Search the Community

I posted this on another thread... I had band to sleeve revision on 3/13. Here is what can tell you: food always got stuck on my band even when it was all the way open and even after I would chew, chew, chew. I would throw up at least 3 times per week from the feeling of food getting stuck. Since revised, I've only thrown up once and not because food got stuck, but because I took Vitamins that did not sit well with me. I've never had a stuck feeling since the revision and in fact can eat anything now, just very small amounts. The reason people throw up with a sleeve is from eating too much and/or too fast in one sitting, drink when they eat or too soon after they eat and/or something didn't sit well with their new tummy. Your tastes definitely change. If you just listen to your body and follow the Protein guidelines and liquid rules you will lose the weight pretty easily. I'm rarely hungry and actually struggle to get all of my calories in. Way different than the band when I always still felt hungry. My weight loss would be much higher if I could eat more each day (35lbs to date). For the actual surgery, I took off two weeks from work and should have gone 1/2 days on the 3rd. After the 1st week I had no pain, but the extreme weakness I felt week 2 made me feel as though I might had made a big mistake getting the surgery. I was worried it was going to last forever. It carried over into the 3rd week, though not as bad. It gradually improved every week and today I feel better than I have in a long time (prior to surgery even). One more thing to add...I wish I had chosen the sleeve over the band in 2009 because today I would be sitting at goal. I feel it works much better than the band. No complications and soooooo happy I had it done. I feel great!

I had my band to sleeve revision April 9,2012. My doctor told me the same thing, he wouldn't know about scar tissue until he was inside. I was scared too, but after, he said the band slipped right off and no scar tissue. I am 4 weeks post op and down 38 lbs with no more band issues. It will be fine. Don't let your nerves get the best of you!!!! Good Luck!!!!!!

I had the band for 10 years and I felt like I was always hungry, but eating dense Protein often made me feel pain or discomfort. Since I knew that revisions might not lose weight as well, I talked alot to the nutritionalist about this. She started me down the path of not thinking about "full" or "too much". Rather I was to practice stopping eating when no longer hungry. Now, that was a new concept! So, I suggest that once you are on solid foods you start thinking that way - absence of hunger, not full. I have vomited a few times since being sleeved, each time it was from inhaling food too fast. I don't know about foamies or any of that... I am 2.5 years out and have not experienced those things. Small quantities of dense protein and veggies, follow the guidelines and you will likely feel satiated. A couple of caveats... first 6 weeks, I ate by the measuring spoon and clock - while your stomach is healing you can't trust the "signals". Also, acid can feel like hunger so be sure you are on a PPI the first few months at least while your body adjusts to a small tummy.

I am currently 235bs and my doctor has told me he will not even consider a revision until I get down to 210lbs. My lapband is empty as of now (just had a baby and having problems finding that sweet spot) fill/unfill/fill/unfill. My question is, has anyone else ever had to lose weight before being considered for a revision? THANKS

I did the RNY on Jun but I can eat almost everything even the potato chips. can you eat those things? and what happen to you if you do eat them? how much of food you can tolerate to eat in the same time? actually, I had a gastric banding revision to RNY and it's really new situation for me.

Bandproblems, If nothing is going through and you are completely unfilled, it sounds like you have more damage than what they can see. In my honest opinion and the little time I experienced in between being unfilled and revision, you will gain your weight back, even with regular exercise. Your old eating habits will come back, it's so easy to find that old friend again. One of my concerns was once sleeved I would lose the same amount of weight as I did initially with the band which would leave me skin and bones, but, it doesn't work that way. You will lose weight quickly while you are on the pre-op diet and then the healing stage post op diet, but, once you build up to regular meals your weight loss stabilizes. Your body weight is at a very different stage now before you had the band done and the body now responds differently to weight loss, so, no you won't disappear. lol As far as the stomach size they leave behind for a revision patient depends on how much surgical scar tissue the band has created, thus, this is different for every person, but, the stomach size difference is minimal. Google "bougie size" and you will see the difference in the circumference on the sizes. Once I completed the progression diet after surgery and began eating normally again, I eat the same amount as when I had the band which is about 1/2 a cup. In time, your sleeve stretches a bit and you eat a bit more. What I've researched is usually 1 cup. Last, a UGI only shows if things are going through or not. If you doc hasn't mentioned yet, I would ask for an EGD to see how much damage you may have. Depending on what kind of damage the band has done or doing, your doc may be able to get your insurance to cover the whole revision. Keep us posted. jake

