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Mostly I stopped posting because I work 45hrs a week and go to school, so I just haven't had the time! I also stopped because I was getting a lot of negative feedback for being anti-band and scaremongering when I pointed out that not everybody has a happy ever after ending. We all want to lose weight so much that we can sometimes be willfully blind to the potential side effects. It's the truth, but people don't want to hear it. I'm on my way to getting my band out. It cost me $18K to put in, but it will be free to revise to an RNY as long as I'm willing to be patient and jump through the hoops for the government. If all goes on schedule, I should have surgery August or September. Now I'm just concerned about the damage my band may have done. I've had the x-ray done and it doesn't look like it has slipped but there may be something else going on which is causing the heartburn.

Ohhh you will ALL love your sleeves!! I had my revision on Sept 15 2010 and so far I'm down 80 Lbs since then. Nearly 90 from my pre op diet and working on 140 Lbs total. Best thing I've ever done for myself!!! For ME the sleeve has been a far better surgery. I'm rarely hungry (VERY RARELY), the weight comes off much faster, the restriction is superb and no more of the monthly surgeon visits... can't beat that at all. All the best to all of you getting sleeved or revised! Keep us updated.

Hi there I had my band revised to RNY 6 weeks ago. I do wonder if the band has made me not so good at portion control - I seem to be lousy at recognising when I am full. So I take my lunch every day. A can of tuna or salmon or pack of shredded chicken, and a bit of fruit or veggie. I think lunch is my easiest “go off the rails” meal, so I prepare each evening - hope that helps. 40lbs! What a fantastic thing, you must be so pleased! Inspirational...

Did u go through this? How do u feel. Are you able to eat? I'm so scared of hairloss too... Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using the BariatricPal App No, I haven't but I have seen and talked to a lot of people who has gone through it. When I went to my check up at my bariatric center, I spoke to one girl who said she cried every day since her revision, poor thing . Yeah, I'm worried about hairloss too. I didn't go through it with my band because the weightloss wasn't as drastic, a normal 2-3 lbs a week or slower... So I'm a little worried this time around because our calories are sooo much lower.I have only loss 15 pounds in six weeks so my weightloss is not to drastic but they said it would happen because of the stomach hormones loss. Yea I cry alot and I don't know what to do to make it better. How far was the girl in the group post op? I don't know why this is so hard. Thanks for listening Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using the BariatricPal App No problem at all. Anytime. I didn't know about the hormones and hair, I only knew about the Vitamin deficiency and too fast weight loss by being anorexic when I was young. Sent from my SM-N910V using the BariatricPal App Neon anorexia?? Yea they say at 2 yrs a person with a sleeve should be able to get enough Vitamins through there food. Yea I try really hard with vitamins .. I even take extra Biotin for my hair 20,000 mcg a day plus b12 plus zinc.. zinc is a hair vitamin... but u have to be careful if u get to much u could get sick. I even bought nioxion shampoos to help with the loss. I am blonde and don't have tons of hair so who knows how much I will have.. they say it starts at 3 to 4 months. I myself am already shedding a little more than normal.. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using the BariatricPal App Neon was because my stupid autocorrect, which is never correct lol. I edited it... Hehe I'm on biotin too and you're right, too much is often not a good thing. Sent from my SM-N910V using the BariatricPal App I had bulimia for years.. I think I'm scared to because I want another baby and im worried how much this is all taking a toll on my body with my first son I had gestational diabetes and other things so I wanted to be healthy Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using the BariatricPal App

I am a lap band revision and post op sleeve 6 weeks . I am having a little of a hard time emotionally Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using the BariatricPal App

