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Thanks so much for the replies everyone. I have an appointment with my surgeon coming up and wanted to spend more time asking him about whether my revision is one or two surgeries. He briefly mentioned he usually does it in one, but I want to ask more questions. I just want to prepare mentally. Do any of you ever feel like this whole process can be mentally exhausting sometimes or am I the only one??

How long had you had your band before having the revision?

@@Lina123 Girl...there is no way, if I could go back, that I would ever choose again to do the revision. The doctor can't possibly know exactly how much weight you'll lose, everyone is different. I got down to 118 pounds myself...way TOO LOW! I've been on TPN (fed thru a central line in my chest) and thru a feeding tube for months now to gain weight back. I've been extremely malnourished and it was my life-line. I take all kinds of medicine and vitamins and supplements just to get by. Please do all the research and try all kinds of GERD medicines before you commit to a revision. If you have any other questions please don't hesitate to ask. Also there is a Facebook page called Gastric Bypass Complications that might be able to answer some too.

Gerd, laparoscopic sleeve to laproscopic bypass. Hi all. I originally had my surgery in TJ, Mexico February 23,2013 starting weight was 255lbs. I lost weight till about September 23,2013 my weight was around 184-181lbs stable. I remained and Maintained that weight till September 2014. I lost about another 10lbs. The lowest I was around 170 or 169lbs. I know I had no restrictions eating what so ever. I had a sweet tooth and still do. I did have minor acid reflux prior to surgery but nothing enough for me to take medication for it. As soon as I had my sleeve done I was on omprezole 40 mg once a day. Till my gastronologist recommended I have a endoscopy done. Worst choice ever. Since I did my endoscopy February 2015 till today almost a year ago I take omprezole twice a day... Sometimes even three times. My symptoms have become worse. Long story short I have done upper GI about two weeks ago and it is confirmed I have severe gerd. My doctor which is here in LA.. Adviced to have a revision surgery to gastric bypass. That would cure my gerd 100%. Mind you after the sleeve I was vitamin b deficient and vitamin d. My vitamin D levels were very low now I'm at normal but still do take my dose of 50,000 units of vitamin d once a week. My vitamin b is well. Other then gerd that is still irritiaring me, my vitamin levels which are under control there are no other major issues. I'm extremely scared for a revision to a bypass. Even though the doctor told me the most I'll lose is another 20lbs, not to expect more weight loss. What if I don't loose or what if I loose to much. I'm scared what if I become malnourished. I already have hair loss for the past year tons of them. No idea.. What to do. I signed the surgery consents but no date yet. I should expect a date in end of February. I want to know if anyone has had a revision? I was 23 when I did my sleeve now I'm 26. On the positive side I am wondering if I will ever be satisfied with my weight. Hoping I'll be 130????????????. I have gained weight with the holidays etc no excuse but I am 178 lbs ????. Main issue is gerd. I have one person near and close mentioning my weight it's my boyfriend. He isn't good support he has no idea about my past journey and how far I've came. I don't know but sounds like I have some issues.

Gerd, laparoscopic sleeve to laproscopic bypass. Hi all. I originally had my surgery in TJ, Mexico February 23,2013 starting weight was 255lbs. I lost weight till about September 23,2013 my weight was around 184-181lbs stable. I remained and Maintained that weight till September 2014. I lost about another 10lbs. The lowest I was around 170 or 169lbs. I know I had no restrictions eating what so ever. I had a sweet tooth and still do. I did have minor acid reflux prior to surgery but nothing enough for me to take medication for it. As soon as I had my sleeve done I was on omprezole 40 mg once a day. Till my gastronologist recommended I have a endoscopy done. Worst choice ever. Since I did my endoscopy February 2015 till today almost a year ago I take omprezole twice a day... Sometimes even three times. My symptoms have become worse. Long story short I have done upper GI about two weeks ago and it is confirmed I have severe gerd. My doctor which is here in LA.. Adviced to have a revision surgery to gastric bypass. That would cure my gerd 100%. Mind you after the sleeve I was vitamin b deficient and vitamin d. My vitamin D levels were very low now I'm at normal but still do take my dose of 50,000 units of vitamin d once a week. My vitamin b is well. Other then gerd that is still irritiaring me, my vitamin levels which are under control there are no other major issues. I'm extremely scared for a revision to a bypass. Even though the doctor told me the most I'll lose is another 20lbs, not to expect more weight loss. What if I don't loose or what if I loose to much. I'm scared what if I become malnourished. I already have hair loss for the past year tons of them. No idea.. What to do. I signed the surgery consents but no date yet. I should expect a date in end of February. I want to know if anyone has had a revision? I was 23 when I did my sleeve now I'm 26. On the positive side I am wondering if I will ever be satisfied with my weight. Hoping I'll be 130????????????. I have gained weight with the holidays etc no excuse but I am 178 lbs ????. Main issue is gerd. I have one person near and close mentioning my weight it's my boyfriend. He isn't good support he has no idea about my past journey and how far I've came. I don't know but sounds like I have some issues.

