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I had revision from band to sleeve this past November. I Love the sleeve so much better.... I lost about 100 pounds when I was banded in 2005 and slowly I gained it back. I take responsibility for that. However, I was vomiting at almost every meal and turned to foods that were sliders. in 2011 I went to a different clinic as I felt my current dr. was not listening to me about how much I was vomiting and the reflux. I would literally wake up choking at night because Water or whatever I drank prior to going to bed was coming up on me. My poor partner thought I was dying. Anyway, when the new dr. ordered an upper GI it showed the band was waaayyy tooooo tight and he opted to empty it and then refilled it a few months later. Even with the tiniest fill, I was vomiting and having nighttime reflux. I ended up getting sleeved this past November. My surgery was rough and I had some complications from having such bad scar tissue. An overnight hospital stay ended up being 4 days. Dr. said I had an infection on the lining of my stomach where the band was. After a couple of weeks I felt so much better. Also during the past year I was diagnosed with Fibro as I had such wide spread chronic pain..... After about a month after being sleeved, I noticed I wasn't in pain anymore. Dr. felt that having the infection could have caused some of the inflammation in my body. Super glad to be rid of that damned band.

Hello Stars in your eyes, I recently went through the revision on 1/30/2014 so i am 21 days into this and unlike you I didn't lose all my weight with the band. I only lost about 40 lbs and was so tired of food getting stuck and feeling every meal was a challenge. So I had the revision and had a lot of scar tissue around my band which needed to be removed before he could remove the band and do the revision. I have lost a total of 23 lbs so far and feeling great! I wish this procedure was done 1st and foremost! The feeling of full is very quick and different than the band. I am still on mush foods but love being able to have the foods i can had until I start regular foods next week. You won't be disappointed. Of course I don't know what it feels like having regular meats, chicken, breads, etc till next phase but so far doing really great. Oh and by the way the dumping syndrome does happen with Sleeve patients. (I tried orange juice, and wish I hadn't)!!!

Thanks everyone! I'm glad I'm not alone, I was starting to get a little depressed. I had never heard of a revision until a few months ago. My mom had the surgery 17 years ago and was very successful until about 4 years ago. Her intestine had clappsed, therefor her smaller stomach reconnected with the old one. They did a barium swallow and the Dr. asked her multiple times if she was positive she had the surgey because there was no indication of her ever having it done...crazy huh? But they have to go in and do a full bypass because there's nothing to "fix" lol. The stomach is a crazy thing.

I am currently in the process of trying to get approved by Aetna for revision surgery from sleeve to bypass. I have GERD, regain and a "deformed fundus" (which looks like an addition pouch up top/ shaped like the letter "P") from my pouch stretching abnormally. My surgeons office submitted the pre-cert to Aetna on Friday. I am just wanting to hear people's Aetna revision experiences. Thanks!

Hello Everyone, Short story- 3 years ago I had a lap band placed. It worked pretty good for a few months when I began to have troubles eating foods like lettuce, chicken, veggies, etc. I have been fighting this issue this entire time, having my "stuck" episodes and constant adjustment with no sweet spot. Finally I had an unfill of almost all the Fluid and have left it. I still get stuck. I have finally hit a point where my weight is back up, I am tired of the pains associated with my port location and my band. So I have looked into a revision. I started out originally looking at getting converted to the Sleeve because the idea of not struggling with malabsorbtion is a bonus. Then after talking to the surgeon I plan to use, he stated I may need the RNY. I started reading up on both procedures and found lots of stories about people planning to get the sleeve but had to do RNY due to the damage their band caused. This is really opening me up to both ideas. I was just wondering what experience everyone had with revision and why you chose the surgery you did? I should mention that this will be an out of pocket expense for me and I will have to travel to Mexico, but I have a very good surgeon and know his nurse. My hopes are to have it done by the end of February. Feel free to share below. I wouldn't mind seeing progress pics or information from those who had revisions. Thanks!

