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I really don't know how long it will take to stretch out your pouch. I'm jsut recovering now from revision surgery where I have been eating as a good bandster. I still need to slow it down somewhat, but my pouch was HUGE...no idea why it was so big. My band has been empty fort he last 6 weeks so it's really a mystery to us. I don't htink the band itself can stretch though. I will say, if you have to have your band reset, recovery from that is easier than the orgiginal surgery. The progression of foods is a bit faster though I'm too afraid to try anything. It is really the best thing to go slow with fills as the damage that can be caused from being too tight is really quite painful. Hope all is well in this thread

Hi everybody! I am due to have the sleeve in 2 weeks, i had the band for 6 years, removed 1 year ago.. gained most back. I am curious to hear from people who have had band to sleeve revision. If you were to compare... what would you say are the differences... in relation to eating, hair loss, skin etc. Reason i ask... i was successful with the band... minimal hair loss and no loose skin, im curious to know if ill have the same result this time around. I hope that made sense. .. sorry my brain is fried today... 1st day of optihell lol

I was banded in 2007; it worked lovely for me, I lost almost everything I wanted in 1 year -- then I got pregnant & it broke, gained it all back, had a baby, revised band -- lost it all again, got pregnant again & it broke again -- gained it all back again, had a baby, revised band. Worked again, but slower... broke again.. gained it back... this has continued on and on.. I have had a total of 2 replacements & 6 revisions. The last revision didn't take, I don't feel the same as I use to, and that revision was early 2015. This is between 2 surgeons. Back to my original 2007 pre-op weight, my band has been bothering me... Found out it is slipped & has to go. They had to move my port from belly, chest, belly... port has flipped 4 times... port disconnected once... tubing broke once... and now slipped. Keep in mind, since day 1 I am self-pay, so I could have bought a house by now with all I have paid. Doctor said we either revise the band again, remove it, or convert it. I refuse to revise the band again, I hate the booger at this point. It will be $9k to remove it -- $22k to revise it to a sleeve. I am too afraid of GP, even after all this time as a bariatric patient. In 2012 I wanted to convert to the sleeve, but the price difference was too much to justify everytime I had to go under the knife (if I only knew how many more surgeries I'd be paying for since then because of the band!!). This time, I decided -- remove it, and be done. When I can eat 'normal' again for the first time in years, I'll work on eating things like fruit, veggies & salads -- which I can't eat now. I thought a little more & talked with family, and we've all decided I should just take out a 2nd mortgage and bite the bullet, because I'm not healthy anymore and would very much like to be, and if I decided later on I want the sleeve, it's going to be another 20k+ the 9k I pay now. So, I have it all scheduled now. Surgery first week of January 2017 (for tax purposes, I asked to wait until the new year). I've been absent from the forum for years, feeling that I have nothing to contribute as a lap-band failure, and the great friendships I made through this forum, I talk to all the time. But I am back, now that I am going to be a 'newbie' in the sleeve world. I am very excited now that I've gotten over the initial shock of how much money I'm going to be shelling out..... again. Here's to my new success, and good riddance to the band!!!!

