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I am so glad that you are still reaching out to your team and posting here. I won’t get too far into my story but because of “confusion,” about my mental health, interactions with meds and embarrassment the help I got from my team was not working for me and I gave up. I continued to gain and now I am back here facing revision weighing a little more than when I started this journey. People here are very helpful and understanding but your team should be giving you answers too. Sounds like they have a plan for the next step if need be and that’s great. if all else fails, The phentermine is the one medication that I could try which did work amazing during the day for me but I suffer from insomnia and when I can’t sleep I eat. So, the meds worked wonderfully during the day but at night, with my larger sleeve and being awake so many times, I was able to consume too much for the whole day and I still gained. But I can see how if you sleep throughout the night it really could work. I didn’t get to try mountjourno or any of the other brands it’s sold under because of financial reasons but if you can swing it, I have heard AMAZING things about that medicine too (there are some side effects for some people to consider). People claim they think they must know how skinny brains feel after taking it. They just don’t ever have to think or worry about food. One lady has to set alarms if she is busy to remind herself to eat something. Another drawback is how long you have to take it. Some say when you go off it you start to gain. They are doing studies now where they are trying to work out a maintenance dose that may be less than the regular dosage though. There are also places that are starting to “compound” it at compounding pharmacies. I wouldn’t necessarily trust the stuff from random sites online but my PCP was telling me they were working on getting it in their office and it is less than half the normal cost that way. I don’t know much about the other weight loss drug options because I couldn’t take them with my bipolar meds Interestingly, i just seen an ABC special Oprah did on weight loss injections the other night. (Ironically it was the day I went back to see my surgeon so I thought maybe it was meant to be which is why I inquired about them with my PCP). I’m really hoping that reached someone that has the power to change how accessible these meds are. I asked my pcp and she said it’s probably going to take a little while like everything else and she thinks at this point I shouldn’t wait on surgery for that but if your interested keep asking questions because these things tend to just change in the middle of the night and the word takes a while to reach you if you not the one asking. Anywahs, kudos to you for not giving up. Let your team do all they can to help you and keep posting here!!. I think when I stopped that I lost all hope. I was so isolated. Surrounded by skinny family and having only one heavyset friend who is perfectly content being that way I don’t have a lot of real life people who understand me the way that this community does. I felt so ashamed and I didn’t want to drag down the vibe here with my failures. Since I have returned I have been welcomed with open arms and honestly don’t know why I ever doubted that I would be. Keep doing what your doing and you will work this out. I know it. 🤗

Superslim I am super confused. Have you gained 22 pounds since the revision? Or did you gain 22 pounds during the slipped period. And if you are hungry and still on fluids then it will get better when you start a normal diet. I'm 5 & 1/2 months and I can really get hungry. Starving like the old me, but a few bites later full like the new me. You really are going to have to cut out the bad habits. I don't go to any fast food any longer. I can stop and get a shake at a convenience store or a P3 lunchable at a grocery or many other things. I try to have stuff with me or make sure I'm home during meal times. I hope the sleeve will give you the permanent tool to get back to your goal and maintain !!!!

It's really hard to tell for sure, especially since you are a revision and that may effect the size and shape of your sleeve. I have read that a lot of revisions from lap-band have scar tissue in their stomachs that their surgeons have to work around. The good news is, a LOT of the outcome of your surgery is in your control! If you stick to the plan, get your water, get your protein, get your vitamins, and exercise regularly, then you'll lose the weight. The sleeve is just a tool, remember. It's up to you how you use that tool to achieve success.

You nailed it about the “mind hunger.” I didn’t have it as much with the original bypass, probably because those no-no foods felt uncomfortable and/or I dumped, always out the back way. It took almost 2 years to be able to eat the bad stuff. After what turns out to be Part 1 of my revision surgery, it took a lot less, plus I don’t dump. I spoke with my surgeon to say that I wasn’t sure the Argon zapping was working, and she told me that the revision process takes several surgeries and that I should have been contacted by their obesity management team and scheduled for the next procedure. They’re working on scheduling that for August, and I’m in contact with the team. She also suggested calorie counting, as well as some of those online weight management sites like Noom. It’s as much about how you think of food and realizing why you overeat. I was getting therapy, but it was once a month, and I don’t think it really helped.

I experienced the weight stall and constipation. However, the weight that I have lost took a big load off my back, and I’m not in as much pain from that. I actually ended up in the ER because I was so constipated. I had tried to get it out the natural way, but it got stuck, and I was in so much pain and didn’t know what to do (this was the first time I had ever been constipated), so I called 911. Now it’s something I have to watch out for. I have Miralax and Lactulose on hand if it gets really bad. Try the Miralax first. Get incontinence pads, like Tena, and place them in pairs in the usual place and behind those (you’re going to leak). Also get disposable incontinence Chuks for wherever you sleep, because you’ll leak there, too. Have disposable gloves on hand and be prepared to glove up and get it out manually when it gets stuck, and you can’t push it out without feeling like you’re going to split in half. I know it’s gross, but I lost 6 pounds in about 5 days. I spoke with my surgeon, and she told me that stalls and constipation are to be expected with revision surgery. Talk to your surgeon about your concerns, and ask if there are other options that you can do. I learned that the Argon Coagulation surgery I had was only the first of several to expect.