After 10 years with the band, I finally had the revision to by-pass on December 9th, 2016. Being the holiday month and going through all of the holiday parties, this was a pretty difficult month for me as I was mainly on liquids. I was surprised about the initial depression I experienced. However, I have lost about 28 pounds in a month+ (from 205 to 177), my diabetes is virtually gone, my blood pressure is 117/70, and I am now getting my energy. I feel great. I have had no problems with eating correctly, getting my liquid and Protein in, etc. Have periods of feeling very tired, but those are resolving, as well. All in all, I am very happy that I made this decision. I have joined a gym for weight lifting to build muscle mass, joined a support group, taking my supplements, walking, and tracking what I eat. Again, I feel great. Weight loss is slower than I thought, but it is coming off and that is good enough. I do not look forward to some hair loss, but it comes back, so what? I had scar tissue from the band (lots of it) so the sleeve was not recommended. Best of luck, Gail

It does work for many people. I know a few. The problem as I see it is that if there are complications people tend to blame the patient or their eating issues. The honest truth is for some people it just is NOT a good fit no matter if they follow the rules or not. It has been hard to deal with the attitude that if you don't lose or your having complications that the person not the band is to blame. But I do see alot of that attitude on this site and with the WLS community. For me is is just alot of medical complications that I am trying to navigate around to figure out how I can work WITH my band. I have a good friend that had to have her band out becuase she was allergic to the silicon. And I sometimes wonder if my body just wants it out and it out and is trying to tell me that. If I ever get it out I would just revise to the sleeve. I am not eligible for the RNY per my doctor. The malabsorption would be a problem for me. At the time I was banded the sleeve was not an option just band or RNY. I will say that I got banded with about 8 people and that two lost 100 pounds. Those two have since gained about 25-30 back two years out. Not bad if you ask me I would be happy. Not perfect but better than me. Two gained all their weight back and a bit more. (our doctor won't give you fills in the beginning unless you lose alot of weight first and in between fills). They never really lost and thus could not get fills in the band and never got back on track. Since they were not losing they were embarrased to see the doctor an get yelled at. After getting yelled at a couple times they didn't go back. Two people lost 80 pounds. One got pregnant and gained it all day and than some. She lost her medical insurance and so no more fills now. The other got a divorce and asked for her fill to be totally removed as stress was making her PB all the time and she was losing to fast. She gained about half the weight back. The rest of us lost about 25-30 pounds and are at a standstill. One person I know lost 76 of the 150 she wanted to lose but is at a standstill for the last three years. The success stories are wonderful to hear but not the norm in my group. But here is the thing. For me even losing 25 makes me feel so much better. And when the fill is gone I gain period. So I know I use the band as a tool because I struggle MORE without it. I know it work at least for maintenance now. And it has helped my health so I would do it again. I am just afraid of fills because my body overreacts to fills. I need to lose another 75 pounds to make my goal. I have NOT given up. I figure my body tries to make a statement with every fill that it wants the darn thing OUT!! . I am just trying to figure out how to use my band in a way my body won't fight. But I won't be surprized if I have to get it taken out at some point. RNY you just have to be careful. I have had a couple friends almost die of malnutrition issues with the RNY issues. But others did fine. You just have to be on top of your health and know when to get to a doctor if something is wrong. Waiting or thinking it would work out and not going to ER has caused a few people some issues. So the labs are a good thing. For me more than 50% of the time I have been banded I have had no fill at all. I am sure that is a large part of my not losing as fast. WIth no fill you are basically on your own like pre band and back to willpower. I could even tell I had a band. It is a process.........................

I'm coming up for three years now and so far, absolutely no problems. I've begun having Fluid let out of my band, although its made it a bit harder to maintain, i want to find the point where I can have the least restriction possible and still remain at 70kg. I really believe that being tight for long periods of time leads to higher risks of problems. I also endeavour to maintain my weight as much as possible with exercise rather than relying on tight restriction for severe calorie control. So far its working well. I dont fear problems, but if they arise, I will have NO hesitation in being either rebanded or revising to the sleeve (which is becoming more and more popular here). I know I need intervention to remain at a normal weight, the difference in appetite with even small removals of fill is quite remarkable. But I just remain optimistic and thankful for the tool I have.

Good to hear that the revision surgery was approved. After you have an initial consultation with a lawyer you'll have more info to help you decide which legal route to take, even if that decision is to not pursue anything at all. Good luck!

