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@@Running2theSleeve not sure if you were asking me that question. But sorry, I don't know. I wasn't required to do those tests. You'd need to ask your doctor/surgeon. I haven't been diagnosed officially with GERD, but I do get heartburn now, and I don't want chance it being made worse, or having to have a revision later. Plus my father suffered terribly with it, and I just don't want to chance going down road. Good luck!

I'm glad they will have the medication in for you tomorrow. I had a revision from lap band to gastric bypass. My initial pain while in the hospital was more than with the lap band but nothing that wasn't managed by the pain meds. I was able to walk around sooner after the bypass that with the lap band. Walking as much as tolerated also helped with decreasing gas pains. I didn't wait until the pain became intolerable before taking the medicine and I took Tylenol sometimes so I didn't have to take the controlled pain med. It's normal to feel a bit anxious because it's surgery but RNY is so worth it. I'm 9 months out and down about 105 pounds and 20 pounds from my goal. I'm just telling you that because the surgery works. You will be fine, don't over think it! ???? Thanks @@Trayjay33! Surgery is next Tuesday. I am trying to focus on the end game. Taking one anxious moment at a time and trying to work through it ????

I'm glad they will have the medication in for you tomorrow. I had a revision from lap band to gastric bypass. My initial pain while in the hospital was more than with the lap band but nothing that wasn't managed by the pain meds. I was able to walk around sooner after the bypass that with the lap band. Walking as much as tolerated also helped with decreasing gas pains. I didn't wait until the pain became intolerable before taking the medicine and I took Tylenol sometimes so I didn't have to take the controlled pain med. It's normal to feel a bit anxious because it's surgery but RNY is so worth it. I'm 9 months out and down about 105 pounds and 20 pounds from my goal. I'm just telling you that because the surgery works. You will be fine, don't over think it! ????

Please... everyone out there that is getting a removal or a revision to sleeve!!! Make sure you get all surgery notes from your original lap band surgery doctor. Read them and give them to the doctor removing your band. Different doctors do different things. A piece of mesh was left in my port area and I got a horrible infection!!! Some doctors do that, if the skin where the port is, is thin, then they put it in for stability. Get your notes, look for this, and make sure your surgeon knows!!! The Mesh melds into you skin and it is hard to detect if it is there!!!

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?

How are you doing on your Protein, Fluid and Vitamin requirements? During the losing phase, food consumption is not as important. It almost sounds like you are exceeding the maximum volume requirements for the meals at your stage in the program. I only knew of one person who went from lap band revision to RNY. He had to have it done. His band was eroding into his stomach. As a result when they did the revision, they made his pouch smaller than the average RNY. He could eat as much as most RNY patients. But he lost a lot of weight and was pleased with the result of his revision.

Thanks all. Just got my date.. Aug 10th going on for revision.

I have the lap band at this point till I get a revision but the reason you are getting the "slimiest" is because the food may not be moist enough or you didn't chew well enough.

Yes I did. I had the lap band in 2012 and by earlier this year I was throwing up everything I ate. I lost about the same amount of weight with the band you did. They couldn't get me in the green zone with the fill. I decided at the end of April to switch and had a revision from band to sleeve in one surgery on June 1st. I'm so happy with the revision. No more throwing up. The scale is moving downward. I can eat chicken again - I could never eat chicken with the band. I would do it again in a heartbeat. And the best part is no more port in my stomach that would move and scrape on a nerve and give me a sharp stabbing pain!

I do the same thing you are - I eat between 1000 and 1200 per day. Are you losing? If you are losing and you are comfortable it shouldn't be a big deal. I stick to Protein, veggies and some fruits. I don't do the carbs and the only sweets I eat are sugar free Fudgesicles. I am in week 7 and my surgeon says it's fine. As long as I'm getting 80-100 grams of protein a day and not eating carbs and sweets he's fine with it. We're seeing the scale go down. Are you a straight sleeve surgery or did you have a band to sleeve revision? I had a revision and he only took out about 75% instead of the normal 80-85% of the stomach to line up with the scarring in the esophagus so I wouldn't spring a leak. I eat about 5 oz of protein a meal along with either a small salad or some grilled zucchini or green Beans.

