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Has anyone had the gastric sleeve done and then have to have the bypass revision surgery? What are the outcomes and things I should watch for. I lost 120 since June 2014. The Dr said I may lose more.... will it be as quick as the sleeve?

Thank you - I like it. I do not plan on telling my nosey coworkers WHY I am having surgery. Don't feel like dealing with the know it alls that feel the need to give their "just diet and work out" advise that works for them to get their extra 5-10# off. One of my other coworkers recently was sleeved and lost over 100# between the surgery and doing his part by being in the gym first thing every morning working out. "If he would have just gone to the gym every day, he wouldn't have needed the surgery." I told one of them the other day to go carry 100# of weights as they run on the treadmill and let me know how "easy" it is for them. They just don't get it and I don't care to involve them in any part of my journey. I already had my gall bladder removed and had a hiatal hernia repair at the time of my initial lapband procedure (now going for revision to the sleeve). I have reflux issues, so I just read that I can blame that on fibroid tumors that will have to be surgically removed when the peanut gallery sticks their nose in. Sent from my SM-G900V using the BariatricPal App

I'm really sorry you have to deal with such a putz. I've been so lucky that my PCP is very pro-WLS. He, along with the entire staff, have cheered me on, fought to get my referral approvals when I was going through my revision to VSG, and have shared my story with his other patients. He has been nothing short of amazing in the WLS support department. I wish more general med doctors would get on board, and lose their bias towards weight loss surgery.

I got to that point about 4 years in or so. Nothing I did would get me to stay under the 300 mark. Ultimately, I was revised to the bypass. My surgeon advised me that the Lapband was over hyped and under performed, that 2 of the largest manufacturers have sold off or stopped making new or replacement parts for their versions of the bands. When they removed the band, even though I didn't have any major issues going to the revision, the band was 100% encapsulated in scar tissue and took my surgical team more than 3 times longer to remove it than it should have taken. I'd hate to think what would have happened if I left it in!

amf1025, Well, he had the lap band for 13 years. He did lose 100#. But his starting weight at the time was 515#s. The Surgeon said he wasn't strong enough for the RNY. Which wasn't true because at the time he was still driving log truck and long haul trucking. He was 50yo. So after the surgery, they kept having problems putting in the fill and finally ruptured the port. Back into a day surgery got that fixed. So in 2013 it malfunctioned and he couldn't hold anything down. The VA suggested that he see a Bariatric Surgeon which we did. they said he needed to have the band removed. And they would do the revision at that time to an RNY. When they got in there the band had eroded into his liver. They couldn't do the revision but removed his band and gallbladder (due to him having stones) they told him that in 3 months when he was healed they would do the RNY. He ended up getting abscesses and was deathly sick for 9 months and 3 months he doesn't even remember. So now he is healed up so we go back to the Surgeon, he tell us he won't do the WLS because he said, he was a "PROBLEM CHILD". But he did refer him to another surgeon in Portland Oregon. Now they would do his surgery when he lost 25#'s and got his A1C (he is diabetic) down to a 7 or 8. Which if he lost weight his blood sugars would go high and if his blood sugars were down he gained weight. He just couldn't get it done. So then we get the news that he has Cancer on his kidney. Which the VA didn't tell us for 3 years. Now he has to lose 150#'s before they can do anything about the kidney cancer. So then we get the money up and off to Mexico we went. On June 3, 2013 he has surgery and is supposed to get the RNY. When they got in there they found that his whole right side is solid scar tissue. They can't do the RNY so he gets the Sleeve. So here we are now he has lost 60#'s but just can't seem to get any more off. This could have all been avoided if the first surgeon would have done the RNY. When he was strong enough to go thru it. They gave him 4 years if they can't do anything about the Cancer. Maybe 2 good years but the last 2 would be HELL!!! It has been a year already. Now I just found the KETO diet so I'm going to try it. We are both going to do it. You can do it to lose or to maintain. I feel like if I can do it wth him it might make it a little easier on him. I feel almost desperate like time is running out for us. So this is how the Lap-Band has been for him. Plus we have heard that most Dr.'s don't do them hardly, but the do many revisions. Please think hard before making your mind up on which way to go. Good luck!!

