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:eek:Everyone I know that has has the lap band.. Has been dis-satisfied with it ! In most cases.. it does what it is supposed to, BUT.. the side effects are the HUGE negative. When I was contemplating My choice of surgery, I very quickly Ruled out the lap band First off, The next "OFF my list" was The D.S. !! I then thought i needed the Mini-Bypass, ( I chose Dr.Alberto Aceves, BTW ) And he voiced his concerns, With my BMI ...saying,.. At my weight at the time..He didn't feel it was safe to perform the Mini ByPass, and Then Suggested I consider the gastric Sleeve, .. SO.. I did some more research.. and agreed the sleeve was for me.. It was less Invasive,.. NO FILLS or adjustments, Less risk, Faster recovery, And what I liked the best.. None of the mal-Absorption issues or Dumping syndrome. It has Now been 6 month since my Gastric Sleeve, And I have lost over 115 lbs !! I am eating healthier, and am OFF all The Meds I was On !! and I don't need that #$%ing C-PAP machine.. which i could Never use anyway ! I have 2 close friends.. That are getting a revision.. ( removing their bands and getting the sleeve Like me ! :biggrin:THANK YOU DR. ACEVES !!!!!:tongue2:

1. A LBL always includes a TT, buttock lift, and outer thigh lift. If you only need the back done, it is possible to just get a buttock lift and outer thigh lift, without the TT. This would technically not be a LBL, but rather a buttock/thigh lift. Basically, it would be the back part of a LBL incision. This does not prevent you from getting a TT in the future. WHile it is unusual for someone to only need the back done, and not the front, it does happen occassionally. 2. I think that if kids are in the plans within the next few years, than waiting for the TT is reasonable. You are right that the belly will stretch out a bit, and many people have a small revision after the kids. 3. Scars can be "stuck" from adhesions to deep tissue. This is very common and can be seen in any scars. There are ways to fix this without a TT. You can have a scar revision in which the adhesions are cut and it will no longer appear "stuck". Sometimes, fat or other things can be placed underneath to correct a divot. 4.see#3. No 5.Many procedures can be combined. I routinely combine TT with breast lift/augmentations - in fact, I just got out of the operating room for this very procedure. Combining procedures depends on your health, motivation, and skill of the surgeon. I prefer to not combine another procedure with a LBL because it is a big operation itself and requires a lot of recovery. It would be dangerous to add to this procedure.

I lost about 80 lbs with my band but gained back 40. I got banded in 2008. I am going to my first evaluation on October 1st. Very excited. I think if I didn't have the band I'd be about 400 lbs, truly so I am grateful to have had it but it's been a difficult ride. Always fill and unfill, always getting stuck, throwing up. I can't seem to find a sweet spot. The other thing I am wondering for anyone that has had the revision from lapband to sleeve: You know how you feel "full" kind of high up due to where the band is situated; well I'm wondering if with the sleeve, you would feel full lower in your stomach which I think would be more natural? Feeling full high up (I don't mean stuck) I believe IMO caused me to still feel like I had an empty stomach. Not sure if I'm explaining it right but any insight would be appreciatd.

Well I did it! After 14 years with the band almost to the day, I had the band removed, a hernia repaired, and the sleeve on October 1st. The first few days were rough due to pain but today I am two weeks out, back at work, and feeling pretty good. I am still on full liquids and start pureed foods tomorrow. I am glad to have the revision behind me and look forward to life with the sleeve

I'm 51 and having surgery on the April 27th....excited and terrified . Revision band to bypass. I was feeling like I was too old to start all over but this group gives me hope Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I turned 56 in September, had revision from lap band to Bypass on December 18th. Best decision ever!!

I agree. I'm sick of this band. Congrats on your date! My revision is May31st... 45 more days!

Awesome, congratulations. ...I am wondering why 2 years? I was band in 2005 and my paperwork for the revision was submitted to BCBSIL today and I am nervous about the outcome, really praying for an approval.

Thank you everyone for your responses! For some reason I lost this thread and glad I found it again I have been approved for my revision and I am very nervous. I am taking 3 weeks off from work then returning to a sedentary job. Do you think that will be enough? I am also going on a short cruise (3 nights) at 5 weeks out of surgery. Anyone think it will be an issue? Thank you all for sharing. I sometimes feel very alone in this whole thing and your words mean a lot to me

I had revision from lapband to bypass on Dec 28,2015....no regrets slowly healing but am so happy with my decision.

I am finally approved ...revision surgery at 51!!!!! December 28th is the date.....yay!!!!