Banded 11 months Started at 205. Currently at 141.4. Wanted to lose 75 pounds. Revised to 70 pounds Have lost 63.6 pounds. 27 of that was pre-op. Rating of 10. I love the way I look, the way I feel. But biggest difference is in the bloodwork. Triglyceride count from 399 to 133. Overall cholesterol normal. Hga1c is 5.0 from being a type 2 diabetic. Pretty awesome. Did I mention I'm hot now??

It seems that you're leaning towards the sleeve, but you should take your doctor's recommendation into account. IIRC, though, you can revise to a GB or DS (duodenal switch) from a Sleeve if there is a need. Some of my reading indicates that the sleeve procedure was originally used in WLS patients as a precursor to a full GB, but the sleeve worked so well it began to be used as a stand-alone procedure. Did he give you other specifics about why the GB might be better for you than the sleeve? Perhaps your doctor is more comfortable performing the GB than the sleeve. In that case, you may want to seek a different surgeon. Ultimately, it is your decision. My surgeon and I discussed all three options (VSG, GB and LB) before he recommended the sleeve, which I had already been leaning toward anyway. Had I wanted one of the others, Dr D would have given me what I wanted, but he made a very clear cut case for the sleeve vs the other surgeries, IMO.

Congratulations on your approval for conversion. I look forward to sharing our experiences. My band was placed in 2007 and I was very successful losing 160 pounds. Back in July, 2012, I encountered several issues. 1. On some days I couldn't eat and others I could eat a lot (evidence of band slippage); 2. vomiting after meals; 3. pain where the band was located. Doctor removed Fluid from band to provide some relief. An endoscopy revealed that I had an esophageal ulcer, lesions in my esophagus, and a hiatal hernia. A second endoscopy indicated that the ulcer had healed and no erosion or other issues with the band existed. Doctor then recommended revision surgery. I have maintained weight and have gained about 20 pounds since July (not too bad).

Right now, I am banded and have been since 2011. I am getting revision surgery to the sleeve mid-March of 2015. As far as my surgeon has shared with me, both the band and the sleeve are restrictive procedures. There is no dumping as with the bypass surgery which works in part due to malabsorption and where dumping syndrome is more common. Still, parts of mindful awareness can be beneficial to eating slowly and saviring one's foods for several types of surgical procedures. Perhaps not all aspects will apply to everyone and bariatric rules such as eating protein first, etc must always be followed.

Something to consider when thinking about getting a revision to a vertical sleeve or a bypass. In both of these surgeries, the stomach continues to produce ghrelin (bypass) or learns how to start producing it again after the stomach is removed (vertical sleeve). They are beginning to see a number of bypass and sleeve patients come back for a band in order to control this hunger. In the case of bypass and sleeve, you still have to control what you put in your mouth and how much. Neither surgery absolves the patient of responsibility. If the posts on a few other forums (mainly bypass and sleeve people) are any indication, many of these people only lose the weight they would have as a result of surgery but never lose the rest. Quite a few end up gaining the weight back. Yes there are some successful people, but if you read their posts it's because they understand that they still have to use self-control and put in the hard work. WLS...whether band, bypass or sleeve...is not a magic bullet. At some point *we* have to put in the hard work and if we don't/won't, well then we'll just have to get used to being fat for the rest of our lives. .

I too had originally planned on getting the band. But, after lots of research, I found it's not so great and definitely not risk free. Plus, if the band was so great, how come so many get revisions from the band to the sleeve?

@@Halfagain our stories are the same! Banded in 2001...removed Sept 2011...sleeved Dec 2011. Been at goal for awhile. Revision was the BEST decision ever. My port area was very sore and then weird for weeks. I got a little depressed after band was out... maybe the sense of failure? Anyway here I am years later with no regrets about my revision.

Thank you everyone for your responses! For some reason I lost this thread and glad I found it again I have been approved for my revision and I am very nervous. I am taking 3 weeks off from work then returning to a sedentary job. Do you think that will be enough? I am also going on a short cruise (3 nights) at 5 weeks out of surgery. Anyone think it will be an issue? Thank you all for sharing. I sometimes feel very alone in this whole thing and your words mean a lot to me

Well I did it! After 14 years with the band almost to the day, I had the band removed, a hernia repaired, and the sleeve on October 1st. The first few days were rough due to pain but today I am two weeks out, back at work, and feeling pretty good. I am still on full liquids and start pureed foods tomorrow. I am glad to have the revision behind me and look forward to life with the sleeve

I had banding done in 2001 and revision done in October 2019. I have to say I feel very underinformed about the differences in the surgery. Eating has gone well and I no longer have the acid reflux or vomiting issues I did with the band. SO I consider the surgery a success.

