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2 months shy of 2 years. Happy with my weight loss but struggling with GERD and may need a revision. Currently undergoing testing.

technically a 13 year vet, but the system only let me on the vets forum recently because of my revision date. almost a year in maintenance post revision, so only check in once in a while.

I've had the lapband since 2008. If you opt for a lap band my best advice is do NOT do it unless you are committed to follow ups with your doctor. If you want a maintenance free surgery, prolly go sleeve. Every time I get too busy and not follow up every 6 months, I get in to trouble. I'm currently going through the process of getting the revision to sleeve but haven't made up my mind. Glad I found this forum.

I was self pay for band in 2001 and did well with weight loss at the beginning. Had some fills and unfills around 2009 and after that never felt right. Was too tight and did not eat well. Had imaging studies in 2011that showed esophagitis, gastritis, and a hiatal hernia. I had terrible shoulder pain and heartburn almost daily. Finally had the band emptied in 2013 but still have symptoms. Had a surgeon send in a letter in 2011 but was denied. I never got a copy of the denial. I want to try again but I have not been at a 35 bmi for two years. Anyone approved due to medical necessity for similar circumstances? Also my preferred surgeon is not at a center of excellence and I really want him to do my surgery. I have thought about self pay but am scared that if I develop complications since I have had band for 14 years that insurance will not cover the complications. Thank you for your thoughts!

As I'm approaching my revision surgery, I found this page fascinating to read because these are my fears - the future years with the sleeve since I failed with the band. I do have a question though - what is the 5:2 that you all keep talking about? Your stories have been inspiring and I hope I can be as successful as you. Lori

@Shareefe and @@paigem I'm having the same thing lap band revision on the 22nd...no worries ladies I know this will work for us...Good luck ladies

Bypass complications Preparing for surgery Revisions from band to bypass I would like to be able to find all the threads relating to a topic in one place

This is one of my concerns with the "self pay" route. I completely understand that some insurance plans don't cover WLS and there needs to be a self pay option. On the other hand I have seen people: who are 50-60 pounds over weight getting WLS. getting questionable "revisions". choosing self pay because their insurance denied them or required them to "jump through hoops" Seems like some minimal requirements, like maybe a referral from your primary care provider, Should be required for getting major surgery instead of a credit card with a high spending limit. There is a thread here started a few days ago by a woman who went to a surgeon for a pre op interview who was told she could have surgery the NEXT DAY if she had the funds. Another case of greed trumping ethics.

I've actually been working on something like this with my own recipes.. but if you need help on actually making the book let me know (katie@griffonco.com) Maybe I can just convert my personal work in progress to the LBT book since its already started hehe im also including a lot of info related to eating and the band since i was plannign to give this to a couple girls in my support meetings. But basically will have stages, broken up to what stage your on from pre-surgery to years post op. I have made several cookbooks for family / friends that I've printed and bound with table of contents, pictures etc. I can even help with pricing. Laminating is VERY expensive, so i stopped doing that awhile ago... plus several of the books we did revisions about every year or so adding new recipes etc so they just got a new copy! My dad used to be a head chef and he had me make a book that was about 250 pages catagorized etc. anyways if you need help let me know.. i have all the software needed to make any type of professional looking designs (I'm a professional graphic designer btw) and if we set it up right we could very well make it a website out of it.. (professional web designer too) I actually also have a ton of ideas I've got a binding machine and can generally get the materials fairly cheap. Depending on the size of the book prices vary but the large book that i did for my dad came out about 20 bucks each (including ink, full of pictures, front back covers and the binding) but we didnt make very many of them (just for family) so obviously the more you do , the cheaper it will be. im also able to work out deals with print shops to get cheaper stuff like copies and cutting etc Anyways.. lemme know if you need help perhaps we could set something up to where we sell the books at cost, or perhaps slightly over and we give away prizes from the proceeds with contests nstuff (did i mention i know alot about marketing?) haha so yea email me if your looking for some help

Thought I would finally do a few before and after pictures. I've been in a bit of a funk, despite my best efforts. Having plastic surgery and then knee surgery shortly thereafter sucks! I know I'll be glad this spring when I'm finally back in shape. Physical therapy is going alright, not bending my knee as well as I should be, but it's not from lack of trying. I'm back into pilates (everything but foot and leg work) and this is helping my mental attitude. Patience never is easy, is it? Anyway, here are the pictures. The first picture is before my original tummy tuck. The second is before the revision of my tummy tuck. The third is my anchor revision. I guess I should have wore some nicer underwear, oh well. Sometimes I wonder if it was all worth it. I need a chill pill!

