Search the Community

How is it going? I'm just starting my journey to get on the path to revision...my GERD is out of control and ruining my life. Meds don't help, my band is unusable; either too tight or too loose and I've gained weight. Meeting a team this week to learn about options, but I'm pretty sure RNY will be the result. How are you feeling?

Hi! I just recently got my band completely unfilled due to a slip. While my doctor was unwilling my band he recommended that I consider revising to the sleeve. I've heard so many great success stories with the sleeve that I am really considering going through with it. My only question is, do people with the sleeve struggle with getting "stuck" like those with the band can? Since having a slip with my band I cannot imagine going through that same struggle permanently with the sleeve. Any advice is welcome! Thanks!

Welcome I went with the bypass because my doc said there was a proven success with it, and he felt it was my best chance to lose the weight and keep it off. I also felt that if I was going to do this I wanted to do it once and not have to worry about revisions. As for the food question. Everyone is different, and you will get different answers. I am able to eat anything at 18 months post op. You an your new pouch will go through a getting to know you period. It will let you know the items you can and can not have. Keep in mind that list changes all the time. Things that made me sick in the beginning I have no problem with now. Sometimes things I have had no problem with suddenly make me sick. I have no problem with popcorn or rice. However some doctors do not allow popcorn. You should always go with what your doctors instructions.

I went to the surgeon who originally placed my lap band today to talk about the surgery I need to have to remove it due to erosion and subsequent revision surgery. I had my head completely reconciled with having vertical sleeve revision and then he threw in a new option. For the past year, he has been doing banded plication surgery. In my particular situation, due to the erosion, we would do the surgery to remove my band first, give my stomach time to heal, and then I would have a second surgery to revise to the banded plication. For those of you who are not familiar with this procedure, it involves folding the stomach in on itself and stitching it to achieve a sleeve like effect. This is a similar procedure to the old stomach stapling procedure but much more effective due to technique and the usage of sutures as opposed to staples. Then, he will place another band at the top of the sleeve thereby essential having two weight loss surgeries at one time. My understanding is that the plication is better for achieving immediate weight loss, the band is better for long term weight loss. Combining them is essentially the best of both worlds with a few added benefits. First, because you have restriction from the plication, you don't have to fill the band as fast or as much in order to achieve satisfactory restriction. Second, because of the more slender shape of the stomach, incidences of slippage are greatly reduced. Third, there is no need to dissect 90% of your stomach. Fourth, if you do have a problem with the band, it can be removed and you will still have restriction from the plication. As always, there can be complications. Sutures can come undone. There can be necrosis of the upper part of the stomach right below the band. My understanding is that so far, the complication rate is extremely minimal and weight loss results have been comparable to the sleeve. I have to admit that the thought of not having to cut my stomach is appealing to me. At the same time, the thought of putting in another band after my first one eroded is a little unnerving. My surgeon is not pressuring me to do either one. He wants me to do what I'm comfortable with but he is very excited about the results he has seen with this surgery. I am 52 and this is more than likely my last chance at getting to be where I want to be. This is still considered to be investigational and is not covered by insurance but I believe the majority of the costs will be covered by research study funds. I have complete confidence in my surgeon. He secondary specialties are liver transplants and pediatric surgery and he is always at the cutting edge (pardon the pun) of the latest and greatest bariatric surgeries. I just want to do the right thing for me. My instinct is to let him get in there and take out my band, take a look around and see what kind of damage my band did to my insides. Then, make a more educated decision about which surgery would be right for me. As an aside, he completely refuses to do gastric bypass. What would you do??

Hi all. I am scheduled for lap band surgery on May 21st. I have Aetna and it is covered by insurance. Apparently fills aren't but the dr's office said they have ways of getting around that. My question is- I'm looking for a new job this summer and I'm concerned about getting new health coverage and not be covered in case of a band slip, revision, complications or future fills. Any advice? Thanks in advance...

Hi there, i'd like to know this too. Might self pay but revising and complications will insurance cover it?

Im in Kingsport had revision surgery for band to bypass on 4/21.

I'm having band to sleeve revision in Nashville on Monday. How was the recovery?

