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I totally understand. BUT I also had an awful scar from the 1 st surgery. And this time. My surgon revised my original scar and the new one is so much better !! And I also figured an average scar to show on a skinny belly is better than a smooth fat belly covered !!

I did chewable with the sleeve for the first 6 weeks, then switched to the regular pill. With the revision from sleeve to bypass, I started off with liquid for the first 2 weeks, then was able to jump in and take the regular pill. Ironically, I had a harder time with the sleeve than the bypass. Who knew?

I hate when I have to miss a day on this board. I am late to say, thank you to luck. So good to hear your message. We are the same height but Ihad revised my goal to 165 after seeing a girl at the clinic, she looked so great. Maybe after I reach the 165, I will revise my goal to 135 again. So darn confusing. I am getting tired of drinking everything. Even though I have moved to mushies, still, not enough chewing to satisfy me. Patience, I know. I am loving my warm broth or tea in the mornings still. I am going to the gym daily to ride a bike. (bad knees, can't walk for exercize) Hubby even joined yesterday! I am still sleeping in the afternoons alot. (2hrs, I think they implanted the siesta gene while I was in TJ for the sleeve) I am going back to work in another week. Naps will have to stop/reduce by then. LOL Lan2: you have got to get some relaxation/meditation therapy going for you. When your mind starts buzzing, you need a way to turn in down/off. Have you tried Hypnosis? The flem in your throat is a problem that can be cured with musinex or other medication, why hasn't your Dr. suggested something? My Hubby suffers from that flem once in awhile, it is a panic inducer as he feels he is choking and cannot get a breath. You do not need anything to induce panic. Work on that problem as a separate issue unrelated to the sleeve. Tiny steps girl, keep putting one foot in front of the other. huge hugs to you.

Hi all, Am new to the site so please be gentle I love reading everyone's posts. A little back story... I had the band when I was near 300lbs. I lost about 126lb after giving it my all, exercise became my friend and I was absolutely loving life. However, I always had trouble with the band. I hated the unpredictability of it - some days I was fine, others I could be throwing up multiple times a day. To cut a long story short, I am having a band to bypass revision at the beginning of November (after putting on nearly 5 stone). Am very excited! However, I'm sitting here feeling pretty disgusting after eating a family size bar of chocolate. I want to say that's the only thing I've eaten, but that would be a lie. So my question to you folks...what kind of fat person were you? Did you have have a mega sweet tooth? Gorg on takeaways? Just eat large portions? I suppose I ask because I am intrigued as to how you coped with this change post surgery? I most definitely have a binge eating disorder which I am looking into seeing a therapist about. When I had the band, my food portions weren't cut drastically overnight (apart from the initial period). It took nearly 6 months before I had any restriction, so worked my butt off during that time and took advantage of my new found motivation. My concern going forward is that I was always have this obsession with food...that I will always search for that 'full' feeling, that I will push it further than I should. Not out of greed per se, but more out of self sabotage (I seem to enjoy feeling rubbish about myself, it's what I'm used to). I'm scared of my life being dictated by food...or perhaps it always will be and I just need to deal with that? I just don't want to be fat anymore...or lose all the weight again, but just to put it back on again. I'd be interested to hear if anyone has felt the same and what your experiences are? Sorry for the rambling. Lou Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Thanks. Yes, every day gets better. This is revision surgery for me so I've been through this with the sleeve, but it was 2015 and some of the details are a bit fuzzy in my memory. I'm a side sleeper and I think after the first surgery I was able to sleep on my side after 3-4 nights. It seems like the incision pain went away quicker this time than last, although this time the gas pains lasted longer.

losing_the_band thank you very much for sharing your story. I believe I gave up easily because I was literally going into another surgery (prolapsed bladder) and just wanted to put my energy into healing. But now, 9 months out and recovered from my surgery, I'm ready for a fight! My surgeon is well experienced with revisions and I was told last year that mid-year they did more band revisions then actual bands. I believe in their skill but will they fight for me? I'm not sure. I've suffered from GERD when my band was tight, and I was told that I was STILL suffering from it even tho I had no clue that I was. My band was like everyone's band - a foreign object wrapped around my stomach. I believe that there are some for who this works well (and for a couple of years I worked my band well and was considered a "success", too). Question for you tho - what was your BMI at the time you appealed?

i already have the revision to the sleeve; but i am not losing weight. i am not a big person. date of surgery i was 170lbs and as of today 156lbs but it been almost 7 months since surgery. i should be al goal right now but thats not the case!!! Sent from my iPhone using VST