This is a long post, but it details my gastric sleeve experience in Mexico, and I feel like it's important to share it. I'm sure there are great results from this clinic and others in Mexico, but here are some of the pitfalls: I had a sleeve gastrectomy in April in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, with Dr. Juan Francisco Hidalgo (Weight Loss Team), and I have had extreme complications since then. I had to undergo a revision surgery to a full gastric bypass because the multiple strictures in my stomach were so bad that surgeons at the Mayo Clinic (arguably one of the best groups of bariatric surgeons in the world), after five procedures, couldn't fix them. They say it was most likely Dr. Hidalgo's technique that created the stricture - he uses a much smaller bougie (tube to shape the stomach) than is typically used in the United States, and it is more likely to create complications. I know loads of people have a good outcome from Mexico surgeries, but I share my experience because I owe it to anyone contemplating this. I did a lot of research before going there and thought I had chosen well. The website of Dr. Hidalgo is very sophisticated, and there are no language issues when asking questions in advance because of the English-speaking administrator, Gerald. The website gives reams of information in perfect English -- all very comforting. Plus, as I was considering the surgery, they offered me access to the support group on Facebook for patients of Dr. Hidalgo -- something that seemed so authentic and convincing since I could read posts from all kinds of real people. However, after they recently found out about my complications, Gerald, the administrator, removed me from the group even though I was not all over it bashing Hidalgo but had just posted a couple of times about my situation. I suddenly felt so duped -- I believed all the great testimonials and was too gullible to understand that only people with positive outcomes were allowed to be in that community. So since I can't share it with people allowed to join that private group, I feel it is my responsibility to share my experience here: My experience in the Puerto Vallarta hospital was very hairy - I woke up after surgery in some kind of lounge with no one around me and in extreme pain - sobbing and begging for help, and after that at one point my blood pressure was so dangerously low that they wouldn't let me lay down anymore - forcing me into a sitting position, and I think it was possibly because the nurses gave me pain medicine twice at one point. Dr. Hidalgo was summoned to the room, and actually suggested perhaps my condition was because I hadn't taken my Wellbutrin for a couple of days. Um, what? I sincerely thought for a little while that I might die. Promises that the medical staff would check in on me at my hotel regularly after discharge from the hospital didn't materialize, and a bellboy had to track down Dr. Hidalgo to remove my staples because I was due to fly home. And then when I required intervention a couple of weeks later because I couldn't eat or drink anything due to the stricture, I was told by Dr. Hidalgo that I just needed a shot of cortisone (Seriously? Where?), and when they sent my "surgery report" to share with the U.S. doctor, it was actually just a generic report with my name at the top - not my report. It didn't even include my actual surgical information because it talked about the port they had installed, which I never had. When I asked for full records, including the swallow study/leak test done with X-Ray at the hospital before discharge, I was told that Dr. Hidalgo didn't have any of the records, and that it could be three or four months before he got it from the hospital. My diagnosis was that I had a severe stricture in my gastric sleeve in several places, and the five additional surgeries were to try to stretch and stent the stomach open, but nothing worked and I had to have a complete revision to a roux en Y gastric bypass because my stomach was unsavable. The Mayo surgeon's professional opinion based on my situation and the generic "surgery report" Hidalgo's team sent is that this stricture was caused by Dr. Hidalgo because he uses a bougie that is far too narrow. This is the tool used to size your new sleeve stomach, and Hidalgo uses size 18, while the medical standard in the U.S. is more like 28. Though I asked several times, Dr. Hidalgo would never provide my actual medical records or X-Rays from after the surgery, but the Mayo doctors believe the X-Ray immediately following the surgery shows the stricture, which left just a 1/4 inch opening and was slowly killing me. I didn't eat a solid piece of food for 140 days, I was anemic and malnourished and needing fluid IVs just to stay hydrated because I couldn't even force enough water down the narrow stricture. Half of my hair has fallen out, I was confused and exhausted for months due to malnutrition, and I could hardly function. I lost 75 pounds in four months, but I only had 100 pounds total to lose so that was a dangerous pace for someone my size . Yes, I lost weight, but this was not a safe way to do it and I was desperately sick the whole time. Besides, my procedures to fix my $4,200 gastric sleeve from Mexico cost more than $125,000 - thank GOD I have good health insurance because just the co-pays alone have caused me significant hardship. I'm sorry to share such a terrible story. I understand how hopeful it feels to finally have the opportunity to lose weight because I was desperate to do so. But I made bad choices, it seems, based on a fake Facebook "support group," and English-speaking staff, and a charming doctor. My advice is to choose slowly and well and to comb forums looking for posts from people who may not have had the best experiences with the clinic you choose. I have a network now of a couple of other people with an experience similar to mine from surgeries with Hidalgo's Weight Loss Team, and none of us ever saw anything negative ahead of our visits. People with complications need to share them for the benefit of people in the future. I would also recommend that you ask a surgeon for the technical aspects of their procedure and then compare them to the vast volumes of research available from doctors who practice in the U.S. The bougie size is a big deal, and so are the exact kind of staples used. And above all else, DO NOT leave Mexico without a copy of every medical record generated about your care, from the films of the leak test to hospital logs. Even in Spanish, they can be invaluable later to a team of doctors trying to help you if you have complications. I have learned these things the hard way, and it's been a rough road. If I could do it over, I would still have the gastric sleeve, maybe, but I would have been much more cautious in the process. I wish you all the best.

