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I am two years post op but revision from gastric banding to sleeve. I started at 265. I'm 5'1" and I've lost down to 147, size 4/6. I live in Longview, TX. I'm not sure what your questions are and I didn't start out in the exact same place as you but shoot away if you have questions. I can try to give you my best point of view.

I am scheduled for a revision to bypass Dec. 16. I had a lap band for about 4 1/2 years and lost all the weight I wanted to--maybe even more than I wanted. But those 4 1/2 years were not much fun as I was vomiting a lot and was quite malnourished at times, I believe. In fact I ended up having emergency lung surgery for a massive lung infection, probably due to aspirating something when I vomited and my body having no strength to fight it. The lap band was removed 13 months ago due to an out-pouching in the esophagus and I have regained all of the weight I lost after surgery and a little more. My only alternative now is bypass. I can't say I'm 100% committed to having this surgery and feel I need a lot more information before making that decision. I actually live in Mexico but will have the surgery in Portland, OR, for insurance purposes. That is also where I had my lap band inserted and removed. But because of the distance I cannot be there for support group or appointments with the surgeon and others to ask more questions. So I hope I can get lots of answers and support on this group. I've already bought my plane ticket to fly to Portland about a week before surgery but I would gladly lose that money or just go visit friends and family rather than make a mistake in going ahead with this surgery. So, here goes my first question: I have heard from the dietician about the liquid diet and then the "mushy" diet following the surgery, but what I don't have a grip on is what will I be able to eat long term. I'd like to hear what you eat, especially things you enjoy. I also want to know what you can't eat, especially things you have tried that resulted in problems for you. I appreciate any input you can give me on these questions. I know I'll have many more in the next several months.

When I had my band (I'm having revision surgery) the stitches just dissolved. Is this not the case with sleeve? X

I replied on OH as well, but if you check this one first. 1) It's total B.S. about men being more successful long term with VSG. B.S. 2) Check out the OH revision forum, go back through about 5-8 pages and see just how many people are looking to revise their RNY because of 1) Regain 2) Complications with their pouch/stoma combination 3) Resolution with diabetes happens with the sleeve all the time. Here is a study for Type II Diabetes resolution with VSG and RNY http://www.springerlink.com/content/f135104x27461498 Here's another research link on Ghrelin Plasma levels for VSG vs. RNY, it specifically shows that VSG gives longer lower levels of Ghrelin (the hunger hormone) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18376181?ordinalpos=12&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum I have tons of research links, articles in my blog if you'd like to review them, along with my reasons for VSG instead of RNY for my revision from the band.

There's been some patients that had part of the hospital bills from complications covered by insurance, but others have had complete exclusion of any complication bills being paid by insurance that do not cover the initial procedure. It seems it's all in how the hospital bills the charges, and how the doctor handles the complications. It's a tough situation to be in as I would not want bypass, and I would have self-paid for my revision if insurance would not have come through for me.

I have developed a hiatal hernia, thought I had some food stuck was pretty scared. Went to the Ed after the most awful tests was Dx w/a hiatal hernia. I did not have this prior to my revision. Has this happened to anyone else? I am going to send an e-mail to Dr. Aceves. Going to see my PCP when I can get an apppointment. Just what I need another surgery!:thumbup1: Dee

These comments are encouraging. I’m revising from my VSG (2015) to RNY in 8 days and I have SOMUCH anxiety about it! I’ve lost more weight this year than I did post VSG thanks to a combination of severe GERD, aerophagia from my CPAP, and Ozempic. It’s worth it if it resolves the GERD and aerophagia (maybe sleep apnea altogether but I won’t hold my breath 😜). I’m just worried I’m trading one set of problems for another. One specific thing I’m worried about is immediately post op. I still can feel viscerally the heaving/gagging in PACU once I was extubated and they were trying to wake me up. It felt like I could breathe due to those dry heaves! I’m scared of going through that again!

