Lap Band revision to sleeve?

[TracieR 88]

I am 2.5 years out from having my lap band. I lost over 120lbs in the first year. Since about the beginning of year two I have been struggling. I had an overfill and had to have Fluid removed. Since then I've had fills and unfills. I've put back about 40lbs. I have also been struggling with acid reflux severely at night. I had an endoscopy. Tried different kind of acid reducers, not eating 4+ hours before bed and it still doesn't go away. The only time I do not experience the reflux is if my band is pretty much unfilled (less than 2cc) which means I have no restriction. Now I know some of you lose weight without the restriction but for me the only way I lost the weight was restriction (and exercise!). Now that I have none, I am thinking why have the band?

I saw my surgeon this week. After listening to my concerns and reviewing my history. He is recommending I have the band out and look into having the sleeve? Anyone else thinking about the sleeve or have any feedback?

I am truly confused and overwhelmed. I tend to think why have this foreign object in my body if it is not helping with my weight loss anymore and only causing me issues.

Anyone else thinking about the sleeve or have any feedback? Thanks in advance!

[TracieR 88]

I am 2.5 years out from having my lap band. I lost over 120lbs in the first year. Since about the beginning of year two I have been struggling. I had an overfill and had to have Fluid removed. Since then I've had fills and unfills. I've put back about 40lbs. I have also been struggling with acid reflux severely at night. I had an endoscopy. Tried different kind of acid reducers, not eating 4+ hours before bed and it still doesn't go away. The only time I do not experience the reflux is if my band is pretty much unfilled (less than 2cc) which means I have no restriction. Now I know some of you lose weight without the restriction but for me the only way I lost the weight was restriction (and exercise!). Now that I have none, I am thinking why have the band?

I saw my surgeon this week. After listening to my concerns and reviewing my history. He is recommending I have the band out and look into having the sleeve? Anyone else thinking about the sleeve or have any feedback?

I am truly confused and overwhelmed. I tend to think why have this foreign object in my body if it is not helping with my weight loss anymore and only causing me issues.

Anyone else thinking about the sleeve or have any feedback? Thanks in advance!

[Bandista 7,466]

Hi Tracie, I'm so sorry. What a time you've been having. This is out there, but is there any possibility you could be allergic to wheat? Gluten-intolerance is like an epidemic at this point -- and one of the symptoms is acid reflux. What if you are eating something your body cannot tolerate and that is causing all these problems?

[Bandista 7,466]

Hi Tracie, I'm so sorry. What a time you've been having. This is out there, but is there any possibility you could be allergic to wheat? Gluten-intolerance is like an epidemic at this point -- and one of the symptoms is acid reflux. What if you are eating something your body cannot tolerate and that is causing all these problems?

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

If I were in your shoes, I'd insist the doctor do a barium swallow to check the band placement as well as an upper GI to see the condition of your esophagus and stomach. There's no way you can make a good decision what to do until you know exactly what is going on- and right now you don't.

Just curious, what size band do you currently have?

Good luck!

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

If I were in your shoes, I'd insist the doctor do a barium swallow to check the band placement as well as an upper GI to see the condition of your esophagus and stomach. There's no way you can make a good decision what to do until you know exactly what is going on- and right now you don't.

Just curious, what size band do you currently have?

Good luck!

[Jean McMillan 2,973]

I'm sorry to hear about your problems. It can be very frustrating to try to find a tolerable fill level. I think you're wise to at least consider a revision, because no one should tolerate reflux. It's not just an unpleasant inconvenience. It can cause some serious and permanent damage to your upper GI tract.

Speaking as someone who (not entirely by choice) revised from the band to the sleeve because of damage from reflux, the sleeve is not a great choice for someone who's had problems with reflux. I managed to ignore that when making my revision decision. Most sleeve patients experience reflux after surgery even if they never had it before. If you've already had reflux, removing the band will probably help reduce or eliminate it (though RNY is the only WLS procedure that can "cure" reflux), but until (and if) your body realizes it doesn't have to produce much stomach acid any more, it will go on producing enough for a full-size stomach. And there's no guarantee that it'll resolve. My sleeve surgery was in August 2012 and I'm still dealing with reflux. It's not as bad, thanks to omeprazole twice a day, but it's still there.

