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Had mine 2/2, feeling great. Had band to bypass revision. Down 11 pounds since surgery.

I don't exactly meet your specs but I am replying anyway! I hope you don't mind. I am 5'7. SW 350 CW 200. Revised to sleeve December 2013. Still losing but very slowly now. I lost 100 pounds in 6 months.

Yes, my insurance covered the revision and i did use the same doctor that did my original surgery for the revision, I honestly don't think it was his fault, nothing went wrong with what he did.

I am a revision patient as well and my dr requires two weeks of liquids, lap band removal (which I had Friday,) then 4 more weeks of liquids in-between before my bypass on Match 10th. So when all is said and done with post-op diet, it will be three months before I can have a single bite of regular food. Still totally worth it. Even for regular bypass patients, they require 2 weeks of liquids to shrink the liver and initiate the weight loss process.

With Tricare, all lap band revisions are now required to be a two part process. I am having a revision done. I had my band removed on 2/5/2016 and I'm having my bypass done on 3/10/2016. I had to go through an approval process just as if I'd never had WLS before and I was easily approved.

I had the Lap Band and had to get it removed and revised to a sleeve. I wish I had not wasted so many years with the band but the sleeve didn't exist back then. I would strongly suggest you not go with the band due to the many cases of it being ineffective at weight loss as compared to the sleeve and bypass. If you are self-pay then your lower BMI should not stop you from getting the sleeve. Those BMI requirements are usually tied to insurance approvals. You should get a second opinion.

Your plan is so much more progressive than mine. I am still on Clear liquids, right, one week. Then second week "full" liquids, so pretty much Protein shakes and broth and clear liquids. 3rd week, soft foods like thicker Soups. Oh boy! Forth week, mushier foods. C'est la Vie! My surgery however was a 'revision' but I did notice they do this for all of their WLS.Haha! We'll be hitting the soft foods at the same time I think. Here's my whole 30 days lol: ImageUploadedByBariatricPal1454875560.280951.jpgImageUploadedByBariatricPal1454875587.565974.jpg Thanks! If you like cottage cheese, the best I've ever tasted is made by "Kalona". Yes, I am fantasizing about cottage cheese right about now, lol. Lol I'll look for that brand!!

Your plan is so much more progressive than mine. I am still on clear liquids, right, one week. Then second week "full" liquids, so pretty much Protein shakes and broth and clear liquids. 3rd week, soft foods like thicker soups. Oh boy! Forth week, mushier foods. C'est la Vie! My surgery however was a 'revision' but I did notice they do this for all of their WLS. Haha! We'll be hitting the soft foods at the same time I think. Here's my whole 30 days lol: ImageUploadedByBariatricPal1454875560.280951.jpgImageUploadedByBariatricPal1454875587.565974.jpg Thanks! If you like cottage cheese, the best I've ever tasted is made by "Kalona". Yes, I am fantasizing about cottage cheese right about now, lol.

Your plan is so much more progressive than mine. I am still on clear liquids, right, one week. Then second week "full" liquids, so pretty much Protein shakes and broth and clear liquids. 3rd week, soft foods like thicker soups. Oh boy! Forth week, mushier foods. C'est la Vie! My surgery however was a 'revision' but I did notice they do this for all of their WLS. Haha! We'll be hitting the soft foods at the same time I think. Here's my whole 30 days lol:

Your plan is so much more progressive than mine. I am still on Clear liquids, right, one week. Then second week "full" liquids, so pretty much Protein shakes and broth and clear liquids. 3rd week, soft foods like thicker Soups. Oh boy! Forth week, mushier foods. C'est la Vie! My surgery however was a 'revision' but I did notice they do this for all of their WLS.

Revision might be needed

@@bikerchick519, Please keep us posted on what your doctor says next month. Like you I am still after 4 years still vomiting and have the worst heartburn. My doctor wants me to work with a dietitian before we consider revision to bypass. I just want relief and I want to start back losing the weight. At least the weight I've gained.

@@Grek79Ital, I'm so happy that your surgery went well and your seeing results!! Two questions for you. -Did your insurance cover the revision? -Did you use the same doctor from your original surgery? Sorry to ask so many questions but I'm trying to see what is my best option.