Hi Ezma How are things going in Arizona? How is everything going with your band? Well I had my port revision surgery today but they didn't have to do anything with the port. My tubing was kinked, my surgeon didn't say anything about scar tissue on it. He straightened it out, put a 2cc fill in the band. I had it done under local anesthetic and it went really well. My surgeon sutured me up and I am supposed to get another fill and the sutures out next week. I am happy I got this done and I can continue my weight loss. Talk to you soon, Cami in Colorado

Let me first say that you're doing fantastically. Don't let this little set back matter in the least. Are you in the hospital now? I am curious as to why you're going to get a revision to bypass if the sleeve is working well. Not a judgment at all, I am simply interested in the doctor's reasoning

Maybe this will encourage you..... the coach on my daughter's volleyball team just had it done last Monday. I couldn't even tell he had surgery on Saturday. His wife had it too but it was fine on Wednesday and a revision from Lap band to sleeve and I could tell she had something done with her abdomen but didn't know what. I found out after the game. Everyone is different though. Determination plays a role too. Get up and walk as much as you can and you'll heal faster imo.

On my invoice, the procedure is just called BRACHIOPLASTY. The side boob skin removal is not considered part of the arm lift/brachioplasty with my surgeon. It is part of a separate procedure invoiced as BILATERAL BREAST REDUCTION REVISION, which is basically a breast lift with auxiliary breast removal from flanks. My doc is awesome as he is charging me with a revision instead of a first time breast lift (which really is what I am getting but is about 5K less expensive) as I had a breast reduction several years ago, and he is already going to be there doing the arm lift anyway. With that said however, I did speak to another surgeon (who I didn't end up going with) who combined the arm lift and auxiliary breast removal (without breast lift) and he called it BILATERAL ARM LIFT WITH CHEST WALL EXTENSION. He wanted to do it as one continuous incision. Edited to add: Neither my surgeon nor the other fella I mentioned above post patient photos on their websites (I had to go in for appointments to look at their patient results books)

Genepro protein is 30 grams tasteless approved by my doctor. My surgery revision 2 is scheduled for June

am am 3 weeks out. I have yogurt, blueberries, well chewed chicken (roasted), scrambled egg well chewed, protein shakes and protein puddings. I don't get in all my water but at least 48 ounces (not counting any shakes). I have started to avoid the shakes and eat more of the foods mentioned because I am getting my protein 60g+ that way and feeling fuller than on shakes. I also eat alot of sugar free popcicles and jello when I want to snack (head hunger) so that I am getting few calories and filling up. I feel like I can eat more than alot of you guys mention but I think maybe that is because I am smaller in general pre surgery 166 and surgery 155 (but I was a revision from a slipped lap band). I am really concentrating on protein protein protein and chew chew chew and sip sip sip. Doing pretty great I think as far as following that and staying low in calories and carbs. I just want this stall to end so I can feel some progress in the flesh. But I went through too much to give up. I also feel I need to walk more but that is difficult with my time and schedule. I get 7000 steps (whatever that means) generally each day.

I was offered both options, and I went with bypass from the beginning. My reasons were because I have reflux and nausea on my own (the sleeve can make this worse), and there has been years and years of long term studies done on the bypass, but not the same for sleeve. Years ago, people thought lap band was the way to go, but we're now learning that it doesn't work all that well and there have been many complications, and lot of revisions. I'm not saying that the sleeve will turn out to be the same "fad" surgery, but the research just isn't there for it like the bypass is. Also, there have been studies that show the bypass is actually more effective at long term weight loss than the sleeve. I'm 5'2 230 pounds, so I qualify for both surgeries, but I'm not so big that I need more drastic measures, I just want to have only one surgery, done right the first time. I don't want to be sleeved and then have to do revision surgery later because it's not as effective as bypass. As far as the dumping goes, I actually WANT that as a tool to keep me, and my weight, in check. I feel like my weight is a big enough problem in my life to have surgery for it, so I'm going to go all-in, and get the bypass. My surgery is scheduled for December 29th. SO excited!!

Hi -- How much do you have to loose and how old are you? I was sleeved at 56. For me, the surgery was a breeze. I have no issues with Vitamin levels, etc. Never once vomited or had any kind of dumping issue -- even if I had a bit of a sugary treat. Maybe that would be true if I had bypass, but from what I've heard, it's somewhat more intense - both the surgery and the lifestyle. For either one, exercise is the "secret sauce". My original, self imposed goal was 112 lbs, based on insurance charts. Then I revised to 132. Now at about 140, I am wearing a 6 petite in most things. If I had the money to do a front lift and get rid of the excess skin, I would probably be a 4. I am more focused on percentage of body fat. When I started, I was at about 43% body fat -- now I am at 24%. So, my point is, it is possible to be very successful with the sleeve. I believe (but I am not a doctor) that there are other reasons to go with the bypass besides amount to loose. I have heard that it is a better (but not the only choice) for those with diabetes. Ellen

June 10th for me! I hope the revision can be done in one!! Any of you Juners have a FB? I have a weight loss FB, it's under Rxtine Vsg!

