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My surgeon said that if old age nursing care was a concern that she recommended rny over sleeve. Because its easier to just throw a feeding tube in the blind stomach. My main concerns about surgery is how it will impact me in 40 yrs. I feel confident in my decision after talking with her. She said she does a LOT of sleeve to rny revisions. I only want ONE surgery.

I'd like to echo the others and tell you to research all your options to exhaustion. I was banded in 2010 because I thought didn't want anything permanent...which is kind of silly to me now. I started at 245, lost 35 lbs in a couple months and then started having problems after problem after problem. For 4 years I dealt with unsuccessful fills and vomiting and stuck food and so on. The port flipped and the band damaged my esophagus... The stats on the band failure rate are super high and most band patients require more surgeries for one thing or another. I had the bypass revision about 10 weeks ago and I am so happy now. No stuck food, no vomiting, and I feel fabulous! Discuss your options with your surgeon and see what they think you will be most successful with. Most surgeons won't even do lap band surgeries anymore. Good luck!

It's a personal choice for sure because one is reversible and one it not. I was banded in 2009 and it was okay for about 9 months then it was nothing but trouble. I have so many adjustments , I can't even count, trying to find then"sweet spot" where you can eat with the proper restriction. I never got there. I lived on liquids and smoothies and ice cream sometimes for days because my stomach rejected everything else. So unhealthy. After years of randomly throwing up any food I got sick of it. 2 days ago I had a revision .. The band came out and I had a sleeve done. I am not the first either. Many of my band support group people have gone this way. If you asked my direct advice I would avoid the band altogether. It may be reversible but you have something foreign in your body for life. Not to mention the port hurts like hell any time you lean up on it.

I went to my Surgeon because he had thousands of lapband surgeries performed successfully. He also does sleeve and by pass. I did not want my intestines re-routed and a large portion of my stomach removed or stapled. the sleeve seems to be the flavor of the week, everyone is rushing to get it. I think over time there will be as many issues with the sleeve as people claim there are with the band. no surgery is 100% guaranteed. I chose the band because I wanted an option of removal or revision if needed. the follow up care has been good for me. I haven't had a fill in 6 months or more, haven't had any issues with my band. I have lost what I wanted and slowly , never lost my hair, never had dumping syndrome or malnutrition. I only take 3 Vitamins a day, B12,D3 and a Multivitamin. I am no longer on diabetic meds, high cholesterol or high blood pressure. I pray that I never have to have my band removed but I will most likely have it replaced if needed. All in all we all have to make the best decision we can for our own health.

So far I have used two one in Tijuana, Dr Salas, my scar is not well done at all and I had no after care, would not recommend. Second I used Dr Sauceda, very young and pleasant, however I think he does under promise and this ends up as under delivering. I now need a revision because he did not remove enough skin and more skin needs removal for a tighter look. Also his scars are a cross stitch type so you have a straight scar and crosses over it; not the nicest.

Please bear in mind that I am a very happy and very successful bandit now 9 years post-op. I do not regret my band, would do it all over again and if I ever have to have it removed, I would hope to have a replacement. You shouldn't be sick unless you eat too fast. I can feel my port if Intouch it but, being a lot older than you, I have kept some fat round my middle which means it doesn't show. It has never hurt when I lie on it, When I was banded in 2006, it was a miracle surgery. And for some people, who accept that they will still have to work hard, it is just that. It was and still is for me. But over the years it has become clear that serious complications necessitating further surgery are much more common than originally thought. Some of these are avoidable by careful eating and by not keeping the band tight; unfortunately others are beyond our control. We used to be warned about band slips, leaks and about ( very rare) erosion into the stomach tissue but it turns out that a build up of scar tissue round the band (causing it to tighten) is quite common. It can be very difficult to get the right level of restriction and some people are tempted to keep it tight enough to physically limit food, in fact it was once thought this was how it should be. But this causes food to back up into the oesophagus and that risks problems such as oesophageal dysmotility which may be irreversible. It can also damage the vagus nerve. Some doctors have stopped implanting bands as they found the removal rate was unacceptably high and it was too easy not to lose enough weight. Revision from band to sleeve is not uncommon! EDITED TO REMOVE A CHUNK. This was a copy of a post I made on another site and this section referred to the other, very anti-band site. My apologies for including it. The band makes it easier by dimming hunger, but it does nothing for head hunger and, contrary to popular opinion, it does not and should not physically stop us eating. If it does it is too tight! Having said all that, I love my band, I know many successful long term bandits in real life. My own experience has been good and so has that of almost all those I actually know and have met. I know IRL around 50 banded people; all over four years out, many over 8 years. I admit I have lost touch with some but of all those I know about only two have lost their bands. One of these admits she abused her band deliberately, the other had a no -related medical condition. My own doctor tells me he has removed a very small number of bands. He didn't specify what that meant but, unlike US doctors he is salaried and has no financial incentive to perform band as opposed to other surgeries (which he also performs). He still believes banding is a good option. No surgery is perfect. I know two sleeved people whose lives are now truly miserable because of their sleeves and one bypass patient who very nearly died because of her operation and two years later is still severely affected by it.