I had the revision surgery 6 weeks ago.I am so happy getting the band removed.I lost 75 lbs from the band and was always sick.I was 25 lbs from my goal weight but my dr told me My body has been rejecting it and he had to take all the fluid out and I gained 40 lbs.My health was getting worse and my diabetes was geeting worse.I have lost 22 lbs in 6 weeks and i saw my general practioner and he could tell thedifference for my physical.I am a heart patient and January my condition deteriated.He told me when I saw him he didnt know i wuld make it by the end of the year.My bloodsugar has dropped from a fasting 180 to a average of 100-130.My nurse practationer shared with me the people that endured the band have much better reults you will love the diferance

My doctor won't let me have it till 3-6 months after surgery! Katy W- Louisburg, NC Lapband revision to VSG with DS HW- 297 Weight at Surgery-279 CW- will update at two week appt

I'm not clear on which surgery you had. Sounds like band revised to sleeve? But you mention bypass as well.... Anyway, when you say 2-3 cups of food at a meal, what kind of food and how long does it take for you to eat it?

I have not had the revision. I have had some of the issues you mention, but a lot of mine were caused by me not following the rules of the band. I might suggest that before you make the big step of having surgery that removes part of your stomach that you have your band emptied to allow yourself to heal completely. I did this and healed. Now that I have filled again, I have vowed to use the band exactly as recommended, no cheating that only hurts me. I recently read to only eat bites the size of a nickel, chew for 20, wait for 20 and everything is working perfectly. My surgeon advised this, saying that a sleeve can stretch anyway so why not just comply to the rules of the band?Hey I say only you know what you've been through and your doctor so do whatever you think is best for your health and your future!!! Good luck!

Meley24 Get a revision...get the lap band out... I'd really love to have an skype consult with you. It's free and I'm going to explain the metabolic aspects of weight loss surgery and why the sleeve or bypass are much definitive options thsn the lap band. If prople and even surgeons keep thinking about restriction as the main mechanism for weight loss they are going to fail in understanding the problen and of course, to fight it. Please check the videos on my website (undestanding obesity) at www.doctoraltamirano.com or send me an email to dra@bariatricpal.com to shcedule an appointment. Greetings Well said coming from someone who knows!

Hi everyone! I'm new here. My husband had a lapband placed in June 2008 and had list almost 100 lbs and then gained it all back. He is set to have said band removed on 3/24 & he is planning on having a gastric sleeve in 2-3 months after the revision. I'm here to learn more, to learn as much as I can so that I may be the best support. I want to learn what the journey will be like for him and how he can avoid having a relapse and gaining weight after a success. I look forward to getting to know all of you and I appreciate your advice and your letting me into your journey

In 2013 I got sleeved. By 9 to 12 months post OP I went through the same issues. I was able to work and focus, but I lost a desire for everything. I didn't have any interests, desires, and everything I used to care about was unimportant. I was also getting light headed and dizzy at that time. I know my diet at the time was too extreme. This is when I hit my lowest weight in a decade. Was 327 lbs. and got down to 209 lbs. I wasn't expecting weight loss to reduce my happiness so much. Unfortunately, the way I dealt with this was to just stop the extreme diet. I gained some weight back and most of these issues cleared up. I was probably dealing with a combination of poor nutrition, low blood pressure, and depression. Fast forward to today. I recently got a revision to DS. I again feel light headed and fatigued. My Doctor is adjusting my blood pressure medicine. I'm careful about getting all the nutrition, vitamins, and supplements I need. Now I'll follow a permanent, reasonable and sustainable diet.

I posted a few days ago in post-op fourm and got the suggestion to post here as well. Here is the link to my original post http://www.verticals...ss/#entry710830 Basically, has anyone else suffered from gastroparesis as a result of surgery? My doctor's seem to think that it will only last for a few months. Hopefully, my stomach is just taking longer to "wake up". There is a small chance that it may be permanent and have to revise to gastric bypass. Has anyone else had a similar experience? Please let me know. Thanks -Paige

