May 10th (today) is my 1 year Bandiversary. I was doing really well, slow but steady weight lose, down 49 lbs, 21 lbs to go to be at my goal, and was starting to look pretty good in size 12 pants. But 3 weeks ago I had to have an emergency unfill after not being able to keep anything down for 3 days. I had been sick with a migraine for 2 weeks, taking lots of meds, and vomiting. Not just PBing, but full on vomiting. I had had one other non emergency unfill 5 months ago due to night time reflux. Now my Dr wants to take the Band out, and do a revision to the Sleeve.

I got the call today that my insurance has approved the surgery, but I have mixed feelings. I've asked to have a endoscopy done to at least check the band. If it's ok I'd like to continue with it, but my Dr is pretty adamant about removal, and revision. I hate the thought of having yet another surgery with the recovery time, and costs. Not to mention the physical pain, and dangers.

Anyone have any thoughts, or suggestions?

Thanks

May 10th (today) is my 1 year Bandiversary. I was doing really well, slow but steady weight lose, down 49 lbs, 21 lbs to go to be at my goal, and was starting to look pretty good in size 12 pants. But 3 weeks ago I had to have an emergency unfill after not being able to keep anything down for 3 days. I had been sick with a migraine for 2 weeks, taking lots of meds, and vomiting. Not just PBing, but full on vomiting. I had had one other non emergency unfill 5 months ago due to night time reflux. Now my Dr wants to take the Band out, and do a revision to the Sleeve.

I got the call today that my insurance has approved the surgery, but I have mixed feelings. I've asked to have a endoscopy done to at least check the band. If it's ok I'd like to continue with it, but my Dr is pretty adamant about removal, and revision. I hate the thought of having yet another surgery with the recovery time, and costs. Not to mention the physical pain, and dangers.

Anyone have any thoughts, or suggestions?

Thanks

Did you dr say why he was so insistant on having it removed? having a gastric revision done is a biggie.

I would also want more info before agreeing to go ahead with the revision.

Congratulations on your bandiversaty ! I've also heard about replacing the band with a new one is that an option ?

Congrats on your 1 year bandiversary! I had a revision, but did not need a replacement. Best wishes, ad hopefully you will get good results. Karen

Can you get a second opinion?

I agree with the others. He must have a good reason to want to remove it and do a revise but he should be providing full disclosure of information.

Thanks guys, he just says that it's clear to him that my body is not tolerating the band, and he's worried that it is eroding. After the emergency unfill, I had immediate relief thought. I feel fine, really. Although It does feel like the band is more prominent? I feel something inside where my band is when I bend over, or lean over something that puts pressure on my upper stomoache. But that may just be that my stomach area is much thinner that it used to be.

I'm not going to proceed with anything until I have the endoscopy done to check it out. If this band is ok, then I don't want to remove it. I just hope that my Dr is willing to refill me if that's the case. I have no restriction at this point.

My sister had the sleeve a few months ago and is doing great, so it's not that I wouldn't want that, but I chose the band instead so I at least need to try and make it work.

Congrats on your 1 year bandiversary! I had a revision, but did not need a replacement. Best wishes, ad hopefully you will get good results. Karen

what is a revision?? i dont know that term.

May 10th (today) is my 1 year Bandiversary. I was doing really well, slow but steady weight lose, down 49 lbs, 21 lbs to go to be at my goal, and was starting to look pretty good in size 12 pants. But 3 weeks ago I had to have an emergency unfill after not being able to keep anything down for 3 days. I had been sick with a migraine for 2 weeks, taking lots of meds, and vomiting. Not just PBing, but full on vomiting. I had had one other non emergency unfill 5 months ago due to night time reflux. Now my Dr wants to take the Band out, and do a revision to the Sleeve.

I got the call today that my insurance has approved the surgery, but I have mixed feelings. I've asked to have a endoscopy done to at least check the band. If it's ok I'd like to continue with it, but my Dr is pretty adamant about removal, and revision. I hate the thought of having yet another surgery with the recovery time, and costs. Not to mention the physical pain, and dangers.

Anyone have any thoughts, or suggestions?

Thanks

Get a flouroscopy done AND MAKE SURE he shows you the results. Otherwise...get the Flouroscopy done by another doctor. You want to make sure you know EXACTLY what position the band is in.....and making sure he shows you is HUGE....

