Search the Community

I'm in the same boat as the previous commentors here.... I have diabetes, and was all for getting the sleeve... untill my doctor advised against it due to my reflux. He even advised me that he had two patients on tube feeding due to extrem GERD after their sleeves, and that as soon as they were well enough, he would have to do a full revision to a bypass. He also advised that the bypass would most likely help get rid of my diabetes, which given the comorbidities that go with diabetes, is a huge plus. Diabetes is the begining of a cascade of other issues like high cholesterol, kidney failure, high blood pressure, increased risk of cancer,Atherosclerosis, and so on. Diabetes was my deciding factor in getting WLS. Hope this helps you.

I agree with the above statements due to my diabetics and history of upset stomach I choose the bypass and I do not regret it, I only wanted to have one surgury without any revisions as well as it is the gold standard , I could not risk any additional surgery , as well as time off from work so I wanted to get it right on the first go around and with insurance ever so changing I was not going to risk a denial when my insurance covered a 100%. Good luck .

I hate the band. I lost very little weight. I threw up continuously anytime I ate anything remotely healthly. The unhealthy foods slide down easy. I could never eat chicken. I ended up with esophogeal erosions. I love my sleeve. I am a slow looser but I have lost consistently with the sleeve. I had my revision on Mar 21 and have lost 45 lbs. Some would complain but I am not complaining. I feel healthier and happier. They don't want me at support group meetings either. I am a very vocal anti-band person. I love the analogy to the ex. smokers. It is so true. Cathy

I had my revision September 2012 and it was absolutely the best thing I could have done. Make your own decisions and don't base it on negative comments you read here. It was a very positive life changing surgery for me and I would do it 1000% times over.

I completely agree with slikchick10! I'm 5.5 weeks out from a revision and it's so much better. You truly feel full and I've only had the "slimes" twice because I didn't chew well enough. It is so weird to eat foods that used to get stuck like eggs. Your think it's gonna come back up but it doesn't LOL. I think it is worth it. Good luck with your decision.

Your right Sleeve master......there are a few negative comments which doesnt help when you are trying your best to do the right thing. Its not like you can undo it if you make the wrong choice. I was hoping to compare the 2 with people who have had the band before or know of people who have had the band before to see what it will be like with the sleeve. I trust my surgeon and he says it is the best thing for me so I do believe that. I have struggled with the band and its problems for 4 years and also never feeling satisfied with what I was eating (or very rarely was i satisfied) I was told that by removing the hormone that creates the hunger sensation it will make it a lot easier for me which I am looking forward to. If anyone thinks that I think that I am taking the easy way out then they dont know what I have been through....in and out of hospital for constant revisions not to mention the discomfort with the band. I know I can't live with the band but I know I can't live without some form of restriction......that was proven when they let my band out for 6 months and I gained a stack of weight as my hunger was out of control. The more I research the more I know that I have to get the sleeve.....I just want to know what to expect when I have it done. I didn't know about all the things getting stuck etc before I got the band (something I wish I had have known before hand) and also how hard it would be to eat a good variety of foods and healthy foods. I hope the sleeve is different, I just don't know anyone with the sleeve that I can ask about it. Junior Guru that is what I hope will happen with me Garliegirl my surgeon told me that they will keep me is hospital for 5 days and if a leak was to happen it would happen in the first few days and they would be monitoring me closely to fix the problem IF it happened......he also said if it doesn't leak at the start it will NEVER leak. That put my mind at rest. He also said that they trialed doing band to sleeve revision surgery in one operation for 6 months and they have decided that it is more successful and less complications letting the stomach heal in between taking the band out and then doing the sleeve. I have also heard from people that it can be more successful but every surgeon has different ideas so its best to check with yours. I have been very happy with the group that I go through even with all of my problems with my body rejecting the foreign body of the band The other thing that i loved the sound of is that there is no dumping syndrome as there is with bypass......I love the sound of the sleeve and not to have this stupid port in me anymore. Its under my bra line (as they were running out of new places to put each new port) and so uncomfortable!!!!

When I had my VSG I was 278.2 the week before surgery, 271 when discharged, and 258.3 at my post-op appointment 10 days later. I had very minimal bruising or swelling that time. When I had my revision (8 months later due to gerd), I was 222 a week before surgery, left the hospital at 234.4 (was there 4 days due to needing iron), and was 215.7lbs at my one week post-op appointment. I had loads of bruising this time around. The picture is from a week post-op and I still had visible bruising at 20 days post-op (second picture) though it never hurt.

It's not that they don't eventually get it done, it's that they tell you they are goiing to do something and then they don't. I didn't mind waiting. I'm having to wait an additional three months or more to have my revision surgery because Dr. Koppman wants to wait six months after my band was removed so the scar tissue will have a chance to settle and so I can have additional tests done to make sure I am going to be a good candidate for the sleeve. (Makes sense to me). Anyway, read my post (or not) and see if you would have put up with repeatedly beiing told one thing and then nothing ever being done. I used to be a staunch advocate and defender of Dr. Cywes practice but when he suggested that I get a fill when three weeks prior he had removed my gastric tube from my surgery, I decided it was time to move on. You need to have confidence in your surgeon.