@@Halfagain our stories are the same! Banded in 2001...removed Sept 2011...sleeved Dec 2011. Been at goal for awhile. Revision was the BEST decision ever. My port area was very sore and then weird for weeks. I got a little depressed after band was out... maybe the sense of failure? Anyway here I am years later with no regrets about my revision.

Dr Schulman I am having a revision on my TT and breast reduction from May. I am very unhappy and the Dr has told me that it will "all be on him" as far as cost for the revision. Is it appropriate to tell him while he is fixing the breasts that I want small implants to fill them out? How do I ask? Thanks!

I feel that way, too. I'm very underwhelmed with my sleeve's restriction at two years out. While heavy, dense foods are definitely restricted, calorie dense, slider like foods aren't. Only lost about 50 lbs of the 150 lbs or so I needed to lose to be at goal weight so I'm considering revision. I agree with your sentiment...if we could have been this conscientious about our diet before, surgery would be unnecessary if it weren't for the metabolic changes it has which greatly improves diabetes for those of us that had it.

Im 50! I was banded in 09 and am getting revised to bpass. Im looking at about Dec for band removal and feb for the bypass, my biggest advantage is that living with the band for the last 6 years i have a good idea of what im getting into, biggest fear is long term bypass complications. Dont really care about the flabby skin, ive already got that!

I was on the lap to sleeve revision journey until I sat down and did my homework and really thought about it.For me I look at it this way...Inhad the choice at the time back in 2004 andvI went with "The hot new trend and flavor of the month "The lapband".....misery,failure and pain......I am now if given the right opportunity going to choose the bypass...,.I am going to go for the Gold!!!! Finally!!!:-)

I had Gastric sleeve for about 5 years. I was wondering if the pouch can be fixed to the point that it can go back to its original stomach size (as in being reversed) or being revised to a different procedure? Like Gastric Bypass, Mini Gastric Bypass, etc. Anyone know this info?

as others have said, weight loss after revisions is almost always slower than after a virgin surgery. Plus you're starting at a lower BMI to boot (and starting BMI is another factor in how fast or slow the weight loss is). Honestly, even given that, you're still losing faster than most people who've had a revision (and even faster than some of us slow-pokes who had a virgin surgery!). You are doing great - I'd quit worrying about it. Stay if the scale if it's playing with your mind too much - maybe just weigh once a week or a couple of times a month. If the general trend is down, you're good.

Dracut, MA here. I had sleeve revision to bypass done on 6/18

I also have the band as on May 7th I will be having a revision to the bypass. I don't weigh much more than you. I found out I have Barrett's esophagus and I cannot do the sleeve. I was told in most cases the bypass cures acid reflux. Anyhow, I've wrapped my head around it. Side note, this is my 3rd wls surgery. I had an a Molina band that didn't adjust ( first band used) It tightened up on me and I couldn't keep food down. I went from 310 to 119, size 2. I had it revised to the adjustable band on 2007. I had foot surgery and gained about 30ish lbs. this year. I had no real issues with band but I went to talk to wls surgeon anyways and found out my esophagus was turning into a stomach and that contributed to the weight gain and then found out with scope biopsy I have Barrett's, precancerous cells. The band has to come out I know I need a tool so if bypass is what I have to do so be it. I would love to keep on touch with both of y'all. I don't understand this site fully, but if u know how add me. . Wednesday at 7, go time

Sorry to hear about your weight gain after pregnancy! That is something I fear when my husband and I discuss starting a family. As for the bypass after the sleeve... I was still loosing weight with the sleeve when I had to be revised to the bypass. I am still losing weight but since I'm 200 pounds down and 8 pounds to go to hit my goal it not coming off as fast as it did when I had more to loose. I lost over 40 pounds in the last 5 months since my bypass surgery so I shouldn't be complaining but I really want to hit my goal!!! I was very scared of getting the bypass and having my intense moved around. Very against it and tried everything I could to avoid it but honestly it's not as scary as I thought and really helped with my acid reflux. It dosnt feel much different then having the sleeve except for the dumping syndrome. Haha sounds worse then it is but when I tried drinking orange juice I had horrible stomach cramps and diarrhea for about 15 to 20 minutes. But I'm thankful because now I know oj has a lot of sugar and to stay away!!! It's really just a friendly reminder to stay away from all sugar. Not as scary as it sounds and is the best weight loss option out there. Wish I would have just went for the bypass to begin with!! Let me know what happens and if you do have the bypass! Sending prayers your way!!