First banded 2009, slipped, had a revision 3-25. Ever since surgery feeling sluggish tired .....new onset symptons are dizziness, light headed, when I'm standing up feeling like I'm about to pass out......Doc says might be that the band interfere with my vasageal. Has any one have this happen to them. Is it curable....please help

Hi I'm Kim. Had a lap band back in 05 without much success. Had a revision to a gastric bypass this past Tuesday and right now I'm experiencing some pain and discomfort. Kinda in a what in the heck did I do to myself place right now. Any suggestions, tips, words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated. Looking forward to meeting new people who are in the same boat.

Let me start with saying the band is the MOST invasive surgery, not the least because the complication rate is so high (around 50%) that you could require more surgeries...that is my definition of pretty invasive. I can can post a link to a whole host of those studies if you would like, I had to have my band removed and revised to rny. I chose rny because it is the gold standard been around for decades and proven to work. Sleeve hasn't been around for 10 years yet, so after my mistake of using the band when it was still new...wasn't gonna do that again. Also I developed acid reflux from the band and I knew the sleeve could make it worse and rny often cures it. Also I liked the extra insurance with malabsorption...most sleevers don't dump, the majority of rnyers do with the rny. I liked that it was insurance should I make bad food choice. I don't ever plan have another bariatric surgery. Both sleeve and rny require additional Vitamins. I like the Patches..easy to use and don't know they are there. Having said all this the sleeve is getting close to the 10 year mark and looking like a good alternative to rny. It was my backup if the band had done too much damage and an rny couldn't be done.

Thank you for all the replies!! Vegasgirl: What is an open VSG? MacMadame: The main reason my husband is worried (an myself for that matter) is the scar tissue, I have so many surgeries, that we are not too worried about that part of it. It just seems like if it can go wrong, it will go wrong with me and I know it is riskier with all the scarring. I read somewhere that VSG is alot less invasive than Lap Band and RNY IF it is the first surgery, so if it was my first surgery I would not be worried the least bit! I am just so scared about revising, but I honestly want this useless band out! My friends say to just keep it in there, it is not hurting anything, but I want the damn thing out if it is doing me no good. Also, I am COMPLETELY against RNY, personal choice, I am very happy for everybody that has been successful with it. I have a few friends that have done rather well with it, it is just not for me!

My surgery was 12/18/17. No regrets at all! I feel better every day. The only thing is, I tire out easily. I was extremely tired after a trip to the doc and nutritionist a week post op. It’s a 2 hour drive one way. Also, because I was a revision from lap band to Bypass, my surgery was 5 hrs long due to scar tissue and my surgeon took his time and didn’t rush things to get it done properly. That last was from his PA. She is impressed with his patience in surgery. That’s exactly what you want in a surgeon! I was on full liquids the first week with no issues. After my first post op, I was able to advance to soft, puréed foods. That’s working out well too. I won’t lie to you, that evening after surgery, I was sore. Obviously, my stomach hurt, it hurt to move! I had right shoulder pain from gas they put in your stomach for surgery. But the nurses I had were awesome and experienced in dealing with Bariatric patients. Even thought they came in during the night to check vital, I still got a good sleep. Felt so much better the next day. I walked, sat up on the chair for 3 hours and was able to eat jello. I saw my doctor, nutritionist and his PA all before going home. I hope this is as the information you were looking to get. My highest weight 309, I do not have my surgery day weight, thinking it was about 301. According to the doc’s office 1 week our 290! I’m happy with my results. I haven’t stepped on the scale, but plan to every Tuesday. I would be happy to answer any questions for you. Good luck on your decision.

Katy, I am sorry you still have some pain! My insurance was reluctant to pay because the original request to revise had made it sound like we needed to revise the pouch rather than te port. Once it was clarified ( through filing a grievence) they approved it. I had a talk with the surgeon before we went to the OR the next time and let him know that, whever he was planning to move it to... I did not want to be able to see or feel the port after this operation. He did a good job of making it happen. Afterward he said that what had happened was that 2 of the 4 stitched areas securing the port had broken free, so instead of laying flat, it was standing up... And in that position there was no way to fill it as the needle was entering parrallell to the port. My real concern now is that after being banded in May and not being ant to get it filled until November. I worry that I msy not be inthe right "mindset" to be successful. At first it's new, and you are sure you have found the thing that is really going to work for you. Then you get it done... And I lost 20 lb... But it was through dieting rather than the lap band doing much... Then that tapered off... And after a while it felt to me like the lap band was going to be one more failed diet attempt. Now that I have had my first fill i am trying to get back the optimism I had at the beginning... But there is still the self doubt that makes me afraid this too will not work. I am really hoping that I will see results that will give me some hope that this time things are going to be different.

