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I weighed 237 and was revised to bypass 7/15/15. I had very bad acid reflux too and that's why my surgeon didn't recommend the sleeve.

Welcome and good luck on your revision! Glad you found a better doctor to help you out!

Both times for my lap band and my revision to sleeve they gave me Versed after I told them I was afraid of the anesthesia. I don't even remember going into the operating room either time. I talked to the anesthesiologist and he told me that it's extremely rare for someone to wake up in the middle. They have all kinds of high tech gadgets monitoring your every response. He also told me if you have had surgery before and it didn't happen to you then, it won't in the future.

I got pregnant 11 months post op. I was working out, following plan but losing slow, which I made peace with. I had a difficult pregnancy, baby is healthy and labs were always good. I has heartburn but didn't think much of it. But post pregnancy heartburn was bad and I was not losing at all. So I found a new surgeon that would take my case. He ordered barium swallow and EDG. Those test confirmed a hiatal hernia, twisted (angulated) sleeve, and GERD. My sleeve is twisted so under the twist there is pouch effect at the bottom. So food is not exiting the way it should... Anyways, I have to have revision surgery. I still have to go through insurance requirements as I am converting to RNY. I have my last NUT appt 8/8.

Hey guys. I had POSE in June 2011. Lost 61 lbs and was within 25 lbs of goal when I got pregnant (which is one reason I had the procedure). Had our miracle baby in Nov 2012, lost all the weight from pregnancy, picked back up with bootcamps and started cross fit. Had to quit cross fit in November 2014 and in March the weight started piling back on. Lack of exercise, my stomach was stretched back out prior to the weight gain, I just kept the weight off with a buttload of working out and only maintained. Multiple nodules were found on my thyroid but benign, have PCOS...so a couple things working against me there plus what I caused myself. Anyway, now I've gained right at 30 lbs and will be going for a revision soon. There's more to my story but just wanted to share a little about me. Right now, I'm just wondering how many here have had POSE and revised to sleeve? Sleeve is what I originally wanted but insurance won't cover and I was scared of complications. Hindsight being 20/20, I should have done sleeve to begin with. If you're revised from POSE, please share your experience with me. Thank you in advance!

Hi! I am from US...Ohio. My story: Lapband Dec 2009 Revision to sleeve on 4/27/15 HW 260 Revision SW 211 CW (3 month ) 178.2

Hi...I am on my journey...had a lap band in 2010...had it removed in May 2015...have completed my phyc and nutrition.. and have OK from primary doc.. I was thinking of a revision to GS..but Dr has given me all of my options..including switch / sleeve... I am worried about thinning hair. Has any body any advice....? I have an appt with Dr in 3 wks.it's then I will tell him my decision. I'm so anxious to get a surgery date....but more worried about a DS causing hair lose or thinning. Any advise or experience would so appreciated!!!

I am having a revision from band to bypass on August 12th...this is my 3rd day of preop diet and I am doing ok...I am allowed one meal of 3 oz of lean protein and 2 C of raw or 1 C of cooked vegetables per day and I know that has been a saving grace for me... my emotions have been all over the place...excited scared anxious calm...I even had an evening where I was crying and feeling sad for the losing the person I have been my whole adult life...Crazy I know but just part of it I assume...

Hey there! I had surgery 7/13 and would really like to find a mentor or someone else in a similar phase. I live in NW Florida but location really isn't an issue as I'm assuming most of the mentoring goes on online. Hope to hear from someone soon!

@@jenn1 If you are still losing hair at over a year post op, I was advised that is most likely nutritional based. Hair loss occuring in the first year are quite likely more related to the surgery itself. My guidebook - which I still keep beside my desk by the way even after all these years - says to first suspect Iron and zinc deficiencies. Protein, especially the amino acid l-lysine might be the culprit too. My data is like 4 years old at this point but I think this info is still true. Look into the iron and zinc if you believe you are consuming adequate high quality protein. When I had surgery they said 60grams plus on the protein but my center has now revised to 80 g plus. I have a new friend who is a dietician at a different bariatric program and she told me that due to my high muscle mass type build I seriously need to be in the 80-100gram range.