Good luck and I hope you find someone. My friend that had the revision had a serious hernia issue that required surgery. During the hernia repair, they performed another bypass. They did not perform the bypass just because he had regained the weight. My surgeon will not remove the band unless there is a medical problem calling for removal. He will not do revisional surgery at all. Whatever his reasons, I respect his decision and I will work harder at making my band work. As for insurance, I have a doctor that requires payment of any balance not covered by insurance and he is upfront with his policy. This may be why the surgeon you visited asked for the additional money. I have found this to be the case with higher rated/experienced physicians that I have seen. The screening paperwork I filled out prior to my first visit had this requirement specified. Your insurance sounds much better than my ANTHEM insurance. I paid just over $1,000 out of pocket for my Lapband for the various individuals involved with my surgery and the hospital.

I am so glad to hear you are doing well. My revision is scheduled for Monday the 10th. I am still freaking out a little!

I wanted the sleeve so bad and my surgeon told me I would hate him if I went through with the sleeve. I have no info to give you, but from the articles I've read bypass seems to be the cure for reflux. I had damage from years of reflux so bypass was strongly suggested. He told me I'd be begging for a revision if I went with the sleeve. I just wanted to say best of luck to you. I know this is a tough decision. I will say I've had no reflux since surgery last week. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

So sorry not sure what happened to the reply I wrote, lol. But anyway thank you for responding! I had my endoscope yesterday. She found that I do esophagusitis at LA level B, which I had to look up, lol. But basically I have lesions on the esophagus, showing signs that the acid is doing damage. She also inserted a Bravo capsule, and I'm currently wearing a PH balance monitor until tomorrow evening. Bad part is I can't take any acid medicine until this monitor comes off! I'm dying from the burning! So once I return it on Monday, and she reads the results I'll know more! How did your appointment go for finalizing your revision? Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I got my approval and date today for my revision. What did I get in return? The most intense bought of reflux I have had in a month. Just a reminder of why I am doing this. April 10th can't get here fast enough!

nocturnalgemi, Thanks for the response! No, I didn't have a hernia, thankfully. I was afraid of the bypass. I'm not sure why exactly, other than reading horror stories and letting my imagination get the best of me. I had GERD before surgery...however, the surgeon that did my endoscopy (not my gastric surgeon, but one of her peers) said, "oh you are fine to have the sleeve." I also have been a diabetic for almost 17 years. Before the sleeve I was on an insulin pump, taking huge amounts of insulin every day, but it didn't do any good. I was able to get off the insulin pump, however, I still have diabetes, I take an oral medication and my family Dr wants me to add another oral med.... I'm have lost about 38lbs since I had my sleeve in Sept 2014, I was a lower BMI when I started but I still need to lose at least 30 lbs! Granted recently I've not been as disciplined as I should have been, but I don't even feel any restriction at all anymore, makes me sad. I NEVER imagined that I would need a revision, it didn't even cross my mind....some days I wonder if it's worth going through with it, but I can't give up! I should have had the RNY to begin with, this is what I get for being such a baby! Please keep in touch, I would love to see your progress!

I had extensive complications with my revision from the band to the sleeve. I would do it all again in a heartbeat, and without a second thought. I've posted all my complications in threads and in my blog. I think most of them are posted in my blog on here. If you click at the top of the page where it says BLOG, you can find mine, and read back through my complications.

Playing devil's advocate here. It sounds like the dividing wall between the new pouch and the remaining part of the stomach wasn't finished. I would guess this was because the liver was too large and in the way. I think a lot of people have misconceptions about laparascopic surgery, that b/c it's easier on the patient, it's easier on the surgeon as well. This is simply not true. Imagine if you had to sew a sleeve onto a shirt, but you couldn't actually use your hands. Instead, the whole thing is inside a box, which is also filled with packing peanuts, and the shirt is attached at various places inside the box, and all you have is a tiny camera and light inserted into the (dark) box at one area, and various instruments on lines inserted elsewhere. I am a veterinarian, I don't do laparoscopic surgeries (primarily b/c the cost to do so generally is beyond what most people want to pay for a non-specialist). Even with the abdomen fully open stem to stern, it can be very difficult to work around the liver and spleen, and my patients don't usually have a fatty liver, or adhesions from previous surgeries. It sounds like his surgeon worked hard for as long as he could but realized that his arms and back were getting fatigued (and likely he had already done 1 or 2 other surgeries that day) and was getting nowhere, and when you get tired you are more likely to make mistakes. Had he continued he might have nicked the spleen or hepatic artery, etc. Would you have wanted him to call in another surgeon who likely doesn't even do bariatric surgery? personally it sounds exactly like what I just went through with my surgery on Sep 9 - my fatty liver was in the way, and rather than do a partial, my surgeon opted to close up and try again after a liver-shrinking diet in a month's time. My surgeon said he could have done a partial but that the opening would be larger and I would probably end up needing a revision 6 mos down the road. It sounds like you just didn't get all the information from your surgeon yet. I hope that is the case and that he is planning to revise it for you. But I would be thankful to your surgeon for his good judgment instead of "going big" and possibly causing you a much worse outcome.

