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My story sounds just like yours, although I had more than 25 fills and unfills and lost 95 lb.s from constant vomiting. When I went for my revision ( with my original surgeon ) he was so empathetic I was amazed. The band has a very high failure rate. Best of luck to you. Kim

My surgeon told me that last year he did more band to RnY revisions than anything else.... I think it is expected. Good Job taking the first step!

I went in seeking bypass and my surgeon recommended this. His big points were; my age (I'm 32), lack of co morbidities (I do have sleep apnea but he was talking about diabetes) and my difficulties with taking long term anything (vitamins in this case) He said if I were to get the sleeve now, and of course be successful that let's say 20-30-40 years down the road I hit a bump in life that revision to bypass is pretty easy, but if I get bypass and then hit a bump then I would have a revision to a band? He thought the sleeve would be good because it still gives me the power to control my weight better, without the worry of nutritional issues for now. I hope to not have to revise, but its nice to know that there is another option. I do realize you do take Vitamins with the sleeve but not like a bypass patient.

I got pregnant 11 months post sleeve and have a healthy 16 month baby girl. I started showing at about 17 weeks. I did not lose weight and have struggled with some late term complications. The surgeon does not know if they are related to my pregnancy or not. I have seen many posts with women who do really well getting pregnant and continue to lose after giving birth. I am having revision surgery this month. Edit to add: I was not at or near goal when I got pregnant. I had lost 43lbs post surgery and gained that back during pregnancy.

I had my revision (and hernia repair) done all in one procedure and my recovery time wasn't any longer than anyone else's

It's crazy how many onus have the same story! I too am a failed TWO time lap banded and I am getting a revision pending insurance approval in Oct 25th As far as insurance if you have a common insurance like United healthcare you should still get covered even if it takes longer because you still meet the same criteria as you did when you got the band... Your BMI is likely 35 - 40+ and they actually have a diagnose code for "undesirable" weight loss results and the band is diagnosed as mechanical defect because it did not produce the intended results making it a failed procedure. So even with no other symptoms your chances are good for approval because you are doing a revision. Plus you also mentioned other problems you are having due to the weight like leg pain... All of that is part of your medical records they will send. If you think about it... In the log run its cheaper for insurance to pay for one sleeve surgery and get it over with verses paying for fills several times a year for the rest of your life on top of paying for additional surgeries caused by the band to repair the damage done. It would be nice if the took the band off the market seeing how clearly the long term uses is so dangerous. I'm waiting for someone to file a class action law suite over the band because you know that is coming after seeing the identical same stories pop up everyday... You figure this website/app alone has patients from all over the United States so this is not the case of a doctor not knowing what he is doing this is happens to everyone in every state cause by the band makers! I hope this eases your mind until you get approved Good luck to ya

I had my lapband done in 2004. After continually getting aspiration pneumonia, my former surgeon in San Antonio took the fill out. I have regained 130 of my 150 lb loss due to being unfilled. Today, I saw a new surgeon in Austin (Dr. Ganta), and he scheduled me for lap band removal at the end of August. My insurance only covers revision to sleeve with being on a 6th month program for diet and exercise education. Of course, I have actually been studying those two topics for 40 years (I am 49) but that's what they require. I guess I don't practice what I learned. He will give me a sleeve in Jan 2018 after the ins requirement is met. It also gives me time for my pouch to undialte, which should give me better weight loss results during the first few months after sleeving. I'm concerned about "dieting" during those 6 months with no lapband at all. I know I can do it. I have changed my bad habits for as long as a couple of years, but like a junkie I also fall back to my old lazy sugar-snorting ways. I know my bad-itude will sabotage me even with the sleeve.

Well I have it and my surgeon is so sure that my surgery date and pre and post appt are scheduled as well I did weight watchers started last day of February and as soon as I attended one meeting in April they filed I'm a revision from lapband

Eating soft mushy foods 4 days after gastric bypass surgery I recently had gastric bypass surgery on 11/23/2016. It was a revision as well to remove the lap band I had in 2010. I did well in the hospital and when I got home the first day in eating Clear liquids but soon I became really dizzy and was somewhat still hungry so I took a hash brown patty and microwaved it till it was smooshy and then ate it. Nothing came back up so the next day I soft scrambled an egg and mixed it with the hash brown patty and it was ok except for it felt like things were moving inside my stomach is me being able to tolerate soft mushy foods so soon die to having had the lap band earlier? I just want to stay on track and wound appreciate any advice you could give me... thanks Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App Oops that should be "due" Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App And "would" Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I used to hate smooth peanut butter by itself (as opposed to in baked goods) and now find it’s ok with pretzels or on a wasa cracker. For a while after my VSG the only liquid aside from protein shakes I could drink was grape Powerade zero (super weird). After my revision though water tastes so good so it’s much easier now. There have definitely been times I craved something and it turned out to be just meh. I’m just glad I haven’t lost my love of spinach! And oddly, my tolerance for spicy foods has gone up and I enjoy it more. 🤷‍♀️

My doctor told me not to exceed 1/4 cup (2oz) at one sitting for the first month after the band. He reasoned that although the pouch he created can hold 1/2 cup (4 oz) that while I am healing to fill the pouch could tear the sutures that he put in place on the fold that went over the band to hold it in place. I always see people eating more than that. I have stuck to the 2 0z...but check with your doctor as my doctor may have been trying to scare me straight. I am self pay and I can't afford a revision. Either way more than a cup a time seems excessing for your little baby pouch...be careful. I always hate that our docs give us so much conflicting info.

