Slipped Band, Considering Revision, Have Questions...

[babykins529 189]

Hello :-) I just found out that my band has slipped and I have been having issues with it for the past year. I've just passed my two year mark of being banded and everything went well the first year. Then it all changed. Multiple ER visits for gastroenteritis, being stuck so bad afterwards do the the swelling I couldn't even swallow my own saliva...so after this last issue and not losing weight for a while now, I think I'm going to get a revision. I have different insurance then when I was banded, and my BMI is still high, so my surgeon (still the same one who banded me) said I have a pretty good chance of being approved. She said it will take 6 months of jumping through hoops like I did before (I only had to do 3 months before though) so I have time to think about which revision I want to do. She also said she wants to get a scope down me no matter if I want revision or not just so she can see better on what is going on with my band/stomach/esophagus. Then she might be able to guide me in a better direction as far as revision. I'm leaning towards GB. I don't have GERD or reflux (until my band slipped that is) so the sleeve could be an option. I have done a lot of research into both, but I was really wondering how long is the recovery phase? It took me 3 weeks to go back to work with the band, but that was mostly due to the shoulder pain from my band pressing on the vagus nerve (a pain which I STILL get all the time). I know it's a longer hospital stay, but I'm curious. I sit at my desk all day at the hospital, so its very sedentary, but I do a lot of walking/stairs. Thanks for any advice!!

[Notinks 91]

I had my band for almost 10 years when I revised to bypass September 15, 2014. I was away from work for 1.5 weeks and worked half days for a couple of days. I don't remember much about my recovery from the band, but this was not bad at all. I was sore, sure, but I also have a pretty sedentary job. I, too, never had GERD until the band. I decided to go with the bypass because it is tried and true. I went with "latest and greatest" with the band and know how that turned out. I also didn't want to risk GERD. I think once you have had it, you continue to be at risk for it. I love the bypass so far! Best of luck to you!

[Sassafras88 4]

I'm currently in the process of jumping through all the hoops to get revised from band to bypass. I was dead set on getting the sleeve until I saw that many people needed to be revised from the sleeve to bypass because of GERD issues. My GERD issues were so awful with the band, I would wake up with acid choking me and coming out of my nose. So I'm not taking any chances this time.

[Band2Sleeve2015 5]

I was banded in May-2013.. I lost 45 lbs and my bad prolapsed. I talked to my Dr about having the sleeve and she was all for it. From the time we decided to do it until my surgery will be 1 month. Three weeks was getting the insurance to reply. My surgery will be 2-24-15. I hope all goes well and will let you know how the revision goes. ????

[babykins529 189]

Thank you all for your responses. My surgeon wants me to hold off and see how things settle for right now, but says we can get the process started for insurance purposes. She wants me to try to stick it out I guess...but with all the issues I'm having, granted they aren't life threatening, but they are very discouraging non the less. I cried the whole way home after being unfilled for the 2nd time in a year. Though I did nothing wrong to make it slip, I still can't help but feel like a failure. I was hoping she would be more on board with having a revision like she sounded when I talked to her the day before. What a roller coaster! @ I hope your surgery goes well for you, and yes, please keep me posted! My surgeon says she has done more band to bypass vs band to sleeve...

[lauradevans 52]

I am very sorry to hear you are having issues. I've been there. I was banded in Oct 2012, had revision from a slip after getting very sick with a stomach bug June 2013... did ok for a few months then my band failed and I had it removed Nov 2013. I had Gastic Sleeve just this past Monday (the 16th) and I feel great. I did have to spend 1 night in the hospital which I didn't with the band but I was thankful for the constant pain meds and nausea meds in my iv and attention I got. I came home about 3:30 on Tuesday and only had nausea that night. Haven't had to take pain or nausea meds since Tuesday night. Stomach sore like with the band just getting from sitting to standing position. Taking that 1st shower was heaven and I felt so much better too. Just been sipping on Clear liquids and Protein drinks every 30 mins or so. I can tell that I can't hold much for sure and yesterday I got to see my new itty-bitty banana shaped stomach! My doctor does a Barium Swallow to check for leaks and reflux on day 3 so it was neat to see that after 5 sips my stomach was full... I had to wait a few hours to add Water to that since the barium was so thick. Good luck in your decision but I can say, I'm not regretful for sleeving at all!!!

