Search the Community

I am new to this site, but not to weight loss surgery, this is my second time around after dissapointing results with th lapband that I had placed in January 2009. My highest weight was 302 lbs. at surgery date i was 285 lbs. my absolute lowest achieved was 234 and my band was so tight I have to blend and add Water to Soup. I was able to maintain 247 for about 3 years. In the last year I've gained weight back, I'm up to 268. After much research and sites like this one i was able to make the decision to go with the sleeve as my revision surgery. I've already gone through the whole process of getting insurance approval. I WAS APPROVED!! I haven't spoke to my Dr. yet about a date but I hope to have it in the next month or so.

By the way, LifeLiver, I think your story is incredible and I'm so glad you're alive to tell it and that I was able to read it. As a banded person, should I ever have complications such as yours, I will know signs to look for and will be able to remember your story if I get into a position that I need to consider a revision surgery. Thank you for posting you story.

Welcome inneed! You have come to the right place for support. There are so many of us who have revised from band to sleeve. I said "us" because I am one of them. I am always open for interpretation if you have questions or are curious about anything. Wishing you well on your upcoming surgery!

Any info is appreciated.

Well I might be a good person to talk to because I always seem to get the short stick in life. I too have PCOS and I have battled my weight for years. In Canada I spent mega bucks thousands of dollars on weight loss diets ( ie dr berstein diet) but the weight always came back. Before I was super overweight again, I decided to have the band surgery while I was living in Korea. Things went great at first. Though I had pcos I worked hard with my band and went to the gym etc and lost about 50lbs in 4 months. One night however I drank Water too fast and it gave me 12 hours of acid reflux. Then came a strange pain and I could feel my tubing from my band to my port, then I had a strange but light pain in my stomach ( my actual stomach not the port area). I went to the doctor for a check up already scheduled and mentioned my problems. He found my tubing was too close to the surface of my skin and I needed a revision. Just to be double safe he decided to give me a full check up including an endoscope check ( camera down my throat) and found erosion.... YES erosion 4 months after I was banded!! I was heart broken and confused why did it have to happen etc. I had 2 choices, to unfill the band for months until I healed or remove the band. After 2 weeks of being unfilled my erosion was almost healed, my doc wanted to stitch it, but i wanted the band out. It was removed Feb 2010 and I was without a band until July 2010 ( when the lapband ap series was k fda approved here) and then I got rebanded. I would NEVER consider getting the gastric bypass ( my bmi was not high enough to begin with and was about 27 when I lost my band) and the sleeve I might consider if something happens to this band. Over all with all the bad things that have happened ( I have also been through over fill hell etc) I still love my band and don't regret getting it. If I could I'd keep it forever. Lets hope nothing else bad happens. If you want to read more details about my erosion you can click on my blog and go back to Feb 2010 and March 2010 as I documented it there. Right now life is good. No erosion ( that I know of, I have a check up this weekend because I have been banded this time around for a whole year ) My BMI is 25, I am 10 lbs from goal ( might settle here) and my band and I get along most of the time.

hi i dont have any experience with a revision but wanted to wish you luck!

I am having revision surgery in October. Going in to have my pouch made smaller and the hole made smaller. I’m super nervous because I’m hungry ALL THE TIME. I have no idea how I am going to make the pre op liquid diet for two weeks. Does anyone have any tips? Has anyone had success with a gastric bypass revision?

I converted to bypass from sleeve because of severe GERD. Prior to surgery, my Dr. told me I was unlikely to lose any significant weight as a result. And he was right. I've lost a whole 11 lbs in the 6 months since my revision. Sorry I can't give you any additional information about revision for weight loss, but if you have questions about revision in general, feel free to ask.

My insurance covered my revision 100%, but; I had to do the "MD run" as I like to call it again. That means, psych eval, Nut, cardiologist, pulmonary, and primary MD. I was a "light weight" too...my BMI at day of surgery was 35.2

I totally understand her pain. I had my first surgery here in Des Moines IA. with Dr Eibes who did my lapband. When I went back to him when I stopped losing weight he told me that I should have probably had the sleeve in the first place. Nice of his to tell me then. We talked about a revision to the sleeve and they sent it into my insurance who denied me. Dr Eibes told me that it would take 2 surgeries from him.....the first to remove the lapband and then in another 5 months a second to do the sleeve. This would have cost me about $40,000 out of pocket. I could no way afford that so I too went to Tijuana Mexico and had both procedures for a total of $6000. When I came back I called his office and they told me that since I had the surgery in Mexico that Dr Eibes would not longer see me as a patient and that I too was not welcome at their support sessions. Told them fine. I have been following up with my primary care physician and she checks my blood work. I take all of my supplements and watch what I eat. If I should develop a problem I will just go to the ER and they will have to call and they will then have to take care of me if I need surgery etc. Other than that they can screw themselves. I am so sorry that this happened to you and that you too have no options. There are other surgeons within 2-3 hours of me but I have not contacted any of them as I had my surgery on Dec 11, 2011 and I am doing good. My primary care checks me on occassion and if I need she will send me to the ER> It is all about the almighty dollar for the bariatric surgeons here in the US. They all took an oath of "Do no harm". Guess they conveniently forgot that part.

