Band to Sleeve Revision - Half my size in 11 1/2 months - Down 143 lbs!

[MelissaGG 9]

Melissa GG I feel for you because I was in your place with the band too. I was thinner but so uncomfortable. I was throwing up almost daily and waking up in the middle of the night choking on saliva and would wake up hurled in the floor. It was not a good way to live. I had to removed and it had cut a hole in my stomach from so much of the acids. I waited a year to get the sleeve and I was hesitant too because I felt like the Lapband was suppose to be the last surgery I had for weight loss. I felt like a failure. My surgeon told me "you lost weight w the band. You didn't fail. The lap band failed you and is making you sick". My quality of life was compromised. With the sleeve there are definite sacrifices but you can eat a lot of stuff you want later on in small portions.

I wish you peace of mind on your decision and a healthy recovery with whatever you choose.

Thank you, that is just what I needed to hear. I was up all night thinking about this, tossing and turning. Wont make for a good day today but I will try to make it better. I see the new surgeon tomorrow for his seminar (initial meeting). I plan on also calling my Primary Care Doc but I am not sure she will b e very supportive but I think I need her now to be on my side.

[May2013 11]

Congrats! And thank you for posting this. I am worried constantly about my weight loss being slower since I'm a revision (I also have PCOS with Insulin resistance) and I find myself frequently comparing my weight loss to others as well as to when I was loosing weight with the band. Especially since I also find myself able to eat more than others seem to be able to. I guess I need to back off my own back.

[sherytuta 2]

Iam from the Middle East I've done my surgery in the Middle East 16 months ago it was a revesion from gastric band to VSG my doctor have seen me twice after my surgery he said" my job is to do your surgery and your job is to loose the weight" we here do not have any nutritionist that deal with WLS surgery I have no information on how to eat or what to do my doctor told me I can eat what ever I want he asked me only not to eat and drink at the same time I'm 5 feet tall my starting weight was 193 I lost 23 pounds I'm a single mom and I work a full time job. About bad food choices I didn't know that all my food were bad choices we here eat a lot of bread and rice our main food are carbs I just found this site a few days ago the amount of information I got was a lot I don't know where to start I feel like a loser compared to everyone here.

[crystal525 26]

I am so encouraged hearing this but I feel so far from ever having any sort of achievement. This lap band feels like it has gone toxic and I am still unsure where to turn. I have had this thing for a decade and thoughts would never need surgery again (I was told) but now I feel weak, tired, sick and I hope to get where you are someday but I am so scared of what they will find when they open me up....I am usually very optimistic but I feel worn down and alone right now.

Trust me...you are not alone! There are many of us here who feel/felt the same way! Welcome...

[MelissaGG 9]

Thank you so much. I think I found a surgeon, my insurance covers the revision. But for some reason, I can't get over my fears of surgery. It helps to have encouragement. I am feeling so low right now, so sick and so tired. I put my little boy to bed tonight next to me and have not stopped crying since. I am so fearful of dying on the table or having a leak and being in the hospital for a long time. My job is stressful and all I want is a life back, without these worries. Sorry to unload all the time on here. I am really a happy go lucky kind of person, I just hate having to face this and thinking about the worst. My baby is only 3 and I am 45. I don't want to screw things up.

[Kristina J. 581]

This topic and discussion are exactly why I joined this site. Everyone is so encouraging and ready to help. I loved reading your story and your information is wonderful to hear 8 weeks out from my revision surgery.

Thank you so much for sharing and congratulations!!!!!

[MelissaGG 9]

This topic and discussion are exactly why I joined this site. Everyone is so encouraging and ready to help. I loved reading your story and your information is wonderful to hear 8 weeks out from my revision surgery.

Thank you so much for sharing and congratulations!!!!!

Kristina, I am wondering, did your 2nd band also slip and or erode?

[Kristina J. 581]

Kristina' date=' I am wondering, did your 2nd band also slip and or erode?[/quote']

Melissa, my second band has dilated and slipped, but not as badly as my first and does not need to be surgically corrected. Removing all the Fluid and healing for 2-3 months will put me right back to how it was post band surgery and pre-fills, assuming there are no erosions. That is the process I went through in the middle of last year. After healing, I began getting fills again, as my doctor said it was worth a try, though likely to repeat the slippage and dilation. And it did. So I am now back to slipped and dilated until Tuesday when I will have the Fluid removed.

I do not know yet if there are any erosions since it is still in. I am removing all fluid from my band this week (8 weeks before surgery) in an attempt to minimize any ill effect from my band on the revision . Because we are planning a single surgery revision (I am self pay), my surgeon will be doing an endoscopy the day before surgery to check for erosions and band placement, but even then, there is no guarantee that my revision can be completed in a single surgery. Sometimes the only way to know, is to remove the band and look.

I am crossing my fingers that there is no erosion, since I'm self pay and it's a whole lot nicer to pay for one surgery than two! lol But I am committed to doing whatever I need to do to get healthy again!