Girl, yay! I am so excited for you. I'm glad your pain is so well managed. I had a drain after my revision to bypass and I hated every second of it, so more power to you for dealing with four of them. Can't wait to see the end result, especially the dragon tattoo!

Great job!!! You're an inspiration! Band to VSG revision:5/23/17 HW: 315 Pre-op: 294 SW: 283 CW:268.7 GW: 175

This is a picture of just my 3 of my lap sites from the band surgery. This was taken around April 2009 (so 6 months post band placement). I have 7 other scars/lap sites 3 from the sleeve revision, and from the 4 drains being placed. I scar really easily. I did buy some Mederma, but I gave up on using it.

I was a sleeve revision from a band on May 30. The day of surgery went pretty well as I was able to get up and walk around. The day after was heck. They kept changing my time for the barium swallow leak test and my tongue felt like shoe leather. They finally got me in there at 1 pm and then had me drink water every 15 minutes for two hours. Then I got to go home. Today has been much better but all I have had is my gummy vitamin and 3 bottles of water. Every time I take a sip, I can feel it going down and I am tight. My surgeon told my husband my sleeve was the sie of a pencil. I'll try protein tomorrow, I'm just so scared of getting a leak from over doing it too quickly.

I totally understand how you feel!! On the one hand you have all the postives, no more port issues, tightness etc... and a wonderful sleeve to takes its place which I'm sure is what you and I both looked for when we got our bands... a permanent decision. On the other hand because we are revisions we run a higher risk for complications, leaks etc. That is a fact, we do have to think of these things, but I am willing to take that risk anyday rather than waiting for my band to erode through my stomach or just simply cause even more damage than it has already done. Or we can simply have our bands removed and gain the weight back and regain all the unhealthy disadvantages that come along with obesity. No... I don't think that's an option for either of us. Hugs!! You will do amazing, and trust me - there are some of us here who do and are going through the same thing as you. Now, I'm nervous but I'm sure as the date draws nearer I'll get ever more increasingly scared. It's a big deal! It's very normal. Please check in as soon as you are up to it and let us know how it went. You will be ok!!!

I definitely need plastics, and have every intention of getting it done. It's not about vanity, it's really about comfort. I have skin everywhere and I deal with infections, skin breakdown, etc. I don't want to use shape wear because it makes me sweat, making the skin problems worse. I'm 4 years out from VSG and have persistent GERD so I'm actually looking at a RNY revision first, then once I get to final goal I'll look into plastics. Definitely breast reduction and tummy tuck, everything else I'm ok with.

I had the revision from sleeve to RNY last August due to severe gerd. Have lost all my excess weight and I can finally sleep restfully all night long. No severe gerd. I can't say whether you will screw up again but I assure you, with the RNY, it'll be much harder to slide back into bad habits. I'm in my 10th month and it's been a lovely journey for me so far. I am still elated that I can get full on 2 eggs. Unfortunately, complications can happen with all surgeries. I had a complication with the lap band and the VSG. No fault of my own. RNY is no longer a permanent surgery, but it is a risky procedure to reverse it. The sleeve is considered permanent. As for vitamins, I had a complete bloodwork 2 weeks ago and I was not deficient in any vitamins, minerals or protein. Cholesterol, triglycerides, sugar, all perfect. I only take a vitamin patch by patchaid. It may not work for others but it sure works for me. I hope this helps.

I think maybe it's comparatively rare everywhere but where your first doctor is! It sounds like you're in kind of a "bubble" of people who have had this type of revision.... I know you said you don't need a support group but "looking for others' experiences" is pretty much what a support group would be about... And it sounds like there's plenty of individuals in your area!

I know this wasn't geared towards me but I am a diabetic who first had lap and revised to the bypass. My diabetes was called in remission 2 days after the surgery. At the 3 month post surgery my A1C went from 9.5 to 7.5 and is still lowering. The mental need for sweets that ruled my waking thoughts is gone. I don't even miss them but it's only at the 6 month point. I'm about 50 pounds from a healthy bmi. With the bypass, for a diabetic it's the bypassing the duodenal switch which helps us first and then the weight loss. Other surgeries help diabetes but because of the weight loss which takes time to do. I do still have some lingering neuropathy but my kidneys which weren't so great before are normal and most of the other diabetic related health problems are gone now. I would recommend this to and diabetic in a heartbeat. Just follow your doctors orders though for success! Good luck!