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My thoughts are that you need a new surgeon. If you have reflux, DO NOT get the sleeve. It will likely make it a lot worse. I was able to choose between bypass and sleeve because my A1c was less than 7 and because I don't have any form of reflux, so I chose the sleeve. My husband has GERD and a higher A1c and was advised that bypass is really his only option. Sometimes those that never had reflux get it with the sleeve and have to revise to a bypass to resolve it. And while the sleeve has less risk, the bypass does give about an extra 10% of weight loss. So definitely find a new surgeon.

I'm 24 and having my revision on January 9th ... I have the lap band now which I've had since 21 ... I'm scared too!!

4 days post surgery and I do feel better today. I actually slept about 6 hours straight! Ingesting 64-ounces of fluids is quite difficult for me. I managed 42 ounces yesterday and this was tough. Focused on getting proteins and vitamins first then other fluids. More pain than I had anticipated, but I was comparing it to my lap band surgery 5 years ago. As for not having my Lap-Band - it is odd not feeling the port and always feeling the actual Lap-Band tight on my stomach. Anybody else have a Lap-Band / Sleeve revision? I am actually contemplating going back to work tomorrow - probably not a good idea.

I'm in the same boat. I will have my band and revision to the sleeve at the same time hopefully, but I've been unfilled for a while and have gained a lot of weight back. I was successful as well with the band, but I'm also wondering if the sleeve will be enough. I've considered bypass, but I just really don't think I am ready to go there. I just dont' want to find myself in this same boat again in 4-5 years. I already swore I'd never be here again when I lost with the band, yet here I am. :-( I have to have an EGD on 1/4/12 and then can schedule my surgery. I'm hoping for the middle to end of January. I'm just ready to get started again for real. Good luck!

Hi, I had revision from band to gastric bypass on 8/1/13 and I am still struggling getting my Protein, liquids and calories. On a good day, I get the minimum (48 oz liquid 45-60 protein but approx. 500-600 cal). I just feel too full and can't fit anything else in. Getting these amount is a real painful struggle. I did have a recent complication of a hernia with my intestines twisted up and around the pouch. During that whole month of dire pain I was only getting 300-400 calories. I am healed up now, but I still struggle like I did before the complication getting 500-600 calories. Is there anyone else that struggles because they are just too darn full all the time? Oh I also have more pronounced food sensitivities. Most of the time I am in pain from trapped gas and I think about how I can't continue living like this. It's really depressing. I am happy that I am losing weight, but I don't feel successful, because I feel like crap everyday (lack of energy, dizzy, very depressed from lack of calories, and borderline wanting to end it all). Hubby says take it one day at a time, but I don't know if I can anymore. Doc told me to take beano, digestive enzymes and gave me prescription strength antacid. These things don't seen to work well. Please, is there anyone else going through this?

My insurance paid for band removal and revision to sleeve - I had two surgeries. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using the BariatricPal App

Hello, My name is Miranda and I'm from NYC. Going to see my surgeon this upcoming Wednesday(at NYU) to discuss getting the VSG done. I had the lap band before but had too many complications so it was removed. Has anyone else had revisional surgery? How long is the hospital stay ? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using the BariatricPal App

To the OP: PLEASE post this in the Mexico forum, they need to know! I find the statement about US doctors being a safer or more advanced option to be arrogant, and honestly misinformed. I am a surgical technician in the USA, and I have to respond to this. Mexico is not a bad place to live for everyone who lives there, and upon investigating their laws and medical practices and training for the past 2 years- it actually rivals the USA. I can seen where a Mexican MD would prefer to raise a family in Mexico, and be around their family. My Dr. (Dr. Kelly) is also a US medical doctor, and visits here frequently to actually train US surgeons- he prefers to be in Mexico, where he was born and his family is. Property is much cheaper there, and the education system is actually much better than our public school system, and cheaper for private school. There are people who choose to live in Mexico, not because the USA isn't an option, but because they genuinely are happy there. I met a nice couple from Canada who has VSG in Mexico, when I mentioned the USA they gasped and said "I would never let an American doctor perform this surgery!"- also a prejudgement based on bias, but it goes both ways. It stands to reason that a surgeon who performs 5 sleeves a day for many years is going to naturally be more skilled than a doctor who performs 2 a week- it does not matter what country you are in. There are amazing doctors in the USA and Mexico, and there are shady doctors in the USA and Mexico. Though we would like to believe that if a US surgeon left us badly injured there would be justice or a revision surgery to correct it, the reality is they are set up for malpractice law suits- those forms you sign aren't just for fun. Though I think most surgeons would jump to correcting a complication here, there is no guarantee you are "safe" in the event of a complication. That said, it's obviously much harder to pursue a doctor whose surgery resulted in a complication if they are in Mexico and you are in the USA. There is little to no justice you can get, other than alerting other patients. I will say, when ever I've called or e-mailed Dr. Kelly, I've had a detailed response in 30 minutes or less to my concerns. When I've had concerns that would require a visit, he referred me to an independent bariatric surgery practice in my area (Los Angeles) that is very reasonably priced for visits, and performs VSG. I've felt very, very, very cared for through this process. The only surgeons in the USA I have real cell phone numbers for are friends of mine- a treating doctor rarely gives out that kind of information here. The OP also did not has VSG, she/he had plication, which is a different procedure altogether. It would be good to alert them on Sleeveplicationtalk.com instead of here. I chose VSG after my research because I didn't trust the results of plication. nor having a pprtion of my stomach "tied up" in a sense.