Drewer, I was a very successful patient with the lap band, until by chance, I discovered that it caused my esophagus some real issues. The scariest thing about my situation or what I now know was a blessing in disguise. I was doing awesome with the band and lost over 120 lbs. at the most successful point of my journey. I had no real obvious symptoms or problems, other than I could eat a bit more and had some very little night issues. My insurance company changed at work and so did the their bariatric service. I was forced to switch bariatric services and doctor and when I saw the new doctor, he asked for a UGI. To my surprise, the UGI technician told me to contact my doctor as soon as possible. Things took off very quickly after that and I ended up getting my band removed and revised to sleeve. Had I not seen the new doctor and UGI performed I would have ended up with much more damage that I had - Thank God! Wish I had gone sleeve originally. My vote: Sleeve 100%! Much luck to you! Jake

Haha, I don't even have a firm ending goal yet, much less a plan for how to celebrate it. At 320 lbs, the number 180 seemed like a good goal number, but I always figured I'd revise that as I got closer. However, I turned 49 a month before my surgery & I decided that next year when I turn 50 I'm going to celebrate by doing something physical that was not possible for me to do on my last birthday. I will be 11 months post op & I don't care if I'm at "goal". I want to usher in my new decade by doing something that is newly possible.

So I went in yesterday and got another .5 cc's taken out. I feel better, but have a strong feeling it's going to come back again. My Dr said he see's this regergitation/GERD in 20-30% of his patients. Wow. That is alot. He said that when it gets really bad, patients either just get the band removed or changed to Gastric Bypass. This is totally freaking me out. It seems like there is a strong chance that I will have to loose my band! I don't think I would want to revise to anthing permanent like bypass. It sounds like some people just get a new band placed....but isn't this issue just going to happen again? My Dr wants me to see how it goes and if it starts happening again to come back and he'll do the barium swallow. I don't know what I am going to do....

I think I have an idea why some say 13 weeks to go and some say 12 weeks to go. As of yesterday(9/3), Thanksgiving is exactly 12 weeks away. The dates on the left hand side where it is saying 13 weeks to go are end of August dates. The dates where it is saying 12 weeks to go are beginning of September dates. I am excited to do this challenge to get me back on track. I got my band last summer and am having a hard time with these last pounds. Thanks, Colleen Lap band surgery: 5/6/08 Revision for kinked tubing: 7/17/08

I just had port revision done a little over a week ago and got a fill that same day. After my fill I noticed that I had decent restriction throughout the day but after 4 days the restriction seemed to lighten up. Was I just swollen or did the band just need time to settle down from surgery or my fill? I still get tight every morning but after lunch my restriction seems to fade. What gives?

Well, I can speak from both sides as I was a band to sleeve revision. I had the revision because the band didn't work. I never found the proper fill and it was either too tight (food sticking all the time causing vomiting) or it was too loose (allowing me no restriction). Additionally healthy food such as chicken and vegetables with Fiber and fruits with skin got stuck on the band. I found myself eating processed food all the time just so I could eat. It SUCKED!!! I had the band for 3 years and lost 30lbs. I've had the sleeve for 6 months (tomorrow) and I've lost 80lbs. There is NO COMPARISON as far as I'm concerned. I'm loving my sleeve and wish I had done this procedure in 2009. Sent from my iPhone using VST

Toasty, that was definitely an incomplete thought LOL Yes, I'm being revised from a band to a RNY.. I am getting married in December and I didn't know if I should wait until December or have it right away (in September). Decided that I'm not going to risk losing the approval and will have it in September. There is also the thought of forever losing my ability to eat what I want. The very thing that got me here in the first place. I remember grieving for food when I was banded and I'm sure it will even be worse with this new surgery. But I will move forward with this.