I had my gastric revision operation one the 1st of Jun 2015 and until now I lost almost 28 lb. my problem now start after almost two month from operation, I feel the my appetite is high and I want to eat every two to three hours and sometime less although I try to drink Water when I feel hunger but after one hour I feel hungry again. Also, I feel I can tolerate to eat like one sandwich contain ham and cheese within 10 min without pain or diarrhea. I can swallow meat, chicken and all the solid food and I was wondering within this short period and my small pouch I should vomit if I can eat those staff. I asked my surgeon and he said that it’s different from people who had the RNY for the first time from the people who did the revision in weigh losing, I can understand that but how about the ability of eating and the appetite toward eating. Actually I am an emotional eater so I am freak that my RNY will not success I have done enough with gastric endoscopy and I don’t want to try it again. So is anybody had a conversion? And how was the eating portion? How often they feel hungry? I hope somebody can answer my question and give me the support because really I am leaving in a nightmare.

Is BCBS insurance covering the revision from Lap band to Sleeve? and if so how?

That's so true!!! My dr said they end up with a decent number of revisions. Bypass is the most common and heLPS the most with comorbities as I understand

Its completely natural. You're not chicken, your cautious. Completely different and totally understandable. If you suffer from acid reflux now, or have ever, I highly recommend the RNY. Two of five of my friend that had the GS are already in the process of trying to get a revision to GB. I personally, don't want to have to go thru all the dieting, surgery, recovery again ( I'm speculating from other posts I have read). One time is enough for me!

I got my band Jan 2013. I got it filled very tight in only 6 mos. 10 3/4cc in a 14 cc band because I was not feeling any restriction. I seemed to be fine. I could feel the band when I pressed my stomach because it was so big but I thought all was okay. It did take me a really long time to eat meals 45 min to 1 hr. but I could eat anything from steak to very large vitamin pills and no throwing up. I did have the feeling that things were going slow down my throat or even stopping before they entered the pouch. I lost about 80 lbs. But in April 2014 I had my first of 3 hospital visits because of esophageal spasms. My throat locked up behind my adam's apple. I could breathe but could not swallow at all. A CT scan and EGD showed all was fine except for ulcers at the gastro esophageal junction. They recommended removing some fluid from the band. My Bariatric Dr. said if I am not throwing up then there is no problem. 2 more hospital visits including bleeding ulcers at the gastro espohageal junction and more CTs and EGDs show no band slippage or erosion so all agreed the band was not the problem including my Bariatric Dr. & his nurse. After a 4th visit to Urgent care because of esophageal spasms and pain I demanded that fluid be removed from the band. The Drs' nurse got overly gung ho and removed 9cc of my 10 3/4 cc, she recommended a fluid diet and a Barium Swallow before she would refill the band. She suspected a dilated esophagus also. The barium swallow was very thorough, because pouch problems were suspected the xray tech. had me swallow something like an alka seltzer that foamed up. He said I could not burp it out during the procedure because it was pumping up my stomach so he could see the stomach and pouch. The results showed that I do not have a dilated esophagus nor has the band slipped, but I HAVE NO POUCH. The band abuts the bottom of the diaphragm just below the lower esophageal sphincter. When I went back to my bariatric Dr. he said that everything was normal and there were no problems. He wanted to know why I was there. When I told him about the hospital visits he said the band was too tight. When I told him about no pouch he was silent. I asked him how I should eat and what I can do to make this work. I asked if I had been using my esophagus as a pouch because I had none. He didn't answer any questions. He said he has several other people like me and that they "seem" to be getting along. He said if I have any problems he could offer to remove the band. I can not find any other people like me on any support group. I know enough to know this is not right. I paid my money for a lap band system that includes a small stomach pouch to make it all work right. I am paying cash to get a second opinion from a local Bariatric surgeon who specializes in revision surgery. But I can not afford any procedures from him. I don't know what to do with my original Dr. who is covered under my Medicare Advantage insurance. This guy has made it plain he wants out of the lap band business and only wants to do gastric sleeves. I am hurt, abandoned and confused. In the short term I plan to reinflate the band some because I am gaining back my weight. I guess I will eat real slow so I don't pile food up in my esophagus.

Wow! It is like we are twins. I had everything you have had except the spleen. Its been 4 weeks since my band removal and revision to bypass. The weirdest thing is that my inflammation in my hands is almost gone. My reflux is gone as well thank God. The surgery wasnt bad at all. Its really a week of uncomfortableness. My pain level never over a level 4. Im working my new pouch. There is restriction. I dont have much stamina. That should come back in a few weeks. I have lost 33 pounds so im thrilled. I was off of work 3 weeks. I really cant wait to do my blood work again and see where i stand with my lupus and RA. Good luck and you are going to feel so much better soon

Well if I were you I'd get another opinion at a different practice. I was 275 when I had my band to sleeve revision done in the same surgery June 1st. My sleeve is a little larger because of scar tissue at the esophagus. My surgeon wanted to minimize the risk of leaks so he only took out about 75% of the stomach. But I have had zero problems and I feel fine. I have Anthem BCBS and all I had to do for the revision was go see a psychiatrist for one appointment and pass the pre-op surgery normal tests - EKG and bloodwork.