[babykins529 189]

A week out from being un-filled and I'm still not much better. I see my doctor next week to discuss revision surgery. The kicker is I have to have the insurance for 24 consecutive months before they will do the surgery. I've only had it for 13 months. I have to do 6 moths of supervised dieting (but I can't lose anymore weight or my BMI will be too low), which I get to start in July of this year so I'll have it all done by January of 2016 when I can finally have my surgery. The other twist is I only get one bariatric surgery per life time, and they consider removing the band as a bariatric surgery, so they might not cover the revision. I might have a better chance of them covering it if I can get it all done in one surgery, but we won't know if that can happen until she gets in there. This is good news (that I have a light at the end of the tunnel) but bad news that I have to wait 10 months and be in debilitating pain and I might not even get to have revision surgery. I told the lady in the office that I'd rather go through 10 months of Hell if it means I will have a lifetime of being pain free. She told me I was a strong and determined young lady. That made me smile.

[walkaboutlady 7]

I have a lap band that slipped and had the bypass done I have lost more weight on the bypass in the restrictions are very similar except they are permanent and your film awful with the bypass. My two day surgery did end up being seven nights in hospital due to complications but I have been told that they are really and out of 10 people having surgery the same day as me I was the only one to stay more than two days. If you eat too much but have a good metabolism a sleeve might be better but if you have a slow metabolism in the bypass is perfect for you. I haven't had any reflux since the surgery six months ago and have lost 50 kg already

[babykins529 189]

@@walkaboutlady, I'm sorry you were one of the unlucky ones. I have a low metabolism. My resting metabolism rate is very very low even for being obese. I also have a very seditary job though I've requested a sit/stand desk because between 8 hours at my desk (literally only get up to use the restroom), my long commute and then going to school full time online...I sit A LOT!

[Golflady 19]

Hi there, I had my band in 2009 and it slipped twice. I had a removed in May and waited till December to have gastric bypass. I've lost 35 pounds since. I spent one night in the hospital I went back to work after two weeks but I have a sedentary job too. I will say I was low on energy for another week so perhaps I should've taken the third week off. I'm very happy I've made the decision. Much easier then I slipped band and no Gerd. I wish the weight-loss was faster but they did say once you've had a band it is slower than if you just had a bypass to begin with... To me pretty much the recovery time was two months total before I was back to eating normal foods (raw vegetables). The only thing I struggle with his rice and dry meats. Good luck in your journey!

[Jeneen B 3]

I also had difficulty with my band, it slipped, and I am at manager at a hospital. My band was covered under one insurance while my revision to gastric bypass was covered under another insurance carrier. My physician did not have any difficulty with my carrier to prove it was medically necessary to complete the surgery. I began the process last August and had gastric bypass November 10. My physician required I attend three informational meetings that are held once monthly before he would complete the surgery—this is the only reason for the delay. I also did not have reflux until the band slipped but medication did not help me. What my surgeon found while I was in surgery was a tremendous amount of adhesions had formed where the band was originally placed. The “reflux pain” I was describing was actually caused by the adhesions. I was in surgery for an hour and half longer than expected. He believes my issues were caused by the adhesions in addition to the band slipping. Unlike my band my recovery was slower than I expected due in part to the extensive surgery they needed to complete and the length of time I was under anesthesia. I was out of work for three weeks and returned part time for almost two weeks. Due to my commute (1hr 15 min each way) the first week back to work I was only able to manage to stay onsite until noon, but, this was due to exhaustion more than anything. The second week I had more strength and by the end of the week I was able to work a full 8 hour day. About mid to late January I started to feel more like myself and did not require a nap on the weekend every week. The last 6-8 months with my band my weight did not change. Since my surgery I have lost an additional 32 pounds. Good Luck!