I am genuinely sorry you haven't experienced lasting success post WLS. I went through that - I lost about 70 pounds with the band, regained it all plus a whole crap load more. Most on this forum know the emotional pain of losing and regaining huge amounts of weight (I had ton it before too) but somehow having it post WLS is even more... devastating. I was in my 30s when I had the lapband, I made a genuine effort to educate myself pre surgery, I tried very hard post surgery and yet I failed. In hindsight, a big part of the problem is that tool never worked well for me and the side effects made my life hell (talk about reflux - I had to sleep upright if I had ANY fill!) but also that I just didn't have all the pieces together myself either. While i am in the minority, I actually agree with much of your sentiment. WLS is not a miracle cure and even though we all say we know it's "just a tool" in reality many don't understand that the tool doesn't work very well over time. It works great at first, and then one day you realize... holy crap... this REALLY IS just a tool and I can regain weight even with my tiny tummy. I am always in the minority opinion on this one - but I also am "uncomfortable" with younger/not as heavy people diving into weight loss surgery. Especially if they really haven't seriously tried lifestyle/behavioral programs. In fact, when I was revised to the sleeve, I was looking for a long term behavior program. I had the good luck to be screened by the director of a 2 year program who told me that my disease of obesity was far too advanced and she felt I would not be successful in her program (I was late 40s and at least 150# overweight and had been obese or overweight many many years). However, much of your other information shared is not correct and is misleading and while I don't intend this as a criticism, I don't want newbies to read it and not comprehend the misstatements of fact. (Everyone is entitled to their opnions - but not their own version of the facts!!!) Muscle loss is an important topic no matter HOW you lose weight. strength and muscle building (and aerobic) exercise is more about MAINTENANCE than it is about weight loss. why is that? If you don't maintain (or regain after losing) muscle mass your metabolism drops and it is really much harder to maintain. I lost a crudload of weight post sleeve and I think I look GREAT. People who didn't know me before are always shocked that I lost so much because I look healthy and athletic (thats a joke!) like I have been trim and active my whole life. That "looking old and unhealthy" is a complete myth. I have had people look at my before (age 48) and after (50) photos tell me that I now look like my "before" pictures daughter. That is how much younger I look post weight loss. I think many people who are dissatisfied with their looks, dissatisfied with having a smaller tummy (for me a blessing!) are in truth struggling with other, underlying issues such as dismorphia etc. Don't get me wrong, I have "issues" - ha! As a wise woman once said on these forums "you don't get to 300# and not have SOMETHING going on contributing to this". The physical disease process of obesity is the rollercoaster i couldn't get off without surgery, but the "issues" contributed to me getting there in the first place. The difference is i am now mature enough to seriously face that emotional stuff. Not perfect, but getting better and better. Good luck in your future and know that you can regain good health quite readily by going back to basics as far as eating (sleever rules!) AND by exercising and becoming active. Perhaps focus less on the scale and focus more on good health.

Morning ladies. I was going to post this in the general forum but thought I'd get your opinions first as I trust and know you better than the general poster out there. Let me know what you think..I'd really love some feedback. Thanks, Liz My primary care doctor and I have a relationship that goes beyond the normal interaction between the doctor and his/her patient. She is a childhood friend of my SIL and because of that relationship, we often talk more as friends than doctor/patient. So yesterday I saw her for my regular 3 month visit and spent most of the time talking about the new man I'm seeing. To my surprise, she asked to see my excess skin and I showed her my belly and upper thighs. Neither of us beats around the bush so she came straight out and said that I look like someone who has been thin my whole life...till I remove clothing. Then it's apparent that I didn't always look this way. I am well aware of it but I'm not ready at this time to go through plastic surgery...nor might I ever be ready. My thoughts have been that the man has to take the good with the bad and if I do decide to go the route of plastic surgery, it will be because I want it...not to please some guy. So of course, I'm now thinking that while not necessarily a turn off, I might look much improved with surgery. My bariatric surgeon mentioned when she said she would revise my port (as it sticks out pretty obviously) that I could have a TT at that time. I told her thanks, but no thanks...but...now I'm wondering if I'm dismissing this option without really getting some information and thinking it through. Should I make an appointment with a surgeon? I know if I do, he or she will tell me how they can make me look so much better...it's what they do for a living and I get that. I haven't been intimate with this fellow as of yet, but we're heading in that direction for sure. He knows about my surgery and he's been with another woman who had a large weight loss and he said he has no issue with it. So...do I stay the course as I planned, or do I consider this option? Oh..and it's not just the tummy. My upper legs are badly wrinkled and my boobs are hanging lumps of flesh. I'm reminded of that all the time as even when I see older women in the locker room at the Y, their breasts are much perkier than mine. Again..feedback and opinions welcome.

