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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.

I just want to say that I'm so thrilled with my decision to go with a revision and I wonder why I even bothered with the lap band in the first place.. Because I didn't want to be internally altered... Like many of you, I suffered more from the band (and what it was doing to me - cutting into my liver) then from the alterations that have been made to my body by switching to bypass. I can now actually eat good foods - salad and Protein - and not throw up or be in pain. Surgery on 10/5/15 and 3 months later down 46 pounds. Awesome!

I had lap band revision surgery to RNY Gastric Bypass on December 31, 2015. There is no other weight loss surgery better. All of the issues I had with the band are gone. I know several people who have the sleeve and have regained their weight. There is no way that I would let a doctor talk me into that mistake. Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass is the best revision from lap band. I am a man - and have lost 10 pounds in 7 days. I encourage you to stick with your decision - if it means finding another surgeon.

Yeah Bobbe! Great to hear! The revision has been the best thing and so much easier then the band itself.

I just got revision from band to bypass .Post op 8 days...I couldn't be bothered with new "fad "" procedures that will evolve.I made the stupid mistake of "going with the less invasive procedure instead of the bypass back in 2004....major mistake...Bypass this time...so happy I finally got it right this time!!!!Bypass...the Gold Standard. They like to push you into the sleeve...it's a cash cow fast procedure.

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!

I am 3 months into my 6 month pre-op period. I met with the surgeon on Tuesday because I currently have a lapband I want revised. Given my diabetes (diagnosed 10/1/2015), my severe obstructive sleep apnea and being morbidly obese (361 lbs on Tuesday), I've been focused on gastric bypass (RNY). I thought for sure my doctor would recommend that as well. But I could tell from our meeting that he advocates for the sleeve. He says nearly 90% of the surgeries he'll do this year will be sleeve and that sleeve patients are less likely to have future complications and that their labs are "boring" because they don't have nutrient malabsorption issues like bypass patients. Now I'm torn. He says it's up to me - that he'll do the bypass surgery. But I'm wondering if I'm being a polyanna in thinking I won't be one of the ones that has complications. I just feel like the sleeve is a fad - it's what everyone is doing now. But there are only 5 years of available data whereas bypass has been around for 20+. Anyone else have a similar issue? I'm also concerned because I'm a revision patient. I lost about 30+ lbs with the lapband and have kept it off (which the surgeon says is actually successful!!) and I really don't want to do the sleeve and then find myself losing only a fraction of what I need to lose. Any other revision folks out there?

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.

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! I'm looking forward to this new chapter in my life!!!!

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!

Glad you got hat all worked out. I had SIPS back in early August. My insurance had a time approving the SIPS. and then they wanted a 125/175mm small intestine. the dr was POed. cost me another 3 weeks of waiting to get the insurance to revise the procedure. Then the day of surgery the DRs notes had sleeve and then SIPS, he was like I thought we were doing SIPS and he had to go ask my wife what was up. The wife said SIPS and he was OK I thought so but with two different notes he was confused. I guess that happens a lot??? I started this journey a 355 at my highest weight, In March of 2015 I was 325. I weighted 210 Monday morning, MY goal was 200 or below. the DR said 195. My endocrinologist said 192-195 he would be happy too. So with all said and done I am one happy person. MY sugar is gone, my high BP is gone. I am eating so much better and I am the healthiest I have been in 30 plus years maybe maybe 40 years. I was married 33 years ago and weighted 230 but was heavy looking. NOW I just look normal.. GYM 3-4 times a week, walking 1-2 miles daily and lifting weights on those 3-4 times. You can do this and I am pulling for you. it gets easier each day .. blessings randy

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.

Keep notes on everything for your visit to the dr.Start building your case for revision.

Hi Everyone! I'm just curious about how many of you were able to have your band removed and converted to a sleeve in one surgery or if you had to have two separate surgeries. Also, did any of your surgeons say they have a preference? My surgeon says he prefers to complete everything in one surgery assuming they're are no complications or major scar tissue. Thanks for your feedback and experiences!

I am sure your revision will bring 9 great success.

My only concern is that he goes in and says WAY TOO MUCH SCAR TISSUE and doesn't do the revision... all I can do is pray

and the top of my form says Blue Shield of California... I have ***, does that make a difference? Maybe that is why. or maybe I was sent an old form?? i'm so confused right now... The Form the representative sent me doesn't even have an effective or Revision date on it. Those sections are blank.....

