Search the Community

If you research band to sleeve revision, it seems to be common to not have as much restriction and have slower weight loss. Why that happens, I have no idea, but it seems to be a common thing I've seen. I've seen a lot of successful band to sleeves, and some that struggle because of that. Have you spoken to your surgeon about this? Maybe have him check the sleeve just to see how it looks and if it is in fact too big?

I don't know what changed. I'm 7 days post-op from a band to sleeve revision. I've been doing great surgically but came down with bronchitis. Nothing has bothered me with other people eating around me. Pre-op, post-op diets all went/going well. I took a little nap and I just came into the living room with my family and I was hit with the huge smell of food and everyone is eating. I almost fell over it was so strong. I started bawling. I couldn't stop. Weirdest thing. Tearing up now writing this. I sat down and thought "what I have done? I can't be like this and break down like a toddler for the rest of my life." Please tell me I'm normal and it will pass. I want this. I've worked so hard for this. But I broke down today and that's not normal. I'm still sticking to my water, broth, and nebulizer for now. Thanks for letting me vent.

I'm not sure about the mechanism. I was revised to bypass last month from gastric sleeve and I also have no restriction. I also have not lost any weight in over a month. Not sure it was worth it.

Spoke to my Dr. , he said band is not in the best position but he has seen worse. He doesn't think it will effect me, but it might help to have insurance remove it. Of course I want a revised surgery to RNY, not just my band removed!

I had my lap band surgery in 2010. Over the last two years I have had nothing but issue after issue with my band. Horrible reflux, stomach pain, vomiting etc. solid is now a nightmare. I would love to get this band out of me, but would definitely want a revision to gastric bypass. Has anyone had issues and/or success with highmark bcbs in PA? I see my new surgeon next week and just wanted to know what to kinda expect, thank you all so much! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I will have my revision gastric bypass in a week my bypass was 20 years ago and I started to gain weight 5 years ago, I almost can eat everything still small amount than a adult but I remember so many dumping 😓 any tips???

RNY is no guarantee. Plenty of people will gain weight back after RNY. 20-35% of people who get RNY fail and regain. This number is much higher for the super obese. No surgery is guaranteed to fix your weight long term. Changing your forever diet and forever eating habits...can. http://bariatrictimes.com/revision-procedures-for-failed-gastric-bypass/

I'm going for a revision @polican. I had my VSG October of 2012. Surgery morning weigh in was 253. I lost 98 lbs. I kept it off for the latter part of 4 years. I had my son July of 2016 and only gained about 20 lbs during the pregnancy. But then I was switched on 3 different medications for anxiety and depression. Effexor ER before pregnancy, Wellbutrin during pregnancy and then Prozac and finally Lexapro after. Sadly, the Prozac made me gain almost 70 lbs. within 10 months time. I decided it was time to get a revision with the consent of my surgeon and my primary care physician. July 25th is my surgery date. I'm currently enrolled in my 3 month program with the weight management center and my hospital. Sometimes life challenges us and we fail but there is always light at the end of the tunnel. If you think having a revision is right for you, do it! Make sure you have the support and reach out to them when you are having a tough time. It's something I didn't do the first time around. Talk to the patients and doctors. I'm the type of person that thinks I can handle my problems on my own but that's exactly what got me to where I am today! Whatever decision you make, know that you are not alone! Good luck!

Thank you for your feedback and making me feel better about my decision! I can only hope my revision goes as smoothly! Sent from my Nexus 5X using the BariatricPal App

Hi, who is your surgeon in Mexico? I went to Dr Illan and it was the best experience of my life! I had the sleeve with him two years ago and am going back for a MGB revision in three weeks. I was treated better in Mexico then I ever was in America and it was more like a vacation then surgery! They treat you like a queen there!