She did my sleeve in 2/2014, and I just found out she did NOT use a bougie but instead used an EGD scope AND and EGD just revealed she only removed approximately 20% of my stomach!! So besides being pissed I'm now having a revision to roux en y with a competent surgeon on 4/18/16 Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Pebbles it may seem like the sleeve is new, but it's actually not. There's a category of overweight called the Extreme Morbidly Obese. For those the option that was chosen over gastric bypass was a surgery called the Duodenal Switch. Patients would go through all the hoops and have the sleeve surgery. They would lose a certain amount of weight and then about 10 months to a year later they would go back in for a second surgery, the duodenal switch. Doctors started to note that goal weight was being achieved with just the Gastric Sleeve and the second part of the surgery was canceled. Since the sleeve was considered part of a two-part (two surgeries) it does not have it's own Medicare Code. Many insurance companies sort of follow what the Government considers the norm. Also, since it was not considered a stand-alone surgery it took a little while to get the data back on where the sleeve stands in comparison to Lap Band and Gastric Bypass. There have been so many issues in the past with lap band, and now so many revisions, or people having to get it taken out and problems with adhesions many surgeons are backing away from doing lap band lately because of it. The sleeve has been around for a while now, but the statistics are showing that in the long run it is comparable with Gastric Bypass with less complications from dumping, malnutrition, etc. Of course, it's a surgery so it's not full-proof, some people have issues with it. I only wanted the sleeve, I had no interest in Gastric Bypass, however, with Gastric Bypass there is less issue with GERD or acid reflux, that has given me some pause because I suffer from acid reflux, but then I realized, wow that's because i was eating late at night and eating too much. Since I started the 6 month pre-supervised diet I haven't had any issues with acid reflux in months and I haven't been sleeved yet. Good luck on your decision making and what you are doing is awesome, research research research and start working on adjusting the way you eat now, eat your meats first, vegetables second, lower your carbs, and try practice not drinking with your dinner, try to lower your caffeine in advance because you will have to give up caffeine. Try to monitor what you are eating in advance by joining something like myfitnesspal.com and keep track of your Water, Protein & carb intakes.

I never measured my liquids either. I'd eat 1 small can of Cambells tomato Soup (with 1% milk) a day, broken up into 4 meals. I drank a 1oz medicine cup of Protein shake every hour (or actually whenever I remembered was more like it) and all the Water, crystal lite, Jello, and sf popsicles I wanted. To this day, I can't eat tomato soup. Thank God I found Progresso Tomato Basil Soup, cuz I'm gunna be back on the liquids for 3-4 weeks after my sleeve revision surgery in June. Luv me some Tomato Basil Soup! I would probably break 1 can (2 cups) into 4 meals also (1/2 cup each meal). Nothing like tomato soup for breakfast! Good luck! You'll be happy when you can add mashed potatoes (at least I was. Could've bought stock in KFC!) Marci

I had band to bypass revision on 3/28. I had my band removed on 12/17 due to complications. I had no problem getting approved, just had to stay above BMI requirements, which wasn't a problem around the holidays, lol. Good luck! Sent from my LG-H631 using the BariatricPal App

Hello. I'm new to the community and just had my endoscopy done today in preparation for my revision from Band to RNY. The result shows that I have ulcers I have to go back in a week to get the results of the biopsy but I am curious to know if anyone out there was diagnosed with ulcers during the pre-op screenings and if it affected your ability to be cleared for weight loss surgery?

Anyone have advice/experience with changing from band to sleeve after band complications and no longer working? Wondering if insurance covers band removal and sleeve procedure if the band slipped and no longer works after revision surgery to repair.

My Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC does cover it. I just had band to duodenal switch revision on 12/26 Katy W- Louisburg, NC Lapband revision to VSG with DS HW- 297 Weight at Surgery-279 CW- will update at two week appt

Today I started the 5 day pouch test.. I will be a year out from revision from band to bypass on May 21. I have found myself snacking on almond m&m's and have developed an addiction to them. I am at my goal weight but I don't want to fall in to this bad habit so this morning I set my mind to do liquids for the next 2 days and then mushy etc. I'm really hoping this helps me get back on the healthy eating track. Sugar does nothing to me unfortunately. I wish it did. I can't eat fatty or fried foods which has been great. I'll check back in with if it helps. Has anyone else found they couldn't stay away from something bad for you after bypass food wise? Did you find anything that helped?

Good Morning, I had my revision the end of August 2014 started at 227 and I'm now at a stand still at 193! I'm really at a lost I haven't lost anymore weight I have been steady toggling between 189-194 I can't get out of this slump and my surgery anniversary is fast approaching! I'm not sure if this count as slow are just stopped?

Seasoned sleevers, what was your weight loss like? I have read several posts where people have talked about slow weight loss after revision. I know our metabolisms are slower already since we had the band, but I haven't really lost any weight in the last week or so, just 3 was post op. Just curious as to others experiences.... Also, I noticed a bump under one portion of my incision where they removed my port. Last week, the entire incision was a little hard, now it is just at one end. Did anyone experience this? How long until it went away?