Really inspiring thank you. I am having a revision from band to bypass and am loving the positivity on this site x

Thanks for your uplifting post! I'm having a band-to-bypass revision in five days (this Thursday) and it's great to hear you are doing so well. I had similar issues with the band, and am looking forward to a new life. Excited! ????

I truly believe even those who are a "success" with the band will eventually need it removed. I had mine for over 9 years. 7 of those years I had very little fluid in it due to reflux issues. The last year I had no fluid. I felt fine once the fluid was out but found out after my revision what a horrific scene it was inside me. The doctor said my stomach was close to shutting off completely and it had to come out in pieces. I have to wonder what all long term band stomachs look like. I am so glad I had it out before I experienced a life threatening incident.

It is definitely possible to stretch the sleeve. I had my sleeve in Nov. 2011 and now I have an appointment next week to see about a revision to bypass. I'm only hoping my insurance approves it and doesn't make me do the 6 month diet and all that. I'm dying to see what insurance says. I initially lost 88 pounds and then gained 35, lost 10 and now I can't seem to lose at all, lots of acid reflux.

Hi folks, I hope I don't offend anyone here, but when I keep reading people saying they're a "big juice person or a big Bolt drinker" etc, I realize they're probably just mourning the passing of their old ways (that in part got us into this position!) and I get that, but sometimes it sounds like it hasn't sunk in that we have to meet this surgery half way, that is, by this time to be well aware that what we use to eat or enjoy must be completely revised and changed. I don't know, just some of the comments here occasionally make me worry for my compatriots here. Let's do this, Folks!

Hi losetobemeagain! Thanks so much for your story. I'm sorry you are having difficulty. It seems as if you don't have this problem prior you can get it and if you have it prior your better off not getting the sleeve. Maybe you are right and I should just go the bypass way. I too have read about alot of revisions. I'm sorry you have to be one of them. Good luck to you and please keep me posted on your update! I'd love to hear how your doing

My clothes closet is hidden deep within the house. It’s a very small interior room, the one where we’d hide if a tornado came our way. I’m glad to have it, but for most of the time we’ve lived in this house, that closet has not been a place I enjoyed visiting. The not-so-secret evidence of obesity was hidden there – 10 sizes of clothing (from 24 on down) in “slimming” styles and colors – souvenirs of my many trips up and down the scale. But unless you’re expecting a tornado, the closet is a lousy place to live. Let’s open the door, let the light shine in, and ask ourselves the $64 million dollar question: WHY ARE WE HANGING ON TO ALL THIS STUFF? Let’s grab a jumbo trash bag and get busy working on a Goodwill donation or a batch of goodies for the local consignment store. What, do I hear groaning? The short fat girl who dwells inside me whines, “But we might need them again someday!” LET ‘EM GO! The other day, I cleaned out my clothes closet. I had done that before, about 6 months into my WLS journey, with great difficulty. I was fond of some of those outfits even though they could work as window drapery as well as clothing. I had spent a lot of money on my work wardrobe, to say nothing of the shoes. I feared that the instant those clothes were gone, I’d gain 50 or 75 or 100 pounds and need them all again. I had little faith that my post-op weight loss would be any more lasting than my weight loss had been in previous dieting attempts. Eventually I acquired enough new-to-me, smaller-size clothing that the closet was about to explode, so I made myself cull out the big stuff and haul it off to the Goodwill Store. Getting rid of it turned out to be a relief, and then of course I had the fun of filling up the closet with more clothes in smaller sizes. Back to the Goodwill Store I went...again and again. In the 8 years following my WLS, I’ve dealt with some unexpected medical problems that led to band removal and a sleeve revision. While all that went on (and on, and on), I regained 30-35 pounds, and sizes 12 and 14 appeared in my closet again, followed all too closely by a few size 16’s. Eventually I lost that weight regain. When seasons changed and I hunted for something warm or cool to wear, I was delighted to find that most of that clothing was too big. I had nothing to wear! That’s what I call a First World problem, something foolish to complain about when so many Third World people have little or no food, clothing or shelter. But…there’s no denying that morbid obesity is also serious problem, so I can’t bring myself to downplay my weight loss success. The weird part of this is that saying goodbye to the big stuff wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. You’d think that weeding out mountains of Goodwill donations would be a festive occasion, but my inner fat girl begged, “OK, get rid of the 14’s if you must, but please, please keep the 12’s! You never know!” I’m happy to report that I managed to ignore her. In the past 4 years I’ve waved goodbye to the big sizes and welcomed back the small sizes. No, we never know for sure what’s going to happen in the future, what unexpected event will drive our weight back up or our weight management commitment back down. But we don’t need to see constant reminders of past failure, and we shouldn’t give space in our closets or our minds to the negative stuff that weighs us down and slows our forward footsteps. So, whoever you are, whatever surgical procedure you had or will have, whatever your weight or clothing size is today, I challenge you to clean out your closet. Look at every single garment in there and ask yourself: does this fit my body now? does this fit my lifestyle now? is this required by law (state, federal, religious, or employer)? does this make me look and feel great? Any garment that gets 2 or more “No” answers goes in the Goodbye Pile. Simple enough, isn’t it? No, it’s not easy. I go through this at every change of season and probably always will, because my inner fat girl will never forget what pre-op life was like. The only residents of my closet are one fat girl outfit (that I drag out and try on when I’m having a fat day) and way too many adorable size 4/XS outfits. Spring is (I pray) just around the corner here in Tennessee, so I’ve been trying on my warm weather clothing and cheerfully telling the rejects, “Goodbye!”