I DO agree with the main message if even I DON'T agree with every assertion made. the larger point, which matches my personal experience (I am 3.5 years post band to sleeve revision and maintaining) is that you WILL regain if you don't make fundamental shifts in the way you eat. For some people, it will also contribute to not losing their desired amount of excess weight. There are people who advocate anything you like, any time and rely on the restriction to keep your portions small. That works the first 6 months, heck maybe even the first 2 years for some people. Across the board, when people hit the 3-4-5 years out ... things really change. If you have any doubts about that, read some posts in the veterans forum... So, I do sometimes have a sandwich with bread... but rarely. My daily life is a moderate carb diet with most of those carbs coming from vegetables (and lets be honest, a glass of wine here and there). My daily plate is very reflective of a bariatric diet even now 3.5 years post op. When I get cocky and veer from that, i gain weight in a heartbeat.

My insurance counted all the years with the band as my "diet" attempts. I was approved easily the first time. However, my employer is a health system that does the procedures and they are self-insured, so it was likely easier for me. I had my revision done ten days ago, and I am fairly young (38) and active, and I feel that I am definitely not ready for work. I am fortunate in that I pay for short-term disability and have a large bank of PTO, so I can afford to take more time off, but I would recommend taking off as much time as you can possibly afford. This has wiped me out far more than the band did. I went back to work after one week for the band, but I definitely wouldn't feel safe doing that now. Just today is the first time I've woken up without needing even Tylenol. I am only getting 300 calories a day, and I'm sure that is affecting my stamina. My program requires two weeks of heavily restricted full liquids, whereas I know other programs will allow eating earlier on. I have my post-op nutrition appointment on Tuesday where I will be advanced to most solid Protein. I feel I'll be able to do more then. Yesterday, post-op day 9, I took a shower to go to Target and had to postpone because the shower took too much out of me! If your job is super-sedentary, it may work, but I'd be nervous at only one week....