Nor has my tiny sleeve reduced the production of ghrelin, the hunger hormone that the sleeve is famous for banishing. So thanks to my sleeve, I am now constantly hungry (probably heightened by all that acid) no matter how much or what or when I eat.

My sleeve has given me a bunch of other health problems that I'd be happy to tell you about.

I know plenty of ex-bandsters who love their sleeves, but that love may be related to the relief they feel at the absence of problems their bands were causing or aggravating. Kind of like the happiness you feel when you stop banging your head against the wall. But at this point in my life, having lost 75% of my stomach forever, the best I can say of the sleeve as compared to the band is that it doesn't require fills. It is what it is, like it or not.

[Jean McMillan 2,973]

I'm sorry to hear about your problems. It can be very frustrating to try to find a tolerable fill level. I think you're wise to at least consider a revision, because no one should tolerate reflux. It's not just an unpleasant inconvenience. It can cause some serious and permanent damage to your upper GI tract.

Speaking as someone who (not entirely by choice) revised from the band to the sleeve because of damage from reflux, the sleeve is not a great choice for someone who's had problems with reflux. I managed to ignore that when making my revision decision. Most sleeve patients experience reflux after surgery even if they never had it before. If you've already had reflux, removing the band will probably help reduce or eliminate it (though RNY is the only WLS procedure that can "cure" reflux), but until (and if) your body realizes it doesn't have to produce much stomach acid any more, it will go on producing enough for a full-size stomach. And there's no guarantee that it'll resolve. My sleeve surgery was in August 2012 and I'm still dealing with reflux. It's not as bad, thanks to omeprazole twice a day, but it's still there.

Nor has my tiny sleeve reduced the production of ghrelin, the hunger hormone that the sleeve is famous for banishing. So thanks to my sleeve, I am now constantly hungry (probably heightened by all that acid) no matter how much or what or when I eat.

My sleeve has given me a bunch of other health problems that I'd be happy to tell you about.

I know plenty of ex-bandsters who love their sleeves, but that love may be related to the relief they feel at the absence of problems their bands were causing or aggravating. Kind of like the happiness you feel when you stop banging your head against the wall. But at this point in my life, having lost 75% of my stomach forever, the best I can say of the sleeve as compared to the band is that it doesn't require fills. It is what it is, like it or not.

[Jean McMillan 2,973]

Oh, one more comment (for now). The sleeve is the new darling of the bariatric surgery community. If I were a surgeon, it would probably appeal to me too. I wouldn't have to pay a penny to a band manufacturer for gastric bands, wouldn't have to bother with fills or much patient education or aftercare (which tend to be things that don't interest surgeons who'd rather spend all their time in the operating room). It would be an interesting new procedure to try and perfect, until the next new thing came along. In my opinion, the band is a high-maintenance deal for both the surgeon and the patient. That doesn't make it a bad procedure, nor does it make the sleeve a good procedure.

OK, I'll get down off my soap box now and go figure out something else to eat to keep that hunger down for another 40-60 minutes. Eating 16 times a day sure keeps a girl busy doing the one thing she had hoped to set aside when she had WLS.

[Jean McMillan 2,973]

Oh, one more comment (for now). The sleeve is the new darling of the bariatric surgery community. If I were a surgeon, it would probably appeal to me too. I wouldn't have to pay a penny to a band manufacturer for gastric bands, wouldn't have to bother with fills or much patient education or aftercare (which tend to be things that don't interest surgeons who'd rather spend all their time in the operating room). It would be an interesting new procedure to try and perfect, until the next new thing came along. In my opinion, the band is a high-maintenance deal for both the surgeon and the patient. That doesn't make it a bad procedure, nor does it make the sleeve a good procedure.

OK, I'll get down off my soap box now and go figure out something else to eat to keep that hunger down for another 40-60 minutes. Eating 16 times a day sure keeps a girl busy doing the one thing she had hoped to set aside when she had WLS.

[stacielynntate 88]

Hi Tracie

I am kind of in the same spot as you, I got banded in August of 2008 lost 120 lbs then got pregnant. I had my son in Jan of 2011 and the last 2 1/2 years have been a difficult. Acid reflux like crazy (only goes away when I have less then 1cc in my band) and trouble eating. After many fills/unfills, getting upper GI's done my Dr has finally agreed to do the revision if I want to go with it. I am now trying to gather information and see what others have to say that did the revision themselves. I'm leaning towards doing it but one of my hold ups is the recovery time, my dr said I could be out of work almost 3 weeks and this is not the time for me to take that much time off.

