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losing_the_band thank you very much for sharing your story. I believe I gave up easily because I was literally going into another surgery (prolapsed bladder) and just wanted to put my energy into healing. But now, 9 months out and recovered from my surgery, I'm ready for a fight! My surgeon is well experienced with revisions and I was told last year that mid-year they did more band revisions then actual bands. I believe in their skill but will they fight for me? I'm not sure. I've suffered from GERD when my band was tight, and I was told that I was STILL suffering from it even tho I had no clue that I was. My band was like everyone's band - a foreign object wrapped around my stomach. I believe that there are some for who this works well (and for a couple of years I worked my band well and was considered a "success", too). Question for you tho - what was your BMI at the time you appealed?

I'm 7 years out and have done pretty good with keeping the weight off. I haven't stayed at my lowest but my surgeon said it's totally normal to gain some weight back. I'm going in on Tuesday for a revision to bypass due to severe GERD. I'd love to drop and keep off another 25 pounds. Sent from my Z6201V using BariatricPal mobile app

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.

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 need my band and plication revised to Gastric bypass. I am self pay, do you recommend anyone in So California? Currently my surgeon is way expensive for a revision, so I'm trying to find a new doctor.

I currenlty have Humana ins but will be moving to Cigna as of Jan 1st 2012. My company is no longer offereing Humana going forward. I decided to have WLS after a visit to my PCP when she suggested I look into it after discussing my weight. To give full disclosure, I haven't been to a doctor in quite sometime (probably close to 10 years), I just don't go. Other than my weight I'm fairly healthy. My first visit to my PCP early Aug I asked her to run a full blood panel and do a full work up on me since I haven't been to the dr in a long time. At that first visit my blood pressure was a little high so she put me a low dose blood pressure medicine. When I came in on my second visit to review my blood work, chest xray, sonogram, everything was good. Cholestrol good, sugar level good, thyroid good, liver function good, ovaries look good, heart looks good, and lungs look good and the only comorbidity I have is lower back pain. So all in all I'm pretty healthy with a little bit of high blood pressure and lower back pain. Also In my second visit to my PCP I disucssed my weight, I'm 5'4", 320lbs, 56 BMI and I'm 40. I'm single, never had children and been overweight all my life. My PCP recommended I look in to WLS and gave me a few surgeons to check out. She documented that visit as the start of the physician assisted weight loss management program as she knew most insurances require 6 months. Based on her recommendation I checked out the one surgeon that she recommended that was covered by Humana and went to a seminar that he held on WLS and that's when I decided on the VSG procedure. I have since had two appointments with that surgeon's office (one actually seeing the surgeon) and essentially I just need to complete my 6 months weight management program, have a psych evaluation and get a letter recommending this surgery from my PCP and submit to Humana for approval in Jan 2012. Just last week my work announced they revised the entire medical plan and the 2012 is completely different. It looks like Cigna will be the ins that I will have starting 2012. Since I won't be completing my 6 months weight plan this year I will have to qualify with Cigna's Bariatric guildlines and here is how they state their weight management programs: "Failure of medical management including evidence of active participation within the last two years in a weight-management program that is supervised either by a physician or a registered dietician for a minimum of six months without significant gaps." So I shared all of that to say, what is considered failure of the physican assisted weight managment program? I'm concerned that if I show weight loss and given my current health history (I'm pretty healthy, i'm just fat) that they might deny the surgery in Jan when I have completed my 6 month program. I would like to make effort during this time to lose weight to help with the surgery (about 15 -20 lbs) but I'm really concerned that Cigna will deny me the surgery stating that I didn't fail in the 6 month weight managment program since I would have lost weight. I would think that my BMI alone would be enough for the surgery even if I lost some weight during this 6 month time frame. I just don't want to ruin my chances with the surgery. Any advice would be helpful. :-)

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!

My surgery took about 2 hours. Band to Sleeve revision.

My surgeon is not against taking pain killers after the sleeve. He was at the seminar May 15th and at the support meeting Monday May 24th. Also, I met a 22 yr old that had been sleeved. She had constant acid gurgling up in her throat after the surgery. Doc says he's never had this happen. She had to be in the hospital for a month and could not swallow anything. He finally did a revision surgery. She now has a RNY and is doing fine. The only problem is now bragging about now being able to eat Doritos and she showed me the diet pop she was drinking.....:wink0: ! After all those problems and all that surgery (she also had her gallbladder out recently) I would think she would want to eat healthy and help her body heal itself!