My panni was just denied by insurance. I have a *** and needed to get a reference from my GP to see the plastic surgeon then approval from my GPs medical referral bc the doctor my Bariatric surgeon recommended was not in their office (eyeroll). I have lost 105ish lbs and I need one! I’m wondering a few things and hoping you all can help me figure this out. First I’m wondering if I got denied bc the surgeon I went to was not out of my GPs office? They had one to give me but when I researched him he was a hand doctor who did plastic surgery also. Secondly I’m wondering if the plastic surgeon I went to was ridiculously expensive and that’s why it was denied. Tummy tuck was 12,500 and breast lift was 12,000. I know only the panni part is covered but this surgeon does both for same price. Thirdly and most importantly I’m wondering what my rights are to appeal something like this. I plan to call in the morning but wanted to get my ducks in a row and have a clue what I was going to ask them at the insurance company. Band to sleeve revision surgery 1/16/17 HW: 283 CW: 177 GW: 160

Ok, I know this will be kind of long, but I am going to include as much info as I can about my slippage. Hopefully it will answer a question or two, or maybe help someone avoid a slip. To start, I was 209lbs, 5'2", not super overweight my BMI was 38 I think. My insurance stinks, so they wouldn't cover the surgery. I have no other medical problems or comorbidies. I was banded 2-8-08 by Dr Corvala in Tijuana, Mex. The surgery cost me $8,000, plus $350 airfare. My surgery went soo smoothly. No problems at all. I did have the regular gas pains, but I was up and walking the halls and outside the next morning. I found a local Bariatric Surgery hospital that accepted Mexico banded patients. I chose to go through them for my aftercare and fills. My first visit with the local doc was on 3-21-08 (6wks post-op). I met the doc, gave her all the info I had from Mexico. Did almost an hour consultation on the aftercare process. Then went into the x-ray room for my first fill. The fill doctor was super nice and explained the fills process. The contrast was gross, but oh well. I was filled 1.8cc. This initial visit and fill cost me $550. I was told to wait about 2 weeks and come back for another fill. I had no restriction, and my doc does not require any after fill diet. My 2nd appt was 4-10-08. I did not see the actual doctor, just the fill doctor. I was given 1.4cc and told to come back in 2 weeks. This visit cost me $385. I had no restriction still. My 3rd appt was 6-6-08. Again, just the fill doc. I was first given 1.6cc and could not swallow the contrast. He took out 1cc and I was fine. So, I was increased .6cc. Again, 2 weeks and come back. After my 3rd fill, I was restricted and loving it. I could eat right at 4oz of food and be very satisfied. If I tried to eat more, I would PB it. I was in heaven! Losing weight steadily and really with not much strenuous exercise. Just walking and playing with my kids a bunch. Then, on about 9-16-08 (7mo post-op), I started noticing that I couldn't eat or drink anything. I would drink and it would come right back up. I knew this wasn't good. I remember waking up on 9-17 and getting a drink of water and pb'ng a bite of food from dinner the night before (12 hrs later). I thought that I had just ate something that got stuck and it wasn't coming up or going down. I hoped it would clear up on its own, so I waited, and waited. At night when I was sleeping I would get woke up by my body pb'ng on its own. I had some heartburn, BUT NEVER ANY PAINS. Then found myself Friday morning (9-19-08) calling the doctor. I explained to them that I though I had something stuck and have been pb'ng for almost 4 days. The nurse very scheduled me for a "look and see" check. I went in about 3 hours later. When I got there the fill doc had me drink the contrast and said "uh-oh". My heart sunk. He said that I had a band slippage. Then he proceeded to accuse me of overeating. I told him that I was very set on keeping my portions to the 4 oz or less and I did not abuse the band by eating 'cheat' foods or such. When I defended myself with the 4oz comment, HE FREAKED OUT. He said that I should never eat 4oz, that is waay too much. He said that my meal size should be 1-2 oz and up to 5 meals a day. I was like "WHAT?!?!?" Finally he admitted that I probably did have something stuck in my band since I was borderline too tight. And that all of the pb'ng caused part of my stomach to come up through the band and enlarged the pouch. It is called a band slippage, but in reality unless a stitch is busted, it is really just the stomach moving up or down the band. The band didn't move on me, it was my stomach tissue. So, the fill doc took 3cc out of my 3.8cc fill. He advised me that I will come back in 2 weeks to see if the stomach tissue has went back down where it should be. I asked him about liquids or anything to help fix it. He said no liquids, that won't help pull the tissue back down. Just eat normal foods like chicken and steak, and keep the meals to 1-2oz, NO MORE. He also stated to me that if the unfill does fix it, we can SLOWLY proceed with very small fills and to be super vigilant on my eating because I will be more prone to slips from now on. If this doesn't fix the slip, I would need a revision. This visit cost me another $385. Then I get home, very depressed and upset thinking that I had done exactly as told and this crap happens. I came on LBT to see what info I could find about slippage and see what hope I have. I am very confused about different doctors having different directions and ideas on how to fix a slip. My doc says liquids won't help at all.... Oh, and I also found out when I got back home that all along I thought I had a 10cc band, when really I have a 4cc (10cm) band. So, I thougth I was lucky and got restriction with 3.8cc, when I was really very full and didn't know it. DAMN THE LUCK. So, now I am waiting, hungry all the time, I have 4 more days until I go back to see if the unfill helped fix my band slip. The good news, if there is any, is that I have lost 50lbs in 7.5 months. Only 34 more to go until I reach my goal of 125lbs!!!!!!!!!!!! I think that is everything, at least for now...:thumbup:

