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So here I sit. Minus 93 pounds from the very first time I walked into my surgeons office. The problem is that 93 pounds lighter is not my goal and to top it all off I have been at the same weight for the past year. The actuality of all is that though my total weight loss has been good I have no one to blame but myself for not being at goal. The 1st year I was Wonder Woman, eating all the right things and at the gym 5days a week, you know doing all the right things. Then when I had that stuipd slip and the revision surgery I got lazy and got out of the habit of going to the gym. My food choices are still pretty good and my restriction is where my surgeon says it should be BUT no gym...and no gym for me seems to equal now weight loss. So for the past 9 months I have been making excuses about my band not being quite tight enough and that has been an outright excuse!!! I had a swallow test done under xray and the bottom line is that my and is as tight as it can be. They held up a straw to the xray and thats when I saw it. That tiny little opening the diameter of a straw, and the dreaded words from the doctor' "You are at maximum capacity for your band...any tighter and you are going to be in trouble"...well trouble is something that I dont want. So now what???? Get off my ass, get back in the gym and do what I should have been doing the entire time. Workout, do the work I know I need to to get the rest of this weight off. No more excuses for me. Either I lose this last 37 pounds because I put forth the effort or I shut up and stop complaining about it when Im not doing all that I should be. I'll keep you ladies posted on my progress. :thumbup:I'M IN IT TO WIN IT!!!!

Sabrina~ I'm starting to run too. I stil can't run a mile but I'm walking fast. 4 miles per hour or around there. I signed up for a 5k run with my husband in May. I used to die after walking 1/2 a mile. Now I don't go to bed until I have walked/jogged or ran 5 miles a day. the weight is finally dropping again. 23 more pounds till I hit my doctors goal for me. 40 plus pounds for my personal goal. DD~ I must have missed your post on the revision. What did you have redone?

Hello beautiful people! My surgery is booked on 24th June! For a revision to mini bypass and lap band removal! All in one surgery.. im so scared, and looking for some support and success stories! I dont know why im so scared this time, my mind is just going to the weirdest places! How was recovery for anyone who went through the same? i just need some support right now 🙂 This pre-op diet is also so hard when im so anxious like this! 😟 Thank you 🙏

@DeonneG I had my gastric bypass on 2/24. I too am a revision...kinda. I was one of the first people to undergo lap band surgery in 2003. My band slipped and I had to have it removed 13years later. I think I was slightly traumatized by my band slipping and all the medical issues and hospitalizations that ensued (but that’s a story for another day). I had met my weight loss goals and was falsely confident that I could keep the weight off without any wls tools. Flash forward 5 years and too many diets to count here I am at my highest weight ever. I’d love for us to share ideas, recipes and experiences! ❤️ So far I’ve been living off of Premier Protein shakes, Unjury protein broth and crystal light. I have had no restriction and no discomfort when I eat so I was just given the go ahead to advance to non clear liquids. My doc also told me to give a soft scrambled egg a try. Last night my friend dropped off a puréed lobster bisque. I strained it and drank 1/2 cup. It was divine!!! Still no restriction, never felt full. I felt like I could’ve had 2 bowls without my new stomach speaking up but I stopped on my own. I’m starting to worry that the lack of restriction and a very crappy metabolism are going to impact my weight loss. Patience has ever been a strength of mine 😏

I was revised to mini gastric bypass on 2/23. I had to have it do to developing Barrett’s Esophagus from my sleeve which I had 12/20/15. This was the hardest surgery I have ever had. I am home one week as if today and finally feel human again. Looking for someone to share ideas, recipes, goals and ups and downs. Preferably someone who had surgery around same time as me.