Hopefully you can get some answers to help with your decision.

[TracieR 88]

I'm sorry to hear about your problems. It can be very frustrating to try to find a tolerable fill level. I think you're wise to at least consider a revision, because no one should tolerate reflux. It's not just an unpleasant inconvenience. It can cause some serious and permanent damage to your upper GI tract.

Speaking as someone who (not entirely by choice) revised from the band to the sleeve because of damage from reflux, the sleeve is not a great choice for someone who's had problems with reflux. I managed to ignore that when making my revision decision. Most sleeve patients experience reflux after surgery even if they never had it before. If you've already had reflux, removing the band will probably help reduce or eliminate it (though RNY is the only WLS procedure that can "cure" reflux), but until (and if) your body realizes it doesn't have to produce much stomach acid any more, it will go on producing enough for a full-size stomach. And there's no guarantee that it'll resolve. My sleeve surgery was in August 2012 and I'm still dealing with reflux. It's not as bad, thanks to omeprazole twice a day, but it's still there.

Nor has my tiny sleeve reduced the production of ghrelin, the hunger hormone that the sleeve is famous for banishing. So thanks to my sleeve, I am now constantly hungry (probably heightened by all that acid) no matter how much or what or when I eat.

My sleeve has given me a bunch of other health problems that I'd be happy to tell you about.

I know plenty of ex-bandsters who love their sleeves, but that love may be related to the relief they feel at the absence of problems their bands were causing or aggravating. Kind of like the happiness you feel when you stop banging your head against the wall. But at this point in my life, having lost 75% of my stomach forever, the best I can say of the sleeve as compared to the band is that it doesn't require fills. It is what it is, like it or not.

Thanks Jean! Gives me plenty to think about and lots of questions to ask about. I appreciate you taking the time to answer! It did strike me that he right away went to the sleeve without hesitation, which just reminds me that this whole weight loss surgery thing is big business. I am going to really take the time to educate and advocate for myself before making a decision.

[TracieR 88]

Hi Tracie, I'm so sorry. What a time you've been having. This is out there, but is there any possibility you could be allergic to wheat? Gluten-intolerance is like an epidemic at this point -- and one of the symptoms is acid reflux. What if you are eating something your body cannot tolerate and that is causing all these problems?

Interesting thought! I've been thinking about doing that as well as cutting dairy to see if it helps with my infertility. I guess this could go hand and hand! Thanks for taking the time to respond!

[TracieR 88]

Hi Tracie

I am kind of in the same spot as you, I got banded in August of 2008 lost 120 lbs then got pregnant. I had my son in Jan of 2011 and the last 2 1/2 years have been a difficult. Acid reflux like crazy (only goes away when I have less then 1cc in my band) and trouble eating. After many fills/unfills, getting upper GI's done my Dr has finally agreed to do the revision if I want to go with it. I am now trying to gather information and see what others have to say that did the revision themselves. I'm leaning towards doing it but one of my hold ups is the recovery time, my dr said I could be out of work almost 3 weeks and this is not the time for me to take that much time off.

Hopefully you can get some answers to help with your decision.

Isn't life funny? I finally decide to get the band and feel great and less than five years here I am again? I am really torn. I'm going to do some more research and do what feels right. I am also leaning towards doing it. My doctor would remove the band and then I would have to wait 3 months before the sleeve. I'm thinking I'm going to go ahead and have the band out and then decide about the sleeve. Keep me updated on what you decide! Best Wishes!

[PhatKat1127 55]

Im less than 1 yr out and sched for endoscopy friday. Weight loss total 40lbs which was reached before my 6th month! Then no Weight loss at all. 4 fills total cant keep anything down, acid reflux is back after hiatal hernia repair in esophogaus to correct Gerd. Sudden increase in severe Migraines and now seizures.

Doctor is talking possible slip. I wish I would have gone with the sleeve. I look the Basically the Same & Feel worse! I did 7 yrs of research I guess I am the 2% failure rate... I pray all can be corrected!