GETTING PAST THE PLATEAU After bariatric surgery, If you are off track of your weight loss goals or exercise regime. Do not worry, hope is not lost. Getting out of a weight loss plateau after an obesity surgery can be very challenging, but you can do it. Firstly, you must stay on track with your diet and exercise. Remember back to when you lost weight at the quickest rate and determine when you fell off track. If you have not been exercising like you should, it is very important to start an exercise program. This will increase your caloric deficit, help build or maintain lean muscle mass, and boost your metabolism. After bariatric surgery in Dallas, if you have been exercising regularly but are no longer seeing results, it is most likely because you’ve been doing the same routine over a period of time or you have not kept yourself challenged by increasing the intensity of your exercise. Your body has adapted to the exercise and has become more efficient at that exercise. This means that your body is no longer burning as many calories during this exercise as when you first began. It is very important to frequently change your exercise routine to keep yourself challenged. By doing this, your gastric bypass or lap band surgery can be more effective. A good way to determine if you are exercising, at the correct intensity, is to track your heart rate. You should be exercising at 60-85% of your predicted max heart rate (220-your age). As you get in better shape, you will notice that it will be more challenging to increase your heart rate. So step up the intensity! You should try exercises that keep you out of your comfort zone, such as, circuit training (exercising a different muscle group with each exercise, and doing each exercise in a row with little or no rest in between), high intensity interval training (low-moderate intensity exercise with bursts of high intensity spread throughout, such as, jogging with sprint intervals), fast paced exercise classes (Zumba, Kickboxing, Body Blaster, etc.…), super sets (Performing 2 exercises back to back with no rest in between for a certain number of sets before moving to the next superset or exercises), and giant sets (three exercises performed consecutively for a specific muscle group). It is also important to keep rest periods short, change up the amount of weight you lift, the number of sets, the number of reps, and the order of the exercises. The Dallas-Fort Worth area is filled with many beautiful parks, athletic facilities and gyms. If you need guidance contact your dietician for help with diet, an exercise specialist for an exercise program and your weight-loss surgeon for questions regarding your specific conditions. PREVENTING THE PLATEAU It is very common for people to hit a plateau at some point after their gastric bypass, lap band or gastric sleeve weight loss surgery but how exactly do we prevent hitting these plateaus? It is absolutely vital to start and stay consistent with an exercise program after your obesity surgery. Exercising regularly will allow you to maintain your lean muscle mass, bone density, and boost your metabolism. You must also change your exercise routine about ever 4-6 weeks to help keep yourself challenged and interested in exercise, as previously stated. Doing resistance training exercises such as free weights, machine weights or resistance bands are most beneficial to maintaining lean muscle mass. If you maintain your muscle mass, you will have a higher metabolism, and in turn you will be able to lose weight at a quicker rate and most likely reach your weight-loss goals without any plateaus. Of course exercise alone will not provide all of the results you may want. You must consume your recommended amount of Protein each day, drinking at least 64 fl oz. of Water and staying consistent with the recommended diet. Weight loss surgery is a difficult process and only begins with the surgery, but if you make these changes a part of your daily routine and stay consistent, nothing will stop you from reaching your weight-loss goals. Continue to search through our site for more information about bariatric surgery, including lap band, gastric bypass, gastric sleeve surgery LAP-BAND to Gastric Sleeve Revisions and weight loss plateau prevention. - See more at: http://mybariatricsolutions.com/blog/overcoming-and-preventing-the-weight-loss-plateau/#sthash.0qqtwiDs.dpuf

So sorry for what you've had to endure. I guess if you really want the sleeve, you may try and consult with another surgeon who specializes in revision surgeries and see if they have any other options. Although I can imagine there's a lot of scar tissue that may not hold up to healing properly with a VSG. but definitely go with whatever option is safest for you.

You really have to decide for yourself as its a very personal choice. I have a sleeve and I love it! It takes zero maintenance and 4 years out I live a normal life! I have made many friends on my weight loss journey and still have yet to meet a band success story. My surgeon Dr. Alvarez (at the time of my operation) was doing the sleeve and revision from band and it was a major part of his practice. Talk talk talk is my recommendation the decision is such a scary part of the process but I can tell you it is so worth it. Sounds cliche but it really is the greatest thing I have ever done for myself and I haven't regretted a single day! Wishing you the best!

Wow! I am so lucky! I thought it was standard, obviously not! I was with the NHS in Berkshire and now in Wales. But in both, I had/have the name, mobile number and email of a specialist nurse. Anything I want, I just email or phone and she gets back to me almost immediately with advice. And the once I needed an appointment, she arranged it for two days later. That was with her but she said if we decided I needed to see the consultant, he was on site and we could see him! But he did say that they would remove or reposition or repair if needed. But I wouldn't meet criteria for revision if I needed that!

Unfortunately I still haven't been given an appointment mdaily, sometimes it tales a while through the NHS. It's not a problem I have daily, it's more a monthly issue and it doesn't hurt, just feels weird and a bit scary. Hopefully I will see him soon. In any event I'm pretty sure that I would like a revision, but that's a whole different st of issues especially within the NHS.

I'm revising from sleeve to bypass next week because of severe acid and bile reflux. I am over two years out and at my goal weight but my stomach is full of ulcers that could cause permanent damage, and that is with a large dose of nexium every day since surgery. So do what you feel is right. A lot of people get the sleeve because they specifically don't want the bypass but then some of us seem to end up with it anyway.

