusion for anemia - it was no way to live but still a better alternative to being fat again. I got to the point though, that I was so dehydrated that I couldn't cope any longer. Out it came. Since then I have gained 12 kilos (about 25 pounds) which I'm desperately unhappy about as I followed a very strict food plan, combined with intense exercise (I became very fit since losing weight) and was so hopeful that my natural metabolic state may have reset itself - but no. Even though my insurance resistance and under active thyroid returned to a normal state my genetics remained the same. All those long forgotten feelings of shame, disappointment in myself, failure, frustration and desperation returned, just like I'd lived with for the 34 years before the band went in. So, now for the next new beginning! I just want to be able to eat small amounts of nutritious food, enough to give me the energy to live my life actively and happily and to not become malnourished. I'd be really interested to know how those that used to suffer food intolerances with the band, are now coping with eating food after the bypass. I've also heard that those who have a bypass after a band don't do as well. My surgeon says it's because we keep bad habits with us (ie we know what passes through restriction most easily) however if you've had success please share it and why you think you have. Thanks so much and I really appreciate you sharing your stories:) DR

Hi all , Just registered on here , I am having Band to Mini bypass revision on Friday after 5 years of the hideous band and an absolute nightmare! I am SO worried after reading some of the posts that the surgeon will say when I wake up that he couldn't do it due to scar tissue :-( Is it more common than not for that to happen does anyone know ? Or not that often? Thank you in advance :-)