I had gastric sleeve, not bypass. I was a revision from a lapband (implanted in 2001, removed 2011; sleeve in 2011). My nutritionalist told me that there was strong evidence that people who take probiotics lose weight better and encouraged me to take them after my revision to sleeve. i bought them, but was so burned out on "pills" from the Vitamins that i never did. I lost 150# in 14 months and have been maintaining that loss for 3 years - so made it to a normal/goal weight without them. I recently had another kind of surgery, had a complication and then an infection. I required Iv antibiotics plus was on a total of 3 different types of oral antibiotics. I was pretty sick actually. As i was wrapping up the antibiotics course, i decided to take probiotics as a preventive measure against yeast overgrowth or other imbalances. i feel fine, I feel no different. So, my personal experience neither supports nor contradicts the benefits of probiotics. I had borerline blood sugar - always in the 90s preop. It dropped to low normal levels quite quickly. Most of my blood work was otherwise pretty good - but i have read stories on these forums of very quick improvement of health conditions, faster than you might expect if it were just due to weight loss. I had borderline high blood pressure too, but that has always been more controlled by exercise vs my weight - not sure why.

OK... WARNING!!!! I AM GOING TO COMPLAIN!!!!!! I am trying to have a revision from a lap band. My insurance company informed me today, that even though I had good success with my lap band before my supposed slip, that I would have to start the whole bariatric process over. They said that because my initial surgery was in 2009 I needed current proof of bariatric compliance. However, they would accept the last four years of diet documentation because the lap band slip was of no fault to me. Sounds crazy right? I have to attend meetings, take nutrition classes, have another pysch eval, obtain another support letter from my doctor, and go through cardiac clearance. UGH!!!!! Meanwhile, I have an empty lap band, an uncomfortable port, pain while eating, excess gas,and a tingling numbing pain that radiates behind my left shoulder and runs down to my finger tips. I want out of lap band hell! I have to focus on the positive. I am able to get all of the above taken care of before my next appointment in April. (I just have to rearrange my life to do so.) Thanks for listening!

Hello and welcome...you can click in the search bar and you will find lots of ppl who had revision surgery....good luck on your journey

Has anyone heard if using a larger staple size for revisions? I was concerned about scar tissue and my surgeon said he may use a larger staple to get through it?

I was banded in 2005 and had great result with a 130 pound weight loss within a year. Over the last 5-6 years I have slowly gained weight back on. I will have my band filled and then vomit and then have Fluid taken out then gain weight over and over ugh!!! I had to have fluid taken out again last week due to not being able to keep anything down. Mind you I have not had a fill since 2014. My surgeon actually told me that he feels I should have my band removed and have a revision to gastric bypass. He feels that due to all the vomiting I am doing more harm than good, he also told me that he stopped even putting bands in over a year ago and would not recommend them. He said that it actually was never ment to be a permanent and they all will eventually need to be removed and mine is sooner than later right now. I was told even if I don't want to have the bypass I will need to have my band removed due to the excessive amount of GERD I have and it has caused Baretts Esophagus. One part of my brain says "Go for it they will already be in there to take the band out" then the other part says "You already failed one weight loss surgery". My surgeon also told me he will only do the bypass revision and due to the scaring of the band to stomach is where he needs to cut for the sleeve and he does not want to risk a leak. I go back to see him in three weeks and to tell him my choice. My best friend had the band to bypass revision and said hands down best choice she made. Sorry about the long post but was wondering if any band to bypass folks had any advise before I made my decision Sent from my SM-G900V using the BariatricPal App

There are lots of stories on the band to sleeve forum https://www.bariatricpal.com/forum/394-band-to-gastric-sleeve-revisions/

