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Hi, I haven't had my revision yet but I have had a revision of my port and then a revision of the entire band with plication. Each recovery was pretty much the same: nausea the day of surgery and abdominal pain but after that, pretty quick recovery - maybe a little sore and achey. I'm scheduled to revise to VSG in June so you'll know before me how band to sleeve revision goes Take care,

I just completed my eco and cardio, my EDG is July 10, I asked the nurse today how long will it take...her response was, after you complete your EDG we submit your paperwork and it will take 30 days before approval (if any) and scheduling surgery. I said ok didn't realize it would take 30 days, she said by law for revision that's the time frame

I am very surprised your doc did a same day revision with your past history. Docs wouldn't touch me until I was good and healed. They said without being healed was asking for complications and difficult recovery.

I had the band for 3.5 years. Getting revision may 2 at the Brigham in Boston I had smooth sailing with lapband recovery but I'm a bit tense for this. Any insights or thoughts. Are revision more apt for swelling. Any helpful thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks

I've also had my band for 3 1/2 yrs! Oct 1, 2009 was my date. Last year I had a minor slip, which caused my dr to unfill my band by 1/2 (from 10cc to 5cc). In the process I gained 24 lbs. 2 weeks ago, I was in agony with abdominal pain and went to the ER. After the CT they determined that my band was herniated. They totally unfilled me and I have to have a revision. I decided against a 2nd band because: *Stats show that when your band slips once, it's more likely to slip again *I'm tired of vomiting all the time! *Tired of reflux *Tired of maintenance Have to drie 6 hrs round trip to get a fill/unfill and pay $160 each time I'm so ready to have it done, but if I want it done in 1 surgery, I have to wait till the swelling goes down. So it'll probably be late June. So now I'm totally unfilled and grazing constantly. I have a 27 BMI (need to lose 30 more lbs) but know I can't do it on my own. Since it's a complication, Medicare is paying for it. Can't wait to have it done. So ot looking forward to the post op liquids only. Didn't do so well on it after my band. Cheated after a week. This time I'm determined that it's gunna work and I don't want to mess it up and get a leak, just because I couldn't follow the rules. Good luck to you! Keep in touch. I'd like to find out how you're doing afterwards!

Hello all: Just wanting some info on some questions.. After much debate I've decided to move fwd with revision and will undergo the change end of June.. Of course I'm apprehensive due to an unsuccessful band experience and knowing the sleeve will still be restrictive but different from the band hoping someone can provide some clarity: 1. What has been your personal success from the revision 2. How has the sleeve exceeded your expectations 3. Has weight loss been slower than folks that opt for sleeve first go round (the assumption being that as banders were already used to smaller portions) 4. Any challenges I should be aware of? 5. Not feeling hungry, how long did that last and were you truly not interested in food? Im praying and throwing all hope to the heavens this works.. It's been a looooong painfully slow battle.

Hi All, I wasn't sure if I should post this in the insurance forum or this one. I will start here. I was banded in 2008. I have had problems from the beginning but nothing concrete has ever shown up on any testing. I throw up daily, occaisional chest pain and bad port site pain, espeically when I am stressed out. From 2008-2011, I only lost 25lbs, kind of an epic failure. In 2011, I started Medifast and then lost 80lbs. I had to stop it last year due to monthly cost of $350.00 and have since gained back 90lbs. My BMI is now again at 40.3. Not good. As none of my tests have ever come back with anything conclusive (no obstruction, no stricture), I am not sure if Cigna will deem my revision as "medically necessary". My doctor appointment is on friday and I want to go in prepared and to not say the wrong thing. If any of you has had a revision and NOT had serious complications, can you let me know? I am pasting my policy coverage below, what do you think of the wording? Reoperation and Repeat Bariatric Surgery : Cigna covers surgical reversal (i.e., takedown) of bariatric surgery as medically necessary when the individual develops complications from the original surgery such as stricture or obstruction. Cigna covers revision of a previous bariatric surgical procedure or conversion to another medically necessary procedure due to inadequate weight loss as medically necessary when ALL of the following are met: • Coverage for bar iatric surgery is available under the individual’s current health benefit plan. • There is evidence of full compliance with the previously prescribed postoperative dietary and exercise program. • Due to a technical failure of the original bariatric surgical pr ocedure (e.g., pouch dilatation) documented on either upper gastrointestinal (UGI) series or esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), the individual has failed to achieve adequate weight loss, which is defined as failure to lose at least 50% of excess body weight or failure to achieve body weight to within 30% of ideal body weight at least two years following the original surgery. • The requested procedure is a regularly covered bariatric surgery (see above for specific procedures). NOTE: Inadequate weight loss due to individual noncompliance with postoperative nutrition and exercise recommendations is not a medically necessary indication for revision or conversion surgery and is not covered by Cigna. Cigna does not cover surgical reversal (i.e., takedown) or revis ion of a previous bariatric surgical procedure or conversion to another bariatric surgical procedure for ANY other indication b ecause it is considered not medically necessary. Thank you to all that can share. Best, ~Bee

I would say contact your insurance company and speak with someone about your benefits. Ask them what the clinical steps are for you to have your revision. Usually they can give you the specifics of what your clinical qualifications are. Good luck!

