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That's kind of how I feel with the band. 50 years from now (or hell, 10 even), they may say that the band causes.. stomach cancer (just a random example). I am not opposed to diet pills. I took Metabolife with Ephedra when I did Atkins.. the only time I successfully was able to diet. It kept me from being hungry, so when I did eat- I could stick to low-carb. Eventually my head overcame me and I fell off the low-carb wagon, which goes back to what WasaBubble said. My brain never was 'fixed', but the pills helped. I did gain it all back + some, so there's something to be said about fixing the root of the problem. Now with the band, before I had a fill my doctor gave me ONE Rx to Phen--The not deemed dangerous one--.. and it didn't do crap for me. Since Ephedra isn't banned anymore, but was, I can only get it online, so I normally don't have it.. but I ended up ordering it, and even though I didn't have good restriction for 6 months-after revision surgery on the port, I still lost weight till that time. I still forget to order it, so I pick up Stacker 2 at the gas station.. which is no longer sold with Ephedra in stores like I said, so now it's just a HUGE dose of caffein. I don't necessarily take it for weight loss at this point, it just gives me my get-up-and-go. I'm not a coffee drinker, so I get my caffein via a pill. I like it, and I don't see the harm. If I found out my BP was bad or something was happening now to affect me, I'd be more concerned. Just like the smoker who doesn't stop till they get lung cancer, we're invisible..right? :smile2:

I'm going to be totally frank with you... this whole journey with the band, from the day it broke, has been a nightmare. I don't want to sugar coat it. No, I didn't get it replaced, no ALLERGAN wasn't willing to help (they even told me I could just "leave it there, it won't hurt you"). A local doctor (not the one who did my original surgery) told me the same bullshiz - keep it in, no big deal. Well, it turned out to be a pretty big deal. I was self-pay, and my insurance wasn't going to kick down anything to help... the local doctor that my insurance recommended me to wanted 10k for REMOVAL (yes, this was just for removal, to replace they were going to charge a total of 18k). It was going to be impossible. The final outcome... I got a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy last week (Feb 1, 2010). However, that's not the whole story... In March of 2009, I had the band removed in Mexico with an excellent doctor... We had planned to revise to a sleeve at that time, however, when they go in there they found I was severely eroded in three places, and they had to literally cut the band out in pieces, five pieces to be exact. I was not able to get the sleeve at that time. This was a terrible experience, waking up with no band, no sleeve, and a bunch of scars on my stomach from the severe erosion. I was pretty unwell for a while after that, both mentally and physically. Took me a long time to heal, and it was just rough... So after that, I had to save up and wait ANOTHER year (until last week) to get my sleeve. I gained back 60 pounds during this ordeal. It has been one of the most mentally trying times of my life... I wish you the best, and am glad to hear that your doctor is at least going to try to go for a replacement, if that is what you want. Personally, before you jump right into getting it replaced, I might recommend that you do some research on the success of replaced bands and associated weightloss, problems, etc. I have read a few studies and bits of material here and there about this, and the stats aren't very good... Many have slips and other problems with a second band, many don't lose the weight they've regained, etc. Just do your research, and I'm sure you'll do what's best for you. I guess the best research in regards to this was my gut... At first I wanted another band, I was so freaked out, I had lost 78 of the 100 pounds I needed to lose, I was so happy... I didn't even consider something else. Then my gut told me (along with the associated research): This might not be a good idea. You might need to do something else. Do you really want another very expensive piece of plastic that can very likely just break again, BACK into your body? The ultimate answer for me was NO, so I moved on... I am not saying you should do this, I am just saying you might want to consider ALL of your options... I hope everything goes well for you. Hang in there, sister! :thumbup:

Sorry this is happening, but I do have some good news about Allergan.. My doc said he couldn't get them to help out, my doc was unsure what happened with my band-- I was self pay-- and I had to pay an extra 2k to have revision surgery.. Ends up it was a flipped port, but.. Before we found all this out, I went to Allergan's website, and wrote a haughty e-mail. I was fuming that their product messed up and they wouldn't get back to my doctor, while I'm out about 20k. So anyway, within the week, I got a phone call from a guy (I wish I kept this info so I could pass it on!!) who works there, very nice, he went through my complication with me, how the band is or isn't working, and said he would send out a kit that day priority overnight to my doctor, so they could send in the 'broken' piece and they would examine it and issue a refund on the 2nd band I'd have to buy. Ends up during my surgery, it was a flipped port, no defect, but the Allergan guy gave me his personal office contact, e-mail, etc.. and he followed up with me afterward to find out how it went,etc. I was EXTREMELY Impressed, I had so many bad ideas in my head about how they probably don't care, I'm just a paycheck, but pleasantly I was very mistaken. Try calling their # if it's on the website, otherwise write them an e-mail from the website and make sure to leave your info. Edit to add, their website may be under Inamed. I remember when I looked for it, all I found was a generic medical website that sold a lot of products, and I don't think I even saw the band on there, or it was an afterthought. I just went to their contact info.

Sorry clever, I never saw your response.. and sorry you're still not getting anywhere :thumbup: I will go through my old emails at work tomorrow and see if I still have the email from the guy I was talking to at Allergan. I am selfpay so I had to pay for my revision surgery, it was approx. $2,000... but this included a replacement band, which I did not end up needing, so they refunded $1,200..the rest went to the hospital/anesthesia.. since my doctor felt bad of my self paying, he actually did not charge for his service. Call around and see if you can get quotes from other reputable doctors in the area.. since you may have to pay for yourself. That way if insurance stands firm (let your current doctor keep trying to fight it), you have a back up plan. And it's reading posts like this, that make me all the more happy with my doctor.. heh.

This this this. It has been over a year since my revision and my quality of life has improved so much. I sometimes wonder how many years I have stripped off my life expectancy from the pain and lack of sleep I experienced for years because I tried to rely on PPIs, H2 blockers and more instead of just getting a revision right away.

Oh I was hoping for the same. It really depends on what your insurance requirements are and what your surgeon or clinic requires. My insurance only required six visits with my clinic and I've been a patient there for 4 years, so technically I had already met the insurance requirements... BUT the clinic required a pre op info session, psych eval, and various lab tests. Time passed quickly tho. I think it took me about five months from first appointment for revision until surgery day. Best wishes!

Well, I’m pretty disheartened. My surgery was pushed from 8/8 to 8/29 to give my doctor’s office time to resubmit paperwork for an authorization for a hiatal hernia repair. My insurance didn’t approve the bypass revision so I may have to pay that portion of the surgery myself. I had already started my pre-op liquid diet so now that’s on hold for a few more weeks. I was so ready to have my surgery next Monday and now I just feel disappointed and frustrated. If I could afford to pay for the entire surgery, I would just to avoid the hoops I’m having to jump through to get this approved. I could use some words of encouragement right about now. 😢

Hi! I’m so sorry about your obstruction!! Holy moly! My surgeon said my sleeve failed me, as well, so I’m having the revision 8/8. Im not on clear liquids but I did start my liquid diet today! Im looking forward to moving on with my weight loss and getting rid of this horrible acid reflux!

It's good to see so many are successful with band to sleeve revision. I need a bit more consistency for myself. The band does what the band wants as we know. Too tight one day, not enough the next, etc etc. I'm honestly tired of fighting it! Well I have to fight it for several more months but hopefully early next year I can get rid of it and I'll have the sleeve

I had the revision from lap band to gastric bypass 2 days ago. To the great surprise to my doctors,I was up and walking and passing the mandatory fluids so I only needed one night in the hospital. I'm just on clear liquids but so far so good. Originally (11 years ago) the lap band worked for me and I lost about 100 pounds but when I had my gall bladder removed the band had flipped and it was replaced. The new band never worked for me. I constantly needed adjustments and fills. Over the last 5 years I gained back 55 pounds. My esophagus is enflamed. I have been dehydrated for years because I could not tolerate water. I had difficulty taking any medications because they would just sit in my esophagus. Now that the band is out I can drink water, soup, protein shakes and take all my vitamins and supplements. I am feeling tired but excessively positive

When I started my 6 months pre-op with the nutritionist I went all in. 1200 calories a day with 60g protein minimum. For a while during pre-op I was drinking around a gallon of water on top of other liquids as well. I lost 20lbs the first month and a total of 60lbs including the 15lbs for the 2 week liquid diet right before surgery. I found it much easier to do a complete overhaul than gradually change things because I wouldn’t have stuck with gradual changes. I wrote everything down in a journal the office gave me and tracked with the SparkPeople app as well. I still use SparkPeople to track most days and I’m 9months post VSG to RNY revision.