Greetings Gastric Sleevers! My name is Jay. I am 45 years old and I have been Morbidly Obese my entire Life. Here is my story. I had a Work Physical in December 2006. When I stepped on the scale I weighed 326lbs. That was the most Obese I had ever been, and enough was enough. I had had it. I needed to do something drastic to stop the weight gain. I decided to have a Lab Band. At the time I didnt want to have any physical changes to my body, and people were having very good weight loss success on the Band. In February of 2007, I had my surgery. From February 2007 to September 2007 the band worked great!!! I weighed in at 207lbs. I was extremely happy!!! But sometime in September the tubing to the band developed a kink and then the tubing cracked and the band was worthless. March of 2008 I underwent my second surgery, this time it was a port and tubing replacement. Everything seemed fine until I went in for my first fill. When they tried to fill the band they werent able to. The tubing was kinked again!!! Are you F'ing kidding me? I had enough and was just going to do my best on what the surgeon had put in the band ( I think it was 9cc's). It wasnt enough, I started to gradually put on weight. In 2012 I had enough again. I went in to have the band filled under X-Ray Fluroscopy. For whatever reason the band took in 15 cc's The band I had was only supposed to hold 12. Needless to say the band was closed off, and I couldnt eat or drink anything. Two days later I had emergency surgery to release the band. The surgery went well, but the Surgeon didnt replace the band. When I went in for a fill they put in the Max CC's of 12. Guess what? No restriction. Yup in was stretched out so much it was ineffective again! I had had enough with the Lap Band, it was nothing but a big giant headache for me. I decided to have a Gastric Sleeve in 2015. I had my surgery on June 24th 2015. The day of the surgery I weighed in at 275lbs. Today is September 11th and I am down to 240lbs. I am very happy with my Sleeve, but the adjustment to the new diet was very hard for me. I am doing 3 Protein shakes a day and I added 1 KETO OS drink a day to my diet. It has made a huge difference. My energy levels are through the roof and I feel absolutely Fantastic!!! The weight is coming off twice as fast for me ( from 2 pounds a week to 4) I took the time to research this product and it is the best decision I have made in a long time. Check it out for yourself: http://C7W6R4.pruvitnow.com

I am scheduled for a revision 01|17|10 with Dr Aceves. I am nervous... but I have traveled for WLS surgery before. This time MX is actually closer. haha.

Thank you everyone! I have decided to go with a different surgeon. Not to mention I was basically removed from the surgeon I saws service. They require a $2,500 fee for an after care program, but want $7,000 for the same exact program for a revision paitient. They didn't like when I asked why/had questions about the policy. It just felt like they didn't want to deal with anyone who had any concerns about their program. Thankfully I already started seeking other surgeons and am now dealing with my PCP to get a new referral, but now they're slacking too :-/ I'm literally in their waiting room as I type having a sit in to get my referral. It's been over a week of unreturned calls and messages, I even ended up with an appointment to talk to my PCP directly. I made very clear the hospital I want to go to only does a phone referral service and even gave them the number to call the referral in. They ended up faxing a referral to somebody but certainly wasn't the bariatric program I'm planning on going to. So to insure they call it in and I can get an appointment with the surgeon next week I'm sitting here waiting. I also have decided that I don't mind between RNY and VSG. Well... Yes I would prefer the sleeve but I'm just as at peace with the RNY. I'm essentially going to leave it up to my surgeon to determine what's best for me and whatever the condition of my stomach is once he knows what it looks like.

OMG...I feel a little bit better.I had my band removed and had the sleeve for the same reason.I was 150 pounds one month prior to my revision and gained 23 pounds in one month once the took out all my fluid.So my starting weight from the time i had the sleeve was 173.Had the surgery on Feb 3.Here is what im feeling though.I only lost 13 pounds and getting very disappointed.I just really thought i would have lost a little more weight then this.Any suggestions.Im Now at 161 and i im at a total stall for 2 weeks

Because when I had revision back in 2012 my BMI was 62 now I believe is like 47 or something now, and he thinks because I've been at the same weight for 6 months my body may have lost all it could with the sleeve procedure... He told me to give it my all the next 3 months and if I still cannot break the stall then we may need to explore me revising to DS... I really dont want another procedure, but I've heard good things about the DS....but ultimately the only way I will get it is with insurance approval, I had to pay out of pocket for the revision to sleeve, I honestly cant afford another procedure... So, I am going to give it my all the next couple of months and pray I can break this stall, which is now 8 months and counting