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I am a Band to Bypass revision. My Surgeon advised against Band to Sleeve due to the increased potential for staple line issues due to the scaring caused by the band. There were others surgeons in her office that would do it, but she won't do them. I trusted her inputs and went with the bypass. And yes, logically you will lose weight at a slower pace, simply because you are already used to the restriction. Now, that's not to say it's not going to be amazing or "slow" by any means. But you have the potential to not lose as quickly. Going from no restriction and no malabsorption to both is clearly going to be more of an impact than going from some restriction and just adding malabsorption. But, either way, it's still worth it. My band was not causing issues, but it took them WAY longer to get it out than it should have because it was totally encapsulated in scar tissue. Now, revision to sleeve, you are not going to get any of the malabsorption, just a different type of restriction. From what I read when I was researching Band to Sleeve, it can be rather slow. Whatever you chose, Good Luck!

Good evening! I had band to bypass revision on May 3 and I LOVE IT!! I am so happy with my "decision". Mine wasn't so much of a decisions as it was...if you ever want to eat again you need to get the stupid band out of you. I was very successful with my band and lost 110 pounds in 9.5 months but then right around my 3 year anniversary I started having major problems. I was completely unfilled but I kept throwing up quite regularly. Any time anyone would question it, I just made one excuse after another without realizing it: The food was too tought, I ate to fast, I didn't chew enough, etc. Finally I had resorted to eating three things: Hershey's with almonds, cheese puffs, and Pasta with alfredo sauce because those were the only things that would go down with out being rejected by my band...which we soon nick-named the "anti-gravity band"...cuz what went down was inevitably coming up!!! (TMI...but any of us revisioners have been there and done that!) After craziness with my insurance company I finally had my revision done by Dr. Stowers in Decatur, TX. The recovery was very easy for me. I was back to work as a high school science teacher 6 days after surgery. The first two weeks were pretty easy because it was just liquids. Weeks 3-6ish were a little more difficult as I transitioned to soft foods and then to real foods. I was getting nauseated all the time. Every time I ate I felt like I was getting car sick. However, that has seemed to fade unless I eat too much fat. I have avoided sugar at almost all cost except for the piece of cheesecake on my birthday which sent me over the edge. Dumping for me is a lot less about running to the bathroom (though I was in there for a while) and more about my the heart pounding in my chest. From what I have read everyone's experience is a little different but for me I know when I have too much fat or sugar because my DH can put his hand just barely touching my shirt and feel my heart beating. I can feel it in my ears and it is awful. This might sound bad but I am done counting calories, grams of Protein, and everything else so I don't. I eat things that are healthy (though I am having a really hard time even wanting meat...it disgusts me right now!) and I eat small amounts but I don't fret like I did with my band. I have lost 27 pounds in just under three months. However, I was fairly close to goal and only have 13 pounds to go to get to goal so my BMI was not very high. Both my doctor and I agreed that I would take the weight off slowly because my rapid weightloss with the band caused me some medical issues. I will tell you that your tastes buds are going to change. I thought they were crazy when they said you wouldn't crave sweets, but I haven't wanted a candy bar, doughnut, or ice cream since surgery. Salt on the other hand...that is my new "transfer addiction". I can't get enough! Please let me know if you have any questions. I still feel like a newbie myself but I will do my best to answer any questions you might have. Good luck!

Thinking about a revision from Band to Sleeve at OCC. I was very happy with OCC for my band and although it did well 8 years ago, 2 kids later it isn't working it may have slipped, I am not entirely sure). Anyhoo, does anyone have experience with this? Wondering what the costs might be and how long I will have to be out of work. I have a semi-physical job (massage therapist) so I need to factor that into my decision. Thanks!

My doctor doesn't let his patients start on the pureed stage until Weeks 3 - 4. The amount of calories he expects us to max out at due to our restriction (mine was a bypass) roughly works out to around the same amount the Mom_of_Chaos mentioned. If your doctor gave you a post op diet to follow, I'd check to see if the calories were supposed to be limited. If it is not clear, but sure to call your doctor's office and ask. I know the first 3 to 5 weeks after surgery is a time of healing and adapting so I'd ask sooner rather than later about the number of calories you can consume, but that is just my own thought. At least you would have peace of mind based on checking. Best of luck!

Hello, I need some help. I am looking into getting a band to sleeve revision. I really wanted to go to Mexico and get this done but unfortunately my dad, who is going to help me finance this adventure, will help me if I go to Mexico. I pleaded and pleaded my case that is was just as safe but he wouldn't listen, Over protective dads, even when the kids are all grown up..lol. Well anyways, I am looking for an affordable self pay revision surgeon. I am not meaning a cheap surgeon just someone who is reasonably affordable. I live in Utah and it is super expensive here. The lowest I can find is $18,000 and the highest is 22,000. I know that there has to be a slightly lower option out there. If any of you awesome people out there know of anyone please let me know. I don't mind to travel, a small vacation would be nice! Thanks everyone

I have also been obese since childhood. I remember being on and off diets since the age of ten or eleven. I do get hungry but not in the same way as before surgery. I am not constantly thinking about what things I am going to eat and my cravings for most foods are gone. I do still occasionally crave things but the compulsion to give in and buy them is much less and easy to resist at this point. I felt bypass was right for me as I have been obese my whole life that I can remember.

Thank you! You're the only person that I've heard from that gets it! I have 3 friends that have had gastric bypass and don't understand how I could possibly not have a bit of restriction. Have you been losing the weight this time around without the restriction? I'm losing, but only because I haven't had a carb in 7 weeks! I'm worried about long term...

I WAS WONDERING IF THIS SOUNDS RIGHT---- I HAVE BEEN LOSING FLUID OUT OF MY BAND VERY SLOWLY SINCE DECEMBER ..MY DOCTOR SAID HE THINKS THAT MY PORT IS LEAKING A VERY SLOW LEAK THAT WOULD NOT SHOW UP UNDER FLUORO ( I AM AN X-RAY TECH) WHICH IS RIGHT. I NOW NEED PORT REPLACEMENT SURGERY ON 8/28. MY DOC SAID THAT HE WILL INJECT METHALINE BLUE INTO MY PORT TO CHECK WHERE THE LEAK IS IF HE DOES NOT SEE IT HE WILL STILL REPLACE THE PORT. WAIT A MONTH GIVE ME A FILL WAIT ANOTHER MONTH TO SEE IF IT IS STILL LEAKING IF SO THEN IT IS THE BAND ITSELF AND ANOTHER SURGERY IS REQUIRED. HE SAID THAT HE NEEDS TO DO IT THIS WAY BECAUSE OF INSURANCE REASONS. ALSO IF I DO HAVE TO GO IN FOR BAND REPLACEMENT THEN I CAN DECIDE IF I WANT BYPASS SURGERY INSTEAD. ANY OPINIONS......:confused2:

I don't know any current U.S. pricing, but as of last spring, my bariatric surgeon in Mexico was advertising revision surgery starting at $7200. Hopefully that gives you some kind of idea.

I had surgery last Tuesday (gastric bypass) and the liquid colace, Zantac and roxicet taste so bad I want to puke! I've watered them down and everything...but am at my wits end! I have to take the colace and Zantac twice a day and the pain med every 4 hours when needed....but I swear I'm thinking of never taking them again.,..but of course I do because I have to. Any tips?

Even if you can eat a lot, you should not. Just stick with whatever your program dictates and focus on protein. I had a band revision to bypass and understand your fears, but I think if we stick with the plan as it was laid out we will be fine. I lost 30lbs my first month. I measure my food, time it out, and don't eat a bite more than the 3-4 oz I was allotted. Good luck! I feel so much better this time around!

Hi !! So sorry you are going through this and I know EXACTLY how you feel !!! I had so much anxiety and fear for months after this revision wondering how I was going to not gain without my restriction. I was pretty flipped out but here I am 9 months later and the smallest I have ever been. Its crazy not to feel anything and very stressful but there is this thing called dumping that will keep you in line and believe me you dont want to mess with it ! Also the malabsorption of calories is a real thing ! I lost 12lbs the first month and I was at my original goal weight of 180 day of revision. I only lost 14lbs after my original surgery and I weighed 296 that day !! I could and can eat more with this surgery then my VSG but if I over eat I get violently ill ! It really sucked after having the revision but I must say it is better then the sleeve and if someone told me 9 months ago or 6 months ago I would be saying this I would have said NEVER and NO WAY !! Here I sit with no problem staying under 160 where I struggled just to stay at 170s with VSG. Love to hear what you think later down the road. Good luck

What is recommended definitely depends on your surgeon but mine said he usually suggests sleeve for patients with BMI under 40 and a bypass for those over. I’m over, so he thought the bypass would be the best option for me and I agreed. Scheduled for May

Oprah did a show years ago when gastric bypass was becoming popular. Many individuals failed to work the mental health part and transfered their food addiction to alcohol. It in no way says that it is definitive that WLS causes alcoholism.

Thanks so much for the responses. I am learning from everyone. I need to let everyone know why I had the sleeve. I was looking at my second port change and my insurance wouldn't pay. It was going to be 7000. So I went to Mexico and had the revision plus sleeve for that amount. I didn't get enough information. I am a NP and my patients did well that is basically all I knew. I honestly not sure what I would have done if I had all my facts. I am losing weight. I have lost 20 pounds. My surgery is two months tomorrow. I am still hungry. I stopped my PPI and that was a mistake. I have restarted taking to see if that will help. I am feeling a restriction now but feel like I have I have eaten too much. Do you know a food diary that include protein, carbs and calories? My facilitator want to see where I may be going wrong.

Ok It has been years since I have posted on here I am six years out since my revision to RNY. However in the last few months and now in the last few days I can feel sharp pain where the small intestines are connected bypassed on the bottom and I can feel the pain. Its getting worse my surgeon has since retired and I have moved its getting worse the pain I mean, I have been trying to ignore it but now I cannot sleep. I became very Anemic a year ago and they never found the cause. I just want to know if anyone else had this pain and what they did. My wife wants me to ignore it however The pain is increasing across the intestine. any ideas

hi ladies! I have some good news for you guys looking for band fills. I am a patient of Dr. Ren's and now one her awesome nurses, Gaspar Rosario, has opened his own "fill station" in Old Bridge, NJ. His fills are $75. Access Weight Loss Care, LLC. Gaspar is also a banded person, too, so he is definitely one of us :thumbup: I have gained 40 lbs back. I thought it was stress, and all the traveling I did for 6 months, but Dr. Ren and Gaspar think I have a leak. I'm 4.5 years out from the band and stopped losing weight about 3 years ago. I honestly thought I had someone ruined the band, or stretched it, because I never felt the same restriction I once had. Very frustrating!!! Anyway, I am scheduled for a revision on May 18. I hope my insurance covers it...and if they don't, I'm going to see about financing it. Or something. Dr. Ren is so freaking awesome, she emailed me back personally and told me I am NOT crazy, there is no "window" I missed, and the band WILL work for me :tt2: God I love that woman!!!! We seem to have a few peeps in the same area here. I would love to start up our own support group. I've been kind of isolated without any real person (not online) support, and I want to finish this damn journey. Anyone interested in meeting up? I dunno, June or July?

The reflux and needing revision is why I just went with the bypass. One time is enough for me.

I had a revision from sleeve to RNY and from my 10 day pre-op diet plus the first month after revision, I have lost 26 lbs. I will be 61 soon and am in One-derland to give you a little background. Everyone is different but that is my current story. Sent from my SM-N986U using BariatricPal mobile app

Tomorrow will be my 1 year anniversary since my gastric bypass surgery. I have lost 86 pounds. I’m not going to lie, I honestly thought I would have lost more by now. Although weight loss has slowed down tremendously, I have yet to see a gain on the scale so I take that as a win. I would like to lose at least another 50 pounds so I have to remember this surgery is not a cure-all, it’s simply a tool. I’ve been extremely lucky and have had no complications whatsoever. I don’t experience dumping syndrome at all (well I did once when I ate some ice cream and have steered clear ever since) but other than that there really isn’t anything I can’t eat, I just eat a whole lot less. I can definitely be better about my diet, like always, but one thing I’ve incorporated into my life that has stuck is exercise. I don’t feel good unless I exercise so it’s become addicting (in a good way). Anybody who is reading this and contemplating this surgery, or is in recent post op and struggling, I have absolutely no regrets about having this surgery. The first 2 months were rough, but I got through it and so will you!

I had metatastic breast cancer back in 2012... I just got the bypass...being overweight and getting fatter by the day was worrying me....weight gain and obesity would cause it to reoccur and I have to lose this weight.I take anastrazole and lupron shots post breast cancer...now I am off metformin and ,chloresterol medication. Nosy relatives with too many damn opinions.Keep the em out of your business...tell them you have hiatal hernia...end of story...being overweight you just may have a hernia. Not being able to drink and eat at the same time? are you kidding me..,you will be drinking Water every second throughout the day. Being a big fatso is no fun and I am sick of being invisible...I am too good for that...I had to do something.Bypass is working...it is helping me...take control.

I would recommend either the RNY gastric bypass or sleeve. One individual in our support group went through a revision from a lap band to a RNY. The band was wearing through his stomach. I have heard many other similar stories from individuals, so I would recommend something other than a lap band.

Hi,I had my bypass on October 14 , and I'm doing great ???? . Been to a few support meeting and I love them. The people are so nice and patient ,they answer any questions I have plus they have a lot of ideas for all kinds of things . I'm from mass. Hope you find a good group too,

Thats the day I get my revision from lap-band to sleeve. I am nervous...I am excited...I hope I have the strength to go through it. I have to see the hemotologist first as I may need to get Iron infusions cause I am very anemic...I hope that everything works out...crossing fingers

As Fluffy said, differences for different programs - and also for different individual needs. I never worried about carb or fat counts as those don't bother me, just calorie count as that is what ultimately drives the weight loss. There is too much good nutrition associated with foods that are nominally carbohydrates for it to make sense to place arbitrary limits on them; on junk food (high calorie/low nutrition stuff) yes, but not solely on the basis of something being high carb or fat - the calories are an adequate limitation. With your bypass, however, and the prospect of dumping or reactive hypoglycemia, a reasonable carb restriction can be in order, particularly for simple carbs and/or sugars, at least until one figures out ones' individual tolerances.