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Dear Jay, You are not alone, i too am being revised from band to sleeve on the first and I am so scared, my boyfriend ( feel funny saying that, since i am 54yrs old) is giving me a hard time and saying things like something could happen, it s non reversible, your too old..blah, blah blah....I end up doubting my decision and wonder if i am being extreme in my decision. but then i remember what it was like before i lost my initial 60 lbs with the band and i could never go back to that. i have had a prolapse and a revision of the band and in the last 6 months gained back 40 lbs of the 104 i initially lost and i know if i dont do something, i will be back to where i was 2 1/2 years ago...i feel like screaming when he starts on me day after day, but i have to have faith in God, my surgeon and myself. Our old friend pizza will hopefully be replaced by something much more healthy, and just as satisfying..stay strong and do what you believe is right for you and you can always call on me and everyone else on this site for support if your not getting it at home...hugs to you, keep me posted and i'll be thinking of you on our surgery day...lol ~vicki~

I hvnt been banded yet but I will like to hear from the folks who think the band failed them. Can u be honest as to why u hvnt lost the weight? Do you cheat? Do you not exercise? I'm not here to judge, just curious bc I would think if everyone really stuck to the meal plan and exercise wouldn't a person band or no band still lose the weight. I see on sleeve site, some bandsters r doing the band to sleeve revision, I personally couldn't imagine cutting 85% of my stomach off, and besides I know that there isn't any surgery that is fail-proof bc it's all a tool and u can still gain the weight back. I'm on this site to learn how I can be the best bandster and what traps to avoid bc I want to be successful like all the 100+ losers

I'm right there with you. My revision is in 14 days - god I can't believe it! I am freaking out and having second thoughts just like I did with my band: maybe I can do it on my own, maybe I should just buy an elliptical trainer, maybe . . . But I know this will be a good thing.

I have it on my kindle fire hd! Revision 1/31/13 by Dr Cabrera and Venezuela in MX

I had abdominal surgery as well VSG revision and my drain was only in for 2 days. It's no big deal really as Stacy said. It's not pleasant when they take it out but it doesn't really hurt. Don't worry about it.

I can feel my port under the skin. I hope this is not what you mean by popping out. I am two weeks post-op and self-pay. I would hate to have to pay for a revision!

Welcome! To answer your question, there is a whole forum dedicated to band-to-sleeve revisions on here....just scroll down on the main page till you see it....you will find TONS of info there! And many, many great, uplifting stories! Good luck!!

I would recommend you checking out the recent complications that have been found with this procedure. There are 2 major complications posted here, and a year ago when it first started gaining popularity, there were several stories on obesityhelp referring to slower/lower weight loss, hunger remaining, and complications from the pleating/folding of the tissue. Also, one of the main surgeons posted a few months back that he was going to stop performing the surgery because of the poor results and increase in complications. Personally, I had a band. The scarring was intense with just small portion of my stomach effected. But, with the plication a large portion of the stomach is altered and the results have been less than stellar. I would not have ever considered the plication for myself. I would recommend doing a search for TiajuanaPlication (member here) who is looking to revise to the sleeve, and then through the plication forum that is on the main forum page. I know one of the main Mexico surgeon that was heavily advertised it as the "super sleeve" and "sleeve killer" is now recommended it to only super low BMI patients because it just doesn't give the results as were first promised. The reversible procedures might be reversible, but as I learned (the very hard way with extensive damage to my stomach, and a leak with my revision, loss of more stomach tissue), reversible does NOT mean the damage can be repaired. Best wishes in your research.

I just wanted to introduce myself. I’ve been on the forums in the past to read all I can about the VSG surgery. Tons of great info here. I had the lap band placed on 2008 and finally had it removed last year because of a lot of complications. Now I am on the journey to VSG. Truthfully I should had had the revision when I had the band taken out, but the surgeon was against it. Now I am tracking my weight with my Dr. to fulfill the 6 month requirement for my insurance. My goal is to have the surgery sometime in July since that’s the timeline for the insurance, but we’ll see. Im sure there are others going through this same timeline so if your looking for support count me in. [emoji16]

I can't sleep so I'm up releasing my anxiety on Vertical Sleeve Talk. This is a revision for me. I had the band in Oct 2009 and recently the port flipped and band slipped. I opted to have it remove instead of repaired. My insurance company was gracious enough to approve the Gastric Sleeve. So the clock is ticking and I CAN'T SLEEP!!!! My surgery is scheduled for 7:30 am in Woodbridge VA. It's now past midnight so I can't even have a glass of wine or a tylenol PM. This is horrible. BUT I am soooooo looking forward to this. I bet I won't say that we I wake up in recovery. I've been told I may experience a short period of regret ( that haunting question... What have I gotten my self into) But that should be only temporary. So as SpongeBob Square Pants would say...I ready, I'm ready. I will keep all posted when I'm out of recovery and coherent. (Potomac Hospital rooms have internet access yeah!!) Goodnight all.