Yes I'm from Chicago, my doctor is dr.lufti, he did my lapband so I consulted with him may 1st about revision surgery, I had my hopes on the gastric bypass, but he wants to do the sleeve. I have a day long appt at his office on next Wednesday to get a trans nasal endoscopy, psych and nutritionist. I hope that I will not be much longer than that! I'm ready to do this surgery.

Hi ladies! I'm another one who hasn't posted here in a loooooong time. I am completely stalled, haven't lost anything in over 6 weeks. I went on vacation the begining of December and hadn't wanted to get a fill before then for fear I would get too restricted while out of state. Then, didn't have time to fit one in before the holidays. I finally went in last week he couldn't access my port at all. He thinks it's totally flipped now. So I'm going in next Tuesday to get a port revision. I don't even have to be put completely under. They just give me a local and enough Versaid so I don't care what they're doing and make a new incision over my old one, reposition the port, and stitch it back into place. He's going to put it closer to the skin so it shouldn't flip and will be easier to access. Which means if I ever get to goal weight (God willing!) I may need a low profile one put in, but at this point I don't care. I just want it to work finally. I feel like I haven't even been banded this last 2 months. I have no restriction at all, so can eat pretty much anything. Not as much as before, but I can eat more than I should. I'm a little nervous to finally get it fixed though. I feel like I'm first getting banded. I never did get good restriction, so I'm not even sure what it feels like. He's going to give me a nice big fill while he's fixing my port, so by next week I'll be finally able to work with my band! Yay! Now I just need to stock up on some liquids and mushies for the first few days after I get my revision and fill. Keep up the great work ladies! I'm so jealous of some of your stats. You are all doing fantastic.

I researched here, and all over the internet, reading anything I could. I used Obesity Goodbye and dr. Ponce de leon, and paid $7000 for my surgery. (I called during a limited special offer, and saved $500). I bought 2 round trip tickets from IL to Sandiego, and they cost $555. I also chose the midband because of what I'd read on my own about different percentages of problems, i.e. slippage, port revision, erosion, etc. I didn't want to be persuaded to choose one over the other, I wanted to be educated and make my own choice. I did that, and so far I'm quite happy with my results. I don't know what's going on with the posts regarding a patient getting a different band than they asked for. I have no way of verifying the information posted, one way or the other, but have seen the posts that accuse Dr Ponce de Leon's other group, "Bajanor" of putting the cheapest band in a patient, regardless of what she said she wanted. I'd like to hope it's a mistake or fake, but I can believe that it could happen, so I'm just thankful & hopeful that I got what I asked for. I was treated very well, by the whole obesity goodbye group, and the hospital. I had a good time in Tijuana, and have healed remarkably well. ALL my incisions are healed. I was told to expect some seepage from the port site, that it is usually the last wound to heal, but didn't have any seepage at all. It could be because I applied tea tree oil over my whole abdomen 2-3 times a day for 2 weeks after surgery, and it probably helped keep away any infection, and speed healing. You'd have to read up on it, to see if it's something you'd consider. You have to read about all the doc's, look at all the sites, and decide for yourself what fits you. The only way you'll make the best choice is if you educate yourself about all your choices. Read, Read, Read... then decide. Good Luck to you, the only regret I think you'll have about getting banded, is waiting so long to get to it.