I had a lapband about 6 years ago. Honestly I lost a lot of weight with it without having to try too hard. But the stats are miserable. Through people I've met IRL and virtual, I've seen hundreds of people having their bands taken out. Of the 40+ I personally know who have been banded 5+ years, I know of one person who still has their lapband. She is showing symptoms of a slip, but is too scared to seek follow-up and opting to "live with it." I have 0% trust in it as a long term tool. Zero. It is virtually a fact that it will have to come out within 10 years. And then what? Lots of people think they can keep the weight off themselves (me included), but there are some powerful mental physical reasons why most people will fail. Those who fail tend to develop eating disorders to cope. Show your wife some of the current lapband stats. Have her look (as someone else suggested) at the band -> sleeve revision forum here. Or have her look in the complications area at lapbandtalk.com. I started a thread there a while ago called something like "Who has their band 5+ years out?" - very sad thread. I understand that marriage is a partnership, but this really does need to be your decision. You're the one who will have to live with it. I wasn't a candidate for re-banding when I found out I had slip. After a day or two I was completely OK with that. I knew, no doubt, that if I got a band again I would be in the same place - again needing surgery for a band complication - 1, 2, 5 years later and that time I would probably have longer term health conditions because of it (the upper GI can only take so much of nasties like GERD).

Nope - I picked a surgeon/surgical practice with great results and trusted his judgment. They try to do what the actual research supports and in 2011 there was not a clear benefit to a "smaller" sleeve and there were indications of higher risks. I was a band to sleeve revision which is already higher risk so it made sense to me. If you take a look at the info on "bougie" - search this site and google it - you will see there isn't that much difference in end stomach size. Thank you ellie, it has recently occured to me that alot of my info is quite dated as i am no longer researching. As new studies come out, even my practice changes recommendations. For example, in 2011 they said to get 60g of Protein, at my last check up they said minimum of 80g. They base it on research that shows people are more successful at that higher level. My disclaimer is that i am only an expert on myself and my experiences.

I am a band to sleeve revision, only being sleeved since last Monday, so I can't compare the two yet, but I can tell you of my experiences with the band. I suffered two severe slippages during the two years I had it, neither of them caused by my not following the diet correctly. I suffered from horrendous indigestion and acid reflux (never suffered from them prior to banding) which did make me vomit a lot. It was truly awful. I was tired, dehydrated and in pain quite a lot of the time. A lot of foods just wouldn't go down at all and whilst I don't regret having it (I lost 105lbs in 12 months) I was absolutely desperate to get it out at the end. When my surgeon performed the revision he found the band to have slipped down to a third of my stomach. Also fills, defills and finding your 'sweet spot' are a pain. You can easily find yourself too tight, not even being able to get liquids down and then you really are in trouble, especially if you have to find someone to perform a defill for you as an emergency procedure. I had the band for the exact reason that it was reversible but even after two years I still need restriction. I have had weight issues for nearly all my life and they are not going to be resolved in the space of 2 years. I needed the permanence of the sleeve for my future health. I don't know much about the long-term issues of sleeving but my husband's grandmother had most of her stomach removed, for different medical reasons when she was young, and lived until she was 87 (dying from unrelated causes) so I am not too concerned about that. Diabetes could hit me quicker and be more of a risk to my health. Keep researching and ensure you make an informed and educated choice. Good luck, Helen xxx

That's good information about the grehlin and other hormones. Your doctor sounds like he knows what he's talking about. I also think the sleeve will allow you eat in a more normal and healthy way. You may not be eating enough with the band. And if you fear everything you eat then that seems to be a very hard way to live. I don't have either yet but I have decided on the sleeve after reading so many stories like yours of people with the band having so many problems. If I ever have a doubt I just come here and read some revision stories and that sets my mind at ease! Thanks and I hope you do great with the sleeve!

Bear in mind, being compliant is only part of the equation. Ask yourself if you can avoid vomiting for as long as you have your band. Stomach viruses, food poisoning and gall stones (very common with weight loss) all cause vomiting that may or may not respond to anti-nausea medications. Ask your surgeon for his/her re operation rate for slips, erosion and misplacement. Misplacement is about a 3% occurance. Add this to the .5% peri operative complication rate and it's about 3x the complication rate of VSG. Are you prepared to remove your band in 3-5 years with the prospect of having to pay out of pocket for revision to sleeve or RNY? Many ins policies will cover only one wls per lifetime. There's a higher rate of complication with revision surgery due to scar tissue. Some, like myself cannot revise due to the damage. A virgin stomach has a much better outcome. Since most revisions from band are to VSG, why not consider it as a first option. Less (nearly 0) long term complications and better results without the extensive aftercare. I wish you a trouble free wls journey whatever you decide. Best of luck to you!

