Baba Wawa

The sleeve is great if you don't have achalasia (esophageal) damage. Jean has achalasia, which is most likely why she's had a difficult time with her revision. I know of several who have revised to sleeve despite having it with varying results from a quality of life perspective.
I want to revise, but I also have end stage achalasia, damage from my band, so probably no revision for me. Be sure to consult with a revision surgeon...better outcome and fewer complications. Best of luck to you!

I had mine in December. It was pretty easy, the used propofol for mine.

Sorry, didn't mean to quote Terry.
Yes, 4 people said no. Two had really serious complications, one was a month post op and missing her food addiction, one lost her marriage. The one factor in VSG that scares me is the types of peri postoperative complications; leaks, infection, etc, are higher than banding (1-2% vs .5%), but the long term complications are greater with the band. Since close to 100 people took the survey, the #s are pretty representative of the stats. The recovery from sleeve is longer and more difficult, requiring more time off from work.
It's a dicey situation, but being in my place, would you wish you had just done the one other available restrictive surgery in the first place? I'm no spring chicken and I'm dealing with some pretty massive issues right now...20 months out of 35. It's unlikely I can revise because of the band damage...there are cases where it would have been better to deal with a 1-2% complication rate early on and then go on with your life, rather than spending precious time, resources and suffering trying to figure out what is wrong and then more time, resources and suffering treating it.
Like I asked, just curious as to your point. Its important to read all the posts on both sides of this and for those deciding on WLS to make a fully informed consent. Thanks for posting this

I don't understand the point of your post.
Here's the survey from this site:
Knowing what you know now about weight loss surgery, would you do it again if you had the chance to make your decision again?
Yes, without a doubt! The surgery has been everything I’d hoped for. (23 votes [51.11%])
Yes, probably. The journey hasn’t been easy, but I’m losing weight and feel that this was my best option. (12 votes [26.67%])
Yes, but I would have chosen a different type of weight loss surgery. (6 votes [13.33%])
No. I’ve had complications and my health has suffered and/or I haven’t been hitting my weight loss goals. (1 votes [2.22%])
I haven’t had the surgery yet, but I’m looking at the results of this poll carefully to help me make my decision! (0 votes [0.00%])
Other...read my response below! (3 votes [6.67%])
Here's the post from VST:
Knowing what you know now about weight loss surgery, would you do it again if you had the chance to make your decision again?
Yes, without a doubt! The surgery has been everything I’d hoped for. (80 votes [62.99%])
Yes, probably. The journey hasn’t been easy, but I’m losing weight and feel that this was my best option. (27 votes [21.26%])
Yes, but I would have chosen a different type of weight loss surgery. (4 votes [3.15%])
No. I’ve had complications and my health has suffered and/or I haven’t been hitting my weight loss goals. (4 votes [3.15%])
I haven’t had the surgery yet, but I’m looking at the results of this poll carefully to help me make my decision! (10 votes [7.87%])
Other...read my response below! (2 votes [1.57%])

I think you made the right decision Marci. I too have a 3 hour round trip to the doctor that did my band...I also have heard of just a couple of people getting a new band and being successful and they both had the old 4cc bands initially. I know of several dozen who have not and end up with removal or revision and pretty bad damage.
Keep us posted on your progress! Congrats

Call your doctor today. Whether it is sleep apnea or reflux, it is dangerous. Keep us posted.