My lapband was removed in April and I am getting the gastric bypass on 12/21. I ended up with reflux and a small hernia from the band. I feel better since the removal, but I do not want to risk more issues by getting the sleeve. My bmi is around 39 now, but it was above 40 when I started the process. I am happy with my choice to get revision surgery. I'm getting closer to the date and I have a few nerves like everyone else. I think I would regret backing out at this point in the future, so I'm going to go forward to improve my overall health. Good luck with making your final choice.

True, you can't avoid the GERD but it can be most likely resolved by a third revision to RNY. GL

With the fact that you have gerd the dr should be able to get approval for the revision I have only had the Vsg and preparing to revise to bypass. Gerd is my issue as well.

I was on a two week liquid diet when I had my revision to bypass, so I am sure my team thought that was more than enough. when I had my sleeve, I was told to take the magnesium citrate I believe. I have also taken the magnesium citrate for my other abdominal surgeries to make sure my bowels weren’t full so they didn’t get in the way of the surgical procedure

My insurance paid for band removal and revision to sleeve - I had two surgeries. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using the BariatricPal App

Hello everyone! Haven't ever posted on here so I might be a little shy or nervous! Lol Just getting back on YouTube (where I first documented my journey) and saw all the rough stuff everyone has been through.. I had a slip and they were able to fix it by just removing saline. A couple of months went by and the same thing happened. I ended up having revision Surgery on Dec 2nd. The doctor wanted to do it in 2 steps but my insurance company wouldn't go for it. After he got it approved for me to get a sleeve he ended up doing 3 surgeries in one. I had my band removed, a sleeve, and a huge hiatal hernia fixed/removed. It was the most painful thing I have ever felt in my life!! Today I am 5 days post op and dying for some food that I could chew!! I snuck two saltines and chewed, chewed, chewed... Anyone ever had a problem with this? I'm gonna try to keep posting regularly! Thanks for reading!! Stay strong and healthy!! Cris

Where do you do your revision surgery for gastric sleeve

Hey there. I am new here and not sure about posting but I feel like I am all alone. I had surgery 10 years ago, I didn’t ever lose that much weight with it and ended up getting sick and not being able to keep up with my running which I miss more than anything. Anyway, I am 20 lbs over the weight I was before my surgery. I am always so tired and I could sleep anywhere at anytime, although the test said I didn’t have sleep apnea. My BMI is a shameful 45. I wasn’t sure who to contact so I contacted my Bariatric Doctor’s office. I am unable to go to the one that originally did my surgery. I’ve been dealing with a NP (which I really adore) that told me no to a revision, but she’s put me on phentramine and they don’t even give me energy and I never had a problem with over eating I have a problem with forgetting to eat 🙄 All of my pills I have to take now makes me sick, I feel nauseous all of the time, zero energy. I have been checked for depression (of course vitamin levels) I take those even though they make me nauseous. This dr is 3 hours a way we’ve only been able to do telemed visits. I would like another opinion but I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes and get in trouble with dr shopping or have anyone mad. I wasn’t sure if people start out with their PCP or surgeon. sorry I rambled I’m nervous and so confused! Idk where in the world to go from here. Lol thanks for listening to me.

I had a band in 2006. Lost about 40 pounds and was doing ok with it. Bnad slipped in 2014. Was removed and rebanded Jan 2014. I Ive had nothing but misery with 2nd band! Gained almost 15 pounds since 2014. Nausea, food getting stuck, port pinching. Im going for consult to revise from band to sleeve. My current BMI is only 31 though. Wondering if insurance will decline? Im now pre-diabetic, along with severe sleep apnea and other comorbidities that qualified me for the band to begin with. Did you experience any problems with approval?

Tricare said I can do an external appeal and are sending me the paperwork to do it. I was in Washington when I got the original surgery done and now in Illinois. My new surgeon has written a letter saying that it was a error and that I will need to have a revision but I still got denied.