I had the band last oct. 31. It has been a resounding failure. I was either underfilled or overfilled the whole time, and I didn't lose much (maybe 15 lbs). My doc wants to revise me to a sleeve. I am very interested and I think it would work for me, but it turns out the price is too high (even with the doc waiving his fee). I am wondering, is there a way to "start over", to really try hard with this band? I cannot be filled any more than I am now, due to a hietal hernia. I have low to moderate restriction. I get full easily and stop eating, but then I am hungry an hour later. Can this band work??? I just don't want the money and time to be for nothing. I had a hernia at the time the band was placed, and he fixed it. As we were looking into reasons why the band might not be working, he ordered a GI series, and it was then that we discovered the hietal hernia had popped back out. He feels that fixing it again would be fruitless bc it will probably just pop out again. I take full responsibility for not always making good choices. I sometimes get frustrated with the band and things getting stuck/feeling uncomfortable that I "eat around" the band. I usually exercise quite a bit. 4-6 times per week. For some reason, in the past few months I have been so down that I have let exercise go. I know brain-wise that exercise will help in all respects. I just can't make myself do it lately, for the first time in my life I am pretty sedentary (except that I run after three kids and work). I was excited about the sleeve bc of the fact that it is more restrictive, and bc of the fact that the sleeve cuts out the part of the tomach that produces grehlin, the hunger hormone. One question: I know in my heart that I accelerated through the post-op diet too fast. Could that have "stretched" out the stoma/relegated me to failure? Thanks so much, y'all. I appreciate the time and help.

I am so glad you found an experienced revision surgeon. I am shocked he thought you could go back to work after so few days... I sure couldn't! I went back to work after 3 weeks, desk job, and have really struggled due to exhaustion.

I have had my band since February 2007. Yesterday, I went in for an upper GI to check and make sure my pouch hadn't stretched. I haven't had any pain or discomfort, no vomiting, or acid reflux. My only complaint was that despite having an almost full band, I could at times eat much more than I thought I should be able to. Hence the decision by my doctor to do the upper GI. As reference, I began at 277 before my lapband surgery. I got down as low as 183, bounced back up to 223 and am now sitting at 211 with a BMI of 32. My goal weight is about 165. This is in a period of almost four years. When I drank the contrast liquid, we watched as the Fluid went down the esophagus, into the pouch, and through the stoma. We also watched as some of the liquid went AROUND my band! The only way that can happen is if a portion of the band is now INSIDE of my stomach. Preliminary diagnosis is band erosion. Next week I will be scheduling an endoscopy to determine the extent of the erosion and see how much damage has been done to my stomach. In the brief conversation I had with my doctor after the discovery, he stated that the only option for treatment is removal of the band. You could have knocked me over with a feather. I have become dependent on my band and to think of not having restriction is a scary thought for me. Like others, the thought of going back to the weight I was at before is not an option. My doctor has indicated that once the band has been removed and I have healed from that surgery (after about four months), I can either be re-banded (I don't think so), or I can do a revision to either bypass or gastric sleeve. I am not keen on the idea of bypass. It just seems so extreme and there's no where to go after that surgery. So I am leaning towards the sleeve. From everything I have read, the majority of people who have had this procedure are very happy with it. Yesterday was spent trying to wrap my head around the prospect of having two surgeries next year. Talking with my family and trying to understand my options. I am fortunate in that my situation is not an emergency. There is no infection and I can eat properly. (The doctor did deflate my band completely). I also have insurance through my company and the enrollment period is coming up in the next couple of weeks so I can make decisions accordingly knowing that I am going to have these surgeries. It is still yet to be determined if my insurance company (BCBS AL) will cover either surgery (scary thought), but I'm willing to fight for it. I was self pay for my band so I don't know if that will impact their decision or not. I know they do cover WLS and have the typical six month waiting period (not sure I would have to do that given the circumstances). I will be posting here with my progress and experience for the benefit of others who may encounter similar complications and decisions. I would very much like to hear from others who have had band erosion and have done the revision to the sleeve or those who have the sleeve and what their experience has been with that type of surgery. I can't believe I'm at this point again. Ugh.

Well after many months and many ups and downs I finally have a date to have my eroded lap band removed. March 29th is the big day!!!!!!!!!!! I will have my surgery VERY early in the morning and will stay overnight to make sure there is no leaking from the repaired area of my stomach. Hopefully, if all goes well, in two months I will revise to either the sleeve or banded plication. There is much to consider with both of these procedures and the positives and negatives are pretty well balanced. I have read good and bad things about both procedures. Right now though, I'm just going to focus on getting the band removed and see what kind of damage it's done. So far I have felt no effects other than an occasional pull or tug or momentary pain in the area just below my sternum. I still have some minimal restriction due to there being a plastic ring in the middle of my stomach but I can pretty much eat anything I want and have been. I figure that eventually I will have the tool necessary for me to succeed so I might as well enjoy myself while I can even though the weight gain is making me feel miserable physically. I can't wait to be thin again. Weird how the mind justifies things. If I couldn't eat another cheeseburger tomorrow it wouldn't bother me, but since I can I do! Ugh. I'm definitely ready to get back on track. Let's get this party started!

