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i actually started out on Lap Band Talk a year ago too... i thought the band was what I wanted, but then i realized all the complications that banders were having, and how most of them didnt lose much weight...plus the thought of constantly having to get filled/unfilled... i also noticed a large percentage of banders saying they wish they had went with the sleeve instead, and lots who actually did revise to the sleeve... I decided that i would skip all the drama and just get the sleeve instead. I was a little scared because of it being non-reversible like the band is and being more invasive but so far i am 3 weeks out and im doing well... its hard adjusting to this new life, no doubt about that but i am happy with my decision so far. My advice is to do as much research as you can before deciding if the sleeve is right for you.

I had my band removed for this very same reason. I was fine for 2 years. Everything was fine in the daytime, but at night it was another story. I called my banded friend and she told me I had to sleep sitting up and put a bowl next to the bed to throw up in the middle of the night. This was AFTER I had my fill removed. I knew I could not live like that, and worried about the band damaging my stomach and esophagus. I had my band removed and got the revision surgery to a sleeve. Now food does not get stuck, and I can take my medications without fear of them coming back up. Life is so much better with the sleeve. I worry about all those people out there who are choosing to live like this in fear of gaining their weight back.

So I had my band out and had mgb in beginning of April and only lost about 21lbs. Feeling kinda bummed here Are revisions this slow? Anyone else have a revision to mgb? How has the weigholoss been for you?

How many incisions do they make when you have port revision? One grl one this form that I talk to had the band done 3/6/13 and she said they put her port in her arm pit. I had never heard of that either.

My surgery was on April 23 and I am feeling great (compared to what I expected). I had lap band done in 2009 and did great with it....until I didn't (it slipped). I decided to have a revision to the sleeve. My husband has been very supportive throughout the whole process. Tonight while I was talking post op diet with him, he kind of "confessed" that he was worried that we were not going to enjoy our nights-out ever again. Our kids are leaving the nest and we were enjoying our date nights and trying different restaurants around town. I think he was enjoying the feeling of DATING AGAIN! lol! So to help ease his mind, can I get someone to weigh in on what it will look like for us to eat out from this point on? (after the liquids are done of course). Will it be similar to lap band? If so, I was able to eat out and enjoy myself. Can I enjoy a glass of wine with my man? Some of the posts we have read are almost like, "FAREWELL FOOD, we are breaking up!" Like food isn't going to be a part of my life anymore. I know logically that isn't true, but I'd love to hear what those of you who are 6+ months post op are eating at restaurants? I'm traveling to the Bahamas when I will be 2 months out... will I be able to eat there?

Thanks!! I've heard a lot about Premier Shakes. Do they sell them not in bulk so I can see which flavors I would like? Good luck with your revision surgery!

Hi all. I'd like to share my story as to how I even knew of the sleeve as a Bariatric Choice plus how I got to this point of my surgery scheduled now for March 30. I was at a resort in Honduras for New Years 2013/14 with a group of people. Somehow one of the couples with us mentioned the husband had been quite heavy a couple of years back, had the gastric sleeve done which is why he watches what he eats and runs every morning. I was starving for knowledge so he explained it to me a bit. I filed it away. I have gained 60 pounds in the past 14 years, HATE it, don't even recognize myself plus my back hurts, knees hurt, blood pressure rising, snoring like a lumber jack and more. I have tried every diet at least once if not twice: weight watchers, hcg, Ideal Protein, clean eating, fasting 2/5 diet, boot camps, on and on, you get the picture. So, in October of last year in a fit of desperation I remembered the sleeve procedure the guy had and called a friend who had has the by-pass and shared my woes, curiosity, etc. with her (she's in the health care field). She suggested I see a physician who has had the sleeve by the way and see if I was a candidate for surgery. I met with her and while my BMI and other markers weren't high enough but given the fact that my weight has steadily risen over a period of years in spite of dieting and exercise plans she put put my name forward. I also saw another doctor who I heard runs a bariatric protocol program at our local hospital who put me in the program. I see the nutritionist, psychologist, physical therapist and attend the monthly group sessions plus physician visits. The groups is amazing and filled with pre, just out of surgery and post people up to 2-3 years out of having had surgery. It is so interesting to hear their journey, experience and tips. There are also people who are back in the programe for revision surgery. That made me go hmmmmm?! Anyway, it's now March, I had all my bloodwork done, submitted a stool sample and had an upper GI. So, I have my surgery date on the 30th of this month (YIKES) and began the pre-surgery diet protocol. I have 2 high protein, no sugar shakes a day, loads of Water, 1 small meal of fish/meat and veg, I have to have a no fat broth each day for the sodium. I am doing fine, detoxing my body, shrinking my liver and preparing my brain to accept less amounts of food. So far so good. I have had to stop my HRT which is not pleasant and I hope I don't hurt anyone!!!. I have my anesthesia appointment on Monday where I believe I will have an ECG and surgical discussion. On Monday I weighed 224 lbs and today I am 217 (due to this pre diet), feel great, blessed, hopeful and ready. I am 60 years old and my height is 5'6". My knees and back hurt, I stop breathing 19 times a minute while sleeping and my blood pressure is in the 150's and sometimes higher (top # of course). The thought of eliminating these health conditions are making it all worth any early unpleasant symptoms I may have post surgery. Also the vain side of me wants to enjoy buying clothes again, cross my legs without pain, walk briskly without wheezing and getting thigh chafe, feel confident again, not worry about running into people I haven't seen in years (they knew me thin) and more. I know you all will wish me luck and I certainly do for all of you in your journey.

