Search the Community

Had my revision surgery this morning and now recovering. Managed to go for a small walk his evening which was amazing! Will have a swallow test in the morning and if no leaks I get to start sipping Water. I have never been anticipating a drink of water like I am right now! Pain is minimal, treating with Tylenol suppositories. I can have morphine if it gets bad but it reat hasn't been bad at all. Good luck everyone with your journeys!!

From what I understand, weight loss post revision is always slower than the rate at which you lost with your original surgery. Plus you’re losing from a lower weight (if I read correctly) so that will result in a slower rate. What does your team say? Are they concerned? When losing I only had one snack a day: a high protein yoghurt or yoghurt drink, or I had some fresh fruit. Check with your dietician for what’s best for you & your needs. I never exercised but I lost all my weight & more. Exercising only contributes to about 10% of the weight you have to lose. So in your case if you want to lose those 45lbs, exercising will only result in about 4.5lbs. Of course many other benefits to exercising especially for your family history. Maybe start with walking. You don’t have to go to a gym. All I do now is stretching & use resistance bands. Do about 4 sessions of 5-10 minutes of various activities. Mainly for my back & to remain limber. All the best.

I just found another nice nugget on band with plication. The following was released on March 22, 2011, just three months ago: At the summit today, the preliminary data from a Band with Plication study was presented by Dr Dana Portenier. This is a combined study by Duke University and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. The current study involves 45 patients with a mean age of 43 years. They have a mean starting weight of 255lbs, and BMI of 42. The majority of the patients had a Band with Plication procedure done, although 9 had a Plication done in combination with a band revision. Early results show 37% EWL (Excess Weight Loss) at 18 weeks.Proponents of this new procedure think that compared with standard gastric banding it may: provide faster and more durable weight loss, and might require fewer band adjustments and reduce complications such as slips or erosions. Another proposed benefit compared to a gastric plications without banding is that it may allow a less tight plication which would decrease suture line leaks and ischemia. (see http://doctorsofweightloss.com/2011/03/band-summit-band-with-plication/) This and the other studies I've found put to rest my own skepticism and I'm glad to have been assigned Portenier. (Still a little peeved after not being informed of this option when I should have been, but that's another story.) Punching my own numbers, I can expect to lose 62 pounds by Christmas. HOOOO wah! There are people with whom I want to share my adventure and others with whom I do not, a few of which I'll probably see over the holidays. If asked how I've lost so much weight so quickly, I think I'll quote Lois Griffin - "Meth is a hell of a drug." That oughtta take care of it. (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvxWdnu9iDE)

I have not got a clue but I'm having a port revision and I'm going to ask the doctor when I have my surgery. I was feeling restriction but since my port flipped I feel no restriction.

My bmi was 40 or 41. I did have a preop diet when I had my lap band in 2007. I was on liquids for ten days prior. I asked this time and they just said it wasn't necessary. Maybe because mine was a revision?

I'm probably not being very objective about the sleeve right now. I think it could be an option for someone who wants to revise because their band was so problematic, but if you're thinking of revising because of disappointing weight loss, I'm not sure you'd be all that much better off.

The most weight I lost with the band was pre-band and 2 months post band. The the weight started coming back on. It made me gag, puke, and the band itself shows on the outside. At one point the port turned and was difficult to fill. The main thing...my appretite was not suppressed. My stomach never felt full...just me gullet to the point of drooling. I have the original band whatever it was called, not the newer version. I have spoke to people who had the band and have had the GS revision and all are pleased. I guess I will have to play the waiting game. But going back to square one just makes no sense to me.

After many years as a lap band patient, I am at the end of my rope. I had my original surgery in June of 2002. Since then I have been through 3 doctors. One resigned, I fired one, and a new one since I relocated. Additionally I have had 4 surgeries all related to the lap band. Lets see, my first fill resulted in a raging infection that was treated for 6 months unsucessfully. Ultimately,my port had to be removed until the infection cleared up. That took another 2 months. All of this time I've had no restriction! Then we started again and I got up to two cc's and my port flipped. Another surgery. We start again and the tubing disconnects form the port. Another surgery!! Now we move on to a new doctor and he wants to put in a new port because the old one is on a angle and "hitting" the port for a fill is near impossible. Another surgery!!! We start again!!!! I get back up to 1.75cc's and my husband and I hit the road for 6 months. The doctor tells me to see him when I get back, which I did, and even though I had not lost any weight in those 6 months(I wasn't tight enough) he refuses to give me a fill. I get slightly annoyed to say the least and after a few words with him, I ask for my records and never went back!!! Still only 1.75 cc's. We relocated to South Carolina and after searching for a bariatric Dr. I find one that was somewhat reluctant to take me as a patient with all my previous problems, but finally agreed to see me. I really liked him and we arranged for a fluroscopy to see what's happening , and before I can get it done, I get a letter saying that he had resigned and relocated to another office 300 miles away. OH BOY!!! Should I be surprised?? Well. he has a partner and I started seeing him last October. This Dr gave me a fill under fluro in October, I feel nothing and I tell him so. Another fill in Nov....nothing... I tell him I think I have a leak.... I feel nothing! But he says no I don't have a leak. OK, I'm thinking maybe I just haven't hit my sweet spot yet. I get another fill in January of 2.8ccs and actually feel a restriction!!! ALLRIGHT now we're cooking!!! Finally! Well........2 days later...guess what....I FEEL NOTHING! I finally talk him into putting a little contrast in there and under fluro we find out that the inner ballon is leaking. Very slowly, but its leaking!!! YIPEE!!! I'm relieved to know that I'm not losing my mind!! So I ask the DR about a revision. But, because of all my previous surgeries with the lapband, it would be a BIG surgery!! I am not willing to put myself through a major surgery with no guarantee of leaks and flips and infections not happening again, so I'm sure you can understand why I am fed up.....and.....I AM DONE with the lapband and am resigned to live with the appliance sitting in me doing nothing. :cursing: In closing let me say, I do know several people that have been quite successful with their weight loss with the lapband, unfortunately, I am not one of them. Than you for taking the time to read this. Colleen

