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I had two separate operations 10 weeks apart; 1 to remove the band and to enable my oesophagus to go back into shape as the band had formed a pouch above it. 2nd to have the revision. Im in Australia and this was covered by my insurance as the band failed. Ive lost more weight now with the sleeve in 4 months than what i ever lost in 4 years with the band!! I love love love my sleeve and wish i had this option sooner! Best of luck to you with your journey ahead xox

I just had revision surgery on 1/30, band to sleeve! I had it all in one surgery as well as a hiatal hernia repair! I was under for about 3 hours! All went well! When I asked my Dr why Drs sometimes do it in separate surgeries he had 2 answers, first of all it depends on the pt and comorbities, how long can someone tolerate anesthesia ? Since just having sleeve surgery you are under for about 1 1/2 hrs! The second answer was interesting he said if he did in 2 surgeries he would make more $$$ which is so true ! Also in addition the pt has to take 2 separate LOAs if working! So in the end I would look for a surgeon who did it all in one surgery! good luck

I am thinking of going back for a scar revision post trauma surgery

Hey how's r u doing with your revision ?????? Sent from my Z981 using the BariatricPal App

I also had my revision from lapband to sleeve and hernia repair on May 7th. Just got out of hospital yesterday, had dehydration and inflammation complications. Congrats! Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app

Still in the game! After revision i was counseled that i may lose a little more so im STILL trying to maintain in the 150s. Im 151 lbs currently and about 19 days post op. Not too rapid so I'm satisfied.

I am so glad to have the revision surgery 6 weeks ago.I do not miss the sliming when i went to bed.I lost 80 Lbs at first with the sleeve but when i had the fluid taken out i gained 40 lbs.I felt like somebody was chocking me all the time.Due to the inflamation I wouldnt work out for the year around january I felt so bad I thought I was having heart failure.My diabetes got worse again.I havnt got sick with the sleeve.It is so much better than the band.There is some discomfort when I eat but not near as bad with the band.It feels good to be able to eat and not worry about excusing yourself to throw up.I was told the discomfort will go away in 2 more months.I was able to go back to work in 8 days only because i was alittle weak from the liquid diet.My job requires alot of concentration and i have been fine.I feel so much better.I whent in for my physical and my doctor was impressed he shared wih me when I saw him in january he didnt know if i would make it by the end of the year because my heart condition,Also with my condition I was able to go home the next day from surgery and heardly any discomfort.If anybody has any questions follow up with me.

Scheduled for a band to sleeve revision with Dr. Garcia (Ready 4A Change) and getting excited/anxious/nervous. Was scheduled for 4/25 but had to switch to May 3rd for my husband's work schedule. It's wonderful to hear SO many people who had a great experience. I can't say much for the experience quite yet, but to say that Alma is a rockstar!!! She is like lightening returning emails and always has all the answers!! Love her!!! Did anyone on this thread have a revision from band to sleeve with Dr. Garcia? I'd love to hear more about your experience if so!!! Either through post or PM, I'd just like to hear from someone who's had a revision with him since there's a little more involved Thanks!!!

OK so I'm 9 weeks out from my revision and I've been hovering between 28 to 32 pounds lost for the past 3 weeks! Grrrr!!! Wth?! Sorry, just had to vent.

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

I had MGB in TJ in April 2017 and it resolved my acid reflux, which was very severe pre-op. Life was great, lost a lot of weight, but 10 months post-bypass I developed bile reflux. I knew it was this because I would throw up greenish-yellow liquid, and then it was confirmed via EGD, along with Barrett’s Esophagus. My gastroenterologist and PCP were unfamiliar with bile reflux and did not know how to treat it, no medicines they recommended helped, but I found a great out-of-state bariatric surgeon (who also specializes in complex revisions) who was able to treat me. In July 2018, he repaired a hiatal hernia and performed a Nissen Fundoplication on me and since then I’ve had zero acid or bile reflux issues, which have been confirmed via EGD (2 of them post-op). He considered revising me to RNY but during surgery he was able to do some magic so that I didn’t need that extra procedure. And as the final step in my weight loss journey, I’m scheduled for plastic surgery in mid-Feb 2020.

It's sad that you are in such an environment! My doc is really pretty balanced and at my 400+ start weight never batted an eye when I chose the band over RNY. I'm so sorry you don't have that kind of support! But 3 years down the road, we bandsters have figures that compete with RNY and other bypass patients, and it is becoming more frequent for RNY patients, several years post op, to get "revision" surgery and get the band. Why? It is adjustable, that's why! It's always good to question yourself, but don't DOUBT yourself! The band has a much much higher rate of success than "dieting", I guess because it isn't dieting. You'll do great at it! :biggrin:

Do I get to play, or is the revision surgery "cheating?" Remember, I went up to my pre-banding weight PLUS three pounds when I went for the revision...so I was starting at the top...again. My BMI was 49-ish...it's now 35-ish. My weight loss has been stalled for a couple of weeks (couldn't move, on pain killers and/or steriod inections), and I'm probably going to experience a slight gain...as I'm starting (f'ing) Prednisone tomorrow for a back injury. When stressing about my mother and my back, I did the only normal thing...for me. I ate all of the chocolate in my zipcode. I knew it made no sense when I bought it and made LESS sense when I ate it, but--at those moments--I apparently trusted the chocolate more than I trusted reason or logic, to solve my problems. I have learned NOTHING from being banded. I think I made the right decision in going with malabsorption. And I got my 6-month labs back today. Penni--and other medical types--if there's anything I'm supposed to worry here about will you let me know? I've been really anxious about these! * = near either end of the "Reference Values" ** = outside the "Reference Values" ~~HEMATOPATHOLOGY WBC--7.6--(REFERENCE 4.3-10.0) HGB--12.0--(REFERENCE 11.5-15.0) HCT--35.6--(REFERENCE 35.0-47.0) *MCV--80--(REFERENCE 80-99) RBC--4.45--(REFERENCE 3.90-5.20) *MCH--27--(REFERENCE 27-34) MCHC--33.8--(REFERENCE 32.-36.0) **RDW--15.6--(REFERENCE 0.0--15.5) PLATELET--416--(REFERENCE150-450) **TRANSFERRIN--397--(REFERENCE 200-360) IRON--49--(REFERENCE 37-145) Vitamin B-12--804--(REFERENCE 211-911) FOLATE-- >20.0 ~~COAGULATION APTT--34.9--(REFERENCE 24.0-36.0) PROTIME PT--14.3--(10.0-15.7) INR--1.06--(REFERENCE 0.70-1.19) ~~URINALYSIS WAS FINE ~~CHEMICAL PATHOLOGY GLUCOSE--93--(REFERENCE 65-99) NA--138--(REFERENCE136-147) K--4.1--(REFERENCE 3.5-5.5) CL--104--(REFERENCE 96-108) CO2--25--(REFERENCE 22-29) ANION GAP--9--(REFERENCE 5-14) BUN--10--(REFERENCE 6-20) CREA--0.5--(REFERENCE 0.4-1.1) UREA/CREA--20--(REFERENCE 10-22) OSMO CALC--274--(REFERENCE 268-292) TOT PROTEIN--6.7--(REFERENCE 6.3-8.3) ALBUMIN--4.3--(REFERENCE 3.6-5.0) *GLOBULIN--2.4--(REFERENCE 2.4-4.4) A/G RATIO--1.8--(REFERENCE 0.7-2.5) FERRITIN--19--(REFERENCE 15-417) ~~PROTEIN ANALYSIS *PREALBUMIN--20.4--(REFERENCE 20.0-40.0) ~~CARDIAC RISK INDICATORS TRIG--117--(REFERENCE 0-149) CHOL--119--(REFERENCE 0-199) HDL CHOL--64 CHOL/HDL-- 1.9 LDL CALC--32--(REFERENCE 0-99) VLDL CALC--23 (REFERENCE 0-30) ~~THYROID FUNCTION T3U--36--(REFERENCE 24-37) HS/TSH--1.04--(REFERENCE 0.35-5.50) FREE T4--1.2--(REFERENCE 0.8-1.Cool PTH INTACT--48--(REFERENCE 14-72) ~~MISCELLANEOUS TESTS Vitamin A @--0.37--(REFERENCE 0.30-1.20) RET PALM @--0.02--(REFERENCE 0.00-0.10) VIT A INTERP @--NORMAL **VIT D, 25 OH @--15--(REFERENCE 20-57) VITAMIN B6, PLASMA--PENDING My PCP says I need a little sunshine and an occasional Protein drink as my prealbumin is at the low end of normal. Is there anything else I should be concerned about? Thanks, Sue