Hey copmom give us an update on your status. How did the endoscope and surgery go? I'm going to ask my Dr. About it next week since my revision will be in May.

Get ready to be motivated and inspired. Join us at the 1st SouthEast VSG 2 day Conference in Atlanta, Georgia on June 12th & 13th at the Wyndham Galleria Hotel. You will Celebrate your pre or post-operative weight loss surgery. No matter what point you are at on this journey come and get the tools needed to continue to get the weight off or maintain it for a lifetime. We have an awesome lineup of presenters and fun activities that are prepared to help you along the way and make the journey easier. We’ll discuss topics on behavioral changes, revisions, importance of exercise & nutrition and beauty tips. We’ll also talk about rebuilding self- esteem, have a live cooking demonstration, body contouring and a Zumba session. Fun activities include Meet & Greet, Fashion Show made up by attendees, mini concert, vendors as well as fabulous door prizes. We will end the conference with a themed dinner/dance with a live DJ (Hollywood Glam is the theme) on Saturday night. You’ll also get to meet your fellow SouthEast Face Book members and make new friends. All this for only $100.00 for the entire weekend and access to all speakers, sessions and 4 meals. The keynote speaker is Dr. Guillermo Alvarez of www.Endobariatrics.com and you can also meet CEO Alex Brecher of Bariatricpal.com up close and personal. Pay and register at www.southeastvsg.webs.com until May 15th after that prices go up to $120.00 and you can purchase a one day ticket for $60.00 but space is limited. See the website for a list of other awesome presenters and hotel information. The goal is to give you knowledge, motivation and inspiration to help make the rest of your life, the best of your life. southeast vsg logo.docx

Most of you know me. you know that I had bad medical care when I complained to both my surgeon and pcp. they used medications to correct reflux and pain instead of upper gi with barium. so I ended up with a messed up esophagus. I cannot or lets say the doctor will no longer do fills. I have 5 cc in a 14 cc band. I need to diet. as you all know diet doesn't work when your tool isn't helping in the lest. but I can do a bit more to start the wt. loss again. my only option is a revision. if I go that route I will do a ds. it is easy on the esophagus and that's what I need. I got down to 215 when I couldn't eat due to the reflux and pb'ing. I have gained 15lbs when the band was completely empty and have maintained that for months. I just want ppl to listen to their bodies. It isn't normal to have reflux. It isn't normal to have pain. It isn't normal to have your chest pulse so you can see it. doubleing up on medications will not solve the problem. Please when you are having problems insist on a barium swallow. don't fret if you have your band unfilled. at least my band is still there and I have managed to have a slip corrected and most of my esophagus problems corrected. I am going to have next month a full upper gi and lower gi to get a good picture of everything. I would rather keep my band than do a revision. PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOUR BAND IS TELLING YOU. That is my message.

I am also a revision from band to sleeve!

I feel your frustration. I had revision surgery from band to sleeve on June 7th and I just feel like I should be losing faster. I lost 25lbs in the first couple of weeks but the last 3 weeks I've only lost 3lbs. It's a bit disappointing because when I had my band I lost weight a lot more consistently. I'm trying to exercise more and make some adjustments to see if I can kickstart the weight loss again. Damn slow metabolism.

my husband is also in the union (elevator) and we have BC/BS IL who manages our plan. WE DO NOT follow the BC/BS IL guide lines either...what I was told by my benifits office was to call our pre-cert number and speak directly to the nurse and ask what the requirements are for WLS (weight loss surgery) which I did...VERY VERY different than the BC/BSIL requirements. So I would suggest going that route first. You can also ask your benifit department what surgeons are allowed, what the copay if any is (I have none), and any other questions you might have. Once you find a surgeon, they should have some one that will work with you on your benifits...BUT be aware that they may look at your card and ASSUME you have to follow BC/BSIL guide lines. I actually wrote down my guidelines, the name of the nurse that gave them to me including his/her extention, and the phone number...i had to request that the benifit nurse from the surgeons office call while I was there. She was very suprised to learn that I was correct and revised my plan for the surgeon... Hope that helps you some!!! Feel free to private message me if you have any questions...