It has been a while since I was posting regularly here. I had vsg in May 2013, reached my goal weight and a healthy BMI in about 16 months, and have had no trouble maintaining. I've been very happy with the sleeve overall. But I have had some trouble the whole time. Basically I dump (severe diarrhea and sometimes severe hypoglycemia too) after almost every meal. We are talking agonizing, clear-the-ladies-room, stuff. I actually experienced it right after surgery in the hospital and they said it was normal and would go away. It never has. I've worked with my surgeon, dietitians, other gastroenterologists, I've had all kinds of tests including numerous endoscopes and colonoscopies. I tried going dairy free, gluten free, low carb, low fat. I had my gall bladder removed after a severe attack and hoped it might help. I took Questran at 4x the normal dose. I tried calcium. I tried eating g things that tend to block other people up. I ate 120+ grams of low fat Protein a day. Nothing helped. Now I have another problem too. Despite being on nexium since surgery, I have severe acid reflux and bile reflux that have caused my stomach and upper bowel to develop severe ulcers. The acid reflux is a relatively common long term complication of the sleeve. The bike reflux is often genetic and doesn't cause a lot of trouble with a full size stomach apparently. My current gastroenterologist is going to revise my sleeve to a bypass, which will eliminate both types of reflux because it will be impossible for the acid and bile to reach the pouch from the blind stomach. He also thinks that the bile reflux is causing the dumping because it is impeding the break-down of food, which is passing through me only partially digested. So I will be having the revision Monday morning and I get to re-experience the joy of the 6 week post-op diet. My surgeon is confident that any weight I lose will only be temporary, since I really don't need to lose more. I may actually gain a bit because I will be absorbing more nutrients. I don't know how many sleeve to bypass revisions there are, so I wasn't sure where to post this. Hopefully it is helpful to someone.

5 years out from lap band and 9 weeks out from revision! I had the band taken out and had the bypass done. I had nothing but issues with that horrible band and I couldn't be happier with where I am. 45 lbs down and more active than ever! Good luck guys, it's worth it!

What was your approval process like with Aetna? I'm just starting my journey to get rid of this awful band giving me reflux and only lost 25lbs since 2008. Were u made to do a 3 month diet again? I would love to hear your approval stories and how long it took you!

nI like hearing stories about people like yourself who are successful with the revision. Would you mind sharing what you did that was successful to your "almost" reaching your goal. I'm only 4 months out and worried about failing. I too worried about failing, my best advice to you is follow the rules, yes you will have slips but that's okay, that's life, just get back on track and follow the rules! Eat your Protein first, this is a big key to success! If you do over eat at a meal, make the next meal a small one, measure your food if you have to to help avoid over eating. Exercise, at least walk doe 30 min a day, you will be surprised how much this will help. It's not a race, it's a journey so take it a day at a time, someone else may lose faster but that's okay, this is your journey and if you donwhatbyour supposed to do it will work!

What was your approval process like with Aetna? I'm just starting my journey to get rid of this awful band giving me reflux and only lost 25lbs since 2008. Were u made to do a 3 month diet again? I would love to hear your approval stories and how long it took you!

Here is another perspective. I am a little over 3 weeks band to sleeve revisioned (if that's a word). I was very successful with the band and lost 120 lbs., however, it was not all band. I worked my butt off in the gym to get there. I really liked the band and almost 5 years with the band I discovered early enough that my esophagus was in trouble. So far, I can say the sleeve is very different. I really enjoy the fact that I don't have to worry about PB's and stuck episodes. The restriction with sleeve is very different! Of course, I am way too early to be posting anything, but, thus far I don't have any regrets and like what I am experiencing. I am looking forward to sleeve adventures and weight loss. We'll see what tomorrow brings, but, today is awesome thus far! jake

I like hearing stories about people like yourself who are successful with the revision. Would you mind sharing what you did that was successful to your "almost" reaching your goal. I'm only 4 months out and worried about failing.

My band is placed high. I've had it for almost 5 years and have always had a pain in my chest when eating, I assumed it was restriction. Recently I started waking up coughing and choking so I looked into a revision and that's how I discovered my band was placed high.

I had the band to sleeve revision in February. I wasn't that successful with the band but have noticed that the sleeve stops me from eating too much because I'll actually get a little nauseous vs. that stuck feeling. As far as the surgery, for me it was easy. No issues and the recovery was very quick but you should go to the Band to Sleeve Revision section and read the experiences that others have had.

Well I had a lap band in March of 2013 . My insurance at that time was Aetna. My approval took less than a week. O started having issues with my band in October- November 2014. I didn't see dr. Felix until middle of January. We agreed on revision to gastric bypass. They submitted my info to UPMC and I had approval within a week. I could have scheduled my surgery immediately but I needed to wait until April. I had to schedule around my busy schedule. And school breaks.

There is a forum for band to sleeve revisions you might want to check out. I revised 3.5 years ago, lost about half my body size and maintaining...