I regret having been banded. I hated it. I lived with it for 5.5 years and last month finally revised to bypass. It hurt to eat anything but I was hungry all the time and never got full. I lost weight only when I literally couldn't tolerate food. One poster mentioned that those who regret it likely aren't on here...and it's true. I didn't get back on until I became committed to revision. At the same time, I was convinced that the band would cure me because hunger has always been my issue and they promised a low appetite, but they were wrong (at least for me....and all the other revisions that are currently being done). So can I really regret it if I also would have regretted it if I hadn't gotten it? I can't say whether I'll regret the bypass, but I hope I don't. So far things have been easier than the band, and I have tolerated everything I've attempted to eat so far. There is really no way to know until you do it, which is really difficult to know.

Bypass Revision due to GERD (Horrible Reflux) Good morning, Congratulations to everyone on here who made the decision to become a better version of themselves!!!❤️ Is there anyone in the Atlanta, Georgia area??? My surgery date was 12/22/22… looking for my buddy or twin? I am 5 days post op and the first three days were challenging, but I believe it was to be expected. Just a lot of discomfort. Sooooooo, Vitamins always First and about that drinking water and getting the fluids needed. I drink all of my water with Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier - Lemon Lime - Hydration Powder Packets | Electrolyte Drink Mix | Easy Open Single-Serving Stick | Non-GMO | 16 Stick https://a.co/d/g0ZjYd9 it’s so much easier cold and I sip on it all day long. 24oz and I keep it in a Manna or Yeti cup to stay cold. I get my protein in with Evolve protein drinks and no sugar yogurts and cottage cheese throughout the day. I don’t have a hunger feeling so I have to try and time it. (All very high in protein) Evolve Plant Based Protein Shake, Double Chocolate, 20g Vegan Protein, Dairy Free, No Artificial Sweeteners, Non-GMO, 10g Fiber, 11 Fl Oz (Pack of 12) - (Formula May Vary) https://a.co/d/emMQGGo Ratio Keto Friendly Coconut Yogurt Cultured Dairy Snack Cup, Keto Yogurt Alternative, 5.3 oz https://a.co/d/6msj2k9 Good Culture Cottage Cheese Organic 4% Whole Milk Classic, 16 oz https://a.co/d/06oD97i For my calcium I take 3 chewable supplements of Caltrate Chewables 600 Plus D3 Plus Minerals Calcium Vitamin D Supplement, Cherry, Orange And Fruit Punch - 155 Count https://a.co/d/3a9w3Fn I hope this helps a little.

Something to consider when thinking about getting a revision to a vertical sleeve or a bypass. In both of these surgeries, the stomach continues to produce ghrelin (bypass) or learns how to start producing it again after the stomach is removed (vertical sleeve). They are beginning to see a number of bypass and sleeve patients come back for a band in order to control this hunger. In the case of bypass and sleeve, you still have to control what you put in your mouth and how much. Neither surgery absolves the patient of responsibility. If the posts on a few other forums (mainly bypass and sleeve people) are any indication, many of these people only lose the weight they would have as a result of surgery but never lose the rest. Quite a few end up gaining the weight back. Yes there are some successful people, but if you read their posts it's because they understand that they still have to use self-control and put in the hard work. WLS...whether band, bypass or sleeve...is not a magic bullet. At some point *we* have to put in the hard work and if we don't/won't, well then we'll just have to get used to being fat for the rest of our lives. .

Jessie-It's good to hear from you, but unfortunate for the circumstances! I hope the barium swallow shows that your slip doesn't require surgery, but merely an unfill. I went through the same thing and had to have revision surgery. My thoughts are with you.

Hiii everyone I’m Sasha. I had vsg surgery in 2018 and I will be having it revised to bypass 12/22. Looking for any surgery buddies around that time. I’m also excited to read everyone’s journeys on the subject so that I may prepare and not seem so alone. I hope everyone is well on this Saturday❤️

i revised from sleeve to rny on 9 May. Have you gone right back to the beginning with diet. I find I can eat much more. I revised due to many complications, I am below goal weight.