I have to echo what the others have said. You really can't compare yourself to anyone else. There are a lot of people that would kill for 62 pounds gone. However I do attribute my success to 1. Exercise: I work my butt off...infact I have been told several times now by several different medical professionals that I need to back off the amount of time I spent at the gym. I have been fairly steady with the amount of exercise that I have been doing from the beginning. However even though I was VERY FAT when I started this journey I have always been muscular, so that helps in burning off even more fat. 2. My diet. If I shouldn't eat it...It wasn't in the house. I have that luxury as I don't have kids and my BF was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO supportive that he just wouldn't bring stuff into the house and leave it where I could eat it. Didn't hurt that I became lactose intolerant after surgery and couldn't eat ice cream! I allowed myself to have small pieces of goodies...but not at home. Only if I was out at a restaurant. On top of that I followed every bandster rule almost to a T only breaking them on VERY rare occasions. I had specific times when I ate (6:30, 10:30, 2:30, 5:30) and I didn't eat anything else. I was an Atkins girl so I went mostly low carb...but that is just because carbs scare me more than an ax wielding psychopath! Getting Proteins was easy for me and I NEVER drank those AWFUL Protein drinks except after fills. So while this is all great and my neurotic, obsessive, controlling ways worked for me, I will guarantee that they would drive some to the point of insanity. So I have to agree with your doctor that you are right on track. Besides your weight is A NUMBER...and I am pretty certain that you are more than 1 single number. I am at 162 now...2 pounds away from my HIGHER revised goal because I am excited and elated over what I look like. I don't care what the damn scale says. If it doesn't think I am skinny enough that it can shove it cause my size 8 pants say a totally different thing. We were consumed by food, and now we are consumed by the scale. It has taken me a lot of long nights, boxes of Kleenex and 10.5 hours of talking to myself while driving in the car to realize that if I NEVER lose those last 2 pounds or I NEVER hit 150 that I have done an amazing job and that I am proud of myself. So in my opinion...keep doing what you are doing with the food and maybe pick up the exercise...but do it for size or for health...not for the scale.

I originally wanted RNY. I walked into the Surgeons office confident that I would fight for RNY no matter what. I have wanted the RNY surgery for 10 years now and just never had the nerve to get up and go do it. I walked out of my Surgeons office that day signed up to get the sleeve lol. The sleeve was actually the one I wanted least, I picked Lap-Band as my second choice and sleeve as third. If I knew then what I know now it would be VSG, RNY, Band. Here is why I am going to have the sleeve done VS. having the RNY done. Like tiffy said you have to make your own decision and I am not trying to convinve you this is the right way to go, it's just the right way for me to go. Also, I know Tiffy basically summed it all up for you but I will throw in my 2cents anyway just because I am a person who really really wanted RNY in the beginning. The Surgeon convinced me to get the sleeve because you lose almost as much weight without the malabsorbtion. That's a huge deal, especially in the future. In my case I also want to have more babies. I only have one 2yr old daughter and I am only 26 so having more kids is a huge YES in my book. The wait time between the VSG and the RNY are slightly different at his office. 18 months after surgery with VSG and 2 yrs after surgery with RNY. I will probably wait at least 2.5 years after surgery to even think about getting preggo again, I want to enjoy the skinny me awhile lol. I like knowing I could get pregnant earlier if I wanted to or had to. He also told me RNY adds more risks to a pregnancy as tiffykins said, so being I had a pretty rough pregnancy the first time around I won't do anything to add to it this time around. No problems on the babies end, all the problems on my end. I was a stinkin' wreck my whole pregnancy. Besides the pregnancy thing, which might not be something you care anything about, the Surgeon said it is less down time. You actually start feeling better faster, and back to a normal way of life faster. I mentioned earlier I have a 2yr old so the faster she can have her mommy back the better that is with me. I am a stay at home mom so I don't have to worry about going back to work or school, but getting better faster would be good for those who do. I am a binge eater, emotional eater, stress eater, bored eater, I am an everything eater. So with that being said the DR just said no RNY. I don't know if his reasoning is right but he said people like me with all these eating issues who get RNY WILL most likely gain the weight back and sometimes more. MORE, I started this at 250# and I don't wanna be MORE after going thru a major surgery. I know not everyone gains back their weight with RNY, but geeze the number that do is a whopper. I have been 315# before, when I was pregnant. After giving birth I was 290#. No thank you I don't want to be there ever again in my life. I believe he was fighting for me to get the sleeve because he is new to sleeving and wants me to be his poster girl. All the more power to him then, that means he will really want me to succeed. This is a fairly new procedure, and he has no doubts that I will do phenomenal. He has so much faith in me and the sleeve that I actually want to do it, I have no hesitation or doubts. Who am I to argue with a guy who cuts people open for a living right lol. Plus the added bonus for me is since I originally wanted the RNY he said he will make my new stomach the same volume size he would make a RNY patients. And also if I hate the VSG he can revise it to a RNY for me. I can't go wrong with the sleeve in my eyes. Don't let insurance push you around. I don't know your circumstances but MANY MANY people on here say they get denied the first time around. It's like the insurance companies like to test you or something because once you appeal they usually say yes. There are a lot of people on here who would be willing to help you and support you, so don't be too worried. Just keep doing research about everything, including the insurance process. I find the more I know the better I feel walking into a situation. Good Luck and keep us posted.