As someone who is undergoing revision from lapband to the sleeve, I definitely would not advocate for the band. But you should get all of the information you can because it might be the right choice for you.

You know my 1st choice was not the lapband--it was the "sleeve." But my friend and this website changed my mind because the sleeve was relatively new and not a lot of data on it. Well, this website has a forum on "lapband to sleeve revision" which I have been reading. I know its costly but maybe insurance might cover it. Anyway, read that forum to get an idea on why those banders changed their thinking on the band and went with the sleeve. It mostly has to do with food getting stuck and not having the quality of life they desire. Its just a thought--an alternative.

Jenny, I know you will have a great time. The clinic is so clean and modern and they make you feel like a queen. Dr. Ortiz is very outgoing and is very skilled. My surgery was about 3 times as long as other people's as I had a giant hiatal hernia with my stomach adhered in many places. They figured I had had the hernia for more than 25 years or that it was a birth defect. Those types do not just develop. Sliding hernias are very common and if you have one, they will fix it and most of the time only require a stitch or two and less than five extra minutes. Flying back I had to go through Vancouver and I asked for wheel chair assistance as I new there would be no way I could pick up my luggage and clear it through customs by myself. The day before my surgery I did some sight seeing / shopping. The first day back at the hotel I also went to costco (it is right across the street from the clinic, you'll be able to see it out the window of your room). Dr. Ortiz's mom works as the patient advocate at the clinic. She is extremely nice and will answer any questions you ask her. She will pick you up at the hotel and then will take you back the day following the surgery. As far as claiming money back from Alberta Health Care, if you go to their website, under forms, you will find one for out of country claims. You need to complete the form and send it in with an itemized receipt. It takes about 8 weeks to get the refund. It is nice to get a little bit back. Anything that they do not pay, as well as hotel, flight, food, and any other expenses are also claimable on your year-end taxes. Fill doctors - I go to see Dr. Descoteaux as I also heard not good things about Dr. Mitchell and I wasn't fond of his receptionist on the one day I called his office. I do know that Dr. Botha has made arrangements with Dr. Ortiz to do all of his patients as Dr. Ortiz has agreed to make any revisions, corrections, replacements, etc. if anything should happen. I have never heard anything but wonderful comments about Dr. Botha, so he would be a good choice. Dr. Botha is at Glenmore and Macleod and Dr. Descoteaux works from Peter Lougheed Hospital. Since you are in Airdrie, the PLC would be closer, but on Deerfoot, Glenmore is not that hard to get to either. Consider joining our Calgary lapbanders group in Yahoo Groups. We have a great time just talking about issues that concern us. We have regular get togethers, about every 6 weeks. Our next get together is on May 9 at 5:30 at Open Sesame on Macleod Trail. You are more than welcome to attend and just hear from everyone as we are all at various stages of the journey. It is very encouraging to hear everyone's story and it helps keep us all on track. As far as the weight loss goes, they say that the band is supposed to help you lose about 80% of your excess weight. I had about 100 pounds of excess weight, and so far I have lost 71, so I am getting close to the 80%. I have not been as fast as many other people, but I am sure happy being considered just "overweight" as opposed to "mobidly obese." Julie C 258/187/158 Nov 6/06 Dr. Ortiz

I have BC/BS Federal Texas. I just found out that I have what the Dr. said I have what is called mechanical breakdown of my 4 year old lap band and now a hernia too boot that I never had in the beginning. I now have to have the band removed, the hernia done and a revision to RNY and I am trying to see if this might be a procedure that would be approved or not? Hope some one will answer me back

Nicole, I am just starting my journey (that sounds cheesy when I write it, doesn't it?), but I feel for you. I believe there are a few posters around who had to revise to something else, after having an erosion. Maybe taking a look around the complications forum found here: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/forum/70-lap-band-complications/ Good luck!

Nicole, I'm so sorry you had to go through that. Please don't beat yourself up over regaining weight. I had to say goodbye to my band 3 weeks ago and I've regained also. My band was removed because of a congenital problem with my esophagus that contraindicates the gastric band, so eventually (when my esophagus is sorted out) I hope to revise to the sleeve. People often say that the band is the least invasive of bariatric surgeries, but let's face it. Any surgery that requires the patient to be anesthetized while a surgeon cuts holes in their abdomen, pokes instruments into those holes, and implants a medical device, is pretty invasive. People also say that the band is good because it's removable. Well, that's true, but it doesn't mean that removing it is easy and safe. RNY is reversible, if need be, but that doesn't mean it's easy or safe. So I guess you have to choose the lesser of the evils. I think we'd all like to say we can lose and maintain our weight on our own, but if we had a big enough problem that we qualified for weight loss surgery, it's not likely that another attempt to do it "on your own" is going to work longterm. On the other hand, presumably you've acquired some healthier habits since being banded, and can rely on those now, at least until you're healed and ready to consider a different surgery. Good luck!

I have a second band, but my problem was the first band had a leak. My doc wanted to revise to a sleeve when he took out the defective band, but my insurance refused to pay. In fact, it took almost four months for them to agree to put in a replacement band and not just remove the leaky one. As for revision after a slip, google for academic quality articles on what to do after a band slippage. You may find that slips are more frequent in a second band if it happened with the first. Also, research the statistics on the sleeve, then find out what your insurance will pay with regard to revision. This should give you enough information to make a decision.

What doctor did you go to? I'm in Northern NJ and am looking for a good physician. I have had two gastric bands erode through my stomach and would like to have the gastric sleeve vs gastric bypass this time. I'm not sure about going to my past physician, or possibly trying a new doctor. I have Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of NJ and am thankful to hear that you were approved for the sleeve. Would possibly like to go to the same physician as you since you were approved for the procedure. Thanks "I have Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of NJ and they got rid of the 6 month wait right when I went through the process to be submitted (dec 10). Before that time my friend had a revision from a band to sleeve and after 3 denials did get approved and didn't have to do the 6 month wait. Be sure to call because requirements change and you may not be aware. I was approved very quickly. Within a few days of submitting and approved the first time. I was very surprised. Good Luck"

I just had my band removed and have to say it was very emotional, since going in didn't expect that it would be coming out. Surgeon wanted to go in and revise the band, but when he got in he found a lot of adhesion of the stomach to pancreas. Plus, I found out by hearing the nurses talking, not from my surgeon. So I'm really in a quandary what to do next as I don't have answers as to what is the long term effect of having my stomach stapled where the separated it from the pancreas. And not sure if there are no long-term effects, whether I trust my surgeon at this point. Still kind of on an emotional roller-coaster but surgery was just two days ago trisha pennreporter