I was a revision from band to sleeve. Frankly, I'm not 100% clear on how the office presented my case to my insurance company (I thought it best to stay out of it), but they are pros and know what they're doing. If you go to a big bariatric practice they will be able to advise you. They'll probably send you for tests, like an esophogram and/or an endoscopy to look for evidence of damage/complications. I know for me it was "good" that my BMI was over 40 when I started the insurance process - at least with my insurance, they said that even if they don't cover it as a revision it should be covered as a new surgery with a BMI over 40. But it was covered as a revision. Good luck!

I was banded march 2010 and slipped. I was going to have revision March 2014 but the week before surgery my Dr called me in and said he had done a lot of research and wanted to remove the band in 1 surgery and wait 2 months to so the sleeve. I had the band removed March 2014, let my stomach heal and had the sleeve May 6, 2014. Today I am 4 weeks out and I am down 12lbs. I am kind of stressing that i'm not loosing faster but if it helps with skin sag I will be ok with that. I was 240 when banded, 210 when band removed, 220 at start of pre-op and 210.5 day of sleeve surgery. Today I am 198. I had no complications but the 1st week I regretted it because I felt I was going to poop FOREVER! Today I can truly say I am very glad I did this surgery and can't wait to get back to the gym in 2 weeks! I would love to keep in touch with you since our dates are so close!

Typically criteria for approval does not include losses from the immediately prior WLS. For example, my father had a slipped band removed, and a few months later was re-banded. Although the criteria for band approval includes a BMI over 40, he was excluded from this due to his past. I am a soon to be band to sleeve revision (I'm mostly decided sleeve is what I want). My BMI is under 40 and I don't have comorbidities, but that will not be grounds for denial. However, if I had my band out 5 years ago, and had stayed at a normal weight since, and now wanted to be sleeved, I would most likely not be approved. (That's as my ins. co. explained it to me) I don't know what the statute of limiations, so to speak, is on duration you can go "unassisted" and maintain your BMI, and disqualification because of a low BMI.

I am getting closer to my revision date of 8/19! I am excited and nervous.....how much harder/longer was your recovery from bypass vs. the band? I think with my band I was back to work after about 4 days....I am guessing there will be a lot of muscle soreness at the site of the port removal....I was banded in 2005, so there will be a lot of scar tissue.....

A revision is any kind of rework on an original (or revised) surgery. I had a lap band in 2006, I had a revision in 2013 due to it ripping my diaphragm open. Now I'm going to have a revision later this year when my surgeon first removes my lap band, lets me heal, and then does a VGS. You can have a revision to plastic surgery, say fixing a lopsided boob job, or something like a revision to a circulatory bypass. Bariatric revision is usually done because the initial procedure didn't produce the desired results. Sometimes they modifiy the original procedure or other times they change to an entirely new procedure.

PATIENCE Frustrated, You've come this far. You're one fax away from a goal. (one of many goals). Next you will have a few hoops to jump thru for your new surgeon which will consist of you hurrying up to wait. I've been in your shooes. Lapband failed (port flipped and band slipped with a hiatal hernia to boot. Had to get an upper GI, another consult, the insurance coordinator had to declare war on AETNA to approve removal of lapband (step1) get approval for the sleeve (step 2), find surgery date (step 3), go through the whole dietician class program...again=step 4 even though I went thru it already when I got the lap band with the same surgical group and same dietician (its a money thing). Take it one day at a time and keep your eye on the the end results. I had my revision on July 19th and was discharged on the 21st. Had two days of pure D MISERYbut the worst is over and the journey towards a healthier happier me begins. The heathy happier journey for you will be here before you now it.