Can you kind of walk me through the first day? Check in, tests, etc? Catheter? If so, before you are asleep or after and when does it come out? How long are you hooked up to an IV? Are you feeling well enough to walk to the pharmacy by yourself the day before you leave? Is there an opportunity on the pre-op day? Are you allowed to eat whatever you want for dinner on pre-op day? Is there a decent place to eat at or very near the hotel? Do they really not have wash cloths at the hospital? Did you have diarrhea on going home day? If anyone had a revision: On me, Dr. Aceves plans on doing a barium swallow test and an endoscope under heavy sedation on pre-op day. If you had this done, how groggy were you after?

Ann Wilson was never a particularly compliant bandster from what I was able to read about her, so her results have been pretty mediocre. I believe she didn't keep up with getting fills as they were needed, etc. Carnie...regain...yes, you can regain with the RNY. The body starts to compensate for what was done. After about 18-24 months, the pouch will become more elastic and so the person can eat more than right after the surgery and the intestines still in use will grow denser villi which increases absorption of calories (ironically, the ability to absorb b12, Iron and Calcium never improve, but they start absorbing more and more of the calories eaten). After rapid loss and massive loss, there's not a whole lot left of the metabolism (few RNY patients really do much in terms of weight training to preserve/increase muscle mass). So add together: being able to eat more, having greater absorption of what is eaten and a slower metabolism and that = regain (or at least a heck of a struggle with maintenance). The best way I've been able to sum up a primary difference between the RNY and the band is that with the RNY, the most restriction you'll ever have is immediately after surgery, and with the band, the least restriction is right after surgery. You can't tighten up the RNY without a whole new procedure/revision. Nancy 394/275/180

I also had sleeve to bypass revision surgery on 10/28. I was very nervous before surgery remembering the pain from the sleeve surgery. With the sleeve I had a terrible time getting in my liquids the first several days. With the bypass I had no trouble getting in liquids even on the day of surgery. In fact I was worried the surgery was not successful since I could drink so easily. At my post-op appointment this past week the PA told me it was fine and I could drink all the liquids (Water and crystal light type drinks) that I want. Let's keep in touch!!

Just like you, he gets to make his own choice as this is his body and the rest of his life that he has to deal with. Like ChefNeil said, at the end of the day, y'all will likely be eating the same way anyway. Also, don't stress. Dr. Aceves told me he can convert the RNY to the sleeve with a revision if the person so chooses or if they stretch their pouch out and gain the weight back. Maybe the sleeve sounds too permanent to him? I mean come on, it's scary thinking omg...my stomach will be GONE! No turning back from that! So maybe for your husband it's a little too drastic for his taste. Everyone's weight loss is individual and you get out what you put into it so he may do just fine with the rny and you, better with the sleeve, who knows? Don't stress and try not to stress him out over this. let him know that since it's a malabsorption issue though, he will have to go in for lab work every few months (I think for the first year but not sure about that). Renee`

Low carb, less than 30-40gr per day will not only get your body in fat burning mode, it'll shrink the slimy/slippery fat deposits on your liver. I had a 49BMI right before my revision, and I didn't have a liquid pre-op diet, and the night before surgery I could have whatever I wanted. Just clear fluids after dinner then nothing by mouth after midnight. I personally wouldn't torture yourself with liquids only. Eat lean, high Protein foods, low carbs, nothing white, cut sugar, cut flour, and you'll see results.