Hello I had my surgery done two years ago and meet the requirements through a army hospital. At time of surgery I loss weight and was down to a BMI of 33.8 and I had two co morbidities. Fast forward to today and I need a revision because my sleeved failed( doctors error). Tricare denied me and my appeal because I don't meet the civilian standards from my original surgery. I meet them now though but because at the time of surgery I was under BMI. I am going to do an external appeal because I need a revision. Any help on what I can do or add to my appeal would be great. Also if you had an external appeal with Tricare could you let me know how the process was! Thanks

I was told to not drink 20 minutes before a meal and 20 minutes after. Put the fork down between bites. Eat for 20 minutes only. 2 bites of Protein, 1 bite of veg, carbs should be avoided - but if wanted then only be the last bite. Eat 3 meals a day only (no snacking). No carbonation, no sugar. Eat without distraction (no tv, no reading, etc.). 80 oz of Water a day. Didn't have to worry about counting calories or measuring food if these rules were followed. From what I understand my Dr. has since revised some of these basics like drinking before a meal and the snacking. Sometimes I think it would be wise for the clinics / Dr. to update their veteran banded patients on the newer findings on the to do's/not to do's of the LapBand. Things change. Thanks for this topic!

If this is a revision, when was your first surgery? Could it be they're afraid of offending you for questioning a second surgery? I, too, had a revision after 5 years. Not sure people knew how to take a second go at it. It was odd enough at the time (2003) for them to understand the first.

Has anyone heard if using a larger staple size for revisions? I was concerned about scar tissue and my surgeon said he may use a larger staple to get through it?

I went into my initial consultation thinking that I wanted the sleeve because it seemed like a less extreme, less risky surgery, but the surgeon recommended gastric bypass because my BMI was over 60 and gastric bypass results in more weight loss on average (as NovaLuna said above, some lose more and some lose less than average, but gastric bypass gives you slightly better odds). I did more research in the months before my surgery and by surgery day, I was confident that gastric bypass was the right surgery for me. I've never had GERD, but I've seen a lot of people who get the sleeve talk about developing it (or existing GERD worsening), and I've seen a lot of people who get revisions from sleeve to bypass, either because of GERD or because they didn't lose enough weight with the sleeve. I don't want to get another surgery, so it seemed like bypass was the way to go to minimize my chances of needing it. I think I also had some misconceptions about the risks of gastric bypass. Nowadays, bypass and sleeve have very similar rates of complications, so neither is significantly safer than the other. The sleeve has a higher risk of GERD, and bypass has a higher risk of ulcers. Some doctors allow sleeve patients to take NSAIDs (although I believe it is still not recommended), while NSAIDs are not allowed for gastric bypass patients. You need to take supplements for both, but sleeve patients have a better chance of being able to stop taking them eventually. There is a higher chance of dumping syndrome with gastric bypass, but some people consider that a benefit because it stops them from eating things they shouldn't. Remember that the decision is ultimately yours, and you have the right to go to another surgeon for a second opinion. It's a big decision, so do your research and make sure you can live with the decision you make. Keep in mind, though, that the surgeons are experts who have seen lots of patients and have a pretty good idea of what surgery would give you the best outcome.

