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I'm a band to sleever! I had my band removed and a sleeve with duodenal switch done on 12/26! So far I love it! I'd would be happy to chat! Katy W- Louisburg, NC Lapband revision to VSG with DS HW- 297 Weight at Surgery-279 CW- will update at two week appt

So tell me your story, The Good, The Bad, The Ugly! I am trying to gauge how the revisionistas are doing long term after the actual change over. My revision is scheduled on September 17th, which is exciting and nerve wracking at the same time. (A little Bandster history: Banded in 2007; Lost 127 Banded; Gained Back 107; issues started with hiatal hernia, etc., been struggling with fills ever since...always too tight or too loose.) I have never met or spoken with anyone who has the sleeve, so feel free to lend any advice and/or insight. Looking forward to hearing from you!

I too had a revision from a band to a sleeve. The only time I had pain afer the initial period, was a few times on my left side when I was working out. You are doing the right thing by letting your surgeon know. I definately would go to ER and best if it the ER where you had surgery at. ER physicians are not always well versed in our needs, but at least there you have a better chance that they are and they would also have access to your bariatric team. Good luck and hope you feel better soon.

Yeah, I kinda figured they'd time manage the patients better. But I guess things can change based on how folks medically stack out. There are a few here not in the best health today. I've all by electronic toys spread around me so I'm content. There is one girl who is shocking the other patients. She's thin. I thought she was here for plastics but nope sleeve. Although I heard revision but it's not band. She really looks great. The other patients are doing eye rolls but heck, we don't know her story. I didn't want to pry and ask so we've chatted about other things. Perhaps a bypass to sleeve revision? Is that even possible?

I was very scared about dying myself! That was probably my only concern lol Mind you I had 2 operations, I had the lap band and then my revision to the gastric sleeve so I had double the "panic/scare". But at the end of the day, I looked around and saw that everybody else came out alive and did very well. And I also knew the risks were very low for someone like me. I prayed and I believed that I would be alright. Sometimes you have to let go and believe with all your heart that you will be alright, and not only that, you will be very successful with your tool. Because alot of people do forget to realize that this is just a "tool". So pray not only to have a sucessful surgury day, but also to lose weight and keep it off! Everything else (your fears) will only be major distractions and are geared to throw u off track, stay focused

I had the band a week ago, and so far I've lost 41 pounds in a month including the pre op diet. On this site, I'm seeing all these horror stories of people who need revisions, and that most people don't get the band anymore. My doctors talked me out of the other surgeries, because I'm very young (24) and am realtime lay healthy, which by their admission is extremely rare in someone my size. (praise be to G-d!) I would like to know if anyone here has had the band for a long time and hasn't had a horror story. I'd like to be reassured. Thanks!!

I don't think I am scared of the bigger band and I look at the band as being a tool to loose weight. However, I just think that you may get to your goal faster and can maintain the weight easier with a tighter/smaller band. If that is what your anatomy needs. Only the doctor knows what you look like inside when he/she opens you up. My doctor has been banding people for about 8 years and he says he uses the smaller one with most people, men and women. He also says that he has only had this swelling issue with one other patient. I tend to trust his opinion that based on my anatomy the smaller one is better but if my body swells then I will have the same problem again. Therefore, when he opens me up again he is going to see how much room I have and may change it out for a bigger band. I am between 5' 2" and 5' 3" feet tall and weigh 211.6 as of today. I was 230'ish pre op and was about 222 the day of surgery. I am not big boned, nor am I small boned. My doctor says he reserves the larger band for larger people and was very surprised at my amount of swelling. In fact I still feel swollen. I would love to see the stats on maintenance based on band size. That would probably give a more accurate perspective. Also, the reason for attempting to keep this band in me is that my doctor feels that I will have better results over the long run with this size band. Your doctor is the one with the experience and if one size versus another is not right for you he/she will tell you. That is one of the things you are paying him/her for. I am hoping to keep the smaller band because it is the one he though was best for me when he opened me up. However, I am aware that he may change it for the bigger one if the swelling has not gone down. Ultimately I will not know until I wake up after the revision. You need to talk to your doctor and be willing to work with him/her as to what is right for you. Your doctor has the experience and the stats both personal and from the manufacturer. If you do not have faith in your doctors judgment you should find another doctor. I am not a doctor and am just sharing my opinions and experiences with those who are interested. I wish everyone well in this journey and I hope us all great success.