anyone have a leak in your actual band? i need advice on this. i posted in another area, but not thoughts or advice. anyone get the band company to pay for any of these revisions? please feel free to check out my original posting, and ANY and ALL advice is helpful. i'm really feeling alone on this... thanks!

Hello, i am new to the site and really looking for someone that has had a leak and port revision. I don't feel like it is working and I am so frustrated. Please someone to talk to that has experienced please step forward.

Thanks so much for your response...I hope your revision continues to go well for you as well...And I totally understand your thinking during this time and I do mean totally understand...I'm the same way and need to get out of that myself...For me it's pretty much starting all over...Everything leaked out of my band so now there is nothing in there but what my doctor put in there during surgery and I don't know the amount...My doctor doesn't tell you how much is in your band which by the way I think really sucks and I have argued with him about it but have yet to win that one, LOL! Thanks again for answering me and good luck!!

I had to get 2.2 cc out of my band :-/ I'm still getting some stomach pain with solids but it's hit and miss it seems. I called the nurse yesterday and he said go on liquids for 24 hours to see if that helps. So that's what I'm doing now. I guess I must still be irritated? I am starting to think my best option really will be to try for the revision from band to sleeve. I did gain about 3 pounds since I had to get Fluid out of the band, but now I'm back down to where I was the day I went in to get UNfilled. So I guess that's good. My biggest fear besides a band slip is gaining weight back.

From what I've seen on this and other forums, it does seem to be true. Revisions do seem to lose a bit slower. Not all, but some. I don't really know the reason why, but now I'm curious and may use my Google Fu to look it up

@@bandedat19 How are you doing since having your revision from band to RNY? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Staceface09 Change doctors!A small slip???Either it has slipped or not...I am like you but with many more health problems."Get worse"????Why would you wait for it to do more damage??? A 40 BMI is not low are you kidding.It is morbidly obese.I have A 38 by I.I am morbidly obese.Ser another surgeon.Get at least a second opinion.I have major damage due to the band...seeking a revision to bypass.Get a surgeon that is supportive.

There's more to it than just eatin right and exercising. Eating at the right times is just as if not more important. I "mostly" eat healthier and try to eat the right potions but I felt like I should be losing more. I rarely ate Breakfast so I would go without food(energy) for sometimes 16 hours, in turn my body went into starvation mode. My dr. recomended keeping low cal protien bars in my van(180 cals, 20 gr protien, taste great). When I went back for my last fill I lost 6 1/2 #, not great but I finally got below 300# to 294. Ive been fighting to get below 300 for the last 2 fills. If you dont eat at the right times you become super hungry and it becomes alot easier to make bad decisions. I thought I would get the band and lose alot of weight fast by just eating less of mostly the same foods which isnt so! There are alot of factors that need to happen for the band to "help". Im trying to incorporate changes in every facet of my life slowly because in the past I've tried to do everything at once and I believe many major changes to what I was used to and comfortable with contributed to my failures. Btreiger actually gave me the advice many months back. Im not concerned about losing all my weight in 6 months although it would be nice. This is going to be a lifetime of learning for me and Im content on hopefully being at goal in another year or so. Also someone recomended having a revision to the sleeve. If you do decide to, make sure your doing all thats necessary for the band to work because the same changes need to be taken for the sleeve or any surgery to work(basically are you following your drs. orders to a T?). The good news is, if you arent doing all you can you can still change. The band is forgiving, just start again. Find support groups in your town, on here wherever, you've come to far(surgery) to give up now or to not take this serious. Besides all surgeries require alot of work from you, there are no quick fixes! (assuming your not doing everything required). Or maybe your one of the few who it wont work for. You'd be the only one I've heard of without a band problem(erosion, slippage). Im sure you have the support of everyone here. Dont give up.

