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Hi! I don't have MS but I have RA. I know it's like comparing apples and oranges, but they're still fruit. They're both still autoimmune diseases. I've had umm about six surgeries since my diagnosis and I've never experienced a flare from surgery. I do experience flares still occasionally, so it's not that I do not flare, but surgery never brings them on. My rheumy attributes my lack of flares to be that my RA is pretty much in remission. My rheumy is my biggest cheerleader for getting revision to RNY. She says getting to a more normal bmi will decrease inflammation and make my disease even milder. She says if I do flare after surgery, no problem, she'll just administer a steroid injection. So your neuro cleared you for surgery, they must feel that the benefits of the surgery will outweigh the risks. If you have any doubt, schedule another appointment with your neuro and discuss it with them. Has your wls surgeon okay'ed you for continuing the celebrex after sleeve surgery? I stopped mine after committing to revision to RNY. I had to know I could survive without it forever. I wish you all the best!

Hi all. First post here! Long story short--I have a 10 year old lap band that I'm having nothing but trouble with. My doc said I could revise it to either a sleeve or bypass. Right now I have Aetna, but by the time I do the 6 month diet I will be on Medicare and the doc doesn't know if they cover revisions. Anyone out here have any experience with this? Thanks!

Yes. Different names, but the same procedure. What makes the sleeve work well is that your digestive tract is left intact. Your stoma and pylorus are not changed. Your intestinal tract is not modified. Basically, everything is left alone, except the stretchy part of the stomach is removed, so you can't eat very much. But if you're experienced eating with a lapband, you already know how to eat small. One of the biggest advantages to sleeve surgery is removing the stretchy part of the stomach also removes the grehlin, which is where hunger pains come from. Imagine a life where you have to remind yourself to eat, because you never feel hungry. And before you ask: I would love to have this surgery for myself, but my insurance won't cover it yet. I don't want to wait, so I'm having band surgery first. If I need further help later on, (and if my insurance will pay for it), I'll have it revised to the sleeve. Good luck! Dave

Hi Jules! I had much the same experience as you, I was banded in 2008 and spent the past several years throwing up daily, no fun! I too have a young child (turned 1 June 11th) and my pregnancy took a toll on my band. I had band revision in August and then band to bypass on May 21st. It has been like a rebirth. I feel like I have to work harder to keep myself on track because of the years of band habits but I has been great. No more gurgling and sliming, I feel normal again Miri

I revised to RNY. I had reflux with the band so it was a no brainer to go to RNY. I use Vitamin Patches and so far no issues with vitamin levels. I am not concerned. Dumping is manageable if you are even someone who does get it. I get it if I eat (or drink my Protein shake) too fast (large gulps vs sips...so I don't eat too fast, then I don't get it. Pretty simple. I haven' t tested out sugar (other than a bite of my husband's dessert) and that was fine. If i sat down and ate a whole dessert would I dump? Maybe...probably...i'm not going to try to find out. I did ask my Dr about dumping because that was a concern for me (still wanted to have avocado with sushi etc). he said none of that would be a problem. He described a patient who would eat a bowl of Pasta, wait 15 minutes and then eat another one etc as the type of behavior that would cause dumping.

Wow! I'm not sure where to begin to comment on all of this. I think 1st of all I should say I had a banding done a year ago and i am about to have a revision to the bypass. I have had alot of complications. as far as bashing other types of surgery, the site i normally frequent does not do that. thinnertimes.com we are all very supportive and urge everyone to make an informed decision about what is best for them. most people that i know have researched enough to know if they can follow through with the diet of the band or not. because with the band if you are a compulsive eater you can drink milkshakes till the cows come home and with the bypass you are welcome to try but.... do it close to a hospital cause you are gonna get sick. with the bypass reversal ..it can and has been done, my surgeon has done them and they are very difficult and are prone to complications and are only done in extreme situations. Both surgeries have people that regain their weight! That is a fact and it is not just because of the type of surgery it is because people are addicted to food, afterall thats why we are or were over weight! It is a choice and while my experience with the band has left me bitter if asked i will tell it is their choice but i will be gald to tell of my experiences with it! With the pregnancy issue, there a lot of people who had children post operatively from bypass and all are doing fine. I have a friend that became pregnant 5 or 6 mos out and had a very healthy pregnancy. From the sites that I have researched (absa.org) and others the 25% statistic is actually a little low. A lot of people have to have the revision due to complications and the fact that if they had the will power to stop eating junk they wouldn't need surgery to start with. I have respect for the bandsters who are losing and doing good and I have respect for those trying to achieve weight loss. wls is a battle and it should not be argued amongst the ranks it should be argued on the field. If someone is putting your choice down that makes them the loser not you! You did what was best for you and your family. Who gives a crap about he said/she said we are adults fighting for our very lives. I don't need anyones approval but God, My Family, and the Insurance Co.! ( in that order ) Good Luck to you all and hope to have your prayers as I undergo this revision at the end of the year. Christy