Congrats on the weight loss! I didn't make it quite that far before I had major problems with him accessing the port. I had my port revised last month. I was in WAY less pain than the first surgery. It was mostly localized to the site where he put the port in. I was able to get out of bed on my own and do most things, just a little more slowly and no bending or lifting, of course. I took it easy for about 3 days, then back to work. I barely had to take the pain meds at all. The incision actually healed better than the last one! I wish you luck with everything! I was really nervous about it, almost more nervous than with the first surgery because I had lost hope with everything, but now I am super excited for a fresh start!

As far as I know, the most common reason for doing band removal and revision surgery in 2 separate surgeries is to allow the body to heal before subjecting it to more surgery. I don't want to rain on your parade, but it's impossible to predict what your upper GI tract is going to look like when your new surgeon goes in there to remove your band. If there's a lot of scar tissue or inflammation, it might not be safe to proceed with the sleeve at that time. I had my band removed in April 2012. I went in to the operating room expecting to wake up with a sleeve, and I woke up with nothing - no band, no sleeve. Here's a link to a recent thread about the band versus the sleeve, on which I posted my own story. If you have any questions after reading it, please let me know. If I don't know the answer, I may be able to point you in the right direction. Just one more thing - I applaud you for getting a 2nd opinion about this. Your health is too important to allow a doctor to pooh-pooh your concerns.

After being banded with plication in August 2012, I have been having quite a bit of pain for the last three months. I went to my surgeon who acted like he doesn't want to bother with me. Just real rude and acted like my pain was no big deal. So I saw another surgeon who was kind enough to take me on. My body is rejecting the lapband. It seems it doesn't like having a foreign object in it. So my band is going to be removed and I will be revised to the sleeve all in one surgery. I have lost weight with the band but my body doesn't like it.

Hi Angie, I am a lapband revised sleeve and I DO have excess skin. I am wondering if age has anything to do with it. I do workout regularly and my tummy still looks nasty. I am very close to goal so it is no longer fat. It is just wrinkly looking. I plan to do a tummy tuck after I have been stabilized at goal weight. I will say that my tummy is the worst. I have been able to keep the rest under control with the exercise. I have met several in our face to face support group who have had to have additional work done after the weight is gone. Embrace the idea you are healthier and the weight is gone. Rejoice that your biggest problem is getting rid of excess skin! :-) Good luck! Smiles!

We have done weight loss surgery on many high BMI patients and even published our results on high BMI band patients. We've had several patients lose over 250 pounds with a band. GPS (plication) is new so we don't have long-term data. GPS has many similarities to other weight loss operations and what we know from other operations is that higher BMI patients tend to lose more pounds, less percentage basis excess weight and take longer to reach goal. A common thing that happens is that higher BMI patients take longer to reach goal and sometimes their operation is less effective over that much time but it really comes down to the individual in that some patients do phenomenal and others don't lose that much weight. It's best to think of weight loss operations as a tool for weight loss and my experience is that GPS is just as good of a tool as others and it is much less invasive with no cutting or stapling of the intestines involved. The other thing I like about the GPS is that it would be easy to revise if necessary. Revisions of other operations are a much bigger deal. We haven't had to revise any GPS yet for dilation, but if that occurred in the future it would be simple to place additional sutures to reduce the size again. One challenge might be that most hospitals don't allow this new procedure and many surgery centers have upper BMI limits so sometimes we have to put patients on liquid Protein diets until they fall under the BMI limit for Center of Excellence surgery centers. Brad Watkins MD