So everyone, I posted a few weeks ago about the posterior body lift and most of you said you were very happy with your results. Today was my last consult before my surgery (posterior body lift and revision on thigh lift) and I told my doctor I was concerned about having a flat butt. I am very white girl no butt shaped and while it didn't bother me before, once all of the skin is removed and lifted, my backside will look like a flat board. So, my doctor isn't a fan of implants, so first we discussed taking some fat from lipo and placing it into the buttox, which much to my delight he pinched me in a few places and said I don't have anywhere near enough fat for that procedure (YAY!, lol). So, the other option is auto augmentation, more specifically it's called autologous gluteal augmentation, where essentially they put part of what they would have removed into the upper pole of your butt, so that you end up with a rounder bum and avoid the totally flat problem I would have had. The thing is..I don't see a lot of people who have had this procedure done and there isn't a ton of information online about it. My question is...did anyone have the auto augmentation done on their butt and if so, do you like your results? Thank-you!

Has anyone had a stricture dilated with success? I have one and had my first dilation today. The doctor said there is a lot of scar tissue in my esophagus causing food to get stuck and vomiting. From what I've read on here, many people have had no success with this procedure and end up with stents or revision surgery. I'm worried. Has anyone been able to eat after this procedure?

You guys need to be careful with being poked to many times That happened to me and I just had a port revision done this week I had my original surgery last February and didnt loose any weight

No, I don't mind you asking, but it's a long story, so I'm going to make it short. Early this year I learned I had a badly dilated esophagus and signs of a esophageal motility disorder call achalasia. All that resolved when we removed all the fill from my band, but my surgeon felt that adding fill back in would be asking for trouble and strongly recommended removing my band. I decided to revise to the sleeve because there is no way I could manage my weight for the rest of my life without some kind of surgical tool. After my surgeon removed my band, she couldn't do the sleeve revision because of a stricture we didn't know I had. I went to a new gastro doc who said I don't have achalasia; that my problem is stenosis (thickening of the tissues) caused by longterm "silent" reflux that I've probably had for 25+ years. He dilated the stricture, and in August we're going to do the sleeve procedure. I hate, hate, hate that I lost my band. I think the sleeve is going to be OK, but I can't expect it to work the way my band did. I'm just trying to make the best of the circumstances. Life is like that.

You won't be alone. Our beloved Lil Miss Diva and Superstar Susan have either had the revision or are considering it. I know there are others. There is probably a group on the RNY board for Sleeve to RNY, like the one here for Band to Sleeve. Lynda

Well I don't know how tall you are but I am 5'3 and 280 pounds with 140 to lose and I am getting the sleeve its my first and hopefully last wls my insurance only allows one per lifetime. So we're not to far off weight wise. I would check out the band revision boards they have a better perspective

I am a revision from Band. I really researched both the Sleeve and Bypass before making a choice. You need to do the same and see which one you are comfortable with. Both are effective, it really comes down to your preference... unless your Dr says you arent a candidate for one or the other. No one should have to talk you into either. Do some research and make an informed decision. Have you consulted a surgeon? That first consultation would be a good place to start.

I had the sleeve in December of 2012 and lost over 100 pounds! Well over my goal weight. And that was before they revised me to the bypass for GERD reasons. I am still losing and have been put on TPN for weight gain, malabsorption, and malnutrition.

Congratulations on your weight loss, but at the same time, I'm sorry to hear it might be too much. I don't have experience in this realm, I just got my RNY a month ago, so these suggestions might be silly. As far as protein, I'm really liking the premier protein clear drink. I don't care too much for the "regular" ones after the RNY surgery. Other than that, are you sensitive to fat intake? Perhaps integrate more healthy fats like fatty fish, avocado and transfat-free butter alternatives? I've read that sometimes fatty foods cause dumping, but I am not far enough out yet to experience this (Or hopefully not to). If you did need to go for revision surgery, perhaps the doctor could bypass less of your intestines, so you could absorb more food? I'm not sure if that is even possible, but just a suggestion.

Good luck! Hopefully your approval will go smoothly and you will have a date soon. I too chose the BP even though initially I chose the sleeve. I had the band for 6 years and only lost 30 pounds at my best. When I decided to have a revision I started to research and the BP has the best results documented. I didn't want to chance the need for another revision so I chose BP. Keep preparing yourself and all will be good!

Welcome inneed! You have come to the right place for support. There are so many of us who have revised from band to sleeve. I said "us" because I am one of them. I am always open for interpretation if you have questions or are curious about anything. Wishing you well on your upcoming surgery!

Hey there! New to the forum, not new to the WLS world. Having an EGD tomorrow to check the status of my anasthemosis and to see if a revision is in order. (Truth: I am HOPING for a revision.) I am currently doing <1200 cals; +65 protein; <25 sugar; standard vitamins and calcium citrate. Anyone have a RnY revision ? Any EGD advice? I had one previously but it was during another (bigger) procedure so I don't know what the after was like. Thanks a million! Looking forward to getting to know you all. Tina