FindingMyWay

i was banded back in 2008 and it was an outpatient surgery but i opted to stay one night since i'd never had surgery before. now, my band has slipped and it has to come out soon. i had surgery on a monday and didn't go back to work until that following tuesday. what can i expect from this revision surgery? is it a lot worse pain-wise than the original band surgery?

i currently have a slipped lapband and i'm not 100% sure the sleeve is the surgery for me. luckily i'm not in any pain and i'm able to eat so i have 3 to 6 months before i absolutely have to have my band removed. i'm self pay which is why i'd be heading to Mexico and i'd be traveling alone on a 6.5 hour flight and i'm scared. i need a surgeon who has done a lot of revision surgeries because i'm not sure what shape my stomach is going to be in when the band is removed (scarring). just so much to think about!

i'm currently living with a slipped lapband and need to have it removed. even though i've lost 110% of my goal weight, i decided against getting rebanded because i was told the percentage of it slipping again is too high. the thing is, i'm 4 years post op and i'm still not done paying for the first surgery which is why i need to travel from ohio to Mexico. i'm thinking of going with dr. Almanza because he seems to have done a lot of revision surgeries. how many days are you actually in the hospital / recovery home / hotel? i thought i'd have surgery day one, recovery house or hotel day two and travel back home day 3 but i heard that you're actually away closer to 5 days. there are no direct flights from san diego to cleveland so i'm not looking forward to the 6.5 hour flight home plus layover. how unbearable is this travel going to be? also, i'll be traveling alone.

thank you, crystal. you might be right about the band induced bulimia. i never threw up before i was banded and haven't felt the need to throw up since i've had all the Fluid removed from my band. i do know i always had a hard time knowing when to stop eating. my stomach told me to stop but my brain told me to keep eating. i usually listened to my brain. i weighed 145 consistantly for 2 years and then in December my weight started dropping. i was down to 114 which was not healthy for me but i couldn't gain weight no matter what i tried which is why i went back to my surgeon the beginning of August to find out my band had slipped... which could be why i made myself throw up too. since having all the fluid removed i'm back up to 125 pounds but really should be about 140. my surgeon said i have about 3-6 months to make up my mind... i too am worried about half my stomach being removed. it's so... final but i was told that getting rebanded left a very high risk of slipping again. i know if i just have it removed i'll gain the weight back. there is no question about it. now i just have to find a surgeon in Mexico that i trust since i'm self pay!

how was the recovery different between getting banded and getting sleeved? do you have new scars or did they start with "fresh" skin?

no offense taken, valdosta. not one surgeon has said they wouldn't reband me or revise to the sleeve because when you see the before picture, i obviously need help keeping the weight off. yes, i will most likely get very underweight the first month after surgery since i won't be allowed to eat, but i'm confident i'll be able to get back up to my current weight of 125 and hopefully, someday, 140 which is when i looked my best. lzuri, since i'm self pay, i have to have both surgeries done at one time for financial reasons. otherwise it will cost me $4000 to remove the band and another $4500 for a revision. if i have them done at the same time i'll only be charged $4500. no, i no longer see my therapist, not because i think i'm "cured" but she was forcing me into an eating disorder clinic and i don't think i need that. i do see a psychiatrist for medications and we talk. since i've had all the Fluid taken out of my band, i haven't purged at all. i feel good. if i happen to start again, i have no problems going back into therapy. believe me, i have my entire family watching everything i do to the point where my mom or sister will ask me to get on the scale to make sure i weigh what i say i weigh. i have nothing to hide... i just know i CANNOT gain that much weight back and i don't know if i have the self control to do it alone. i'd rather be safe than sorry.

i had lapband surgery in 2008. i went from 213 pounds to my lowest 114 pounds. i've always had problems with my band (i.e. acid reflux, vomitting, binging/purging on purpose). i did see a therapist about the binging and purging and i no longer do it BUT i think that is why my band slipped. when i was at my lowest weight i looked anorexic... old... haggard... but i couldn't gain weight no matter what i did so i wen to get a slight unfill of my band so i could eat more. that's when i found out about the slip. i'm self pay and STILL paying for it. my choices are remove the band and go on with my life, remove the band and get rebanded and take the big risk of it slipping again or remove the band and revise to the sleeve. luckily i'm not in any pain from the slip so i'm able to take my time and make a decision. since i'm self pay i need to go to Mexico. any suggestions would be appreciated. i worry about life after the sleeve. i'm already below my goal weight and i'll lose even MORE weight after the surgery since i'll be on liquids for a long time but i don't think i can remain this thin without help.