Hey Y'all! Had surgery on Monday and I am so BLESSED!!! My doc was able to do my revision as well!! WhooHoo!!! I don't have to go back in August to get sleeved!!!! He said everything went really well, if long. I went in about 10:30 and made the recovery room (which I have no memory of!) about 1/1:15-ish. I did bleed enough for him to mention it but nothing overtly worrying. He was a little surprised was all. Said I had very little scar tissue so doing the revision was a no-brainer for him and he was happy to do it. Monday night was a little rough. I went too long between pain med doses and got in to a little too much pain/uncomfortablness with it. My BP spiked up to 168/115 and to say my nurse wasn't happy is an understatement. When she checked me again 2 hrs later, after the pain meds had kicked in, I was back in a good place again. Tuesday was good, drank my 2 oz of shake for Breakfast and again for lunch. Then they went ahead and gave me more at dinner since it was taking so long for the pharmacy to process my Rxs to go home. Didn't finish it b/c my wheelchair arrived and it was time to go home! Long trip home. An hour. In a 4x4 on big tires and cruddy mtn roads. Took more pain meds and went to bed! Slept well. Had some nausea this morning and dry-heaved for a bit. Called in and got an Rx for nausea. Hubby went and got that for me and I've been fine since. Getting ready to head to bed in a bit. My kindergartener has "graduation" in the morning and I think I'll be up for it! Very happy about that! I'll be doped up but I'll be there!!! So that's it in a nutshell. So glad to be on the other side of it all. Best wishes to all who are following!!!!

Can anyone tell me their experience if they had a revision done because of slippage? My surgery is on Friday and I'm really worried.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Thanks.<o:p></o:p>

From the little bit of research I've done on revision surgery from band to sleeve, you can still fail with a sleeve if you don't make proper choices in food. Go to the bottom of this page and click on VerticleSleeveTalk.com. There is a subsection just on band to sleeve revision. Just like band, sleeve surgery is not an obesity cure, it is still up to the individual to make the proper choices to make the band and/or sleeve work.

It's good you found a revision doctor who can do the removal/revision/plication take down at once. Recovery is a bit more difficult and longer than implanting your band, but once you are there, the aftercare is minimal. Just want to warn you that I know several whose tests showed the band placement was fine and once they got into surgery, they found the bands had eroded, adhered to other organs, etc. barium swallows, even endoscopy showing a healthy stomach can be a false negative for slips and partial erosion. They just can't tell for sure, until you're opened up. Best wishes for a quick surgery and speedy recovery.