I'm in my 3rd month from my revision and I'm very happy with it so far. I've lost 35 lbs and I do have restriction even though my sleeve is not as small as a usual sleeve. The other day I pushed it and finished my plate and I did throw it back up. Otherwise I have not had a problem at all. I know not to do that now.

I'm in a panic right now I had the lap band in 2012 and started having problems, so I started looking into a revision to bypass. I completed all the required steps the insurance requires (dietitian meetings, Psych eval, stress test, EGD). EGD even showed that my band had prolapsed. Everything was pointing to in the direction I needed to get an approval. Fast forward 3 weeks - I get a letter from the insurance that my claim was denied!!! WHAAAT?!?! I called the doctor's office in a panic.....They said the next step is for them to do a peer to peer with them (which is what they do for people that get denied). I do remember that I was told that revisions usually take 2 rounds of approvals. Maybe that's what this means? Anyway - has anybody gone through this as well? I have United Healthcare. Do they typically approve after the peer to peer? I don't understand why I wasn't approved to begin with. I'm eating tums like they're candy at this point! (because of my issues, not because of the stress of not being approved LOL) UGH!!!!

I have united healthcare and am revisioning from lapband to sleeve on 2/20 I am wondering if your medical group has a lot of experience with revisions, mine did and told me they knew “all the right things to say” and got approval. Hopefully your group will fight for you with the insurance company and all will work out for you... I know you are probably as anxious as I am to get the lapband out! Best wishes!

I lived in Colombia when I got my sleeve. I am being revised to RNY due to complications. New surgery in VA. Colombia the country

Hey Everyone. :wink2: I'm twenty-five and was banded March 25th 2010- I'm quickly approaching seven months post-op- and completely blown away by how quickly time has flown by. I am looking for some support and WLS friends. I have recently undergone port revision surgery as well (September 30th 2010) due to my port healing at a severe tilt- fills were done fluoroscopically every time, and so to eliminate that my surgeon reset my port, and took away some excessive scar tissue, I am still healing from that; I'm very open to answering any question anyone of you may have, so please contact me if that be the case. Anyway, here is my quick hello, and again... I'm looking for some new WLS friends! I'm still trying to figure out my way around this site, but I'll get it! My stats are posted below, I am 5'7" 1/2 tall. (Basically 5'8"!) I started this journey at 325lbs and am as of today 254lbs. A total loss of 71lbs in 29 weeks. My "goal weight" is incredibly rough, I truly have no idea what 160lbs looks like, or even feels like... but it is within a healthy BMI; So, that's what's where it's set for now, who knows what new goal may come out of it once I reach 160! ;] 94lbs to go- ... I'm chasing change, losing half of "me" - while gaining so much more! <3

Why do you have to have a revision?

@ I wish the stats to the side could make it more clear for people that had a revision. An option is to place the date of your first surgery into your stats. I understand the frustration. I think its worth mentioning to @alexbreacher.He may have a way to change stats on the site. It comes down to sharing your experience. Its truly not a vet or a newbie conversation. We all have so much to contribute to this site and each other.

Anytime that I see someone contemplating a revision, I would advise getting a second (and even third) opinion, both from the perspective that revisions are typically more complicated than a virgin surgery, and also the reasons for the revisions are more varied, and this is where the perspectives of different surgeons with different experiences is most valuable. Strictures and twists like you are describing are an indicator of technique problems (which isn't to say that there is something particularly quirky with your individual anatomy that would have caused problems with any surgeon, just that they are frequently associated) so it is quite possible that another surgeon who is more experienced specifically with the sleeve and sleeve related surgeries may have some other ideas of how to tackle your problem. There are some surgeons out there who routinely perform some very complex revisions (such as converting a problematic RNY to a DS) and this is the type of doc that you would like to consult with, as they would be best able to straighten out your sleeve (and if they concur that an RNY is the best approach for your particular problem, that provides a lot of confidence in deciding to go that route.) I tend to like DS surgeons for sleeve problems as they typically have a lot more experience with the sleeve and correcting sleeve problems (as the sleeve is a part of the DS, most of them have been doing sleeves for over twenty years, while most bariatric surgeons have been doing them part time for 5-10 years, and some less. https://www.dsfacts.com/duodenal-switch-surgeons.php gives a very incomplete listing of DS surgeons, and unfortunately, there aren't any very close to you - NY/NJ/PA area is the closest, but probably worth the effort; most can do initial consults over phone and email. Dr. Roslin in NYC and Dr. Greenbaum in NJ both have good reputations in the DS world for complex revisions. As a side note, the mini bypass isn't often done in the States as US insurance rarely approves it, and it has never been accepted by the ASMBS.