Hi all. I originally had my surgery in TJ, Mexico February 23,2013 starting weight was 255lbs. I lost weight till about September 23,2013 my weight was around 184-181lbs stable. I remained and Maintained that weight till September 2014. I lost about another 10lbs. The lowest I was around 170 or 169lbs. I know I had no restrictions eating what so ever. I had a sweet tooth and still do. I did have minor acid reflux prior to surgery but nothing enough for me to take medication for it. As soon as I had my sleeve done I was on omprezole 40 mg once a day. Till my gastronologist recommended I have a endoscopy done. Worst choice ever. Since I did my endoscopy February 2015 till today almost a year ago I take omprezole twice a day... Sometimes even three times. My symptoms have become worse. Long story short I have done upper GI about two weeks ago and it is confirmed I have severe gerd. My doctor which is here in LA.. Adviced to have a revision surgery to gastric bypass. That would cure my gerd 100%. Mind you after the sleeve I was Vitamin b deficient and Vitamin D. My vitamin D levels were very low now I'm at normal but still do take my dose of 50,000 units of vitamin d once a week. My vitamin b is well. Other then gerd that is still irritiaring me, my vitamin levels which are under control there are no other major issues. I'm extremely scared for a revision to a bypass. Even though the doctor told me the most I'll lose is another 20lbs, not to expect more weight loss. What if I don't loose or what if I loose to much. I'm scared what if I become malnourished. I already have hair loss for the past year tons of them. No idea.. What to do. I signed the surgery consents but no date yet. I should expect a date in end of February. I want to know if anyone has had a revision? I was 23 when I did my sleeve now I'm 26. On the positive side I am wondering if I will ever be satisfied with my weight. Hoping I'll be 130????????????. I have gained weight with the holidays etc no excuse but I am 178 lbs ????. Main issue is gerd. I have one person near and close mentioning my weight it's my boyfriend. He isn't good support he has no idea about my past journey and how far I've came. I don't know but sounds like I have some issues.

Hi all. I originally had my surgery in TJ, Mexico February 23,2013 starting weight was 255lbs. I lost weight till about September 23,2013 my weight was around 184-181lbs stable. I remained and Maintained that weight till September 2014. I lost about another 10lbs. The lowest I was around 170 or 169lbs. I know I had no restrictions eating what so ever. I had a sweet tooth and still do. I did have minor acid reflux prior to surgery but nothing enough for me to take medication for it. As soon as I had my sleeve done I was on omprezole 40 mg once a day. Till my gastronologist recommended I have a endoscopy done. Worst choice ever. Since I did my endoscopy February 2015 till today almost a year ago I take omprezole twice a day... Sometimes even three times. My symptoms have become worse. Long story short I have done upper GI about two weeks ago and it is confirmed I have severe gerd. My doctor which is here in LA.. Adviced to have a revision surgery to gastric bypass. That would cure my gerd 100%. Mind you after the sleeve I was Vitamin b deficient and Vitamin D. My vitamin D levels were very low now I'm at normal but still do take my dose of 50,000 units of vitamin d once a week. My vitamin b is well. Other then gerd that is still irritiaring me, my vitamin levels which are under control there are no other major issues. I'm extremely scared for a revision to a bypass. Even though the doctor told me the most I'll lose is another 20lbs, not to expect more weight loss. What if I don't loose or what if I loose to much. I'm scared what if I become malnourished. I already have hair loss for the past year tons of them. No idea.. What to do. I signed the surgery consents but no date yet. I should expect a date in end of February. I want to know if anyone has had a revision? I was 23 when I did my sleeve now I'm 26. On the positive side I am wondering if I will ever be satisfied with my weight. Hoping I'll be 130????????????. I have gained weight with the holidays etc no excuse but I am 178 lbs ????. Main issue is gerd. I have one person near and close mentioning my weight it's my boyfriend. He isn't good support he has no idea about my past journey and how far I've came. I don't know but sounds like I have some issues.