Hi Lilla, I know there are a lot of people here who have had revisions from band to sleeve, and most of them seem to have no regrets and are very happy with their sleeves. I f you check band to sleeve revisions you will find various threads and success stories, most of them anyway. One of them is Tiffykins, look her up and you'll find all her posts she's a real inspiration. I personally haven't been banded before, but had a gastric balloon in a few years ago lost a bit of weight but it all came back on and then some more! I have been sleeved for 2 months now and couldn't be happier, one of the best desicions I've made in my life! When I first saw the surgeon I weighed 102 kg, went down to 96 with the preop diet and now I'm down to 82 kilos. In the 2 months after surgery I lost 17 kilos (because I count the 2 kilos I put on after surgery) and I am one of the slower losers. I would highley recomend you to research this surgery for me and most of us on this forum it's like a dream come true, good luck, and any questios just fire away, people here are very kind, caring and supportive.

Hi All, When I was researching the types of WLS surgery to have I wanted the lapband for all the reasons: could be removed, adjustable and could be released if I got pregnant. Well I requested the information about it and then I decided to see what my potential surgeon said. Well I went to my surgeons office for the consult and he went over all the procedures with me. He said we have three types I like to do: gastric banding, Route en Y and the sleeve. He explained all the potential complications, results etc.. My Mother was there with me and she honestly asked the doctor which one he would recommend. He said hands down the sleeve since it mixes the best of both worlds. He then said he is doing more and more revisions of the lapband. I was so happy that I chose the sleeve! Surgery should be soon!

Hello, everyone! So, after having little to no restriction for quite some time, I finally found a doctor here in South Carolina who was willing to do fills without charging a huge amount of money and making me jump through hoops like Roper St. Francis hospital systems did. After multiple appointments with this new doctor it became clear that I have some sort of leak or disconnection somewhere in my band. The very first appointment he pulled almost no fluid out, then even after adding fluid in the band for two more appointments in a row after that, the same amount of fluid was not pulling back out and I really didn't feel anything restriction-wise. On our 3rd appointment, after once again only being able to pull a tiny amount of fluid out, the saline had a yellow tint which my doc stated indicated that blood was present and getting into the band. This solidified his suspicions that I had a leak. He felt that was the issue at the previous appointments, but he said seeing that tint was a dead giveaway. This doctor and his staff were so helpful and wonderful, but I feel their total pricing for having a revision is a little steep. Perhaps I am simply ignorant, and I expected it to be expensive, but wow. It's not the pricing of the VSG itself that I'm surprised by, it's the price they're adding on top of that for just taking out the band. They want about $25,000 total to revise me from band to sleeve and it also seems like they want me to do two surgeries rather than one. Financing is available, but I worry about taking out that amount. To break it down, they are charging $15,500 for the VSG (which is fine) but then another $9,000 on top of that just for the removal of the band itself. Just to clarify, the only doctors who ever touched my port and/or band was my doctor in Florida who placed my band back in 2013 and then this new doctor in SC who only did those fills I was speaking of prior. I know that the doctor here in SC who did the fills did not cause the leak with a puncture or anything since there was little to nothing in the band in the first place at the first appointment. I also hadn't seen my original doctor in a few years, and in between him and this doctor here in SC, no one else has messed with my band/port. The last time I saw/had an adjustment with my original doctor, I was good to go and had the right amount of fluid and restriction. It's been the last couple years that my weight has started to creep back up and I began losing restriction. I have no clue why the band began to leak or what caused it. As stated before, no other doctor messed with it, and I've not had any sort of accident that could have caused damage to the line, port, etc. I even had an Upper GI in 2020 when I was trying to go through Roper St. Francis hospital's bariatric department for fills and they told me the band was in it's proper place and there was no indication of a slip. They just said the liquid they had me drink during the imaging was going through fine and there seemed to be no restriction present. The point of my rambling is this...since the issue with my band is not anyone's fault and seems to be some sort of malfunction with the band itself, does anyone know ANY loopholes, per say, in order to avoid paying an arm and a leg for the charge of the removal of the band. Again, I'm not haggling over the price of the VSG, I'm attempting to haggle the price of the removal of the band itself. I know business is business, time is money, revisions take more time and resources, and our medical system here in the US is crazy expensive. But, I personally feel like I should not be financially penalized by way of extra cost for the removal of the band itself. The VSG part of the surgery itself I'm happy to pay for and am not trying to negotiate the price of, it's just disheartening that the band is essentially broken and my options feel like, 1) either keep a useless foreign object inside my body that serves no purpose, or 2) pay an exorbitant amount for it to be revised even though its failure is not my doing. To add to my annoyance over the situation, the band has been intermittently causing me discomfort; particularly at the port area. My surgical doc placed the port in the center of my abdomen right above my navel and as of lately, it'll feel sore and has even felt slightly swollen a couple of times. It almost feels as if the port moved or was pulled from the inside. The discomfort is similar to the discomfort you feel when a surgical incision or a cut is still tender...that's the best way I can describe the pain/discomfort. **In addition. I do have insurance, but it covers nothing bariatric. Any constructive advice is welcomed and I appreciate anyone who took the time to read this long-winded post!