Wow, your stomach is your best feature?! Wanna trade? LOL The scars are really not bad, and some people I've seen in their after, a few years later you can barely see them.. they look like a freckle or something. I had revision surgery and they cut open an existing port scar, so it looks kinda ooky, but I don't care!!! I am 110lb lighter and that's a small sacrafice, right? I don't know if I ever worried about the scars.. maybe a little bit, but I was more concerned about not being fat!

Not exercising....and grazing.... I lost 112 with the band before the revision and I hate to gain it back.....I just want to start losing again so it looks like I need to get busy!!!

Thanks so much to all of you who responded. I heard this past Friday that the insurance approved and that I need only to visit the nutritionist before they send me to the surgeon to schedule the bypass. I'm amazed that they (the insurance or the weight mgmt clinic/hospital) didn't want me in a longer pre-op period. I assume because it's a revision...? Not sure how long it'll be between THIS coming Wed (when I see the nutritionist) and the surgery is scheduled, but I'm super excited!

Thank you its nice to see the scale going back down lol. My insurance initially denied it; but my surgeon sent in an appeal and some how pushed it through. It literally took me a month from when we decided we would do the revision to the actual surgery date. I was fortunate!

I have has acid reflux for years. I was taking Prevacid daily with good control prior to surgery. My surgeon did discuss the possiblilty that my reflux could continue or even worsen after the sleeve. She explained that if it gets out of control the only option is to revise to gastric bypass. I did some research and like Laura said, it seems to be different for everyone. Some people get better others get worse while some stay the same. I figured that without the sleeve I would be taking meds for reflux the rest of my life anyway. I decided to go for it and hope for the best. My surgeon did change my med to one she feels is better, protonics. So far I haven't had any problems. I am fours weeks out.

@@Djmohr Your post really highlights a lot of my feelings about surgery. I had a friend that had open bypass back when that was the thing. They followed no post-op instructions, even up on a feeding tube at 26. That person never saw 35. I knew was doing the wrong thing, but I didn't know to what extent. It scared me. I thought, wow I can never have surgery the risks are too high. I had another friend that had surgery more recently, bypass. They never changed their eating. They never cooked, post-op they were on that Wendy's Chili (which is why it drives me insane that people eat it), keeping the fast food eating out mentality going. They still ate out and ordered the same types of foods, still had sugar all the time (there goes that dumping safety net theory). At that time I was trying to lose weight on my own following a WLS post-op diet, without having surgery. It was pure hell, normal people can't eat those quantities, but I was getting desperate. I eventually just went back to low carbing keto. This person never adopted a healthy lifestyle and just dieted after surgery using some diet plan created by their trainer. Now almost 4 years post-op, they have regained, after never meeting or getting anywhere close to goal, although they did lose over 100 pounds originally. They can't lose now, because they having too many issues making real changes. They never cooked, never learned about nutrition. Like when they aren't eating properly, they don't log it. The days you are eating off plan are the days to really log so you can see in print what you are doing and learn from it. Now they are at then end of the line with no options. RNY is it, there really is no revision from that and if you didn't learn to eat right when it was easy in the honeymoon period, you are screwed. Now you have to struggle like everyone else with very little support from your tool to help you. There is no malabsorption at this point to fall back on. The initial tightness of the pouch is gone since pouches stretch. So it drives me crazy to see so many people wasting their opportunity, because you can't get this time back. I need to learn to care a little less though, because I really need the support of being involved in a bariatric community to keep my focus.