Search the Community

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've had very good luck with the band, having lost 100 pounds. Had a revision 18 months ago. Band slipped. I think the PA over filled it. This band has given more trouble than first, nausea, vomiting. Never heartburn, though. Nevertheless, tests indicate Barretts esophagus. Doctor prescribed a proton pump inhibitor, which helps a lot. Have learned that I have a structure l(auto correct won't let me type s t r I c t u r e, insisting that it is structure) at bottom of esophagus. Won't know more until G I guy returns from vacation in Feb. Fear he'll say band must come out and I'll gain 110 pounds.

I had my band removal and VSG done all in the same surgery; however, my band had been unfilled for several months prior to my surgery. I have heard several people able to have the removal and revision done in one procedure but have heard others that required some healing time after the removal. I guess it will depend on her specific condition. I was sad when I first decided to do a revision and realized my band wasn't ever going to work the way I thought it was going to...but now I couldn't be happier! I hope all goes well and she gets that band cut out! Best of luck!

Hello my lovelies! I survived lol. Had my revision surgery from gastric lap band to sleeve this morning. Won't lie, was much worse then the banding lol, but that's to be expected considering they had to fix the mess Dr Felix Speigel made me 5yrs ago and then sleeve me. I woke in the recovery room screaming and pleading for pain medicine and anti Nausea meds, bedding to throw up and for water or ice to so so. Needless to saw never got water Didn't throw up and once then for me stable from screaming and crying at them I was put in my room around 1pm. Since them am feeling much better. Feel like I just did a marathon, 10000000000000 sit ups and twists lol and got a new BFF Hahahaha my pain med button. Still no ice or water but have a thing to swab a little water across my tongue and lips They should be taking me for a walk at 7pm

That's such great news! Thank you for the feedback! I'm relieved to know that my weight loss won't stop them from a revision. I know I need it, I have all the willpower in the world but when it comes to food it's been a life long struggle. It's definitely and addiction i've been fighting all my life. Aside from the past 6yrs. Let me tell you, i've never been so happy with my weight not consuming my entire life. Thanks again!

I am 65 and hoping to have my surgery in November. Test are done, nutrition done, shrink next week. Was worried about my age, but Dr said he has done several on people my age. I also have a band and will be having a revision to rny

Success rate? 1)You call a 43% excess weight loss at 36 months with expert surgeons a success? You need to investigate- and further, 2)The largest or widest band available is NOT the Realize, its the LapBand APL 14cc vs 9cc. also their backing is wider, not the bladder. 3) If your doctor is a proctor - he is getting paid $5,000 per proctoring event and $10,000 per month for advertising from J&J - they offered my doc the same deal and she refused because it' an inferior prodcut. And trust me- she could use anything she wants. 4) If the Realize Band has such great success - please explain why 35 of 36 bands implanted in Canada had to be EXPLANTED. This was such a problem the Canadian FDA sent a letter to doctors asking them not to use it. You can try and make yourself feel better and rationalize it but your doctor did you an injustice by not giving you all the facts and information- don't be mad at me - be mad at him Swedish Adjustable Gastric Band: erosion and other reported incidents leading to explantation The Swedish Adjustable Gastric Band (SAGB) is an implantable, adjustable gastric band indicated for use in the treatment of morbid obesity in adults.1 It consists of a reinforced silicone gastric band fitted around the stomach and an injection port placed under the skin and connected to the band by tubing. The SAGB is designed to reduce food intake and can be inflated or deflated as needed after implantation to meet weight-loss requirements without the need for further surgery. The SAGB was originally licensed for sale in Canada in November 2002. A modified version of the device, the SAGB Quick Close (SAGB-QC), was added to the licence as part of a device licence amendment in August 2004.2 Although band erosion is listed among the possible adverse events in the device labelling for physicians,2 the device labelling for patients states that the overall rate of reoperation following placement of the SAGB is low and that extensive use of the SAGB has led to a method where failure is uncommon.3 By definition, band erosion is "a situation where a part of the band has eroded through the full-thickness gastric wall and migrated into the lumen."4 This represents a total failure of the gastric banding procedure.5 From Nov. 1, 2002, to June 15, 2007, Health Canada received 19 reports of incidents suspected of being associated with the SAGB and 17 with the SAGB-QC. Thirteen of the 36 reports described cases of band erosion necessitating removal of the band. Other reports described incidents such as band slippage, band leakage, abscess, dysphagia and regurgitation. In 35 of the 36 reports, band explantation was reported as an outcome. Although reported rates of band erosion vary across published studies, evidence in the medical literature suggests that the frequency of band erosion is approximately linear over time following surgery, with erosions still being diagnosed 5 or more years after implantation.4 5 Since band erosion is often asymptomatic or only mildly symptomatic initially and since the condition is best diagnosed by gastroscopy, which may not be included in the follow-up of asymptomatic patients, the true incidence of band erosion is underestimated in the literature and its diagnosis can be markedly delayed.4 5 Moreover, band erosion is associated with dense scarring and distortion of tissues, which can complicate revision procedures.5 The complication rates and outcomes associated with SAGB and reported in the literature are variable. Although the authors of some studies have concluded that use of the SAGB demonstrates acceptable levels of safety and effectiveness,6 7 others have reported high long-term complication and failure rates and poor long-term outcomes.4 5 The medical literature suggests that, until reliable selection criteria for patients at low risk for long-term complications are determined, alternative treatment options should be considered and gastric banding should be performed only in carefully selected and fully informed patients.5 Andrew Gaffen, BSc, DDS; Gina Coleman, MD; Health Canada References Swedish Adjustable Gastric Band [Canadian instructions for use]. Baar (SWI): Obtech Medical AG; 2000. Swedish Adjustable Gastric Band Quick Close [Canadian instructions for use]. Zug (SWI): Ethicon Endo-Surgery in cooperation with Obtech Medical AG; 2003. Swedish Adjustable Gastric Band Quick Close [Canadian patient manual]. Zug (SWI): Ethicon Endo-Surgery in cooperation with Obtech Medical AG; 2003. Gustavsson S, Westling A. Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding: complications and side effects responsible for the poor long-term outcome. Semin Laparosc Surg 2002;9(2):115-24. [ PubMed] Suter M, Calmes JM, Paroz A, et al. A 10-year experience with laparoscopic gastric banding for morbid obesity: high long-term complication and failure rates. Obes Surg 2006;16(7):829-35. [ PubMed] Steffen R, Biertho L, Ricklin T, et al. Laparoscopic Swedish adjustable gastric banding: a five-year prospective study. Obes Surg 2003;13(3):404-11. [ PubMed] Zehetner J, Holzinger F, Tiraca H, et al. A 6-year experience with the Swedish adjustable gastric band. Prospective long-term audit of laparoscopic gastric banding. Surg Endosc 2005;19(1):21-8. [ PubMed]

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.

I am an analytical type. I reasearched things alot before revising to sleeve from a failed band. I am glad I understood that I might not have as good of results, based on the statistics. That gave me a chance, both preop and in the early months post revision to ask alot of "why" questions. Surgeon, nutritionalist, other revisionistas - anybody I could glean this from. I learned that many people with the band have learned to "eat alot of sliders", graze and most importantly, ignore that "full feeling". It is crazy, that sometimes your body really adapts. So, since I was armed with knowledge, I was able to be very diligent about those underlying things and i believe it made a difference.

I go to MX July 13 for a revision, sleeve to MGB. I'm looking forward to it. I'm hoping to lose 30 pounds. Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using the BariatricPal App

@@kewadiak That's great news! I am getting all my clearances now and just learned that I have gallstones.. So now I am hoping they can do revision and gallbladder removal at the same time.. Will find out what my pre op with surgeon in 9th. Really hope I will wake up and not have to be disappointed that they couldn't do it in one.. I feel like so much to get done, but all I have left is upper GI and chest X-ray, then just blood work and EKG 2 weeks before surgery. Liquid diet starts on 28th... That's next week! Crazyness. I get so much more nervous as it gets closer to the date.

I had my revision surgery from lap band to sleeve on 9/10/13. I am feeling really good and already down 22 lbs from my starting weight. I pray this works better for me than the lap band did - glad to have that thing OUT!

Hello January Sleevers! Can you believe that all of us have been "together" in this journey for 3-7 weeks. Still just newbies really. This blog is such a support for me. In general I'm very happy with how I am doing at 5 weeks. (I was a band to sleeve revision) No regrets but I am learning every day that life will be very different now, especially how, what, and when I eat. I am still struggling with what I can eat and how much. I still vomit if I eat too fast or too much. (And too much is over 1/2 cup of food. And too fast is about 1000 times slower than I ate pre-sleeve.) It's hard to get in 800 calories a day. Water still tastes weird and the only liquid I can get in is watered-down no sugar Fruit drinks. When I see all of you taking long walks, hikes etc I do get a little envious. I can walk about 1/2 mile before I get kind of tired. I am older (63) and have an arthritic hip from carrying this excess weight so long. Weight loss will make it easier but as my Doc said, WLS isn't going to heal that worn down hip. I can certainly do more than before the surgery and weigh loss but I am not running any marathons just yet. (I am so happy when I see some of you in your younger years losing this weight before you ruin a hip) Today I have to share that I am missing the feeling of over-eating and the haze/daze it gave me. The brief emotional feeling of fullness and satisfaction of some binge food. Of course I am overjoyed that now I can be outside more, be more active, feel better, look better, etc. I am still learning to accept this activities as my new satisfied full feeling. However, I've used food as an emotional support for so long, I am feeling some loss that I can no longer eat to get that feeling from eating. It's great that now I eat to stay alive. But still, if I'm honest, at least today, I miss that old eating experience. (I know it was always followed by the self-hate, but there was a few moments of feeling pretty darn good.) Hummmm, is the honeymoon over for me? I had a lap-band so I am well aware of the initial high of losing weight and feeling so great. I know it feels like it will last forever. I'm a little leary of that high because at some point we will all be past the easy weigh loss (and even now some are struggling) and we'll have to work a little harder and be more aware of the downs and find the inner emotional means and external support to get thru them. I know this loss I'm feeling today will pass, and I'm not looking for advice just sharing where I am. Maybe someone else might the same. Rather than having this feeling of loss and emotional changes trip me up now or later in my weight loss, I think I may look for a councilor that knows about this stuff. All the best to you all. baj

I also got a sleeve on Mon. the 28th. They did a revision on me from the band to the sleeve. I think I'm doing ok, I am also having trouble getting enough liquids in. I feel full so easily. Also, do you know if it is normal to feel chilled all the time unless I have a ton of blankets on. My incisions are not infected, they seem fine, I know that is a symptom of infection. I'm sore also, but nothing I can't tolerate. I can't bend over and pick up anything from the floor and I hate sleeping on my back, but it is too uncomfortable to even try. Each day I'm sure will get better...I hope!

I really feel for you, Ovahkummer... hope it goes well the next time. I came close to not having the operation because my clinic didn't send all my blood work with me up to the hospital - they had to fax it straight to the anesthesiologist. I say you're still a member of the club in our hearts - once you get the incision, there is no revision! Please keep us posted!

It's been 1 year since my Tummy tuck. Even with the wound issues and the revision I had to have because of it, I would do it all over again in a heartbeat!!!

Everyone I know who has had revision has new scars. I don't know why they can't go through the same spot.

Corrected link: theworldaccordingtoeggface There are some great recipes. I'm definitely going to try the protein ice cream. LisaA - I like all of your dessert suggestions! I consider recipes to be suggestions and idea starters. I found a few recipes ideas on another site with desserts for diabetics that I will modify using some ideas from TheWorldAccordingToEggFace. I'm considering a thin cheesecake base (vanilla or lemon) with a fresh fruit topping and a layered pumpkin cheesecake. I have estimated calories at 100-150 and 10-12g of protein per slice based on my revisions. TheWorldAccordingToEggFace had a great idea to use Torani sugar-free syrup instead of butter or margarine when making the crumb crust.

Hey Punk, I understand your anger. I was so mad and didn't know whether to be mad at myself, the band or God. I started having problems about 14 months out. I first had a major stuckage which passed but after that, it was back and forth, back and forth from not being able to eat any thing to being able to eat only at certain times of the day. It went on almost two more years and then started getting really bad. I started having major reflux. Every night i had it. Had to sleep sitting up in recliner. Then I got to the point where I was vomiting even when I had not been eating. I was essentially vomiting my own saliva. I could eat one time a day generally and usually did not puke it up, but anything else was gonna come up. Then the last few days I puked everything and nothing. It didn't matter if I had eaten or not, I was just constantly puking. The meds didn't help. I decided to call my local doc and couldn't reach him immediately, I went to the ER and my prealbumin level was below severe malnutrition and some of my electrolytes were out of whack. I had talked to my Mexican surgeon about having my band replaced with one of the newer ones and he had advised me to have it removed and then to wait a few months and get it replaced or get revised to a sleeve. I didn't want a sleeve. I had loved my band when it worked right, but I didn't want to go on with the problems I had been having. It got so bad the day I went in the hospital I passed out and woke up with my head in the dogs bowl. Fortunately not face first, lol! I had my local doc remove my band and I had hopes I could keep my wt. off without a band. I was down to around 165, maybe less. Wrong! I wonder if I should have had him replace it, but I didn't. I proceeded to gain 65 lbs then loose 20 then gain it back, then lost 15 as I prepared to go back to Mx. for a new band as my insurance would not cover my band replacement. I was extremely depressed during the time I was bandless. I felt like I had killed off someone I loved who was hurting me. I called my friend and told him that I felt like I should have tried harder! Anyhow, long story I know, but I have my new band, lower slippage risk than old one, and I am keeping my fingers crossed, and hope to make use of my experiencee with the previous band. Hang in there, you still have your band, just be very careful, and make it work if it will. If not, get it out, and get a sleeve or a new band. It is just a tool. Corliss

Am I the only one who has had post-surgery complications? I tried to find the post-surgery thread but it appears to have disappeared!!! I ended up being re-hospitalized five days after my surgery because I had paralytic ileus - essentially my intestines just stopped moving entirely and nothing - including gas - could go anywhere. It was extremely painful. I was in hospital for four days. Now I am back home but I am having trouble with the incision over my port - it came partially open when they took the staples out and while it is not open all the way to the port (i.e. it is partially healed) it is an ugly mess. I have to go to the clinic every day to have my bandages changed and for it to be irrigated and checked, and it's going to heal into a massive, massive scar. One of the surgeons from the team who treated me reassured me that they could "revise" the scar later and right now we have to focus on saving the port - which of course makes sense - but after having so many complications it's hard not to be discouraged. I am on antibiotics for the open incision. At least I have not have any trouble swallowing at all. I am at the pureed foods stage and have had yogurt, cottage cheese, oatmeal, and pureed sphagetti sauce (with meat in it) no problem. My stomach is so happy to have real food in it again! For lunch today I'm going to try scrambled eggs and for supper mashed potatoes with some pureed apple pork. I'm eating under 1000 calories a day and not having any trouble sticking with those portions - I already have 3 ml in my band. From when I started the pre-surgery diet I am down 20 lbs, 2 pants sizes, and my BMI is down almost 4 points. So it's working. But no more complications, please!!!

I just had a revision on the 18th of May. I love it!! I had so many problems with my band for the last 2 yrs. not to mention the money spent for the port flip, fills and unfills..I had Dr. Aceves do the revision and I couldn't be happier. I know it is a process and much to learn here unlike the band..but I am thrilled..I had gained 25 pounds over the last 5 months due to band slippage ..knowing myself so well and the history of my family..a tool of this nature was the way to go for me..good luck!

ebonie...that is exactly what I was looking for...thanks! I am starting to get freaked out about my decision (and I am not even approved yet) I think I need to stop getting online and reading all these people post about lap band revisions, etc Oh, and I have a whole page of questions for Dr. T :smile2:

Amanda. It probably depends on his surgery schedule. It was about 3 weeks for me from approval to surgery. Also, when reading all that stuff about those band revisions, keep in mind that many of them may have been several years ago. The realize band doesn't have the slippage issues, etc... that some of the others did. Plus, they do things differently now, they suture the stomach over it to keep it from slipping. Dr. T is great. You'll do fine. :-)

Hi everyone!! I am a fellow bandster... allthough not able to enjoy the full benefits at this point...:tt2: my port is detached...ugh! BUT anways... It looks like my hubby and our family will be relocating to the VA beach area. Hubby is going to be working at Little Creek....He is active duty.... Does anyone know a physician that accepts tricare and does fills with fluroscopy?? Ohh and while I am at it... If anyone has the time.... Care to give me the break down on the good bad and ugly schools(highschool and middle) AND neighborhoods.... We have been discouraged at the age of homes and the price....We need a safe area with good schools.... Any suggestions?? We are open to Chesapeake too..... THANKS so much!! Ohh and I hope to have my revision surgery sometime in August and at that point they will do my first fill..... I am very upset with my outcome at this point.... ummm upset is a mild term I am trying not to use swear words LOL!!! Anywho.... Thanks in advance....

Poor Staindgal. My hubby is down with the flu. They put us both on tamiflu. I sprained my left ankle taking him to the Dr. We had 12 inches of snow over the weekend. I was very bummed about the ankle, because in December I tore my gastroc muscle in my right calf. So it really is a hindrance to exercise. This too shall pass right? Anyway, I did manage a bit of a loss...In view of the injury going to revise my goal for this month. Name................Starting........ Loss.......Current.....Goal......ToGo staindgal..............315.................8............307.........29 5........12 MrJumbles............288................4.2..........283.8.......268.. .....15.8 RidinMyHDDream....256.................0............256.........247.... .....9 LilMissBand-Aid......269................0............269..........259........10 Globally Yours........308................1............307.........299..........8 Insubordination......273................0............273.........268.. .......5