Congratulations on your weight loss, but at the same time, I'm sorry to hear it might be too much. I don't have experience in this realm, I just got my RNY a month ago, so these suggestions might be silly. As far as protein, I'm really liking the premier protein clear drink. I don't care too much for the "regular" ones after the RNY surgery. Other than that, are you sensitive to fat intake? Perhaps integrate more healthy fats like fatty fish, avocado and transfat-free butter alternatives? I've read that sometimes fatty foods cause dumping, but I am not far enough out yet to experience this (Or hopefully not to). If you did need to go for revision surgery, perhaps the doctor could bypass less of your intestines, so you could absorb more food? I'm not sure if that is even possible, but just a suggestion.

I was sleeved on 4/17 hw 270 sw 263 now 213.. I was band to sleeve revision.. all I can say best decision I have made!!!! Hope everyone else doing good!

I'm hoping that's true in my case. I'm just worried because my insurance policy states that a second bariatric surgery requires a 2-year history of morbid obesity. It's ironic that if I hadn't ever been successful with the band, they'd gladly pay for the sleeve, but because I actually was successful, they might not want to pay for the sleeve, even though I'm regaining. Hopefully, they'll consider the dilation to be a good enough reason to justify revision, though.

Fingers crossed you can get the sleeve. From my understanding, dilation is reason for them to approve the full revision. At least that's what I've seen on the various forums. Best wishes on insurance submission and keep us posted ! ! !

Hello, all! I originally signed up on this website a couple of years ago prior to my Lap-Band surgery, but I'll be darned if I can remember any of my login info! That's alright, I don't think I was super active anyway, so I figured I'd just start fresh. Like I said, a couple of years ago I had the Lap Band put in. Initially I was fairly successful - lost slowly, but eventually was able to lose about 40 lbs over the course of a year. Then for some reason, I stalled. It was as if I needed another fill in my band, but so much food was getting "stuck" on my band that another fill didn't seem the best course, either. I started to throw up a lot of my food, to the point where I never knew what I would be able to eat. Of course, I could eat the slippery and soft foods that we're not really supposed to eat, but the Proteins like moist chicken, fish and scrambled eggs I was having problems with. I never felt that much restriction with the Band...it just wasn't what I expected it to be. Slowly some of the weight - but only about 10 lbs - started to creep back on, so I said enough was enough and went back to see my surgeon. In a nutshell, everything on film looked OK with my band, but it seems that the band just wasn't working for me. We took all of the fill out in January, and now my revision to sleeve is scheduled for a couple of weeks from now. I'm really excited, and hopeful that the sleeve will give me the restriction I was seeking with the Band. But a part of me is also worried that I'll be the exception - the person that doesn't lose all the weight with the sleeve for some reason. Still, I know I can do it, as I've been able to keep the weight off after my un-fill thanks to my diligent work at the gym (I go 5-7 days per week). Looking forward to being a little more engaged on this board moving forward!

According to the surgeons I've talked to the revision is pretty easy, they just need to do the malabsorption part and maybe tighten the sleeve. As far as my sleeve, I was a band patient and did amazing! I lost over 100 lbs and maintained that for a long time, i revised to the sleeve and my surgeon used a 42 bougie and went liberal with that. Due to that and the damage that was already done by my band I was left with a large distorted sleeve that I never felt restriction with and never lost a bit of hunger. I've actually gained 10lbs since my sleeve surgery and the only reason it's not more is because I work like crazy to keep it off but unfortunately it's turning into a losing battle. I've had the sleeve since September 2013, I revised because I was sick of feeling stuck all the time and concerned what could come if I left it in long term, that and everyone said how amazing the sleeve was.

Ok so after reading that 5 year study where it stated that some people who had severe reflux and had to be revised to bypass...what??? Ok so my question is done anyone here have severe reflux? Did u always suffer from it before surgery? Reason I'm asking is because I don't have any problems with reflux(pre-op still) and I don't want any. I don't want to be on medication for life or worse have to have bypass in the end. Something none of us wanted in the first place. I do realize we are put on ppi's after surgery for a few months but crap, this news is slightly depressing

Depends on the surgeon/individual. I had a band to bypass revision done two weeks ago as one procedure. I had the band in for thirteen years, and it hadn't been doing anything for me but causing me issues.