So sorry you are going through this. I think the best thing to do is to move forward and see if you can find a way to revise to the sleeve. I was self pay for my band in Mexico (and I had a good experience there), but my band just didn't work for me. I revised to the sleeve and have been so successful. There is still hope for you. Many of us have had revisions to the sleeve after paying $8,000-10,000 for our bands. It is so hard to lose that kind of money, but it is just a chance you take to be healthy. Start researching revisions so you can make your dreams come true! The sleeve works, so don't give up!

I don't have my surgery date set yet, but come cash or high water, I'm doing it. I'm revising from the band. I have to have an EGD on 1/4/13 to see what kind of damage if any my band has done. Hoping the insurance will pay for the revision since they payed for the band, but not holding my breath. I'm so ready to do this!! So miserable and unhappy wih my weight. Good luck to all of you with early January dates!! Congrats!

I'm January 14! I'm in Maryland. My surgeon is Dr. Moazzez in Virginia. I'm a revision ... had my band out in April and gained 31 pounds since then. Band in at 254, down to a low (for a split second) of 175, up to 245 now. I've been eating what I want while trying to stay fitting in the few clothes that I have...I am ready to go back in the right direction. I'm scared that, while this is permanent, it still won't work permanently and I should've gone with the bypass (even tho I have never wanted to do that...). But i'm ready to start another journey. The doctor is confident that I'm a good candidate and will do well since I lost (although very slowly...) with a restrictivee only procedure before. Good Luck to you all. Crystal

I did fine converting from the band to the sleeve for 12 years. I've lost over 100 lbs and I've kept it off. However, now I'm going to have my sleeve converted to an RNY. I don't know why you are converting, but the reason I am is to sustain life due to reflux. My sleeve has formed a little pocket and I have spontaneous reflux. My surgeon at Mayo said I should have never converted to the sleeve because I had reflux with it also. He said that if you have reflux with the band the studies shows you will more than likely have reflux with the sleeve. My sleeve worked well for 12 years and I'm actually a little underweight right now because I'm not holding food down too well. BTW, I had very little pain with the conversion. I had the procedure on a Thursday and was back at work on Monday morning. It was a desk job and I will admit I was tired, but I never had a great deal of pain. Just make sure you walk a lot to get the gas out of your tummy. I think that's what causes a lot of people pain. Also, follow your doctor's diet plan. The first few weeks are rough, but you will get through it and on top of that you will lose weight. When I convert to the RNY I have to do the same diet as you will follow for the first few weeks. IMO, that was the hardest part about the sleeve surgery. I ate a lot of won ton soup without the won tons. Good luck on your revision!

Thank you for sharing your story. I am not sure that the plication is showing very good results so far overall, no matter who does it or what country. You know this, but I am saying this for any newbies that may be reading this - the plication is a totally unrelated and different surgery then the gastric sleeve. I hope your revision goes very well. I am a band to sleeve revision patient... it is disappointing when your first surgery doesn't work as advertised.

I've told my closest friends and family , but very few people at work. I had the revision from band to sleeve 4 weeks ago. So far so good. Today, after a pretty stressful day at work, when walking out, I was commiserating with a colleague who doesn't know. Her advice was to go home, have some chips and salsa and a glass of wine and everything would be better. I guess that's what I get for not telling people. I just laughed it off and said maybe I'll play with the dogs instead!