I have been banded for over 3 years. The first year I lost from 350 to 230. Then I started having difficulties. Had a port replacement, couldn't get to a proper level for weight loss. Got pregnant, had a complete unfill due to hyperemesis, gained a boatload of weight and found out I have esoph. spasms, dialation and scar tissue choking my tubing which means no fill in, no fill out. I am now actively seeking approval for a DS/BPD. This is a Duodenal Switch. Sue, also on this board is also getting a revision to DS. In no means was this MY fault nor could I not "cut it" with the band. Stuff happens. DS is different than the RNY, as there is no pouch, no dumping, very slight chance of regain, and it has the best rate of success for long term weight loss. It will require extensive supplementation. I always thought I had the superior surgery, the "thinking persons surgery", and apparantly these people are thinking like I use to. Now I am eating some of my own words. My point is this, everyone is different. Each surgery is awesome in its own way. What would you do if your body started rejecting your band? Gain back the weight and say "oh, well?" Circumstances do change, and I had to change with them. And to tell the truth, I'm really tired of feeling filled to the gills and my stomach still growling. I have friends who have had surgery 2 years later than me and are at goal while I am still groveling along. After 3 years, I'm tired of fighting. In order to lose, I have to starve. In order to live comfortably, I gain. And now if doesn't even matter because the fill that is in there will stay in there until I have surgery to remove it.

I only have to do liquids for two weeks and this week which is my second week I can do whole liquid like yogurt and stuff. So I don't think you starting softs after two weeks is bad, since that's what I will be doing as per my Dr. I no that when I weigh myself I get really depresses so I try to do it only once a week which is killer. I had my revision on May 6th and actually gained 8 pounds of fluid I guess. I was so depressed because I am not eating and still gained weight. Today I finally went back to my post op weight minus 2 pounds. It will come off just stop stressing, with the band some weeks I lost a lot, some weeks I lost a little, and some weeks nothing.

I was reading a doctor's advice concerning pre-op at realself.com awhile ago and apparently there is a debate whether pre-op is necessary or not. Both of my surgeons (lap band 09 and revision) required a strict pre-op.

I don't know if ur on solids yet but this site is a really good suppor system and we do look at each others reciepes if ur on mushies still then I know I loved drinking the premixed musle milk I especially liked the banana flavored and someone posted a protein drink that they said tasted like a butterfinger just without the crunch and I mixed one it was so good also I love non fat or sugar free frozen yougurt but I went from a large to a small one with fruit , sometimes nuts but it helps if u have a sweet tooth so every once in a while that's what I get I'm going to the doc for my 3rd fill tomorrow , oh I wanted to let u know go to lapband reciepes and scroll on spark people receipes then u can scroll to whatever I know my son revised some holiday foods and they tasted normal so that was good k ttyl good luck

Ditto what Susan said. I am band to sleeve revision too and like all the others would not recommend it now. VSG is great!

After trying numerous times to fill my band the second time my dr decided it was twisted so I had to go in and have port revision surgery. It went pretty well except that they gave me some pain meds on an empty stomach so I threw up ALOT!! That sucked but after a few days of being extremely sore I was fine. Things are going much better now. I've lost another 10 pounds and am on my way! Thank goodness. The doctor said that the band was empty when he filled it during surgery. I have really noticed a difference in eating now! I can't eat very much at all now and I've learned what sliming is too...YUCK!! Oh well, I've started working out again and things are on the right track so I guess we'll see how it goes from now on...to be continued!