Hi everyone getting all my pre op stuff done to get my lapband taken off and have my rny done . So I was wondering how everybodies insurance was with approval ? I have united health care ! Would love to here everyones stories ! Thanks all ! Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using RNYTalk

I had no official slippage on my band or erosion or anything else. It just sucks and I haven't lost weight. I was denied revision. now trying to figure out what to do. BCBS.

I'm having my revision on Wednesday, and I can 100% relate to the issues faced after having fluid removed from the band, I had a harder time eating the proper sized portions and for lack of a better description, I ate like an *rhymes with Bass Hole*, you know all the things you really aren't supposed to do, I did and I gained 8 lbs before starting my pre-op diet. But, good news is, I've lost 14lbs in 2 weeks thus far as of this mornings weight check. Just do your best, keep yourself in check and keep thinking about the reasons why you wanted WLS in the first place. Keep those protein and water intakes good and high, you'll be fine!

I am new to this site and posted yesterday but can't remember which thread I was on (I know I posted on band to sleeve revision) but I can't find my other post. Oh, well. For those who have been in my shoes, maybe you can offer some help. I got the band more than 2 years ago. I got it because it was promoted as causing satiety and keeping hunger at bay. It has never caused me either at any fill level. I am now unfilled due to a severe stuck episode and plan to stay this way. I have followed all the rules and the 75 lbs I have lost was largely due to what I did, not the band. All the pre and post op dieting, especially the 2 week pre and post op liquid only diet (I was starving) plus a measly 15 pounds post band and that's it. Nothing since then. I am tired of struggling with hunger and thinking about food and feeling guilty about food. I got this so that I wouldn't have to struggle anymore. I eat healthy, exercise everyday but am hungry all the time. It is not head hunger. Anyway, at my age (60) I am not sure I could get the sleeve. Plus I know my insurance wouldn't pay for a revision. The way they would look at it is I lost 75 lbs. with the band. But I just know if I could get rid of that pesky lower stomach it would help. I can physically feel it asking for food to get to a point of satiety. When I was overfilled I physically could not eat much - eating caused pain, pressure, reflux and heartburn. But I was still hungry. Any insights or suggestion for where I can go from here. Thanks so much. Oh, and BTW, struggling bandsters get bashed by the defenders of the band regularly on LBT and when I come to their defense, I get criticized, too. So, I decided to come here and see how this forum was to strugglers.

I just left my appointment where I expected to get a fill only to be told that my port has flipped! I had my surgery in October and had to have a revision in December after my port flipped. Now I'm told that it flipped again! I was told that I haven't done anything to cause this. Apparently this "rarely happens". I'm so frustrated and upset! Has anyone else experienced this?

I know exactly how you feel. For me, I had 1 fill and then when I went in for my 2nd fill, my port flipped, so I had to wait and have revision surgery. So, 3 months later and I feel like I have barely lost any weight at all and for those who do know about my surgery...I feel like I have to make excuses. My Dad had gastric bypass 5 years ago, so his weight came off really fast. He asks me every time I talk to him...and it is only like a few lbs more than the last time. His only response is "that's not bad". way to encourage me dad! I also didn't tell a lot of people, so that is good. So people aren't really "expecting" me to look thinner. I think I am more hard on myself than anything. Plus I work with this guy who lost 133lbs in 6 months after getting the lap band. Yes, 133lbs. He keeps asking me and says that he lost an average of 30lbs a month the first 3 months and that's what I should be doing. I tell him that women are different. Plus he NEVER excercised and I workout 1-2 hours a day and my weight is barely coming off. The only encouragement that I have, is that it will get better with your fills. Hang in there!!

@Red Robin I was a band to bypass revision as well. My surgeon refused to do the band to sleeve because of increased risk of staple line issues across the scar tissue caused by the band. I'm glad I decided to go bypass over sleeve, because when my surgeon went to remove my band, it was totally encapsulated in scar tissue, they wouldn't have been able to proceed with the sleeve if I was going that way anyway. Now, my surgeon did refuse, but she said there were others in her group that would do it and she offered to send me to them if I wanted to proceed with the band to sleeve revision. I trusted her judgement and it paid off. Either way, congrats on deciding to continue your journey! Good luck and Stay Strong!

35 the first time for VBG, (SW 410 lbs.) Lost 230 lbs., but gained and lost 100+ lbs many times over the years, till GERD issues got so bad I could no longer loose again with VBG. At 58 I had revision to RNY. May 2016 Started at 303 CW 240. Goal 180.