Hey all! New here! Looking into getting my band out and revising to a sleeve. I HAVE to go to Balboa, bc thats who does sleeves. No one out in town is covered. I'm wanting to connect with anyone who has gone through their program? and what doc you had? Thanks so much!

Day 6 and I'm feeling human again. Man what a ROUGH recovery. Between the complications with my surgery/revision, traveling 14 hours to get home, and having a massive cold and horrific cough/bronchitis.. I really wasn't sure how much more I could take. I'm so much better today. I'm struggling with fluids still though. I'm so full of mucus and phlegm that I literally feel like I'm STUFFED and it's hard to sip on to of that. That'll be my focus today. And as of this morning I'm down to my SW 219. For those of you with a band and think it's fine, that what I was thinking too.. I had ZERO symptoms of any problems.. my sleeve took 5 hours because of how bad my scar tissue..

I had a tt years ago and had 2 drains and still had fluid pooling. I just had a hernia repair and they put in a drain and I still got a hemotoma. Friday I had the lapband placed and the hematoma removed. They put in a drain. I am grateful for the drain. I would be extremely upset and see another surgeon about a revision and get drains put in right away!! Good luck!

I didn't have a band but I do know that my surgeon does revision surgery. Dr Cheblis - his office just moved to Overlake.

Hi All, I am looking for experiences from low BMI Sleevers. When I got my band almost 4 years ago, I was considered a low BMI patient. I did lose some weight (and gain 50% of it back) and I am now considered a low BMI revision. My big struggle right now is really believing that the outcome will be better. Once you have WLS and it doesn't really work, it is hard to have hope for the next one. I almost feel like I am too vulnerable to have hope. Similar to how you feel dating someone for the first time - too vulnerable to admit that I really want it to work and that I will be crushed if I don't get a good result. With all that said, I was hoping to get some feedback from people who were low BMI sleeve patients - with or without revision. My BMI is 31 with my band - scheduled to sleeve in 8 days. My current weight is 195 and I would minimally like to get down to 145, but ultimate goal would be 130 - of course I am still too scared to hope that it is possible right now :-) I am expecting that my weight loss will not be as significant because I have less to lose. The major difference for this WLS compared to the last:: preparation! I am so prepared this time. I have the Isopure drinks, I have 4 different kinds of broth, I have glasses / bowls in 2 oz, 3 oz, and 4 oz sizes so I can get used to what those measurements look like, etc. I also have a much better support system. In short, I am really ready to do this the right way. Any low starting BMI folks out there that can give me some feedback? Thanks! Lara

Anyone have experience with revision band to sleeve in Seattle area?

Ok so those who have gone through this is it that bad? The doc says he might need to move mine cause it floats around to much. I went in for my third fill and yet again he couldn't get the needle in the port. He found it and was hitting it but because when i lay down it floats up under my ribs he is having problems getting in it. Anyway just some help would be nice thanks alot.

Just saw the month I had surgery on June 22nd feeling amazing I am down 60.5lbs I am a revision from lap band after I went through cancer treatments hope everyone is doing good

I had a band to sleeve revision on June 8. This surgery was so much easier than the band. I assume it's from all the walking they had me do at the hospital. I hadn't had any gas pain at all and I haven't had any pain killers since leaving the hospital. Total day and night difference from my band surgery. So amazing testimonies...like... No gas pain No stomach pain Incisions healing well Can walk and move with no pain However...I got hit with bronchitis. This happened after the lapband surgery too. I went to my PCP a couple of weeks before surgery and said it felt like bronchitis coming in. She assured me it was just allergies. I can tell you now, definitely not allergies. The coughing has made my back and stomach sore. I thank God for my bipap because it gets air in me. It's awful! Does anyone else do this after surgery? I usually get bronchitis a few time a year but right after surgery is becoming a fad with me. I don't like it.

I believe he said it based on her history. He did her lap band but recommended the Bypass. Now 9 yrs later she wants a revision so of course he is suggesting the Bypass. I think he said it with good intentions. Either way I support her and know she will do whats best for herself. Hopefully I can make the same decision and soon.