I have been reading other people's blogs and am happy for every single one of you who have posted pictures of you rafting, hiking or cycling yourselves to a new you. I'm also incredibly jealous because that will never be me. The spirit is more than willing, but the body just isn't able. For sure I'm going to be able to do more things than I have been able in years but my success will be more moderate: I will be able to walk to the store two days in a row. I will be able to walk two days in a row. :biggrin: What I find frustrating is the people at the clinic don't seem to get it. I appear to be a misfit among the misfits of society. I keep being assured that my life will change so much, which I don't doubt, but I wonder if they have any clue of what my life is like? Will the band magically let me hold a pencil long enough to write a letter? Will I be able to play my violin or harp again? The psych lady I met yesterday was all impressed how I seemed to know my body much better than the average person and that learning the rules of the band would be a breeze for me. The truth is that for years, one small lapse in thought and I've popped something in my mouth that will lead to hours of gut wrenching pain or my eyes swelling shut. Push myself too hard and I'm bedridden for days. She seemed really nice and wanting to help while we chatted for our 35 minute hour, but she specialises in anorexia, bulemia and overeating... I wonder if she knows much about people who've grown old before their time. Then again, it was the first session... I'm hoping that a few more sessions will get us all on the same page. I'm really looking forward to working with the chiropractor they have on staff. Ontario's major failing in health care is that if it can't find something specifically wrong, it won't fix it or expend the energy to see what can be done for you. When one of the foremost rhumatologists in Toronto tells you "wow, your life must suck, but there's nothing I can do about it" you tend to lose heart. I've not been able to afford private physiotherapy, massage therapy or the chiropractic care I probably could use, so I've gone without. I didn't want to risk getting addicted to a therapy I couldn't do long term. How dumb is that? So apparently for the next year or so I'm being offered unlimited access to this guy. After me, they may want to revise that policy. Usually I'm not so much of a whiner... I promise I'll be more upbeat next time. In the meantime, keep posting the canoeing pictures. Even though I can't do it myself, that doesn't mean I don't like seeing others have fun.:sad:

That makes 2 of us, if is something that will help and is available then why not do it. The clinic should've mentioned it instead of waiting for a slip revision and offering it then...thats if its even available here in AZ :/

As someone who was banded and then had a band slip, then opted for revision with plication... I just wshh I had done banded plicaiton from the outset!!! If band with plication isn't an option, please look at gastric sleeve. I didn't research the sleeve because I didn't want something that wasn't reversable... after having the band alone, I am a firm believer that weight loss surgery is great... and I hope to never have to struggle with weight loss without one tool or another!

I am in a big stall! I had my band to sleeve revision January 13 2014. I have only lost 13 since then. That was in the first 2 weeks that I lost the weight. I haven't lost anything else. I am on a full normal diet and haven't had any issues with any food, except bananas, they make me sick and i throw up if i eat one on an empty stomach. I don't do much for exercise right now but going to start a kickboxing class next week and now that the weather is starting to get nice I can go out and start running. Hopefully that will get the scale moving for me.

I just had revision surgery a month ago too - fixed a hernia too - and removed the gall bladder. That was BRUTAL!! But, I am not doing any lifting yet -I was told to wait a little longer. Maybe because I just had a tummy tuck too with muscle restriction. I do however feel fantastic so far with no more reflux. I get filled on Thursday and will report back if there is a change. Some bad news though - gained some weight - maybe as much as 10 pounds!!! (afraid to look) Let me know what you find out :glare:

He said that he really anchored the port on tight this time and it might just be extra scarring from that. He did do the port revision for free. I am going to see what happens this week and if he can't find it, I'm going to get a second opinion even if I have to pay out of pocket AGAIN!

Me too! I'm in the process of having the revision, the lapband just didn't work for me after I had my son and I'm back in my 200s I'm always hungry and crave all the bad stuff but before my baby I was well on my way to my goal weight, I'm hoping this will be a new start for me!! Good luck!!

Im very nervous about my upcoming revision to the Rny& Gladdbladder surgery. I had the band in May 2009, in May 2012 the port got infected( had to removed)and the next month the band eroded and it also had to be removed. Support from people isnt too strong due to the previous problems but I have put all my weight back on. I had great success with the band. SW-222 and ENDING WEIGHT 145!! I miss the band Any advice from anyone with a revision or the rny? Long term results problems??? Thanks for the support!! The folks on the site are great! Dawn Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk

I chose the sleeve because I did not like all of the complications that came with the band and read about all of the revisions, and figured, with my medical luck (or lack there of) I would be one of those that would HAVE to have a revision lol so why not go there first.