Search the Community

I don't see why you would consider Mexico for a place to do your surgery? I understand the pricing, but,,, what if anything ever happens like a leek? What will you do? I mean you must go back to your original surgeon for repairs or revision. I have a 4 cc band, I went to a Center of Excellence in Michigan. My Doctor put 2 cc;s in and by the time I got home it blew!!! Now how can a 4cc band blow with 2 cc's in it? Well it did... What would you do if something like this happened to you? You would have to travel to Mexico. No one hear would want to touch you. Even if your food gets stuck ! When you tell a E.R. that you had it done in Mexico, "this is why you are not at the hospital that did your band" They will not be comfortable with it. My band failed, and I will not get another. The sleeve is doing what the band is suppose to do. I will check into that, and yes I have to go back to the same Doctor, because no one will touch anyone else's work. I suggest you think twice about Mexico, and twice about the band. More and more are coming out that they are defective. To all of you that love your band "been there". I wish you all luck.

Natalie, Thank you so much for your story. I swear to god, I thought I was reading my own story. You and Wasa are an inspiration for me. I was banded 05/08. I have $400 left to pay for my band surgery and then I will go in debt again to get the sleeve. I am so sick of being miserable. Hopefully, I will be able to get a revision before the end of the year with Dr. Aceves. He and Dr. Campos have been a god send for me in trying to make the band tolerable until I can afford to switch as I received no help from my original surgeon in Phoenix. Fortunately, I only live about an hour drive away from Dr. Aceves and can get there easilly for a "bail out" to keep me going for a time. It is too damn bad that so many people are getting sucked into the banding.

