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Just got my new second band, but still thinking positive. New surgeon much more experienced than first surgeon. So I'm back on the liquids again, whoo-hoo. First band was June of '09. Totally unfilled in June of '10 because of multiple slips. Gradually filled again almost to complete capacity with no restriction until it was completely blocked again. Went in for revision in November '10 when surgeon found that my stomach had adhesed to my spleen...yippee. So now I have a hundred little titanium staples, and my band was removed to prevent any infection from a foreign body. His suggestion immediately was the sleeve. Went for second opinion to a much more experienced surgeon. My original surgeon had done four...thank you very much...but lots of bypasses. New surgeon even recommended the sleeve because of complications but at the same time was pretty confident that problems very well could have been from inexperience of first surgeon...of course, he didn't come out and say that in direct quotes...gawd forbid they speak ill of another doctor...Insurance approved either band or sleeve again...I was shocked. Over the course of June to November I had gained 40 lbs, but so much of my weight loss had been from vomiting all the time. So I signed on for the sleeve until the last minute when surgeon popped his head in the door before anesthesia hit me with the Michael Jackson happy juice and doubled checked which way I wanted to go, band or sleeve...so I opted for the sleeve again. My main concern with the sleeve is that I don't have that much more weight to goal...50 lbs and everyone I know that's had it has lost weight very very quickly and a lot. Wasn't sure about the maintenance. So Im a bandee again but it's gone so much differently than the first time around. They did x-rays before I left the hospital and a swallow test...didn't happen first time until much later. Came home last Thursday and just a little sore at this point, no pain meds since I've been back home. So I have a great feeling this time around plus I plan to be a much better bandee this time. I threw up so much the last time that ice cream was my go-to food and not sure if I always ate as slowly as I should have but having been through it once, I feel like I know the signs to look for that aren't normal. New surgeon is an hour closer so easier to get in if I need to quickly. So it's been a journey!!! My daughter is a bandee, of course, without any complications...I never like her anyway...lol Trisha

Hi Trisha! I read you post and can completely relate. I also just found out I had a slip that can not be fixed without surgery. I am in a lot of pain and have been scheduled to have it fixed on the 22nd. I hope I can last that long. I had thought about having it revised to the sleeve but I am not sure if my insurance will even cover that. I have an appointment with the surgeon today so I guess I will find out. I wish you the best of luck and hope we can keep in touch. Trisha (also my name;)

Hi guys, I created a group for us so we can all keep in touch and ask questions. It is titled Sleeve to bypass revision and is secret. If you add me on FB I will add you to the group. My name is Missy Lindsey and I am wearing red lipstick in my picture

I've been looking for info as well!! So glad I found this thread!! I'll be having my revision in a few months.

I am 4 yrs out and my experience with esophagus dilation, also called pouch dilatation, is the exact same as yours. This is very important information for you to take to your doctor. My doctors are at Emory in Atlanta, GA, highly experienced with hundereds of these cases. Dilation can fix itself from and unfill and patients can be refilled again sometimes with success. The most important thing is that my surgeons told me that it is almost impossible for even the most experienced surgeon to detect a true slip on a barium swallow test. I had dilatation also but have also been confirmed with a slip. The doctor says corrective surgery for revision and/or replacement is mandantory as this is an "unhealthy band" situation and I am at medical risks of serious complications. He said that when the wall is weakened there is usually always a slip involved and that revision is necessary to correct this situation. By the way, my niece also had pouch dilatation after 2 yrs and is now being refilled. I'm waiting for her to have a fluro or 2 down the line to see if she also stretches out again. I have had 2 surgeons now say I have slipped in addition to the pouch and esophagus dilation and must have surgery. No one wants to but at least now I understand what is wrong and they are going to do everything they can to revise it. There is a chance of losing the band when trying to revise due to difficulty in securing in back into place but the surgeons are confident that can do it. Do not be fooled into thinking that this is all your fault. Good surgeons know not to over fill nor to allow patients to go too long too tight and also to look at patients regularly under fluro or barium swallow to look for signs of dilatation. I would absolutely get another opinion form a very experienced surgeon. Do not fool around with a chance of losing your band with a surgeon that does not seem committed to helping you keep it if this is what your want. Most are willing to tell your their success rate with revision and whether or not they are confident with your case. I'm sorry this has happened but I've been there and did not give up and was extremely happy when I got such a tremendous load of great information from 2 very experienced surgeons at Emory in Atlanta plus one amazing senior surgical resident who explained how slips cannot be always detected on the upper gi. Please let me know if I can help your further with more info. I have gained 45 lbs . this last yr due to this situation and was also going from one extreme to the other too tight and throwing up to too loose with only a .25 cc change.

I would say that your experience sounds like a slip. I experienced a slip about a year ago. Vomiting, couldn't keep food down, vomiting blood, reflux at night... As the other posters said...do get back to your surgeon. I had revision surgery and have been trouble free for a year.