Hello and welcome!! What a wonderful PaPa you are!! All of us revision folks know what you mean about the band. We all have different stories about how we became overweight, but the bottom line is that the band is just not a good tool for sustained weight loss. I am really happy your approval process is going well. Good luck and keep us posted!!

Have you tried Dexilant ? That sleeve will give you restriction with all foods. That wont be the case with the bypass. ( at least not for me and others posting on this page) If you read through this thread there are a couple of ladies who have posted how much weight they have lost and how much harder it is . I am sure if your Dr. feels you need a revision you will lose the 30 lbs but something is telling me it will be harder to keep off if you are using the sleeves restriction to tell you when to stop eating. I am only a week in but that is what it is feeling like to me at this time. GL

Right which is bypass. Do you think revision bypass is the same. Or is that not a thing? Revision just means another procedure?

I have had a band for 2 years and lost weight as expected. Unfortunately for me.. I had a prolapse. I got the flu so bad and was throwing up so hard my band prolapsed. I am opting for the sleeve and will have it on 2-24-15. The only reason I'm not doing full bypass is that my husbands first wife died after her surgery. ( before anyone jumps on a band wagon, let me say her death could have been prevented. She was not going for her Vitamin B shots. This caused here to have a deficiency, which in turn lead to a massive heart attack) she had reached her goal and my guess is that she thought she was doing okay.. Just goes to show how important follow up visits are. Anyway, needless to say my husband is scared to death for me to have surgery.. However, I'm scared not to as obesity is a killer within itself. Good luck to you and I will share my revision experience when I can. ????

Hello, I was banded in 2010 and only lost about 50 lbs. I began my journey 200 lbs overweight, which means that I still have over 100 lbs to lose. I wish my surgeon back then had told me that the band was not the right type of WLS for me, but I had my operation at NYU and the lapband is their gold cow (they make lots and lots of money just on band operations). I'm now looking to have a revision at Columbia University Medical Center (where I work) and I initially asked for a sleeve revision. MY surgeon told me that she would not recommend the sleeve for me and explained that although my band is still positioned correctly, my esophagus is enlarged (or en-longed?) and there is likely scar tissue; she mentioned that my risks of leaking are about 20% with the sleeve, as opposed to 2% to 5% for people who go for the sleeve without revision. She then explained to me that the gastric bypass is the best option and that she can leave the band in and work around it. She says that they will take all the liquids out and it will be like I don't have a band, but I won't suffer the consequences and potential risks that people who remove the band and do revisions suffer. She also mentioned that if in a few years my pouch becomes enlarged and I'm gaining weight, I can start using my band again. I'm really conflicted because I do want this damn (excuse my language) thing out!!! It has morphed the shape of my esophagus and the longer I keep it, the more scar tissues I'm creating (I'm assuming). Before coming to this forum, and based on my conversation with my surgeon, I figured it was the safest option, and standard practice, to have revision and leave the band in place. But now that I'm reading the topics here and can't find a single person here who had a revision without removing the band, I'm questioning what's going. I know my surgeon is one of the best in the city... so she knows what she is talking about, but I'm scared that at some point this lap band will have to come out of my body and I'm losing my chance to get it out with the revision. Anyone out here who kept the band and proceeded to do a revision to gastric bypass? Thank you.

I had a BMI of 32 with no comorbidities. I had to self pay. First spot was in September and I had surgery in November. This was 2017. I advise addressing any food addiction or other mental health concerns adequately prior to surgery. Or you may end up like me 3 years later and qualifying for surgery yet again and pursuing revision. Dealt with my trauma with food and I had to do therapy before I felt ready to seek revision now.

I do not have that insurance but my insurance company was the same way. One person said they required it, the next said they didn't. I finally pulled up the policy online and found they had revised the requirements on what was mandatory the month prior. When I called them back and quoted the policy to them, they said that information had not reached their office yet but that it was "probably" accurate. So my doctor's office decided to send in a prior authorization just to see what they would say. It got approved in 4 days. I said all that to say that maybe you should just try the prior authorization. My surgeon's office said that if it gets denied, they will send specific requirements that you need and thAt will be the most accurate information you will be able to get on it because it's not coming from a customer representative but rather someone who actually approves or denies based on the info. Good luck!

Try not to worry what other people tell you; if you and doctor agreed that WLS is the way to go, then that's what you should do. I think some people tend to think in order to have WLS you need to be 400+ pounds. WLS helps a lot of people with their weight, but also healing joints, getting rid of diseases that can be caused by excess weight, etc. I had the sleeve and am currently getting a revision to bypass, and am at 35 BMI. Some would say i don't need the surgery, while me and my surgeon have decided that's what's best. Do what you feel is best.

If you have problems with really bad GERD and acid reflux I would go with the bypass. Also I know quite of few people with sleeve who have gained all there weight back, however I also know quite a few people who have gained weight with the bypass but only 15-30lbs back which is not much compare to the sleeve!! And I have seen sleepers revise to the RNY bypass. I just had RNY bypass done yesterday! It's painful but well worth it!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App