I have acid reflux since sleeve surgery in 2012 did the MGB take care of the reflux and if so is it still under control? I am looking to have the revision in Mexico I see you used Dr. Illan was it a good experience and is he someone you would recommend. I really don't know who to use for sure in Mexico I really want to get off PPI meds and have no more acid reflux. Thanks for your time. Peggy

Mine was eleven years old and even though I had no fill in mine and was still vomiting almost every time I ate. I could only get things like ice cream, pudding and yogurt through it. I went to a different surgeon (the one who did the band moved away about 5 years ago) and said it had to come out because eventually I wasn't even going to get water through it. During the band removal and revision to a RNY they discovered that the band had slipped, and the slip caused a hiatal hernia. I had this done a bit over 4 months ago and weigh less than the lowest weight I ever got with the band. If your surgeon doesn't want to consider removing it, maybe you should consider finding another surgeon who will work with you before it gets worse.

Welcome...I'm a revision like 2bthinagn and hopefully soon Losing :-) Hope to hear from you all soon...

I used Dr Strom for my lapband Dr Fresco did my revision to sleeve!! I love them!!

Hello all. I'm from Dover Delaware and I am pre-op at this point. I'm glad I found African American Sleevers. I am in the process of pre-op clearances which will be completed on January 22nd. I have a lap band still implanted from 2007. I'll be glad to have it out, but I must say I'm nervous about the revision to VSG. I'll be checking out the veterans everyday for advise and encouragement along with questions that are swimming around in my head. Thank you Samantha.

I have my revision on July 20th after 5 + years with my band. So nervous about different things. Share how your doing please. Hope all is well Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Good luck on your consult!! Here is hoping that the band didn't do too much damage for you to be revised!

I had the very same problem, I am 1 year out and 2 weeks ago I had a port revision. The doctor went in and moved my port because of the pain, I couldn't wear pants, sits forward, or even lift things. It was so painful, and now I have no pain at all, wear jeans again, sit normal and lift. It's been great. Talk to your doctor about moving your port

Wow listening to you all is really helpful and encouraging. I was banded in 2007 lost some weight I think it was mostly due to liquid diet after surgery, been struggling with it ever since. I have been feeling like a failure for many years now with it. I moved so I had to go to another dr for follow up, he made me feel that it was my fault that I don't know how to use the band, I had lots of heartburn so we emptied the band.... And I never went back to that dr. A year went by, more weight came on... I finally decided I have had enough and started doing research on revision surgery even though I was terrified. I was shocked to learn that revisions are very common now, so many people have issues with them (the band) and many surgeons don't even offer it anymore. Before I learned this I felt like I was all alone in the world and that it was my fault that I could not make it work. My husband has been telling me for years to get this band removed because I would have all these stuck episodes, be in so much pain and still obese. So finally I made up my mind, found a new doctor last August who is great, but about an hour drive, well worth it... Did all insurance requirements and now 2nd week into insurance review... Really hoping for approval on the first try, if they do approve I most likely will be having surgery in May as well. I already have my pre op clearances scheduled for mid April. Cannot wait to get this done and start over again and hopefully this time get there and stay there. I so appreciate everyone sharing your experiences and stories, definitely need this support!

I too am in the process of band to Sleeve revision. I was banded in 2014 and about 6 months in started having issues. I actually lost more weight prior to being banded. I moved from Indiana to ohio and after a trip to the ER and lots of discomfort I am starting the process over! Upper GI says band slipped. And EGD says the the band removal and revision can be done in 1 surgery. Meeting with the Nutritionist on Thursday. Hoping for a June surgery date!!! As far as the insurance goes, it's new insurance for me but the doctors office says it shouldn't take long. She says the doctor knows how to write the office notes for easy approval. So I guess we'll see. Good luck to you on your journey!!! Sent from my SM-T350 using the BariatricPal App

I'm having a revision on 3/28. I to had lost 90 lbs and, then I started having problems vomiting when eating. I went back to the surgeon and I had a UGI which showed a dilated esophagus. He took all the saline out. It was like that for 3 months, and still unable to have a fill. Then it was recommended for me to have a revision. My insurance denied me at first. I typed up a 3 page letter stating all of the problems that I am having with the band. I also called the insurance company to find out what type of physician reviewed my case. It was an internal medicine dr. In my letter I requested that a bariatric surgeon review my case, and I was approved right away. I can't wait for the band to come out. I chew so many tums! Lol. Sent from my SM-G900V using the BariatricPal App