I have retaken over the Compilation thread as of June 15th and just got it up to date. Please realize I had surgery June 4th and I'm still struggling a bit. If anyone sees someone post in the section that is outside of June mainly a thread called "Any June Sleevers" which is located in the preop section and not June section, please post their name at the end of this thread or direct them here. It will help me keep up. Unfortunately, I can't be online as long as I used to presurgery. Thank you so much. My prayers continue to go out to those that had surgery and to those that are coming up on their surgery. Best wishes for speedy recovery to all. June 1, 2012 BigGirlVee -- Dr. Coirin, Modesto, CA 2thenewme -- Dr. Jose Rodriguez, Mexico AChristie -- in Juarez SouthernDonna45 -- Dr. Alvarezta ta1020 and comfortably numb - Dr. Kelly June 2, 2012 Dizzle Ready2Bthin -- Dr. Aceves Mexicali June 4, 2012 ptprincess93 DcMak72 Furby036 -- Emma Patterson Portland,Oregon 6-4-12_sleever Karenb4729 Teasha1 -- dr. Ponce de leon, Mexico Tlaff79 -- Dr. Blaine Nease Angelakay2 -- Dr. Brad Waggoner IrishSoul -- waiting on okay from insurance Dkna2 -- Dr. Garcia, Tijuanna MamaM -- Removal/Revision Mina T -- Dr. Paul Stanish labubakari Ready for the new Lay-Lay -- George Woodman, Memphis TN Sallyincincinnati -- Thegoddesszili Calicolea June 5, 2012 shereebarb Chichis77 Bubblesbgood -- Dr. Michael Nusbaum Kstalvey -- Dr. Nick Nicholson from Plano Miss scarlet Back­­~To~Amy -- Dr. Nick Nicholson from Plano ShannonK Aznoel -- Dr. Stephen Burpee New_Hope -- Dr. Stowers, Decatur, Tx. txdee -- Dr. Nick Nicholson Amom2twins -- Dr. Aviv Ben-meir raindrop Erica E Cat Scratch Fever Redbottoms82 IlyssaDel newnin - Abington, PA Dr. Fernando Bonanni June 6, 2012 Sunshine08 -- Atlanta, GA Kmaskery SylviaMom -- Dr. Aceves – lap to sleeve MadisonPA kfitch Soon2bhotmama -- Dr. Ryan Heider Pooh Krystina kiki green June 7, 2012 Giselle3264 -- Dr. David Kim, Dallas LULU TAT justsleeveme23 -- Dr. Minkin, St. Louis Lovingmeforever -- Dr. Almanza butterflylegacy -- Dr. David Kim MsYoYo -- Fl. Alp50 -- Dr. Kelly Debbiesclipper Bigzoe32 TCBunny - Atlanta GA Jennifer SoFla June 8, 2012 Mari6257 Cristal602 -- Dr. Jaime Kelly Jenz531 Crystalaine -- Dr. Kelly TinaP -- Dr Jose Rodriguez Moms3boys June 9, 2012 cissiesue June 11, 2012 PEvette Vanb0052 -- Dr. Svendsen, Methodist Hospital in Minnesota! Readytobeslimxoxox -- Dallas Blondeej Dr. Aceves, Mexicali -band to sleeve revision KamloopsMom -- Mexicali w/sister surgeries Healthy Mama Kat1 -- Dr. Garcia Pam2011 -- Dr. Orlando Icaza bogeydog blackdahlia -- Dr. Clark celticharpist -- Dr. Brock Borderlon Detroit_Tom cindyandhersleeve - Houston karrina-D cissiesue June 12, 2012 Eager12 -- Dr. Robert Wegner, Memphis Iwant2Bthatgirl need2change -- Dr. David Kim Dayo -- Dr. Robert Casillas Denalisa -- Dr. Wittgrove CRosa -- Dr. Pavlos Papasavas glsun0612 Wolfgirl1978 -- Dr. Keith Chung Joy00 Newme_38 - Dr Babak, Maryland June 13, 2012 Gene1970 JRoybal Slimwithin DuranFan1969 -- Dr. Christopher Hart, Atlanta New Orleans Lady -- Dr. James Redmann, Slidell / Covington, La SweetSusie1 -- Dr. James Davidson NJHANIBAL rherrera Kiloalphatango - Australia Wolf3749 - Dr. Patterson, Portland OR ZoobDude - Dr. Lopez June 14, 2012 Ssilian -- Dr. Anthony Terracina, VA Karma84 Finding Myself -- Dr. Kelly in Tijuana Mexico Goofycathy -- Dr. Kelly in Tijuana Mexico thinmymind -- Dr. Kelly Estrovan - Dr. Bauman in Charlotte NC Pdubbaya23 - June 15, 2012 TLC223 HolyCow1234 Territravel -- June 16, 2012 june16 -- Dr. Jorge Daes, Columbia, SA June 18, 2012 ChrissyDeex3 VeronicaH Pteri -- Dr. Srinivasan at Emory innerme Naturals -- mommieof3 Kymwalla June 19, 2012 Sunshine25 -- DFW area DadTo2 -- Dr. Nicholson, Dallas, TX Littlebits Zoobdude -- Dr. Almanza Lehg520 - Dr. Kristin Noonan Katrina8l Katelynrose June 20, 2012 Ready! Set! Brandy Riggen nmg4unj5 JRoybal - Dr. Garcia jonamarie2012 June 21, 2012 Angie_Musgrave Skinnytata - Dr Le at Kaiser South San Francisco MDZNCSLIM June 23, 2012 MirandaK -- Dr. Almanza, Mexico June 25, 2012 Looking Ahead Ready Rudy Artichokes -- Dr. Lautz Brigham & Women’s in Boston Jubjub07 -- Dr. Aceves anais02 -- Dr. Garcia Skane10 -- Dr. Garcia Janedeaux3 Lose4good2012 -- Dr. Billy (may use spider surgical tool) aled carolinagirlz 136HereICome- Lawerance hospital in NY ChristianMomma7 CRichard1107 SMP1126 June 26, 2012 locoladi Trista1975 -- Dr. Almanza-reyes, Mexico JTmoas s.ledbetter17 -- Dr. Edwards and Lane – mcg. Nardelkn cherryseven chuckles -- Dr. Keith Gersin Misslorlor MsPerry 1920-Zeta tumblersmom glocks90 suzilouise rudekitty ShrinkingBellyKelly June 27, 2012 herewegoagain Edward Mun -revision GivingItMyAll pkehrer mcsleevy - Dr. Sherman Yu in Houston, Tx Joyce Ellis-joy686 - revision MoreganK Praldous - Saranac lake NY Dr.Hill Carlashooter- Aworkinprogress - spider single incision with Dr. Robert Marema Ris26 June 28, 2012 kkm23 -- Dallas Iwannabslim -- Dr. Jaime Ponce – sleeve revision Sleevertobe Mina05pit - Philadephia, PA Apricot111 ready4change79 June 29, 2012 EileenFrances -- Dr. Subhash Kini Robin33 -- Costa Rica tonibugg -- Dr. Rod Juarez SunnyCox - Dr. Kelly in Mexico TinaP - Dr Rodriguez June 30, 2012 lil lee -- Dr. Aceves in Mexicali Mrslittle -- Dr. Alvarez

