I am new to this site and posted yesterday but can't remember which thread I was on (I know I posted on band to sleeve revision) but I can't find my other post. Oh, well.

For those who have been in my shoes, maybe you can offer some help. I got the band more than 2 years ago. I got it because it was promoted as causing satiety and keeping hunger at bay. It has never caused me either at any fill level.

I am now unfilled due to a severe stuck episode and plan to stay this way. I have followed all the rules and the 75 lbs I have lost was largely due to what I did, not the band. All the pre and post op dieting, especially the 2 week pre and post op liquid only diet (I was starving) plus a measly 15 pounds post band and that's it. Nothing since then.

I am tired of struggling with hunger and thinking about food and feeling guilty about food. I got this so that I wouldn't have to struggle anymore.

I eat healthy, exercise everyday but am hungry all the time. It is not head hunger.

Anyway, at my age (60) I am not sure I could get the sleeve. Plus I know my insurance wouldn't pay for a revision. The way they would look at it is I lost 75 lbs. with the band.

But I just know if I could get rid of that pesky lower stomach it would help. I can physically feel it asking for food to get to a point of satiety. When I was overfilled I physically could not eat much - eating caused pain, pressure, reflux and heartburn. But I was still hungry.

Any insights or suggestion for where I can go from here.

Thanks so much.

Oh, and BTW, struggling bandsters get bashed by the defenders of the band regularly on LBT and when I come to their defense, I get criticized, too. So, I decided to come here and see how this forum was to strugglers.

I had very similar experience with the band. I have had my band for 3 years. Things were constantly getting stuck and I was vomiting a lot. My esophagus had ulcerations it was so raw. I lost 35 pounds post band but gained 10 back in the last 6 months. My doc removed the Fluid from my band so I could heal. I need to have gall bladder surgery so I told him to take out the band while he was in there. I didn't want it any more. He talked to me about the sleeve and we began the insurance process with doubts it would be covered. Because of poor wt loss, continued health conditions (sleep apnea and non-insulin dependent diabetes) I was shocked, surprised and excited to get approved last week and my band to sleeve revision with gall bladder removal on March 21.

don't give up on your insurance company. the doctors know how to write it up so you are more likely to get approved. It is a slow process but I highly recommend pursuing it. I was going to get the band out and have nothing. The sleeve is a nice surprise.

I have never heard of someone paying $45,000. I am going to a center of excellence and EVERYTHING which includes surgeon fees, hospital stay, anesthesia, and BLIS coverage (basically insurance for complications) is running me $16,000. I am being sleeved on March 14. My husband said he was behind me 100% as long as I had it done in the US at a center of excellence with the complication insurance. Good luck to you.

Jennifer

I also had a band for almost 4 years. At first is was great but then after so many fills and unfills I found myself eating around the band since if I ate dense Protein I would just throw-up. With my last unfill about 7 months ago I gained a lot of my weight back. This is not the fault of the band, it is solely my fault for putting the stuff in my mouth.

After reading just about everything on this site I went to Dr Aceves in Mexicali on 02/22/2011 and got it removed and sleeved. I was also self pay for the band, as our insurance that we pay a fortune for doesn't cover weightloss surgery.

Almost 2 weeks later I am feeling pretty good and can finally get most of the Water and Protein shakes in, took me a while though.

I would not think you are too old and I know the difference I felt without the port alone was worth it.

Good Luck

As a former LapBand person, I truly know the pain involved with getting food stuck! BE sure you get an upper GI. After I had a severe stuck episode and removal of my fluid I had a FULL slip. My entire stomach slipped through the band and it clamped off the bottom of my stomach. There is no words to describe the pain that was. I had the band emergency removed then the gastric sleeve a little over a year later. And I gained the 50lbs I lost back.

From experience I can tell you that the sleeve is a more involved recovery but a MUCH NORMAL way of living. I just eat less.

Look into the revision and fight it if necessary. Age should have nothing to do with it. Good Luck

Thanks everyone for your replies, advice and suggestions. I have one of the older 4cc bands and from what I've read on LBT they tend to cause more problems. I have been unfilled since Dec. 2009 after a severe stuck episode took me to the ER and an overnight stay. Being shot could not have been more painful. I couldn't talk. The upper GI the next day showed everything was normal.

Something tells me that although my surgeon does the sleeve he probably doesn't do many band to sleeve revisions because I don't think he has a lot of band patients (probably under 200). Most of his patients are RNY.

He is my second surgeon and I like him. I left my original surgeon because he was an idiot. He told me I had a 10cc band which is why I could't figure out why a 3cc fill would cause so many problems. That's when I got copies of all my tests and operative report, including a CD of my upper GI's and took it to my current doctor for a second opinion.

He's the one who told me I had a 4cc band and that they have to be filled with finesse. My former surgeon just did 2cc's then 1cc. Slam bam. He had only done 23 bands before me. Of course in hindsight it was a big mistake to go to him. He also lacked knowledge about how the band works and had unrealistic expectations.

So, if I find my current surgeon hasn't done many band to sleeve revisions what are the chances of a third, more experienced surgeon taking me on? And BTW, how many revisions make him experienced?

Hi there!

I have been reading your story and I feel so bad for you. I just know there is something your new surgeon can do to help you. I am a 50 yo male from Atlanta who just had the vsg. I will tell you it is amazing. It will be 5 weeks Monday and I have lost 51lbs. But I had a lot to lose 130lbs! I am so fortunate because my insurance paid for it. I recently asked my surgeon for a friend of mine how much the self pay would cost if someone did it and he told me with hospital and surgeon the fee was around 45,000. But it is a fraction of that in Mexico and I hear such wonderful things about them down there and I know several people who have gone to have the band done and have been so happy with their care. I wish you all the best and I am so hoping you get better. Congratulations on your 75lbs! That is fabulous!!

Wow 45,000? I am going to Malley Surgical Weight loss here in Kansa City Missouri an self-pay here is only $16,500 a small price to pay if results are as amazing as everyone says... I can't wait... 1 more month!

Same here, Mystee. Getting mine done Monday the 14th of March. I am a nervous wreck but I know it will be worth it.