Is there anyone else out there dealing with what I am going through? I had my lap band done on Jan. 28th 2010 and it couldn't have gone smoother. I lost an astoning 71 pounds and felt like I became the person I should have been a long time ago. My nightmare started the day after my port revision. It had flipped in June of this year and of course was told is was a simple procedure...woke up twice on the table but I guess that can be common with a twighlight...ever since he did the revision it has been pure hell for me. He relocted the port, I have nothing but pain and none of my fills are working. I have had 3 fills since the surgery and nothing is working. I have expressed this to him and he did a CT Scan to see if there was anything going on around the port. Of coursenothing came up so why look into it anymore....he did a fill that day and I woke up at 4am in so much pain my husband had to help me out of bed. I laid on the couch for 24 hours with an ice pack and Tylenol. And cried a lot. I called the nurse and told her everything again and she has been very kind but kind doesn't help. She told me to make another money making appointment and have a heart to heart chat with him and write all my questions down. Not sure what else I can tell him!! When a patient has that much pain wouldn't you think your doc would look into this further or give you options. He told me it could soft tissue/scar tissue from the surgery or my body is rejecting it. Now I can't get in to see him for almost a month. Dec.21st!! Just in time to renew my deductable. I shouldn't worry so much about the money because my insurance does cover a lot of it, but I still have to pay some. So when I see him I am going to give him these options..either do a test to make sure the whole band is working, no leaks, port flips, or band slips. I have been poked so many times I feel like pin cushion. I don't even think he is getting the fluid in the port.. When I drink the water it does get stopped and then he does his thing with the fill. But then the next day I feel like there was nothing done. I think I have a surgeon who is not listening (not the first time), doesn't care or does't believe me. I am actually getting scared. Would've something is really wrong and he is missing it! So again, options are test, see a different surgeon or get the band removed which breaks my heart. It worked so well for me when it was just right. I am so sad about this right now. I thought I finally had found the answer to my obesity and its all messed up due to a flipped port. Gosh darn it! I also travel one hour to there. I go to Froedert in Milwaukee which is an awsome hospital. One of the best. People come all around from the world to go there. How did I end up in this mess. This time my husband is going with me....can someone please hlep me or support me in anyway. Give me any advice..I need something to keep going....I hear all these success stories and I want to be one of them. I was on my way too. Please, maybe just a pat on the back for me right now.Dec. 21st seems so far away. He is going to be gone I guess. There are two other docs in the practice whom i wish i picked now. I have met both of them and they are awsome. oh well...thanks for listening everyone...HELP!!!

There are a lot of us revisioners / conversions here! Welcome! My band was removed due to "band intolerance". I had mine for five years and lost a whole 28 pounds! I have had my sleeve for five months and I have lost an additional 62 pounds! I was throwing up multiple times a day and could not eat normal healthy foods. I had to survive on sliders. This went on for five years because my band doctor wouldn't do anything about it. I went to a new program and a new surgeon. Right away they said "You have to get this band out quickly". I had vitamin deficiency, and gastritis and esophagitis (identified through a scope). There was nothing wrong with my band per se but it and my body just did not get along. Docs tried unfilling the band as well as meds for acid and calming/healing the stomach. Nothing worked. I was swollen inside because my body didn't like the band so having it unfilled made no difference. The doc also said that the constant vomiting would eventually lead to barrett's esophogous ( a pre-cancerous condition) and that I could eventually be dealing with repeated pneumonia. Once we had this info my insurance approved me almost immediately as a medically necessary procedure. Hopefully some others will chime in here that had removal due to band failure or mechanical failure vs intolerance. Do a search here on the boards. There is a section specifically dedicated to band to sleeve revisions. Good luck with your appointment!

I had a sleeve to single-anastomosis duodenal switch revision with a 300 cm common channel. I didn't have a DS or gastric bypass initially because the amount of malabsorption with a 100-150 cm common channel scares me. If this SA-DS had been around 3 years ago I might have gone for it.

Those DARN Lap Bands!!! My hubby had his for 13 years and it malfunctioned. He couldn't hold down even Water. Long story short. He went in for a Revision Sept 2013. It had eroded into his liver they couldn't do the RNY they took the band out and his gallbladder. He got abscesses and was sick for 9 months, 3 months he doesn't even remember!! So just this last June we went to Mexico for his RNY ( had to pay cash because they don't bill your insurance) When they got in there his whole right side was solid scar tissue so he ended up getting the Sleeve. It isn't working too well for him. He is struggling with his mind hunger. I think he really needed the RNY because it is more restrictive and malo sorbent too. I'll bet you can't wait. being sick all of the time is not good. Which surgery are you looking into? I had the RNY July 2, 2013. I lost 124#'s in 6 months and have maintained my weight for 2 and 1/2 years!! It, in my opinion, is the very best surgery. But I do know people that have GREAT results from the Sleeve. Good Luck in whichever surgery you decide on. This is a GREAT place to come for information!!

Okay I had to get my port revised on Monday and my doc said he put 5cc's in there (have 11cc band), on Monday I didn't eat had liquids on Tuesday I ate more than I thought I should have, but from Wednesday and like right now, I don't have an appetite and I notice I go a long time without eating so I try to eat a cheese stick or apple sauce if i'm not all that hungry but I know I have to eat. My QUESTION ISSSS....do sometimes your fill take a long time to set in? I was just wondering:redface: