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Drewer, I was a very successful patient with the lap band, until by chance, I discovered that it caused my esophagus some real issues. The scariest thing about my situation or what I now know was a blessing in disguise. I was doing awesome with the band and lost over 120 lbs. at the most successful point of my journey. I had no real obvious symptoms or problems, other than I could eat a bit more and had some very little night issues. My insurance company changed at work and so did the their bariatric service. I was forced to switch bariatric services and doctor and when I saw the new doctor, he asked for a UGI. To my surprise, the UGI technician told me to contact my doctor as soon as possible. Things took off very quickly after that and I ended up getting my band removed and revised to sleeve. Had I not seen the new doctor and UGI performed I would have ended up with much more damage that I had - Thank God! Wish I had gone sleeve originally. My vote: Sleeve 100%! Much luck to you! Jake

I had my VGS done 2 years ago. Failed...only end result was a 40 lbs weight loss. On Wed AUG 5 I am going in and having the DS performed. Any last minute advice to help me be successful this time?

I personally never had it past week 4, and what little I had was barely there. Most people notice it after they start solids. I didn't. I had my revision to bypass on the 28th and I'm on week 3 foods and feel no restriction. I guess I'm just one of the lucky ones.

Same. 4 years post op. Upper GI scheduled Nov 8th. The pain is bad I'm wanting to move the appointment further up. Pretty sure I'll be a revision story by December..hope you feel.better asap !!!!!! Sent from my Z981 using the BariatricPal App Let us know how you're doing !!!! Sent from my Z981 using the BariatricPal App

I'm a bit confused. Did you have revision, sleeve to bypass? You're showing marked as a sleeve patient and I recall you saying in another post a few days ago that you don't take vitamins, you just rely on a healthy diet to get your vitamins, which isn't recommended for bypassers. So the two posts are sort of contradictory, junk food vs healthy diet for vitamins. And also sleeve on your profile and now you're saying you got bypass two years ago. Can you clarify the details for us please? Thanks!

On Tuesday I had a revision from a band to a bypass. I am extremely swollen and actually weigh 9 pounds more than I did the morning of surgery. How long did the swellinglast for others before you saw actual weight loss. Thanks!

Hi im having my surgery 25 nov sleeve revised to rny. What are the daily requirements for protein after surgery and is it ok if i use this product. You can drink it with milk or water or even sprinkle over food Sent from my SM-A530F using BariatricPal mobile app

Ill bet. I go back to logging every now and then. Why did you decide to revise? I am thinking about it for nasty GERD.

I did not find a lot on Dr. Wilhlemy on this forum, so I wanted to share my experience for anyone researching him and the hospital in Mexicali. I flew in from Canada to have a revision from LB to VSG done. I learned about Mexicali Bariatric Center by 3 coworkers that had been there to have surgery with Dr. Aceves and they spoke very highly of the hospital, the staff and had marvelous results! I must admit that I looked at a couple lower priced places but immediately knew that I wanted a certified doctor a certified hospital, a place where I knew patients were having very good long term weight loss results and my chances of a complication were low. I found all of these in Dr Wilhelmy and the magnificent team at Mexicali Bariatric Center. I also found a lot of caring people, professionalism and made friends for life! The experience started out a bit bumpy because my flight was delayed for 5 hours. I had to be in San Diego Ca before 11 am and this delay would make me miss the shuttle to Mexicali. I called Nina at the office at 5 am ( sorry about the time honey) practically in tears not sure what to do. She calmed me and assured me they would not leave me in Sd and we would make it work. She kept her word and they had a driver to pick me up and take me to Mexicali that same day. It was too late to have all my tests done that evening so I just had EKG and x rays and spoke the nutritionist and bariatric doctor, Dr. Campos. Dr. Campos did a barium swallow and checked my band. Everything looked good. Yolanda and Carla met me and helped me through this stage. I spent the night at Lucerna Hotel and thanks to the sleeping pills I had a good night sleep. Ernesto, the driver, was bright and early at the hotel to pick me up and took me to the hospital. I had blood work done that early morning and was admitted into the hospital. We waited for my test results and in the meantime I was put on the IV, I was given blood thinners and did the final paperwork. Time flew by, my tests we done, I saw all doctors that morning, internal medicine doctor, anestheologist, Dr. Wilhelmy and nurses Sergio and Esmerald. By 9am I was in surgery! My band was removed and my sleeve done that morning. Surgery took 1.5 hours and was told I had a lot of adhesions but nothing they had not seen before. Phew! The next 3 days passed so quickly. I was in the hospital for 3 days in total, I had 3 leak tests and recovered without any problems. The attentiveness of the nurses was impressive. They have a caring spirit helping patients get as comfortable as possible and always with a smile on their face. The cleaning ladies are there all day, they clean over the clean, I swear I wanted to take one of them home! I saw the doctors 2-3 times a day and was reassured daily about my recovery and my questions were answered. My husband talked beer and sports with the doctors, he is a big fan of both so needless to say he is now a big fan of MBC's doctors too. I had NEVER gotten this care anyplace else. I was not a number, I was a patient, someone they cared about and that along with their surgical experience make them an exceptional medical team. It was a very big difference from my band experience at home.

I had gastric bypass 12 yrs ago and SERIOUSLY looking into self- pay for a revision. I'm looking for someone that can give me any advice/info on surgery in Mexico. Sent from my XT1650 using BariatricPal mobile app

Hi and welcome! People experience slips for different reasons sometimes, it isn't known why a band slips, a patient can be compliant and it just happens. Other times it can be because someone is living with a too tight band, experiencing a lot of Productive Burping and regurgitating and the force of all of that can, in time cause a slip. Others, if a person, for whatever reason throws up a lot... That can cause a band to slip. A slip doesn't always result in loss of the band. A revision surgery can, in some cases set the band back in it's proper place and after a period of recovery and healing, the patient can get back on with their bandster life. In other cases, the band can't be set back in place and has to be removed or the patient chooses to have it removed and either revises to a different WLS or none, at all. Slipping is a possibility, but it isn't a given. It is a risk that you need to consider as you do your research and make your decision. Yes! It is absolutely okay to exercise with the band! You can do anything with the band that you can do without it.

to answer your first question - yes, we do. when people pop off at the mouth spreading false information to prospective patients for no reason, it's definitely something to get worked up over. a skilled surgeon can reverse an RNY. a back-alley Mexican chop-shop probably can't. but again, the RNY is such a superior procedure it is virtually never even ASKED FOR, much less done. compare that to the constant flood of sleeve patients who have to have revision surgery to.... you guessed it.... RNY. second question - yes, ghrelin reduces with bypass. one study showed it reduced MORE than the sleeve.

Me too! This journey has been complex for me between the band erosion, gastric bleed, and now the revision. I feel for you but you are so totally safe in the hospital --lay back and heal.

I had the Plication done in September 2010. So far I have lost only 30lbs, I am going on January 6th to try to revise the plication to VSG. This is being done by Dr. Jose Rodrigues. I will go in 1 day early to get some test done in order to measure my stomach to see if the VSG can be done. Has anyone heard of the plication being revised to VSG. I am feeling a bit nervous as the date is getting closer. I look forward to your comments,

Good luck. I'm sure you will be pleased with the sleeve, every revision story I've read say they like it much more than the band.

Here is both sides of the coin. I had a lapband in 2007, I could never get the right restriction, too tight or too loose. I couldn't eat healthy foods, chicken, most vegetables, most fruit. If I tried I would vomit, I resorted to eating slider foods. Fast forward to 2012 had my revision to sleeve, FANTASTIC!! I never would have thought I would reach my goal weight UNDER 200 pounds! It has been amazing for me. Yes you have to work your WLS that you chose BUT the lapband besides being difficult to eat properly can cause many medical issues; erosion, gerd, vomiting, slipped bands and leaking ports. Don't waste your time with the band. For me I now have a $16000.00 band souvenir!!

I have tried to keep upbeat during my journey even though it has been through it all. Band 2009 revised to sleeve 2014 and revising to bypass in April. One thing that I do know, is if I hadn't been through this journey, I would still be diabetic. I take the good with the bad and being diabetic for me was the really really bad. My family has had both my maternal great grandmother and grandmother losing legs to diabetes, my mother is diabetic and when I was diagnosed in my 30s I wasn't having any of that. Yes I have had so many complications, but I also have my life and I am thankful for that. I am concerned that someone on this page is so adamant on not getting revised that they are trying to scare people into making decisions that are only their own to make, not their families, not truly their spouses, this decision is truly only between that person and their doctor. My spouse is supportive, my mother is not. I don't really care. I have not been diabetic since 2009 and that was my main goal!

There is honesty with positive support and then there is bullying. Being supportive and honest does not require negative attitudes. I'm sorry your surgery didn't go well,but don't push your opinions and negative feedback on people who need to hear about the good their surgery can do for them. There is always pros and cons to getting WLS. You don't need to try sabotaging others hopes. We all know the risks surgery has and we sign consent to have it done. Complications suck, but we deal with them as they come. Statisticly, more WLS goes off without a hitch than having complications happen. I hope you have a successful revision this time around.