I think 21days post op and losing 16-18lbs is great! I just learned in this community that revision surgery have slowly weight loss. My doctor and me doing my own research never came up till I found this site. i am also feeling that I am having multiple stalls. Before pre op diet I lose 15lbs on my own, then during pre op diet I lost 8 lbs on the first week of liquid diet and stall for one week have no weight loss. Then went into surgery while having the stall. After the surgery, I gained 7 lbs of water retention from the iv I got from the hospital. It took a few days and get back to my surgery day weight, then I loss about 5 lbs in a week. so almost 2 weeks after surgery only loss 5 lbs. So 16-18lbs is great! I am jelly here. But like many said everyone is different, although it’s hard, but I am trying to positive.

First time starting a thread -- a long time coming! My lap band journey began just before my Senior year of college back in December 2008, I have a dense family history of morbid obesity and was finding myself headed in the same direction tipping the scales at 240 lbs my Junior year of college (I'm only 5'2"). I opted for lap band as I was young, worried about a permanent procedure, and excited to be able to control my restriction. My lowest weight was 135 lbs and although I definitely wasn't always good to my band, I found it to be an overall positive experience and certainly life changing. There are so many things I was able to do, feel and experience because of my weight loss at such a pivotal time in my life. At times I've wondered what the fate of my band would be but as the years went by the restriction and presence of my band became a part of me (UNTIL IT ACTUALLY BECAME A PART OF ME...lol...read on). The only major side effect besides the occasion "stuck" incident was debilitating gas pain. I would get gas so bad I'd become totally bloated and doubled over, but like the band, I learned to live with these episodes...and stopped eating Beans altogether. Three months ago I began to feel a faint "airyness" in my tummy, similar to the gnawing sensation that you might feel with an ulcer (I'm guessing). It wasn't painful but a noticeable difference. As weeks went on, other symptoms began to appear -- two or three isolated feelings of nausea, slight chest tightness/esophagus pain, slight heartburn (never acid in the throat though), upper back pains, NEW pain when food passed through the band, and as a result of all of these: randomly rapid heart rate! I've come to believe the heart rate was anxiety and/or my bodies' reaction to these symptoms. I knew it was time to get some tests done... After a visit to my surgeon and near-perfect upper GI (no slip), we took all of the saline out of the band (I had been at the same restriction for a good while) and waited to see if symptoms improved. A few did, a few did not. I began to wonder if it was even band-related or maybe just new stress-related gastro issues. Needless to say I was falling down a deep, scary WebMD hole of worry. I made an appointment with a wonderful gastroenterologist to rule out other causes, he had me get an ultrasound and endoscopy. Ultrasound: perfect! Wonderfully placed organs. Then finally the Endoscopy: your band has eroded! Yep. Lap Band erosion, there it was, poking through my tummy. It wasn't as severe looking as some I've seen so I'm hoping/thinking it hasn't been like that for too long. After the test results I immediately went into see one of my two phenomenal surgeons (both have been practicing bariatric surgery as a team for years - they are amazing humans). He said there was definitely a hole in my tummy and that both the band would need to come out and that my tummy would need to be repaired. He assured me that although I had been maintaining at 165-170 lbs, I would surely gain the weight back once the band was removed. So he offered to revise to a sleeve -- basically free of charge. He concluded that because I would need repair anyways, they might as well just take a bigger chunk out of me. Although, I wasn't quite ready for the conversion, I trust my surgeons and knew that my insurance would not cover a sleeve down the road. My brother and aunt have both had the sleeve with great results and I started remembering where I was when I had first elected to get the band -- I would love to avoid going back to that weight. In the back of my mind though, I wondered if it might be a fight with insurance for "band removal," low and behold -- IT IS. Although I am on track to get the surgery on April 26th, insurance has already messed everything up. HELP! Questions... 1) My insurance (which is supposedly AMAZING) doesn't cover ANYTHING related to bariatric surgery or weight loss (ugh). Not removal, not fills, nothin! However, there is a hole in my stomach. As the doctors have said, this is not a sustainable situation. If I don't get it fixed now, I will end up in the ER. Today, I received the initial denial letter. Has anyone else found themselves in this situation? I'm not "electing" to have the band removed -- IT JUST NEEDS TO COME OUT, my stomach has a damn hole in it! 2) My surgeon seems confident in a one-stage revision. In fact, both of my skilled surgeons will be performing the procedure. Has anyone else with erosion done a one-stage revision? How'd it go? Any help is much appreciated and thanks for reading my long-winded story. These forums have been a real help as I've gone through these many symptoms. Currently, the only real pain I'm experiencing is sometimes when eating, intermittent back pains, and at night -- hoping it doesn't get worse before surgery... Cheers!