All I can say is, if and I mean a big IF it was that easy to lose weight people would. I am sure a lot of forum members gave good efforts in losing weigh, I know I did. I have work with nutritionists and personal trainers. I have been obese since the age of 6. Back then we were not eating the way our society eats today. My brother is not obese and we grew up in the same house. Not all obese people are binge eaters. I don't think it is as simple as cutting back and exercising . If it was, I'd be skinny. Anyways, I have had issues with my sleeve. I have regained and am currently experiencing complications that require me to have revision surgery. I do not regret taking a chance on me! I have been FAT my entire life. I am not convinced that surgery is a mistake. I am sorry you have had a difficult time. I do believe you need to go into surgery having done your research. Asking questions and building a support system. If anyone new reads your post, I hope the take away is the importance of not making a rash decision.

I'm looking to revision from band to sleeve. I was banded in 2011 and never had much in terms of weight loss results. I'm hoping the sleeve will be a better solution for me. I'm self-pay so I've been researching Mexico surgeons.

Hello. I'm Dianna. I received a Lapband 5 years ago. Things were great the first 2 years. Long story short my surgeons office would always cancel my appointments and when I did get to see him he told me all the issues I had were my fault. I spent 3 years vomiting and having a hard time eating and drinking. He would shame me for asking for unfill when Water wouldn't even stay down. It was horrible. Anyways, I recently moved to a different area and got another surgeons option on how my band. I told her what was going on. We came to the conclusion my band needed to come out. My band didn't slip, but I wasn't tolerating it and have pretty bad acid reflux. I am now scheduled for revision surgery to RNY on August 17th and couldn't be happier.

When I met my husband of 8 years ago I already had RnY surgery...and was at my lowest adult weight at that time and looking and feeling fabulous! But about 4-5 years ago I started gaining weight and I can tell although he does not say anything he does not like the weight gain. I decided finally to seek a revision of my previous procedure and I am currently in the preop surgery process with all the tests and appts., we have talked about it and he is happy either way with my decision to do the revision surgery or to continue trying to lose it without surgery. People's inner self can manifest at any time,so for some the weightloss was their catalyst sadly!!

Anesthesia freaks me out totally. Versed is my friend. With my lap band surgery I don't even remember going out of the holding area to the operating room. With this last surgery for my revision to sleeve I went out going down the hall. I tell them I'm freaked out by the anesthesia and they give me a nice dose of Versed. Heck I don't even remember the recovery room. I woke up in my room for the 2 nights I had to stay in the hospital.

I'm 50 now and I am currently thinking of a revision of my bypass that I got 11 years ago. Mine was done laparoscopically, It truly was not that bad at all, only a few issues cause I was not chewing slowly enough and or long enough and it was too much going into my pouch when I got to a point where I was able to eat solid food. You are doing the right thing by seeking information from others on sights such as this knowledge is power and keep asking questions of your surgeon and even some of his/her patients so they can tell you their experiences as well. Good Health to you!

I've been banded for a little over 8 years. I've had issues the entire time, but I put up with them for the first year or so because I was losing weight. I reached goal. Had awful reflux, had to have most of the fill removed. Started gaining weight. Went to a new surgeon when I moved and found that I'd been living with a really severe slip for years. Had the band replaced. Never could reach a good restriction with the new band, so I kept gaining weight. Moved again and had to find surgeon #3. This year, I started having major reflux again after a PB/sliming session, so I had to have all the Fluid removed and apparently can't tolerate any restriction anymore. So, there's no point in me keeping the band. It's a broken tool that I can't use for its intended purpose. I just got approved for revision to RNY, and I can't wait.