Naomi, I know you mean well, but I think you've missed a few important pieces of data here. 1. The chief finding of the study you mentioned was that successful bandsters in Australia do drink (but not guzzle) while eating. Those findings did not explain why that's so. The "why" part is conjecture on the part of the study's authors. Also, I question their claim that "There is no pouch or small stomach above the band. There should never be food sitting there waiting." I agree with the last part of that ("There should never be food sitting there waiting") but I disagree with the first part and have no idea where they came up with the idea that there's no pouch or small stomach above the band. Yes, the band has been used in Australia a lot longer in the USA, but that statement completely contradicts everything I've read in Allergan and J&J literature and surgeon resource sites. And I have watched my own upper GI tract during several upper GI studies, and there was indeed a small stomach pouch above my band every single time, no matter what else was going on in there (or not) at the same time. The radiologist pointed it out to me on every occasion, so I wasn't misreading the images. And by the way, that pouch was a normal finding, not an anomaly. 2. According to American bariatric surgeons I've talked to or whose seminars I've attended or whose articles I've read, NO bariatric surgery patient should drink while eating. In fact, at a bariatric conference 2 years ago, I heard that stated by 3 different surgeons who were giving 3 speeches. All of them stated that failure to separate consumption of solids and liquids is the most common cause of WLS "failure" (that is, no or disappointing weight loss, or weight regain). Since many LBT/Bariatric Pal members live in the USA and have surgeons in the USA, I think it behooves us to follow the instructions of our American doctors. Or, go to Australia for surgery and every fill and unfill and all aftercare. Hey, if I had the money to do that, it might even be fun to travel there, but it would sure disrupt the rest of my life. But hey, a mere $8,000 per trip (not counting hotels, meals, taxis, surgeon's fees, etc.) would be nothing for us rich Americans, right? 3. Every bariatric surgeon I've encountered (in person, on the telephone, online) has stated that the band does not and should not control the movement of food and liquids from the esophagus into the stomach. If the band is far enough up to do that, it has slipped or the surgeon who placed it was incompetent. What controls the movement of food and liquid from the esophagus into the upper stomach (the fundus) is a sphincter at the base of the esophagus where it joins to the stomach. Continually eating in a way that causes food to be stored in the esophagus is asking for trouble. It can cause serious and permanent damage to the esophagus and the esophageal sphincter. 3. No bandster should ever, ever eat in a way, with or without liquids, that allows food to sit in the esophagus for more than maybe 30 seconds. The esophagus is not meant to store food for any period of time. It's designed to move food up or down (preferably down) only. If food is sitting in the esophagus, any liquid consumed after that is probably going to come back up rather than flushing through the stoma, because at that point the upper stomach pouch and the stoma created by the band are probably already jammed up with food. PB's (or regurgitation of food) usually come from the esophagus, not from the upper stomach pouch, for the very reason I mentioned above. The stomach is designed to stretch to accommodate food, while the esophagus will resist stretching until the food has to come back up or (over time) the esophagus becomes dilated - something we all want to avoid, because even if the band is unfilled and the upper GI tract given a good long rest, there's no guarantee that the esophagus will ever go back to its normal state. And no one should have to live the rest of their life with a malfunctioning esophagus or sphincter. Esophageal dysmotility problems caused by careless eating can become a serious health issue, with the patient eventually having to live on liquids, live with a a feeding tube, and/or hope that an attempt at surgical repair will help. Surgery in that part of the upper GI tract is not something to take lightly, because the scar tissue that develops after surgery can also interfere with esophageal function. I speak from personal experience here. I had an esophageal stricture (from reflux damage). I lived on liquids for months, was unable to revise to the sleeve at the first try because my surgeon couldn't get the small (about the size and shape of a Sharpie marker) bougie calibration instrument through the stricture, and eventually had to have the stricture dilated enough to make eating possible, but not enough to make the stricture disappear forever (it was still there when I had an EGD 6 months later). I think esophageal dysmotility has also been a problem for an LBT member known as MsMaui, and last I heard, even an unfill, months of upper GI rest, and band removal have not resolved her problem. 4. So in my opinion, the best way to avoid these unhappy events and their consequences is not to drink while you eat but to avoid keeping too much fill in the band; to practice good band eating skills: take tiny bites, chew very well, eat slowly, don't drink while you eat, avoid problem foods, learn and heed your unique satiety or "stop eating" signals, and give your body the respect it deserves. But what do I know? Jean

i haven't been on here as long as catwoman, but in the 5+ years i have been, i've read of exactly TWO people who required a feeding tubes and who were/was regular contributors*. If i remember correctly, the first was an older lady in her sixties or seventies and she had a bybass (not a revision). I remember she had a whole slew of complications and was on a PICC line for months. The second one was younger (twenties i think), and i can't remember which WLS surgery she had but i do know it was not a revision either. She was not as sick for as long as the former, and was ok by the time she dropped off BP. I haven't seen either of them on the boards in a couple years. @alyssaajoan: are you worried about needing a tube? *i mention regular contributors, because i have read posts on here from people who write up a single post about problems they go through and disappear from the forums. i can't say for sure they are all trolls, but i take those posts with a grain of salt.