I didn’t notice but then again, I shaved my head at month 3 post op VSG. I did however notice lots of new prickly hairs the month after I had my revision (9months post VSG). It didn’t bother me too much just felt weird growing back in. I do take hair skin and nail gummies most days and my hair 8 months from shaving is now between ear and shoulder length and my hair had always grown slow before surgery.

OMG ..... If it's the Depo Shot..... STOPPPPPPP!!!!!! Years ago they removed the IUD and started me on the Depo... I gained 50lbs in one month.... it was horrible. Look into the Nuvo Ring. It was the best Birth control EVER.... I tried it all, the Pill (nausea all the time), diaphragm (terrible bladder and yeast infections), Condoms with and without foam (latex-sensitive), IUD (terrible bleeding), the shot (major weight gain, but i didn't bleed), then the Ring. It was the only one that worked for me. Then in my 30ies i had a partial hysterectomy.... OMG it was like the heavens parted and the angels were singing.... At 50 i started menopause and it sucks Ass..... I started gaining weight and couldn't control it, no matter what i did. So i decided enough was enough and paid OOP for a revision to the sleeve. Note: All of the birth control was before i was banded in 2009 SW: 232 LW 143: Removal 2017 at 143. Sleeved 8/28/19 at 173.5, today 131.4

Congratulations @BypassDiva2023. I’m so glad you’ve finally had your revision surgery. Praying for a much smoother journey for you this time. NSAIDS are always on the forever no list post surgery. However, some surgeons do allow their use after a period of time with a sleeve which may be why you are surprised with the instruction with your bypass. My surgeon allowed me to have them after two years because I didn’t take them regularly but he still gave me strict instructions: half dose & not consecutive days. The swallowing pill advice seems to be varied across surgeons & surgeries. Did the same surgeon do your bypass as sleeve? Maybe they’re treading more carefully because of your history.

I just found out today that I have to have revision surgery to correct an incorrect band placement. Is the recovery time the same as for the first surgery?

I had a revision from lab band to sleeve by Dr. Aceves for $10,000. I can't recommend him highly enough. He has sleeved over half the people on this board and you won't find anyone who has anything but wonderful things to say about him, the staff and the beautiful hospital.

Hi OilSooner, My previous banding experience was with an inexperienced surgeon. He was young, and I believe I was his 22nd band placement. I don't think he did it right to be honest. My whole experience was miserable and it failed big time. So, when I decided to get revised I went out of my way to choose a Dr. who was very experienced, especially with my revision circumstances. My personal opinion based on my experiences is that I preferred to have an experienced surgeon this time around. My sleeve is perfect and my choice turned out in my best interest. That being said, just because a Surgeon is new doesn't mean they are not worthy. Everyone starts somewhere, that including my Surgeon. Someone was his first patient... know what I mean? Just have 110% confidence in your choice and decision. Good luck!!

ok, i'm about to start the next phase of this journey. I'm hovering around 6 pounds above my original goal (i say that because i would LOVE to lower it, but at the same time PS may bet rid of the rest of what doesn't seem to want to budge!). My PS consult is Thursday 11/12/09. I'm not planning surgery until March of next year. I just want to know what he wants me to do...maintain, lose more... I'm trying to get all the questions i should ask all written down so i don't forget anything! the plan is to have a lift with implants (i'm sure i don't have enough tissue for even a C!) and a tummy tuck. would love some lipo if there is any backfat and above my belly if that isn't pulled flat! here are things i have already.....can anyone add to this? am i at an ok weight or should i lose more should i work at maintaining now, or lose more Belly buttons (i am worried about this one but hear my Dr. does great ones!) implants what kind/size (i've hear of some called gummie. my sister in law had her saline replaced with this type last year because ONE saline busted after 5 years and she was totally lopsided...she's FLAT without the implants. The gummies are silicone, but will not leak if busted. at least from the outside it would still look normal!) mons lift happens with tt? what exactly would that achieve? will my port scar be hidden, if not removed? (my port scar is low, but a little bit higher than my belly button on the left side) port moved/replaced with low profile (my port makes me look like i have some serious abs sticking out! LOL) what does this price include? (compression garments, follow-ups, revisions?) when do i return for a checkup? should i stay in town for a couple of days at a hotel? (would this be better incase of emergencies, comfort, etc) where will my scar be, how far around what is typical healing time how long before taking care of the kids lifting them? unfill (my band reacts to my hormones really bad! i get tight around my period ....really tight if i have really good restriction.) muscle repair (i'm sure 4 kids have done a number there!) pain pump or oral med? exercising I'm getting SOOOO excited! Thanks Josie and Allie for the info i've gotten from both of your journey's!!!