Hi Shel, I'm so glad I found your journal! I had the lapband in Jan 2008 and did great for the first 3 months and then blew it after I moved. Once I discovered I could eat and drink anything (including beer) it was all over. I get my revision from band to sleeve in 2 days. Just started my clear liquid preop diet this morning. I too, love the unjury powder. Used that alot with the lapband surgery and am using it again. It's been so great following your daily journal pre and post op. I'm scared but ready. You are truly an inspiration. Cheers! Deb

I am in ohio and I have Aetna as well. I am doing a band to Sleeve revision because of complications. When I met with the Nutritionist I asked her if she knew how Aetna was. Her exact words were, "they are difficult at best" I am a month into the 3 month required supervised weight loss. I don't have to actually loose any weight I just can't gain an ounce. I am really nervous about being denied. Sent from my SM-T350 using the BariatricPal App

I don't mind. I developed a heart arrythmia (atrial fibrillation) around 18 months post op. The band surrounds the vagus nerve which controls, among other things, heart rhythm. I ended up in ER with my heart completely out of rhythm, beating at a rate that was close to having me have a stroke, and blood pressure also sky high. It took seven hours to bring everything around using medication, and now I'm on medication for life. I had my band's restriction loosened so as not to touch on the vagus nerve and just went back in last month to get a bit of fill as I'm gaining weight and hungry all the time. Immediately following the small fill, I went back into atrial fibrillation. That's pretty conclusive evidence that there is a correlation, at least with my particular anatomy. If you google gastric band, or lap band + atrial fibrillation, you will see a lot of people who have now experienced this. There are several on this forum right here. So yes, I regret what I did. Living with a-fib is no picnic, and the side effects of the three medicines I now have to take have greatly compromised my quality of life: extreme fatigue, memory loss, inability to do any sports that might raise my heartrate...wish I had chosen a different path. Would a sleeve revision correct the afib?

It’s my 5 month surgiversary today!! Best decision I have ever made! I have lost 81 pounds in total, 68 post surgery. Not only do I feel so much healthier but there are so many non scale victories too. Only real downside has been losing so much hair but I would still have gone ahead with the surgery. I set my goal weight to 165 pounds because I actually don’t know how I would look at that weight as an adult. I may revise it when I get there, but it feels pretty good to be so much closer to that goal. I really hope you’re all doing well and are happy to have had the surgery. I’d love to hear about your journeys to date, the good and even the not so good 😊. Below is a before picture and one taken yesterday. I hated being in photos so I didn’t take one just before surgery but I now wish I had.

Cottage cheese and peaches and greek yogurt are my rescue foods also. There are days when I eat food, but there are days that every time I think about food I get nauseous. Dont be afraid to stay on a lighter diet when this happens. Sometimes you have to go back to lighter diet and slowly add things back to your diet. I'm on my 3rd year after having the sleeve and I've learned to pay attention to my stomach more. I was 238, surgery at 209, The smallest I got was 142, I gained back about 25 pounds but when I'm strict with my snacking I can now easily lose weight like when I was 40 but I'm 57 and the sleeve is a good surgery but I have to revise to bypass surgery due to acid reflux. Sent from my SM-J337P using BariatricPal mobile app

After two dialtions of the esophagus due to band slipping and a replacement of the port due to my body encapsulating the port with scar tissue and not being able to make adjustments my band was removed yesterday, July 5, 2012. Hopefully my insurance will approve a revision to bypass. I had lost around 87 lbs when all this started and was very please with the band. I still need to lose another 100 lbs though so wish me luck. I guess the admins should delete my account not that I no longer have the band. Good luck to you all and if you do what your doctor tells you, you will lose the weight!

dear dave, i am very new to this site, but not to lapbandtalk.com, because i was banded on 6/9/08. i slipped in march and had my band revised. i lost 104 lbs with the first band, and gained 35 with the second because i fell of the south beach diet and didnt get back on. the band is work, but it really does work if u work with it..lol....anyway, since i have lost my mojo, the doctor feels i should go with the sleeve so my surgery is nov. 1. i am not sorry i got the band, i did lose 104 lbs and probably would have continued to lose if not for the prolapse. im not sure how the sleeve with work for me, but i do not blame the band on my failure. I am still down 70 lbs, and am greatful. goood luck with your band and let us know how you make out. also visit lapbandtalk.com you will get alot of support over there......good luck again vicki