First off, I'm so glad your hubby is completely on board- he's the person that's in the house with you and will be the person you really need on your side. As far as the other people in your life, they can have a seat. Your adult choices-especially ones you're making to benefit your health- are none of their business, especially your boss! How does she know what's right for you? Has she been a friend your whole life and is she there through all your weight struggles? On top of that- this sleeve is NOT easy. It's easier to do weight watchers and have a day where you "cheat" then get back on the wagon. But what would happen-your weight would continue to fluctuate up and down and you would be in the same position or worse this time next year. Right now if I didn't have my sleeve and I was doing some other program, I GUARANTEE I would've cheated and had something I wasn't supposed to. Having the sleeve and knowing something may possibly make me sick is deterrent enough for me- that was part of my personal reasons for getting the sleeve in addition to weight loss and having something in place to help me keep off/ control weight gain long term. The people who are saying these things to you should do some research on the sleeve before they chime in on what you should/shouldn't be doing. I would be willing to bet if you countered their opinion by asking them what they know about the surgery they couldn't even tell you what it is. And for sure the weight doesn't just fall off- you still have to work out to see good progress. Your supposed to exercise 60-90 minutes daily with this in addition to trying to drink all your water, all your protein, and take all the vitamins. Some people get the surgery and lose a small amount of weight and then nothing else (now that we're all together, I came upon a sleeve to bypass revision thread). Easy- I definitely don't think so.

I had to share...I hit 100 pounds today from my pre-band weight. I'm down 78 from my sleeve on 12/17/13. For those of you whose doctors say revisions don't do as well as "virgin" sleevers...I say, heck NO! I still have a ways to go, but I'm still losing it!

I was not a revision. My surgeon is Dr Max Hammer in Springfield, IL.

I personally think that while the leak rate MIGHT be 1%, I think the overall complication rate is higher... I think I saw a study that suggested around 2-3% since leak isn't the only complication. I was a band to sleeve revision and the surgeon told me that our risks were probably "about double" that of a virgin sleeve. Scared the crud out of me, but I was in a pretty bad way at 308 pounds, 52 BMI so finally decided I was going to die of obesity if i didn't take the risk. I thank God on a regular basis how well this has gone, no complications so far, and that while I am not at goal I am a normal sized person and my life has changed for the wonderful! It is so scary to read about the complications, but it makes me so happy to read the "happy endings" when people get over it and get back to the business of losing weight and being healthy!

Update: November 8th, 2012 - this morning weighed in at 204, down 17 since I posted on 9/7 - I may need to revise my goal! I absolutely need to move more - that is a big goal for 2013 for me and my famly. Keep going strong gang - even if we stall those losses pick back up again if we stay the course

I want to revise my goal for Jan. Previously I said I wanted to be 185 by then (was 208 then) but I am now 192.So I think I will drop it with 10 pounds and try for 175 by 1 January 2013.Will revise again if needed.

Turler - Hey girl - I'm thinking I may need a scar revision surgery in the end. It depends on my skin and weight loss, but if I have to go to PS for any lifts or tucks I'm going to see if they can fix it. The doctor told me to use mederma (sp?) on it. I have some and am going to start using it. I hope it will help. I was also told to use vitamin E on it - I think that works for stretch marks, I'm not sure about raised scars. I haven't lost anything in almost a month. I'm trying not to get discouraged. I'll admit part has been my fault. I did great for three weeks and then last week came. DH and I ate out every night. My girls were in Florida visiting with the grandparents (my mom and dad). We ate BAD food - I'm talking Steakhouses, Italian, Pizza, Bread, Red Lobster. Things I don't need to be eating...although I didn't eat much of those things (the band kept me from doing that - YEA!). Then this past weekend we went to the beach...that didn't help me any! I still feel guilty about last week. I didn't log my foods, because I knew I'd done bad. I should go back and find out the calories...it keeps me accountable, but the past is the past and I'm determined to put it behind me. I was shocked and still am that I haven't gained anything! I just knew I'd gained some weight on Thursday when I weighed in. I know what to do though - this week is a new week and I'm starting over. On the ticker. Go to the site and setup an account. It will ask for your weight. Enter your ORIGINAL weight (before surgery), not where you are now. Then when you make your ticker enter your current weight. I don't think you can backtrack for your ticker. Let me know if that helps you...If not we'll try something else.