I'm not nearly this far out, but everyone needs take these words to heart.... There's nothing more true. Those first few months, even the first year in no way represents what post WLS life is like. Thanks for sharing. I am only 6 months out from my revisions! I maintained with my band until I had complications and regained almost everything. The first 2-3 years were the easiest.

Contact your health plan and request a copy of their criteria for revision of bariatric surgery - this is key, because most health plans have different criteria for revision than initial surgery. Hope this helps!

Hello Everyone! I had my lapband surgery back in April 2010. I am now scheduled for revision surgery to Sleeve on January 25th. I am so excited. I am not nervous about the procedure or anything like that... what I am nervous about, is waking up and being told my doctor was not able to revise me due to scar tissue. His intention is to do it in one surgery. He does not do a second, so I feel like this is my only chance. I feel like I will be mentally defeated if I wake up without a revision. I have spent the last two months getting all my classes, labs, and weight loss in order. I am praying I wake up with a revision. Any personal stories of others who have dealt with this? Anyone know my chances of having way too much scar tissue? Thanks

Why pink girl? Have you lost any weight at all? What complications have you had re: directly linked to lap band fail. Can you not get it removed? S I have had that lapband since 2004....lost 35 pounds and struggled ,vomit,sliming,involuntary bulimic,slippage,port pain,esophagus damage,slippage,erosion....Gerd...I can keep going..finally revised to the bypass ...just had surgery December 28,....I am post op...sore and yet I feel so much better already....They should stop performing lapbands...so many are having them removed ....You will see...

I am making progress in life... and I am pretty excited about a couple of things planned for this year: -my first ever Hawaiian vacation -getting a surgery out of the way and done with so I can move on! Should be fully healed by mid Feb! -very exciting new project at work Some goals for myself: -reduce bodyfat from current 29% (a year off from serious exercise does that to you even if you don't gain weight!) down to something in the 22-24% range -keep rehabbing that hip (doing great so far!) so I don't miss out on this hiking season -get fit enough to consider that crazy Iceland riding vacation where you are in the saddle all day, riding fast and hard for a week - requires a high level of fitness! -Keep on dancing, maybe even take lessons so I am more competent! -I am just really excited about giving myself the gift of better fitness (I am at goal, but have gotten a little soft!) -work on mental focus that I seem to have lost in 2013 (the crazy year!) Some other good stuff: -I am finally formulating some ideas about what I want in this next phase of life. I haven't figured out how to get there, but it feels good to have a general direction -I really want to be in a true long term relationship but am not pursuing that until spring. It isn't really a goal, but a wish and a desire. I like to think that my head is in such a better space now that I will attract the right person, but even if I don't, I am making plans and going places! I don't believe in new years resolutions, but I do like to think about the theme of the year. 2011 was a year of anguish as I wrestled with the decision to revise from my failed band to a sleeve 2012 was the year of weight loss 2013 was the year of maintenance, plastics, meeting new people, testing the waters and feeling a little crazy at times 2014 was the year I promised to stabilize and NOT make big changes 2015 was the year to attend to unfinished business, build a solid foundation in some areas of my life that had been lacking 2016 - well the theme will likely emerge over time, but right now I am calling it the "Let it Go and Move On" year. This has to do with many things but it is really finally not letting the past regulate my future so much. It means really exploring what I want out of life and some of those goals I mention hint to that direction, but there is way more to it. I sometimes feel that I get stuck in indecision about key things in life because of fear or uncertainty ... and part of that is because I am alone/single/without a partner and that is still a foreign experience for me!

I asked my surgeon this very same question today. He says banders already know the tricks to get food in and old habits haven't been broken. This is another reason why he makes revision patients wait three months - they have to reestablish good eating habits. It's energy in versus energy out - same as the band. However seeing most of us couldn't eat with a band and weight loss is extreme due to malnourishment, it makes sense that being able to actually eat food to lose weight will take longer than a starvation method. I was mystified about this too!

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

I have Kaiser so not sure if my story is going to be the same for other insurances. I did not have my lap band put on by Kaiser at that time I had another insurance group. I got down to my goal weight. But I did have Kaiser remove my lap band 2 years ago do to slippage. Kaiser doesn't believe in the lap band so they wouldn't put another one on, they will only do sleeve or bypass surgery. I went back 2 years later on 12/14/15 to got my sleeve. I only gained back 15 pounds so my bmi was not that high. They said that I would automatically qualify because it is still considered revision surgery and I was starting to gain weight back. I didn't do any classes, pre diet, no psych evaluation, or anything.....I just had to do 2 days before surgery on a clear liquid diet. I did of course pay my deductible but that was it.