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Revision surgery is not to be taken lightly. Most revise when the current procedure has been unsuccessful or for example if your sleeve has stretched back out. I am a band to sleeve to MGB revision. I went to Mexico, dr. Rodriguez in Juarez is wonderful. However I would never have done it had the sleeve worked for me at all. Their are side effects with the MGB that I wish weren't there for sure but overall I'm happy with my choice and only 10 lbs from goal.

I am almost 3 years out from my sleeve surgery and down 130 lbs. My starting weight was 405 lbs. I consider my VSG to be a success, however, I have been gaining and losing the same 5-10 lbs for about a year. I am considering going back across the border to Mx for a revision. I would love to know what VSG to MGB patients have experienced. Especially if you chose Medical Tourism. Also - with the revision, how do they alter an already altered stomach?

Hi everyone, I am Karen and I live in the Seattle area. I had my surgery on 9/23 and I am actually a revision, I went from a sleeve to the bypass. Would love to connect with others who are starting out on the journey around the same time to share support and stories...and maybe some grumbling once in a while.

Hi everyone, I am Karen and I live in the Seattle area. I had my surgery on 9/23 and I am actually a revision, I went from a sleeve to the bypass. Would love to connect with others who are starting out on the journey around the same time to share support and stories...and maybe some grumbling once in a while.

(Long post and excuse the typos - writing on phone). I was sleeved on 9/30 and even though I did a ton of research I do feel like I overlooked, or missed a few things, so I have just a few questions for those sleeved before me. Quick back story: My surgery began around 12ish Wednesday and was over after 3:30. Doctors encountered some issues. 1. Larger than expected hernia 2. Weird stomach shape. (Small at the top and large at the bottom). 3. Loose stomach? He said it was something he nor his counterpart had ever seen, but my tummy was not set. It was swinging all over the place. They had to stitch it in place which he said would cause more nausea than normal. 4. Had to cut some abdominal muscle because of size of hernia, stomach. 5. Upper GI study showed some obstruction, but fingers crossed its just swelling. I wasn't able to HD anything down until they day I was released. Surgery took over 3 hours because of all of this. Recovery in the hospital was pretty horrendous at times and peaceful at others. I ended up having to stay 4 days. (Just released at 3pm yesterday). Q1: Is it normal to have regret, I literally have some hours were I cry and then some hours where I can't wait until months 6+ to see how far I've came. To add, when I went to get my upper GI study to see why I couldn't hold my liquids in (found it was just slowly dripping) the nurse and doctor both where asking me why in the world I got this surgery saying the usual "your not big enough," or "it seems like they are allowing smaller and smaller patients". So not what I needed to here while being told I couldn't go home and I may have an obstruction that needs a revision. Q2: This ties into Q1 because I think it's the main reason I'm struggling to appreciate my surgery. I'm still wearing the mid section binder to keep everything firm. It actually hurts terribly when I don't have it on or tight enough. I also have to use a pillow to walk since they took my staples out yesterday. I was able to walk fine in the hospital, pretty fast actually with no pain, but now it's painful to even walk to the bathroom or get up from the bed. My pain meds help, but it feels like I'm being ripped apart when I move. Any advice? I'm desperate. Q3: What's with my mouth making all the extra saliva? It's to the point I actually have to have a cup with me. Gross. Anyone have this issue or know how to stop it? Q4: Can I take benadryl for allergies now, or is it something ill-advised? Q5: Where'd you all buy a pill crusher? Q6: I started mixing benefiber in mio flavored Water.. Too soon? Q7: Ive read so any things about how to take care of my incision. What's the easiest/safest way? Q8: Am I being dramatic? Lol. Thanks all!!

I had my sleeve to bypass revision on 9/28 and was discharged on 9/30. I had to give quite a few pleases to go. He had preferred I stayed 1 more night. I had my revision due to severe acid and bile reflux and so far I have not had any problems with reflux since. I am still having some intermittent pain but nothing I can't handle. I am keeping liquids down but I am having no desire to drink at all. I am trying to force it but that is very hard for me to do. I am going to start my protein shakes tomorrow. Hope everyone is doing well!!

Hi! Life without the band has been good and bad. I am constantly struggling with trying to lose weight. I eat between 1200 to 1500 calories per day. I walk 30 to 45 minutes each day. I also do Zumba 3 times a week for 60 mins and strength training twice a week. I feel like I am not getting very far with weight loss. I haven't gained. As far as physically, I feel soooooo much better! I don't have reflux anymore and I can sleep on 1 pillow instead of 8 pillows. I still feel some restriction due to the smaller size of my stomach, I can eat more but i get full usually on half a sandwich. I still try to focus on healthier options. No more vomiting thankfully. Occasionally I have some heartburn but it is very mild and I have a history of it prior to band anyways, but definately has improved since band was removed. Today is October 4th and I can easily do ab workouts at Zumba class. I actually started working on abs about 4 weeks after removal, starting slowly and knowing my limitations and stopping when too uncomfortable. I do not regret the removal at all. It is such a relief for me. I am planning on revising to bypass hopefully next month. Best of luck to you on your band removal, you will feel better once removed. Hopefully I answered your question. If there is anything else specific that you would like to know, I would be happy to tell you anything that can help

@@395Ron don't be too worried about after surgery!! I had surgery 12 hours ago and it was a revision so they had to pull out my lapband on top of doing RNY and I feel pretty great! I was terrified before surgery but valum they gave me helped lol. I came to hospital in Mexico by myself but there's tons of other patients here all walking the halls together and everyone feels pretty good, it's not so bad.