Hi! I'm new here, I just googled "Weight Loss Surgery Discussion Boards" and this is the first site that popped up. I hope I'm in the right place... I had Open RNY GB in May of 2002. My weight the morning of surgery was 310lbs. I lost over 100 lbs in the first 10 months and got down to my lowest weight of 153lbs about 2 years after surgery. I was feeling fabulous! However, over the years, I was able to maintain at about 170-180lbs consistently, until I gave birth to my son in 2012. After he was born, I wasn't able to lose all of the weight I gained during pregnancy. I was around 200 - 205 lbs at my lowest after he was born. But, due to some other life circumstances and traumatic life experiences that happened to me in 2016, I have gained back over 100lbs and am now sitting at about 268lbs. I'm crushed. In May 2021 I decided to research revisions and found a surgeon in my area (St. Louis, MO) who specializes in revisions and I found out that I am a candidate for a revision to Duodenal Switch. After meeting with a dietician for 6 months, psychologist, primary care physician, etc. I'm finally having my revision next week... April 14, 2022!! I'm so scared and nervous this time around. I don't know what to do or where to go. I wasn't this nervous before my first surgery and I think it's because I didn't have as much to lose back then when I was 21. Now I have a 10 year old son who is everything to me and I'm terrified that if something goes wrong, he won't have a mom. Has anyone else in the forum gone through this and if so, can you please share your experience with me?

I totally understand. I'm also very worried about strictures and possible dumping. I've been very fortunate with my sleeve, besides having reflux, which is actually manageable with medications, but I don't want to be on these for life as they can also cause problems with long-term use. I recently tried stopping them for a couple of days just to see if I really needed to have this revision. Even just oatmeal was causing me to reflux, so I guess it is the best thing for me right now. I will also miss being able to use ibuprofen occasionally for aches and pains. I didn't start using it until about a year out from sleeve, and it's not even once a week, but sometimes it's the only thing that really helps. Best of luck to you!

I'm 10 wks out from a band revision. I lost 18 lbs (I started at 174 so I knew Id lose slower) 5he first 6 wks. Haven't lost a lb in 4 wks. I'm traveling now visiting family in a different state. Guess I'm using that as an excuse to eat crap. Not very much crap, but crap nonetheless. My sleeve tolerates everything but ice cream (including burgers, fries, corndogs {went to the fair} and Cookies. Haven't tried pizza yet bbut I'm sure it'll go down just fine). I wish my sleeve would reject all of these things and make the right choices for me but alas, I've figured out I have to make the decisions for my sleeve, not the other way around. I'm happy I can only eat 1/3 of an In and Out Burger, maybe 6 fries, maybe 1/3 of a corndog. Otherwise Id be gaining all I lost back. Hopefully when I get back home and all becomes normal again I will make better choices. At least I'm hoping...

My surgeon like many in South Fla no longer does the band. Too many are saying the revision rates are higher then the success rates. Thus, the band requires far more maintenance then the sleeve.