I have primary coverage through Cigna, with Medicare as my secondary (on disability). I originally was going to have to go through all of the insurance criteria, but because I need to have a previous nissen fundoplication for a hiatal hernia repaired, my doctor was going to be able to do both at once and consider it a revision, bypassing all the insurance requirements. I got my surgery date set at June 30. I did my 2 week pre-op diet, my mom bought a plane ticket to come help with the kids, husband took off work, yada yada yada. Then, last WEDNESDAY, just a few days before my surgery, the surgeon's office called to tell me the surgery center canceled my procedure because they found out I have Medicare. Um. Did they not do their pre-cert process? Why did they wait until the last freaking minute to tell me? I'm crushed. I know it will still happen, I just have to go the longer bariatric coverage route, but it just sucks. I was completely mentally prepared for it and I feel like I got the rug pulled out from under me. UGH!

I had RNY surgery 29 months ago. Severe acid reflux or GERD is incompatible with the sleeve. RNY is definitely the better choice here. I had several episodes of severe acid reflux before surgery and none since. I had a number of medical conditions prior to surgery and the main reason why I did the surgery was to get those under control. Within days after surgery, my diabetes, high blood pressure, GERD, sleep apnea, frequent urination problems went into remission and stayed there. I was off my meds. One of the reasons why I liked RNY was that it caused you to lose weight the quickest and produced the deepest weight loss and most importantly had the least amount of revisions. If I went under the knife once, I sure did not want to do it again, and again. RNY surgery is not like dieting. I tried dieting a couple times and it was a complete failure. After surgery I completely lost my hunger. It wasn't difficult to lose weight when hunger was not constantly gnawing at my bones.

@@rydersmama Awesome weight-loss. Congratulations! I am also 5'5, and reached my surgeon's success goal weight of 162 Ibs yesterday. Well, I want to go lower, as I still look bit overweight. My personal revised goal weight would be 143 Ibs, and my stretch goal would be 132 Ibs. So, I am still plodding along, and hoping that with sticking to my food plan, I will lose more. I have a longer journey to maintenance, but as mentioned in other posts, it is best to lose as much as I can now, before it gets tougher, or re-gain happens. Good luck to you

I am extremely upset at the tactics of the surgeon (Dr David Kim) that my wife and I used for our surgeries. I also want to warn you all about Forest Park Medical Center where Dr Kim did a revision to gastric bypass on me. In 2009 the hospital charges to my insurance alone was $158,000. The sad thing is my insurance paid 100% of the fees becasue we had met our max out of pocket. I had not really had any issues with Dr Kim until a fill my wife recently had done. The link below is a link the the charges that were submitted to my insurance in the ammount of $1,878. We are on a high deductible plan, but the insurance allowed $623.54 and the doctor wrote it down to $194 which is what we were billed. Now that may be perfectly alright for some, but to me in addition to being grossly overcharged for the service this is insurance fraud. I actually filed fraud complaints against FPMC after my surgery with the insurance companies fraud department and Texas Attorney General but nothing ever happened. Healthcare in America is broken and I am not sure how these folks sleep at night. Even if insurance pays these ridiculous charges, it will come back and bite us all. Our son is in his 3rd year of medical school, I agree physicians should be rewarded with large salaries, benifits... But if you have had this proceedure you know these charges are not ligitimate. We will be shopping around for another provider but wanted you all to be aware. Insurance Statement attached, read it and take note.

Hi all, I am experiencing reflux sypmtoms two years post Gastric Bypass (revision from lap band) and ultrasound didn't show anything so I now have to have an esophageal manometry and 24 hour PH test done. Both tests involve having tubes inserted up my nose and down the back of my throat, and it's causing me some anxiety thinking about having it done. I woke up with an NG tube after the surgery and having it removed was quite uncomfortable, so I'm nervous about being awake while having two seperate tubes inserted. Can anyone talk me through their experience? Did you gag/choke while they were putting the tubes in?