I just found out about 2 weeks ago that my band has slipped. This is what lead up to finding out and the problems I’m having and facing now that I know.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> I had the band placed on 10/25/07 and have lost about 120 lbs so far. During last summer I was filled too much and had crazy reflux and two months in a row I had unfills. Then I was fine for 6 months. Then this past holiday season, between xmas and new years I started having weird symptoms. It started with weird side pains when I ate. I'd have the tight pain in my left chest/shoulder, felt short of breathe from the side pains, couldn't breathe very deep. (I actually passed out around new years once). Over the course of three weeks it lead to reflux on everything even water, just burping up a little bit of everything all day. Then progressed into 24/7 uncontrollable heart burn. On Fri 1/9 I called the hospital because I couldn’t sleep at all or eat any solid food. I had to wait until the following Wednesday to see my surgeon. I was on liquids for nearly a week until I saw him.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> On 1/14 my surgeon removed just over a CC of fluid and ordered a full blood panel and an upper GI. He said it could be one of 3 things. 1) mega esophagus 2) slippage or 3) erosion. He thought it was #1 for sure since I wasn't throwing up, I could keep food down. It just reeked havoc on me until it passed. He said if it was the esophagus problem, worst case would be band removal. (freak out!) I had the upper GI done on 1/16.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I felt great after the unfill and the upper GI. The Upper GI found that my band had indeed slipped. My surgeon isn't concerned with it as is unless it keeps causing me problems. Now he says that I might just need a revision surgery, he didn't speak of removal. His plan if it keeps acting up is to remove all fluid, then if worse, schedule a revision surgery. I’m set to see him again in 8 weeks, but he said that if the reflux returns or any other symptoms to come back and see him.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> In the last week my symptoms have started flaring up again. I’m hoping to get in to see him next Wednesday. My poor husband can’t sleep at night when I’m up pb’ing, choking on acid reflux and coughing up spit foam (I can’t seem to throw up even when I try because I hope to get some relief, just sliming and pb’ing).<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Note, I’ve also had other weird abdominal symtoms that I’ve checked with my GP with, she then referred me to the GI specialist. Whenever there is food in my stomach at all no matter what it is, I get these weird side pains, still short of breathe, crazy abdominal cramping and weird uncomfortable radiating back pain. They don’t seem related to the band other than it only happens when food is in my stomach. My lapband surgeon didn’t seem to know what those pains were from and how they were related. So that’s why I’m going to see the GI specialist. Who knows!<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> I'm so scared. I don't want another surgery, I don't want it removed. It's done for me what I can't do for myself. I've made drastic changes to my life and food habits, but I still don't trust myself without it. I want this band to work. I want to be able to live with it.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> <o:p> If anyone has experience with slippage like this, please continue to share. All of this informaiton in this thread has been really helpful. I noted the smoking, coffee, chocolate, mint and articicial sweetners as triggers. This week I am going to cut out these items (coffee has already been reduced to 2x's per week from daily.)</o:p>

I have BC/BS Federal Texas I was denied twice being told that I was having revision surgery I would have to have no weightloss for two eyars and my BMI I was told was too low they said I was 35 well I have a BMI of 37 now and my weight nop matter what I do keeps increasing. My Dr.s Coordinator sent on all the information and I was given the letters to read during one of my visits and well it dd nto state any of the actual reason and problems that I actually ahd or was having. I feel no one seemed to care about me or my case any longer. I am now amost 4 years pot surgery. I vomit so hard and often each day that I ahve to sit on my toilet holding a buncket becuase I now lose control of my urine and well my poop (sorry) I just sob becuase I know this is not right but what can I do about it. I ahve bad heartburn, GERD well it is back, my esophagus when i swallow my food just hurts to where you don't want to eat. My diabetes has come back, my HBP has never went away and now I have high cholesterol. I feel a huge loss here and mis understanding with my Dr. that did my surgery. The last time I was in his office I was discussing this with him and well he could not get out of here fast enough for it seemed. I just want my insurance company to see that all my problems are for real and that no one is supposed to live their life as I have had too.

Vegas- It's great not having to shop in the woman's section, you look so great now, you'll be smokin' hot at a 12! I don't think I could look anorexic, but I revised my goal higher because I know that I don't want to look deflated all over like I do in my chest and butt:-)