I was Sleeved the 20th a revision from Lapband, so far everything is great except Iv had a few breakdowns over not being able to eat. I still have 2 more weeks before mushy I feel great and went back to work after 3 days off. I'm only required 40 g of protein and for the first time ever I'm actually taking all my vitamins. Iv lost 14 lbs so I'm 15 lbs from goal but I know the less to lose the harder so I'm in no hurry. I love hearing how others sleeved the same month are doing so please keep the stories coming !!

I have struggled with this problem since my cardiologist put me on a pill for my afib 6 years ago. Add Lap Band surgery and then revision to RNY, and I was doomed. I take a dose of Miralax every morning in my hot liquid (usually hot tea) and I am regular sometimes twice a day. Simply a miracle. I swear by the stuff. I will probably be on it the rest of my life.

If your insurance doesn't have any restrictions on the number of WLS per lifetime (some limit to one WLS per lifetime) then the usual insurance rules generally apply - BMI of 40 and above, or 35 with comorbidities. So, that's the good news - if you were covered before and have regained to that point, then you should be covered again. The bad news that you probably don't want to hear is that it won't likely do you much good in the long term, unless there was something seriously defective with your first procedure that needs to be corrected. Changing to a bypass may get you back on track again for a while, but ultimately you will be in the same position as the two procedures are very similar in overall strength or outcome. Think of your WLS as more of a "do-over" than a metabolic reset - it gives you the chance to get things in order to live sustainably and maintain your weight, but it doesn't do it for you. While I don't agree with everything this doc says, he is one of the few that acknowledges that our meal capacity will increase over time (to around half of our pre-op capacity), and has a viable prescription for living with that fact. His numbers are consistent with my experience over the years. Also, that sleeve/pouch size has little to do with long term capacity or success - my wife has a huge sleeve on VSG terms (from her DS, which typically uses a sleeve of about twice the size of a stand alone VSG sleeve,) and our meal sizes are pretty much the same several years out. It is very much a matter of food choices and habits rather than absolute restriction minimizing how much we eat. A good part of the game here is matching the right procedure with the patient - think in terms of the WLS procedures having somewhat different personalities, and you have to find the right "fit", just as you do with friends and associates. The RNY isn't any mover powerful overall than the VSG, but may be a better fit for you. Or it may not - research and talk to as many people with the bypass as you can to see if it is right for you, as one of its' drawbacks is that it is very difficult to revise to something else if it doesn't fit. With either procedure, it would not be uncommon for women of average and below height to maintain in the 1000-1200 calorie range long term. If you are having problems at 12-1500 calories now, a bypass or resleeve isn't going to help much if you can't find a way to maintain at whatever level your metabolism dictates. The DS does offer a better metabolic kick long term and may be your best option if you can't make the long term diet/lifestyle adjustments to make the VSG work; its' caloric malabsorption is long term vs the bypass which sees its caloric malabsorption dissipate after a year or two.. But it requires more serious commitment to supplementing and follow up lab work for life (that's part of its' "personality" that you have to live with. But I have seen many be successful over 10-20 years with it, often eating a less than "ideal" diet.

I definitely know the pain. I was banded in 2009 and was at my goal weight for over 9 years and feeling great. My band slipped and the Dr. removed all of the fill. I had gained over 40 pounds in about 4 months...just like you. Same thing, I could NOT get the weight off. I ended up getting approved for a lap band to gastric sleeve revision. I had that done last week. Have you spoken to your surgeon/insurance about getting the sleeve or something else? Its so horrible to not have to worry about your weight for almost a decade and then feel like, in a matter of months, you're getting back to the person you thought was gone forever. I sure hope you can find some answers. Please keep me posted.

Hi. Anyone have revision surgery from sleeve to MGB due to GERD? I'm considering Dr Jesus Enrique Grimaldi at Affordable Weightloss in Tijuana. Have you heard anything about him? What surgeon did you use?

It goes to show you that everyone reacts so differently. I was rebanded in 2009 (org. surgery 2007) and I cannot take as much fill....was 6cc now am 4cc's in a 10cc band. Also in 2010 had a port revision so when surgeon snipped the tubing and hooked it back up (lost my fluid then) was refilled slowly and go back up to 4cc's. That is a perfect amount for me. I had an upper GI in Oct. which indicated I needed more fill but I know my own body and I know I cannot take anymore so even the upper GI isn't accurate...you just got to know you body and how it responds. I have maintained for 3 1/2 years.

I had sleeve to bypass. 2011 sleeve 2016 revision to bypass due to acid reflux.

I'm a revision from sleeve to bypass with a surgery date of 03/07 but haven't found anyone in my boat. Plenty of band to bypass but that's it and there's no 2017 options in the monthly groups. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hey girl! I will be getting a revision from sleeve to bypass on 4/24. I have been searching for info, but not much out there. Do you know what to expect as far as this starting weight loss back up, and if it will help with restriction again? Missy

My BMI is 33. I will be sleeved on the 20th of October. I will have 60lbs to lose. Excited for this new journey. I am a revision from Lap Band.