Gerd, laparoscopic sleeve to laproscopic bypass. Hi all. I originally had my surgery in TJ, Mexico February 23,2013 starting weight was 255lbs. I lost weight till about September 23,2013 my weight was around 184-181lbs stable. I remained and Maintained that weight till September 2014. I lost about another 10lbs. The lowest I was around 170 or 169lbs. I know I had no restrictions eating what so ever. I had a sweet tooth and still do. I did have minor acid reflux prior to surgery but nothing enough for me to take medication for it. As soon as I had my sleeve done I was on omprezole 40 mg once a day. Till my gastronologist recommended I have a endoscopy done. Worst choice ever. Since I did my endoscopy February 2015 till today almost a year ago I take omprezole twice a day... Sometimes even three times. My symptoms have become worse. Long story short I have done upper GI about two weeks ago and it is confirmed I have severe gerd. My doctor which is here in LA.. Adviced to have a revision surgery to gastric bypass. That would cure my gerd 100%. Mind you after the sleeve I was vitamin b deficient and vitamin d. My vitamin D levels were very low now I'm at normal but still do take my dose of 50,000 units of vitamin d once a week. My vitamin b is well. Other then gerd that is still irritiaring me, my vitamin levels which are under control there are no other major issues. I'm extremely scared for a revision to a bypass. Even though the doctor told me the most I'll lose is another 20lbs, not to expect more weight loss. What if I don't loose or what if I loose to much. I'm scared what if I become malnourished. I already have hair loss for the past year tons of them. No idea.. What to do. I signed the surgery consents but no date yet. I should expect a date in end of February. I want to know if anyone has had a revision? I was 23 when I did my sleeve now I'm 26. On the positive side I am wondering if I will ever be satisfied with my weight. Hoping I'll be 130????????????. I have gained weight with the holidays etc no excuse but I am 178 lbs ????. Main issue is gerd. I have one person near and close mentioning my weight it's my boyfriend. He isn't good support he has no idea about my past journey and how far I've came. I don't know but sounds like I have some issues.

This is good to hear. I too have the 4cc band. Hoping not too much scar tissue is there and I can heal quickly. Currently on day 4/14 of all liquid diet because of the revision.

I also have had all three WLS procedures. The Lap Band in 2/2008, the Sleeve in 9/2010 and then the Bypass in 7/2014. I personally have nothing bad to say about the Sleeve, except I ended up with severe GERD. I lost a lot of weight with it, but needed to revise to keep my food down so to speak. I'm doing well with the Bypass. My GERD is gone and my blood sugar and blood pressure are both excellent. Even my cholesterol. The choice belongs to the OP, and I only hope that she does as much research as she can. It's an individual decision and only she can make it the right one for herself.

I didn't have a revision, but. When I met with my surgeon I was wanting the sleeve and he said bypass because of my medical history.

The points you mentions above are mainly my reasons with choosing to do RNY for my revision. Hopefully I will have no issues too

I had band to sleeve revision on 12/1, and have lost 20lbs so far. With the band I only lost 25lbs and then got preg and gained 50. For me the sleeve was my personal choice and I couldn't be more pleased. I have about 95lbs total to go, but I think with any surgery/diet plan you have to be compliant. I know people who have had the bypass and 5yrs later are heavier then when they had surgery. For me cutting out my stomach is drastic enough. I don't want to mess with my bowels. If this fails it's my own doing. It's a personal choice, and one you need to decide after research and self analysis. You know what you can handle. No one else does. Good luck.

I am still in the process of fulfilling requirements for insurance submittal for revision to RNY. I have considered a sleeve, but after much research I have decided on RNY. I wish I had done it from the get go. I feel sleep and band are similar... I feel I have better chance at weight loss with RNY, as scared as I am to go through it... But I am soooo done with band! Make sure you have a very experienced surgeon....revision surgeries are not easy.Dont be afraid to change.