About 8 1/2 years ago, I finally got to the point where I was tired of being fat and started looking into having bariatric surgery. I researched everything I could find, and I thought that the Lap-Band was the best fit for me. At the time, the only options available to me were Lap-Band and RNY bypass. VSG was not very common in the United States at the time, and was not covered by most insurance plans. As a comparative light-weight (I was in the high 30s BMI, and just barely had a BMI of 40 the day of surgery), I thought that the lap-band was the perfect solution. At the time, it was being heavily advertised as "the next big thing" in bariatrics, with a projected success rate that rivaled or exceeded the RNY bypass at 5 years out, and was "fully reversible." So, I got approved by insurance. Everything started out well. Even though I was a "light-weight," once I had decent restriction, I was losing weight at a steady pace. And the restriction? Well, the common practice then was to make the band so tight that you were physically limited in the amounts and types of foods you could eat. We were encouraged to only be able to eat 1/4-1/2 cup of food at a time. The downside to this restriction? Severe acid reflux. My surgeon didn't think anything of it, and gave me the option of taking proton pump inhibitors or coming in to reduce the amount of Fluid. But when you've been fat your entire life, and you FINALLY have the dream of being thin within reach, what's a little acid reflux? Obviously, I chose the proton pump inhibitor. Eventually, that didn't even control the acid. I couldn't eat or drink within 4-5 hours of bed. I was sleeping propped up on a steep foam wedge with another pillow or two on top of it. And I was still waking up choking on stomach acid. Eventually, what broke the camel's back was that my chest was constantly hurting throughout the day, I had a nagging cough, and my voice was noticeably hoarse. I drove the 7 hours to see the doctor to have an emergency unfill. My acid reflux improved, but I was still having severe shoulder pain periodically and athough I'd reached my goal weight and lost 100% of my excess weight, I slowly began to gain weight. A few months after being unfilled, I received a job offer and moved across the country. My new job was in a tiny town several hours from the closest bariatric surgeon. Of course, even though I was gaining weight, I was much smaller than I started out. The weight gain continued, though. Eventually, I decided to find a new surgeon and get back on track for fills. At the first appointment, he looked at the band under fluoroscopy and said that it needed to be removed or replaced/repositioned, as I'd apparently been living for quite some time with a MASSIVE slip. He was surprised that I hadn't needed emergency intervention, since he said that even with most of the fill gone, I only had a space the size of a pencil eraser for food to pass from the upper chamber to the lower. At that point, I was interested in revising to the sleeve, but unfortunately, I was told that my insurance at the time probably wouldn't cover it. So, I got a new band. And the only thing that improved was that I didn't have reflux or shoulder pain. I couldn't obtain good restriction, and I was afraid to even attempt it because I was 7 hours from my surgeon. My weight just kept climbing and climbing. At the beginning of this year, I had a major issue. I made the mistake of trying to eat a raw carrot. I'd eaten them regulary. I chewed well. It still got stuck, and I suffered through a severe episode of PBing and sliming while at work. After that, my reflux came back with a vengeance, to the point where I had to have all of the fluid removed from my band. The Upper GI Series showed no slippage, so apparently I just can't tolerate the restriction anymore (even though I didn't have much in the first place). Eight years after my original surgery and 4 years after my replacement surgery, here I am. I'm only 10 pounds from my original pre-surgery weight. I finally decided that I'd had enough. It was time for either revision to another surgery or just yanking the damned thing out entirely. What's the point of having it if it isn't doing me any good? Without restriction, it's useless, and my body simply won't tolerate restriction from the band anymore. So, after 7 months of jumping through hoops, insurance denials, appeals, and finally resorting to a peer-to-peer appeal, I am approved for a revision. I'm getting this damned thing removed! I don't have my surgery date yet, but the end is in sight! I'd originally been interested in the sleeve, but after consulting with my new surgeon and doing a lot of research, I decided the best route would be RNY bypass, due to my metabolism issues and lack of long-term data for the VSG as a stand-alone surgery. I am so sick of this journey and I want it to be over. I'm sick of trying to do things "the hard way." We're so conditioned to think that something has to be difficult in order for it to be worthwhile. I've tried doing it the difficult way, and sure, I lost weight temporarily. I also got tooth and vocal chord damage, issues with my vagus nerve, vigilance about knowing where all the bathrooms are in a building, and my metabolism got shot to hell (even more than it already was with PCOS). So here's to me finally getting back on the loser's bench and getting on with my life. All I can say is that this has been a long, hard, embarrassing journey, and I'm glad it's finally coming to an end. For those of you who've had long-term success with the band, my hat is off to you, and I hope that you never get put in my position. For those of you who are just looking into the band as an option, all I can ask is that you consider my story and really put some thought into what you are doing. As much as it's reversibility is advertised, this isn't a simple surgery where you can just have it removed if it doesn't work and everything is just like you never had it. If you're in a position where it has to be removed, you're likely to have lasting damage to your stomach, damage to your esophagus or vocal chords, adhesions, scar tissue around your stomach or where the port was located, etc. So please, research, talk to people, network, and KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GETTING INTO. There is no "good as new" after this surgery.