Aetna has always required a nutrition program. There were some very minor changes made to their Clinical Policy Bulletin for Obesity surgery on 12/18/09. The only changes were: "This CPB has been revised to state that the StomaphyX device for bariatric surgery repair or revision is considered experimental and investigational. This CPB is revised to state that a multidisciplinary preoperative surgical preparatory regimen or a physician-supervised nutrition and exercise program must have a substantial face-to-face component. This CPB is revised to state that the preoperative surgical preparatory regimen must be for three consecutive months, and must be provided proximate (within 6 months) prior to the date of surgery." The full CPB can be found at Obesity Surgery I highly recommend for anyone considering WLS to thoroughly review your insurance company's policy yourself. Its important to verify that you meet the requirements, but also to argue your case if it goes to appeal. I had to do two appeals w/Aetna to get approved. The way I was approved was by arguing that I met the intention of the requirement as stated in the background. So, it helps to read the whole thing, not just the summary.

JudyDF, there is a Fill Centers USA location in New Jersey in Mount Laurel. Here is the link www.fillcentersusa.com I am having my surgery 6/29/10 with Dr. Juan Antonio Lopaz Corvala at Hospital Angeles. I wanted to be in a full service hospital with an ICU and ER. Also, he is an Allergan proctor (he teaches doctors in the US and Europe to do the band). I researched THOROUGHLY before deciding on him and I am thrilled with my decision. Mind you, I had a gastric bypass 10 years ago, so this is a revision. It's a BOB (band over bypass) so its a little more expensive. I am paying $6500.00 but for someone who has never had WLS, I believe the price is $6000.00. I have set up aftercare with a doctor 5 minutes from my house. When I spoke with him, he was VERY understanding of the situation with regard to my insurance excluding WLS and he agreed to do my fills and aftercare without hesitation. I would call around to different lap band surgeons, not everyone feels the same way. :thumbup:

My name is Jamie and I started my weight loss journey many years ago but my surgery journey started in February 2010. I was 330 pounds at 27 years old. I was always a healthy person but after 4 knee surgeries I gained over 100 pounds and tried EVERYTHING to try to loose the weight. When I hit 330 I knew it would end up being life or death. I attended a bariatric surgery meeting at my mothers suggestion. After meeting with my surgeon and discussing all options with my husband we decided on the lap band. (Man was that a mistake) I had the lap band surgery in May 2010 and it only took me 3 weeks to recover!! I thought I had done enough research to prepare my self but I was very wrong. Eating was hard and I was seeing the Dr almost every 4 to 6 weeks for 3 years trying to figure out where the perfect fill was. After 3 frustrating years of throwing up and learning how to cheat with the band we decided it was time to revise the band. I decided to do the a sleeve, it seemed like a safer and less invasive surgery. I was very excited to start this new journey after seeing co workers have great success with it. I had my revision to the sleeve May 2013. The recovery was much harder then the recovery from the band and I think it was due to doing the band removal and the sleeve revision at the same time. After 6 weeks I was as good as new and dropping weight at a nice pace. I was very excited to eat right and exercise because I was actually loosing weight!!! After the first 3 months I began to get really painful chest pains. Being a person that never had to deal with acid reflux, GERD or heartburn I didn't know what the pain was from. I went back to my Dr and he began seeing me every 2 - 4 weeks and we tried every acid reflux, hernia, heartburn and GERD medication we could. By the time I was 10 months out I was in such bad pain and no medication would help my Dr decided we needed to revise my sleeve to the full bypass to eliminate the acid from being created in my stomach. I am very unhappy with this decision so I went to 3 other doctors that specialize in acid reflux and weight loss surgery and sadly they all agreed with my surgeons prognosis. We began the insurance approval process and it was a little harder to get the bypass surgery approved this time since I am 178 pounds and they didn't see a reason for the surgery. Last Tuesday the pain got so bad I ended up in the ER for 6 hours as they tried to figure out how to make the pain stop. The prognosis was esophagus spasms so I had to be put on a liquid diet since eating hurt. Finally my insurance approved the surgery and my doctor is rushing the surgery date due to the severity of this issue. My revision to bypass is scheduled for May 13 2014 and I am completely freaking out!!!! This is not a surgery I want and I am concerned that I am going to have all the bypass side effects I really never wanted to have! I know the surgery is inevitable and the only way to get rid of this intolerable pain for good! I am coming top grips with it and feel more assured that this will work since I did seek other opinions from multiple specialists. I am telling my story because I really need help from others out there that may gave went thru the same issues I am and what did you do to resolve it? What should I expect to be different from the sleeve to the bypass? Please help! I am really scared and really don't want to have to go thru this again!!

I hit my one year next month and I am planning to do a sleeve to bypass revision because the sleeve did not work as well for my weightloss. I also had a significant loss and gain back before that the surgeon thinks has hindered my relose and that the sleeve didn't help me enough. What makes it so frustrating is I've been doing everything by the book and really exercising and have a physical job. :/