Hi everyone! Looks like I'm the first one here. So let me be the first to welcome you all and invite any questions or comments you may have. Here is my story, in all it's revolting detail: I was banded (Realize) in June 2008 and received my first fill in July. (3cc's). I followed my post-op diet to the letter, but began vomiting shortly after my fill. *I thought it was my fault for overeating/under-chewing, etc. I tried to change my eating habits & put up with the vomiting. I was always hungry, and never had that "early and prolonged feeling of satiety" that I was promised. When I tried to eat anything it didn't matter how slowly and carefully I chewed, I went from being hungry to being in agonizing pain with no warning whatsoever. The vomiting would follow anywhere from 45 minutes to 3 hours later. *When this didn't get better, I got the band completely deflated, but that only helped for a couple of weeks. *By September, my stomach had herniated up through the center of the band and I was fully obstructed. This required an emergency 2nd surgery to reposition & re-secure the band. *I decided to give the band another try because my surgeon told me he had never heard of anyone slipping twice, and I felt that I had come through too much to give up yet. * I had my first fill (3 cc's again) in November '08 and began vomiting again in early February '09. I ran to my surgeon to get deflated, got re x-rayed and he informed me that my band had slipped AGAIN. Time for surgery #3. * For the majority of the time that I had my band, I walked around with some degree of obstruction, and my diet was limited to liquids & puddings. *I had to go out of town one weekend & tried to eat a small sandwich & ended up vomiting so hard that there was blood in it. *I was deeply concerned about the damage that I was doing to my stomach, esophagus, and teeth. *I lived in constant fear of choking on my own stomach acid as I refluxed in my sleep. (There are documented cases of band patients actually dying from this!) *I had to buy a wedge-shaped pillow to elevate my torso, but it didn't work all the time. In the last 6 months that I had my band, I did not lose a single pound despite all the vomiting. *This is because I couldn't eat anything but Protein shakes, some kinds of soft cheeses, and pudding. *The port never stopped hurting, for the entire time I had it. I couldn't wear jeans or shorts with a firm waistband, because it felt like I was being jabbed in the guts with a broom handle. Whenever I tried to exercise, I could feel it ripping into my muscles and I would be sore in that spot for days after. I felt like I had a knife sticking out of my gut for 10 months. For a weight-loss procedure to actually REDUCE your ability to exercise is unacceptable.* For a band to slip TWICE in only 7 months is unacceptable.* I don't think I could ever recommend the band to anyone.* I regret my decision immensely, not just because it was a miserable experience, but also because it ended up costing me nearly $50,000 for 3 surgeries, all of which came out of pocket since I am self-pay. I had to beg & scrape for the $13,500 for the first band surgery, and this ordeal has pushed me to the brink of bankruptcy. In March '09, I finally got my band removed and converted to a sleeve. What an amazing difference! I can now eat real, healthy food again. I am hardly ever hungry. I eat 3 or 4 bites of something and I am full for hours. I am no longer in pain from the port digging & ripping into my abdominal wall. I am not vomiting anymore. I can sleep lying down like a normal person. I no longer need to have a bucket in my car or on my nightstand. I can exercise as hard as I want and wear anything that I want. I have lost 17 lbs in the 2 months since I was sleeved, because I can finally eat healthy & nutritious food instead of Protein Shakes all the time. I am a veterinarian, not an MD. *But I have enough medical knowledge to draw the following conclusions about the band. *This is only my personal opinion. 1: There is no real way for the surgeon to secure a band to prevent it from slipping. *It cannot be sutured to your stomach. *Really it's just friction, gravity, and/or prayer that holds it in place. 2: The band sits so high up on your stomach that it is practically wrapped around your lower esophagus. *This essentially forces any solid food you eat to back up into your esophagus, causing pain, vomiting, and reflux. *Enough exposure to your stomach acid will cause ulcers in your esophagus. *This can lead to scar tissue formation, which will cause PERMANENT narrowing and/or obstruction of your esophagus. *In the medical community, this is what we call "a bad thing".* 3: The stretch receptors in your stomach that tell you you're full are located in the bottom part of the stomach. (called the Pylorus). *Because of the band, these receptors never get stretched. *Therefore you have to rely on other signals to tell you to stop eating. *Like the searing pain in your esophagus. *In my case, the first twinge of discomfort that I felt while eating meant that it was already too late and I could expect to be vomiting within the hour. 4: The purpose of any weight loss surgery is to help you lose weight. *This depends on you eating a healthful diet. *In my experience, the band actually FORCED me to eat high-calorie "slider" foods. *I could not eat rice, Pasta, bread, vegetables, meat, fruits with skin, or anything with Fiber. *One does not lose much weight on a diet of protein shakes and ice cream, but that is pretty much all I could swallow without puking. In hindsight, I really wish I had gone with the VSG to begin with. *I didn't because I was afraid of actually cutting my stomach, and the adjustability of the band appealed to me. *I thought it was the least risky of the options. *Sadly, it has turned out to be the least effective. *The more I research, the more I find droves of banded people with similar stories as mine. *Prior to receiving my band, I was told that the rate of band slippage was something around 5%. *Since then, numerous studies have been published documenting that it is more like 25-35%. *That means 1/4 to 1/3 of banded people will experience a complication requiring a 2nd surgery at some point. *A device with such a high rate of failure/complication has no business being on the market. Had I known this, I never would have chosen the band. In considering my options for revision surgery, I chose the VSG for the following reasons: 1: there is no re-routing of the intestines and hence no malabsorption. (translation = no nutritional deficiencies). *Since my family has a history of osteoporosis, the last thing I want to do is limit my ability to absorb Calcium. *Also, menstruating women will frequently develop life-threatening Iron deficiencies with malabsorptive procedures. *Also not appealing. With a bypass or the duodenal switch, you MUST take your Vitamins religiously or YOU CAN DIE. 2: With the sleeve there is little to no risk of obstruction because your pyloric sphincter remains intact 3: the stretch receptors that tell you you're full are located in the pyloric area of your stomach, and they are stimulated quickly with a long/narrow stomach pouch 4: the part of the stomach that is removed is the part that secretes the hormone "ghrelin", which is the hormone that makes you hungry. *So there is better appetite suppression than with the band even though the stomach capacity is similar. 5: there is no foreign device implanted in your body to slip, erode, or cause pain. 6: this procedure carries the least risk of bleeding & leakage compared to the bypass or duodenal switch. There is no way I could maintain the weight I lost if I*just had the band removed, either. *As soon as I was deflated, my appetite came back with a vengeance. *Even so, I could still feel that my stomach was being pinched off and I was constantly at risk for progressing to a complete obstruction, or heaven-forbid a band erosion. * If there is anyone out there who's had a gastric band for 5+ years, and isn't having problems, I'd love to hear from you. I do NOT feel like I failed the band. The band failed me. It did not do what it was supposed to, which is make me feel full and stop eating sooner. All it did was slice up my stomach, shred my esophagus, burn the enamel off my teeth, and give me a constant sharp pain in my abs. And since all I could keep down was protein shakes, I didn't even lose that much weight. And if you are one who thinks it won't happen to you because you are a model patient who follows all the rules, then think of me. I am a doctor. I researched the crap out of the band & thought I could make it work. I followed all the instructions to the letter, and my band slipped anyway. TWICE. So my advice to you is, don't be afraid of cutting your stomach. Think of it as getting a new & improved stomach that actually works the way it's supposed to, like a normal person's. I wish you the best of luck. This is a decision that only you can make. I'm sure there are some people out there who have gotten banded and are enjoying good success. I am not one of them, and I am not alone. Educate yourself and learn all you can. *If there is anything else I can do for you, I'm happy to try. Be well, Natalie