I've had both. VSG was not available when I had my band so in my mind, the band was the lesser of 2 evils between RNY and the band. My story is horrific, and it was only in my body for 8 months before I HAD to revise. Keeping it in my body was not an option. Of course, I was drawn to it for the same reasons as many because it's marketed to be safe. I knew the complications, but I also thought I could beat the risks like a few other band patients did. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. When I had to revise, I could have easily had RNY, but I fought for the sleeve. It might be permanent, but it's also the least complicated. It's a straight forward surgery. The recovery is often bumpy with getting liquids in, but it would be temporary. I'm over 2 years out with VSG, and love life. It's the best thing I ever did for myself and my family. I always tell people to think twice, cut once. The stats on the band are getting worse. There have been recalls, speculation on class action lawsuits are stirring in the lapband community, and the number of complications are on the rise. Best wishes in your research ! ! !

That is a load of horse puckey, he's full of crap. They should know to expect weight regain. I had a slipped band that was removed. I went from about 280 (at removal, up from a low of about 215) to just under 350 in 7 months. It is not realistic to expect no weightloss to occur when you're waiting on a revision. For one, your body is wired to want to gain weight, especially if your complication resulted in extreme restriction. For two, no matter how hard you try, it's going to be really easy to slip back into bad behaviors eventually -- just because you can. I started eating a Breakfast sandwich every morning even though I wasn't hungry, because the novelty of being able to eat breakfast was just so awesome... and then it became a behavior. Here's my take. Maybe you can use some of these points to reason with your surgeon. regardless of weight, being banded has given you some tools that should help with success with the sleeve: core behavioral changes, and understanding of what the whole WLS process is like; an idea of the mental road coming; an ability to find balance rather than short-term deprivation, etc. with nothing in place to restrict intake, how are you supposed to maintain weight? It is proven that when you stop losing, your body makes it much harder than normal not to gain. So you're in a more volatile gain period, and have nothing to help you (mechanically speaking). You lost weight because you had a band, so what's his rationale for it not being OK to gain when the band is gone? When my band came out, I gained almost 20 lbs in a week. But I still felt restriction, and I was not eating much more than before surgery. What I gained was not fat. It was weight. I'd been so fricking dehydrated that the Water weight just packed on. Most people who have their bands removed are fairly dehydrated because of it. You're going to gain some weight, and it's a healthy gain (not fat gain, weight gain - hydration in this case) Instead of seeing it "if you can't do it on your own, you can't do it with the sleeve" (which, if that ws true, no one here would be anywhere near goal because I can pretty much guarantee that everyone here tried to do it on their own, yet here we are...) he should be seeing it as "you're that much ahead of someone doing this for the first time, so let's get you some help and get you healthy."

I have a bridge on the top front 4 teeth and have been through surgery twice (Lapband in Aug 10 and then revision May 29th) and each time I told the anesthesiologist about it and nothing happened to them during surgery.