My surgery is scheduled for Oct 13th. I had my upper endoscopy on Tuesday. Surgeon came by afterwards and said he found a hiatal hernia as well during the scope. He's already planning on repairing a large umbilical hernia, then the sleeve and now the hiatal hernia as well. I guess I'm getting my money's worth. I've had two open abdominal surgeries in the past. Both were outpatient. Both sucked outright. I'm glad that this is being done with a hospital stay and obviously glad that it's laparoscopic. FWIW.....I'd been saying all along that I wanted a bypass. The first surgeon I was working with said it was doable, but I needed to be aggressive on my weight loss leading up to the surgery (at the time I thought I had ~8 months). I switched over to another program that my insurance company mandated (a Center of Excellence certified program) and had a new surgeon. Long story short is that I dropped the insurance and chose to self fund to speed things up. My new surgeon was very clear in that he though the sleeve would be better for me. He felt that I'd benefit more from it right now....less complications with the elevated BMI, bone-on-bone knee situation, back issues....ability to use NSAIDs and reap their benefit. I was going to have hernia repair this Fall anyway......decided to go this direction at his advice. I'll work his plan hard and do what I can to get my results. Down the road.....were there ever a need......I can use my insurance and have my sleeve revised to a bypass. I am not proceeding as if this is a safety net.....but it is nice to know that there are options in the future. I do not have diabetes, nor is there any family history of it. This combined with the reasons above as well as some other issues made the sleeve vs bypass decision easier for me. Everyone has unique circumstances.

I had a revision from band to sleeve on 9/3/15. I would strongly recommend anyone who has had the band for 6 to 8 years to have it removed. There life span is not lifetime as I was initially told. Scaring is a major problem with the band. I will admit I had more problems with the sleeve than with the band but I attribute that to the problems the surgeon encountered. I had everything done in one surgery. Band removed, scar tissue removed, large hiatal hernia repair and sleeve. Most surgeons are reluctant to do band surgery anymore. Most insurance will cover revisions to sleeve as a medical necessity, mine did. I have lost 37 pounds and am back to normal food. The main difference between the band and sleeve, for me, is gas with the sleeve. Initially the sleeve caused a lot of saliva reflux but that stopped after a month.

I am so busy trying to get all the needed testing for the revision approval.I never thought about the fact that...I was never tested for Sleep Apnea.I hope my insurance approves the overnight testing.I can't remember the last time I had a good nights rest.

I just had revision surgery. Sleeve to RNY. I didn't hide it. I was miserable with GERD prior to the revision. A friend of mine had the nerve to say... "Oh man... Gastric bypass people look like bobble heads.. Your going to have a bobble head" Um really? My husband said the look on my face was priceless. Like a cross between did that just come out of your mouth and are you really that effing stupid? My face let's me hide nothing about what I am thinking! Lol

Hey! I am 5'2 currently 4 weeks post op revision sleeve to RNY. Lost 23 pounds in first 3 weeks. Stalling a bit now. Ugh. Here is a before and after of my sleeve done 4/12 and a 2 weeks before this revision in black getting ready for a run... Current weight is 168 goal is 150.

I am 9 weeks post op revision from band to RNY. I have lost 36 lbs. My dr says revision loss is different for everyone. I had a horrible band experience last year after having the band for 4 years, with my lowest weight at 79 lbs...yes SEVENTY NINE! I gained over 100 pounds after unbanding over the past year, 60 pounds gained 1 month post unbanding. So my band removal and revision 9 weeks ago had me at a surgery day weight of 211 lbs. current weight 174. Just stick to dr orders all will be fine.

I just had my pulmonary consultation.I have to get a sleep study...gotta get it done before medical clearance.

Congratulations! I am new to the board. I had my band placed in 2003, and it never worked for me. Not to mention the fact that I developed Type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea over the last few years.. I have gone back to my original surgeon and he is very on board with revising to GB. UHC will only cover it is there is something defective with the band. Good grief. I have to request a scope with my PCP, which I don't understand why my surgeon does not order one. So now I have to HOPE that I have something wrong with me in order to get mine approved. If I had $13,000 laying around, I would just have it removed and be done with it all. anyway, I am very happy for you.