Are you glad or sad about what’s tucked away inside your clothes closet? Today is Saturday, a day off for some of us, and a good day for peeking at the hidden trash and treasures. Let’s have a look in mine… My clothes closet is hidden deep within the house. It’s a very small interior room, the one where we’d hide if a tornado came our way. I’m glad to have it, but for most of the time we’ve lived in this house, that closet has not been a place I enjoyed visiting. The not-so-secret evidence of obesity was hidden there – 10 sizes of clothing (from 24 on down) in “slimming” styles and colors – souvenirs of my many trips up and down the scale. But unless you’re expecting a tornado, the closet is a lousy place to live. Let’s open the door, let the light shine in, and ask ourselves the $64 million dollar question: WHY ARE WE HANGING ON TO ALL THIS STUFF? Let’s grab a jumbo trash bag and get busy working on a Goodwill donation or a batch of goodies for the local consignment store. What, do I hear groaning? The short fat girl who dwells inside me whines, “But we might need them again someday!” LET ‘EM GO! The other day, I cleaned out my clothes closet. I had done that before, about 6 months into my WLS journey, with great difficulty. I was fond of some of those outfits even though they could work as window drapery as well as clothing. I had spent a lot of money on my work wardrobe, to say nothing of the shoes. I feared that the instant those clothes were gone, I’d gain 50 or 75 or 100 pounds and need them all again. I had little faith that my post-op weight loss would be any more lasting than my weight loss had been in previous dieting attempts. Eventually I acquired enough new-to-me, smaller-size clothing that the closet was about to explode, so I made myself cull out the big stuff and haul it off to the Goodwill Store. Getting rid of it turned out to be a relief, and then of course I had the fun of filling up the closet with more clothes in smaller sizes. Back to the Goodwill Store I went...again and again. In the 8 years following my WLS, I’ve dealt with some unexpected medical problems that led to band removal and a sleeve revision. While all that went on (and on, and on), I regained 30-35 pounds, and sizes 12 and 14 appeared in my closet again, followed all too closely by a few size 16’s. Eventually I lost that weight regain. When seasons changed and I hunted for something warm or cool to wear, I was delighted to find that most of that clothing was too big. I had nothing to wear! That’s what I call a First World problem, something foolish to complain about when so many Third World people have little or no food, clothing or shelter. But…there’s no denying that morbid obesity is also serious problem, so I can’t bring myself to downplay my weight loss success. The weird part of this is that saying goodbye to the big stuff wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. You’d think that weeding out mountains of Goodwill donations would be a festive occasion, but my inner fat girl begged, “OK, get rid of the 14’s if you must, but please, please keep the 12’s! You never know!” I’m happy to report that I managed to ignore her. In the past 4 years I’ve waved goodbye to the big sizes and welcomed back the small sizes. No, we never know for sure what’s going to happen in the future, what unexpected event will drive our weight back up or our weight management commitment back down. But we don’t need to see constant reminders of past failure, and we shouldn’t give space in our closets or our minds to the negative stuff that weighs us down and slows our forward footsteps. So, whoever you are, whatever surgical procedure you had or will have, whatever your weight or clothing size is today, I challenge you to clean out your closet. Look at every single garment in there and ask yourself: does this fit my body now? does this fit my lifestyle now? is this required by law (state, federal, religious, or employer)? does this make me look and feel great? Any garment that gets 2 or more “No” answers goes in the Goodbye Pile. Simple enough, isn’t it? No, it’s not easy. I go through this at every change of season and probably always will, because my inner fat girl will never forget what pre-op life was like. The only residents of my closet are one fat girl outfit (that I drag out and try on when I’m having a fat day) and way too many adorable size 4/XS outfits. Spring is (I pray) just around the corner here in Tennessee, so I’ve been trying on my warm weather clothing and cheerfully telling the rejects, “Goodbye!”