I was lucky that my surgeon will do the revision in one surgery. It was nice only having one hospitalization, recovery, etc. My lap band was over 10 years old so I'm not sure the age of the band is a factor as much as the scar tissue is and once it forms it might not get worse the longer it's there. Good luck, y'all! However you do it, it is TOTALLY worth getting that useless band and port out. I can lay on my stomach without the port sticking into me without pain now!

I had my band unfilled last June. I only had 3.5 cc in my 11cc realize band and it was tight as a drum, only drops of barium would go through. I now have a GI motility disorder and still cannot eat most foods. I'm hoping to revise to VSG.

If you have your heart set on the sleeve and your surgeon will do a sleeve with your diagnosis of Barret's you must also see if your insurance would allow for a sleeve to bypass revision in case reflux gets to bad. Most insurances will only cover 1 procedure per lifetime check the fine print. My surgeon wouldn't do a sleeve on me because of my diagnosis of Barret's so I had the bypass on the 15th of June. Hope this helps. Best of Luck.

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.

Well, hindsight is always 20/20. I think, when I was making the decision, I was much more tortured about it. It is a unique dilemma to have already committed and paid for a weight loss surgery and it doesn't work. I did not lose much weight with the band and it didn't slip, but it was uncomfortable and was doing me no favors. I was self pay both times, so it isn't just the failure of the band, but paying for both surgeries. It's a major fail either way you look at it and I am not the type of person who takes failure lightly. I think it is good that I had the sleeve in this time because I think the procedure has evolved and it much better now than it used to be. Of course, I wish I had never had to deal with a failed lap band. The sleeve is everything the band promised, without the BS. I never had much success witht he band. You did have success, though, and I can see where you may feel odd about losing it. I couldn't wait to get that piece of crap out of my body. When I went in for surgery, I was totally at peace with the idea that, even if I didn't lose any weight, I would be OK. I was getting the band out and I was doing the VSG as insurance. I just didn;t want to get any heavier. When I woke up in the afternoon after surgery, I touched my port site and almost cried - I was so happy there was no more hardware in my belly. Another revision patient that was a very low weight (she had good success with the band until there were complications) is Loouuu (not sure how to spell it). It's not crazy to do VSG with a BMI of 30. Just think, You are almost all the way home!! After VSG you will have a new surge of success. Some people do VSG on a virgin stomach at that BMI. Just make sure to find a good surgeon who has lots of experience with revisions - we are a little more risky.

I thought I replied to this but can't find it... Anyway - I had a banded plication Feb, 2011 and I'm currently preparing to be revised to a sleeve in June, 2013. I had good restriction for about 6-9 months and then after that, my stomach returned to almost normal size Good luck to you! Jenn

Susan: soooo happy (& relieved) to find out that your port revision went well!!! Yayyyy!!!!

no problem Mac..... Have you been approved Yet? Reason i'm asking..... most insurance requires 35 BMI with 2 co morbids. When i had my band in 2009 it was the requirement. ORRR 40 BMI which is where i was. 5'2" and 232lbs. This time i didn't have to because i was still considered a revision even though my band was removed 2.5+ years ago. My bmi this time was 31. SW 173.5..... Today, 145.2 Fk yes.... Back to you.... if you have not be approved yet, you may want to lay off the dieting. Some insurance with not approve you if they see a weight loss. My dr. advised me to not lose anything till i got the final approval. Did you go watch the youtube vids...??? I've been in the WLS community for over 10 years and he is 100% right with everything he says..... no sugar coating with him at all.