Hey Hallen! My revision was the 26th! No complications. Just got back from Mexico late last night. The last hour in the car was murder! How is your liquid diet going? Have you had broth? I never thought broth could be so heavenly! I actually have been enjoying the herbal tea and broth best, which is weird cause I'm usually a sweets person. Haven't really felt like jello or juice yet.

Starting weight pre band 4 yrs ago was 248. Start weight pre revision 12 wks ago was 174. Current is 155. Goal is 130. Going sloooowwwww.....

I had a revision as well. I'm 45 down in 8 weeks. Keep up the good work!!

I can't find my surgeon, he packed up and left town. told me to go to Mexico if I need revision cause I will slip my band sooner or later. I don't remember him telling me anything before the surgery

Hey guys, just want to stop by and give you guys an update, and boy oh boy was I tempted to just let this one go by. Well as you all know I had revision surgery September 30 and was unfilled down to 3cc's at surgery. Now to me 3cc's might as well have been a complete unfill. So here I am 6 weeks later and UP 6 POUNDS!!!!!! Yes, you heard me right and I didnt studder, 6 fricken pounds. Am I surprised? Not really. I'll admit that I got LAZY I enjoyed sleeping in until 6am instead of getting up at 4:30am to go to the gym. My eating post op was going pretty good until my husband (how dare he) took me on an all inclusive 7 day trip to Cabo for my 40th birthday and I Lost my fricken mind. I swear when I got on the plane the scale said 185 (and I know it did because I weighed myself on the scale at the airport where you weigh your luggage). And at the airport on the way home it said 197...I PROMISS IT DID. There was alot of drinking and late night eating on that trip. And honestly I know I didnt gain 12 pounds in 7 days but I knew that I hadnt been eating right and drinking alot of alcohol plus not getting in my water (unless you take in water by sitting in the pool swim up bar?) So 5 days home and the scals was down to 190, 10 days home and there it remained 190 sometimes 191. THANK GOODNESS today was my follow up from surgery appointment where she gave me a fill and I was never so happy in all my life. Theses last 6 weeks have really reafirmed my decision to get the band. with out it I truely have very little will and I really need the restriction that it gives me. I still am a fat girl at heart and in my mind. I still have work to do. C25K here I come and 180 by Christmas!!!!

Also congrats on your revision. Hope you are healing well

188.1...I don't think I'll make my original goal of 180, but hopefully I'll make a revised goal of 185. Yay!

Most doctors won't do lap band anymore because the results aren't very good - most people don't lose too much weight and many people have a lot of complications. A lot of people end up having to have them removed and getting it revised to sleeve or bypass. Is there a reason you really want lap band rather than sleeve or bypass?

I'm on day 4 of my 10 day liver reduction diet and have had a bit if food each day. Usually more veg, some lean protien, or cottage cheese. Mine is very strict (3-4 protein shakes and 1/2 c. Non-starchy veg each day), and I'm confused why I'm even on it, as I am getting a revision that is altering my intestine where the large and small connect, at the opposite end from where the pouch and liver are. I'm going to call the dietician tomorrow to ask about it. All the liquid is killing me, and I'm a teacher and can't just go to the bathroom whenever I want. :-( (Also, this diet is making me whiny. Please excuse my mope.)

My RNY was a revision from a band too. Done on 6/11

Yes, from what I can gather, the majority of his procedures are still bands. But he is a pioneer in the field and lives with the band himself, so he has a unique perspective. I also wonder about the practices of the other doctors that banders have used. Not every doctor has the advantage of how huge the NYU Langone network is. The care is exceptional. Earlier this year I had to go to the ER unrelated to the band (dehydration because I played seven hours of tennis without realizing that I was dehydrating!) I couldn’t keep down a sip of water as a result, so I went to their ER. As soon as I mentioned that I was a Fielding patient, they had the on-call doctor from Fielding’s office doing a consult, did an esophagram, did an unfill, gave me more fluid via IV than they would a non-band patient because they understood that I would have more trouble than most for a while. It wasn’t even a bump in the road because I got proper care. If you don’t have easy access to your team, I can totally see how the band is a less attractive option. I wouldn’t, for instance, do the trip to a doctor in Mexico for the procedure because you won’t have your team when it’s all over. I’m a battleaxe. I have to stay active here so we all have that support base. But I do think the website founder should do a dedicated forum for revisions.