I was one of those that jumped on band wagon 9 years ago because I was terrified of going with RNY. After my hopes have failed while having issues with the band, I didn't even lose 50% of my excess weight. After much deliberation and researching I decided I had to do something about it. So this time I ended up complicating my surgery even more since I was doing band removal, bypass and gallbladder removal but I had to take the chance... I had my surgery 5 days ago, I have new hope for the future and doing my portion of it. The reason why I went with bypass is I am prone to gerd, I have at least 125 lbs to lose, and I have also read about a lot of sleeve to bypass revisions and didn't want to take my chances. Recovery has been hard for me, I won't deny it, but today I am so much better already.

My bmi when I started the program was 66*, I believe. I first planned on the sleeve, but for the same reasons you are wavering, I decided to talk to others and read forums, etc. From that exploration, I saw that there are SO many people who begin the process happy with their sleeve but in the long run, end up revising to bypass. The sleeve can be great, and I've seen a few people (and I mean a only a few) who are happy 3-5 years out and don't want to revise. The fact that my bmi was high, the fact that so many sleevers end up getting or wanting but being unable to afford a revision, and the fact that so much long-term data exists for the RNY all cemented my decision solidly toward the bypass. And now I'm 9 months post op, had no complications, and I feel wonderful. I've also lost almost 150 pounds and 12 pant sizes since surgery day, and gained my health and a level of self-love and confidence I never really believed possible. *edited because I went to the calculator and checked and my bmi was way higher than I thought it was when I started the program at 402. At my highest, I weighed 442... which gave me a bmi of 73. Now I'm 39 and I can't even believe it was once that high... but anyway. >.>

Well I figured it was time to start documenting everything, so here it goes. On March 10, my best friend was telling me about how we should get the lapband to lose weight. Now being a member of weight watchers for many years at first I was very against the idea (if you even mention it on the weight watchers boards you get yelled at!) Then I decided that maybe I should look into this and talk to my doctor. So I say my doctor on March 14 and she said that she thought it was a good idea. I called the surgeons office to sign up for his seminar on March 29 and the moment he started explaining everything I knew this was for me. He gave us a packet of everything we would need to do as far as clearances so I started making appointments. Here is my timeline: April 2 Psychologist April 3 Gastro (need endoscopy) April 4 Cardiologist (need echo) April 5 Chest xray April 11 Pulmonary April 16 Echo April 23 Endoscopy April 23 Nutritionist 1st appt May 8 Nutritionist 2nd appt June 12 Nutritionist 3rd appt June 10 Surgeon!!!!!!!!! June 16 Hospital bariatric coordinator So before I started this process I had called my insurance company HIP and asked what the requirements were and I was told it had to be medically necessary (yeah no six months) then on May 5 I just happened to be on HIPs website when I see that bariatric surgery was revised on April 15, 2008. I almost died when I saw that. According to their website you now needed six months diet. I called HIP and the girl had no idea what bariatric surgery was and I had to give her the link to the website and of course she had no clue and said whatever it says on the website is what it is. Well I was pissed. So I told the nutritionist this and she said ok then come to me for six months. Then I thought did I just open up a can of worms? Although I didn't want to not say anything and get everything else done and then have to start over with a six month diet. So I figured let me just tell her. Then I decided I should probably go talk to the surgeon, even though he doesn't want to see you until you have every clearance including the nutritionist. So I get the appointment and tell him everything about the insurance and he tells me that he probably won't be taking my insurance much longer! I almost cried. He then tells me that he was going to submit everything I had up until this point and for me to get the nutritionist to sign off on the three visits I went to. Well 2 days later I was approved. I could not believe it. Thank God. My surgery date is July 16 and I couldn't be happier.

I have never seen a study that shows how band to sleeve revisions do over the long run. My surgeon felt they did okay - but results are variable. I saw a bariatric doctor today who does primary care and when I met with her presurgery - she was seeing excellent results in her own practice. The vast majority doing well, at that time she had perhaps one revision patient who wasn't doing well (hooked on ice cream and all day snacking). Well, a year later, she is telling me that she is seeing trouble in paradise. Her patients that were "virgin" sleevers are doing great, but she is seeing regains and losses stopping for revisionistas. she doesn't know why, just has theories that the band teaches you bad habits - slider foods, but she doesn't really know that for sure. Anyway, I am feeling great right now, but i take seriously this "concern" and I am feeling like I am on notice to keep following the sleever rules!!!!

i was told the same thing as well by a few different doctors. one doctor told me he wouldnt even do it because of all the scar tissue he claims id have. I have had a band, a band revision because of a slip and then a band removal. I was also informed that I have staples left in my stomach from the band removal and depending on where they actaua that it might make it riskier for me as well because any time you staple over staples, its a greater cause for a leak. I havent had the surgery and this is something I've been tossing around for a year and a half. im just too afraid at this point.