I am now 5 days Post-op band to bypass. I was banded 3 years ago and did great the first year. Then the stomach flu hit me and I got stuck to the point where I couldn't swallow my own saliva and had to rush back to the ED for emergency unfill. My band was never the same after that. I had always had pain in my left shoulder, like most of us had due to the gas build upon only difference was mine lasted until I had the band removed. After my doctor and I tried everything to help, we couldn't fix it. Many trips to the ED later, my doc said it needs to come out. So I started the process all over again and this time I decided to be revised to bypass. When I woke up from surgery (which went flawlessly) the doctor told me she found out why I was having pain in my left ribcage area, below my sternum and in my left shoulder. The left ribcage was from the band or the tubing rubbing against my diaphragm and causing a callus. Which in turn caused the shoulder pain due to the vagus nerve being bothered. The low sternal pain was from my band moving up and down causing inflammation and early signs of erosion. I was so relieved to hear that I wasn't crazy all these years! Recovery Post-op has been great. Better than with the band. I wish I had done this the first time and saved me so much trouble, pain, money and family anguish.

I haven't read through all the comments but let me tell you, you are not alone. The band has a HUGE failure rate. In fact, I've heard (unconfirmed) that it's going to be pulled off the market next year. I had a band place in 2007, I lost 100 lbs and it worked great for 6 years. I got pregnant in 2013 (after years of trying! Yay!) and it all went downhill from there. I regained the 100 lbs plus 37 more over the next 2 years. The band had broken and adhered to my liver. Pain, vomiting, acid reflux. I couldn't live like that. I didn't even care as much about the weight as I did being uncomfortable every moment of my life. I finally talked to a dr about a revision and she told me that they have discovered the bands only have a "lifespan" of 8-10 years before they break. They are having TONS of band patients coming back through and getting revisions or just plain removals. I had it removed yesterday FINALLY! I am so happy. I am beyond happy. I'm thrilled. I will be having RNY (due to my horrible reflux I was having with the band) on March 10th. (They remove first and give time to heal.) I totally understand your feelings of failure. I haven't told many people about the whole thing cuz I just hate the way I feel about it. But it got to the point that the band was working against me! Healthy food hurt. Fruit, broccoli, nuts, Peanut Butter, Water EVEN, caused me extreme pain. But unhealthy stuff like mashed potatoes, ice cream, sour cream, dips and sauces, all went down with very little pain. I felt like it was shock therapy. Good foods = pain. Bad foods = no pain. How could I maintain any sort of healthy diet with that pattern?! I feel like I've been given a second chance here. I'm running with it. I feel your pain, I really do. But I'm working towards not giving a crap about what other people think because I need to do me and get healthy. That's the bottom line. The embarrassment is so hard though.

I am also having a revision from sleeve to RNY. my diet and stay in hospital for both surgery's is the same 2 day pre op diet and 2 day hospital

I had the sleeve done back in 2011. do your research if you have reflux. I am about to go in for revision surgery to RNY because due to the sleeve I now have severe gerds. I've been suffering from it for the past 5 years. Make sure you research each surgery. I think I read that if you suffer from acid reflux you should not get the sleeve. since coming back on here I have noticed a lot of people being revised from sleeve to RNY.