I am currently 10 months post op band revision to RNY . What a journey it's been ! My expectations was to lose weight but I was told I would lose weight extremely slowly and not that much because of previously being banded . Well I hit my 100# loss and couldn't be happier ! HW 285 SW 265 CW 165 GW 140

Hey everyone! Just wanted to see if anyone else has found out they're band intolerant? I've been having really bad bouts of constantly vomiting for awhile, and it has gotten to the point I'm vomiting up white mucus and blood clots. I went to my doctor's office that did the surgery, and they checked the band to see if it slipped, and it hadn't. So then 2 weeks later I had an upper endo by the same doctor. The procedure he said only took 4 minutes, and the band hadn't eroded. So it hasn't slipped, or eroded, however, I have all the symptoms that would make you think so. I can't hold down majority of solids now, and liquids are questionable. My band is completely unfilled at this point. I am working on trying to get an appointment with a gastroenterologist to get their opinion on it. I am really starting to think my body has just rejected it. I have stomach inflammation, and they biopsied a bacteria but didn't tell me what it was. All I got was,"maybe it's your gallbladder, you should get that checked out." I told them to do it when I was in the hospital after the endoscopy just to get it out of the way, but they wouldn't. My band physically hurts, and I don't know what really to do. My symptoms are just getting worse...and revision may be my only option to fix it, but I don't have the money for self-pay and my insurance won't cover bariatric surgery. But if anyone else has had intolerance, it would be nice to get your input. Thank you

I was banded the end of june and had a port revision in Sept.I have had 3&1/2 fills and only lost 22 pounds I upped my protein and need to start excersising.how much protein and activity do you get in a day.I am an active person at work and at home I think I'm loosing inches but I want to see weightloss.Please let me know your tricks!

Hi, I hate to sound like I'm whining, because I really am happy I'm approved for surgery on July 12th, but since I've been with my surgeon through a lap band and now scheduled for a revision to the sleeve, I'm finding I'm angry. My surgeon orders everyone, band and sleeves, be on Clear liquids not only for 2 weeks before but 4 weeks after surgery. As you know that's 6 weeks. I was wondering if anyone else has such a strict doctor? When I read others have only 1 week of clear liquids and 1 week of full liquids, I get angry. I'm just hoping that after the surgery I won't want to eat and it will be fine. I know one reason my lap band failed was because I didn't always follow the rules, so I'm trying to be so good. I'm currently in my 2 weeks pre-op liquid diet and I'm finding it hard, very hard. I even failed a couple of times, really bad. I find that if I even take 1 bite of something not on the list, I end up eating like crazy. Just want to know what are others pre and post opt diet like? Thanks, lovcali

I agree with Matt. Also, as a revision surgery you are likely to not lose as quickly someone who is having a bariatric surgery for the first time. Let your body heal and follow the program and you will see results!

I had my sleeve done four days ago and I'm amazed at how very little pain was involved. My biggest complaint was headache. I never considered anything but the sleeve and you will notice there are a lot of bands that revise to sleeve. I don't think you'll be sorry. Good luck!

I have been having nausea and,vomiting since 2 weeks post op. I had a stricture that kept coming back and had to be dilated 3 times and I'm only 3months post op. I have been in and out of the hospital several,times as well. I was in the hospital 2 weeks ago for over 2 weeks. I was unable to take anything by mouth. They put a picc line in and started me on TPN (IV nutrients). Thy had to pull my picc line a week later cause it went bad. I was eating a clear/full liquid diet. Now I'm vomiting again and this time I'm having sever abdominal pain as well. I'm unable to keep much down and it all hurts even water. My surgeon has me on several medications but they aren't helping. He suggested I might have to have a revision done. Has anyone had a b anything like this? Or had a revision? Any advise would be greatly appreciated. I'm extremely weak physically and emotionally drained from all this.

Mikell, First congratulations on your weight loss. I have lost 87 from sleeve and hoping for approval for the RNY revision asap because my reflux is killing me. Anyway my arms are like BAT wings flapping in the air. I absolutely hate it and my biggest fear was excessive skin just hanging off me. Actually some pretty bad nightmares about the extra skin just lagging behind my body as I vwalk. Thank God I haven't and hopefully don't get to that point. Lol Anyway yeah I feel ya!! Still another 90 lbs i have to loose so if you find any answers please share them. Allie in SC Sent from my SM-G960U using BariatricPal mobile app

Am I the only person that just doesn't tell the person I am interested in about my surgery? I had the lapband for five years and just had it revised to bypass. Dating has always been awkward and i dread dinner dates. I hate being stared at by the guy and asked why I am eating so slow or why I didn't eat so much. Or even worse when I had the band the constant running I the bathroom to "cough", up food. I was embarrassed of the weight I had gained that caused me to get the band in the first place and even more embarrassed when I still wasn't as skinny as I thought I should be.