@bearhugs1975......so you had a journey filled with complications post op from your initial revision and yet you recommend the revisions! Lool. So you're a triple threat in the world of WLS! Please be honest, your complications are due to your revision! These ppl are asking questions to seek advice and not hear meaningless platitudes. They want to avoid our mistakes! There's no shame in admitting your revision from the band to the sleeve led to so many complications you needed to be revised to the bypass. That the revision may have staved of diabetes but led to more surgeries and other issues

I have tried to keep upbeat during my journey even though it has been through it all. Band 2009 revised to sleeve 2014 and revising to bypass in April. One thing that I do know, is if I hadn't been through this journey, I would still be diabetic. I take the good with the bad and being diabetic for me was the really really bad. My family has had both my maternal great grandmother and grandmother losing legs to diabetes, my mother is diabetic and when I was diagnosed in my 30s I wasn't having any of that. Yes I have had so many complications, but I also have my life and I am thankful for that. I am concerned that someone on this page is so adamant on not getting revised that they are trying to scare people into making decisions that are only their own to make, not their families, not truly their spouses, this decision is truly only between that person and their doctor. My spouse is supportive, my mother is not. I don't really care. I have not been diabetic since 2009 and that was my main goal!

Pasta, red meat, or rice. Some ppl can and others cant. There's no guarantees which one you will fall into. I will lose weight. But I won't be able to eat like a normal person ever again even in moderation. 2) Acid reflux is a serious issue with the sleeve. I never ever had an issue with the band. I am dealing with rather bad GERD even though I am taking prescription meds. I have chatted with folks that it got so bad over the yrs that they had to revise to gastric bypass. 3) Vitamins! You can't live without them. Daily intake or I will develop issues. Are committed to do that? 4) NSAIDS! Even if your surgeon tells you that you can take them. There's significant debate on whether sleeved folks should take them or not. These meds are very hard on a normal stomach let alone a thin sleeve! Continous use will most likely lead ulcers which are very dangerous with little or no stomach left.Think about aging and the lack of NSAIDS. 5) You can still get stuck! I just had to vomit food yesterday. You still experience that nasty slime....eww! I cried the first time it happened cause I lived with that for 8 yrs. Please feel free to message me. Think about life beyond weight loss cause there's no turning back with the sleeve

Let me share my story. In December 2009, I had the lap-band, which worked great until I had to have an emergency removal in January 2013. The baNd had major slippage and needed to come out. I was supposed to have revision to bypass right then and there but my doctor did not feel it was safe because my stomach was so "angry." With the lap-band I went from 227 to about 145. I was at a size 4 and feeling great. So fast forward to May 2014, I was back at 209 and feeling horrible. I was finally approved to have the sleeve, which was done on May 13, 2014. The 2 weeks prior for the pre-op diet is went down to 200 on the day of surgery. I had the surgery and when I was released from the hospital I weighed 207, I guess cause all of the fluids. Yesterday was my 6 weeks post op and I am only at 185, Is this normal. I dont know what exactly I am supposed to expect. I was able to start walking/running at about 4 weeks and I started back at cross fit this week. Any help would be great. Since I was not able to keep the weight off after the lap-band removal I am really discouraged and feeling like this will not work. Has anyone had this happen.

Sorry to hear your story. I just revised from band to sleeve on 8/12. I had my band for 9 years and I also had a hiatal hernia. What was slated as a 90 minute surgery took 3.5 hours. Recovery with my band was simple, I got the surgery on a Thursday, was at an Easter egg hunt on Sunday and started a new job that following Tuesday. I expected similar pain...boy was I wrong! I am 6 days out and I have been up walking...not strenuous, but about a mile at moderate speed. I have been getting about 40-60 grams of Protein in via shakes, hi-protein chicken broth, hi-protein Jello, and Isopure--by far the jello goes down the easiest and thinner liquids hurt. My problem is sudden, shooting pains in my sides and my groin. It feels like a cramp, but doesn't tense and then ease it is just tense....heating pad helps some and I have been popping Gas x and prescription heartburn meds. What are theses sharp pains and when will they subside? Sometimes the belly binder helps and sometimes hurts. My stomach looks like I am 6 mos prenant and was even asked such when in the grocery store! I do not regret my decision, I just want to get moving...please advise. P.S. My post-op follow-up is Thursday and I still have a drain in place.

Hey all! I'm new to this forum but a lot of the topics have really helped me so thank you!! I actually had a Band to Sleeve revision 6 days ago. Everything is going great so far.. No real pain.. Been doing clear liquid diet now since my surgery. I'm wondering when you all made that transition from Clear liquids to full liquid? My body is craving nutrition.. I must only be getting 150 calories a day right now. I know all surgeons have different plans but I feel like my body is ready to advance. I'm very weak too which is what bothers me the most. So far I've lost 18 pounds since my weigh in last Monday which is insane. Would love any advice I can get! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

This was also my first Thanksgiving with the band. I think that I got caught up in the "pile your plate" syndrom the others had. Even though I only took small bits of what was there, and still only had half a full plate, I ate less than half of what was on my plate. It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. Then again, being less than 48hrs post op (for a port revision) and on pain meds might have made a difference.,. )