Kristie - I don't get hungry like I did before sleeve surgery (I am not a band revision person). But, If I go 4 hours and don't put Protein in my stomach - I get an empty feeling. If I continue longer than that, I get kind of a trembley feeling (low blood sugar). So I make sure to put some protein in every 4 hours - I eat three meals and 2 tiny Snacks. My fav snacks are beef Jerky or a baby bell (lite) cheese. I am concerned you aren't getting in your protein - which long term can be really bad for your health. Take care of yourself! Sharon

Let me try and recap. You had Lap Band surgery in 2014. You had a revision to Gastric Bypass Surgery around 8 July 2018. The three most important elements after RNY gastric bypass surgery are to meet your daily protein, fluid and vitamin requirements. Food is secondary because your body is converting your stored fat into the energy that drives your body. Thus you lose weight. Weight loss is achieved after surgery through meal volume control. You begin at 2 ounces (1/4 cup) per meal and gradually over the next year and a half increase the volume to 1 cup per meal. With this minuscule amount of food, it is next to impossible to meet your protein daily requirements by food alone, so therefore you need to rely on supplements such as protein shakes. Without sufficient protein, your body will scavenge protein from other areas of your body, such as your muscles. Protein is extremely important after surgery as its job in the body is to build and maintain tissues including your body's major organs and skeletal muscles. Protein deficiency, when continued over a long period of time can cause a disease known as protein caloric malnutrition. Common symptoms are poor healing, fatigue, hair loss and muscle wasting. Immediate post op, protein promotes healing of the staple line and incisions. Right after surgery, I was probably consuming around 500 calories per day. But I was drinking 3 protein shakes per day in order to get in the protein I needed. Why is your doctor recommending that you not drink protein shakes? Is there some medical reason for it? If so, you might have to seek an alternative which is drinking a lot of milk. So you have an option of drinking fortified milk. 32 ounces of 1% milk fortified by adding 1 cup of dried milk provides 56 grams of protein. It also takes a dent out of meeting the fluid requirements. Mix up a pitcher and drink a little throughout the day. I found it difficult to drink protein shakes because I could not find any that tasted good. But I am not sure you have that problem. In the end I experimented and found one that I could tolerate. As my meal volume increased, and I was able to meet my protein requirement by consuming high protein meals, I was able to offload my shakes. But you are at the beginning of the process. So my words of advice is to MEET YOUR DAILY PROTEIN REQUIREMENTS - PERIOD. Find a way. I totally do not understand the logic of your doctor about not utilizing protein shakes. Is this your surgeon's office making that request or is it your family general practicioner?

Im having a tummy tuck/ inguinal hernia repair/scar revision in gwo weeks and my surgeon said theres generally no need to unfill, so im not. I did unfill for my bowel resection and my band has not been quite right since.

Hi everyone, I had my lap band installed on May 21, 2012. Starting weight was 293, was 285 the day of surgery, got down to around 240, stayed there a while, then started phentermine which helped me lose more. For a single day in August of 2019 I crossed from obese to overweight and am now back up to 235. Recently, whatever I ate got stuck and had to be “ejected” after which I could resume eating. Along with this came an increase in reflux, to the point of having stomach acid in my mouth a few times. Saw the NP, she suggested unfilling the band, getting an upper GI and seeing where to go after that. I am reluctant to refill the band because I fear the reflux will return. I want to get a revision to sleeve or bypass; thinking bypass would have less chance of reflux returning. I wish I’d gotten bypass in the first place but thought the band was safer. I’d be grateful for any advice anyone cares to offer. Thanks!

Welcome! I'm new here, also. Scheduled for a revision December 12th. I'm so glad I found this forum, it's so encouraging to have others who are going thru the same journey. Now if I could only figure out how to follow people, and reply properly I'll be in good shape.....

Hi and welcome, as a band to sleeve revision patient I can tell you that life with the sleeve and zero maintenance is fabulous. I'll curse the band with my last breath because I seriously hated life that much with my band. I don't regret my band, it taught me a lot of about food and myself, but I'm grateful to have it out of my body. Congrats on deciding on the sleeve. It really is a wonderful tool, and I'll be following your progress.

Glad to hear you are doing well! Im having my revision in May. Starting to get nervous, but am excited for the new journey. Were they able to do the sleeve in the same surgery?

Rollermom You have made the best possible decision, well as far as I'm concerned!! For me the band was a disaster, and I only had it 9 months. I had my revision, and now I'm 2 lbs from goal!!! I could not be happier with my decision. The sleeve is so easy and carefree, just eat and go. I felt it was a much easier transition than the band. I have been able to eat ALL foods, just smaller portions. Please keep us posted, we care!!

Congrats!!! I had my revision done just over 3 weeks ago. I'm loving my sleeve! Good Luck! Nichole

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.

Sounds like you are off to a great start Leroy! I am having my band removed on friday and at same time being revised to the sleeve! Can't wait.

My revision was Jan 2015. Band placed in 2006 never worked for me, just caused me pain pain. Had a slip right away and had it replaced. Lost 50 pounds but in pain all the time. I am so happy to have that "thing" out of me. Even with no fill, it felt like I had a knot in my stomach all the time. The sleeve is just plain easier. *FOR ME....My doc said longer term there are much fewer complications with the sleeve because of no foreign object that can slip, fail, whatever. Best to you!

Is best to go with bypass as there are so many ppl being revised to it from sleeve anyways for numerous reasons. One post I seen this lady had to be revised only weeks after sleeve. Yes the bypass is a little more complex but It is better for long term success !

That's so cool he is most caring surgeon I have ever come across...I just wish I had known about him last year...I do believe he will give me a good price on my revisions...hoping...