Gloria-- Here is a link to a study that was released about the sleeve. If I lost my band, I would have the sleeve revision. Of course, just because that is what I would do doesn't mean its what you should, we each have to find our own way, but I thought you might like to see the studly. Initial Outcomes Following Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy in 292 Patients as a Single-stage Procedure for Morbid Obesity | Bariatric Times Good luck.

Hi- I am also a revision and I got my sleeve at a low BMI. I lost a lot in the first week or so and I have averaged a pound or two a week since then. It's perfectly normal. Be excited about the first 10 pounds!!! My strategy: I try to weigh only once every 2 weeks - that way I am guaranteed to have some weight losss - even if it is only one pound. I have what most people consider very slow weight loss, but I am ecstatic about it! I breezed past my lowest lap-band weight and I am consistently losing a little bit every couple of weeks. Try not to get hung up on the scale - it will drive you crazy... Hang in there--- Lara

I have been thinking about this for quite a while and now it is bugging me enough to write it down here, and see if anyone else had a similar experience. I was sleeved/revised by Dr. Lopez in Tijuana on May 23, 2014. I felt very comfortable with my decision- I thoroughly researched all the doctors and have friends who have used Dr. Lopez in previous years. Also, to preface my account, I was sleeved by Dr. Aceves in Mexicali in '07 and that was an AWESOME experience!! Best hospital experience I have ever had and I have had a lot! So, back to it...Everything seemed to be going well until I woke up in my windowless little closet of a room after the surgery sicker than hell. Horrible reaction to the anesthesia which isn't new for me. The part that bothered me was that every time I tried to get anti-nausea drugs or ice chips from the staff, they treated me like I was putting them out. As a matter of fact, none of the staff was very friendly or helpful. I was never encouraged to walk or sip my Water. I found my breath exerciser thing buried under a towel on a chair still wrapped in plastic when I was discharged, with no instruction on using it. OK- here's the part that REALLY bothered me: When Dr. Lopez and another doctor came in to see me the day after surgery, Dr. Lopez started off by saying I had a great revision and they removed my lap-band and by-the-way I fixed your hiatal hernia. Well, that shocked me because I had my lap-band removed in 2009. Turns out that almost everyone I spoke with in those 5 days had a hiatal hernia repaired that they were not aware was a problem previous to surgery. Maybe hiatal hernias are very common. Maybe it was a slip of the tongue regarding 'removing' my lap-band. In any case, it's still gnawing at me and I am curious if anyone else felt uncomfortable in Mi Doctor hospital and/or with the staff of Dr. Lopez.

I was revised from band to sleeve on 8/26..I live in South NJ..I had my surgery at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia. I did awesome! No problems. I was sore first few days..able to get fluids and protein in from the start. Went back to work after 8 days. Walking 30 minutes per day. I'm still on full liquids.. I can't wait to start puréed this week..I'm still a little sluggish..my head is ready to get up and go but my body is saying relax and let me heal!! My incisions are almost healed (they were glued). I feel good!!

Well, after much discussion and worry with my surgeon I am having a lap band port revision. I am happy with this even though it will be on November 19th - only 5 months after my original surgery- you see, my port bonks against my ribs causing me considerable pain. So, we have the day and the insurance will pay - thank god. I will be out from the 19th of November until the Friday after Thanksgiving and then of course I will have that weekend as well. I am finally at a point with only 2 fills where I have great restriction and am finally losing weight, I will be all set after this surgery is competed. Wish me luck and feel free to tell me about your port revision :smile2:

I am a veteran bandster and newbie revision, band to sleeve. I just ate 15 chickens, 2 hams, 4 potatoes, a steak and some taffy. Did I mess up my staple line? ;o) (okay, I had to do this. It was a dare.)

I would also love to have a copy of the book. I am getting ready to have a revision from the band to the sleeve! Thanks! Calanne mayamom@hotmail.com Thanks so much!

