Alexa77

Susan, Oregondaisy, Elizabethsew, Wasabubblebutt, Vegasangel & Fianc?: anyone who has had a revision from LapBand to Sleeve: can you please give us all an update of your progress, successes, and obstacles/ stumbles along the way? How much have you lost thus far?? I have been avidly reading your posts! You insight is invaluabel to me (as I'm sure it is to so many out there quietly reading the boards)! I haven't seen an update on your tickers for some of you that began your journey in April. I just scheduled my revision with Dr. Aceves for August 20th (ahhh, nervous, excited!!!), I haven't told my family, don't think I will, not supportive of a Mexico surgery. I just wanted to ask to hear your loss results, positive affirmation for me that I can be there, too. Thank you so much for your time!!! :thumbup1:

Thank you all so much for your replys!!! I am not sure if you realize how informative and inspirational your messages are, but please know they are!!! I am pretty scared, but keep reading all of your success stories and I am confident if you can do it, so can I!! thanks again for your updates!! they really help!

Hey folks! How long after surgery did you start excercising?

VegasAngel or anyone, since I know you are there on a Sunday, you said they personally check you 3x per day, the actual physicians, not just the nurses? Even Saturdays/ Sundays? Sorry for the barrage of questions

seriously wasabubble, you are so wonderful to do this support site for people, share your time and experience. Thank you so much!! Wow, 3x more likely for a leak with revision, scary. Any suggestions? Adhere strictly to the diet: softs and liquids for the first 2 months? Did you have any leakage? When did you get your revision? What is it like now, can you eat without discomfort? Extremely small quanities? I sincerely do appreciate your time!!! I will call MX this am, I have been seriously considering for some time, just think I'm at the end of struggle now.

VegasAngel, did you have a revision or a sleeve? Wasabubblebutt, for your revision, do you have additional scars? What is the scar situation like after the revision? I have 3 small ones on my abdomen & one large, longer one where my port went, HATE it!!! Its so ugly, sticks up, red, can see it when I wear a 1piece bathing suit.

VegasAngel! I cannot tell you how much I sincerely appreciate your feedback!!!!!!!!! I hope everything goes well for you and your fianc?! It sounds like everything is going great, so you think its OK to drive? Even after your procedure, I don't really want to go with anyone, I would like to drive myself, what do you think? I can tolerate a pretty good deal of pain, and am fairly healthy (32, 2 kids, both C-sections, about 235lbs.). Can I ask how much you and your fianc? paid? That sounds like a perfect scenario to me, and exactly what I think I can do, to go in on a Friday and be back after the weekend, especially for a low impact job. I cannot express how grateful I am for the first hand insight!!! I was thinking I could tolerate going back right away, just wanted to confirm that others have done it. Its very reassuring to hear how clean and sterile the facility is. For the leak issue, is it risky to drive all the way back to see him if you have a leak here? I just don’t know what kind of emergency factor that is, and how do you know if you have a leak, you get very sick? What is follow-up care like? Do you plan to see a doc in Vegas or continue to go back? I was thinking I could followup with my Tucson doc since he is experienced with both the band & the sleeve.

thank you so much again, I will get the unfill, its too much! yes, the business dinners are horrifying. Thank you so much, Ruthi & Wasabubblebutt for the info! My concerns for Mexico aren't the tourism issues, its more to do with the potential for leakage and their response should that happen when I'm there. How long are the stays in Mexico? I know what the recovery general times are, but I was wondering what your personal experience was? I have an office job, very low energy, how soon can I go back? How soon are leaks found generally after the procedure? I am fearful if there is a leak & I go home, my medical insurance won't cover the repair surgery, my fear is the more leak issue I think. Can anyone tell a little about their Mexico experience? Seems like Dr. Aceves has strong supporters here, was wondering what the experience was, is it a very sterile, clean environment? Hospital like, or procedures done in the office? Are temps cold or cool in the operating room? I would love the first hand perception, thank you all so much for your invaluable insight!!!!!!!

I'm in the same boat, Stuck. Self pay lapband patient, and asked my doctor when I first got the band how much he would charge to revise, he was annoyed, wanted me to stick with the band, its horrible, I hate it. Monty Swartz in Tucson, my doc, said he can do a revision for mid $30's, OMG, thats outrageous, I think the cost is similar in Phoenix, called around a bit. Austin Bariatric Center in TX is $11-$12k, but thats just the sleeve, not revision, they don't take the band out or have anything to do with the band, that may have changed. Theres another place in El Paso I think that is similar price. Scary though, I saw a post on here of a lady who had leakage and had to go back in for emergency surgery in TX, wow, what if that happens in Mexico (thats where I'm considering). I asked my doc to just take the band out w/o revision out and he won't strongly advises against for a revisions, says its much less invasive to do both at once, which makes sense, but depending on cost and other issues, I may still try to have him remove. Anyone know costs elsewhere? Mexico? How safe is that? What about the possibility of leakage? How long do you have to stay?

thanks so much for your reply wasabubblebutt, I have kept the band thus far to try to get my moneys worth, despite its discomfort and all. I think I have had 4 fills, I'm to the limit, actually I think I need to ask my doc, Monty Swartz, at the next visit to reduce, bits hurt, just 1-2, even chewed very well, it seems like all I can take are protein shakes, and I get acid reflux. I lost the most during the initial 3-4 weeks liquid/ soft solids about 32 lbs, the tightness of the band has got me down to 45lbs overall, not where I wanted to be at this point, every clinic visit I have lost something, be it 2-4 lbs. Its so slow, and I could take the slow part if I felt I had a quality of life, I can't go to dinner and eat anything with friends, I choke, and its awkward, I mean literally choke on soup, salad especially. Bread has been gone since I started, but I thought I could enjoy normal healthy eating, salads, legumes; I told myself I don't need to like food anymore, its not important: eating, but this is over the top, I'm not overly concerned about keeping it off, I know myself and for me its behavior modification, I can keep it off, its loosing it. Judy replied to me last night, are there concerns with Mexico? Based on your experience with Dr. Aceves and a few others, I am very seriously looking into it. I am concerned about the possibility of leakage of the staples, what if that happens in Mexico or when I return? I will post my questions regarding cost in the other forum, thank you so much for all of your guidance, its so wonderful to have knowledgeable support!!!

I'm am so there with you guys, current bander since November 2008, sooooooo hate it, have tried everything, was such an investment, but its awful! acid reflux, painful to eat almost everything, spitting, uuuhhh, I have been seriously considering a revision for months, actually since I got the band, just didn't want to give up on it, felt like a quitter, defeated. Affordability is going to be a major factor, does anyone know the bets going rate for a revision right now in Mexacali, any recommendations for good/ reasonable doctors? Just finished reading the scary thread of the lady who had leakage, what if that happens in Mexico?? Anyone experienced with this, thank you so very kindly for your time to read and respond, a million thank yous!!! I have to get this thing out