I think you're assuming a lot. Many band clinics paint a very rosy picture of WLS and banding in particular. There are plenty of posts on forums of people going back to work in 1-3 days, as well. Hyperbole it's not. It's a reflection of our society's need for instant gratification.
I also think your reference to rants is a bit sexist. Just my $.02
...and it took a whole 30 seconds to find a recent post referring to this. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/topic/168484-how-long-should-i-take-off-work/

SO true! I was told that my band, plication, gallbladder removal and hiatial hernia repair would be outpatient. Well....I stayed one night. I was also told that this would be a piece of cake compared to my total hysterectomy. WRONG! I'm a little over three weeks out, and just starting to feel back to my normal self. I still have abdominal pain where the port is, which seems to carry down to (what used to be) an ovary. I have my fingers crossed that all of this resolves in the next 3-4 weeks.
Regarding the issues in your post; they concern me a great deal. I'm going to demand screenings once a year as a proactive measure. I don't want any of this silent sh-it going on, only to bite me in the ass down the road. I'm happy that I'm losing weight, and that I did the procedure. But I can't honestly say that I'm skipping through the garden without a care in the world. I have concerns (and fear) that something might backfire. I'll just take it a day at a time, but I WILL make sure that I'm screened for these things you mentioned, at LEAST every 12 months.
Thanks so much for the info.

The reality of a Hiccup, and sneezing is YES you've probably eaten enough for your Band BUT... what is occurring is your band or stomach is contacting the Diaphragm and that is what is causing it, most feels it's an inconvenience or use it as a "tell" for when they should stop. HOWEVER the diaphragm doesn't feel pain it refers pain, usually to the Left shoulder, caused from the Phrenic nerve. Simplified the Phrenic nerve controls breathing So if you develop breathing issues because of prolonged hiccups or sneezing TELL YOUR DOCTOR GET IT CHECKED

I was fixing to ask this same question. Glad i looked first.
Banded 3+ years ago and i notice that if i over eat i get terrible pain in my left shoulder. NEVER the right and always in the same spot. Not the joint area... mine is where the neck and shoulder meet. The big muscle. I did mention it to my WLS but he never elaborated. It hurts so bad sometimes i put heat and cold compresses. It does go away about an hour or two after i eat. And it's mostly at night.

UPDATE: First let me say that all of the above mentioned reasons can cause shoulder pain.
BUT the left shoulder pain I have experienced since Oct 2013, BANDED 04/09 until now IS related to the LAP BAND, It's stated in the information from ALLERGAN.( reported side effect)
After the unfill the stabbing pain has started to resolve BUT it's not gone, range of motion is VERY limited and is still causing burning, Can't lift my arm for any extended period of time, heat or cold doesn't resolve this. Nerve pain takes a long time to resolve.
MRI showed nothing to cause shoulder pain, next step is to remove the band.

Left shoulder pain from LB and gastric banding is REAL
What I am referring to is NOT the Post-op pain from C02 that most often dissipates days to weeks AFTER Surgery.
I am referring to the Stabbing, Burning PAIN that is constantly present in one form of discomfort to you. This will and can lead to neck, upper back, chest discomfort that comes and goes. (BUT is localized to left shoulder)
The pain/burning that you experience can be from multiple reasons
1) over eating (this usually isn't persistent and goes away) at least that is my experience.
2)internal scarring from your band causing pressure on the diaphragm
3) after getting a fill,
Anytime the Diaphragm is irritated, contacted it doesn't feel pain, it refers pain, that pain is referred to the LEFT SHOULDER.,
That pain isn't going to immediately go away If you've experienced it long term, it will take the nerve some length of time to recover.
Please don't allow anyone, including your Surgeon to tell you it's NOTHING and it will go away. It will continue if the REASON for it happening isn't resolved.
I'm not posting to BAND BASH, I have one I have experienced this!
I BELIEVE THAT BEING EDUCATED IS POWER, LEARN TO EMPOWER YOURSELF TO BE HEALTHY AND EDUCATED ABOUT YOUR HEALTH

THANKS JEAN !! THE FACTS WILL SET YOU FREE!! Or at least help you along your WL Journey

The point was the NOT EVERYONE knows about the RARE complications, and since I now know that a lot are due to patient's non compliance,NOT band failure, or those rare complications, I'll just tell everyone that wants to Know about having a LB to GO GET ONE if you need to have surgery because of a slip HEY, no problem, it's not like it's major suregery. And all your health problems from being obese will go away with that LB.
Sorry I posted INFORMATION it won't happen again .

OK perhaps you missed the point, I don't dispute the failure rates, what I was disputing was your comment:
(your comment): Then you should be fair and also add that the majority of complications with the band are due to patient failure, not band failure.
according to what you wrote and I read it to say was that your blaming patient's for the failure of their bands? Because that I don't believe to be true, not until I see the results from a study telling me about all the complications,

My Post was to INFORM anyone with a lap band of the possible complications/symptoms that they might experience. This was from the U.S. National Library of Medicine /National Institutes of Health A Surgeons guide as I stated.
I'm Not here To Band Bash, I have one, I just find that no matter where you go on the majority of WLS sites no one tells you about Complications, the majority of the information is anecdotal. the fact is most of the studies are funded by the manufacturer of the products so were not getting Unbiased information.
I prefer to believe in Education being Power and that leads to Empowerment of our own health NO ONE, is going to be an advocate for ME MORE THAN ME!
(your comment): Then you should be fair and also add that the majority of complications with the band are due to patient failure, not band failure.
I'd be curious as to HOW you came to this conclusion? Scar tissue from LB surgery isn't a patient's fault, yes some things like non-compliance is a patient's fault but to make a BLANKET statement like it's the patient's fault if the band fails is LIDICUOUS, and detrimental to people looking for the FACTS about a LB

Pouch enlargement

Pouch enlargement (type-III prolapse) is diagnosed when dilation of the proximal gastric pouch is present with or without change in the angle of the band and in the absence of signs of obstruction.
The lower esophagus may or may not be dilated. Pouch enlargement is a pressure-related phenomenon that may be surgically induced by band over inflation or overeating with resulting high pressure in the pouch.
Symptoms of pouch enlargement include lack of satiety, heartburn, regurgitation and occasional chest pain. The diagnosis is made with an upper gastrointestinal series
Nonoperative treatment includes complete band deflation, low-calorie diet, re-enforcement of portion size and follow-up contrast study in 4–6 weeks. If the band position and the pouch size return to normal, then the band can be incrementally re inflated. A study by Moser and colleagues demonstrated that this conservative approach to pouch enlargement was successful in up to 77% of patients. Conservative treatment is considered unsuccessful when the pouch fails to recover its original size after 8–10 weeks. In this circumstance, surgical treatment with either band removal or replacement is indicated.

Band slip

Band slip may be defined as cephalad prolapse of the body of the stomach or caudal movement of the band. Other published literature report an incidence of slip of 1%–22%.
Since the cross-sectional area of the stomach is larger at the body than at the level of the angle of His (normal band position), complete obstruction of the stomach can occur when the band slips. Band slip can be posterior or anterior, depending on whether the anterior or posterior region of the stomach herniates through the band.

Anterior slip (type-I prolapse)


Anterior slip results from upward migration of the anterior wall of the stomach through the band. This can be due to insufficient anterior fixation and disruption of the fixation sutures. The second cause may be related to increased pressure in the pouch due to early solid food, vomiting, overeating or early (< 4 wk) band fill.

Posterior slip (type-II prolapse)

Posterior slip is defined as a herniation of the posterior wall of the stomach through the band. This is usually related to the surgical technique but is less frequent now with adoption of the pars flaccida approach instead of the perigastric approach
In both types of slip, the patient usually presents with dysphagia, vomiting, regurgitation and food intolerance. The diagnosis is made by upper gastrointestinal series. Complications related to band slip include gastric perforation, necrosis of the slipped stomach (type-V prolapse), upper gastrointestinal bleeding and aspiration pneumonia.
Type-IV prolapse

A type-IV prolapse is defined as an immediate postoperative prolapse and is usually due to placing the band too low on the stomach.
Band slip types (I, II, IV and V) are acute and always require surgical intervention. Laparoscopic removal or repositioning of the band is the preferred method of treatment. Pouch enlargement is a chronic complication that should be managed nonoperatively in the first instance, and surgical readjustment is reserved only for those patients in whom conservative treatment fails.
Band erosion

Band erosion is an uncommon complication of LAGB. In this scenario, the band gradually erodes through the stomach wall and into the gastric lumen. The incidence is less than 1%, with a reported prevalence varying from 0% to 11%.
The etiology of band erosion may be the result of gastric-wall injury during band placement or tight anterior fixation, especially around the band buckle.
A high index of suspicion is required for diagnosis of band erosion as most patients are asymptomatic. When symptomatic, complaints related to erosion include loss of restriction, nonspecific epigastric pain, gastrointestinal bleeding, intra-abdominal abscesses or port-site infection. The diagnosis is often made at the time of gastroscopy.
The recommended treatment is complete removal of the eroded gastric band laparoscopically or via laparotomy.

Port-site infection

Port-site infections can be classified as early and late. Early infections will manifest with the cardinal signs of erythema, swelling and pain. These infections typically occur within the immediate postoperative period and may be reduced by the use of perioperative antibiotics. Early infection with cellulitis alone may be treated with oral antibiotics. If the response is inadequate, then intravenous antibiotic use is warranted. When the infection does not respond to intravenous antibiotics and is limited to the port, the port should be removed and the tubing knotted and left inside the abdomen. Once the local infection is resolved, a new port may be placed and tubing connected with laparoscopic guidance. Late port site infections are often caused by delayed band erosion with ascending infection. This usually manifests several months after surgery and can be associated with loss of restriction. These infections typically do not respond well to antibiotic treatment. If left undetected, band infection can evolve into potentially life-threatening intra-abdominal sepsis. Gastroscopy will confirm the diagnosis of band erosion. This complex clinical scenario is treated most expeditiously by removal of the band.

Port breakage

Breakage or damage of the port typically refers to leakage through a damaged port septum or tubing leading into the port. The use of a standard coring needle is strongly discouraged, and only Huber (noncoring) needles should be used to access the port. If port access is difficult or if the tubing connected to the port is at risk of perforation, then band adjustment under fluoroscopy is advised. Port breakage usually manifests as a slow leak with the loss of the injected Fluid volume on aspiration and the absence of restriction. It can be difficult to identify the leak site but local exploration of the port site can confirm the diagnosis.
I'm posting this because these are things we as Lap Band Patients should be aware of, I'm a firm believer of "Being forewarned is being Forearmed

good advise from everyone! Blood pressure medications can take anywhere from 1-2 weeks to show results. and sometimes it might not be the right medication for you the doctor might have to change it.
A normal resting heart rate for adults ranges from 60 to 100 beats a minute.
Keep in mind that many factors can influence heart rate, including:
Activity level
Fitness level
Air temperature
Body position (standing up or lying down, for example)
Emotions
Body size
Medications
Although there's a wide range of normal, an unusually high or low heart rate may indicate an underlying problem. Consult your doctor if your resting heart rate is consistently above 100 beats a minute (tachycardia) or below 60 beats a minute (bradycardia) — especially if you have other signs or symptoms, such as fainting, dizziness or shortness of breath.

My BP was creeping up..but I had not been put on any meds yet... I was headed in that direction if I didn't do something about my weight. They did my surgery even with the high BP...140/92.
Today my BP averages 110/70
My husband is average weight but had high BP... His went doesn't about a month after going on his meds.

Call your doctor today. Whether it is sleep apnea or reflux, it is dangerous. Keep us posted.

I think you're assuming a lot. Many band clinics paint a very rosy picture of WLS and banding in particular. There are plenty of posts on forums of people going back to work in 1-3 days, as well. Hyperbole it's not. It's a reflection of our society's need for instant gratification.
I also think your reference to rants is a bit sexist. Just my $.02
...and it took a whole 30 seconds to find a recent post referring to this. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/topic/168484-how-long-should-i-take-off-work/