I had band removed and revision to RNY all in the same surgery. Sent from my SM-G935V using the BariatricPal App

@@AvalonNeeCee So because you say your surgeon doesn't do lapband anymore, you think that's a reason not to get one?????? Who is your surgeon? Why doesn't he/she do them? I find it almost comical you would post such a reply to someone who is asking for advice on HOW WE. ...THOSE OF US WHO HAVE IT, selected our surgeons. Some of us are very successful and HAPPY with our lapband results. I think it's relevant because if the OP dismissed out of hand any surgeon who no longer does lap bands, just because he or she is considering a lap band, he or she may not get the best surgeon/procedure for him or her. If you narrow the pool you skew the results. BTW, I was sleeved April 20, my surgeon does not do lap bands (that I am aware of), but does revisions. Also, the Lapbanders I talked to said that if they were to have surgery now, they would go with the sleeve.

I have made two appeals to the review board in this six week period. did your insurance state only one "type" of weight loss procedure in a lifetime? doc and I presented medical issues with the band and the leakage problem. They agreed to revise, but only to band. What on earth did you put into a 57 page appeal?

Hey all! Most of you probably know my story: I was banded in OCt of 2009 and did well. Lost 104 lbs in 2 yrs, was down to within 9 lbs of my goal when I started having severe nightime reflux last year. Had to sleep on my back only propped up on 3 pillows, taking RX Prilosec, OTC Zantac, and popping Tums like crazy. I refused to tell my dr cuz I was scared he would take out some of my fill. My husband got tired of my whining about my reflux (some mornings I'd wake up with brown stomach acid on my pillow, sorry if tmi) and insisted I see my dr. I made the 6 hr round trip visit to my dr and he did an xray. My band was slipped. So he took out about 1/2 of my 10cc fills (I have a 14cc band) and let me rest for 4 weeks. The reflux stopped right away. Yeah. In 4 weeks I made the trek again (not to mention that everytime I say hello to my dr, it's $160 + the xray) and without doing a followup xray, he put in 1cc. Well, that was fine, still nor reflux, but also no restriction. So 3 weeks later, he put in another 1cc. The reflux came back that night. Went back (yet anoter 6 hr journey - it's an all day affair + $160) so he finally did another xray. It was still slipped (could've done the xray earlier and prevented all this) and said that "he treats the symptoms, not the xray" so he took out the previous 1cc he had put in. I still have 7 cc in my band. I haven't had reflux too bad (maybe 2x a month or so - I can handle it), but much, much less restriction. In the past year, I've gained 24 lbs. I started Atkins 3 weeks ago in hopes to get rid of it. I promised myself I'd never diet again after getting the band and prided myself on never counting anything and still losing 104 lbs. The portion control only works till about 6 pm then it's a free-for-all. I've lost 11 lbs in the past 3 weeks. Still 20 lbs from my 135 goal. Here's my dilemma: I have this very expensive tool inside me that not's working correctly. Should I go to my dr and pay the over $300 I owe him (no clue where that'll come from) and insist that he correct my problem? That may mean surgery again and starting from scratch, with monthly fills, monthly 6 hrs trips and a liquid diet for 4 weeks (HATED that). Or should I continue to diet and lose the weight (I'm doing well on Atkins, but I'm not really happy right now. I sure miss carbs!) and rely on my band to do just PART of the job? Like I said, I have SOME restriction, just not optimal to lose more weight. No clue what to do. I'm sure Medicare would pay for revision surgery, but I don't want to demand to my dr that he operate when I have no symptoms anymore. He said this was up to me now, not to rely on my band so much. What would you do? I HATE dieting, that's why I got the band in the fist place. I luv being able to eat just a few bites of everything I luv and still lose. HATE not being able to eat about 95% of food. Suggestions? Marci