That was fun!!!!!! I got to the hospital and they were all ready for me! This part was just like the banding surgery in March. This is the tale of what happened next! First of all what is a Port Revision? Most of you already know but for the few who do not......it is when there is a leak in the port itself or the tubing going to the band! It is possible for the port to be damaged when the Doctor is doing a fill or adjustment. When there is a leak the doctor must go back in thru the belly button and fix the leak or replace the port. He finds the leak or problem with the port with a dye that is put into the port/tubing. This is all done with a local anesthesia so you are awake the whole time they are working on you and what ever is broken gets fixed, done, it was really quite fun......but then you hear the words of the Doctor, "Cheryl, The port has detached itself from the tubing and the tubing has gone up inside of you and I can not get it without doing it laparoscopically!", okay cool here we go on a nice trip to who knows where for a little while, I told them all night night and thanks for the great job and out I went! I woke up in the middle of a cartoon version of The Road Runner, it was really funny! I only had to stay at the hospital for a few hours, then I went home. So now today, it is almost the same as when I came home from the initial banding! I have three cuts from the laparoscopic part and the belly button cut! A bit sore today, feels like a Mac truck rolled over me a couple of times. BEST OF ALL!!!!!!!!! even though I am only on liquids, RESTRICTION, SWEET RESTRICTION! Oh how great it feels to have my old friend back in my body! Doc Feiz gave me a fill yesterday also just a little one. I can not say this enough, This young Doctor Feiz is amazing, kind, caring and very very special. Even my husband thinks so! So now back to loosing the tons and back to eating small portions. Just a side note! I was without any restriction for over 2 weeks, I ate a little more in portion size then with restriction and officially at the hospital yesterday I had only gained 2 pounds which I am sure is already gone with being on the liquids! This says to me that even with my band not being tight, I stayed in control of my hunger, the band was still doing its job, I still one night got food stuck eating too fast! I love my BAND!

I was banded October 1, 2008, flipped port happened soon after. I was ignored for months by my first surgeon about the flipped port and abdominal pain. After 6 months, I started looking at getting a revision to the sleeve. I found a surgeon who agreed it needed to come out, and was able to have the revision covered by insurance due to the tubing of the band actually tugging on my stomach and causing increasing pain. Plus, I had 2 fill attempts under fluoro that were unsuccessful due to the flipped port. I had my revision on June 3rd. On June 5th, a leak was found during my last leak test with gastrographin and the cat scan. The top portion of my stomach was damaged by the band, and had weakened the tissue. I was immediately sent to the OR for the leak repair. After the leak repair, my lungs would not recover. I landed in critical condition on a ventilator for 3 days, and spent about 4 days in ICU. Finally moved to a regular surgery floor, and was released on June 12th with a pic line (kind of like a central line catheter) in my left arm, and went home on TPN for the next 10 days. The TPN was discontinued, and the line was pulled on the 24th of June. I started Clear liquids. I left with 2 JP drains in my abdomen, and while at home I had a home healthcare nurse come in every few days to change my pic line dressing. I had a follow up on July 9th where a UTI was detected. Levaquin antibiotics, and I went home. I had family over during that week. They left on Saturday July 11th. On the 13th, I was taken to the hospital again because of severe abdominal pain, cramps, and I knew I was dehydrated. They did a leak test again, and there were 3 Fluid pockets/abscesses found, no leak. 2 in my abdominal cavity, 1 in my pelvic cavity. Unfortunately, I was admitted for treatment. I had to go to a interventional radiologist so they could place a different type of drain in my abdomen. Unfortunately, they could not reach the one in my pelvic cavity. In hopes the antibiotics would resolve them, I was hospitalized for 1 week then released. I went home on 2 antibiotics, 2 anti-nausea meds, and pain meds. I had follow up appointments a couple of weeks later with more ct scans, and the drains were eventually removed. I have been off all anti-nausea meds for about a month, and have had no further set backs in my recovery. The most challenging aspect for me has been eating and getting in my Protein. But, every day has gotten a bit easier. I am now able to eat 3 small meals a day, and protein is still my arch nemesis, but it's getting better. Even with everything that I endured with this surgery, I have zero regrets. I know that the band would of continued to damage my stomach. Every day brings a new challenge, but I know that I made the very best decision to have the band removed.

I know everyone is different, but I had very little pain with my RNY (I'm not a revision, though). I thought plastic surgery was MUCH more painful.

I feel bad for you, to have had to have the revision really sucks! I got the mesh (or whatever you called it) in the first place to give it a good base to scar to to prevent the flip (I have Allergan) so I hope that works. I always wonder if I have a complication like that do I have to pay because I self-payed the first time! Anyway I hope you feel better soon, its a bump in the road (a long road of life I guess) but you are doing great!!

I'm getting my endoscopy there tomorrow and lapband to sleeve revision there on October 3rd.