If something is wrong....he is less likely to want to reveal and show in the information...because then you would be informed in terms of a lawsuit. I"m not saying this what is going on....or how he would respond. But you don't really know.....so I always want my basis covered no matter what.

P.S. Bottom line...you need to know whats going on in with the band....and you will only know truely with a Flouroscopy.

what is a revision?? i dont know that term.

Hi judych'

My surgeon went in and adjusted my band surgically. He did not have to replace my existing band. He had orginally taken all fill out which will, at times, let the band readjust itslf. But mine did not, so he had prepared for the worst, which was to replace it But, when he got in the operation, he just had to readjust it. Hope that explains it. Karen

It sounds as though he fears a slip. And this would/could be a second. I read somewhere that if you've had one slip you are more likely to slip again. If it is a second, that could explain the need to remove the band. The endoscopy will give a good idea of what is going on from inside the stomach, and show possible erosion. I'd want to REALLY talk to my surgeon about why he wants to revise to another procedure, then I'd probsbly do it. But I trust my surgeon, and my primary care doc, they work together as a team. My primary care doc had gastric bypass by my surgeon a year after I got my band.

My band really tightened up on me for about 6 weeks four moths after my last fill, so we are going to do an edoscope to be sure all is right. I had an uuper GI in Sept right bedore the fill. Everthing was fine then.

It sounds as though he fears a slip. And this would/could be a second. I read somewhere that if you've had one slip you are more likely to slip again. If it is a second, that could explain the need to remove the band. The endoscopy will give a good idea of what is going on from inside the stomach, and show possible erosion. I'd want to REALLY talk to my surgeon about why he wants to revise to another procedure, then I'd probsbly do it. But I trust my surgeon, and my primary care doc, they work together as a team. My primary care doc had gastric bypass by my surgeon a year after I got my band.

My band really tightened up on me for about 6 weeks four moths after my last fill, so we are going to do an edoscope to be sure all is right. I had an uuper GI in Sept right bedore the fill. Everthing was fine then.

What is the difference between a Flouroscopy, Endoscopy and Upper GI? I'm not sure I know the difference. Thanks Cocoa !!!

Hey Dude! upper GI is similar to fluoro. Except it is still pics in the end. Very similar to fluoro, but I believe fluoro doesn't have a recording mechanism, I could be wrong, howerver.

Endoscopy is done with a camera on the end of a scope put down your throat to your atomach and, I think, to your jejunum. It is very similar to a colonoscopy, but from the other end. It is pictures and a camera/live view of the inside of your stomach. They can truly see the inside of the pouch and see if the band has eroded into the stomach.

All three are very useful, but the surgeon should determine which is needed. If an erosion is suspected, then endoscopy is the proper test, insisting on flouroscopy will not benefit you, other than frustrating your surgeon, because you know more than him.

What is needed depends on what information is being sought.

I'm currently going through the same thing. I had my bandaversary Feb 23. I was doing ok until about a month ago. My weight loss stalled out several months ago. Last month I went to get a fill but I I had been having problems with my band being real tight one day and way too loose the next. They did a barium swallow and a flouro and it showed that my esophagus had dilated. I went for endoscopy and it showed that my band had slipped. I am not in any pain, I can just eat more than I could before, hince I thought I needed a fill. My dr. wants to do a sleeve and I'm pretty excited about it myself. I have only lost 65lbs in the past year with the band but I had to fight for every pound. I get stuck occasionally but there are a lot of things I cannot eat. I got approval for my revision surgery this morning with BCBSTX and they are supposed to set my surgery date tomorrow for the revision. I hope everyone pays attention to their body with the band. It can be a really good tool and I am thankful I had it but be aware that complications can occur down the road and you may have to make someone listen to do some checking to see if all is well.

Hi judych'

My surgeon went in and adjusted my band surgically. He did not have to replace my existing band. He had orginally taken all fill out which will, at times, let the band readjust itslf. But mine did not, so he had prepared for the worst, which was to replace it But, when he got in the operation, he just had to readjust it. Hope that explains it. Karen

thanks Karen... how is it all going with you now?? Im having difficulty with meats since my first fill. i had 3ccs into an empty band about ten days ago.