I am so glad to have the revision surgery 6 weeks ago.I do not miss the sliming when i went to bed.I lost 80 Lbs at first with the sleeve but when i had the fluid taken out i gained 40 lbs.I felt like somebody was chocking me all the time.Due to the inflamation I wouldnt work out for the year around january I felt so bad I thought I was having heart failure.My diabetes got worse again.I havnt got sick with the sleeve.It is so much better than the band.There is some discomfort when I eat but not near as bad with the band.It feels good to be able to eat and not worry about excusing yourself to throw up.I was told the discomfort will go away in 2 more months.I was able to go back to work in 8 days only because i was alittle weak from the liquid diet.My job requires alot of concentration and i have been fine.I feel so much better.I whent in for my physical and my doctor was impressed he shared wih me when I saw him in january he didnt know if i would make it by the end of the year because my heart condition,Also with my condition I was able to go home the next day from surgery and heardly any discomfort.If anybody has any questions follow up with me.

I have lost 22 lbs in 6 weeks with the revision surgery.I love the sleeve vs the band.I dont feel sick all the time like somebody strangling me.When I had the band it usually takes 2 fills to start seeing results.I was losing 1 lb a week.The huge wight loss you saw in people with the band needed to lose alot more weight and it came off quicker for them.The people that had the revision surgery most of them had some weight loss so it might be slower in the begining

I had the revision surgery 6 weeks ago.I am so happy getting the band removed.I lost 75 lbs from the band and was always sick.I was 25 lbs from my goal weight but my dr told me My body has been rejecting it and he had to take all the fluid out and I gained 40 lbs.My health was getting worse and my diabetes was geeting worse.I have lost 22 lbs in 6 weeks and i saw my general practioner and he could tell thedifference for my physical.I am a heart patient and January my condition deteriated.He told me when I saw him he didnt know i wuld make it by the end of the year.My bloodsugar has dropped from a fasting 180 to a average of 100-130.My nurse practationer shared with me the people that endured the band have much better reults you will love the diferance

Good luck with the decision! It's not an easy one. Perhaps ask your dr to walk you through the pros and cons of each. It's impossible to predict the future, so we can't know how you will do with another band, or with the sleeve. It's just about working with your healthcare team to determine what is best for you based on the information you currently have. Neither the band nor the sleeve is perfect. If you decide not to have either though, then it's back to dieting the old fashioned way, which failed many of us. There is a specific forum for lap-band to sleeve revisions and you might be able to get some insight there as to what was good and bad for people who had that experience: http://www.bariatricpal.com/forum/394-band-to-gastric-sleeve-revisions/ Good luck!

I was banded in June 2011 (NWWLS Dr. Michaelson in Everett, WA). I never was able to lose more than 20lbs. About a year ago I had finally gotten fed up with the acid reflux, stuck food, and vomiting so I had it almost all unfilled. I've gained about 30 lbs back and am above my prebanded weight now. Recently I've become very interested in getting a revision done but my insurance doesn't cover it so I've been researching Mexico Does anyone have recommendations on a surgeon? I'm also interested in the pre-op process for having it done there. What do I need to have done in the states prior to arriving in Mexico? Any advice or personal stories is appreciated.