November 17, 2010 surgery day weight was 244. Today, October 27, 2011 my weight is 167. The lapband seems too tight. I have no Fluid at all in my band. My surgeon is talking about removing standard band and replacing with large band. He doesn't know why I am reacting too it this way. The band hasn't slipped at all. I have had problems with keeping food down for months. Since the surgery, I have no hunger issues at all. I have to force myself to stop and eat. I am concerned that I am losing too much weight. I have had upper endoscopy and barium xray. Fluid does slowly flow through. Has anyone had this problem. Thanks Frank

So, I am definitely feeling a bit discouraged right now. I've had the gastric band since January 2011. Since the very beginning, I've had the throwing up/regurgitating. It doesn't matter what I eat. If I have any restriction at all, I'm throwing up 2-3 times per day. My current surgeon (not the one who did the surgery) also said according to the X-ray, my band is slightly higher than it should be, but not technically "out of place". They had to loosen my band, and since then (2 months ago), I've gained about 15-20lbs back. My HW 300, SW 290, LW 220, and CW 270. My surgeon said he'd do everything he can to help me. I've done the nutrition class (again) and the psych evaluation. They submitted to insurance yesterday, and she said I should hear back within 2-3 weeks if I'm approved or not. But I've been reading A LOT of stories of people being denied for revision unless there is a serious complication with the band. I have BCBSNC. The insurance company that originally paid for my gastric band surgery was Tricare Prime, by Dr. William Richards in Mobile, Alabama.

I spoke with the insurance coordinator for my new surgeon's office today. She says that even though he says that a revision to the sleeve is medically necessary, my insurance will probably not pay for it. Apparently, my insurance makes patients meet all the same restrictions that they had to meet for the first surgery, including having a high BMI for two years before the revision, regardless of whether the revision is because of complications from the original surgery (severe pouch dilation in my case). I'm ready to scream. My insurance is excellent except for this one clause.

Gerd is definetely a commorbitity and you may find that the VSG may not be the right surgery if you already have it. The sleeve can make that condition much worse resulting in a revision to bypass down the road. I ended up having RNY gastric bypass instead of the sleeve due to Gerd. Bypass cured this disease for me along with sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. It also put my kidney disease into remission. I wish you the best of luck, just follow up with the surgeon on the commorbity and they can help you through it. You would also need to understand the required supervised diet. Many times it is 3 to 6 months and that would mean it would be next year. Once you are through the diet, then it takes some time for the insurance company to approve and then they need to find an open slot on the surgery schedule. So, that being said, it just might take you a little longer to get through it. For me, I had a 6 month supervised diet that began on 12/26 and I had surgery on 9/29....nearly 9 months.

I'm seeking advice from anyone who has had the band but had it removed and had 2nd WLS. I'm not sure if the band is going to be a permanent solution to my weight problem and would like any advice.

Hi everyone! I'm a newbie to this site and so glad I found it! To make a long story short, I was banded in 2009, very successful, lost 100 lbs, never any problems until about 9 months ago. Port turned, I was told it would be a simple 20 minute "fix". After ALL necessary tests, everything came back great....no slippage, leaking etc. went in this morning, woke up & was told they removed the band due to a puss pocket behind the stomach and the tubing was beginning to erode. Needless to say, I was shocked and began to cry. This was such a fight for me since day one between fighting my ins company, sleep apnea tests, counseling, dietician etc...and I know we have all been there as it is part of the process but I just feel robbed. I know that may come across as shallow but trust me, I am the last person to put looks or weight above health. I'm confused, my doctor did mention that it could be a possibility, could be. Why did all my tests come back good if they had to take it out? It is a total mind f*** and I'm afraid now that I will gain back the weight and who knows if insurance will pay for another band/bypass with a low BMI. Doc said 6 weeks and trust me, I have a list of questions for my follow up in a few days. Doctor never went out to speak to my mother, who was waiting for 8 hours total! I'm just having thoughts as to if this band even needed to be removed. Any thoughts or stories please share...I feel robbed

At the 5 month mark I still had the same sensations. It slowly resolved. I think that revisions are at higher risk for strictures. Mine finally has resolved, I have less than 6-8 times had stuck feeling and slimed and vomited. That is rare now at 15 mos out. It will go away !