I just had sips Dec 18th, revision from sleeve I got in 2008. I didn't have any issues when I got the sleeve but noticed if I eat hamburger it sits like a rock in my stomach. They didn't do anything to my stomach so guessing it could be still a little swelling or something at the connection below my stomach. I am mostly eating soft things like I should though, but had to have a bite of a meatball one night. I am more worried that i'm not going to lose. I was supposed to get the DS and I woke up with the sips instead and no idea they were doing that surgery at that hospital. Now that I had my rant with the surgeon i'm just moving on. I'll be happy to get under 200 or even to 180, only lost 70lbs with the sleeve. I'm 264 right now, 274 surgery day. But consider that from eating liquid diet. Keeping fingers crossed and glad I found a place with sips people.

Hi Niki - I just found this thread and I am so sorry that things have not gone well. I had the sleeve done July 1, 2013 and did real well until the beginning of 2015 when I started have bad gerd, pain in my stomach and major issues with bloating. After months of tests, it was discovered that my gallbladder was no longer functioning and in May 2015 my gallbladder was removed. That helped with the bloating and some of the pain, but not the gerd. Finally it was decided to do a revision to a bypass this past October. The gerd is now gone, but now I have a painful spot in my stomach about 3 inches above my belly button - like a large knot - and I am gagging and throwing up about once a week. I am waiting to have an upper GI to see if I have a blockage. I am a little nervous, but hopefully we will figure it all and I will be better soon. I hope that things are somewhat better for you. I will keep you in my prayers.

I have Coventry also which is now Aetna. I had a 6 month supervised diet I had to do as well as psych evaluation and various other testing. My insurance seems to take forever to approve of referrals and to approve of the surgery. I am thankful they did approve it. I tried in 2008 to get the lap band and the insurance I had at that time would not approve it. After hearing about all the revisions of lap band to sleeve I am kind of glad the previous insurance didn't approve of the surgery. My surgery date is Jan 26th and I have been approved for 1 night in the hospital.

So glad to hear this.... I hope in few months I will be able to feel the same when I get this band out and have my revision.... Few years ago my husband kept telling me that I need to get this band out, but I thought I can make it work.... He was right, I should have started going revision route a long time ago.

I am still in the process of fulfilling requirements for insurance submittal for revision to RNY. I have considered a sleeve, but after much research I have decided on RNY. I wish I had done it from the get go. I feel sleep and band are similar... I feel I have better chance at weight loss with RNY, as scared as I am to go through it... But I am soooo done with band!

If your surgeon said something about removing the band, then it can be done. Bands are removed. When did you have the band/plication surgery? It's difficult to know what you mean by "it is tight around the band" and whether that or the port or both are problematic. If by "tight" you mean you're having difficulty eating, you just may need a bit of saline removed. It would be irresponsible to do more than speculate based on the info you've given, which will get you nowhere, and I'm no surgeon. Your questions should be discussed with the surgeon. Prepare a list of everything you want to know before to take to you appointment. If you see a psychologist and these events related to surgery are having a negative effect on your mood, please discuss it all in your sessions. Keep in mind that, if your band does have to go, it doesn't mean that your wish to lose weight is doomed. Many people whose bands are removed for cause revise to another procedure. If you had a medical plan that covered your band/plication, there are considerations as to whether it will cover a new procedure (your current BMI is a major factor; the insurance coordinator at your practice can go over this with you). It will cover band removal, though. Please post more about what you find out and the outcome.