Hello Everyone! Quick overview.... Started with my highest weight at 328, and was banded at 280 on March 30th 2010 in Mexico. I got all my fills and aftercare from Kaiser North Bay. Lowest weight was 190 in 2014 right after having my first baby. Now after my second baby I am up to 235. I am having problems with my band and finding a "sweet spot" for getting back on track. I am sure my pregnancies did a number on moving things around. I just went to a bariatric doctor yesterday in South San Francisco (my normal one is on vacation, so I saw his colleague) He was unable to fill be due to not finding the port and saying I was too heavy. I was very frustrated since I have NEVER had a problem having a fill even at 260+. My original doctor has told me before when I have asked for a revision that they do not take lapbands out unless it is an emergency situation. The doctor I saw yesterday told me he would take my lapband out anytime without question, but the revision was a different story. He said to even consider it I would have to get down to at least 210, and then we could go from there. I guess I am just wondering if anyone has gotten a revision from Kaiser South San Francisco or Richmond, voluntarily. My doctor keeps saying scar tissue will hinder him from doing anything.... Thanks everyone

So I had my surgery on 6/30. I was in the hospital for 2 days. The surgery pain was much easier than the band or the band removal (mine was removed in April). I lost about 12lb by one week. Weirdly I lost the Water weight from the surgery more quickly than with my band removal. At 3 weeks out now I am down 19-20lbs. My assessment is that this surgery is easier than the band. With the band my stomach was more swollen and I had more trouble with liquids for longer. With this surgery I really have had no problems sipping away and making my Fluid goals. The only thing that has been hard is that I have had no appetite and experienced no thirst even when I need to drink so I need to remind myself. I did purees with zero problems measuring my food, eating slowly just like with the band. Today is my first day of solids. I packed 4oz of tuna salad and 4 whole wheat crackers for lunch in my cooler bag. I ate maybe 2 1/2 ozs of tuna salad and 3 crackers about 2 hours ago and feel very full now - almost don't want to drink. To describe the full-feeling it is somewhat similar to the feeling of full with the band in that I feel full up to my esophagus - kind of like a small lump in my throat but it doesn't feel painful or like I need to throw up like it did with the band - also my chest/stomach just feels full.. hard to explain. I keep getting worried when I see posts on other parts of this site about people struggling so much to drink and eat and I haven't had this experience. Is my sleeve smaller? Is my anatomy different post-banding? This is what I like to think: after 8 years with the band I have learned portion control and how to chew, sip and eat in a bariatric-friendly way. I really hope this is true! Sorry for the long post but when I was leading up to surgery I was really looking for answers to some of these questions. Remember I am soooo new so take it with a grain of salt!

I love my sleeve. I am only 3.5 months out. I do not know much about RNY. After all I have read on the band, I would not go that route. I see so many doing a revision from band to sleeve.

Hi there. The website page is down for any contact info or info for revision surgery. I need to know if they do these surgeries and a phone number! Been putting this off too long. carolleewilson@yahoo.com

hopefully - I'll find out today how soon my surgery revision will be

Congrats! I'm so happy I had the revision too. Eating out is a whole different experience now! I've been out twice with my husband since my sleeve surgery and I just ate off his plate. At the first meal, I ordered an unsweet tea, totally forgetting I cannot sip and eat! What a waste. At least we'll save a little money by only ordering one meal and no drinks.

I have a similar story. Babies not virus screwed with my band. If it is any comfort to you I am 3 weeks out today and I am down 20lbs since the 2 day pre-op liquid diet and 16lbs since the morning of surgery. I am pleased with this but hope it will continue! I do feel like my experience for better or worse is different than the people who didn't have a revision. I don't seem to have suffered the same swollen stomach as other patients for the first few weeks. After a couple of days liquids were not a problem for me nor were purees. As of today I am able to integrate new foods in and so far nothing has been problematic. I do not know if this is because I am a revision patient or if I know how to chew, take small bites and small sips because my band was very tight for a long time. Good luck in September!

Congrats on your amazing success with the revision! I'm so happy you were able to get a new lease on life. And going from a 2X to an XL is stupendous!