Actually I have had adequate followup care. Minor adjustments to the band, food changes etc. I have had the band going on 4 years, this isn't like I just got it last week. Last year I had symptoms where I felt like someone was pulling on my throat, so I went to a surgeon that specialized in the band and after all the tests they decided it was my Gallbladder and it needed to be removed. So I told the surgeon I didn't think that was what it was but because it had a lot of stones in it taking it out was probably the best thing to do. But I also told him to check the band and check the fill line because the discomfort I was feeling was just that, a pulling sensation. When he removed the gallbladder he found that a section of cavity fat and flopped onto the cable and was indeed pulling the fill line, so he repositioned the cable and also added a stitch to the backside of the band (one had apparently come loose somehow). After that I had minor pains but I just assumed it was the stitch healing. I waited 6 months and got another small fill and everything was fine. Three weeks ago I started getting sharp pains when I twisted my body, I feel like I have something gripping my chest right behind my breast bone. I have seen the surgeon, he wants to do a endoscopy and then a exploratory lapriscopy to check the inside and outside of the area and maybe remove scar tissue and shorten the fill line. My thing is, how many surgeries do I want to have and complications before it is too much? I am not getting younger. This pain is currently barely tolerable. I am taking two nexium a day right now. I can't find a doctor in the area that takes my insurance and does the band, even though I live 15 minutes from Washington DC! Sure there are surgeons around that do t, but none seem to be in the United Healthecare EPO plan (In network doctors only). The current surgeon I am going to was in network and was covered for my regular checkups and maintenance but is now out of network. I did get my insurance to give me a GAP coverage for him to perform the two listed proceedues. Since I couldn't find a doctor within 30 miles and niether could the insurance company. But After 3 surgeries for this, I am beginning to question if it is worth it to have another. The pain I am having right now is not fun, I love the weight loss I have had, but is it worth this? Everyday I wait for help is another that convinces me getting a revision would be worth it. Do I want to get one, right now yes. But maybe it is just a desire to get help for the pain. If I wasn't in pain, or discomfort, I wouldn't want to get it removed. Fear is a powerful thing. I also know where the band is and I know where the pain is, and they are both in the same spot. I was right about the last complication, I am probably right about this one. Naturally I am not an expert surgeon, but I know when something is wrong, pain says so. My family wants me to get it removed, they don't like me staying up all night because it hurts to laydown, hurts to situp, can't sleep from worry: eat foods other than salads and Soups because it hurts. I loved the band when I got it, still love what it has done for me. Didn't like getting a new port put in because the first was too big. Hated getting my gallbladder removed because fatty tissue was pulling on the fill line. Don't want to go in and get another surgery to see what is going on on the outside, maybe fix a line issue, or something, and then have to go back again for some other possible complication. I am reaching out to help myself decide what my limit is for weightloss to pain/discomfort. Where do the surgeries end? That is why I am considering a reversion.

Im not morbidly obese and Im revising. I reached my goal weight with the band and kept it off for 7 years but one little overfill ruined everything for me. I couldn't even swallow my own saliva and had reflux like I never thought possible. Barium swallow revealed slipped band and surgeon suggested revision after removal. The last three months without my band "off switch" have been so bad for me. Food and I are never going to be friends without some additional help for me. I accept that now and while people tell me how "stupid" I am for doing this when I dont look overweight - they dont know about my issues with food behind closed doors. Sent from my SM-G955F using BariatricPal mobile app

Finding doctors to provide post-op treatment as needed can sometimes be a problem as most docs are wary of taking on the liability of other doctors' patients (this can apply whether the original surgeon is in Mexico or the US). Routine follow up like labs and such are not usually a problem and can be done thru ones PCP and are usually covered by insurance as routine health care. As to which procedure to get, do as much research as you can on them. I'm no expert on the bypass or mini, but there are reasons why the mini bypass has never been accepted by the ASMBS or the insurance industry in the US. It has been around for a long time - some docs were promoting it when my wife and I first got into the WLS game some fourteen years ago, and in the meantime both the DS and the VSG have been accepted as mainstream procedures, but the mini has not. This also plays into any "plan B" that one may have in that since it is not well known in the general bariatric community, this makes it more difficult to treat and/or revise in the future if such is necessary. I would certainly stick with a more mainstream procedure (though a case can be made for a newer procedure like the SIPS/SADI which hasn't gained acceptance due to its novelty and a track record hasn't been established, as opposed to the MGB that never gained traction despite it having been around for a while.)

Every WLS requires will power, honey! If you don't have/learn the willpower needed to not overeat, you will suffer (literally) the consiquences. Getting stuck is the band's way of saying "DONT DO THAT!" If you don't learn, you will undoubtly and/or eventually hurt yourself or the band. So just keep that in mind! And please remember there will be times when you are MISERABLE. Bandster hell is real and it sucks! But once you're past it, it's totally worth it My willpower is not wanting to mess anything inside of me up! I don't want to have to have a revision, especially if it is something I could have prevented! Good luck!

I hate this fight. My insurance can pay for my revision. However, I am tired of this 3 year fight. I currently have an advocate fighting with me. It's not just about weight loss. I am fighting for my quality of life. I work and pay for my insurance. How dare they act like I don't have a disease called obesity! Sent from my SM-G996U1 using BariatricPal mobile app