I'm going to try and keep this from being too long, but there's so much to say!!! First I'll start with my newest NSVs. I'm officially in a size 18 clothes (from my original size 30), size 10 shoes (from my original size 11), size 6 1/2 ring (from my original size 10), 18" chain on a necklace (from my original 24" chain), and 2x jacket (from my original 4-5x). I can now comfortably fit on a massage table without fear of it creaking or breaking. I can now ride a bike because I'm within the weight limit. I now am able to hit my favorite thrift stores and walk out with seriously cute clothes that look nice, sit well on me, and actually fit comfortably!! My asthma is almost completely gone (I only have it when I get super sick now instead of all the time). My blood work came back and my hormone levels are almost in the normal range (I have PCOS) and my cysts that completely COVERED both ovaries are totally gone (without having taken any meds or done any hormone therapies!!) I did a 6 mile hike this past weekend with my son. I am completely pain free and am able to go full on beast mode with my workouts again. I can go up 5 flights of stairs before I need to stop and rest. Now for my new chapter in life and old dreams becoming new again. So years ago, I wanted to become a nurse. I completed all of the academics with a 4.0, aced all the labs, but couldn't do any of the clinicals because I couldn't do all the walking, I was 400 pounds, and my health/joints/back were way too bad. So I gave up on it. Then about 2 years later, I thought "well, maybe I can be a medical assistant. Surely THAT'S not as hard" and once again, I couldn't do the externship because I couldn't do the physical stuff. So I went into other areas for work, ballooned up to 421 pounds, worked remotely, and made good money. I loved what i did, but there was always a part of me that regretted not being able to go into the medical field. That was my heart's desire. So fast forward to now. I'm between jobs and miserable. I had to stop working because of all my complications from my first surgery. Now that I've been cleared, I can't get hired anywhere. So I decided that now is a great time to go back to my dream of working in the medical field. So on Sept 5th, I start school to become a certified pediatric oncology medical assistant. Most of my previous credits transfer over, so I only have about 6 months of academics to do and then the externship. Then I sit for my certification exam and then I get to finally FINALLY do what I've always wanted to do. By my 46th birthday next June, I should be right where I want to be, doing what I want to do, and hopefully at my goal weight. I'm sitting here in tears as I type this, because I thought this was something I would never see happen. I resigned myself to being morbidly obese, extremely unhealthy, and needing a cane to get around. I may not be at my goal weight (the weight comes off a lot slower with a revision, and also as your bmi gets smaller and you get closer to your goal) but I believe eventually I'll get there. But the things this surgery is giving to me, the dreams I can live out, the health and wellness and years of my life I'm getting back..... it was all worth it. The complications, the uncertainty, the pain and healing and stalls.... all completely worth it. We all start this journey wanting the numbers on the scale to go down. But there's SO MUCH MORE this surgery gives you. I will never, ever regret my decision. Never.

My revision from band to sleeve took 3 hrs. But I also had tons of scar tissue from the band being in for ten yrs. plus he fixed a hernia and yanked the ol gallbladder. First two days were rough. Day three was a big improvement in fact I rode seven hours home and went shopping at Walmart. Feeling much better now. Walking is the key.

My revision took about 90 minutes. I was lucky and had very little scar tissue and I was surprised to find that I didn't have a hernia after throwing up every day for almost three years. My recovery has been easier than the band. I have little pain worth mentioning other than gas pain and feeling a little sore. Very happy with my decision!

Hi Alexandra, I had my band revised the same week you had yours removed. My old band was taken out because of a slip and a new band was put in. I have gained 20 pounds also.....I am living your pain. I have joined weight watchers, but I am having a hard time. Everytime I step on the scale it is a biger number. I have no restriction, I am trying to use this as a lesson. I have an appointment to get a fill, don't give up. My insurance paid for the new band even though they would not pay for the original one? go figure? Just don't give up, we creating more than skinny bodies. We are in the process of tranforming our lives. It is a process and there is bound to be a few lessons along the way. Jennifer

By the (very skewed) BMI charts, I should weight 118-127lbs. BUT, the national average for a woman my height and age is 137lbs. I literally bounce between 123-130lbs any given time so I guess I fall on the higher side of the "ideal" weight. My surgeon explained that when we are heavy for so many years our bones grow more dense to accommodate the weight. That was his reasoning for setting my goal weight at 150lbs instead of the lower end. I'm only 5'2" and today I weigh 126lbs, so that puts me at the high end of the BMI chart, but I'm in a size 2 jean, and an Xsmall to small top. I have huge knee, elbow and ankle joints assuming they're huge because I was morbidly obese for 10+years. We share the similar stats as I started off at 270 with the band, lost 23lbs initially, gained back 16lbs waiting on my revision, so that gave me a 7lb loss with the band, and a 138lb loss with the sleeve alone for a total of 145lbs lost. I used this "chart" to chart my loss, and my success, plus it gives a really great report at the end. I think it gave me a good idea of where I "needed" to be at goal, and life after. http://www.thinnerself.com/files/Expect_Chart.htm

There are many reasons for having a revision and it's not always due to eating too much. Just my 2 cents