@@gowalking This was a good thread till I saw this. For heaven's sake, stop bashing surgeries that did not work for you. I understand you had issues with the band, but lots of others including myself have done well with it and are happy. Your initial post about why you are revising is fine. It's your story and you have every right to speak to it. But this post is unnecessary.Honey you are new to the game.I just had a 5 hour revision surgery because My esophagus band stomach ....major organs are messed up from years of having that lapband!I am speaking from experience!I am not new to the rodeo of WLS!I have had the band since 2004.I will say what I please. With all due respect, you're missing the point of my issue with your statement. I'm very sorry you have had obviously serious issues with the band and your story is not to be dismissed. It's the blanket statement you made that I have issues with. There are plenty of long time bandsters who are just fine. Alex Brecher, the founder of this site, is one of the first people who comes to mind. Again I will toss my hat into the ring. My best friend of 30 years, was banded about 5 years ago. He was all motivated and did everything right and initially lost some weight. He went from being 5' 8" and 280 or so, to today's weight of about 230ish, he fluctuates between 225 and 235. He did a tour in Afghanistan as a civilian two years ago, and lost a great deal of weight (Not a whole lot to do at Bagram). He came back and had a 1.5cc fill done that was just a bit too tight, but with his weight loss, the doctor assumed he would continue to lose weight and would grow into the fill. WRONG. He could no longer eat hard foods and as such sort of went on to soft calories. He endured this for about a year, and went in a couple months ago and they took out .5cc. Again he began to lose weight, but because there is no ill effect for him if he eats a snickers bar, he does. He walks 20K steps a day, including a 1 hours run every morning, but takes in so many calories he's hovering. He asked his doctor about a revision, and was sort of upset that the band was not really doing much for him any longer. His doctor said that, he would be considered a success as he's lost and maintained 50+ pounds for several years. However the doctor said that the band is really being scaled back to a very particular group of people. Folks who do not have a great deal of weight to lose, and other very specific populations. So in the end, is the band evil? No. The long term results are not what was expected, but if we go back in time, neither were the first bypass patients. A great many who died, as doctors spent about 10 years working out the right length for the Roux limb, they tried everything from as little as 25cm to the standard today of 150cm. A great number of those people with 25cm or 50cm Roux limbs are either dead, revised, or having a terrible time trying not to starve to death. The Band was new, novel and pretty simple. In addition, Doctors saw a long stream of visits for fills, adding revenue. Best of all, it is removable with (not always, ulcers are a real problem) little side effects. So the big push was really a well calculated experiment. It works in some people, and not others. Those, like my friend who never dealt with food addiction, perform poorly compared to those who deal with this aspect. Alex had the right motivation and mindset, and after having written so many books and being involved with this website, he is sort of forced to maintain his weight. If he had a big regain, it would have the effect that Dr Atkins dying had on the whole Low Carb thing. I do not think the band will go away completely, and I am sure that the makers are working on new revisions to stay profitable and in business. Much like the bypass did. This gets back to my post here about the sleeve. Much like the band 10 years ago, there are no long term, peer reviewed head to head studies comparing the sleeve to the bypass. It has not undergone that revision phase that is so essential. Perhaps in 5 years the sleeve will be done a little differently, perhaps it will incorporate some bypass features into it. There is no telling. For ME it's too new a procedure, and I have GERD so it was a non starter. I hope that anyone having it has nothing but success, as I do with anyone having any procedure. But a quick look back at medicine shows that many times things that were seen as good turned out in the long run to have completely unintended side effects, anyone remember Thalidomide? Medicine is science, and science takes time to perfect.

If the doctor can't give you a concrete medical reason that the sleeve would be better for you despite your desire for the RNY, I would be a little suspicious of his motives and skills. There are legitimate reasons some people should have the sleeve over the bypass but if he honestly can't give you any and is pushing something you don't want... I don't know if I would feel comfortable continuing at that office. This is your body and whichever procedure you get is going to change you and your life forever. It should be your decision if there are no medical reason's otherwise. That being said, there are a lot of people who start at a high bmi and have a lot of success with the sleeve, from what I've seen. I personally chose the RNY because my weight when I started the program was about 400 pounds and I wanted the most bang for my buck. Not to mention, a LOT of people who get the sleeve eventually have to revise to bypass anyway. One major surgery is enough for me.

I chose to revise from band to bypass because 1) I had reflux from the band and that is also a more common complication of the sleeve 2) because I chose the latest/greatest with the band and didn't want to make that mistake again and 3) I liked the added malabsorption component of the bypass. If you are diligent about taking vitamins, you shouldn't have any issues with malnutrition. When I first went to see my dr., it was his nurse who was talking sleeve, sleeve, sleeve. My dr. probably does more sleeves than bypass now too, but I am thrilled to have done the bypass instead.

I was denied twice through UHC. I hired Lindstrom Obesity Advocacy in May. FINALLY AFTER MANY MONTHS MY REVISION SURGERY HAS BEEN APPROVED!!!!! THANK YOU WALTER & KELLEY LINDSTROM, Lindstrom Obesity Advocacy, FOR NOT GIVING UP AND FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN! I'm so excited I can hardly stand it. 2016 is going to be a year of wonderful changes in my life!

Congratulations I agree 100% with you. I was banded for 6 years and almost 2 months before my revision on 12/31/2015. I feel so much better in just a week. And that's through the pain of healing.