Ok im back from the revision, it all went good and im back to work. I asked my Doc why it flipped and he is saying that the type of band i got (realize) tends to flip. So he went in and said THAT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH INTERNAL SCARING TO HOLD IT IN POSITION oops caps. So he placed gauze inside to promote scaring and installed a new port w/ a small fill I barely feel any restriction which sucks. So here i am sore and bruised.

I use dr. Touliatos at trinity. He's the one who put my lap band in. I really like him. By the way, I loved the band- it totally worked for me. But unfortunately the stupid thing broke down & eroded into my stomach! So I had to get it out. Now dr. Touliatos doesn't even do bands anymore! So he recommended the sleeve. I'm really worried BCBS is gonna reject it - even though its a "revision surgery" due to the band erosion.

I have been reading other people's blogs and am happy for every single one of you who have posted pictures of you rafting, hiking or cycling yourselves to a new you. I'm also incredibly jealous because that will never be me. The spirit is more than willing, but the body just isn't able. For sure I'm going to be able to do more things than I have been able in years but my success will be more moderate: I will be able to walk to the store two days in a row. I will be able to walk two days in a row. :biggrin: What I find frustrating is the people at the clinic don't seem to get it. I appear to be a misfit among the misfits of society. I keep being assured that my life will change so much, which I don't doubt, but I wonder if they have any clue of what my life is like? Will the band magically let me hold a pencil long enough to write a letter? Will I be able to play my violin or harp again? The psych lady I met yesterday was all impressed how I seemed to know my body much better than the average person and that learning the rules of the band would be a breeze for me. The truth is that for years, one small lapse in thought and I've popped something in my mouth that will lead to hours of gut wrenching pain or my eyes swelling shut. Push myself too hard and I'm bedridden for days. She seemed really nice and wanting to help while we chatted for our 35 minute hour, but she specialises in anorexia, bulemia and overeating... I wonder if she knows much about people who've grown old before their time. Then again, it was the first session... I'm hoping that a few more sessions will get us all on the same page. I'm really looking forward to working with the chiropractor they have on staff. Ontario's major failing in health care is that if it can't find something specifically wrong, it won't fix it or expend the energy to see what can be done for you. When one of the foremost rhumatologists in Toronto tells you "wow, your life must suck, but there's nothing I can do about it" you tend to lose heart. I've not been able to afford private physiotherapy, massage therapy or the chiropractic care I probably could use, so I've gone without. I didn't want to risk getting addicted to a therapy I couldn't do long term. How dumb is that? So apparently for the next year or so I'm being offered unlimited access to this guy. After me, they may want to revise that policy. Usually I'm not so much of a whiner... I promise I'll be more upbeat next time. In the meantime, keep posting the canoeing pictures. Even though I can't do it myself, that doesn't mean I don't like seeing others have fun.:sad:

Well the 2nd fill has broken my plateau. Am I to my "sweet" spot? Don't think so, but feeling less hunger than ever. Tonight I ate about 5ozs of good healthy food and felt satisfied. It's now 11pm and my belly is rumbling a bit, but seems that i always have a problem this time of night. Guess I should hurry and get this blog done so i can go sleep off the hunger? I go July 1st for my next fill. So, in two weeks i think i will be where i want to be! Today is June 13, 2010 and I weighed in this morning at 178! Yippppeee!!!:mad2: My first goal was to get to 179, so I just set my new short term goal today at 169. Then, I have a family reunion coming up on July 22. So, that is five weeks for me to lose all I can. My original goal for family reunion week was 170. I think I am going to revise that to 165, this is just to push myself more at the gym. I am currently kickin' my own butt... I come home feeling good, but sore! I know I will be converting some of this blubber to muscle so I may even have issue with the scale moving the way i want it. But, oh well...it gives me something to work towards. All in all today was long, but pretty good. No complaints... I had a great day at the gym. 10 minutes on the rowing maching, 15 minutes on the stairmaster (my new love!) and then 30 minutes on the Elyptical on the cross training mode with intensity of 9 kept heart rate up in the cardo range the entire time. Everyday it gets easier!:frown: Bad news, I am SO hungry! Think I'll have a little chuck of cheese:blush: then off to bed.