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surgeons seem quick to blame vsg patients don't they, sounds like a revision to bypass would be good.

I had my band removed and revised to bypass at the same time. Honestly it was the easiest surgery I ever had! I got up and walked and walked right after surgery. I went home the next morning and was off of pain meds night of surgery. Everyone is different but I am a baby when it comes to pain and this was a breeze! Doc said most pain is from the gas build up. So walking asap and keep walking helps to move that gas out.

My brother is a highly intelligent man. This was proven decades ago, when IQ tests (performed while his teachers and parents tried to figure out why he was a miserable little bugger) showed a genius level IQ. I know that sentence sounds unsympathetic to my brother, but we were all miserable - our parents, his teachers, me, and my brother. The decades that have passed since then haven't given him any more common sense or made him any less miserable. A good example of that is his reaction when I first talked with him about my weight loss surgery. This highly intelligent and (by then) well-read man said, "Wow! So, you have the surgery, and then you eat anything you want and you still lose weight!" Well, no, I told him. Not really. In fact, nothing like that. During the 6 years of my weight loss surgery journey, I have (over and over and over again) witnessed bariatric patients who came out of the operating room after surgically successful procedures still wondering why they couldn't eat anything want and still lose weight. Their disappointing weight loss was and is a perpetual puzzle to them because somehow they had not grasped that behavioral change is required for weight loss success. It's easy to label those patients as stupid or ignorant or deluded, or to blame their bariatric team for failure to properly educate those patients about what would be required of them both pre- and post-op. All of those things could be a factor. In March 2012 I attended 2 sessions of a required pre-op nutrition and education class. My BMI then made me obese, but not morbidly so. I had gained weight after a complete unfill and was preparing to say goodbye to my beloved band due to medical problems aggravated by my band, planning to revise to vertical sleeve gastrectomy in the same procedure. The dietitian leading the class was a perky, pretty 20-something girl, adorably pregnant, who had clearly never struggled with her weight before. Her slightly condescending attitude was hard to take, but about halfway through the class I thought I could understand her attitude. She had just named a long list of foods we should not eat after surgery (including fried foods, candy, baked goodies, soda, alcohol, salty snacks, etc.) when I heard a woman nearby say bitterly, "I don't know. That seems like an awful lot to give up." Since I had known the before and after of WLS, I was strongly tempted to respond to her, but I held my tongue (wisely, for once). I don't know just why so many people think that WLS is magic, that you can eat anything you want and still lose weight; that you don't have to give up a single food or behavior or attitude in order to succeed. Maybe we can blame that kind of thinking on the media, or maybe we can blame it on the deeply-entrenched denial that tends to go along with obesity. But the fact is, you can't eat anything and still lose weight unless you're dying of cancer or AIDs or some other fatal disease, and probably don't want to eat a single bite of anything anyway. And I'd trade dying of cancer for WLS sacrifices and success any old day, wouldn't you?

It would be the VSG that I would be revising to. My insurance covers revisions, but we need to appeal for the Sleeve specifically. The reason for the weight gain, is that with a slipped over tightened band, your pouch and esophagus stretches out, allowing much more food than we are used too. There are days when I am constantly hungry and can eat way too much, and other days when a hand full of nuts makes me puke all day. Sucks.

Hi everyone, is the sleeve cut smaller when going to a bypass revision, I'm hoping so as a failed sleeve it has gotten bigger , stretched, any ideas??

Sorry to the original poster I'm off topic. Fluff , You know I love you. your edit sounds less aggressive😉 The last thing the OP was asking for or needs is judgment. They already know their reasons for the weight gain. No need for anyone to restate what they should have been doing, where they went wrong and beat them down further. The depression, shame and guilt from a gain is enough. I agree, Therapy and talking with their surgeon about options including revision is a great place to start. Lifelong change means they can get the help and move forward. In a perfect world all of us would stay on track. We will continue to see people with weight gain. I want them to feel supported and see them take this on and get the help they need.