<br><br>Sorry MeginNOLA, perhaps try again? I revised the link after I had problems with it, you might have used it before I got it changed... When I click the link I get the abstract downloaded to my download folder.... I am also signed in to the Thinner times site, perhaps that is it....anyway, interesting info...

My surgeon took out my gallbladder at the same time that he did the Lap-band revision to a sleeve. He said that I had an ancient, calcified stone the size of a jaw-breaker, and didn't want to take any chances with me having to have yet another abdominal surgery.

Surgery date is October 5, 2015 and my wedding date is December 5, 2015. I'm having a revision from the band to the bypass. I realize that the wedding dress I have now will have to be scrapped as I will probably lose too much... How much could I potentially lose if following all the rules? I understand that weight loss varies depending on so much. My BMI is at 38 now. Any thoughts or experiences? I didn't have rapid lost at all with the band so I don't know what to expect. Thank you!

I'm going through this exact thing after my revision to a sleeve. The lapband caused so much scar tissue that it's created strictures that won't even allow the barium to pass through for the upper GI they attempted.. I'm being referred to a surgeon.. unsure of what they will want to do. I feel scared and worried

Hi guys it's me again. I talked to Billie today and she said he looked at my films and isn't quite sure where my band is. He said it might have moved up but not sure the only way to tell is to do surgery. So Billie is sending a letter to my insurance to see if they will cover a revision or not. So hopefully they'll have an answer from the insurance company by the time they get back from California. Then if that goes ok I have to try and get some time off work. Right now my boss says I can't take any time til August or September. I may go crazy if I have to wait that long. I need to keep up with you guys to stay motivated. Sorry I missed out on whatever you girls did last night after group. It sounds like you guys had a great time. Thinking of lots of things to ask and write about. But after reading some earlier things tonight I'm a little scared to right now. Maybe I'll check back in tomorrow. I already know I have to go into work in the morning and do a couple of cases. Have a great weekend. Hopefully we will all have some fun.

I’m scheduled for RNY Revision Feb 8th from a sleeve March 2016. Wish I would have just gotten the RNY in the first place. But I’m excited and ready.

Thank you for your words of encouragement! Sorry about your reflux, I can definitely say that the revision has completely corrected that issue for me, I wish you luck and hope all goes well. As far as my protein intake, I think I have been managing fairly well especially last week. Since I knew I was going to overexert myself I upped my protein and even reached 100g a couple of the days. I am still early on so I am limited on what I can/cant eat and I am terrified of dumping so I have stayed away from carbs and sugar altogether.

Hello All! I had a Roun Y Revision done on April 5. My original procedure was 23 years ago and over time I gained 100% of my weight back. Since my original was a full open surgery I had a hard time finding the right surgeon to revise me. A lot of research, switching ins plans, and a lot of grace….. I found the Right Doctor. I was in the hospital over night. Walking at midnight with my nurse. Completed over a mile of laps around the nurses station before I came home. Since being home I have only taken Tylenol 3x! I am sipping along my clear liquids and feel really good. I really like Bariatric Advantage shakes with water. I plan to lean in to the support available this time.

Hi!!! I'm from PA! and I'm getting revision to bypass due to GERD. Thank you so much! I'm PENDED to get a surgery date today!!!!

March 19th...revision from lapband to RNY. Originally denied by insurance when I was given a surgery date February 12th. Fought an appeal and won!

Ouch! I'm not sure what I'd do if I were I were in your shoes. I have thought about it quite a bit. Not sure if I'd get another Lap-Band if I had issues with it or revise to another procedure. What is your surgeon suggesting?I meet with him Wednesday... We will see... If he does not agree with revision I will find someone who will... Glad your doing so well.. I was told "you have a failed surgery in you" by my thyroid Dr...

Just bought a copy on iBooks! Surgery is scheduled for 12/28/15, so I have a lot of reading to do! I also was banded and am revising to the sleeve.

Nope, sorry. Has there been an update to the Gastric Sleeve procedure I'm not aware of? Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App They make me insane too! We really need to update it one of these days, thanks. Update...revision didn't know sleeve had changed... Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Dr Enochs is also my doctor I am having SIPS or SADI-S Monday 3/16/2015 I had RNY 7/11/2014 So this will be a revision for me. I am currently down almost 97lbs so far with the RNY, but I am having complications with ulcers and hernias. How are you doing Mojo56?

Just wander through the site, there's a whole bunch on band to sleeve revisions. As in all things, some have difficulties, some none, and most somewhere in-between...