Ahhh the joys of being young and able to bounce back so fast. I to think your amazing in the fact that your able to be up and willing to go for round 2 already. My Oct surgery kicked my butt, I guess being 43 didn't help. I go in Tuesday to have my revision and am scared to death of just that. You are going to look like a supermodel when your all done, You have worked very hard for this, best of luck to you in your next step.!!! Can't wait to see the pix.

It's great that this forum exists now. I am a sleever, and I am eager to read the experiences of DS people, in the event of a revision years down the road. Good luck!

My 5 year surgery date is September 2021. I had an unremarkable recovery from my sleeve surgery. I lost 110 pounds but have put about 15 back on (or had... I have lost 9 of those). The biggest "issue" I had post-surgery was either hiccuping or sneezing when I was full. About a year ago, I started having acid issues. They've progressed to the point of significant GERD. I had been taking a PPI but it stopped working at all... seriously, I wake up at night coughing and gagging because there is stomach acid pretty much in my back teeth! Anyhow, for the last year I've been taking the PPI until it stops working, go off of it for about a month, take it again and it helps a bit but then stops working... wash, rinse, repeat. Four or five months ago I started having horrible pain with eating on occasion and would sometimes throw up. The vomiting has become almost a daily occurrence although not with every meal, and with no predictability. SO I called my surgeon, she listened to my complaints, and sent me for an upper GI swallow. The films show that I have a hiatal hernia and a narrowing of my esophagus. They could tell this because the 12mm barium coated sizing-pill that they had me swallow, to track it through my system, wouldn't go through the esophageal opening into my stomach. There is also narrowing of the pylorus, at the bottom of my pouch, but they can't tell how narrow because the stupid sizing pill was stuck in my esophagus! When I talked to my surgeon after she saw the films, she had me scheduled for an endoscopy (on 6/18) and surgery (on 6/22) to put my pouch back where it belongs, close the enlarged opening in my diaphragm, and to open up my esophagus. She also said- rather offhand- that depending on what she sees in the endoscopy/surgery that I might need a revision. I believe this was in referral to the pyloric narrowing, but I'm not sure. I'm not sure I really know what a revision is. My surgeon is a leader in robotic bariatric surgery, but she's not much for communication and "bedside manner." Anyhow... I don't know what to expect from all of this, what post-op requirements would be, etc. Surgeon scheduled the surgery as she said it clearly needs to be done, just wants the endoscopy done so there are "no surprises" once she gets in there. She also said to expect to be in the hospital for a couple of nights. I really don't know what to expect and have called her office for clarification but so far, no response. I guess I am sharing here to see if anyone has had anything like this happen this far out from surgery, has any advice or guesses, experience with this to share, etc.

If my dr was doing gastric sleeve at the time I had my initial wls I would have went that route. I had lap band 3/2006 and revision in 1 surgery 4/2014. I did not have reflux prior to revision but I do now. Gastric Sleeve is still way better choice in my opinion. I have been happy with my procedure. Weight loss has been slower. I just keep telling myself I will get to my goal. It may take time but I will do it.

Hi all, my name is Lisa. I had the Lap-Band in Monterrey MX in 2003 and had success. I initially lost 100 lbs, but I have gained back 40 of it. I still consider it a success since I have kept 60 pounds off for over 10 years. Last year I started throwing up in the middle of the night, as well as throwing up at every meal. I thought that was just how it was going to be - my insurance didn't cover my surgery and I have tried to get follow up appointments with other doctors in town. Most of them wouldn't touch me without an outrageous "takeover fee." One doc wanted $5K up front before I stepped foot in the office! I finally went to my PCP in April and they set me up with a bariatric doc - since I was having an issue, insurance approved it (I have Sierra Health). Doc said the band was slipped and I also have a hiatial hernia and suggested revision to a gastric sleeve. Well - today my surgery was approved - in 48 hours! Lap band removal, repair of hernia, and revision to sleeve. My surgery date is August 5. FYI - my insurance just changed July 1st. I was told by them that because of Obamacare (PLEASE no political comments!!), that complications because of prior weight loss surgery, whether it was initially covered or performed in the country or not, HAS to be treated as any other illness and all I have to pay is the deductibles as for any other surgery. Yay! So, for those of you who have previously been denied or have not been covered in the past, it might be worth looking into. I was told that the changes went to effect on July 1. Not sure if it effects first time surgery or not, but worth researching!

I would love to know if insurance covers revisions and what circumstances, if any, this is the case...I have searched my heart out and can’t find any answers in forums-feel I may need an evaluation to consider revision or *something* to address my October 13th ‘19 sleeve with current weight loss(3/24) of only 15lbs post surgery...I am devastated