Yeah, vacation may be a little bland without the martini, but I bet you'll not even be in the mood for drinking by that time. I had 3 abscesses develop 6 weeks after my revision that landed me in the hospital again for 7 days. I had drains, and antibiotics and all that fun stuff all over again. They think little microscopic bacteria was stuck in my abdomen from the leak, and they formed pockets. It was a pain in the butt, and very exhausting. I was my surgeon's first leak. Not really proud of it, but he did an amazing job saving my life. I know in my heart of hearts (after reviewing pics/xrays/video from surgery) that my stomach was damaged by the band. It really wasn't my surgeon's lack of experience or "fault".

Hello! I am a 40 yr old female from Cape Cod Mass. I have been overweight forever, but in the past few years I reached my highest peak @ 255lbs. In January of this year I looked into bariatric weight loss thru BI in Boston. They have a comprehensive and long program, which I completed in about 3-4 months and was told I would be a good candiate for surgery. I waited a few more months, as I was trying to decide what was best for me. Once I decided to go forward, I had to pick GBP or Lap Band. Since I was not a diebetic and on medications for health problems and the gbp seemed so severe, I opted for Lap Band surgery. My date was set for Monday 8/30/10. The week prior I did a partial liquid diet using mostly the unjury protein drinks. They taste good and filled me up. It was easier than I thought and I lost 10 lbs prior to surgery, just as my doctor wanted. I was super exicted and nervous but my surgeon is renowned in thie field and I was confident. Unfortunatley for me things did not go as planned. As I woke up in recovery, a nurse who did not seem to know about bariatrics, handed me 2 containers of liquid percocet and some water, telling me to drink it all down. I did as I was told, only to be hit with such pain in my chest, I thought I was dying. I could not breathe, I vomited, I was sweating and very upset. Nothing s/b given orally so soon after surgery and I will never know if that caused what happened next or not, but it was a long road for me. As a mom with a 6 yr old who was due to start first grade, I was happy to have my surgery scheduled before her school started, knowing I would be in the hospital for just one night. Well, for me it turned into a long 6 days! On day 3 my Dr stuck a needle in the band and took out all the water (15 cc) trying to loosen things up. 4 days after surgery I still could not keep 15 cc of water down and he decided to go back in and pop 2 stiches to loosen me up. This is called a revision and he said he had only see this happen in 2 patients prior to me...and he has done this since the surgery came about. I had to go backunder general anthesia and into the OR again. By the next day I was drinking some water and by Sunday afternoon I was finally released. I am 2 weeks out from my 2nd surgery and down a total of 30 lbs. I had my 2 week follow up with my doc and he says I am doing better than most. I am back to walking 3 miles a day (which I had started the month prior to surgery). My main issues now are with constipation and all that fun stuff.. Some days I don't want to get out of bed. I am cranky as I miss food. I loved to eat and it is harder than I expected to go without. On Saturday I tried on some jeans than are a size 20 (I was in 24/26) and they were a bit loose. This was exciting but only temporarily lifted my spirits. I still feel a bit off...not sure why exactly but trying to move ahead and getting stronger. I am on stage 4 diet...some solids, and so far, so good. This is my first time on a blog, and I am anxious to read other people's stories as well as chronicle my own. Thanks for reading:))

Im sorry you had to revise...I was originally going for the band & my surgeon advised against it in regards to long term results. I then went with sleeve but my reflux is too bad (after EGD). Now I've accepted bypass. Thanks much for your input & heads up on insurance!

I am 4 months out from a revision from lapband to RNY. I have no regrets and would do it again in a flash. I have lost the weight I had regained and am now sitting around my goal. The only time I have issues is when I do something silly like thinking I can eat 🎂

A revision doesn't have anything to do with the length/lack of time between procedures. I was 6 months apart and am still a revision. You're just having a former surgery 'revised' to something else. Best of luck.