My Sleeve to RNY revision is in T - 2 hours and 20 minuets. Arriving at hospital. Please say a prayer for me , and accept my prayers for all going through this process as well. Thank you so much to my pillar of support @Frustr8 for letting me know about this wonderful thread! Blessings and love

I had the revision in August 2013 and lost 30lbs pretty quickly but the weight loss has stopped all together and it's frustrating. I lost 135lbs from the band and got pregnant gained some weight and I'm still 60lbs from where I want to be but the weight isn't moving! I thought this was just me the sleeve is a much slower way for me to lose weight but I know much safer way since I had a lot of vomitting with the band. I'm not eating bad foods, I exercise reguarly and the weight isnt' going anywhere....

Hi! I'd love to be your buddy! It sounds like we are in a similar boat. I was also banded, was successful, and then had complications... My revision to RNY is next Monday, July 20 I am curious to hear about how the surgery went for you? How does the healing compare to the recovery from band surgery? Be well! I'm right behind you!

I just went to Mexico on the 20th. Dr. Illan. I thought I would just be lounging around the hotel room for 2 days after surgery. How wrong I was! The valet had us out walking (optional) both days. I was out for 5 hours the first day, and 8 hours the second. I brought too many pjs and not enough real clothes. The real clothes should have a stretchy waist, as your abdomen will be swollen. Good walking shoes are a must. I did notice the virgin sleeves had the easiest recovery. Bypasses and revisions are harder. Don't know what it is like with other surgeons...

I had my lapband revision on June 10 and had zero complications. Easier surgery than the lapband surgery in my opinion. I only took the pain meds for two days and didn't need them after that. Today I am down 20 lbs!

We all have fears close to the surgery date, I too had my revision on June2nd and there were some issues in the operating room due to scar tissue but it worked out and I was able to be sleeved. My surgeon did informed me that if there were issues due to scar tissue I may have to just get the band out and then wait for my stomach to heal before doing the sleeve. I will keep you in my prayers Good Luck

I'm having a revision of band to sleeve. My cost to the surgeon is $2300. My insurance will cover one or the other, but not both. So, I'm paying the $2300 to remove the band and $0 for the sleeve. My deductible and out of pocket has already been met this year. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Your going for a bypass right?, this is my 3rd surgery, first was gastric band and achieved goal weight, but after a few years had problems so I went for a revision to a gastric sleeve, felt hunger from start, almost back to starting weight now, so now mini gastric bypass scheduled In October, I wish someone had told me from the beginning, goodluck

I am scheduled for lap band to VSG revision surgery June 23rd and I'm a nervous wreck. I know I need this surgery without a doubt. I don't know if it's because I'm in the medical field and know way too much about what could go wrong or if it's the fact that I'm a revision and I know that the complication rates are higher for me. I keep thinking I have two children and what if something happens. Wouldn't that be selfish? I know it's selfish the way I'm living now too. I hardly do anything fun anymore because I deal with the aches and pain and fatigue that comes along with being morbidly obese. I have prayed and I know God will watch over me but I can't get the fear out of my mind as the surgery date nears. Are any of you guys with scheduled revisions feeling the same way as I do? I think I will be a complete mess come surgery date.

sounds like me. im so afraid also because i had a lap band then a lapband revision and then i had my band removed. im sure i have a lot of scar tissue from all these surgeries and that makes things so much more risky. i can totally relate to you. just keep praying!!! good luck

Ok so yesterday I had my upper GI done and the radiologist was extremely distressed by the position of the band, the severe reflux, the dialation of the pouch and esophagus, and the fact that barely a drop a barium went through. Fast forward to this morning and after ignoring the radiologist's request that I immediately go upstairs to have my fill completely removed, I did just that. They quickly removed all of my fill. Then stated that I have a dialated pouch and stretched out my esophagus. My band may also be slipped, but not officially stated yet as such, but with all of the symptoms, it fits that diagnosis. They stated that more and more of us are having trouble as the years go by. I was a model patient for the first year, then complications struck. Major surgery to repair, then it was never the same. Extremely painful to eat, led to eating only foods that didn't hurt. I haven't gained much back, about 20lbs. But I see that changing. We are discussing a revision. Probably the VSG which they believe will phase out the band in the future. I don't knock the band completely, it did give me my life back, however with this foreign body inside of me, things have been complicated at times to say the least. So it looks like I'll enjoy a good thanksgiving dinner and that the new year will bring a new partner in helping keep off the weight.