Hello everyone. Haven't been around for a while--real busy w/work, etc. But I'll try to stay more connected. The revision went fine, did I tell you that they were able to use the same holes that were used for my band? The recovery was longer than after banding, 2 weeks home; 3 would have been better. I'm doing well. So far I've lost 35 lbs, which my doctors insists is good, but I feel like a slow loser. I know it's because I "only" weighed 210 lbs. at time of revision. Still, I'm pleased with my ability to eat, believe it or not, more normally than I did w/the band & I think if I stick to my food plan, which is basically the same as when banded, I can get to goal within a year. If you go back & read my posts, you'll see that I had an unusual condition that necessitated being unfilled, and even then I had problems w/a lot of foods (tuna, chicken, hamburger & others). So, now I'm on a full foods diet. I can eat chicken, chile, hamburger, sushi (no rice, I have it rolled w/cucumber), cooked veggies & most fruits. I haven't tried steak yet, but I will next time I'm around it. I need to get 60 grams of Protein a day & 2 liters of Water. I supplement my food a whey Protein Drink most days. Also must take bariatric multi-Vitamin & extra Calcium every day. A huge treat for me was a grilled tomato topped w/melted cheese on a piece of whole wheat toast. I would have PB's on that w/my band. I had one minor complication, a stricture, which is is caused by scar tissure & causes a narrowing where the stomach & intestine meet--2 painless endoscopies later (they use the scope & inflate a small balloon at time of endoscopy) , 3 weeks apart & I was fine. I'm not one of those people who gets full after a bite or two of food, but my portions are small. I feel satisfied after 1 scrambled egg w/melted cheese on top. The denser the protein, the faster I get full. One very interesting thing: things that I didn't find sweet enough before, i.e. sugar free Jello pudding, now is just fine. That's really the only sweet "treat" I have, I don't crave sweets at all. Not ice cream, not Cookies, not cake. gone. It has something to do w/the bypass procedure; not sure it lasts forever, but for now it's very good. I'll take it while it lasts! (that's not to say it doesn't look when I see a candy bar or ice cream, but it's a passing thought, not a craving at all.) I love my surgeon. He does bands too. All his patients love him, he answers emails within 24 hours & if one has an urgent problem, the office connects you to him or his partner AT THE TIME OF YOUR PHONE CALL. Amazing, huh? I go to a support group @ the hospital he & his partner operate ,and the group is split between bandsters & RNY'ers. And guess what? We all get along. So, that's my progress so far. Take care, my friends. Karen

Good Morning! I am having a revision to bypass in Sept. I still have reflux and can't wait to be off medication for it. I am hoping it will be gone after surgery. By the way, way back when I had it done no one told me the sleeve would cause acid reflux either! Good luck!!

Welcome. I had a sleeve in 2013 and a revision to Modified DS in 2020. I hope your recover is smooth.

Dave, Tricare won't cover VSG outside a MTF. Honestly, I was faced with the same dilemma, and as luck would have it, the MTF near us had 2 surgeons that had performed enough VSGs for my standards, and one of them had removed bands, and converted to RNY so I jumped through the hoops to have my revision at the MTF even though I see a civilian for everything else, and my band surgeon was a civilian with Tricare Prime. Tricare will not cover the sleeve outside a MTF until Medicare starts fully covering the sleeve. They did the same thing with bands. They will not overturn a denial, they will not do anything to cover the sleeve outside a MTF. I've been through it myself, and I've walked 4 friends through the process from Florida, DC, and Cali. I was hellbent on getting the sleeve, and I would have self-paid with Dr. Aceves in Mexicali or Dr. Nicholson in Dallas if Tricare would have not approved my revision. If I would not have been able to have VSG and self pay was an absolute no go, I would have had my band removed and stayed fat. I wouldn't get RNY if you paid me, and I refused to have another band placed even though both of those options were immediately approved without hesitation by Tricare. I'm sorry to be the bearer of more bad news. BUT, it's been "hinted" that Medicare "might" start covering VSG around 1/1/2011, we "heard" the same thing in 2009, but I have hope that Medicare will get on the ball, and Tricare will follow suit. If there is an MTF near you, check them out. I'll help you in any possible way I can with the Tricare situation. I'm an insurance agent as well, and umm pretty much know how to work the system. Keep all your paperwork from your current appointments, keep getting your PCP to weigh you, keep doing everything you have been doing. Do not settle for a surgery you are not 100% about.

Has anyone done plastics through the Ariel Center at OCC? I just scheduled my tummy tuck and breast lift/implant revision but haven't seen much about this part of the practice. My sleeve experience was great and I hope the plastic experience is as well.

Tomorrow's the big day

I am having a band to sleeve revision on July 7th in Tijuana with Dr. Ortiz. My preop diet started today (three weeks). I'd love to hear how you are doing.

I feel for you, I had similar issues. Once the lapband fails, that's it! Believe me, BTDT. I had my band removed and revised to gastric bypass. Big difference and I would do again in a heartbeat. My practice won't even do bands anymore as they have proven to fail more often than not long term. I feared bypass more than I can say, but for me it has been the true key....no more being a slave to hunger! One thing I can say is that weight loss may be slower after having another weight loss surgery. Still, I am 63 years old and unless I'm losing, I'm gaining so this is good! Have no fear, just do it.