Thank God I found this post. I’ve been feeling guilty for wondering why my weight loss has stopped. My revision date was January 11 and have been stalled since January 31. The doc told me that the weight loss will be slower this time around and honestly, im feeling good health wise. Im not complaining but good to know its a bit common.

I know this may be stupid question but this sight has helped me so much! I am supposed to have band to sleeve revision oct 24th and in have to start a 2 week preop liquid diet, however the list of approved items included fruit, apple sauce, salad with fat free dressing only and hot cerel. NO meat at all. My question is after this diet I will still have to drink Protein drinks or put protein in drinks/food ad Kroger actually squeezes fresh OJ every morning and they do not put a thing in it. It is 100% just oranges squeezed - the NATURAL sugar content says 25grams but it is NOT added sugar or sweetener it is just naturally that sweet. To ME since they out absolutely nothing in it and it is straight orange I am considering that a fruit that I just don't have to peel! Am I crazy or do you guys think it would be ok to at least drink one 8 ounce glass with added protein in it a day? I figure the Vitamins in fruit couldn't hurt either. I hate fruit and healthy food but I do love that fresh squeeze OJ Opinions ...

I had surgery with Dr. Garcia on February 21st. Dr. Garcia had four surgery patients that day: an RNY revision; a band removal with revision to a sleeve; a sleeve plus gall bladder removal; and my sleeve surgery. I got to know the three other patients and we spent time together at the Marriott...we all recovered quickly and had minor discomfort (but no pain) after being discharged from the hospital. For me, it was noteworthy that Dr. Garcia leads a team of doctors who care for you. He is the surgeon (an exceptional one, in my opinion!); the other doctors on his team handle your hospital and post-op care. I felt very well cared for by all of them. I am home now and I feel great! I highly, highly recommend Dr. Garcia and his entire team.

I also had a band failure and will be having my sleeve revision surgery shortly. In the meantime, I hope to see more "success with sleeve after band failure" stories.

Well, I looked at this grup, and thought, "one day I will join them", I checked my ticker yesterday, and only had 1lb to lose to qualify, I weighed again today, and I can join!!! So I'm 5 months and a week (or so) out, I have lost 51lb, and am already lighter than the goal I had set at my initial consultation last year, but am 30lb away from my revised, and far more sensible end goal. Looking at the average rate of loss the last couple pf months it will realistically be another 5-6 months before I get to goal, which I do find a bit depressing TBH, however as I said a year ago I'd have killed to get down to 188lb, and now at 184, I guess I see the bigger picture and know there is still some of that road to travel. It is great to be able to consider myself to be on the "final stretch" though that has made me smile!

Am a revision and have had the band since June 2011. It has slipped so I am having it removed and sleeved at the same time. New to this and quite nervous about surgery next week. I chose to tell only a few select people. My husband and daughters.... I am going for pre-op tomorrow.

Be careful! That candy craving took over about 1 1/2 years out . Since nothing made me sick, I began eating loads of candy every day and gained back 60% within a year. I have been revised for a month to the RNY so I cannot eat candy ever again! When I was on the wagon I used Livestrong's My plate to track everything I ate & was told to stay under 1000 per day but you should really ask your Nutritionist what is right for you, your height, age and ideal weight. Calorie goals can vary by person...

I was started on meds as well and am feeling tons better! Even though we are required to do psych evals doesn't mean that we won't have problems. I have NEVER EVER had trouble with anxiety and I was a revision from lap band. BUT I had a cardiac complication post surgery and I think that was my trigger.

I wanted to post this to the LapBander’s out there... Banded Dec 2012 and was doing great! I went from 230 to 138 and stayed that way with fills up to the end of 2015. Then when I got to 165 in Feb of 2018, I went in for a fill and they found that my band had slipped and I started having lower muscle esophageal problem. I’m thinking great...my BMI isn’t high enough to get the revision paid for and I don’t want to have to go through proving AGAIN, that I need a tool for managing my weight. Plus, my blood pressure is starting to go through the roof! (I’m apple shape so my fat is around my organs) The dr told me I would probably get a denial but we could appeal and do a peer to peer review. Low and behold after waiting 1 week, on the first submission, I got approved. surgery is August 13th 2018!! Eeeek!! I have United Health which has a “once a lifetime” bariatric surgery coverage ( BCBS of Texas did my band). So for all those who are thinking about a revision or band not working, I highly recommended checking into it.