Hi [emoji112] did you have the sleeve? I will be at a year next month and the same thing has happened to me. Only about 50 lbs lost. I feel like such a failure [emoji21] despite doing everything right. I go back to see my doctor because my nurse said sometimes a revision has to be done when the sleeve is not successful. I lost almost 50 lbs on my own prior to surgery. Sent from my SM-G965U using BariatricPal mobile app

My surgery is booked for May 6th with one of the fat doctors from the TV show here in the UK - but Im terrified of blood clots, bleeding, hernias adhesions, ruptures and god knows what else, am I doing the right thing? Does this surgery fix you short term but decrease your life expectancy because of lots of long term side effects from having your digestive system re built? I have had a gastric band, I lost 6 stone (14 pounds in a stone) anyway, I looked and felt great, went and lived in LA for fun, and was an american size zero, worked out in the gym every day, and felt fab, then my dad died, I came back here to the UK, and then the climate and food and misery got to me, no more gym - replaced it with cakes, anyway, then my band slipped, and in Jan this year had it removed, now, Im back where I swore I would never be.... what do I do, do I dare to go ahead with what they say is more risky revision surgery or do I just slip into my fat invisible world.....

Hi all, After 2 years of having my lap band and having lost nearly 80kgs I had a horrid slip. I had revision surgery on 07.05.18 and they repositioned by lap band and replaced my port. I suffered a terrible bowel infection post surgery so I couldn't eat anything for 2 weeks postop anyway. On Tuesday (29.05.18) I had my first postop fill, my surgeon put 4ml in. Pre-slip I sat with 4.7ml and this was my green zone. Now, even with 4ml in off the bat I have restriction at all. I wanted to know if anyone else has had a slip revision and this has changed the amount of a fill they require to get adequate restriction? My surgeon said the word 'leak' during my fill because there was so much air in my band. I have had the worst 6 months with the health of my whole body and cannot handle having to go in for surgery again. Please share if you have gone through this!! Thanks, Jenna :-)

85% of people who get the Lapband later have a revision to the Sleeve. Research the statistics and they will tell you why the sleeve is a better choice.

Thanks Sara, I have the sleeve. At first I was going to get the band and then I started reading all the problems people were having. I was like hell no! When I was in Mexico there was a girl who only had hers for six months and she had problems with the port already. Just six months out and she was having a revision. Anyways please keep in touch. Maybe if you start to gain weight you can do the pre-op diet off and on. Have a safe trip.

Hi I'm Angie and new to this site. I got my VSG on Sept. 27,2013. As a revision. I'm excited with the support you all show each other. Look forward to the road ahead. My pre weight was 274 Pre-op weight 260 And today's weight 245 Down 29 pounds

Have to revise this goal. I reached my original goal today. So my new April Fools Goal is my personal goal of 168 and a normal BMI. Can't belive I have a chance to be at goal in 5 months since surgery...I love this sleeve!!!

I'm getting a revision surgery done on April 30th. Who else has had this done & what tips can you give me.