I am so frustrated. My United Healthcare policy will only pay for a revision if there is a malfunction with band, which means I have to get some kind of scope to see if this is the case. The surgery coordinator at my surgeon's office informed me of this yesterday, when she could have informed me last week. For whatever reason, the surgeon won't order this scope, I have to go to my primary doctor and request one, which wastes more time. However, I am going there next week, and I am sure one will be ordered right away. Problem is, there is probably not going to be any kind of "malfunction" with the band. I doubt it has slipped, and I would assume I would have noticed some symptoms if there was erosion. So if this scan turns out normal, I am screwed. Never mind that I have type 2 diabetes and severe sleep apnea, and the cost of my healthcare will be more expensive to UHC to shell out money for my medications, when this surgery could help end these problems. Has anyone else experienced this problem? Thank you in advance.

I had lapband at 18, going in for revision to RNY tomorrow at age 26! I did great on lapband until a slip last year

Hey girls! I'm in Vacaville! I have bcbs but I needed a revision from lapband to RNY... They wouldn't pass it since bmi is 33... I'm at the airport now heading to Mexico for surgery tomorrow morning!! Good luck!! How old are you ladies? I'm 26 and can't wait to re-start this weight loss!

I gave up on trying to get my insurance to cover it and am in the airport as we speak heading to Tijuana. $6800 for band to bypass revision... I didn't want to jump thru all the insurance hoops anymore.

My doctor told me the same and told me that I could wake up to discover that he only did band removal and this was his explanation. The sleeve surgery itself is a 1 to 1.5 hour procedure. With a two in one surgery, the surgery could last much longer depending on how much damage the band has caused and repairs and also how much surgical scar tissue that must be cleaned up. If there is too much to be done/repaired, this will add to the normal 1 to 1.5 hour surgical time making the surgery less safe for you. In addition, if the repairs are extensive, there is a greater chance of leaks on the staple line afterward. Some doctors will not even consider 2 in one revision and will make you wait weeks or months for things to heal from the band removal before they'll go back in to do the sleeve. My doctor also told me that he wouldn't know what he was up against until he was inside, because unfortunately the preop tests/procedures don't show everything. I was lucky, he was able to do both. Word of encouragement for you. Same as in my case the band looked great from pretest scopes and the only thing that might hold me back was having a huge amount of scar tissue. You should be fine. Hope this helps. jake

In my opinion, if you don't have acid reflux OR diabetes, they are both probably good choices. If you have those condistions, current evidence is that bypass is a better choice. My BMI was 52 when i revised to the sleeve and I have gotten to a normal weight/size and maintained for a few years now. The challenge in making this decision is that the sleeve has been around along time but not well studied for LONG term results. It appears to work "about" as well as the bypass, but the long term data just isn't there. At a high BMI, many surgeons nudge you toward the bypass because there is a clearer, well documented long term results history documented. I had my own reasons for choosing the sleeve and I think some of it was my bias against the bypass based on personal experience. I have known 3 bypass patients close enough to see them from pre surgery, through maintenance and they all "Scared me" 1. Died. but to be honest, she died because she was a diabetic who became an alcoholic drug addict after losing all that weight. It was absolutely terrible - in her 40s and died in her sleep. This was about 10 years ago. Lets be honest, that had nothing to do with bypass vs sleeve. 2. Horrible horrible recovery. But, this was mid 1990s. It only recently occured to me that her surgery was "open" not laproscopic. At the time, I thought the horrible recovery was due to the "rerouting" but I bet it had more to do with it being open surgery 3. The surgery and weight loss really aged her. She looked terrible post weight loss and never got to a normal weight. Again, to be fair, I don't know the reasons. This is someone I worked with about 5-6 years ago. She may have had other health problems and frankly most bypass patients I have seen pictures of or have met since then look great. I recognize my own biases and my views have changed. Now, 4 years post sleeve I tell everyone that I think they are both good procedures. I think they are both excellent choices versus remaining morbidly obese and suffering the increasing health issues over time. The bypass has more documented history, many more studies, and resolves reflux problems. Sleeve has been amazing for me, and many others too... but there are no 20 year studies either.

I went back after 2 weeks and I should have taken 4 like doc told me too. I was extremely tired. Still am at 4 weeks out revision to RNY. You will not be up to going back to work at 1 week out. I could barely move around well Enough and I wasn't allowed to drive for 2 weeks.

I am so frustrated. My United Healthcare policy will only pay for a revision if there is a malfunction with band, which means I have to get some kind of scope to see if this is the case. The surgery coordinator at my surgeon's office informed me of this yesterday, when she could have informed me last week. For whatever reason, the surgeon won't order this scope, I have to go to my primary doctor and request one, which wastes more time. However, I am going there next week, and I am sure one will be ordered right away. Problem is, there is probably not going to be any kind of "malfunction" with the band. I doubt it has slipped, and I would assume I would have noticed some symptoms if there was erosion. So if this scan turns out normal, I am screwed. Never mind that I have type 2 diabetes and severe sleep apnea, and the cost of my healthcare will be more expensive to UHC to shell out money for my medications, when this surgery could help end these problems. Has anyone else experienced this problem? Thank you in advance.

Anyone around Jacksonville-Wilmington? Dr. Miles in Wilmington is my surgeon. Still working on an approval for revision from band to bypass.