The statistics of something happening to a 2nd band once theres complications from the first are really high. I wouldn't risk it. My band slipped last year and 5 weeks ago I had a sleeve revision. Lost 18 lbs of the 30 I gained over the last year that it was slipped. Only about 26 lbs left to goal. Glad to be rid of my contraption (as my hubby called it!). Took my dr 30 minutes to dig it out of my stomach. It was totally embedded. Good luck to you!

Missyt.....I feel like some of these people are being a little hard on you. If you have had your band for 4 years as you say, then it is likely it has become less effective over time, studies show this. So those of you who are being a little insensitive toward Missyt, I sure hope you never experience what she is going through. Also, it is true that the band works differently for everyone, or perhaps not at all for some. As for myself, I have been banded for almost 6 years. My first year banded I lost 140lbs, and the next year I my band slipped and I had to have revision surgery to have it repaired. I was lucky that the slip was not terrible and did not lose my band. However, the second part of my story is not so successful. After having my band slip and seriously starving for two weeks without being able to keep down even one bite of food, and then having to have surgery again....I was scared to utilize my band properly for several more years. I didn't even get another fill until three years later because I was terrified this would happen to me again. Long story short, I gained all but 20lbs back of the weight I had lost. Those of you who say the band is a "tool", maybe that is true for you, but not for everyone. Looking back I feel like I could have lost the weight without the band. At the time, I gave the band a lot of credit, but hindsight is 20/20. I see now that I was working out at least 6 days a week, and I was eating low carb, low calorie, and so on. There were very few times I felt that "full" feeling that everyone describes with the band. The only time my band became that "tool" for me was when it slipped and I was unable to keep food down, but at this point it was too late, and not healthy. Now I have recently gotten a fill, and under flouro, my doctor says I have very good restriction, however when I eat the recommended amount of food, I still do not feel full. I feel no different than I did when I had the band. I do not drink liquids for a period of time before and after eating, yet I still do not stay full for very long. My fills are almost maxed out at this point. I will be able to have one more, and my band will be completely full. I am not saying the band does not work, but for some people it's not the "tool" that they were expecting. I think some people(such as myself) get carried away with the fact that they had SURGERY, and therefor, they MUST not fail....I paid for my surgery out of pocket, so failure was not an option...which is what somewhat motivated me(among other things) So for those of you who the band works perfectly, congrats...I am so happy for you ....But please please be sensitive to those whose bands aren't working quite as well for them. Of course there are people who totally sabotage their own weight loss efforts by not following "band rules", but in our own arrogance, let's try not to accuse everyone of this.....Thanks

I have a 10cc band and right now I'm at about 6ccs. I lost like crazy after my first fill and then it kinda dropped off. When I went in for a second fill we found out that my port had flipped so I couldn't get filled. I was able to get some more in during my port revision surgery but still don't have restriction. NONE AT ALL...I am hungry 24/7 if it weren't for knowing how hard I had to work to get this band in I probably would have gained at least 20 pounds already. I am awaiting a second port revision (that bleeping thing flipped again) hopefully after that I will get back on track.

Just alittle update...I got my insurance approval today :clap2: and I'm schedualed for my revision to RNY on 8/29 :omg: I want to thank everyone for the kind words and support they've shone me over the past several weeks! Jane

Well on Monday 7/30/07 @ 7:30 am my band is officially leaving me! I found out on 6/1/07 that I had a slip with some errosion and was trying to hold out for my insurance to cover a revision from Lap Band to RNY, but my stomach will not let me wait any longer. The reflux is so bad and the esophogitis is really painful even being on 3 different meds to try and help settle things for a bit (nexium, carafate, and reglan). My paperwork went in this afternoon for my revision surgery and it was a total joy to have to do EVERY little thing over from scratch again (cardio, psych eval, pulmonary, dietary, support group, endoscopy, colonoscopy, abdominal sono and primary care MD). So unfortunately I'm going to have 2 surgeries now :car: I'll probably have the RNY revision after 8/27 when I get my daughter settled into her freshman year at college. So this is my tale of woe for now Jane