I revised to a sleeve in June and can't say enough about how great it is. No more stuck food or sliming and no hunger either. I can't eat around it, when I'm full, I'm full for hours. It's really what I thought the band would be. Don't get me wrong, my weight loss was great with the band, but it was a fairly miserable experience even before my band slipped. I just wish I'd known about the sleeve the first time around.

Have you tried tea with honey instead of sugar? I've noticed natural sugars are much easier on my system post revision than unnatural sugars. Have you tried any of the calorie free sweeteners? Juice is allowed, just have to watch the calories, added sugars, etc. Calorie free drinks are where you really want to be looking. There are plenty of sweet tasting calorie free drink mixes, etc that you can use.

Hi I live in Ottawa Ontario Canada. I had my surgery in Bay- St- Paul QC in May 2002.I've only gotten a fill recently April 2004 and have lost a total of 40 lbs. There are a few reasons for not getting a fill: Originaly Dr was 8 hrs away by bus. Went over there 2nd month after sugery had not lost any weight and he refused to fill me!Total of 16 hrs on a bus with 1/2 appt in between!! I though i was a failure and just went about as normal. THEN i found this place!!! When i finally went back he had relocated to Montreal which is 1 1/2 hrs away and i can get there by car and i went armed with knowledge. I had to have a port revision then went for a fill in April of this year. Fills DO make a difference!! I've gone from a size 24 to 18! I have one son who's 5 and a 2 year old daughter. Chantal

Sorry to hear you are having such a hard time. I've read too many times about people's bands giving them trouble. It makes me wonder why it's still a WLS option. :lol0: Anyway, I had a hietal hernia that I didn't even know about that Dr. Aceves repaired while doing my VSG (free of charge :lol0:). It would be good if you could have yours repaired at the same time of your revision. Good luck!

Best wishes. I know that Tricare Prime and Standard are NOT covering VSG at this time. Now, with that being said if you can find a military hospital that is performing the VSG it is approved via MTFs. I've been through this several times during my Quest for a qualified revision surgeon, and have been researching it for almost a year with Tricare. It is still not covered by Medicare/Medicaid, and Tricare shows a trend of following suit after Medicare/Medicaid approves a procedure. Both are gov't ran insurance programs to an extent, and Medicare/Medicaid is still considering the VSG as a stand-alone procedure as "not proven to be an effective WLS as a stand-alone procedure". Don't give up. I know one other member here that is coming to Dallas, TX to have her surgery here in the states because she can afford self-pay and she won't settle for a band or bypass.

I had mine July 19th. I was a revision and was told he was the best at fixing my mess inside. I'm from churchhill/pennhills area. Nice to meet you.

Is there anyone who has had to have a revision to an arm lift. I had one last year and while it is significantly better, it's still bad. The dr. said he can do it again but that the skin is so stretched that while it will be better it won't be perfect. He said the scar tissue shouldn't be an issue. I always heard working around scar tissue is difficult. Before and After pictures - thoughts? Would you do it again? (he said he would do it for free if I had lipo on the thighs which I had been thinking about) (see other post on flabby thighs)

I personally have had an arm lift in January 2013 and had great results. I have had other plastic surgery where I feel like you that they did not remove enough skin in the first place. Having consulted with another PS he did say that with bariatric patients you really have to be aggressive when removing the skin. It looks like your PS was not aggressive enough. If you can go to someone else I would, otherwise definitely I would go for a revision.