Hello ladies and gents, fellow bariatric patients, I'm currently scheduled for a revision from the gastric sleeve to the gastric by-pass on July 26th. I was hoping there were some people on these forums who might have gone through similar experiences so they would be able to tell me what to expect. Here's a background on my surgical journey... I had the gastric sleeve done in 2013 with a preoperative weight of 276lbs (I am female, 5'5") and for the first three months everything went textbook well, healing-wise, weight loss wise- everything. Then, suddenly the weight loss trudged on very slowly and I began having issues digesting. Specifically, terrible GERD, stomach pain, vomiting, horrific constipation, onsets of feeling extremely faint and heart palpitations. This continues on for the remainder of a year until my doctor (who claimed all of this was normal) ordered a barium swallow test. The test showed slow gastric emptying and pyloric spasms which would explain the stomach pain and vomiting. We ordered two different endoscopies with two different doctors who concluded everything was otherwise normal. My surgeon encouraged me to simply exercise more and continue high Protein, high Fiber, low carbohydrate dieting- which I did. Fast forward two frustrating years I ended up having a thirty three pound regain, from my lowest weight of 203lbs. I was vomiting at least 4-5 times a week and unable to handle most meats (especially beef), noodles and many "rich" or "thick" foods. I was forced to eat mainly carbs since it seemed to be the only thing I could keep down. Today, I've since become a full blown vegetarian weighing around 212lbs and struggling to get my digestion and weight under control. I'm sick of having to go into the bathroom in a public restaurant in front of family and friends because I couldn't handle a dish. I have horrible heartburn, constipation and I vomit LESS (maybe once every week or so) but only because I avoid the foods that seem to trigger it. I have low self-confidence and feel like I've somehow failed to make myself healthier. I have a new surgeon who suggested a revision, which he explained should improve upon my digestion and help me lose additional weight. He also preformed another endoscopy and found that the gastric sleeve did not shape correctly... I'm afraid this surgery. It is a new surgeon, a more invasive procedure, a deeply more "body altering" decision. All of these things leave me feeling rather anxious as what to expect. I don't want something to go wrong with this procedure too and I don't want to feel like I made the wrong decision... again. But I feel MISERABLE now. I know it cant go on this way... Has anyone else been through similar symptoms before? Had a revision from sleeve to bypass? Have any advice? Sent from my Nexus 5X using the BariatricPal App

Hi All, First time posting but long time lurker:) I had my sleeve done 4 years ago. In the last year or so I have been ticking upwards in my weight but the reflux is terrible. My surgeon did not screen me for a hiatal hernia before my surgery and did a repair during my VSG. The hernia has increased in size when I had an endoscopy done last year but my insurance at the time wouldn’t cover a revision. Now I have insurance that will cover revision. I had a virtual consult with my original surgeon and he has reservations about doing a revision because of my low BMI and maybe just a repair. WHAT?! I have had a repair. He wants to do another endoscopy but him saying this is confusing to me. Has anyone had their surgeon suggest such a thing? I don’t want to continue to gain weight but I really do not want to continue to live with GERD. I’ve not been successful in managing the GERD or stopping the regain (even if slow).

I am also new to this site I’m on another one that’s called Obesityhelp.com which is a really good one also. But to answer your question about going over to Mexico to have your surgery it would be well worth your trip. I was just there on 09/11/12 and had my surgery on 09/12/12. I stayed until 09/15/12 and flew back to my home of record. And my reason for doing my surgery in Mexico was for the same purpose insurance wouldn’t approve it so I had to self pay. And just to inform you this wasn’t my first time going into Mexico to get my surgery done. I had the sleeve done about a 1yr and 6months ago. And this time I went back for a revision and self pay both times. But I believe you will do fine going over because I never had any problems at all. And my Doctors name is Mario Almanza Reyes he’s a great doctor and that includes his staff as well. Hope this informations helps....