So my question is to all of you, how many of you are revisions from LapBand? I tend to get really pissy about people who haven't lived with a LapBand judging me for having revision surgery. If you haven't walked in my shoes, don't judge-you haven't experienced multiple "stuck" episodes where you feel like you will die because you cannot even swallow your own saliva. You haven't experienced the feeling of food sitting in your esophagus, not getting past the band, because the Band has impacted your ability to swallow. My request is that you not be quick to judge what you don't know. Don't make assumptions that band failure is strictly caused by the user. Don't judge my ability to be successful with the VSG because I had a device in place that did not work the way it was supposed to. Don't for a minute assume anything about any of us that are forced to revise-I was prepared for my LapBand surgery and I fully expected to have the band until I died. I was compliant with routine maintenance-saw the surgeon, bariatric Doctor, weight management center staff including dietitian and exercise physiologist for over six years and sought out therapy to address my food issues for three years. I don't need any of you to judge whether or not I was worthy of revision surgery. Bottom line is, if this isn't your journey, don't make assumptions about those of us who are. And while I'm on this, why does it matter to you WHY someone is revising?? Does it impact your life if I choose to revise and I am approved by my medical care team? Just saying... Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hello All, Long time a member but have been away a long time. I was banded in April 2012 at 488lbs. My lowest weight attained was 170. I have since over the years climbed back up to 328. Monday, Jan 8th I am scheduled for a conversion to bypass. Removing my band as well as my gallbladder. Any advice would be appreciated. It's been 10 years. I imagine somethings have changed while some haven't. I know it's a tool. I know the weight doesn't fall off overnight. The band saved my life. I hope bypass gets me back on track. Thanks, Jim.

If you read the posts you will see that no one has issues with medically necessary revisions but at least a few times a week some one starts a thread basically saying that they successfully lost weight but regained it and are angry that their insurance wouldn't pay for another surgery. A few of them have had lap band revised to sleeve, not because of a mechanical problem, but because they regained the weight and call it a surgery "failure" (the i r words not mine) and are now seeking an RNY. The sleeve doesn't "break" and the stomach capacity can be evaluated. If the sleeve works why risk another major surgery? My concern is that for these people the underlying food issues have clearly not been resolved. To my way of thinking performing another surgery is unethical. I myself was sleeved on 10/25 and though I have never had GERD or any digest problems before but I now have severe GERD I sometimes vomit up even with the Protein shakes. It might improve. I'm hoping it does. Of course, one would want to live with this for the rest of their lives. No one should have to. I hope this clarifies the reason the thread was started. God luck with

Hm just saw my third post on this site today re the band revision where the person indicates the band broke after pregnancy. That is when mine stoped functioning properly before it eventually broke. She had it happen twice! 2 bands broke, one after each pregnancy. She is now getting a revision. Wonder if that is a thing?

Sorry wish I could help you just had revision on 9/27, but had band removed at same time. I had horrible success with the band mine slipped quite a few times so all Fluid would have to come out and would have to wait at least 3 months before starting the fills again. Good luck Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I am a band to sleeve revision. I lost 50lbs with the lap band but put 25 back on. I had the revision done Aug.17th and so far no more pain and belching like with the band. I am 35 lbs total. I went 8 months completely unfiilled with the band to reduce all the swelling and inflammation, I did put on about 10 lbs during that time. It didn't bother me because I knew I was getting a revision. Don't sweat it and follow the steps so you can have the revision soon!! Good luck!!

I had a revision done on November 14 from the sleeve to the loop DS. I haven’t really lost anything. How much have you lost? Starting to get concerned

I saw more than just a handful of revisions in my support group. A LOT of band revisions due to complications, and some sleeve to bypass due to GERD or regain. The former banders were generally more successful the second time around. But bottom line with any of them was if the patient didn't drastically change their lifestyle, the revision was just as much of a failure as the first time around. It was very frustrating for me to watch so many make the same mistakes and come to group with all the same complaints, never really holding themselves accountable for the failures. Or worse yet, knowing what the problem was but not taking the steps to correct it. There was one surgeon in my area that refused to do revisions unless the patient first went through six months of psychiatric therapy to address their food addictions and/or eating disorders. The psych had to give two thumbs up before surgery was approved. A lot of patients were pissed and looked for another surgeon. But for those that didn't, they were very happy with the help they got and were quite successful the second time around.

My surgeon recommended starting with the sleeve, and then at a later date it can be revised (if needed). If you start bypass then the sleeve would do no good.

I don't know how a person gets obese without overeating on a regular basis! But I have seen those posts too. I have no idea. As far as food addiction, I think I used and sometimes abused food but I'm not one of those that struggled to comply with the food stages/rules after surgery by any means. So I actually don't think I was ever a food addict. But if we are saying food addict is like other substance addiction, there must also be recovery right? Sent from my SM-N910T using the BariatricPal App I got obese not by overeating, but by having to take 60mg of prednisone a day, monthly decadron IV infusions and the inability to be active due to a debilitating illness. The end result of the steroids? No metabolism. Little to no adrenal function. There are those of us around here that didn't overeat. I'm no better than anyone else because mine wasn't a food addiction, I'm simply saying that there ARE other reasons for serious weight gain and inability to lose it. I personally know several people who had Lap Band and serious repercussions from it. Horrid stuff!! Two went on to have Sleeve, one did nothing after it was removed. The two sleeve revisions have been Ubër successful. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App