Hi all. Just wanted to provide a bit of an update on my situation. For those who may not have been following my posts, I was working toward having sleeve surgery, which I thought was to have happened within the next few weeks. My Internet research misled me, and my insurance company agent specifically misinformed me, and I didn't know until last week that my insurance carrier will not pay for sleeve surgery at the civilian hospital they referred me to. For reasons I still don't understand, they WILL pay for it if I have surgery at a military treatment facility. This logic escapes me, since the civilian hospital is a center of excellence, highly rated, and considered the best in the area for weight loss surgeries. But it's a non-issue, since my insurance won't pay. No room for discussion. At the urging of some great folks on this forum, I've been looking into getting things referred to the only military treatment facility in my state. I finally got through to someone at that facility's surgery center today, and had a frank discussion with them about my situation. I was told that if I jumped through all the hoops to make the various appointments they require to evaluate me, if I were to get my medical history transferred to them, and if they approved of the things I've done with my current surgery center, and didn't make me repeat anything I've been through, then yes, it would be possible to have surgery there -- in nine months to a year. He said if they decided not to accept what I've done, and make me do everything over again, it would be well over a year before I could expect to have surgery. Apparently, as a retiree, I am near the bottom of the priority list for surgery. Needless to say, I'm frustrated, angry, and extremely disappointed. I don't want to wait that long. I've given it a lot of thought, and have decided to go ahead and have lap band surgery, which I can have done by my civilian surgery center within the next several weeks. I realize a lot of people on this forum have terrible things to say about the band, but I've read on other forums about many more who have had good success with it. I'm going to give it a shot. If it turns out to be the wrong choice for me, then I'll have it revised to the sleeve. Hopefully, at that time, my insurance carrier will pay for it. If not, I'll make that trip to Mexico and pay for it myself. I wish everyone here the best of luck with things, and I look forward to reading of your weight loss success. Even though I won't be one of you, I'll be rooting from the sidelines for you. Thanks for all the great support you've given me in the last few months. You are a great bunch of folks. Dave

Dave, best of luck regardless of what you decide. That said, I agree with the others and think that you should really be certain you're willing to take a lesser option simply because it's easier to do. I also have Tricare, and being overseas meant that having it done at a MTF isn't an option. Tricare doesn't cover VSG and no MTFs in my area are doing the sleeve. I almost started the process to get the band instead, because I wanted surgery right away. Somehow, being fat for more than half my life became intolerable once I decided on the surgery. After revisiting LBT for a few months the trend stood out a second time: people love their bands for six months to a year, and then the complications begin. Only a handful of the folks on that board are two or more years out and still happy. There are way too many complications. Too many people can't find their sweet spot, can't keep Water down, have to unfill completely because of issues. That's not even counting the ones with slippage and erosion - the folks that usually find their way to this board and get revisions to the sleeve! I did an unsecured loan through USAA for a good interest rate. I went to Dr. Aceves in Mexicali and had wonderful, top notch care. If I were you, I'd make sure that you're willing to face the very real issues of life with a lapband before you make the decision to put one in your body. I'd either start the process with Madigan and see if they're wrong about the time frame, or I'd self pay and get it done either in the states or Mexico. My sleeve was worth every single penny of the small payment I make to USAA each month, I promise you. Best of luck to you. You know what you're willing to live with, so only you can make this choice. ~Cheri

My date is June 20th!! Sleeve to RNY revision.. liquid diet (all liquids) starts June 6.. The closer it gets the more anxious I get. I feel like I was more calm the first time around.. Is anyone feeling this way?

@@jesslla I just wanted to say welcome and congratulations for taking steps to get healthy! I had a lot of comorbitities when I had my surgery last Sept. I had type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, severe acid reflux, sleep apnea and stage 3 kidney disease. I was removed from diabetes meds before I left the hospital. Within 4 weeks post surgery I no longer had high blood pressure, acid reflux, diabetes. Within 60 days my stage 3 kidney disease was in remission and my cholesterols were normal. I chose bypass specifically because I had severe reflux and the sleeve can make that disease worse. I was already taking the strongest reflux meds at the maximum dose of twice per day. Had I had the sleeve and had trouble there would be no way to treat it other that to revise to a bypass. I chose to have WLS one time only. I wish you the best on your research journey. Make sure to be thorough and reach out if you have questions. This group is amazing and very supportive. I am excited for you!

@@VSGAnn2014 I know that my company follows Medicare guidelines when it comes to my particular plan, and they need "just" the two comorbidities. Surprisingly Fatty liver isn't a comorbidity - that kind of blew my mind. I should be fine on BMI, according to the last doctor's visit I'm at 241 lbs which has me at 38.9 BMI at 5'6". I've been relatively low carb for awhile, I'm considering putting them back on the menu prior to the consult and that should shoot me up with Water weight. Only 7 lbs more and I'm at a 40 BMI so it's definitely doable with water weight. I also have lymphedema in my left leg and it can really vary. @@jaxmom I'm so glad they covered the removal and revision! My coverage won't take care of any complications related to services that were not authorized by them, which is why I haven't considered heading to Mexico to have it done, though that is in the realm of possibility if I can't get it approved. This site has definitely been an awesome resource - it was for me when I was first banded, and it's turning into a great help again.